It's always a pleasure to sleep in a freshly-changed bed. It was nice and chilly last night; I even had to pull up the fleece to support the comforter, so I was like a little dormouse in his nest when I awoke this morning.

We got a late start because we were both finishing up reading books this morning: James had the new David Weber, and I was re-reading an old favorite, City Boy: the Adventures of Herbie Bookbinder by Herman Wouk. It was his second book written, the one before he gained success with The Caine Mutiny, the story of Herbie, who's growing up in the 1920s Bronx, a chubby and bookish eleven-year-old who arouses taunts from his classmates, including bullying Lenny Krieger, the son of his father's partner in the ice business, and even sometimes from his teachers. As the book opens, Herbie's had his heart broken by his "crush," his schoolteacher, who was married over a school break, but soon another siren has has stolen his heart, red-haired Lucille Glass. Soon he'll do anything to be with Lucille, including skiving off the movies in favor of the museum, and talking his parents into sending him to camp. It's by turns funny and sad and thoughtful. In addition, while Herbie moves in his own childish world, there's also an adult subplot going on, as a larger company is trying to buy out Mr. Bookbinder's ice business. He's one of those literary kids you never forget.

So finally we were off to Publix, buying twofers as well as items for Thanksgiving. They had milk on sale, and we almost didn't have to go to Kroger; unfortunately they don't stock a personal item James needs and also don't sell the burritos he likes. So we brought the milk and the BOGO pork chops home, then went to Kroger. Kroger's aisles are full of baking items that only come out at Christmas, and they already have tinsel Christmas trees outside on the light poles of the parking lot!

And that was it! We came home! We put the groceries away! We changed clothes and sat down and relaxed and read the paper. James and Tucker fell asleep, and the Birthday Boy sang (Snowy is two years old today) and I listened to instrumental Christmas music and re-read James Baker's Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American  Holiday. (I completely had forgotten he quoted from one of my web pages in this book.) Later James had leftover pizza for summer and I had a frozen dinner I got from Kroger. It was okay, but the rice side, even though it had no green veggies in it at all, tasted bitter as if it contained broccoli or cauliflower. Weird.

While James warmed up the dinner in the microwave, I took Tucker out for his early evening walk. Outside, the twilight was Navy blue with scattered grey mackerel clouds, a little golden quarter moon floating in the southern sky, temps in the mid-50s, the scent of burning firewood heavy in the air...what bliss! I know 100 years ago, especially somewhere on a homestead claim out west as in Hattie Little Sky, autumn would mean the hardships of winter approaching, and it would be daunting thinking of facing blizzards on the prairie. But having been surrounded by civilization all my life, fall evenings make me feel warm and cozy, like being enfolded in flannel, with thoughts of frolics (Thanksgiving! Apple Annie! The Christmas Tour of Homes! etc.) to come.

Later: The Librarians (introducing a new subplot for Cassandra) and Alaska: the Last Frontier (a "new" clip show with clips from last year—WTF?).

Labels: autumn, books, Christmas, food, shopping, television, weather

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 10:35:00 PM

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