Ready for fall?

Last night I had dinner at a friend's. She had lucked upon some shrimp and fresh tuna at a nice price, and decided to share it with us. Everyone brought a dish to supplement the meal, an impromptu potluck style. The tuna was outstanding, baked with just a little lemon juice and come capers. For my contribution, I had broccoli steamed just enough to be barely tender, drizzled with a little butter and a small amount of homemade seasoned salt. It was perfect, if I do say so!

We had all kinds of veggies from private gardens, grilled, cooked and raw. A homemade bread with wonderfully huge chunks of garlic baked in it and a dipping sauce of olive oil, garlic, basil and sea salt. [My eyes just rolled up in my head at the memory.]

Desert was in duplicate! One had brought a fabulous chocolate cake topped with chocolate icing, pecans and chocolate shavings, and our hostess had bananas foster on the menu. Wine, champagne, and tea at the end of the whole lovely mess.

I ate myself stuffed. Miserably stuffed. But I noticed that I ate far less than I've eaten at past potluck dinners. I guess that means my work to shrink my stomach is working. I've also lost another 3 pounds in doing so. It is a good thing, for sure.

Fall is here. Not just on the calendar, but really, for sure, here. I had a rain with some slight sleet (meaning, just a little and very slushy) shortly before I left last night. As I left the house, I considered taking a weater or jacket, but decided against it as the temperature was still nice. During dinner we heard the wind beginning to blow, at the end, so hard that it sounded like rain pouring down. The wind was from the north, very strong, very cold, just barely short of bitter. Last night's low was something below 38°. The highest I've seen on my thermometer today has been 56°.

It will warm up some later in the week, but I think we won't have anything near "hot" again this year. That's good. I love fall and winter. I'm ready for it, except for the winterizing tasks I need to do in the next few weeks. The normal stuff. Nothing big, just stuff, covering the A/C unit, cleaning and closing the storm windows, beginning the switch of summer/winter clothes, eventually emptying the lawnmower and hoses of their respective fluids, etc. Just stuff.

Are you ready for the change of season? I'm guessing those of you who are still enjoying(?) temperatures in the 90s aren't feeling the sense of season change, but it isn't far away. I'm ready!