Thursday Thirteen: Fall

Kimberly, also known as God(ess)mama, at least to me, must have gotten up good and early to write this blog this morning. I love it, though, and I would consider making "Thursday Thirteen" lists a regular feature in conjunction with Kimberly. This is something we'd talked about in the past--a blogging partnership of sorts. I'm up for it if she is.

Thirteen things I love about fall

1. Turning off the air conditioner. Being a quarter Dutch, I am cheap, and the arrival of the electric bills from May until September generally leaves me in tears.

2. The changing leaves. In Michigan, fall tended to be gray and drizzly, and as a result, not that appealing. Here, we get lots of bright autumn leaves against blue skies.

3. Halloween. This year, we're dressing Max up as a dragon, and he's almost as cute as last year, when we dressed him as a cow, or the year before, when he was a lobster.

4. Fall clothes. Hoodies, scarves, big thick socks (only in neutral colors, please; I hate few things more than I hate colored socks), and sweaters all come out of hibernation.

5. Fall farmer's markets. One of the vendors at Eastern Market sells hot apple cider on the weekends in the fall. I shouldn't have it, it's LOADED with sugar and I always have to take some extra insulin with it, but it's so worth it. I also am a big fan of the market in St. Mary's County. This particular one is weird enough to be the topic of its own blog.

6. Out with the Pinot Grigio, in with the Barolo. Somehow big, oaky red wines just aren't that appealing when it's 106 degrees outside.

7. High school football games. My husband's school happens to be the State Champion in their division.

8. The World Series. The Nationals are a million miles out of it, but the Cubs are playing pretty well, so this could be a good year. Last year, when Detroit was winning, was pretty great too.

9. God(ess)mama and God(ess)dad are coming! Later this month for her twice-a-year check-out at the NIH. Is it true they x-rayed your head and found nothing, Kimberly? Ho ho ho. Also coming in the next month: my mother, who will do all our laundry and get up with Max every morning, feed us, and make a lot of unnecessary impulse purchases on our behalf; my friend Ryan and his person, Jamie (what do I call him? Partner? Boyfriend? Lover? Husband? Ten years with a gay friend and I still am not sure what won't make everybody totally uncomfortable); and my in-laws, who...well, they'll probably drive me crazy, but whatever.

11. Fall cooking. Chili, Belgian beef stew with onions and beer, mushroom soup, chicken and homemade noodles...time to fire up the crock pot.

12. Tourist season is almost over. I have become such a Washingtonian; I am just filled with rage when I hear some boob from Kenosha telling her kids, "Look! There's the Lincoln Memorial. That's where Lincoln was shot!" It used to be funny, now I just wish they'd get out of my way.

13. There is just something about knowing that the hottest, most uncomfortable, most inconvenient season of the year is over, and things like Christmas, my birthday, and New Year's are coming. There's not a whole lot of anticipation for me in the spring, knowing it's about to get hot and uncomfortable and everything is about to be a whole lot more hassle. I am just a October-through-April kind of girl, I guess.

That's my Thursday Thirteen. Feel free to do your own, and link to me, or send me a link, or leave a link in the comments. Peace out.