Hello, Monday.

Hi!

I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. I was down in Florida doing the Disney thing, and stepped off the plane into a winter wonderland. Snowy, it was not but that wind chill is always no bueno.

In other news, the Holiday Hustle season is real. I hadn’t even unpacked from my trip when my inbox at work acted like I had been gone for weeks.  It’s made for song long, very busy days, and I am looking forward to time off in a few weeks to be still like vegetables, lay like broccoli.  But first, we hustle.

I’ve barely been able to do anything productive in the kitchen, and have mostly been relying on eating out and others to feed me, which is never my preference. I did a full grocery run yesterday for some good batch meals, and even left some wiggle room for sweet treats since, it is the holidaze after all.

Caramel nut crunch…it’s coming.

Anyway, here’s what caught my fancy this week. 

I love Dick Van Dyke. 

Long live all the magic we made. Thank you, Taylor. I had the time of my life…with you.

If you’re like I am and planning a trip to the UK in 2025, an FYI.

The decline of American romance. I co-sign this.

Call me old (I’ve been called that more than once recently…by someone who is actually older than I am), but I agree that online shopping sucks. I’d much rather go out and about to find gifts but…stores don’t stock everything anymore and so I’m send to search online anyway. (This being said, I’ve got some local faves to share below)

One of my favorite small businesses here in town is Rock Paper Scissors. If you or someone you know is a Swiftie, into all things Gilmore Girls or just has more snark than she/he/they know what to do with…this shop is for you! I have a really hard time not buying everything in here when I stroll through.

Also, if your loved ones love food, I’m pointing you towards another favorite local business, Zingerman’s (you’ve seen them before!).

Yes, I believe in horoscopes and apparently next year is a doozy. As if we didn’t already figure that one out.

Yes to this. I eat 90% of my meals out of a bowl.

Finally, it’s soup season! Let’s get after it.

Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week? That means cookie season is hot on its heels and for that, I’ve got ya with this white chocolate pistachio cardamom shortbread.

(more…)

Hello, Sunday.

Well, it’s been a week. I’ve been riding a roller coaster of emotions, from the outcome of the election and what that means, combined with some stressful vet trips with Crawley. I spent the week screaming angrily into the void and crying at the drop of a hat – the up and down is not my norm and so I found the whole week just incredibly taxing. I guess all combined were the straws that broke the proverbial camel’s back.

I’m using this long weekend to recover- to get back to business at the gym, to ready my house for the upcoming season, switching out my pantry and closet, giving things a good fall tidy, spending some much needed time on the couch after double and triple booking the last few weekends.  I’m looking forward to all of it to control what I can in a world that seems so out of control.

I hope you can find some peace yourself, somehow, in our chaotic existence.

I tried my best to keep things light this week, and here’s what I’ve got.

When all else fails- travel cures all.

Have you heard of a dopamine menu? I can definitely get behind these things.

Related:  cooking IS good for your mental health!

Since we all need a laugh…side note, Abbott Elementary is possibly the funniest show on TV.

The OG Influencer- the Martha Stewart documentary is fascinating.

Notre Dame is back in business.

It’s so much more than apple picking.

It’s getting to be hot chocolate season!

That’s all I’ve got today- let’s all have a better week than last, shall we?