"Bittersweet October. The mellow season of the year, when the earth seems to pause, and rest, and be satisfied." (Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams)
Hello, my lovely friends!
First off, I am so sorry for missing my posts on Tuesday and Thursday. Life got a little chaotic this week, or maybe I should just say my alarm clock started ringing at an ungodly hour. Mike started his new job on Monday, which means he has been up at five in the morning every single day. Now, as most of you know, I am strictly a night owl who thrives in the quiet midnight hours, but I’ve been dragging myself out of bed right alongside him to pack his lunch and kiss him goodbye. Afterward, I usually wander back to my room, attempt to get a few small things done, and then crash right back into bed. It’s safe to say I desperately need to figure out a new routine that works for me, because trying to go to sleep early just results in me staring at the ceiling and tossing and turning all night.
On the bright side, Mike is absolutely loving the new role so far. He’s working in the warehouse for Ethan Allen furniture, where he spends his day loading and unloading trucks and even assembling some of the pieces. It’s a small team of just three guys, and the workplace is a quick ten-minute drive from our house, which is such a nice treat. Plus, he gets weekends off and just found out they get a four-day weekend for Thanksgiving next month. Seeing him enjoy what he does makes those painful five-in-the-morning wake-up calls completely worth it.
Hopefully, over the next couple of weeks, my body gets the memo and adjusts to this new morning rhythm without me needing a mid-day collapse back into my blankets. Thank you all for being so patient with me while I navigate the sleepy adjustment period.
Fall and Halloween decorating around here is in full swing, and honestly, my mom has completely taken the reins and run with it. She is in absolute cozy season mode, which makes the whole house feel so festive. I’ve been meaning to get around to setting up the coffee bar, so that’s on my schedule for today or tomorrow. I’ll definitely take some pictures and post the final setup for you guys as soon as it’s put together.
We ended up making the call to skip the outdoor decorations this year, mostly because we’re still working on trimming down the yard and getting everything cut back for the season. But I can't leave the front completely bare, so I think I’m going to do something cute with the front windows to give it a little cozy glow from the street. We did make sure to stock up on candy for the big night, so at least that part is taken care of.
Now we are just keeping our fingers crossed that this gorgeous weather decides to stick around through Halloween night. The last couple of years have been a little quiet on our street, and everyone around here keeps complaining that there aren't nearly as many trick-or-treaters out on the actual night anymore. It seems like everyone goes to the big Trunk-or-Treat events the weekend before instead, so we ended up buying a little less candy this time around. Here’s hoping we still get a good crowd of kiddos showing off their costumes.
We had these big, grand plans to head downtown this weekend, but let's be real—Prime Day got the best of us. After a little too much late-night add-to-cart action, we now need to actually be home so we can rescue all those cardboard boxes from the front porch before the local squirrels claim them. So, the city will have to wait, and honestly, staying put isn't the worst thing in the world.
Instead of wandering around shop windows, it turns out to be the perfect excuse to step outside and get some good old-fashioned yardwork done. My tomato and bell pepper plants are still somehow holding on for dear life, bless them. I have been obsessively checking the weather forecast every night like it is my full-time job, and so far, the temperatures are playing nice enough to keep them alive. Every single day they keep producing feels like a tiny, triumphant victory over the season.
At the same time, we had the guys come by to blow out the sprinklers, which always feels like the official end of summer. Now the rest of the yard just needs to be put to bed for the colder months ahead. It is a bit bittersweet pulling up the old vines and raking up the leaves, but there is something so cozy about tucking the garden in for its long winter nap. Here is hoping that next year's crop comes back bigger, sweeter, and way more abundant, but until then, I am going to enjoy every last little harvest we can squeeze out of this one.
Thank you for being here. It’s always a treat to share this space with you. May your day be sweet, calm, and wrapped in comfort. See you in the next post!
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