Blow

Lots of rain today.  Bands of it....then none...then more.  I think it's done.  Brisk winds too, but it's still pretty warm so there's no chill to it, but my hair felt all the humidity in the air.  All in all - no big deal here so far.  We're under a tropical storm warning that's supposed to last thru the night - the news says the eye of the storm is 335 miles east of Charleston.  But it's a huge storm, so if this is all we get I think nobody her will complain.

Although the news is full of this "Superstorm" and all the various unpleasant scenarios she poses for the northeast next week nobody here paid much attention.  It was like living through snow storms in upstate NY.  Yawn.  You need to be a pretty significant event to get noticed.  It's 9:30 here and I've actually got my windows open to get some of the cross-breeze.  It's pretty wonderful.

I'm a creature of habit.  Or should I say, I form habits that tend to become simply parts of my life.  For example, today I went to stores I typically go to to buy specific things.  I went to Whole Foods for some Honey Crisp apples (specifically - Honey Crisp...they sell the second best that I've tasted, after Wegman's).  I went to Trader Joe's for grated Parmesan/Romano cheese.  I stopped by the MAC store for my Holiday stuff.  I think the older I get the more open I am to forming new habits, but that just makes life fuller.  Or busier.  I suppose it's a little of both.

Honestly, when I'm home there aren't enough hours in the day.  I'm nesting and nesting and nesting.  I was up very early, but that just made more time to do "stuff".  I ran errands during the morning, met a certain someone for lunch, ran more errands, got a pedicure, came home, stitched up a pocket on a jacket.  I went to dinner with some dear friends at a place I very much enjoy.  And although I was invited to a Halloween party later I'm in my PJ's....winding down.  Fairly chill day.

Yesterday I wondered what costume you wear for Halloween?  One friend tonight dressed as a sort of sexy Pooh Bear.  Another dressed as a Swiss girl with a very short skirt.  Another is apparently dressing as the HamBurgler from McDonalds history.  Honestly....I have no idea what I'd choose.

I could get used to this.  In some ways I think I already have.  During the week I'm wandering the Carolinas doing what I do to make a living - even enjoying it to some degree.  On the weekends I'm home....just being....around things that ground me and give me comfort.  Two worlds.  It's worked itself into a fairly workable balance.  For now.

This house I live in has significant history.  There are always tours driving or walking by, and as often as not when I get home during the day there's someone taking photos thru the gate.  We just bought a book about old Charleston at Costco that has a couple of pages devoted to it.  When I say "we" I mean one of the people who live here bought one, and then the rest of us saw it and got a copy.  We've got a wonderful, eclectic, fun little group here.

Tomorrow the gardens will be open as part of the fall Tour of Historic Homes.  I got this email tonight:

The gate to the garden will be unlocked & propped open for this event - there will be a few hundred people coming in & out of the property so "heads up" - do not close or lock the gate on Sunday.

I won't lock the gate.  The weather is supposed to clear up, so I'm hoping to spend most of the day eating myself into a stupor at the Fair.

Speaking of eating, I did a first tonight.  I tried Steak Tartare.  With a quail egg on it (which I suppose is a second first).  There's not much I won't try, and in the scheme of things it was ok.  I love steak.  And the seasonings were tasty.  But, I don't know that I'd make it a habit.  Just sayin.....