The Big Chill

Dinner at McClures

7:46

I have been waking like clockwork the last couple of days at 6:00.  My eyes open, it's still dark but I feel it's morning, not 3:30, and check my watch.  And it's  6:00, so I linger for a few minutes but I am now awake so I get up, in the  dark, and come downstairs, turn on the coffee, get out my computer, turn on NPR on Sonos, then relax, waiting for the sky to lighten.  At the moment, it's 7:25, the sky is overcast, the winds from the north, the flags are flying, the bass boats are out, rushing north and south from the Marina. I assume there will be a tournament this weekend.  And it's 52º outside, a high of 62º is expected.  Get out the fleece.

Yesterday was much like this morning, overcast and cool, with occasional rain, not weather to pull us outside.   Yoga was fine at 10:00 though class was smaller than usual, perhaps because of the weather.  I did not linger after class but came straight home, no Ryder's Cup.  Evie was busy with wash, so I made my lunch, a chicken sandwich and the last of the zucchini/fennel soup.  The rest of the day was easy for both of us.  I watched the US/Lithuania basketball game after some reading and a great nap.  Evie read, watched some TV, and made a couple of phone calls, which took up a good part of her afternoon.  After the game, around 4:30, I decided I wanted some black bean soup, so I got out all the ingredients, turned Sonos on a upbeat station, and put together the soup in a half hour.  It's one of my favorites because it's so easy, quick, and tasty.  Black beans, canned tomatoes, cumin, onions, garlic, and sun dried tomatoes.  Once the ingredients simmer for twenty minutes,  get out the boat motor and blend half of the soup and it's ready.  

Last Night's Special: An Indian Meal

We then got ready to drive to McClures, who asked us for dinner at 6:00.  It was a cool evening, so no having drinks and appetizers out on their porch.  Rather we sat inside, contemplated turning on the heat.  Linda made a great Indian meal, butter chicken, rice, and naan, with a soup of two squashes and carrots, with ginger, roasted, then blended, creamy and tasty.  Beer before dinner, a glass or two or wine with dinner, we were a happy foursome.  And it felt for the first time like a genuine fall evening, a warm meal, a gathering darkness as we ate, a room chilly enough so that Ron actually turned on the heat.  We talked of our memories from 9/11,  of the coming fall trips, Mc Clures to Europe, us to Kansas City, then Maine, and winter.  We stayed until about 10:00, drove home on empty roads of Chautauqua once the summer warmth wanes.