Sunday 24 September @ 1500

Greetings Fair Readers,

Here we are already to the last post for September! Fall is upon us here in the NW and we have been enjoying the mild weather and the turning of the leaves. There is a lot of activity in the neighborhood as everyone is getting yard work done in anticipation of the winter months and the fall festival season is on us as well locally.

Yesterday Henry participated in a local event call the Running of the Balls as part of a larger Everybody Plays Day. The kids rolled numbered tennis balls down one of the steep hills in town for prizes and there were organized clinics in baseball, football, soccer and basketball for the kids as well as food samples and fitness booths and music for all. It was a sunny day and everyone appeared to be having a great time. Henry was one of the volunteers that worked to set up the event with his Grandmother through the Edmonds Rotary Club. During this, he was able to meet with Edgar Martinez (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Martinez) one on one as he accompanied his Grandmother as she worked with "Gar" to autograph some of the prizes for the event. A nice little side trip for Henry as he had no school on Friday and that helped fill the day.

Kind of a fall cleaning and chore day around the ol' homestead today, mowed the lawn hopefully the for the last time yesterday and today I've been doing some chores and enjoying the lovely weather with the sun out and a nice breeze coming off the sound so all the windows are open and I'm alternating between cleaning the house and yard chores to enjoy the day while getting stuff done. It's a tough day for me as I met with my trainer yesterday and he ran me through a new routine @ the gym that beat me up. I could barely get out of bed this morning but with some patience and stretching I'm actually able to move around and accomplish my chores today.

I got a new boss this past week and she is #3 in the past 6 months now. I have worked with her a bit in the past but we are getting along fine so far as we start to work together. My work partner took a long weekend so the beginning of this week will prove to be quite busy but as usual, I'm keeping my head barely above water. As September ends so does our fiscal year so this is the busiest time of year for me just as it is for most in the support center. We are expected to open 200+ stores in this month alone and along with that come the inevitable support headaches as we work with our suppliers (my job) to get this all done as well as support all the existing store.

One of the best parts about fall is the harvest season. I love the fresh food that is continuing to make it to the local farmer's market and the wines that are being released as well as the knowledge that all the holiday foods and wines and beers are right around the corner. The best part of fall is the cooler weather so we can actually cook some of the hearty meals that I miss over the summer. Don't get me wrong, I love the grill and will continue to use it numerous times a week throughout the winter but now is time for long braised cheap cuts, stews and roasts along with root vegetables and the other bounty of the late summer. Last night it was pan roast pork loin chops with grilled fingerling potatoes and green beans. I reduced the pan drippings with some fresh garlic, added in my Mama Lil's wonder sauce and fortified it with a hint of dijon mustard and it is great. I will use the rest on a grilled chicken breast tonight with a risotto of chanterelles w/ just a hint of chevre and a pinch of rosemary and garlic. Perhaps a salad of romaine, red bell peppers and hazelnuts to top it off. Last night I had a bottle of 2003 Turley Old Vines Zinfandel to accompany, I wonder what sort of plonk I can come up with tonight?

It's almost whisky season too but that's for another post...

That's about it for this week, so until next time may your glasses always be filled...