What's this?! A fresh post, three (3!!!) days in a row?! And in travel season?!
Well, there's a couple of reasons. Primarily, time was abundant this weekend. The college where I work enjoyed "fall break," awarding the entire campus a fun Friday off. Secondly, aside from this particular, magical weekend, I have otherwise been denied the necessary time to write and as a consequence, I felt stunted creatively. Once the time collided with the pent up energy, words exploded.  Here they are.

Anyway, it's Sunday, and I'm aiming for a new tradition. I'm securely in week three, which suggests I might actually be able to follow through on this planned feature. And so, the three weeks old tradition, Across the Table.
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What I'm Reading: Tomorrow Will Be Better by Betty Smith. Betty has long been my favorite writer and I've read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Joy in the Morning a million times, but had never really sought out her lesser known books. I found my current read for a steal on Amazon and was delighted to find, when it finally arrived, that it was a first edition. I'm nearing the end, and can see why this novel didn't shine as much as her more popular two, but her voice is still so there. That voice is why I love her as a writer, and I'm loving this novel.

What's on My Fingertips: I like classic fall colors, like burgundy or brown, but I like them best on short finger nails. I filed my tips this morning and painted a thick coat of Pure Ice (cheap cheap cheap Wal-mart brand) in Scandal. Nail polish is, in my opinion, one of those things where you get what you pay for, so it doesn't give me too much heartburn to invest $8 in a bottle of Essie or OPI, because I know I won't regret it. When I find a great color in a cheaper brand, I'll make sure to use a high quality top coat to extend the life of the cheapy stuff, otherwise I expect chips to happen overnight.

Something New: I'm really trying to focus on the positive. Positive people, positive constructive criticism, positive attitudes. An, in turn, responding positively. Treat people right, and for those people who refuse to return the good vibes, eliminate them. Negativity just does not belong in my life, anymore.

What I'm DIY-ing: Food! I'm learning to be a wife and trying my hand (finally!) at cooking. I still don't really love it, but I do love knowing precisely what I put in my body and I'm having some good luck. Right now, slowcooker cooking is my specialty, but I'm excited to experiment and see what else I can do! This week I've made about 15 batches of applesauce, every time changing up the recipe a tiny bit to see how variations can change the flavor. Currently, I have a batch marinating in Fish Eye Reisling as it steams. The best part is that Ryan likes it! He eats it! All these years and we've finally hit a taboo -- the first time he ate and genuinely enjoyed food that I made.

Highlight of my week: Butter cookies and tea with my Oma on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
























Wishing you a magnificent week!