change of season

After the heat wave of last week, the temperature has turned decidedly cooler. So cool in fact that I had to pull out a cotton blanket to cover the bed before I went to sleep last night. Mr. Beebs, who is a short-haired, thin sort of dog, immediately crawled under the blanket and curled up in my belly, which is his preferred way to sleep. (He currently is in a tight ball on my lap, another one of his favorite ways of sleeping.) The sun is rising over the mountain much later than even a month ago. At 7:30, when the alarm goes off, the village is still dark. Consequently, the people are rising later as well, which is why I have set the alarm in the first place. I'm slowing getting used to my new routine sans Big Jim and it's requiring a lot more organization than I anticipated. Previously, my workdays consisted of getting up, making breakfast, writing, walking the dogs, working, breaking for lunch, working, having dinner, watching a DVD or reading, bed. Big Jim took care of everything else, bless him. I'm beginning to find ways to fit in the other tasks....the laundry, the all-important plant watering, shopping, going to the bank, etc. What I used to do when I still lived on my own was spend Sunday cooking, making and prepping my meals for the coming workweek. I decided I'm going to have to do the same here. This will get easier as the weather continues to cool: just fire up the slow cooker for a curry and put a pot of stew on the stove. Autumn was always my favorite season in the US. After a hot and muggy Philadelphia summer, I loved the crisp fall air. I haven't decided yet what my favorite season is here in Spain. The valleys are most beautiful in the spring, when they come alive in seas of wildflowers. However, in the fall, after the first heavy rains wash away the dusty drapery of a long, dry summer, there is a clarity to the mountain views not seen at any other time of year. The water washes off the dirt-covered lens and brings the world back into focus. For this (and the start of the NFL season :-) I look forward to the coming months, pulling out the sweaters, wearing socks again (this is always the strangest sensation, after months of sandals), lighting the estufa. hasta manana, mylifeinspain