Chilly temps, fuzzy shawls, and spending money locally is a complex situation...

Heaven help us, 'tis 34 degrees, friends. I need to find some old tablecloth to cover the squash--not that there's a lot of hope, but I have a couple of mini-butternuts (yeah, about the size of a double shot glass), and a couple of four-inch zukes out there. G says we should rescue the rest of the green tomatoes, but there aren't that many. Which, to be fair, is a good thing-- Meg, Holly, and I went out and picked all the ripe ones, found a good bit of green beans, and snagged a few apples. I want to make a pie later today. But, because we don't spray our trees, there is a little more effort required in order to cut off the bruises and bug/bird nibbles. No matter, it'll warm the house up.

G says that he'll fill up the pellet stove today for a test run. I think that's a good idea; let's make sure it works, eh? ugh. The woes. It's getting old, but we've replaced various (all?) of the parts here and there. In the meantime, I have a new plaid fleece shawl thing (with pockets!), and it's cozy. I got one for Meg, too. We will not be cold. At the price of heating oil, the house will be left on 60 degrees unless it's frigid outside. No matter, I will be fine, and I will be hanging up the thermal curtains and placing draft dodgers at the windows soon enough. Not yet, but soon. 

But first, coffee, and church, and breakfast. I'd love to go to a locally-owned place as we usually do, but there's a tourist invasion already beginning (Highland Games in our area), and they tend to flock to the good places. We'll likely end up at Starbucks, which, for all of the complex feelings about it, has decent coffee, plenty of seating, and it's not awful. And a lot of the folks who work there are friends/former students, so I figure I'm keeping them employed, too. 

And isn't that the hardest part? We'd like to honor the fact that the chain has issues (as does Walmart, Home Depot, etc.), but yet, they employ people. And people need jobs. Acting locally (as in, think globally, act locally) sometimes requires that we support those we know and care about even if/because they are working for big box/chain stores. 

Moral conundrums aside, I hope you have a glorious day. We have highs in the 50s and steady rain coming. I will not be messing about in the garden today. I have papers to grade, a pie to bake, etc. Huswifery and school-marming. Woot. I'll be warm, though. Just don't laugh at my fuzzy shawl. 

C