Sunday Brunch

SUNDAY. Happy October, everyone!

It's a good thing we crave company sometimes. Were it not for our inherent sociability, we'd probaby never clean house. Today's brunch gathering was small and spontaneous, with no time to clean or pull the house into shape. Nonetheless, like a confused rat in a maze I scurried around the house this morning with vacuum and dust cloth, making stops in the kitchen to remove ingredients from the fridge, set out the plates, and wash a few dishes. This house has no dishwasher, so it's critical to stay current with dishwashing chores. It was so pleasant to cook for others again. It's been a long time since we've had company, and they were most tolerant of the dining room boxes stacked floor to ceiling and awaiting a yet-to-be-purchased china hutch. Brunch was tasty and the conversation stimulating, both of which left me with a warm glow. This is not to be confused with moonglow or balloon glow.

During balloon glow, hot air balloons inflate at dusk, remain tethered, and light their burners in a synchronized fashion. The "glow" effect is created by the same burner system used in flight; however, pilots use various means to bypass the "pre-heat" coils on the burner. These coils help the burner work efficiently, but the flame is a dull blue and does not emit a lot of light. The first Balloon Glow was held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of New Mexico’s statehood. It has always been held on the first weekend of the Balloon Fiesta.

After our guests left, we took a trip to the mall, bought some colorful cotton fabric for kitchen curtains, stopped at Staples for some office supplies, and redeemed a JC Penney gift card for some kitchen and bath throw rugs (thank you John & Bob!). Is it me, or have you noticed that every year retailers seem to force the Christmas season earlier and earlier? One wonders if we will one day see holiday trees on display in Macy's before Labor Day.

It's Sunday night, and that means parking my posterior on our new sofa to watch "The Amazing Race," "Desperate Housewives," and "Brothers & Sisters." Vegging in front of the TV is fun. I just have to remind myself not to make this indulgence a lifestyle.