Pumpkin and Spice

Um... it's really freaking cold outside. Today, it was 4 degrees. It has been a looong time since I experienced single digit temps. And it snowed. Not pretty, softly falling, just-shook-up-a-snowglobe snow, but cold, icy, sideways snow. It's good that it's finally snowing, and that it's staying cold enough that the snow doesn't melt, but I've been constantly cold all week. I've been going into the sauna at the gym after my workouts  just so I can soak up some warmth!

Today was kind of an easy day at work. I'm totally okay with that, because it's been a long week, and today is my "Friday". Yesterday, I made a pumpkin chocolate marble bundt cake that was the coffee cake of the day today. I couldn't wait until this morning to see what it looked like sliced- so when I got in, a grabbed a slice off the display to take a picture of... and of course, to taste! It was very good- moist and dense. The pumpkin swirls were spicy with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, and the chocolate swirls were rich and decadant. I really enjoy the combo of pumpkin and chocolate- I think it's vastly under-utilized.

 Well, I'd just finished a post and was uploading photos, and then I accidentally closed the window before saving. So, it's gone! It's getting late, and I need to get to bed, but tomorrow after work, I'll craft a super-post. I promise!

When I woke up this morning, it was snowing! It stopped around lunchtime, and the ski resorts here are still cranking the snow-machines so they can open this weekend, but we're heading in the right direction! I leave you with a snowy picture...

The Halloween party on Saturday was a smashing success! Everyone had such creative costumes- one of Kyle's friends and her boyfriend came as Medusa and Zeus! Check out her makeup job- she said it took her two hours!

Part 2 of the Stay-cation is coming soon... I had it all written out, and then accidentally closed the window before saving it and lost everything I had typed. Gaaah! Talk about frustrating!

I have to head to work, but I'll type it back up tomorrow, so stay tuned! In the meantime, I offer you a really ridiculous picture of me at Food and Wine Festival. I'm at the Pearville Fair pavillion- they had funny little pear cutouts that you could stick your face in for picture taking. This one is a "Bosc Bear". I'm making what Kyle calls my "stinky face"- and after accidentally deleting my post, this is kind of how I feel... Only maybe less furry...
 I also have a few other things waiting to be blogged about, including healthy pumpkin spice cookies (sooo yummy!), and easy low-fat pulled pork with homemade BBQ sauce. Those are next on deck, after the continuation of my Stay-cation!

Everyone gets jealous of us Floridians. I think people imagine that we spend our whole days surfing, lounging on the beach, drinking frou-frou drinks out of a pineapple and listening to Jimmy Buffet. The reality is that we have jobs and school and bills just like everyone else, and that it's super-crazy-miserable humid/hot about 70% of the year. Not to say that beaches, Disney World and sunny, balmy Decembers aren't nice, but I think people forget that it's not a tropical paradise all of the time. Case in point, Hurricane Fay, who blew through the Keys and is heading towards central Florida.

Floridians are pretty good at "hunkering down" during hurricanes. Obviously, we evacuate if necessary, but if it's safe to stay home, it's important to get the supplies you need. It's a good idea to get to the store as early as possible, because as soon as the storm starts getting close, the shelves empty of the vital supplies- bottled water, batteries, and of course, canned food. I got to the store just in time to grab all the canned food we'd need for the storm...