Winter Cool & Comfort

In Texas, when it gets down past say 60 degrees, people start pulling out long sweaters, layers, coats. God forbid it should get lower than 40 cause then the Texans believe the Ice Age has landed. There is much talk about how cold it is. Yes, it's a little colder feeling in some ways cause in areas where there's snow, the snow sort of insulates, and it "feels" warmer-- yadda yadda yadda. Texans can handle heat-- if it's up to 100 degrees, they're pretty much fine. But if it turns cold they're a bunch of babies.

I basically include myself in that. When we lived for the three years we were in Washington state, I was constantly cold, even in the "summer." I would come out to my car which had been sitting in the sun and bask in the heat of the car for a few minutes before turning on any engine or driving. It doesn't even get that cold in the Puget Sound area cause of the Japanese warm water currents-- but it does rain A LOT. I just couldn't stand it; if you grow up in the South, you want it to be warm. Intolerably so. I knew a girl in grad school from Oregon who was constantly depressed by all the sunshine here. She, as far as I know, hightailed it back to Oregon when she was done with school.

Is it just me, though, or is this time of year the time for casseroles, soups, stews, pasta dishes with lots of carbs & cheese & tomato sauce? And crusty bread pulled warm from the oven and slathered with butter? And baked goods-- I'm on a scone kick right now cause I bought a new scone pan at Williams Sonoma-- pumpkin scones with chocolate chips. MMMMM.

I dunno. It could just be the hormones talking, too. Give me carbs lots of carbs. :) On Atkins? Fine. You can have all the damn bacon you want (it makes me want to hurl right now) and I'll eat your portion of crusty bread. Today's lunch: yummy hamburger (from a place called Chester's-- it's sooooo good) with a buttered poppy seed bun and the works toppings and onion rings. Jealous? I am, after all, eating for three. Woohoo! 3700 calories a day, baby!!!