Cooler Weather

We have had a bit cooler weather the last couple of days, there is a definite hint of fall in the air. Irene turned the heat on yesterday morning, and it is on again this morning. I stepped out the door and it's a bit chilly. I love fall, it's my favorite time of year. I love the colors and the smells and snuggling under an extra quilt at night. And I love the prelude to the holidays. There is so much preparation and anticipation; cooking and baking and making gifts and knowing that Melissa and Gregory will be home and we will all be together. Irene is looking forward to having a tree and Christmas in this house; last year we thought this house would be sold and she would be at Gloria's or in her own apartment. Now, instead, we have many more holidays to look forward to in this house. She told John she never wants to leave here, and she never will if we can help it.
Siobhan mentioned wanting to start baking cookies last night; I told her it's a bit too early but we will soon. Maybe the first week or so in October. I have been doing so well on my diet that I really have to watch the whole cookie making thing. I can eat half a dozen without even thinking twice.
John and I had a nice afternoon and evening yesterday. He came home early to take Irene to her dr's appt and while she was there we went to Naperville River walk and just sat in the grass talking and watching people feed ducks. After we dropped her off we went and got dinner at Portillos and sat in Salt Creek Park and ate it. While we were there 6 deer came walking out of the woods. They kind of watched us but they really weren't very scared. They just kind of sauntered up the edge of the forest til they were so far back we couldn't see them anymore. It was very cool. One was a bit bigger than the others so it might have been a male, although he didn't have any antlers. I don't know when they grow antlers and when they shed them so I'm not sure. After we came home John came down into my domain and we sat down here for another hour and just talked. It was a very pleasant day, and we need to do it more often. We want to finish fixing up the tv area down here so he or I or whoever can come down and watch whatever they want on tv. We still don't have cable here. We were dissatisfied enough with Comcast in the last year we had them that I'm not sure we want to go with them again.