You know how on Sunday, I spent a lot of time philosophizing and navel-gazing? Well, that’s not all I did. I also spent some time baking. I was in the mood to make something with pumpkin, so I went in search of a pumpkin bread recipe.

I have this odd habit of never using the same recipe twice. I know I’ve made some good pumpkin bread in the past, but I have no idea where any past recipes are. So essentially, the reason I never repeat recipes is because I lose them. I’m truly a domestic goddess.

Anyway, I looked for a new recipe, using my handy-dandy AllRecipes.com app on my iPhone. After viewing a couple highly-rated versions, I landed on this one by Delora Lucas:

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 (16oz) can of solid pack pumpkin
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ½ cup water

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix well. Combine dry ingredients. Add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water. Pour into two greased 9”x5”x3” loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely.

If I were a clever food blogger, I would’ve taken mouth-watering photos of all the different steps of making this bread. However, I am not a food blogger. And it never even occurred to me. So no photos from me.

But I can still tell you what worked and what didn’t with the recipe.

First, I edited what was written because you can take the editrix out of editing, but you can’t take editing out of the editrix. However, the only thing I added was preheating instructions, since I personally need those at the front end of the recipe or I forget to do it.

Second, when it says to cool 10 minutes in the pans, 3 minutes won’t do the job. The bread fell apart a little when I took it out too soon. (I then devoured the crumbly bits with a spoon, so I wouldn’t call it a total loss.)

Third, I hereby pronounce this pumpkin CAKE, rather than bread. This stuff was so sweet and gooey and rich that it went better with whipped cream than with butter. Not that I’m complaining.

I saved the recipe to my favorites in the app, so IN THEORY I should be able to find it again. Next year, when I’m in the mood to bake pumpkin bread again, can one of you remind me of where to find it? Kthxbai.

Abby, creating edible art for Halloween

They tasted as good as they looked!

It’s Sunday afternoon, and I’m enjoying my usual spot on the couch, next to my football-watching husband. With the noise of the game in the background, I read the paper, visit Pinterest, Tweet, and write. It’s relaxing, in a strange, noisy way.

Today, for most of the 1:00 game, I wrote in fits and starts. I had a lot of words in a document, but I wasn’t saying much of anything. After grinding to a halt on yet another topic, I started thinking about writing naked. No, not physically naked. Instead, it’s stripping your soul bare as you write. Hemingway is said to have referred to this kind of writing as opening up a vein and bleeding on the page.

As I thought about the concept, I realized that I hadn’t written naked in awhile. Why is that? Well, for one thing, it’s hard to write naked and funny. …I mean, unless you write about being naked in inconvenient situations… No, that’s not it. What I really mean is, I tend to equate authenticity with seriousness. And when I put a burden on myself to always be funny, then I think – wrongly – that I have to be superficial.

I’ve also been busier than before. I spend a lot of time writing on other people’s agenda, which leaves me with less creative time and energy for my own writing. I’m not complaining; I love what I’m doing. But I can’t deny that I often just don’t feel like blogging.

So how do I solve this problem? First, I think I need to give myself permission to be serious more often. I know it kind of bugs me when a really silly blogger suddenly gets philosophical, so I won’t be surprised or hurt if my readership changes.

Second, I need to make time to just write. Today’s fits and starts served a purpose: they led me to my conclusion about authenticity in writing. All those words that went nowhere weren’t wasted; they made me drill down and figure out what I was really feeling.

There you have it. I also get annoyed when a writer writes a lot about writing. It can feel a bit too navel-gazey for my taste. But I’m going to try to take some of the filters off, even if that means spending a lot of time looking inward. Hopefully, it’ll also dredge up some silliness. Like lint in the philosophical belly button of life…

What about you? If you write, do you have a hard time being “naked”? Do you have a strategy for combating it?

I’m eating M&Ms. Dark chocolate. I don’t know why, but somehow telling you what’s going on this instant helps me get in a writing groove. So let’s see, what else is happening? I’m getting a cold sore-like thingy on my tongue from sucking on the aforementioned M&Ms. Does this stop me from eating them? No, it does not.

It’s Friday afternoon, and I’m waiting for my middle school kids to get home from the bus stop. The minute they get here, we have to grab last-minute things and rush out the door because they’re leaving for a church retreat tonight. Of course, when packing last night, we discovered that Hannah needed a jacket and some unmentionables that I’m not allowed to name. (But they rhyme with thunderbear.)

So I visited my local Target this morning to pick up those things and more. Because you never go to Target and get just two things. It’s not possible. Here’s how much I love and depend on Target: when asked for the reasons why I love our new house, “10 minutes from Target” is in the top 10. Maybe the top 5.

With Hannah and LC gone, it’ll just be me, Charlie and Abby. Which is exactly as it should be, according to Abby. The only thing better in her mind would be a weekend alone for just her and me. She can take or leave Daddy. But I am the source of her life force, and she is compelled to suck me dry at every opportunity. We call her the Dementor.

(I volunteered in Abby’s class today, which means she hugged me 36 times in the hour that I was there, fighting off other kids with shouts of “NO! This is MY mom!” I’m sure the teacher considered my presence a great help.)

Anywho, that’s what’s happening around here. I’m sure everyone will have an eventful weekend. (On the kids’ retreat, they’re supposed to bring swimsuits. Swimsuits? In October? In the mountains of Tennessee? They’re gonna come home with blue skin.)

What’s going on this fine autumn weekend where YOU are?

The open door to the deck lets the outdoor breezes in. Which is good because I’m still warm from our walk. Charlie and I decided to go for a walk this morning. I don’t know why I decided to walk outside instead of on the treadmill; the beautiful weather probably had something to do with it. But mostly it just seemed like a good idea to me at the time. And then it seemed like a good idea to invite Charlie along.

He took a few extra minutes changing shirts, and we set out. So when we saw our neighbor – whom I had met but Charlie hadn’t – walking out of HER driveway at the exact moment that we left ours, it felt like a divine appointment.

Meeting neighbors here has been hit and miss. But I met Catherine very soon after we moved in. She’s very friendly – a one-woman welcoming committee. She knows and loves EVERYONE. And she said that she’d been praying when SHE felt like going for a walk.

Today we walked together through the neighborhood. And I wish I could say we talked about something important… something that would obviously be the *reason* [cue trumpets and angels singing] for our meeting. But we didn’t. Instead, we learned a lot about the sailing club, and the nearby federal park, and where she moved here from. Nothing especially special. But it was a good connection time.

When we got back to the house, I told Charlie that this felt a lot like the scene in Harry Potter when Harry drinks the Felix Felicis (good luck) potion and just feels like he should go to Hagrid’s cottage. Makes me wonder if Rowling wrote that scene with divine appointments in mind. And I wonder if we’ll ever know specifically why we walked with Catherine today. Or if we were just supposed to connect more.

Like almost everyone’s these days, my birthday last Thursday began on Facebook. Greetings came in all day, pinging my phone over and over. Very heartwarming to see Happy Birthdays from so many people from my past and present. If Facebook is good for nothing else, it at least has increased the number of birthday greetings that we get.

The day itself was pretty typical. I wrote and Tweeted and organized. Charlie met with his assistant. There were some atypical moments, though. We got our chimney cleaned. (And I was sad to discover that it was NOTHING like the chimney sweep scene in “Mary Poppins.” I was so looking forward to watching Charlie “Step in Toime.”) Abby got her braces on, which was exciting and a little painful for her. And the EXTEHRMINATOHR (say it in Arnold’s voice) came to rid our house of creepy crawlies.

Our family celebration really began in the afternoon, after we got home from the orthodontist. I arrived to a dozen roses and a smiling husband. Abby had homework to do, so Charlie and I sat out on the deck together and read.

I was finishing A Dog’s Purpose, by W. Bruce Cameron. If you’re a dog lover, you’d probably enjoy this story of a dog who lives a number of very different lives. It’s funny and heartwarming and tragic. (I don’t think it’s a spoiler to reveal that a dog that lives a bunch of lives has to die over and over. The death scenes gutted me.)

Anyway, I got to sit in the breeze overlooking the lake and read for about 90 minutes. Delicious. Then Hannah and Abby decided to chat with me. For awhile, I tried to read between interruptions. Am I the only parent who does that? Sees the kids’ attempts to connect as interruptions?

In this case, the “interruptions” came closer and closer together, until I could finally only read about half a sentence between them. Call me slow, but I finally clued in and put the book down. While Charlie made dinner, we chatted and the girls played with the dogs (Irony: I traded a fictional dog for real dogs + kids.)

Dinner took longer than expected, but the grilled steak and potatoes were awesome, as usual. We stayed on the deck to eat. Then, with the light slowly fading, we ran all the food inside, locked the dogs outside, and hustled down to the dock. Charlie’d thought of everything: cake, forks, plates, napkins. We clambered aboard the boat and took it out to the middle of the lake – just in time to catch the last sliver of sun disappearing behind the hills.

And we had my birthday cake on the lake.

 How awesome is that?

Dusk descended and we watched the colors on the horizon fade. The kids soon got squirrelly and bored. So it was back to the dock and up to the house, where we spent the rest of the evening relaxing in front of the TV. We watched “Chopped” on the Food Network, which was fun. How would YOU use both catfish and cherry soda in one dish?

I hereby declare September 29, 2011, a very good birthday. It was fun and relaxing and full of love. Abby prayed that night that it would be my “best birthday ever.” I think she might have gotten her wish.

Guess what Abby got yesterday!

A fish jumped out of the water behind me, right next to the shore. The splash broke the stillness of the lake. I leaned back in the Adirondack chair on the dock and tried to get back to breathing.

I’m not very good at relaxing. No. Let’s get real here: I suck at relaxing. I’m wound pretty tight most of the time.

So I was doing breathing exercises. In-two-three-four, until my lungs swelled with the pressure. Out-two-three-four-fiiiiive, pushing out the last little bit of carbon dioxide to get to empty. And repeat. I wonder how many breaths I managed before I got distracted by the splash. Probably not enough.

I’m busy right now. Working almost full-time. And even though my schedule is completely flexible, it’s still full.

So what possessed me the other day to volunteer to be Room Mom for Abby’s third-grade class? I don’t know. What do they say, “When you want something done, ask a busy person”? If “they” are right, then at least I qualify.

However. Room Mom is not really part of my skill set. At least not the administrative duties. I CAN do some administrative work, but it taxes my brain. I have to concentrate much harder than I do when, for example, I’m composing a Tweet or a blog post. So I try not to take on too many admin tasks. Especially if they include math.

So why am I doing this?

I don’t know. I felt like it was the right thing to do. After eight weeks of school, no one else had volunteered. So I suspect it’s part of my ministry at this stage of life. Nothing else would compel me to get to know my fellow parents like being “in charge” of all parent volunteering and parties.

Oh, here’s something funny. Apparently we’re only allowed two “official” parties by the school administration (a “Winter Celebration” and an end-of-the-year party). But that doesn’t keep us from having special snack and craft times on any occasion. And if there’s anything I love, it’s a party. I just need to come up with creative crafts and snacks… Enter Pinterest, which I think will be my new favorite site.

Anyway. I’m processing this as I write. On the one hand, I’m not qualified at all to be a Room Mom. On the other, it’s kind of my thing.

I think I’ll just need to focus on the fun aspects and power my way thru the admin stuff. And delegate, delegate, delegate. At least I can now contact other parents via email. I’m not much of a phone person, but I can ask anything of anyone on the Internets.

Have you ever been Room Mom? Room Dad? What am I missing when it comes to the duties?

PS Oh yeah, today’s my birthday. I’m all of 44 years old. In 2011. Which I find comfortingly symmetrical. Plus I think it merits me more presents. Charlie, are you reading this?

“This is the first year that I can remember NOT wanting fall to arrive” -Charlie, the proud owner of a boat on a lake that’s getting progressively colder. It feels like the summer boating season ended abruptly last week. Suddenly, no one’s eager to go in the water because they know they’ll have to get OUT into the cold air. No more tubing or swimming in little hidden coves. I’m kinda sad to see summer go too.

But our feelings don’t really make any difference; fall is HERE. The leaves are yellowing and the squirrels are throwing acorns. The air feels cool in the morning. The sky is cloudier, the breeze colder.

And the biggest sign of fall?

Starbucks is serving Pumpkin Spice Lattes!! (PSL)

I LURV pumpkin. It’s probably one of my top five flavors, and I consume large quantities of it every fall and winter.

Oddly, every year when I have my first PSL, I find myself thinking, “Gee, this isn’t nearly as good as I remembered.” I guess it’s an acquired taste in coffee. Because by the second one, I’m looking for excuses to go to Starbucks and buying pumpkin spice creamer to go with the coffee at home.

Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of pumpkin recipes. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, pumpkin cookies… I’ve never met a pumpkin recipe that I wouldn’t try.

But I’m always on the lookout for more.

What recipes do YOU love for pumpkin goodies?

Or for any treat that reminds you of fall?

See Scruff.

Scruff and Steph are friends.

Scruff loves Steph.

See Steph.

Look, Scruff! There is Steph!

See Scruff see Steph.

See Scruff jump on Steph.

See Steph kick Scruff (more like a foot shove, really).

Scruff is not happy.

Scruff wants to sit on Steph’s lap.

Scruff wants to sleep in bed with Steph.

Scruff wants Steph to carry him around.

Scruff stares at Steph.

See Scruff stare.

See Scruff bark.

Scruff barks and barks.

Scruff barks at nothing.

Silly Scruff!

See Charlie.

See Charlie see Scruff.

Look, Scruff! There is Charlie!

See Scruff run.

See Charlie run.

Charlie chases Scruff.

Charlie puts Scruff outside.

See squirrels.

See Scruff see squirrels.

Look! They are ninja squirrels!

See squirrels see Scruff.

See Scruff shiver.