Winter has set in. The first big rain of the season was gushing when I woke up this morning, and there is very little better in such weather than making some hot tea and carrying the whole assemblage on a tea tray to the living room (if I'm lying on the couch reading) or the dining room table (to accompany homework).

This morning was a little eerie though. Still recovering from lack of sleep the previous day, I didn't get up and get Sable out until 10:30am or so, at which point I was treated to the sight of the neighboring hay dealer's barn (one of two) in an impressive heap of flaming rubble. In the pouring rain, mind. I learned later that it went up around 5am (the fire engines woke up the next-door neighbor, apparently, but not me). I can still see it burning now. I won't be surprised if it's still burning tomorrow. Eee.

Since I spent the entire weekend away from home (having fun, mind, and I may or may not post about that later), today has mostly been comprised of laundry and other sorts of housework (unpacking the car, changing the sheets, clearing a slow drain). I'm having a minor cooking fit, probably due to elflet's influence, so there's the beginnings of a veal stew bubbling away on the stove, and Sable is poking me optimistically with her giant dog nose. Time to go groom some cats, or maybe spend fifteen minutes clearing the heaps of quilting supplies off the dining room table. (I can dream.)