There’s a tray of brownies baking tonight, my brand new heating blanket humming softly beside me and The Summer I Turned Pretty playing while I catch up. Every time I scrolled past the cover I told myself “maybe later.” But eventually I caved and thank goodness I did. Between Conrad’s perfectly timed brooding looks and that “we can’t be friends” montage I’m convinced they have to be endgame. My heart won’t accept otherwise.
Of course I ordered the books too. There’s something magical about reading after watching the way the pages hold onto little secrets and moments that never make it to the screen. It feels like being let in on the version of the story only the characters knew.
Truthfully tonight wasn’t supposed to look like this. Menstrual cramps had me tapping out of the day early so my husband picked me up from work. We came home, he made tea and dinner, and because he’s him surprised me with a heating blanket to replace the one that quit on me last week. Add in my fur baby who somehow always finds the exact spot that hurts most and suddenly even a rough day feels charmed. My little family of three soft, steady, and mine.
By tomorrow I’m hoping to be back on my feet because college football has officially begun and in this house that means Georgia Bulldogs. (Loyally since that’s where my brilliant husband graduated from.) Then Sunday rolls in and it’s Steelers time. Football season is chaotic magic: one second you’re shouting at the TV like it betrayed you personally and the next you’re clapping like you scored the touchdown yourself.
But more than the games it’s the tradition I love. Back East my father in-law would take us to BWW for Steelers games. Somewhere along the way it became our thing and now even on the West Coast we carry it with us. Wings, laughter, and a little taste of home no matter where we are.
And speaking of family I truly won the in-law lottery. His parents treat me like their own and his sister? She’s not just my sister in-law she’s my best friend. Beautiful, hilarious, and the kind of woman who shares every bit of wisdom she’s collected because we don’t gatekeep here. We’re girls’ girls and I’m sure she’ll find her way into plenty more of my posts because how could she not.
So here we are:
One pan of brownies.
One heating blanket humming softly.
One little family of three, curled up just right.
One football season waiting with wings and cheers.
And me—romanticizing the ache, the love, and every cozy tradition in between.
