The Weekly Wrap: November 7, 2021

It's cozy season!

This was finally the week I busted out the sweaters, tights, and coats. While I am not a fan of being cold, I am a fan of being cozy. This is the season when I can drink hot tea and cocoa; slow cooker recipes come back in regular meal rotation; and, my books to read pile seems to grow exponentially.​

I love when I can finally wear slipper socks and burrow under a blanket on the sofa. I am a homebody whose introverted ways mean that staying inside is my best form of self-care. While my husband would (rightly) say I do this every night, I love that winter temperatures make it more acceptable to loll about at home binge-watching (or reading) with a glass of wine. Add a few candles for ambiance and a snack of something on toast and we're now in hygge territory.

On an ideal weekend, I'd probably only leave the house to run out to grab snacks and dark roast coffee. Otherwise, you'd find me inside wearing athleisure rotating through a mix of reading, coloring, cooking, and lazing on the couch. I'd eat homemade baked goods, cook up a stew, and open a bottle of wine that was far to fancy for my wardrobe. Admittedly, this kind of weekend was only possible pre-parenting stage of life, but I look forward to teaching my toddler the joy of at home activities.

What do you need to feel cozy?

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• College costs are exorbitant. Will your degree be worth it? [WaPo ​- gift link]
• 1,200 calories a day. Yeah... about that. [Lifehacker]
• The etiquette for using a little free library. [Book Riot]
• Modern design tips for making your home feel cozy. [PureWow]
• Running out of space on Google? Here's what you can do. [WaPo - gift link]
• I can't fact check all the bizarre historical events on this Reddit thread, but I know enough are true (and weird) for this to be worth a gander. [Reddit]

• File this under "Weird but Fascinating." Can you bury a body in your yard? [Every Little Thing]
• How wheat came to southeast Asia. [Planet Money]
• What it's like to be locked up overseas. [Ear Hustle]

• The impressive art of the puffer fish. [BBC via @ErikSolheim]
• We weren't in the mood to start a deep show, so I decided it was time to binge the most recent season of Halloween Wars. There were changes from previous seasons (no pumpkin carvers!) but the creations were still amazing works for art. I sometimes feel conflicted about the food waste from these programs, but the show is just so interesting. It's amazing what you can make with fondant and corn silks. [Food Network]

• The husband made his beef short rib ragu recipe that is delicious but means he has to cook all day. It's worth it. I recommend not skipping the grated parmesan, but your tastes may differ. [Food Network]
• I ended up making a dish for dinner that was shockingly quick this week: gnocchi with shrimp, asparagus, and pesto. It was done in about 20 minutes - even with having to peel the shrimp. We also tossed in some crab meat that we had to use up. Not a bad addition. [Cooking Light]

• Always keep a box (or two) of thank you cards on hand. This week, I ended up needing a few and it was nice to not have to run out to get them.