My fall calendar is winding down just in time for the Christmas season. After our foster baby reunified with his mama last April, I’ve been seeking a new rhythm for my days. Summer doesn’t count as Livia came home from school and all schedules were out of whack for three sometimes delightful, sometimes insane months of vacation. Autumn brought cooler temps and a semblance of normality with a new pace that settled into some good places in my life. The new schedule involves lots of coffees and lunches—both intentional and spontaneous—with many friends. Tina is one such friend, heavy on spontaneity with little desire to plan too far in advance. She was the perfect companion for a quick trip to the mall today and and you know what? Now she and I don’t feel any need to go back there anytime soon. Ha!