The entrance

Love walked in on a Saturday
Tiptoed to the edge of the bed and
Slipped nearly silently beneath the cool sheets
The only indication a whisper in my ear

I suspect he'd been concealing himself
For some time just behind the closed door
Waiting for a hint that he'd be met with open
Tenderness and safety, passion and abandon

Love caressed me softly, brushed the hair
Back from my face, held me tightly against him
There was no hesitation in his words only
Desire, veneration, wanting, insistence

From me, he easily extracted plans and
Promises for the moment in front of us,
The tomorrows waiting around the corner
Words from me never before spoken

I am bound to him, but without ties or shackles
I belong to him, but without obligation
I love him, without inhibition, with all that I am
Love is here for all the Saturdays to come

10 things I love about fall

While others are complaining about the waning of summer, I'm anxiously awaiting the official arrival of fall. For as long as I can remember, it has been my favorite season of the year. While it takes me a while to get used to the sun setting so early, there are many things I love about fall:

10. The cool, crispness in the air

09. A hillside brilliantly lit up with vibrant reds, oranges and yellows

08. My mom's hot cocoa

07. Dad's Thanksgiving stuffing (which it looks I will probably have to live without this year...boo)

06. Long, leisurely walks in the woods

05. Driving down the rural road to my parents with the windows down, heat on high and music blasting...watching the fallen leaves kick up behind my car

04. Carving pumpkins (though unfortunately, it's been years since I've actually done it)

03. More evenings by candlelight - my particular fall favorite is pumpkin spice

02. Bundled in a cozy sweatshirt and blanket in front of a crackling fire

01. Sleeping with the windows open and snuggling under the comforter with my favorite person :)

100 things about me: the final installment

1. At my most basic, I want to reach a point in my life where I'm happy more than I'm not; be able to love and be loved without stress; feel comfortable with myself and where I'm at in my life; be a good daughter, sister, friend and partner; and just plain enjoy my life.

2. I'm with an amazing guy who seems to be gifted with the uncanny ability to get along with me. Try not to hold it against him.

3. I'm fascinated by Native American mythology.

4. When I'm sick, I want to be babied. I don't want to be by myself. I want someone else there who will run to the store at 7 in the morning and buy me ice cream and Vernors soda, check on me in the middle of the night, rub my back, sit with me through a movie marathon and indulge my randomness.

5. I'm bad at picking lines - lines at the grocery store, turnpike toll booth, BMV - doesn't matter where the line is, I'm bad at picking and guaranteed to wait...a really, really long time.

100 things about me: nearly the last installment

5. With me, you typically get bright or early, but not both. If I'm early, I'm not bright. If I'm bright, it's not likely to be early. There is a rare occasion where bright and early happen simultaneously. Of course, no one else usually benefits from that perfect storm except for my cats.

6. I really want to know the origin of "going to hell in a hand basket." Guess I could just Google it instead of writing about it here.

7. For me, nearly everything is better by candlelight - dinner, romance, reading, relaxing, seduction, conversation, just hanging out. I should probably own stock in a candle company.

8. My favorite candy bar is Three Musketeers.

9. I tend to double dip, though I try to be careful depending on the company I'm keeping at the time.

10. My worst job ever was during a college summer when I worked for a pottery in quality control. It was hot, I had to sit on a little stool all day long. It was not fun.