Where does time go?  Not only has Chicago gone from 40 degrees to 90 in a matter of 3 days, but I feel like just yesterday I was space-bagging my Summer wardrobe and now it’s already time to swap out seasons again.  Staying busy is good, and in my new neighborhood there are tons of things to keep me busy.  I’ve got this amazing Farmers Market across the street from me on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and it’s instantly become one of my favorite things to do.  If you haven’t ever been to a Farmers Market, it is definitely something you should put on your list to check out at least once.  (I hadn’t, which is pretty weird considering I grew up in Arkansas.)  And before you go, it will save you a lot of time if you look up and find out what’s in season so you know what to spend your money on.  For instance, to find out What’s In Season In Illinois, my friend Carolyn sent me a link that shows what months certain veggies/fruits are in season.  I’ve never had a knack for picking good fruit, I tend to get distracted by pretty colors and end up with a fridge full of unripe fruit that mysteriously goes bad without ever seeming edible.  Another fun thing about the Farmers Market is that everyone brings their dog, so it’s a good social hour for Henry.  Who would have thought I’d have to live in a big city before going to a Farmers Market?

Aside from my weekly adventures buying organic produce, I’m also getting the Chicago Chapter of Dining For Women back up and running.  This is a fantastic way to combine spending time with friends AND helping others.  The way it works is the money you would have spent going out with your girlfriends (which in the city can be a hefty fee), you instead get together at someone’s house once a month and have a potluck (or wine/cocktails/etc.) and the money you would have spent “dining out” you donate to a chosen non-profit organization that helps to advance women’s independence and well-being somewhere in the world.  Dining For Women selects organizations every month and provides information for everyone to learn a little about where their money is going.  So not only are you spending time with friends and being a good philanthropist, but you also learn about other women and cultures around the world… I think you’d call that “killing three birds with one stone” and there aren’t too many times we get to do that in our busy schedules.  Check out Dining For Women’s website and see if there is a chapter near you.  If there isn’t, start one yourself!  I promise if I can manage to pull it off, you can too.

With all the time I’ve spent enjoying my new neighborhood, hanging out with friends, and planning parties… I haven’t spent a minute thinking about my love life (okay, or lack thereof.)  …You know what?  It’s been REALLY nice for a change!  I mean, believe it or not, I don’t actually enjoy the emotional roller coaster I seem to end up on repeatedly, although yes, I’ll be the first to admit I have a hard time getting off the ride once I’m on.  Giving myself some time to focus other things that are important to me has been an unexpected serotonin boost.

So while I don’t have any dating disaster stories to serve as entertainment on Girl’s Night Out (who am I kidding, I still have plenty left) my schedule has remained unusually busy despite the lack of drama.  As for tonight, my “partner in crime”, Nickole, is in town from Houston for the weekend and we’ll be starting our weekend festivities early having dinner and drinks with friends, followed by what I’m sure will include… alcohol, low standards, poor decisions, and a lot of fun.

I hope my fellow Belles have plans to get into a little trouble this weekend too!  Cheers!