Be it ever so humble...

Yes. It's a fire.

Yes. I'm aware we live in Southern California.

No. We don't really "do" weather here.

But the temperature dipped below 60 (!) last night.

We've been waiting for even the slightest hint of a cool breeze so we could light the fire.

No. It's not a real fire. It's a gas log. It doesn't even really heat up the room, but doesn't it give the whole place a kind of Pottery Barn Knockoff quality??

I think the word got out: "The Darbys have a fire going!"  Friends and family came over to see it in a "freak show" kind of way. But after a few minutes, they had their stocking feet up on the coffee table and could no longer support their body weights and just made themselves at home.

Yes. I confess. I felt very, very content.