"I suspect the recent weather is to blame for that."

It might not be full winter yet. But that doesn't mean that there hasn't been a distinct chill in the air of late. One that suggest that all too soon it'll be time to make certain that everything's ready for the months to come. Including whatever should happen to go into communal meals, assuming those will still be a thing that happens. But he hasn't really wanted to ask, either. Mostly because he'll find out soon enough.

At which point it seems almost counterproductive to bother asking.

"And I imagine even people watching gets old, when the population is as small as it is here."