Shifting Gears

The seasonal change into Fall is a most welcome event, especially because the weather did a complete about-face over the weekend.  After all the months of sweat and humidity, it seems like from one moment to the next, everything changed: clouds rolled in, storms raged across the valley, the temps dropped more than 25 degrees overnight.

Heaven.

Nirvana.

Bliss.

Saturday was the first day I felt like myself after the Shots of Doom on Monday.  I still had a few red blotchy hives but my arm was back to normal and all flu symptoms were gone.  I get cranky always having to learn things the hard way, though I guess the point is to learn...or something ridiculous along those lines.

Anyway.  Saturday was wonderfully rainy and gloriously wretched.  I washed all my Summer stuff then packed everything away; dug out my favorite flannel shirts and thick socks, jeans and thermals, put away my sandals and polished my boots--all with a big ol' smile on my face.  The mind-numbing nuclear heat of Summer is gone for another year.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I heard the Gates of Hell slam shut with a bang Friday night...and I filled my wine glass in celebration.

Because I was down for the count for most of the week, and then the weather turned, I had to mow the 9" tall grass in the backyard while it was raining Saturday afternoon.  I didn't really want to, but when two wee dogs can literally disappear, something must be done.  It was hard to mow, not only because the grass was too long, but was also way too wet.  Still.  It got done.

Yesterday, in the joyful process of shifting gears from one season to the next, I also stripped off the lightweight bed linens and got out the Winter heavies...the bedding that just makes you want to snuggle under the covers while the snow falls and the winds buffet and you don't care because you're warm and toasty.

I went grocery shopping and bought the basic staples for soups and stews, chili and pasta sauces.  I am so looking forward to my Sunday cooking pot adventures, the smells of chili or spaghetti, beef stew or tortilla soup permeating the house.  It's making my mouth water in anticipation.

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Last night I was reading a really engrossing book.  I was about 100 pages or so from the end, and I couldn't put the blasted book down even though I was tired and it was midnight.  I went to bed, intending to read just one more chapter (that's like one more chip, or one more chocolate) and finished at 3:00 this morning.  The dogs got me up at 7:00.  I cursed myself, and my insatiable curiosity to always want to know what happens next...though I couldn't help grinning because the story was so damn good and was worth losing a bit of sleep.

Then this morning I stumbled across this as I drank my coffee and had to smile.  Life is so serendipitous at times.  Or maybe I'm just so pleased that Summer is finally over, everything makes me smile...