Fall Upon Us

Having been busy with this, that, and the other thing lately, I've yet to empty and clean Bessie's summer wading pool.  The water level is down and it's full of leaves.  On yesterday's early morning walkabout, I found a thick layer of ice in the pool.  That tells me two things:  it's definitely time to put the pool away (Bess cannot skate on ice) and fall has officially arrived.  It is so much easier to acclimate to cold weather than hot.  I knew the house was cold, but a turtleneck sweater under the bibbies and quilted flannel shirt made it bearable.  When it gets hot and you get down to skin, there's nothing left to take off.  I hadn't realized the temperature had dropped to freezing outside, but Bess and I double-timed our walk and I dressed accordingly before going out to do barn chores.

Books will be my downfall.  Coming back to the house, sunshine on the deck lured me outside for a quick rest.  At the tail end of an excellent story, I thought to sit long enough to warm up and read just a fast chapter, maybe two, before getting things ready to take to Market Day.  I needed to weigh and bag up feta cheese, wash eggs, and prepare a potato casserole for the potluck.  The sun felt so good on my face.  "Well, it won't take long to read just one more chapter.  There's still lots of time."  It's probably not necessary to say that I eventually turned the last page and closed the book before looking at the clock again.  And the race was on!  Throw the casserole together and put it in the oven (crank up the heat to make up for lack of time and hope for the best), carefully wash a couple of dozen eggs (can't rush that) to put in cartons, separately package five pounds of feta, change clothes (don't forget to switch shoes too, barn shoes won't do), do my best with the face, load up the truck, say goodbye to the dog and cats (who have been watching the whirlwind whip through the house with wonder), and drive to Tim's, keeping an eye out for roving herds of deer.  Amazingly, I was only a half-hour late and, believe it or not, was the first one there!  I don't know that the others' excuses were.  I just can't resist a good book.

It was a good day.  Today will be a good day to clean out the pool.