Friday

What a wonderful day today. It's amazing how much more you appreciate your off days when you work so hard to earn them. It's been a long week and I am glad for the 3 day weekend. I know a good many of you will have a short week next week but I have to work next weekend. I spent most of today at the school, working in the clinic and in a teacher conference. I had a wonderful nap this afternoon.

Hubby has apparently decided on the purchase of a new camera after much research. I think he decided against the $600 model and went with something a bit smaller. The big thing with most digital cameras is there is a long delay between pressing the button and snapping the picture (shutter time?). We need a camera that is practical to use and carry around, though. I have seen so many beautiful trees this fall that I wish I could have taken a picture of. You really miss your camera when you don't have one.

We have no big weekend plans. Just the usual. I need to get some Christmas presents wrapped. We're going over to a friend's house for supper tomorrow night. I'm definitely going to get in some napping. Next week I work Monday & Tuesday and off Wed and Thursday. Wednesday the kids are out of school and we all have to go to the dentist. My parents are coming for Thanksgiving so there will be lots of cooking and eating (and napping, don't forget the napping!) Hopefully, I'll be back before then.

Have a good week!

Cool Weather

Well, I had to turn the heat on today. I really do not like to turn the heat on and then turn the air back on a few days later. That is a common situation here in the South. The temp in the house got below 60 last night, so I relented. Last year we had to turn the air back on briefly in December.

I finally got outside and planted some bulbs and pansies. A good thing, too, since we had a hard frost last night. My beautiful impatiens had finally had enough and died. I planted tulips and daffodils and hyacinths. Every year the ground gets a little easier to work so the bulb planting went quickly. My daughter was a big help, dropping the bulbs into the holes I dug and covering them with dirt.

We have some gorgeous fall color and if my camera was working I would take a picture and show you. Our camera never worked after our vacation. I've still got to get the pictures off the memory card. Hubby is looking at getting another one. He has been wanting a SLR camera but I didn't want to spend the money. Now I guess it is necessary. I think I might buy myself a small camera to carry in my purse.

We had a great time at the Auburn game last weekend and I know I should do an entire post about it but I have been so busy. I am enjoying the new job but between it and school activities it leaves little time for the non-essentials like blogging and reading blogs. I still find time to read, somehow, though.

I'm working all weekend and I just wanted to do a quick post because I'm not sure when I'll be back. If I didn't get a chance to visit your blog this week, I'm sorry and hope to visit soon.

September

I'm so glad that it is September. It's hard to believe now how hot it was just a month ago (and how much I was complaining about it.) Before you know it it will be October, my absolute favorite month of the year. Before you know it the weather will be cool enough for sweaters. I know I've done a favorite things about fall before so I really didn't want to bore you with it again. But what else can I blog about?

13 Things I love about Fall

1. Fall color. The maples and oaks and redbuds turning their gorgeous colors of gold, brown & orange before falling to the ground and creating piles of leaves for the children to play in.

2. Boiled Peanuts bought from a roadside stand. I wish I knew where I could get some. I may have to settle for my own. If you're unfamiliar with this delicacy check out my mom's post on the subject.

3. Candy Corn. It may be mostly corn syrup but I love it! It is good that it is only available in the fall (or the good kind, anyway) because I definitely eat too much. The absolute best, of course is Brach's.

4. Cool morning & evening breezes. My morning walks are so much more pleasant now. And in the evenings you can sit outside while the children play and just soak it in.

5. My hot tub. Oh, yes. After months of disuse because it was just too darn hot, I'm looking forward to evenings soaking in bubbled bliss.

6. Fall Fashion. Oh how I love my sweaters and sweatshirts and jackets and boots and jeans.

7. College Football. I love to go to games although in I've only been to 4 in the last 12 years. The atmosphere and excitement is hard to explain to the uninitiated. Playing in the band at Auburn was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life and I miss it. I even love watching the games on T.V. And I love Auburn even if they are not having the best season so far.

8. Halloween. Not just the night of when all the kids come to your door begging for trips. But the whole Halloween experience. School carnivals and carved pumpkins, yard displays of mums and scarecrows,. I love to decorate the house with pumpkins and fall decorations and candles. I have these really cute pumpkin baskets and Halloween beanie babies.

9. Fall Break. This is only the fourth year of fall break for us. I wish we had this when I was younger. It is nice to have that week to look forward to.

10. October at the Beach. Fewer crowds on the beach and in the restaurants. The water is still warm but the sun is not scorching. The kids spend long hours playing in the sand and I spend long hours lounging and reading. (Hubby spends long hours inside the condo on the computer). We race go karts, play miniature golf, and play games at night (since we can't take our Tivo with us.)

11. Christmas shopping. Although I start this process in August I try to be finished by October (except for the unexpected). I like to have my presents wrapped before others start thinking about who's on their list. Of course, I miss the bargains, but I also miss the crowds and the last minute stress.

12. Harvest Festivals, Street Fairs, Pumpkin Patches. We have a wonderful pumpkin patch here complete with hay rides and activities for the children. In October we have the Madison Street Festival complete with a parade. Our school is having a harvest festival in late October.

13. Chili. Now, I confess that I have eaten this during the warm months but usually refrain from cooking it. I like my chili full of beans (unlike the Texas versions) served over corn chips and topped with cheddar cheese. It is a great meal to eat while watching a football game (or even a F1 race).

September

As if the very changing of a page on the calendar is enough, this morning dawned with a cool breeze. I enjoyed my walk. It was 75 degrees and a gentle breeze blew around me. The neighborhood was quiet and peaceful. Only the birds were awake. Oh, I know that there will still be warm days to come. But just seeing the first day of September gives me hope that fall is not too far away. Football season has started. Because it has been so dry, the leaves are already turning and starting to fall. Before long we will be thinking of pumpkins, candy corn, and boiled peanuts. We will put out our yard displays and plant our bulbs. I hope everyone enjoys their Labor Day Weekend.

Friday

Today is the last day of August. And after all of my griping about how much I dislike this month, I'm a little surprised it's over already. Where did the month go? Tomorrow is the first day of September and I couldn't be happier about it.

Tomorrow is Auburn's first football game of the year and it will be televised (not a lot of big games on the first weekend.) Auburn is only #18 in the AP preseason poll (behind 4 other SEC schools). But I'm good with that. It is very tough starting the season ranked high. It's much better to prove yourself as you go along. Of course everyone will be looking at Florida. Auburn has to play them this year in The Swamp on September 29 but let's not look too far ahead.

The weather even seems to be cooperating with the end of August. We've had a couple days with rain and the highs are just crossing 90 with overnight lows in the 70's. Looks like Fall is on the way!!!

Thursday Thirteen

School Starts today and I so want that to mean that it is Fall. School starting used to mean the beginning of football season, the change of leaves, and the first cool breezes of Autumn. In reality the first football game is still a month away (September 1 if you're an Auburn fan), cool breezes will probably not be felt for 6 weeks, and the first leaves change here after October 1. Fall is my favorite time of year and I look forward to it (longingly) all summer.



Thirteen Things I'm Looking Forward to this Fall

1. Football

2. A relief from this heat

3. Shorter days

4. Candy Corn

5. Boiled Peanuts

6. Beach trip during Fall Break

7. Yard displays

8. Halloween

9. Fall fashions - wearing jeans, long-sleeve shirts, and boots

10. Family reunion

11. Leaves changing color

12. My daughter's birthday (October 10)

13. Deeper Still

Finally Friday

Did I say that I would weigh in on Friday and update you on my diet? Well, no good news. I am holding steady at an 11 lb loss. My goal of losing 5 more lbs before Easter is looking more difficult. Easter is only 6 weeks away now. I think I am going to have to work harder. Gosh, I don't think I can work any harder. I need some encouragement people!

I worked at my other job yesterday. I had been working there every other Monday but because school was out Monday I agreed to Thursday. So now I have Friday and Saturday at my regular job. Now I am really tired. Last night because I was exhausted but not really sleepy I stayed up too late. This morning I am kinda in a fog. I am tired and moody.

My mother let me know this morning that she and my dad were driving to Alabama on Sunday to visit my grandfather. My "Granddaddy" is 91 years old. He has been very healthy for most of his life. He has caught and infection in his bones that modern medicine cannot defeat. Until last week he was in a rehabilitation home receiving treatment. He has now been sent home and Hospice has been called in. I know that I need to go visit. I have been finding exuses for several weeks not to make the trip. I am going Tuesday. You can hold me to that.

On the postitive side the weather here the last few days has been incredible. The temperature has reached the high 70's. Blue skies and sunshine (and I can see them out my window!). Maybe the groundhog was right. I saw some daffodils blooming yesterday. I can see the little buds on the Bradford Pears. I AM SO READY FOR SPRING.

Autumn

Tuesday I found it necessary to make a 2.5 hour drive (and back home again). Despite the fact that most of the trip was via interstate I saw some really great fall foilage. I think that may have been the peak. I saw quite a mixture of greens, reds & some amazing golds.

My husband let my son have some coke at lunch. We normally do not let our children have caffinated drinks, restricting their soda to sprite or sierra mist. The boy talked non-stop all the way home. He has a bit of a geography obsession. He spent his time studying the atlas and sharing details with me. (He let his sister sleep, luckily.) A large part of his obsession deals with Alaska. He spends time drawing maps and labeling them. He knows all the capitols and major cities. Don't challenge the child. He will only prove you are not as smart as you think you are.

Once back home J had decided not to go trick or treating (he is 8, remember) because he had enough candy. The sister and I went to a few houses while he minded the door (most of the neighbors had their lights out.) B was happy wearing her dance outfit from last year so I was not out any costume expense this year. I think the children enjoyed giving out the loot to the treaters more than anyting else. It's the same way they would rather hide the eggs than hunt them. I am sure some of his behavior is normal.