Autumn

Isn't that a lovely word? Autumn. It wraps itself about your mouth when you say it. The word is older than Chaucer, newer than a young girl's name. Third season of the year, filled with maturity and harvest, a harbinger of winter's dormancy and renewal.

Autumn was a trickster this year, springing itself upon us after fooling about, hiding behind the skirts of an October summer, then suddenly leaping out with frosty nights and color tinged trees and dry leaves blowing about. And rain - raining on our hopes of the mild weather continuing, jerking us from our lulled contentment of hazy days and blue skies.

I love fall rain.

It is not the bone chilling, ice melting, crocus forcing harshness of spring, a merciless parent demanding that we get out of our winter bed.

It is not the comfortably splashing, earth drenching, tomato plant growing coolness of summer, a playful companion enticing us to dance in its showers.

Nor is it the snow sifting, ground-blanketing merciless blizzard of winter, locking us in, plaguing us with cabin fever.

Rather it is that gentle, predictable, air cleansing, drowsy bedtime-bath, umbrella patter that draws us into solitary walks on country roads, gives us space for reflection, for clearing the mind, for breathing deeply. Neither too hot nor too cold, it braces us with just a touch of chill, delights us with gorgeous, wide-open vistas of mountains and color-filled carpets of trees, providing us with just enough daylight to walk until we tire, working out the kinks and bringing sweet deep sleep.

I love autumn rain.

Its Curtains for You!

When we first moved into our little apartment, I couldn't hang curtains in the living room because I didn't have a long enough curtain rod. It took me some time to find both rods and hardware. More than a month actually. Kiel hung them for me right before he left for college. They fell off the wall, and he went and got those drywall anchors and rehung them minutes before leaving.

They fell off the wall again - shoddy construction and many nail holes make for a weak wall. Drew managed to re hang them. And a week or so later, they fell off again. I asked my friend if her husband, a construction whiz, could come and try. But he has been too busy and otherwise occupied. I thought of hiring someone to do it, but doggone, I am not stupid. I will go to Home Depot and have them tell my what to use and do it myself.

So I did that. I used what they told me. It didn't work either. I finally decided to purchase huge ten penny nail spikes and hammer them into the wall and straight into the outside of the building if necessary. I did it this morning before I left for work while Drew was still sleeping. He never heard me. Go figure. Let's see how long they stay on the wall this time!

No Walk for You

Sunday I had plans. I wanted to go to the main library after church, then take a walk. Rochester was hosting a River Romance Weekend - scheduling events along the river: hikes and leaf walks and tree investigations and photography sessions of nature and regattas and all kinds of fun things. But Drew. Drew didn't want to do anything. He was in a blue funk.

I made him go to the library. He informed me that he intended to spend no more than ten minutes, and expected me to do the same. Fortunately once we got there, he ended up spending enough time for me to find the studies on the book of Samuel that I was interested in reading for my lunch Bible study and a book of poetry.

I tried to get him to check out a cookbook since he has been talking so much about learning to cook, but he wouldn't budge. There were fliers about the River Romance, and I tried to get him interested in the photography session with the city photographer. It was in a half hour, and there was no charge. But he just wouldn't do it. What is there about boys - ah, men - that makes them unwilling to try something new?

Really, I just wanted to get out in the air and enjoy one of the last few weekends of good weather. But it was not to be. We ran our errands, got our groceries which hadn't happened yesterday, and went home, him to watch movies, me to read and do dishes. He has Monday off, I don't. Lucky him. I will just have to find another walking partner. I can't wait for him forever.