Hey! What happened to my summer?

It’s like some big switch that was thrown somewhere as I slept. My hot summer has turned into cool autumn and now I miss the heat. (I’m finicky that way). This morning I awoke to a reading of only 57 degrees. Because I’d left my window open, my bedroom felt somewhat like the inside of a malfunctioning fridge. Guess I’ll have to break out the Long John’s before too long. Thank goodness, though, I had the foresight to plant out my lettuce a week or so ago. This is perfect weather for them to grow in. Also, I don’t have to air condition on days like this. Note to self; is it cheaper to air condition or heat a home?

My neighbors across the street, God bless them; already have a fall motif in place on the front yard. While cute, it is yet another grim reminder of what is to come…winter. In answer to this insult, I ran a string of Christmas lights around a front facing window. Take that you fall fascists!

According to the Almanac, this winter might be a beast. Any extra cold and damp weather will no doubt make for some slick country roads. (I’m stocking up on cat litter as I write this). I reside in southwest Missouri, a geographic location that sees the confluence of as many as three distinct climazones. Down here, ice storms are always a possibility and they can be killers. Then there are the rare but heavy snowfalls followed by balmy seventy degree weather. I generally get a cold right about then.

Down in the neighboring recreational park, a large motorcycle swap meet is also being held on this date. An event, I understand, that has been planned for months and which now may suffer in attendance due to the lousy overcast and cool regime. I attended a similar event in April and have to say that not only were there some cool items for sale, the real attraction was the bikers themselves. You see a real cross-section of Americana when you attend a biker event. Some of the dudes look like they just got out of prison while others talk as though they were educated in Princeton. If you’re a people watcher like me, this is nirvana central.

So, it’s off we go into fall. This last summer was a ball, but now it is past, and I’m left out in the cold, holding a bag of cat litter.