Short Pants

Monday morning I woke up and felt a bit of a chill in the room. It was six in the morning and time for the dogs to go outside. So I slipped on my shorts and threw on a sweat shirt, then led Chandler and Scout out to the backyard. Holy crap, it was cold. I could see my breath in the air. This was it. Summer, in my mind, was over. The autumn weather was here. Sure, most of the trees in the neighborhood still have green leaves on them, but being able to see my breath was the truth. No more shorts, no more walking the dogs with just a tee shirt on in the evening. Goodbye summer, I enjoyed you immensely. Now I shall enjoy autumn.

First thing, I pulled the air conditioner out of the living room window and stored it out on the back porch. I cut down some of the failing garden, turned the soil over, and then mulched it. I pulled out all my long pants, and my cool weather shirts. The lawn chairs have been put away in the garage and I've Googled how to prepare the grape vine I planted last spring for the coming winter. Down in the basement I oiled the pump motor on the hot water heating system and turned on the boiler. Yes, I have been very busy with my change of season chores. There are really only a few things I'll miss until next summer. One would be sitting out in the back yard with a beer while the dogs chase invisible bugs, and another would be my short pants. So easy to put on and take off.