Late September Lament

Is autumn my favorite season? I know it used to be, but I’ve kind of been on this sun kick for awhile, that’s making me rethink that. I have this tendency to lie around  in parks and other outdoor places, taking what I like to call my sun bath. This requires the earth to receive sunlight at a certain angle, so thanks to the buzzkill known as geometry, my chances left to do this are numbered.

I know October is coming with its cornucopia  and all. You don't have to tell me that. As October's Golden Child, born and nuzzled within its loving bosom, I've always been one of October's biggest boosters. But at this stage of the game, I’m still feeling conflicted about the change of season.

For late September is neither hither nor thither.  The leaves haven’t turned yet, (unless you live in one of those godforsook states up north where sunning  is a tepid affair akin to soaking in day-old bathwater)  yet there is a chill in the air.   A chill that sends you back into the house for a sweater and what’s worse, strips you of the ease with which you were moving through life just 24 hours prior, when it was warm enough to stroll down your driveway naked. Not that you did that or thought about it, or wondered who it was that called the police, but it’s now one less option for you, and less is sad.

Other things I see slipping away, and/or hardships to come:   

• Baseball season is ending. If I were following one of those obnoxious teams that have been hot all year and are favored to win a play-off spot, it'd be far from over. But I'm following the Royals, who are still hungover from last year's World Championship victory fetes.(Go Gone Royals!) So one more week and the lovely baseball chatter on my radio will fall silent. No, football chatter is not lovely, so don't even....

• It's growing too cold to sit on the deck late at night with a glass of wine. 

• I guess I can put a burn barrel on the deck and rub my hands together over it. Although that means I'd have to put down my wine.   

• Wait. Burn barrels are illegal. And the cops have recently stepped up patrols past my house....   

• But I do have that old Weber kettle out back. Wouldn't hurt to fire that baby up.  

• Well, as long as I'm sitting around the grill I might as well cook something.Which will mean I'll have to clean off all the gook from that cookout I had months ago. 

• Sigh. This is exactly what I  meant when I said everything is harder.  

• Another case in point: It's turning so cool indoors, I've had to use the microwave to melt the ice cream for soup night.