I’ll confess, these next few months are not my favorite. Some people get excited for all the upcoming celebrations: Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. Some look forward to fall colors. I posted a joke about plans for the fall. Meaning Autumn, not civilization. That’s just where my mind tends to go.
Maybe It’s because I live in Southern California. We don’t see much seasonal change here. Although the dreaded Santa Ana winds do tend to pick up in these months. We go from hot eighty-degree weather to cooler eighty-degree weather with some wind. On the not-so-good side, it also means increased fire danger. Our seasons are more like mild, a bit hotter, windy with a chance of fire, and then back to mild. I know we’re spoiled.
September used to signal the start of the school year, but now that starts earlier in August. My street gets quieter without kids playing outside. Which brings me to another point: why I don’t move to an older community.
I considered it. I even looked at several properties. Some had great amenities for aging adults. One even had sidewalks with handrails. The problem was, everyone looked and acted so old. I’m not ready to go there yet. Where I live now is very walkable. I can walk to my hair appointments, the grocery store, and even several bars and restaurants with great happy hour menus. I walk my dog every day to one of the parks and often do five miles to a Regional Park where people camp. It’s like I live in a connected small city on the edge of a wildlife preserve.
One thing I actually look forward to is football season. Baseball is my favorite sport, and October baseball is the best. I gave up supporting one local team because, after twenty-two years of never making the postseason, I realized the owner was only interested in getting my money for entertainment, not investing in the team to win. But football has taken on a new meaning now that my daughter coaches girls’ flag, and my granddaughter plays quarterback. It’s exciting watching them in action.
So, the next few months will be busy, and I’ll be working away in pleasant weather, looking forward to New Year’s Day and the end of the holiday season.