October in the chair *

It's difficult to believe September is done and already we're entering the home stretch of 2014. October is usually a nice month here. The days are pleasantly warm, the nights are refreshingly cool, and leaves are just beginning to change color. We won't have our first frost for about a month yet. It's a great time to plant bulbs and perennials for next year, and the perfect time for transplanting almost anything. Speaking of which, here is my market impulse buy from yesterday:

It's a miniature potted rose bush that was on sale for only $15. It's large and covered in buds, and should continue to bloom for the rest of this month. I potted it up into a nice, roomy container and now it's brightening up our patio. The latter half of September seemed full of gloom and angst for me (probably partly due to the rapidly shortening days) and I felt I could use a small spot of color and cheer. The tiny, blood-red blossoms are just perfect, and they make me happy every time I enter or leave the house. Not a bad deal for $15!

Inside, I've done a little bit of fall decorating. It's been mostly easy stuff, like candleholders with fall motifs and changing out the "summer" kitchen linens (dish cloths with sunflowers) for the "autumn" ones (leaves, pumpkins, fall colors). I also added some seasonal decorations to our dining room table, just to pretty it up a little. We hardly ever eat there.

It's truly hard to believe that it's October, and Halloween is right around the corner. I love the cooler weather, but the short days really dampen my spirit. And of course, October means the winter months are almost here, which I always dread (for a variety of reasons). So I try to enjoy October, and Halloween, partly for that reason--it will be January before I feel like things are back to normal and I'm my usual cheerful self. In the meantime, there are some nice seasonal distractions to be had: knitting, hot tea, the fireplace lit in the evenings (soon, but not yet), movies, and books books books. It's the best season for serious reading.

And a good season for walking, too. I've been walking the dogs more now that the weather is cool. Not only are we going for more walks, but they're longer than they were in the sweltering heat of summer. It's been really, really good for George. The more he exercises the better he behaves. Ginger, of course, is always perfect.

 

Somebody loves cool, sunny days.

 

 

 

We often walk George with a weighted
backpack to help him burn a little more excess energy.

Happy October to all!


* Today's blog title is from my favorite short story by Neil Gaiman.

It figures

I had an entire week off work after my Mid Autumn Moon party, and I feel like I wasted the whole thing. The weather was grey, it rained a little bit every day, and I couldn't seem to do much at all but sleep. I slept late every day, then took naps, then sat around during the times in between. I just couldn't seem to muster up any energy, and I felt kind of down, too. I feel certain that the gloomy weather contributed to my lethargy. The sun didn't peek out even once the entire week. It was damp and too warm outside. The whole week ended up being a big letdown for me.

Tonight I go back to work, and guess what? It's gloriously sunny outside. Not a cloud in the (brilliantly blue) sky. It's cool outside again. Overall, it's a picture perfect fall day.

And I'll be spending the whole afternoon and evening at work. Inside. At my job that I hate.

And I'm completely out of paid time off until the end of January. Not that it matters really, because with the holidays coming up no one will be allowed long weekends or weeks off until late January anyway. That's just the way it is in the world of retail. I had high hopes for enjoying my last bit of time off this year, but instead I just felt sluggish, bored, depressed, and tired. If the weather had been nicer, I think it would have been a better week for me. I sure wish some of this nice weather had happened a couple of days ago!

Three words can sum up how I feel today: just my luck!!!