November Already?

Oh my Goodness! Is already November? It is really unbelievable how quickly time passes, isn't it? Maybe I don't feel like it should be November because it has been so warm in Texas. Yesterday it was 87 degrees, today it was 83. The weather is not cooperating with the change of seasons and it still feels like late spring or early summer, maybe May or June. Leaves are still green on most trees except those that are very sensitive to lessening daylight. Some trees have entirely lost their leaves while others look deep green and full of leaves. Only a very few have changed colors. Yesterday I saw daffodils blooming in our neighbors yard. Poor little daffodills are so confused. Guess we may not have a true fall but will go from spring like weather to winter in a matter of hours or a day or two. That is one thing I don't like about living in this part of Texas, sometimes you don't get to have four seasons. Some years you may only get two, spring and winter or summer and fall or any combination of two seasons.

When I about 12 or so, we were moving in July and it was cold enough to wear a sweatshirt and long pants. It was also misting us with a fine spray of rain. Strange enough for me. One year we wore shorts on Christmas and New Year's Day and had the air conditioning on because it was 90 degrees plus outside. It sure didn't feel like Christmas that year. Another Christmas it was 0 degrees and icy. You just never know what our weather is going to be from one year to the next. I am patiently waiting for a Blue Norther to come in so it will feel like late fall or early winter. Thanksgiving is coming up quickly .... maybe it will cool off a little bit by then. I really don't like to cook Turkey and all the fixin's when it is too warm. I will sweat like a pig even if the air conditioning is on. Just hate that sweat dripping down your neck when your are peeling potatoes and baking pies...

We have another trip planned to see Amelia & Jon and the grandchildren in mid-December. I am so very excited about seeing them. Haven't seen them since September and I know the boys are all growing like sweet little weeds. I bet baby Graham has changed so much since I left. I know Ewan and Isaac will have increased in size, vocabulary, maturity, and every other way since I left. It makes me sad that I can't see them at least once a week. I would like to see them more often, of course, than every two to three months. However, Pennsylvania is a long way from Texas! Even though we fly, it still seems like a long flight. Especially since the most inexpensive flight is American Eagle with no room between the seats, under the seats or overhead. It was tough to pack for six weeks when I was up there for Graham's birth. I was caught with overweight luggage (again!) I just shouldn't take a large bag. I can really pack those babies tight - especially when you roll the clothes so they don't wrinkle. This next trip, I am not going to pack too much! Someday I must learn to pack light. I honestly don't know how. I just get carried away when I try to accessorize. Too many shoes, too many blouses, too many sweaters and etc. etc. etc. How do you know what you want to wear when you get there? What if you have to go to some dress-up function ---hoisery, dress shoes, slips, dress/skirt/blouses, sweater, jacket? What if you are going sledding? What if you are going to be outside and it is just cold --- gloves, hats, warm shoes etc. EEEEK!

Oh well, maybe I should let Tom help me pack. I can just see it now. One pair of jeans. Two blouses. One sweater. Two pair of shoes, two pair of socks, underwear, ONE pair of jammies, One pair dark trousers, ONE DRESS BLOUSE, one DRESS jacket, one coat, ONE pair of gloves. His theory - wash what you aren't wearing...so you can wear it another day...BUT WHO WANTS TO DO LAUNDRY WHEN YOU HAVE GRANDCHILDREN TO PLAY WITH? Not me. We are only going to be there a week. Help me out folks. What do you pack when you are just visiting relatives for a week? We will go to church, probably museum or two, play outside with kids, play with kids on the floor, but nothing formal.

Guess not too much else is happening. We are thinking about moving before Tom retires to somewhere farther outside of the primary metroplex where we can have a bit of land for Tom to put a detached work shop or four car garage on top a three car attached garage. Proably just a couple of acres or so. Not too much - too hard to take care of. Afterall, we will be retiring and just thinking of mowing a big place is daunting for me. If Tom got sick, it would be too hard for me to mow very much with the RA and fibromyalgia. I think it would be hard to hire someone to do that if you are out of the city. Maybe not.

So, I will be looking for a house and acreage. I just wish I could find the perfect place for us in just a day or two but that probably is not going to happen. It will take some time just to get our house ready for sale (at least the cleaning the stuffed closets and attic out). We moved in the house in 1985 and there is just too much accumulation over time - I am not really a pack rat but I am not one of those people who throw out things if they haven't used them in a year or two. Nope, might use it someday. The other day I found some material that I was going to make some pillows out of for our sofa. We don't have that sofa anymore and the material did not match anything in the house....hmmmm. Should have tossed it out or should have made the pillows. That kind of thing...I think a really organized garage sale would be great. But, we will probably just donate things to Salvation Army or women's shelter or something.

Well, must go to bed. Had a long day. Got up at 3:30 a.m.and didn't get a nap. I am very tired. Hope I can sleep some tonight. I didn't sleep Friday night but got a little nap Saturday afternoon. No sleep Saturday night, napped a little Sunday afternoon. No sleep last night but finally got up at 3:30 a.m. and read for awhile. Finally fell asleep about 9:00 a.m. for an hour. Had to get up to go to meeting with financial guy. No nap this afternoon. So, my hind end is dragging and my muscles are screaming. Hope there is sleep for me tonight.