Autumnal

Autumnal


Today is another of those days
of siren like meteorological appeal.
An attractive brightness in the sky
tempts me to ride.
But there are reasons, reasons.
It's a little late in the day for one thing,
a 30 mile ride (which I'm beginning
to see as a minimum) takes 3 hours of riding time
plus sitting around
at a coffee shop or restaurant time.

The temperature is O.K.
There are leaves to rake up.
We bought a new antenna for the TV
and it still rests on a chair in the living room.
It would probably work better
if we put it on the roof or something.
Gotta do that before
the family comes over for Thanksgiving.

AND, Meredith has been forcing alcoholism on me
by serving wine for dinner for the last 5 or so meals.
Besides talking me into going to Stellar's
for pizza and a Guinness.

One Guinness a week is really more like it for me.
If that.
Makes me sleepy.
Dopey.
Probably why I'm sleeping late this week.
That and the remnants of that cold I told you about.
And reading books into the inky depths of the stygian night.

I'll probably settle for raking leaves
and hope that tomorrow will be another nice day.
Orphan Annie assures me that it will.
As does Scarlet O'Hara.
And Pollyanna.
Emily, of course does not worry about the weather.

Weather -
Is that thing with wet feathers -
That tracks mud on your carpet.


Doug Palmer November 2008