My Morning Jacket

Good Morning and how about this weather?

I nearly did something yesterday I never do this early in October.
When I woke up, it felt like it was freezing outside. I pulled on a long-sleeve shirt, then opened the coat closet next to the front door.
I stared at my jacket for a few minutes. Thought about it, then left it on the hanger.
Yes, it's much too early (in my mind anyway), to pull that one out.
I realize this is kind of silly. I mean, it's chilly, put on a jacket.
When the boy goes out to the bus stop wearing shorts I half cringe. I mean, it is too cold in the morning for shorts.
His justification: Well, it will be warm when I'm coming home.
So it is.
I left the jacket in the closet and by the time I left work, it was quite warm. I actually felt hot in the car and put on the air conditioning.
So, I feel like I made the right jacket decision.
Now, the heat is definitely not going on for a few weeks no matter how many blankets we need.
Oh year, for those looking for something else this morning, here you go:

Ugh. Ugh and double UGH while shopping at Giant

Good Morning and, yes, it's still summer!

Last Tuesday afternoon, I ran out of jelly.
Now, obviously, it's not that big of a problem. Still, the brood wouldn't eat their lunch unless there was some jelly to go along with the peanut butter. So, I hopped in the car and drove to the Giant in Havertown.
It's the same store I always shop. I mean, I refuse to go to 3 different stores just to get potato chips a few cents cheaper.
Anyway, while doing the self checkout, a worker was taping up some fall leaves on the nearby pole.
"Really," I said.
"We were told to do this by our regional manager," she said. "I don't want to, but it somehow fell to me."
Hey, at least I know the workers don't always buy into the corporate, uh, bull.
An aside to that manger: We don't want to see fall decorations until, get this, THE FALL.
I became further confused when I went to the beer store and saw a set up for Pumpkin (ie: Fall) beers.
What's next, Christmas decorations in July?
Wait, what?

Rise and Shine --- Two wheels!

Good Morning and welcome to the week before Halloween!

One of the things we like to do in the summer is ride bikes. So, with everybody getting a little bigger, two new (actually used) bikes were purchased last spring. The problem for one was that meant no more training wheels.
So, we tried in the spring. We tried at various times throughout the summer. We tried before school started. Still, the one couldn't get over the fear of falling.
That's OK, I kept saying, you'll get it. Until then, we'll put the training wheels back on your little bike.
"No," was the answer. "I'm not a little kid. I don't need a little bike."
So, the Not Little Kid used a scooter instead. Road up and down in front of the house. Mile after mile throughout the early fall.
Then on Saturday, the scooter went away and the bike came back out.
"I can do it now," the Not Little Kid said. "Watch."
So, moments after jumping on the bike (her brother's, but let's not quibble), it was back and forth on two wheels.
"I can do it! I can do it! Look Daddy! I Can Do IT!" the Not Little Kid yelled with joy.
Yeah, you can do it. You're right, you're not a little kid any more. :(

Rise and Shine --- Fall

Good Morning and wouldn't it be nice to have a week without rain?

While we could skip winter and it would be OK with me, I really do look forward to the changing of the seasons.
It's tough to give up the summer and all that comes with it (trips to the beach, swimming), there is something special about the Fall.
The vibrant colors of the leaves as you drive from here to there are very cool. The temperatures isn't so bad as long as you can convince everybody to wear a jacket.
On Saturday, we (along with seemingly the rest of Delaware County) decided to take a ride up to Linvilla Orchards for our annual pumpkin-hunting quest.
Each one is put under scrutiny. OK, this one is a little flat on the back, but it's perfectly round on the front. Perfect for a Jack O'Lantern. Wait, that one over there is pretty good too. Hey, can't we all get a pumpkin.
Getting caught up in the season, well, of course.
So, this year, we ended up with a record-breaking 81 pounds of pumpkins (breaking the old record of 72 set in 2009).
Now, who's going to start cutting?

Rise and Shine --- To heat or not to heat

Good Morning and it's time to change the pitcher!

As this wacky weather year took a chilly turn this week, the first thing I heard after school yesterday was 'It's cold in here.'
OK, you might need to put away the shorts for the season, but it's not cold. Maybe a sweatshirt instead of the T-shirt would help.
One thing that's not happening is the heat is not going on yet. Maybe I'm still stuck in the summer or maybe I'm looking for one month of a decent PECO bill, but the heater will not kick in this week.
Or next week.
My rule is the heat doesn't go on before Halloween. Yeah, yeah, yeah, things could change. The way the weather has been going, would it surprise anybody if we saw snow in October?
Now, though, the after-school crowd is going to have do deal with it. After all, there are plenty of blankets.