BRRRRRRRRRRRR

Well, this a.m. it was 61 degrees in Ormond Beach, FL. as I biked up to our water aerobics! Very refreshing, I must say. Now it is 79 at 11:51 a.m.

HM, my cousin was one of those 80’s “replaced Michiganders”. She went there with her friend to get a teaching job (there were none available here). The funny thing is that they ended up marrying brothers – and then they all moved back up here from Houston! The guys’ parents never could understand why their sons wanted to leave Houston… Maybe the grass IS greener.

My father is from Canada by way of Michigan. His parents moved to Michigan when he was a child and then all became naturalized Americans except for my Grandfather. He refused to give up his Canadian citizenship. Go Pa!! I can fully understand why he would do that.

Here it we usually have fall with the liquid amber trees going from green to gold or red. It is quite beautiful. I love the sound of the leaves crackling underfoot as one walks the neightborhood in Alameda. It is all flat so it makes for a good walk or bike ride. The days are usually warm and are in the 70’s and nights are in the high 50’s. This year we have had a very mild summer compared to last year’s three weeks of 100 degree weather. Right now we are having rain but it won’t be more than half an inch of rain in most areas. The air has cooled down to around 50 in the evening and low 60’s during the day. We receive the same weather that San Francisco receives as Alameda sits out on the bay. It is actually an island located next door to Oakland. Where I live is an old town, started in the 1860’s. There lots of old victorians that people have been upgrading or remodeling and some are quite beautiful. There is a real subburban feel to the area with a little bit of city mixed due to the mix of development first in the 1860’s, then 1940’s and then in the 1960’s. Some homes have started decorating for Halloween and some can get quite into it. I have seen one that has huge blow up type purple colored tarantula spiders. Yick! At Christmas time, a lot of the homes get into the holiday spirit with decorations and lights. It is quite fun to go walk the neighborhood and view what people have created. Time to get back in doors and have a cup of wonderfully warm apple cider with a stick of cinnamon floating in it or a cup of Ghiradelli cocoa with a dollop of whip cream and chocolate sprinkles.

Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday of the year what with it being cold and winterey and of course the food…oh the food, turkey with stuffing, orange cranberry sauce, french green beans, sweet potatoes, yams, mashed potatoes with lots of butter, and of course pumpkin pie with whip cream. Oh boy!!

Awwww. You all make me feel sooo nostalgic. I love the coming of the cold weather.

Christmas is my favorite time of year, and growing up in New Orleans, and here in central Texas, there just isn’t any snow.

This year I think I’m going up to Minn to visit my oldest son and his family for Christmas. I still have a week of vacation. I love bundling up, and feeling the cold air in my lungs and on my face (for a short time anyway). I love giving and receiving gifts and filling stockings.

And I love the antics of the cats around the tree, too.

Happy upcoming holidays!

For those looking for some autumn visuals, here is a link to a lovely photo taken today in Michigan. The water you see is Lake Michigan itself, which we usually refer to around here as “Big Blue”. Although I live in the lower part of Michigan, my family has a cottage in the area where this photo was taken – so I guess you would say it is my second home. If you use the “mitten” visual of Michigan, this photo was taken in the “pinkie”. Today was sunny and crisp, around 60 degrees. Very nice!

http://www.lelandreport.com/index.asp?indate=10/13/2007

I am the last human on the Earth.

🙂

Thanks for the life signals! 🙂 I could swear my house is totally empty, not a sound except steady kitty breathing in my bedroom. And there really is nobody moving outside. All that suddenly made me feel so lonely.