Fall

It is now September 23rd, two days after the official start of Autumn.  This is my favorite time of the year.

As a child, it meant the start of a new school year.  I didn't do particularly well in school, so it wasn't that I loved the studying or learning aspect of it.  But I loved getting to see friends again.  And I loved the excited feeling of beginning a new grade.

In high school, it meant the start of hunting season.  I've never been much of a hunter, really.  Actually, I don't classify myself as any kind of hunter.  Our hunting trips usually meant shooting our limit of coke cans and plastic bottles.  But I loved being outdoors, camping and shooting.  And I loved hanging out with my best friend, Dewayne (everyone called him Bubba).  I loved the early morning campfires, and the cold in my face.  Some of my favorite memories were of those trips to his family's land in Brownsboro.

It also meant the arrival of my favorite holidays.  I loved Halloween (I still do), and Christmas was my very favorite, for obvious reasons.  Presents, certainly, but it was so much more.  I love the festive lights and decorations; the pretty Christmas tree; and the fact that most of the family seemed happier during that time.

It meant my brother, Stuart, and I would begin our tradition of wrapping each other's presents in a way that disguised what might be inside.  Sometimes, that meant wrapping a coin he wanted to add to his collection inside a shoe box, with a large rock, and some thumbtacks in a Sucrets can.  Other times, I meant wrapping a small box in a larger box, in a larger box, etc.  And each one had to be individually wrapped to prolong the joy of unwrapping.

And the night before Christmas meant Stuart and I would be in our bunk beds, guessing what Santa had brought us.  When we were really young, it also meant a middle of the night trip to creep out through the hallways and peak, long before mom or dad were awake.  We didn't walk right in to see everything...just a tiny sliver of it.  Then at 6:00, when we had permission to wake them, it was off to dad's room to wake him, and then to mom's.  And we had to wait until they had a cup of coffee before we hurried to the front room, where Christmas was waiting.

I know a lot of people have grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all around on Christmas morning. We only had the four of us.  But I never felt cheated.

Eggnog was also one of my favorite things about Christmas.  As an adult, I'm thankful it is only a Christmas-time treat.  If it were available all year, I would either grow sick of it, or weight 800 pounds.  Or both.

A lot of people like Fall, for various reasons.  The changing of the leaves is one I hear a lot.  Living in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, we don't have as many tress as a lot of places, but I do enjoy the different colors around this time of year.

People here like the the Stock Show and Rodeo, and the State Fair.  I've never been to the Stock Show.  And I've only been to the Fair three or four times in my life.  I'm an animal lover, but the Stock Show just never seemed interesting to me.  Rodeos are kind of fun, and I've been to several, but not at the Stock Show.  The Fair can be fun, but I usually feel it is too crowded, and expensive, to warrant the hassle.  Granted, if my wife decides she wants to go, I'm game.  And I will have fun once I get there.  The few things I enjoy at the Fair are the car pavilions, the animals, and of course, the food.  Way overpriced, and just about as unhealthy as anything you could eat, some of the items are found nowhere else but the Fair.  And they deserve an entire blog all to themselves.  All that being said, I seldom feel a loss if I don't go.

My wife loves Fall because it means Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back at Starbucks.  I love pumpkin pie, but never found a taste for the PSL, as she longingly refers to her favorite coffee flavor.  And since the introduction several years ago, everyone seems to have jumped on the pumpkin spice bandwagon.  PS candy, gum, candles, snack cakes, Pop-Tarts....I was playing around on the Internet, building a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, and it has the option of a pumpkin spice lift-kit.  Well, it doesn't, but I might suggest it.  At least PS wheels and tires.  If it catches on, they may give me a Jeep as a thank you.  I'll take mine without the pumpkin spice, please.

As an adult, one of the things I enjoy most about Autumn is the cooler weather.  I was never bothered by playing football, or soccer when it was 100° outside.  Now, even as an adult, if I'm invited to play soccer, I will happily join, although I can't run as long, as fast, or stay in the heat all day like I could in years past.  In general, the older I get, the more the heat bothers me.  And when the crispness of the Fall air begins to show, I find myself with a little more pep in my step.

Autumn also means we can sit outside occasionally in the evenings.  Generally, there are fewer bugs around, although it can also mean they are trying to find their way into our warm home.  I can sometimes drive with the windows down on the truck, which is great since my AC is getting temperamental in its old age.  And we can open the house windows in the evening for fresh air.  And the smell of fireplaces in the air puts a smile on my face.

So, in spite of the temperature being in the mid-nineties today, I know the cooler weather is just around the corner.  And with it, Halloween, fireplaces, open windows and Christmas.  And Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

Birthday

Well, I've hit another birthday (thank you, God, for another day/year/whatever You choose to bless me with).

I was reminded on my way in to work this morning of a weekend camping trip with my son. It was fifteen years ago, but something on the radio brought back a memory, and made me laugh.

I decided to surprise Chase with a camping trip to exotic Lake Grapevine (because it was the closest decent place). I picked him up at 6:00 Friday evening, and we drove to the lake. It was dark by the time we got there, but we set up the tent, and I built a fire. We used coat hangers to roast our hot dogs that we enjoyed with potato chips.

I learned a couple of things that night that seem like common sense now. But in the heat of silliness, common sense isn't often the foremost thought process.

1. Potato chips are flammable. Again, it seems like common sense. After all, they're cooked in oil. But as I slid the end of the coat hanger into the looped end of a chip, that thought didn't occur to me. Hearing Chase giggle at the flaming snack made me laugh out loud. (That was back when it was really laughing out loud, and not LOL). Seeing the chip on fire, and the delighted giggles it brought was a lot funnier than I had anticipated.

2. When you first blow out the flames from a potato chip, chances are the chip will retain the heat for several seconds. Again....common sense. But quickly shoving the chip into my mouth brought that startling revelation to life. I'm not sure if I was able to taste anything else the entire weekend or not. It wasn't my smartest moment.

Saturday, we spent our time walking along the shore, looking for bad guys. We found several, but not to worry. The Sheriff and I handily dispatched them all. We were wounded a couple of times, but we had our first aid kit. We were able to remove the bullets, and patch each other up. Remarkably, we continued on our quest without so much as a hospital visit.

The afternoon involved a leaf fight. It started with pushing leaves together into a pile to jump into. It de-escalated quickly. I don't remember a lot of details except the laughter. How can a bunch of dead leaves turn into such a hilarious experience?

As I've grown older (I'll not use the term "mature" for fear of reprisal from those who actually know me), I've learned that simple things like leaf fights, and searching for escaped bank robbers are the things that we remember. Spending the time with a loved one, even just acting silly, is time invested in something that will truly last.

I've asked Chase about several things that have happened in his life.

He doesn't remember things I think would be "important” or "big" events. But he remembers the leaf fight, and the flaming potato chip.

Thank you, God, for allowing me to have the time I've had. To have the family and friends I've had to share my life with. And for the "little things" along the way that will forever mean the most.