Here in New England we are in False Fall. This is when the trees start to turn (in no particular order), and cool mornings give way to boiling hot afternoons. It's what SNL famously referred to as "Sweatah Weathuh."
It's officially fall! But, unofficially, it's not.
We are still due for one more wave of summer heat. At least, we could be. It was mere decades ago that it snowed during the first full week of October. We've had Halloweens needing snowsuits and others begging for t-shirts and shorts.
Fall isn't really here until the first frost.
Anticipating true fall (in a few weeks), I scour website sales and find a pullover fleece that I really like for a ridiculous sale. No worries. My size is relatively standard, so I shouldn't have a problem choosing the last color available. Right? Wrong! There are about fifteen different colors in my exact size, all for unthinkably low prices. How can I just pick one?
I don't. I pick ten.
I won't lie. I'm really glad I ordered these things. They're pull-over style fleece tops, and they have pockets. Pockets! Can I even believe the luck?
Why am I admitting this to everyone? So that you can blame me. Yup. You can all blame me and my stupid fleece purchases when summer just hangs on and hangs on, refusing to let fall happen. We will go right from roasting on the beach to roasting chestnuts over an open fire because there is no way Mother Nature will let me enjoy my fleece tops until she makes me throw on a down and nylon vest and snow gloves for effect.
This upcoming week looks rather fleecy - cool mornings and warmish afternoons - but give it a week. I predict another round of summer will arrive just when I'm dreaming of the pink heather fleece to wear while I warm up my car and scrape the icy rime from the windshield. Either that, or it will snow several inches and I'll be eating this column.
Happy False Fall, everyone!
