Autumnal Thoughts........

[jamespowers]

Except for the chili, you've just listed many of the things I dislike about this time of year. Christmas? Except for spending time and sharing a meal or two with people I care about, I couldn't care less. We don't have any children, so there's no need for decorations. Christmas music is only marginally less annoying than a root canal, one of the few exceptions being Thurl Ravenscroft's rendition of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch". And my wife and I have zero interest in football; if we're watching the Stupor Bowl it's either for the commercials, or because we've got a few bucks in a pool somewhere (or, as my brother called it, our "contribution to someone else's happiness").

So, yeah, those are some of my autumnal thoughts.

That is about the same for me. I eat chili all year so it isn't just some stupid Autumn thing for me. I could care less about all organized team sports. I dislike colds, flus, allergies, raking leaves, cleaning the gutter out because of my stupid neighbor's trees and I hate when the leaves turn color because it means I will be raking them soon. I hate pumpkin, turkey, yams, cranberry sauce, mine meat pie and a host of other "holiday" foods so I have to adjust my menu for these holidays. I hate Halloween where kids run around pretending like it is welfare day----"gimme some free candy." Have your parents buy you some. I do for my sons. I might put up a Christmas tree every year but I don't particularly like the holiday as it reminds me every year how much less family I have.
Christmas music isn't annoying----it is Evil if you have to listen to the same song more than once while shopping. :doh:

 

[jamespowers]

At this time of year, I tend to skip Autumn and fast forward right to Christmas.
Red table cloth on the dining room table, balsam and cedar yankee candle plug ins, and the first of November I put the Christmas trees up.
This year I intend to put my Firestone Christmas albums on CD.
In the past I'd celebrate fall with candy corn, but it's too high carb.
James you might have a point about Autumn.
Football games and chili suppers, raking leaves and carving pumpkins. :fear:

Of course I am right about Evil Autumn. "Help its Fall and I can't get up!":doh:
You can keep your Christmas songs. I'll listen to luau music first. lol

 

[Harp]

Mine (like today) would involve watching Premier League Soccer games, stacked up on my DVR.
Today it's Chelsea and Norwich City.
I'm one of those quirky Americans that took to Soccer as a kid, instead of Baseball or Football.

Ah well, a man has to follow his own star-or sport. Aside from football, I adore autumn for dappled maples and oaks turned blood stain crimson hues, elms shivering amber topaz jewels, carmel apples and cider, bonfires, hot coffee and ready hip flask, harsh cold winds and overcast gray skies.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I was able to sleep with my window open last night but not tonight.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

[video=youtube;7TFUAq_VAQA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TFUAq_VAQA[/video]

 

[Gregg Axley]

I decorated even when I didn't have children.

My wife really could care less about decorating the tree, or putting up decorations.
So I decorate for myself.
It's a personal thing, because my favorite grandmother (of the 2 I had) celebrated it in a big way.
For 6-7 weeks I could walk in her house and it would be extra cheerful with the tree, the decorations, the cooking, and the Firestone & Goodyear Christmas albums going.
Battles between family members were put aside for a few weeks, and it was pleasant.
I decorate for that reason. Yeah it takes hours to put up, but so what? It brings me joy.
When we come around to a Christmas thread, I'll mention a few items I have.
But that's hijacking James's Autumn celebration, and I won't do that.

Cool winds blowing, and leaves falling.
Autumn is here dern it.
We don't eat chili year round because at 100 degrees, the last thing we want is chili!
Gutters, I agree with you there.
This year I'm thinking about putting a cover on them, and renting a billy goat to get the leaves up.
At $1100+ I'm not buying one!

 

[jamespowers]

My wife really could care less about decorating the tree, or putting up decorations.
So I decorate for myself.
It's a personal thing, because my favorite grandmother (of the 2 I had) celebrated it in a big way.
For 6-7 weeks I could walk in her house and it would be extra cheerful with the tree, the decorations, the cooking, and the Firestone & Goodyear Christmas albums going.
Battles between family members were put aside for a few weeks, and it was pleasant.
I decorate for that reason. Yeah it takes hours to put up, but so what? It brings me joy.
When we come around to a Christmas thread, I'll mention a few items I have.
But that's hijacking James's Autumn celebration, and I won't do that.

Cool winds blowing, and leaves falling.
Autumn is here dern it.
We don't eat chili year round because at 100 degrees, the last thing we want is chili!
Gutters, I agree with you there.
This year I'm thinking about putting a cover on them, and renting a billy goat to get the leaves up.
At $1100+ I'm not buying one!

When is the last time you had 1oo degree weather there. lol lol Even then, it is still great. It is a summer BBQ staple here.
The billy goatr will eat anything.

 

[Zombie_61]

...I dislike...raking leaves, cleaning the gutter out because of my stupid neighbor's trees and I hate when the leaves turn color because it means I will be raking them soon...

That's what gardeners are for. I'm pretty sure we'd have gardeners even if my back problems didn't prevent me from doing yardwork--they're better at it than I am, and can get the work done much faster than I could.

...I hate pumpkin, turkey, yams, cranberry sauce, mine meat pie and a host of other "holiday" foods...

Well, now, that's just wrong. Umm, wait, I meant to say yeah, you're absolutely right. You should package all of that up and send it to me...y'know, so you won't have to deal with it.

...You can keep your Christmas songs. I'll listen to luau music first. lol

Nothing wrong with luau music...especially if you throw in a little Dick Dale surf guitar. :rockon:

 

[Stray Cat]

Christmas music is only marginally less annoying than a root canal

Now, THAT is not Autumn (just for the record) - THAT is the awful, awful time of the year..
:doh:

Christmas music isn't annoying----it is Evil if you have to listen to the same song more than once while shopping. :doh:

Are talking about:

[video=youtube;E8gmARGvPlI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI[/video]

..because, THAT one makes a person highly suicidal starting December 1st. uke:

 

[Stray Cat]

James, Zombie..
You strongly dislike Autumn, I get it.

Still, there's cookies even for you:

Leave some for the rest of the folks (if they stop by) lol

 

[Zombie_61]

James, Zombie..
You strongly dislike Autumn, I get it.

Actually, I don't dislike autumn; I dislike all of the nonsense that is associated with the autumn/winter holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. Those cookies look good though. :hungry:

 

[Gregg Axley]

Now, THAT is not Autumn (just for the record) - THAT is the awful, awful time of the year..
:doh:



Are talking about:

[video=youtube;E8gmARGvPlI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI[/video]

..because, THAT one makes a person highly suicidal starting December 1st. uke:

Sadist. :eeek:

Oh Dick Dale? He's okay, I'll take that music.
As for 100 degree temps, we get them each summer and have them for at least 2-3 weeks now.
For us it's not so much the temp as it is the humidity.
Kind of like a weight that's been placed on you when you step outside.
At least crime goes down when it's that hot.
Chili is good year round, I'll agree to that, but again when I'm sitting still and sweating, I don't want something really hot to eat.

Right now Autumn is great. The first week or two, because the temps are down but the leaves are still up.

 

[Stray Cat]

Sadist. :eeek:

:eyebrows:

 

[GHT]

I decorated even when I didn't have children.

We have no children, and therefore no grandchildren, but you wouldn't think so come Christmas. When we viewed this house, prior to purchase, she stood in the reception hall, and mused: "Hmm! We could put an eight foot tree up here, come Christmas!"

 

[Stray Cat]

"Hmm! We could put an eight foot tree up here, come Christmas!"

8 foot - let me just get that.. 2.4 meters?!
I'll just... :faint:

 

[GHT]

James, Zombie..
You strongly dislike Autumn, I get it.
Still, there's cookies even for you:
Leave some for the rest of the folks (if they stop by) lol

Maybe dislike is a bit strong, but when Frank Sinatra sings about it being a very good year, he was in the autumn of his life, and that's where I'm heading! Sigh!
[video=youtube;-D3kjY39dzA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D3kjY39dzA[/video]

 

[Stray Cat]

Maybe dislike is a bit strong, but when Frank Sinatra sings about it being a very good year, he was in the autumn of his life, and that's where I'm heading! Sigh!

You kidding me?
Some of the BEST folks I know are "in the autumn of their lives" - they gained so much life experience, they are great to talk to and they have great sense of humor. :nod:

 

[Formeruser012523]

Are talking about:

[video=youtube;E8gmARGvPlI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI[/video]

..because, THAT one makes a person highly suicidal starting December 1st. uke:

Amen to that! *yucky*

8 foot - let me just get that.. 2.4 meters?!
I'll just... :faint:

I've helped decorate 14 ft. Christmas trees. That's nothin'. lol

 

[GHT]

You are absolutely right Stray Cat, it is a great time. We have a fabulous group of friends, real ones, not the Facebook ones. We get out and about to shows, dances, festivals, burlesque. Our mortgage has long been paid off. I still work, but we both have state and private pensions. And of course we have each other. What's not to be happy about?
Maybe the sigh was because I have to come to terms with the body slowing down, and, my wife is in hospital recovering from knee replacement surgery. Truth is, I'm missing her, so apologies for the self pity. I'm going to take a leaf out the book of that couple jumping up and down on their bed. I shall remember too, that just a few years ago, such surgery wasn't even available, condemning so many to an autumn of their years in a wheelchair. Stray Cat, I don't know you, but you just did me a power of good. Thank you very much.

 

[Zombie_61]

...As for 100 degree temps, we get them each summer and have them for at least 2-3 weeks now.
For us it's not so much the temp as it is the humidity.
Kind of like a weight that's been placed on you when you step outside...

We've been experiencing increased humidity levels here in southern California with every year that passes. When I was growing up here in the 60s and 70s humid days were very rare. We started getting more humid days in the late 70s, and one of the evening news meteorologists announced, "You'd better get used to it folks. We should have been experiencing as much humidity as the rest of the country for the last 30 to 50 years, and we don't know why we haven't, but that's coming to an end." Part of it is that the "monsoon season" that Arizona has experienced all of these years is slowly moving west. [huh]