Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay

Finally, a little cooler weather. I know people who live in places where it gets really cold are not that excited about seeing the temperature drop but here in the MUGGY capital of the world, we sing Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay every time they even guess at something that just might dip down into the 40’s. It’s time to open up the windows and let the houses breathe a little. I know yesterday afternoon it was near 60 degrees with the wind gusting to 25 miles per hour. I sat at my work station with the window open and the blinds clanging occasionally from the wind. Invigorating is a good word or as Charles Barkley once said when he saw a remarkable basketball play, “That had to be surreal, although I have no idea what surreal means.”

I saw one of our workers earlier yesterday as the front made its way through. He was all bundled up. He’s about 6’ 5” and weighs probably 250 pounds. We call him “Big Dave”. He looked like he was dressed to unload frozen fish or something. I couldn’t resist asking him the question my grandfather used to ask me: “You are cold already, but what are you going to do when it really turns cold?” I may wimp out soon and I can’t be sure how all these medications are going to impact my love of the cooler air but so far I’m enjoying it as a wonderful blessing. Others know how much I love the cooler air. My wife called me before she left for work yesterday morning just to tell me the front was just forty miles away. Why? She knew I was so looking forward to a breath of fresh air.

I can write about the cool because it actually happened. That’s not always the case around these parts regardless of the predicted forecast. Here’s one we hear way too often: “It was headed for us but it stalled out and somehow broke apart just before it reached our area.” What? I would rather be surprised than to hear these lame excuses. Of course Bubba thinks the predictions for cooler weather that rarely come to pass are all part of a conspiracy to sell winter stuff that currently is stacked ceiling high in most of the local stores. On top of this, they have the audacity to put things like ‘accu’ in front of their weather cast or ‘the most dependable’. Hey, being right occasionally for the forecasters around here would make that last one fairly easy to achieve!

Looking ahead for the week we actually have a lower 40’s predicted for Thursday. Maybe, maybe not. If it does most of us will be smelling that first of the season heater smell in our cars. But I’m not going to count on 42 until I’m there and enjoying it. My wife uses an electric warming blanket on her side of the bed, year round. With the temperature change that thing will be smoking tonight. She actually tells people that I put my feet over on her side of the bed to get them warm but she also says I don’t want anyone to know about it. Could you imagine such a thing? If something like that did happen there are any number of explanations that make sense. It could happen by accident or it might be something where I was only trying to get things situated for her. This is the thanks I get for trying to help her?

I guess when its all said and done it doesn’t take much to get me excited. This summer has not been all that hot but its had staying power and we’re still having 90’s and its nearly Halloween! Therefore, a person has every right to be excited when it comes time for a light jacket or sweater. We have a covered front porch on our office building where I work. On a cool, crisp morning, there’s nothing like standing out on that porch sipping a hot cup of strong coffee at 5:30 a.m. What was that word again? Invigorating! Amen and thank You Lord. ….More later.