Fall into Fall!

Quite a few years ago now, our daughters and some neighborhood kids created a little Fall Festival for their parents to watch. They sang out, "Fall! Fall! Fall into fall!" My older daughter was the ringleader, being the eldest of the eight little girls in four houses here. (In contrast, among the same homes, there were only three boys, more spread out in age.)

October is my favorite month of the year. My birthday (which was yesterday) falls in the middle of the month. We start eating warm soups and chili. I love to cook with pumpkin. I bring out my Halloween decorations, and after that the Thanksgiving tablecloth and arrangement for the dining room. The trees are alive with color. The air turns cooler, and I get out the flannel sheets and the down comforter.

I spent the past two weeks in Utah with my four adorable grandchildren. It is a blessing and a curse to live so far away. The blessing is that I am not constantly confronted with my failures as a mother, and I don't have to see parenting and housekeeping practices of which I disapprove all the time. On the other hand, I miss my children and grandchildren terribly. Thank goodness for the wonderful electronic devices that enable us to have face-to-face phone calls!

Of course, I played a part in damaging stuff at my dad's. No matter what I do over there, I seem to damage something. This time I am liable for cracking the top of the glass stovetop and ruining the oven light (by simply running the cleaning cycle on a very dirty oven.) No good deed goes unpunished in my world!

Still, I rub along, trying my best.

A friend's daughter got married while I was out there, and it was a great blessing to be able to attend the reception. My new little grandson is perfect and thriving. My son has a new, terrific job in his field of graphic design. I am proud of them all.