By Staff
Is it just me, or are there a lot of people who think that 88 degrees is cool weather? I realize that we’ve had some very hot, dry weather this summer, but rest assured, 88 degrees is not cool weather and I’m thankful for any drop in the temperature. Cool-ER - yes. Cool - not so much.
I will go on record as saying that the cool morning air has been quite refreshing the past several days. I’ve enjoyed being able to make the trip to the school and on to work without the use of the van’s air conditioning. I have even enjoyed the fact that my home air conditioning system isn’t humming away when I get out of the shower each morning.
Just knowing that the lack of use of those two systems is saving me money is refreshing. So I guess, in a strange way, the drop in temperatures overnight has certainly brought some joy into my life. Shoot, I even smile when I walk out into a 69-degree morning.
But the thing that gets me most is the comment I’ve heard over and over during the past week. The phrasing varies from person to person, but basically everyone keeps telling me how much they are enjoying “this cool weather we’re having” lately. Well, so am I. But I will let you in on a little history lesson: it can be mighty hot in October.
I’ve checked the weather outlook for the remainder of the month and, although it’s just a short period of time, it looks like we’ll enjoy the “milder” temperatures at least through the end of September. But you should also know that I am not putting away my shorts and flip-flops just yet. I will keep them around for those warm afternoons that we will probably see for several more weeks.
I can even recall a time in my childhood that called for short sleeves as we played with the new croquet set we received as a family Christmas present. Yep, it can even be warm in December.
In my mind I can also remember that my daddy usually took a thermos filled with coffee to every football game we ever attended. He did like coffee no matter what the weather, but the main purpose for the thermos of hot coffee was to help him keep warm on those cold football Friday nights. It’s supposed to be cold at football games.
However, as I attended the last two football games as a fan, you can bet I had a fan. Hot and muggy aren’t supposed to be weather conditions as football games. Chances are we’ll be wearing short sleeves and maybe even a pair of shorts to football games until the local season ends.
In my kitchen cool weather also calls for a few changes that haven’t happened just yet. I haven’t pulled out the chili pot, nor have I gathered the ingredients for vegetable soup or Brunswick stew. That will only happen when the daytime highs stay around the 65-degree mark. I’m not ready for a steaming, hot pot of anything just yet.
When cool weather does arrive, you can put money on the fact that I will be cooking chili, attending wiener roasts. But the weather will have to be cool enough that I feel the need for a long-sleeved shirt or a sweater before that actually happens. I am looking forward to it though.
As the temperatures drop more and more in the coming weeks, my smile will broaden. I love fall and winter more than any of the four seasons. I guess the reason I like fall so much is that it finally brings some relief from the hot weather I detest. I like winter for the same reasons, but the feelings are multiplied. Bring on the cold.
I am certainly ready for summer to come to an end, but the chances of that happening anytime soon are pretty slim.
The calendar tells me that today is actually the first day of fall, but it’s still summer to me.
Lisa Tindell is a news reporter for The Brewton Standard. She can be reached at 867-4876 or by email at lisa.tindell@brewtonstandard.com.