The Welcome Cool of Fall, by Connie Patridge

     So we sweat through a gruelingly hot summer of endless stifling heat, night and day. I think longingly of fall's promise of cooler evenings and nights with the windows open. Nights cool enough for a light blanket and good sleeping weather. Sure got that last night! Yea! Been hoping for a day when my feet weren't so hot that my toes felt like they'd been used for spikes for baking potatoes, or the fork for roasting marshmallows. Oh, yeah, got that today! Been sitting here in the office with the window open all morning enjoying the bird calls, cricket creaks and noticing the pin oak leaves are actually "rustling" when the wind blows, although they still look green. Ah, coolness. Crud. Crud. Crud. My feet are cold. My toes are aching they are so cold. Crud. Crud. Crud.