Keep the Coffee Comimg

Today I feel as if I were in a scene from the Sound of Music, the one where Maria with arms outstretched turns around on the mountain to take in the beauty of the hills. The day is that pretty, as warm and beautiful.

The morning is quiet. An every now and then breeze stirs the leaves. The sun is strong. It is already 70°. Nala stays outside stretched on the grass in the sun. Henry sleeps upstairs on my bed. They live the good life.

I ran amok. I washed and waxed the kitchen floor, the bathroom floor, the stairs and the hall. The members of the sloth club were considering removing me until I swore no more cleaning.

The cape is in its fall mode. The mornings are a bit chilly, but the days are a delight. Traffic is much lighter. When I travel at night, there are far fewer cars. The cranberry bogs are red with cranberries. Some have already been harvested. I’ve seen Halloween yard decorations, even stopped to take a picture of one. This is my favorite season on Cape Cod.

Even when I was a kid, I loved the fall. I’d walk in the gutters and kick the leaves as high as I could into the air. The dry leaves crackled under my feet. My father raked the yard every Saturday. He’d then burn the leaves, my favorite fall ritual. When it got colder, he’d remove the window screens and put up the storm windows. That was always a bit scary. The storm windows had to be lifted onto hooks using both hands. It was a miracle my father never fell nor, as far as I can remember, did a window.

On cold mornings, my mother used to make us a hot breakfast to fortify us for the walk to school. My favorite was soft boiled eggs with a side of cut toast for dipping. I didn’t even mind oatmeal especially with milk and sugar. I guess this must be a Julie Andrews’ day. She knew the benefit of sugar. It even made the medicine go down let alone oatmeal.

My play clothes changed from summer to fall, from shorts to dungarees and short sleeves to long. My mother started to insist I wear a sweater or a light jacket to school. On the way home, when the day was warmer, I’d tie it round my waist.

As for today, I’ll be home. I have a couple of chores but neither will put my sloth status in jeopardy.