What happened to Fall?

Can you believe this??? Yesterday was October 13 and it snowed! Around 9:30 AM I'm sitting at my desk at work and I look out the window to see it blizzarding! It was really coming down... for about 1/2 an hour. Everything was covered in white. It was all gone by 11:00 AM, but wow! We went from 90° temps about 3 weeks ago straight to winter with 40° temps. Crazy. We've completely skipped fall and went straight from summer to winter. Wonder if the trees know that? The leaves were just starting to turn.

It has warmed up some today. It's probably around 50° or so, but the wind is blowing so the wind chill will make it somewhere around the mid 40's. It sure was gloomy looking this morning though. Yuck. The sun has come out this afternoon (along with the wind) and it "looks" more cheerful outside.

Rich finished tarping the hay stacks yesterday.......... just before it started snowing. So I think the farm is all hunkered down and ready for winter. The woodshed on the other hand is not. It's pretty empty. Gonna have to find wood somewhere! Baseboard heaters get too expensive to run all winter so the woodstove is usually roaring nicely. It keeps the main part of the house nice and toasty.... bedrooms get supplemented with baseboard heaters just before bedtime.

John is doing much better. He just has a cold now. Thank goodness. I was afraid I was gonna have to go live with him just to keep him from falling apart. Maybe a little bit for my reassurance too.

Tim is well into Football season with Rich coaching. This weekend is Homecoming....... hoping for a win! as always. Tim is going to the dance..... maybe slightly under protest. Boys don't ever seem to know the details of the evenings happenings. They've just been told they're going. I just want to take pictures. : )

Me, I'm still chugging along. Most days are the same......... work, home, supper, tv, bed........ repeat. Except for Friday nights and Monday nights when I go to the football games. Or when I have an ill child 2 hours away and I'm resigned to sitting and worrying my time away wondering if everything is ok or if I should just get in the car and go to him.

Time goes on, kids heal, games are won (hopefully), and moms survive to do it all another day.

Children

Is it ever possible to let them go? To totally be on their own? I really don't think so. Not only is it hard for mom to see them go and not want to run right after them "just to make sure" everything is ok, I think it's hard for the child to leave that security too. They want to make sure Mom (and Dad too) are still there "just in case".

Yeah, I thought it would be easier when John went off to live by himself, go to college and get a job. I was wrong. Now I have to wonder if he's getting up on time, getting to class on time, getting homework done, getting to work on time, getting enough rest/sleep, eating right......... UGH! Thank goodness for cell phones and texting otherwise I think I might go nuts! Physican and insurance issues have been a hassle too. Something I hadn't thought about either. John hasn't had the best time since he left a week and a half ago to start college. He had his wisdom teeth (all 4) out on the 18th of Sept. School started on the 28th. Seemed like enough time for recovery. Two days after he got to school one of the extraction holes got infected. We had to find an Oral Surgeon for him to go see. Thankfully the Oral Surgeon here called around and got him an appointment near his town. Got him some antibiotics and pain pills. Had to fax insurance info to the pharmacy. Thought we were on the road to recovery. Not so..... On Thursday he started feeling sick, was better over the weekend, but this week he REALLY felt bad. Went to urgent care only to be told he might have appendicitis! So again, I'm faxing and calling in insurance info to the hospital. He went through a mess of tests. Turns out to be a viral infection. Thank goodness....... I guess. More pills and lots of rest. All this in a week and a half! He's ready to throw in the towel and come back home. The mommy in me says "Yes! Come home and I'll take care of you!" The rational side says "It's only been a week and a half. Come on........ give it more time. You can do it!" Still, it's soooooooo hard. What's that saying? A mom holds her child with her hand for a little while, but with her heart for eternity. Or something to that effect. So true.

Indian Summer

Oh it's been absolutely GORGEOUS these last few weeks. The first day of fall was just a couple of days ago, but you'd never know from the weather we've been having. Highs in the upper 80's to 90's. Nothing but blue skies and sunshine. Mornings have been quite chilly. We've had 30° the last few mornings, but it's still beautiful. That's been the only indication that Fall is definitely on its way.

We do have about 20 acres of 4th cutting alfalfa on the ground waiting to be baled up. Rich is going to try to get it up by Sunday. We haven't been haying this late in the year with this good of weather for a while. It's nice.

John has moved off to college........... well, sort of. His classes don't start until Monday the 28th. He cleared out his bedroom on Wednesday and took all of his stuff to his apartment. He will be back today, Friday, to watch the High School Football game. He'll probably go back to his apartment on Sunday. Then, who knows when we'll see him again. I'm expecting it'll be when he runs out of cash......... which could be quickly.

Speaking of football, Rich is coaching the high school JV team this year and coaching the wide receivers on the Varsity team. Tim is playing on the JV team mainly but has suited up for 1 varsity game so far and is suiting up again tonight. He actually got in on about 10 plays in last weeks Varsity game! He's having a lot of fun.

Rich has been quite busy these last couple of months. Trying to get the haying done and keep up with football practices and games. As soon as this last cutting of hay is in the stack things should calm down a bit. All we'll have to keep up with is Tim's sports then. Only one child to follow around this year. Only bad thing is, Rich now rides the team bus and I'm left to beg rides from other parents or drive myself. Not really liking that. But Rich does seem to be having a good time coaching and that's very good.

That's all for now. Enjoy the wonderful weather for now because next week Fall comes in with a vengance.