October Obsessions

Fall has come to Norway.  Not that this is news- I'm not entirely sure that winter ever left Norway, forget about the fall.  Nevertheless, fall has come which has me considering all the things that I love about the season.

It always amazes and thrills me, how quickly it happens in northern climates- the transition of seasons.  One day is summer, the next is chilled, crisp, and smells of the coming cold.  Then the leaves go, then the wind kicks up, then the- hang on.  I'm wrong.  One day is summer, the next Starbucks brings out pumpkin spice lattes and the drug stores and super retails bring out Halloween candy and costumes; in the days after that, the chilled, crisp moorings smell of the coming cold. Then the leaves go. Then the wind kicks up. Etc. Etc. Etc.  And then it's Fall.

It's all about timing.

Which brings me to my first obsession- one which I've been thinking about a lot here in Norway… mostly because my only hope for it actually is the aforementioned Starbucks- The Pumpkin Spice, errr, anything.  (Really- latte, frozen yogurt, cheesecake, I'll take them all.  Or dare I shout out the laudable and honored proper Pumpkin Pie which contains pumpkin and spice and a delicious crust and the whipped cream that would also appear on the top of the latte?!?!?!?  Wait!  What?  What was that?  The sound of your mind exploding.  You.  Are.  Welcome.)  Okay, but we'll stick with the latte for now.  Because I'm not obsessed with just any pumpkin spice latte, oh no.  I'm talking about the one from the Cumberland Farms in Windsor, Vermont.  I'm talking about the over-sugared, over-processed, under-nutritionally sound pumpkin spice latte that comes out of a gas-station coffee latte maker in three convenient sizes: splurge, regret, and diabetes.  Nothing says fall to me like a stroll down Main Street in Windsor, disposable cup of delicious in hand.

Nothing, that is, until this makes an appearance on my computer or tele.  Very very much looking forward to the annual pre-Halloween screening.

Current slightly evil obsession?  Of course I have one!  Making fun of people, in my head, who are exaggerating the autumn dress code.  Yes, it's the fall- Hell it's October already.  And yes, I am in Norway where, yes, it's cold.  And yes again, even I have a shiver of "holy bananas I'm freezing my tail feathers off!" every few nights when Henry has to go out for his bedtime bathroom break and I draw the short straw.  But honestly.  It's really not parka weather yet.  None of you are Everest Sherpas, and by the way, do you know how many geese gave up down to stuff that jacket of yours?  Let's show a little respect here.

And the giant scarves (you know who you are, ladies who wrap what appear to be blankets around your head just to walk the block to the grocery store) are overkill.

That being said.  I am a hypocrite.  Big time hypocrite.  Not that this comes as a surprise to anyone.  But seriously, these boots- which are, indeed, winter boots- are a godsend.  Waterproof suede, fleece lining, and Henry-approved.  I can stand in up to eight inches of wet in these suckers without feeling it.  Toes still toasty warm.  Yes, I have already started wearing them on our morning and midnight walks.  And I'm not apologizing for it or feeling any shame about it at all…

...but I'm also not wearing a sleeping bag tied around my neck, as well, to keep warm.

Just sayin.'

Quick shout out to Asics.  Just got a pair of their running pants and I have to thank them for pretty consistently remembering that not all size XS/S women are also only 5'4".  Some of us have legs that we would like to cover all the way down to the ankle- if not over it!  And Asics has done the trick.

And once again I'm so far behind pop culture it is borderline criminal.  I have discovered (term used super loosely), on Netflix, Modern Family.  Yeah, I missed the boat by a lot of years on that one.  I'm shaking my head at myself.  Apologies.

And I think that'll do for now, hey?

In the meantime, Happy Fall, Happy Autumn, my Dearests! And until next time...