Brisk and Bracing

Brisk and bracing.

Yesterday morning, early, when I ventured outside to walk up to the garage to check out the putrid smell of something dead therein, as described by my wife and as yet not experienced by myself, I noted the briskness of the 45 F. air temp under the quilted cover of a November looking sky.  Noted because I was woefully under dressed in only pajama bottoms and sweater.

   The garage is heated to fifty degrees so I scurried up the hill and went in to investigate. 

The odor was there as soon as I entered.  My search was fruitless, so I surmised that a liberal spraying with Fabreeze would rectify the unpleasant odor greeting anyone entering the garage.  This proved to be less effective than I'd hoped.

   In my search I espied some objects that spurred me to get a few chores done; plant some more grass seed where the painters had spilled paint thinner, fertilize the holly for the winter, and empty the chemical toilet.  When I went to scatter the grass seed the area was covered with leaves. So back to the garage to get a rake.  I raked the leaves in to a pile and made a half dozen trips carrying them to the compost pile.  Now, scatter the seed.  Next, stop briefly in the house to empty the chemical toilet, remember that the dehumidifiers in the cellar need to be emptied and proceed to do that.  During this brief inside interlude, which was barely long enough to thaw my frost bitten hands, my wife suggested that I should drain the garden hose and stow the hose in the garage; since a killing frost will surely visit us any day now. Donning gloves, I return to the yard: fertilize the holly, disconnect the hose and lay it out on the driveway to drain and soften in the sun and then remember to go to the patio to sweep off the squirrel's nut detritus that I'd noticed while scattering grass seed.  In my travels about the landscape I also noticed a plethora of downed three branches and twigs, and so, proceeded to pick them up and deposit them curbside.

   Now, nearly two hours after I'd set out to determine the cause of a foul odor in the garage, I return to the comfort of my abode to take a hot shower to thaw out, put on some appropriate clothing and sit down to a breakfast of hot porridge prepared by my mate.  Over said breakfast, Diane suggest that today would be a good day to store the lawn and patio furniture away for the winter.

   Those "brisk" autumn mornings are perfect for getting fall chores done.

This morning, at 0600, when I stepped outside to retrieve the Sunday  paper, I noted the temperature to be a bracing 35 degrees F..  Immediately I decided to sit, read the paper, check my email, check Facebook, and contemplate the fabulous time we had at Kevin and Ann's wedding and reception last night.

All in all, it was a fruitful and rewarding day.