That time of year

I am not sure what my favorite time of year really is. Could it be
spring, when it starts warming up again after a cold winter, or
fall, when it starts cooling off after a hot, humid summer? I guess
it would have to be fall, for the simple reason that it is also foot-
ball season! By the way, my Dallas Cowboys are 6-1. To be honest,
I am not quite sure how they have achieved this, as a couple of
games have basically been pulled out of a magician's hat, but
hey, a win is a win! In any case, it's just nice to watch football
again; summer is just not a good sporting season, unless there
is an Olympics, World Cup, or if you are a baseball fan, which I
am NOT...BORING. Anyway, another characteristic of fall is the
the extra weight mailmen need to carry around due to all the
winter/holiday catalogs they need to deliver. My mailbox has
had its share of catalog glut, but I am sure nothing compared
to the mailbox of my dear friends the Thompsons. See, Mrs.
Thompson is simply the queen of catalogs and mail order. If
she gets less than 1/2 dozen a day, she questions if the mail-
man delivered ALL of her mail! Yep, definitely a pro shopper,
we pseudo shoppers can all pick up a few pointers from her!
Another sign that summer is over and fall is here - tree leaves
changing color. Here in Virginia we are blessed with true
beauty - the vibrant array of reds, yellows, and oranges even
attract tourists from out of state. And last, but not least, fall
means cooler evenings, which translates to the occasional
cozy fire in the fireplace (thanks to hubby's talents!), and
more home cooking by people who really know how to cook
and are generous enough to give samples away! Last night
for instance, one of the cooks at the restaurant gave me a
piece of sweet potato pie that his mother had made. Now, I
am not a real fan of sweet potato pie, perhaps because I had
never tasted a good one. Well, I did last night, and am now
wondering what other goodies this lady has in store. Oops,
there goes my diet.....AGAIN!