Sunshine, autumn leaves and fresh air

I feel good! A little weary, but good: peaceful, joyful, alive. And that is on top of three crappy nights' sleep. Perhaps I will sleep better tonight and feel great again tomorrow. Perhaps I am learning how to cope with less sleep...

I finally took myself outside and mowed the lawns this morning. I am determined to keep doing these sorts of things myself this time, I don't have the same fitness to fall back on as I did when pregnant with DD. Then we set out for the afternoon to watch my husband's running race and teach DD how to cheer the athletes on (I am mostly too shy to do it too audibly myself but I try). It started and finished at some local botanic gardens which are very pretty and well-established, deep green and quite lush in places. The trees lining the road above - from which DD and I watched the race - were all deciduous. We could survey those beautiful autumn tones backed by the lush green of the gardens. It was a similar scene sitting outside a cafe this morning - the deciduous trees lining the side street slowly and gracefully undressing themselves for the winter.

Then late this afternoon, I finally hung the two loads of washing out: sun slanting, kittens' bells tinkling as they scampered across the backyard ambushing each other, DD cheerful and animated and chattering away in the swing under the verandah as she spun it around all by herself.

When we came inside - under pressure from the mosquitoes - I walked around closing the windows and doors which had been wide open, welcoming in the clear autumn air. Will this be the last day we have the house wide open before the spring? I hope not, but that will happen one day soon. I had my first soup for the season last week. There is plenty to look forward to in any winter, but particularly this one.