Al AIMed me this morning to say, "You heard it here first: It's a beautiful day in Philadelphia." Yes, this is news to my husband, who's been griping about the heat, humidity, rain, etc. for the past couple weeks. Heck, it might even be news to long-time Philadelphians, who suffered a cruel, snowbound winter followed immediately by a brutally hot and humid summer. (My sources indicate that there was no spring to speak of.)

I'm in Northern California still, where beautiful days are the norm, and the only things we have to gripe about between May and October are occasional heat waves and morning fog, so I have yet to get to the point where a beautiful day is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, IMMEDIATELY, for my mental health. That's not to say that I take beautiful days for granted, however; I welcome each and every one with, "it's another beautiful day in Calfornia!" when I draw back the curtains in the morning.

And as if being able to remain in California into September was not enough, it has the added bonus of putting me in Philly *after August*. That means I get to miss Humidity Hell, and I will arrive to greet my favorite season, fall. Unlike Al, who's had to sweat through the remaining days of an east coast summer, I'll get pumpkins and cider and the smell of dry leaves, and warm, dry days and cool, crisp nights to ease my transition. (That is, if it doesn't rain.)

I will certainly miss the warm, fog-free days of October in the Bay Area, but I can't wait for the *real* fall of the east coast. Bring on Halloween! Posted by Lori at September 08, 2003 01:38 PM