In an unreal upset, it appears that fall is finally here.

Over the weekend the afternoon highs were still bumping up against 80, the sun was shining, and there was a lovely southern breeze. It felt more like the first week of September than mid-October. Which I was cool with. As much as I like fall, I much prefer summer. I’m down with wearing shorts and t-shirts up until Thanksgiving. Hell, S just went through the girls’ closets and rotated in all the fall clothes last Monday.

Someone flipped a switch Sunday night, though. Rain moved in, the winds shifted, and Mother Nature said, “I don’t think so.” It was damp and dreary the past two days, with highs not getting out of the 50s. Nights moving past chilly to cold. I kicked the furnace on last night. The forecast shows no real rebound other than a slight return to more seasonable temperatures. The next few nights will likely bring the first frost and hard freeze on back-to-back nights.

With the temperature changes has come a furious changing of colors in the leaves. Our late summer and early fall were so warm and dry it was beginning to look like the leaves were just going to drop without much change in color. But since Saturday trees all over the area have jumped from dull greens to bright oranges and reds. That’s pretty fresh.

With the weather change comes a more concerned look at the forecast for next Tuesday, Halloween night. I think we had all been lulled into thinking it would be another balmy, calm evening. Suddenly we’re reminded that sometimes Central Indiana weather can be a little dicey on October 31. Right now it looks like we’re in good shape: cool but dry. As long as we don’t get the rain we had two years ago, or the snow and driving winds we had three years ago, I can handle wearing a jacket while we make our rounds.

And then, holy shit, it’s November. Where does time go?