Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Extreme Dislike

Trying, for some reason that probably has to do with far too many lectures from my mother havin' to do with gentility, ancestral pride and Not Being White Trash (all backed up by a resounding threat involving both all-girl parochial high school and house restriction until I was 25), to be nice and not completely hate August with unbridled passion...like I do...I wandered outside for about 10 minutes this afternoon, searching for a reason...any reason...to like August...just a little...

Well, ask (as you stroll in a casual barefoot haven't brushed your teeth since breakfast since no one but the dogs and cats are home anyway mode out to your yard....that's right...right now, it's a yard...not a garden) and ye shall search harder to avoid disappointment and feelin' like a great big jackass...

2 Reasons to Not Hate August...as much



Purple fountain grass is magnificent in August...even in Georgia...which is slighter cooler than, perhaps, the 7th level...maybe...


The Black-Eyed-Susans completely ignore the heat...and humidity...God bless them...I should muster some of that grace as I mungle through August...

And, as an added bonus (see? be nice and you get a little karmic payback), I got to see our first bunny...well, not ours...I scared him (her?) out of the ditch next to our mailbox across the road when I went to get the mail...which I decided to do since I was outside, sweating and baking anyway...




Unfortunately, I still hate August...I love the grasses, the black-eyed-susans and that bunny with the evil eye...but I still hate August...even more than I do July...less than a Thanksgiving Day with temperatures in the upper 80s, making it impossible...ever...to wear a sweater with a pumpkin or a turkey or leaves on it to the Thanksgiving Table...unless you ask your host to crank the a/c down to about 55*F "and leave it there, please"...

Ah, winter holidays in the South...although I guess Thanksgiving might be officially considered a Fall Holiday...but it is August and I'm really not in the mood to argue about it...

I expect Southern Kids have all experienced getting armloads of wool sweaters and corduroy pants and outercoats of all stripe for Christmas...and then it is too hot to even wear any of your new clothes out...heartbreaking...especially when you receive the prettiest blue velvet blazer (hey...it was the 80s) ever made for Christmas...and you decide you will, GAYW, wear it to the Starcastle Arcade that day or you will pass out tryin'...even blasting the car's air conditioning all the way there doesn't keep a fine shine from breaking out on your face...because you're also wearing your brand new heavy jeans, a long sleeved shirt and about a pound of hairspray to keep those Fawcett wings from droopin' in the ever-present humidity...

Live and learn...now I pick out a special pair of shorts and buy a new t-shirt to wear to Thanksgiving dinner at the in-laws...my hair is cropped short (why, you're welcome, Mr. Ozone Layer)...and I buy all my Christmas gifts of clothing during the summertime...on clearance...









3 comments:

Miss Char said...

Its weird that you have Blackeyed Susans and mine are already gone. Normally I'm about six weeks behind you. Same with the gourds, our's seem to be about the same size. Your purple grass is very pretty and look like they are surviving summer well.

August can be pretty hot here too, today was a beautiful day with temps in the seventies and not a cloud in the sky. The leaves however, are beginning to turn which seems kind of early to me.

Michelle said...

LOL...I hate the heat too. That was actually one thing I loved about living north of the south. People always asked, "do you hate the weather?"...no, actually I love it. Go figure.

Southerninspiration said...

I almost laughed out loud when a girl in Northern California halfway apologized for the heat AND humidity when we were there earlier this summer.....I told her I KNEW humidity and this wasn't it! Anyway, your purple fountain grass is lovely, as are the black eyed Susans......and the bunny, he looks suspicious!!! Have you run a check on him?????

it's all about the journey...