raxacorricofallapatorius

It's that time again. Our apple trees are groaning with fruit, and I have only to give my hazelnut tree the slightest shake to bring a rain of nuts down on my head.

Despite the fact that it's still AUGUST, as far as the seasons are concerned, it's autumn. It actually started a couple of weeks ago weather-wise, with that lovely snap in the air that only comes toward September and grows progressively smokey by the end of October. So oday I gathered several pounds of nuts, and right now hubby is bringing apples in by the bucket. The pears are not quite ready, and neither are the walnuts, but that's something to look forward to.

Mmmmmm...fresh appeltaart tomorrow. :c) I might even add some of our rhubarb, and make it even more fabulous. I love this time of year.



In other, this-kind-of-shit-only-happens-to-me nonsense, I was in town buying school clothes for the kids the other morning when I spotted a Man Whose Ancestors Might Very Well Have Come From India (is that PC enough?) about 30 feet in front of me, staring at a spot that I at first thought was behind me, and pointing at his own forehead. As I continued walking, I realized that he was actually looking at *my* forehead, and he was walking straight toward me.

He asked if I spoke English. Yes, I replied. Then he told me that I was "a very lucky woman. You have an interesting forehead. You will live a long time." And he pointed again at his own forehead, at about the third eye spot.

I was, quite frankly, nonplussed. What do you say to such a thing? "Oh. Uh, thanks. Good to know."

"Very lucky," he said again, and continued on past me.

Now, as far as I can tell (and I'm fairly sensitive to such things), he wasn't trying to chat me up, and I didn't get any skeevy vibes from him. He seemed genuinely surprised and even a little awestruck.

So of course when I got to my car, the first thing I did was look at my forehead. All I could see were wrinkles, which I tend to think is more indicative of my present worries than my future lifespan.

*shakes head* I really don't know what to think of it, but it certainly was an odd experience. The way my life runs, it either means that I *will* live a long life, or that I'll get hit by a bus any day now. ;c)



And last but not at all least, big hugs and thanks to my wonderful friends on flist for all your comments of support while I bitched and moaned. It is getting easier in some respects, but not in others. Time will tell.