It’s Fall, Y’all!

It’s Fall, y’all! And I couldn’t be happier because it’s my absolute favorite time of year. When the sky is clear and blue … and the temps dip a smidge.

Though, they’re not dipping in Austin just yet. There was a tease last week. Will and I actually sat outside, enjoying Cru’s Happy Hour, without sweating to death. But that was last week. Today, it’s hot. And yesterday … gracious-me-oh-my … Robin and I almost died a couple times.

Yesterday, Robin and I headed out to Roundtop (aka Warrenton where my budget is concerned) to do a little shopping. We got out of the car, stopped in a little shop called Baby Janes, promptly met some snazzy Arkansas cowgirls, and realized that we were starting to sweat to death.

Me: Robin, did I mention I’m really hot? (My bangs flat & wet against my sweaty forehead)

Robin: I’m dying. Sweat’s rolling down my back. (But her bangs still look good …)

Me: I don’t sweat like this unless I’m at the barn riding. Did I mention I’m really hot?

Robin (fanning herself frantically with her hand): Those cute Arkansas girls don’t look hot. 

Me: Is there something wrong with us?

Okay. So that was in the first 30 minutes …

It was hot. So hot that this is the only picture I took of our whole day.

This is when we stopped to eat at Royer’s at Zapp Hall. This is when we sat down and drank iced tea. That tea was the best tea … cold, wet and liquid. We felt a small surge of energy.

But then smething happened after lunch. We were moving in slow motion. True, serious slow motion. Just like a movie.  And all I remember is I kept saying: Did  I  mention  it’s  really  hot  out  here?

Then somewhere in the middle of all this, I saw a trailer … with frozen drinks. Suddenly, I didn’t care about scented candles. I didn’t care about all the vintage finds and fabulous prices. All I cared about was cold, wet liquids.

I stopped moving altogether and told Robin I’d sit a spell and sip the liquid then go get the car. I told her to keep shopping for the bread bowl she wanted-so-much-but-didn’t-buy last year.

Me: Go on ~ find your bread bowl. I’m just going to sit here and drink this frozen tea. Did I mention it’s hot? You go on now … I’ll drink my tea and then go get the car and meet you by the bread bowls. (She’s younger, yes, but could 5 years make this big a difference?)

Robin: Are you sure? Are you okay? (And her bangs still look cute, btw.)

Me: Oh, yes. Yes.  You get your bread bowl ~ I’ll get the car.

Robin: Okay. See you in a minute.

Let me just say: The trip to the car was pure hell. I was walking in slow motion. People were coming in and out of focus. I was talking to myself in between slurps of frozen tea: You can do this. The car is not that far. Right foot. Left foot. You’re almost there. You can see the car. Open the doors. Heave your butt in the seat. You did it.

And then after an instant of sitting in the air conditioned vehicle ~ I could see clearly. I think I actually smiled. I slurped more frozen tea. I was moving in real time. I was alive again.I felt grateful for my new Jill Suzanne Apple Crisp candles and my Baby Jane hippie purchases.

The trip was worth the heat.

I drove in my air conditioned car to get Robin. When I found her, she was moving in slow motion with her big bread bowl. Her bangs were stuck to her forehead. She got in car slowly, heaving her butt in the seat. She looked at me, nearly dead and I said: Did I mention it’s hot out there?