During the hottest summer days Mohindar's air conditioning system suddenly failed. All he had to do was get it replaced. But these are unusual times. It seems all the local companies that specialize in ordering and installing furnaces and air conditioners have been extraordinarily busy. The units are on back order and there are long wait times for them to arrive from the manufacturers and distributors. There's a worldwide shortage of shipping containers and items coming from abroad take much more time for delivery.

That's apart from the fact that there is also a shortage of transport drivers to deliver these household consumer products. And the fact that companies that do the installation are all booked up, leading to long wait-times. By the time Mohindar's new replacement air conditioner was finally installed, the hot summer months had gone. Now we're seriously in fall, and there's no need for the air conditioner.

In fact, it's furnace time, with the night-time temperatures dipping to 6C. Irving was anxious, after having cleaned the furnace, replaced the filter and setting the furnace to come on, to see whether it actually would. It's a golden-oldie, the furnace that was installed with the newly-built house 30-some-odd years ago. Ours appears to be the only house on the street where the furnace hasn't been replaced. We were informed years ago by a furnace maintenance man that the model we had had a furnace box that was indestructible. But of course, nothing is, and each winter we wait with bated breath until it actually performs.

On the street behind us there has been the constant commotion of heavy machinery for almost two weeks. It's unsettling and annoying. An inground swimming pool is being installed in a backyard up two houses over behind the one directly backing on ours. Usually, it doesn't take that long for these things to be completed. And the family that ordered the pool installation likely signed a contract either toward the end of last summer or this spring. The installation contractor like all home-improvement/maintenance contractors so busy with a multitude of jobs awaiting completion, it takes forever to get them started and completed. Likely that family anticipated having use of the pool this past summer; now they can re-adjust their expectation to next summer.

It is undeniably cool out. Rain of some intensity occurring almost daily. And plenty of wind to accompany it. So it really is fall. Not that fall doesn't come with its own unique attractions. It's cool, after all, not cold. Brisk walks in this kind of weather are always enjoyable. The air is fresh and clean, striding about feels really good to your limbs and lungs. The gradual transition in tree foliage from bright green to shades of gold, umber and red are eye-grabbing. 

You shrug on light jackets and tuck gloves into your pockets. And hope the rain will hold off while you're out. And finally you return home exercised and complacent about life in general, the concerns troubling you when you set off having been placed in perspective while you were in the walking mood and mode. And you anticipate that evening meal consisting of the kind of cool weather 'comfort food' that is enjoyable and completes the relaxation cycle.

 

For us last night it was a Shepherd's pie and brussel sprouts. It was comprised of a melange of vegetables along with the ground beef; garlic cloves, onion, celery, chopped green onion, mushrooms, a layer of frozen green peas, and the gravied beef spooned into a casserole, with mashed potatoes well peppered, the potatoes cooked with garlic clove and onion then mashed together. Herbs and spices made it flavourful, One of Irving's favourites. Jackie and Jillie also aren't averse to enjoying a tiny bowl of the beef of the filling. 

 

It was a cool, overcast 12C when we went off to the ravine, following Jackie and Jillie today. Like us, they were geared for the cooler weather in little tee-shirts. The bright white of their shirts glowed against the dark shades of the forest floor as they dashed about here and there. Not much in the way of wildflowers to be seen any longer. They lingered as long as they could; their stalks dark and brittle now, their flowers dried, many of them becoming those little prickle-bombs that end up in dogs' haircoats.

In exchange nature gives us fungi. Shorter days, earlier dusk and longer nights alongside rain events are all the encouragement that fungi needs to begin popping out of the soil. Everything now from fly agaric to dogvomitslime mushrooms. Not amply sprinkled about  the forest floor, just beginning to make their presence evident on their way to becoming ubiquitous. At least until frost begins to set in.

T