I stayed up far too late last night. This morning's plan was to walk to my stamp meetup at Cedar Hill Rec Centre and walk home too. But I overslept and it was dark, cold and windy outside. I missed my walking window, then I missed my first bus. I headed out in time for my second bus, but a wind gust hit me, spun me round and was far too chilly, so I went back inside. My head wasn't on straight and the whole thing seemed like a meaningless battle.
So I did some work inside and watched three episodes of Gardener's World instead. I'm still catching up on the September episodes. There is something about that show that is so beautiful but so melancholy at the same time. I'm inspired to garden year round, because I can out here, but there's an undertone of aging and mortality to the show that makes me sad every time I watch it. Yes, dear reader, I am moved by the idea of seasons and the circle of life. Especially when it's filmed by the BBC and narrated by Monty Don.
In the afternoon I walked over to the pharmacy for my flu shot and Covid booster. The skies had cleared somewhat and the wind died down, so I extended my walk a bit to check out the book boxes and admire all the flowers that continue to bloom.
The difference between front gardens and something manicured like Beacon Hill Park is that homeowners leave the plants in far longer. The plants have a lot more life in them. Are they past their peak? Absolutely. Are they still lovely on a cool fall day? Again, absolutely.
I'm not sure how my body will respond to these flu shots, but I plan on doing some 'walking recovery' tomorrow. Let the fresh air soothe me.