October. The Yellow and Orange Month

Layering season’s begun! More importantly the 1st is Diesel’s 11 birthday! Happy Birthday Mr D, the cheekiest, happiest go lucky, talkative, has to have last say being naughty, who uses walls for propulsion, still chases his tail, bites his nails, acts like a teenager, has his face in everything cat I know. Cute equal only to his brother!

October’s began! The only month for me that feels like autumn. November’s always too cold or it was in the UK to be considered autumn, though here it’s still mild. It’s a game of layers. Chilly mornings and evenings, warm during the day. Aside from the possible 2, 26C days next week, from here until Spring next year I’ll live in black leggings. For running errands, cycling everywhere, dressing up and dressing down black leggings are my uniform. This year it’s Fabletics Salar leggings and I’m loving the fit, material and price. Lightweight yet warm! Last winter I wore Lululemon Wonderunders, but I wasn’t impressed the quality or that legs and waist stretched quickly. Waist band up to my bra? No thanks!

Slight wardrobe crises have also began. I’ve lived in shorts since May which are so much easier to dress and pair up. Layering means I have to put a little more thought opening my wardrobe. I don’t like wearing jackets, as I find they don’t suit me. I love gilets, but when out I either feel scruffy or too where’s my Land Rover depending in on the top underneath. I’d love to skip the jacket, however cycling everywhere, a cardi isn’t always enough with the wind factor, a jumper I can’t undo when I get hot yet my arms are still chilly. Some days I need an extra bag just to carry around scarf, jacket, jumper. If I had a car, it’ll be filled with wardrobe options. I’m not joking! If P’s here and we go on the motorbike, I automatically get the top pannier box. It’s the largest!

One thing I miss about British autumns are the crispy afternoons, the misty mornings and the leaves falling. I never really notice yellow and brown leaves falling here until late December, when it gets cold. Here has it’s own little climate bubble thanks to the sea. Instead of crisp afternoons, we get storms, like this week. All day drizzle and wind, that’s deceptively cold, but is actually warm. Perfect for running in! The following day, the wind eases up, sunny skies, yet the swell remains. Go into the centre on those days, not even a hint of a breeze!

Windy beach run Wednesday! My favourite running weather!

Calm wind Thursday

P mentioned a few weeks ago that he’d read autumn was once called fall in the UK. Not quite believing him I did some research. It’s true. All these of tsh, Americans, it’s autumn, not fall! Erm, I’ll have to give them that one. British did once call autumn, fall. Then some went to America and some high society British decided to adopt the French automne then before you knew it, it’s autumn not fall. Which makes perfect sense as the leaves fall, you fall back and spring forward with the clocks!

What’s your favourite thing about autumn Fall? Did you know English is a Germanic language, not Romantic or Latin? I lost count how many times I had to explain that one when I taught English as foreign language!