Countdown to winter.

There is half an hour left of autumn for the year.  In thirty minutes it will be winter.  Officially.  Mother nature blessed us with a final, stunning day, representative of the best of autumn - clear, blue sky, 18 degrees Celsius, still.  I knew it was going to be like this, so I had the washing machine going early to maximise drying time out in the air.

My kitchen faces north and at this time of year, on a day like today, if I position a chair just so, it is like a sun room.  So I do.  I pull up a chair and I roll up my sleeves and I take some sun.  As I write this, I'm mentally making a note to ask my doctor whether I can absorb vitamin D through glass.

The phone was working overtime today.  This morning it was so constant that I didn't have my shower and get out of my pyjamas until about noon.  It wasn't because I was lazing about either.  I was working.  Being able to do it in your pyjamas is one of the joys of working from home.  I don't work in my pyjamas on a week day very often.  Even though I have lovely pyjamas, I get dressed for work as part of gearing up mentally.

Anyway, I was drying off after my shower when I heard Skype calling on the computer.  My brother and I work together via Skype and usually we've made a specific time to meet.  I went out to answer the call - it was my brother - and almost accidentally pressed the "answer with video" option.  Thankfully, for everyone, I didn't.  Dashing naked from the shower to the desk at home is one thing, broadcasting via Skype is a whole other ball game.  Everyone is okay.

I had some errands to run and took advantage of the day by walking the long way round.  Crackling and swooshing through the papery autumn leaves is another one of my favourite things to do.  It took ages for the leaves to change and fall this year and now suddenly, on the last day of autumn, there are plenty taking up the footpaths.

Heading to St Kilda this evening was gorgeous at about 5pm.  The blue in the sky was darkening, tipped with blush pink and highlighted with golden streaks.  Being in slow moving traffic over the Westgate Bridge did not bother me one bit when there was a sky like that as backdrop.

After dinner with a friend and opening night of a play, I was looking forward to a quick trip back home.  My hopes were dashed when I turned on the car radio and heard that there had been an accident and the Westgate was closed in both directions.  I sighed.  I would have to drive the long way around.  Instead of 20 minutes, it took 40.  Five minutes from home I was pulled over for random breath testing. I'd had no alcohol to drink yet I still feel hot and guilty whenever I'm pulled over.  They're streamlining too: no questions about what I'd had to drink tonight.  Straight in with the request to "blow until I say stop".  I always run out of breath and then fear inadequacy.  I'm an actor and a singer for goodness sake.  I have more breath than THAT!

With twelve minutes to go before winter's arrival, I'm happy to be in my electric-blanketed bed with its white sheets and big, square pillows.  I imagine how much more I will appreciate it in winter.