Susan Says . . .

GRAVETTE — It's still a couple of weeks till the first day of fall but the golden days of autumn have already arrived. A shower of leaves has been dropping from the walnut trees and sumac in the fencerows are taking on shades of red and orange. We've had several nice showers this week but the rainy days alternate with foggy mornings that develop into clear days with brilliant sunshine.

I left my car at the shop to have a tire repaired Monday morning and walked the rest of the way to work. Mama and Jim ate leftover pork steak and fried chicken that evening and I made myself a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches. I did a little grocery shopping when I got off work Tuesday and when Jim came home in early afternoon we loaded some trim he had stained and made a trip to Maysville. He cut out part of a wall and I loaded the debris as he removed it from the house. When we returned to town I went to Hollywood's and brought home Mexican food for supper.

It was raining Wednesday morning but we went back to Maysville where Jim put up some trim and finished the half wall he had created. I helped a little with cleanup but spent most of my time reading. I closed a few windows when the temperature dropped the previous evening and it was still a pretty cool day.

I accompanied Jim Thursday morning when he went to do some repair on walls and ceiling in an apartment. I held the ladder in the deep stairwell and used the vacuum when he was finished for the day. We loaded the truck and went home just before lunchtime. Shortly after noon my friend who lives between Noel and Southwest City arrived. I took her out to see our new fish pond, then we exchanged and opened belated Christmas and birthday gifts. After admiring our gifts we went out for a Mexican food lunch and then I took her over to tour the museum before she headed home.

I worked at the office a few hours Friday morning and then went home and sorted through a stack of old mail and newspaper clippings. I warmed a can of chili for Jim's lunch and that evening we changed clothes and drove to Jay for the first game of the Lions' football season. The weatherman had called for a chance of rain and a few drops hit the windshield on our way over but fortunately we made it through the game without a shower. We ordered a "meal deal" with a burger, chips and a Coke and I enjoyed some nachos at halftime. We were happy that our team started the year with a win.

We were out early Saturday morning to take items to the recycling bin and visit the farmers' market where I bought some onions, cucumbers and okra. After breakfast I washed up the dishes while Jim put down some sand and placed brick to make a walkway between the patio and fish pond. I was carrying a few more bricks over for him when his mom and stepdad arrived. They visited with us a few hours before driving up to spend the night with the kids and grandkids. We listened to the Hogs game on the radio that evening while watching Alabama battle Virginia Tech on TV.

We made a trip to Southwest City Sunday morning and came home for a late breakfast of sausage patties, eggs and toast. After washing and drying a couple of loads I fixed spaghetti and garlic bread for supper and we watched most of the "Friday Night Lights" movie.