Happy First Day of Fall!

Happy First Day of Fall!  As I write this, it's a beautiful warm, sunny day and yet the reminders of Fall are everywhere.  The leaves are starting to turn yellow, the tomatoes are (finally) ripening, the days are getting shorter.  And with shorter days, the cold weather is not far behind.

Are you ready?  There aren't many days left to work and play outside.  This is the time to take advantage of whatever warm, dry weather we get.

Are the kids outfitted for Winter?  Time to do an inventory of last year's clothes and current clothes and see what can be handed down and what needs to be bought.  There are probably still yard sales going on so check them out, as well as thrift stores and discount store sales for winter gear and supplies.  And if you're thinking really far in advance and have the room, summer stuff is at its lowest price so stocking up on future needs will help you be ready for next year too.

It's also time to check the furnace and get the fireplace cleaned out before the cold weather hits.  Calling a repairman to fix a furnace in September is no problem but try waiting until November!  I hope you have lots of warm blankets!

How about emergency food, heat and light?  Where we live we usually have at least one power outage each year that lasts at least 1-2 days, often more.  Having the basics on hand gives us extra peace of mind when nasty storms are forecast. 

Whatever you need to do, do make sure and take some time to enjoy the Fall season!