It’s just a few more days before autumn officially ends. It has been a beautiful autumn this year. Tress, kiddo and I have paid special attention to the changing colours of leaves on the many trees near our home. The usual green has turned, first into yellow, then red and then brown before leaving ‘bald” branches altogether for the winter.         

We have noticed this and loved it, since we first got here and this time around, we have been able to pay particular attention and soak it all in. It’s beautiful. The rain too, has been more consistent and we hope that does something to our water levels and the drought problem can be alleviated a little bit.
The falling leaves have been a constant issue for us. The tree just next to our car port is tallish, with small crisp leaves which have fallen incessantly. Kiddo has been raking very well and clearing the driveway and our front lawn. On dry days I use the blower to clear it but it has been wet of late and so kiddo’s work has been great. Walking in to the office every morning is also a constant reminder of what a beautiful time autumn really is. St Kilda Road, all the way from Federation Square to Princess Highway, is lined with large trees – oaks, maple, and a few other varieties which I know nothing about. The pathways outside my office are always piled a few inches thick with fallen maple leaves. Every night when I leave the office someone is working the blower to clear the walkways, only to have them piled up again when I get in the next morning.
Soon the leaves would stop falling. Winter would be upon us.

Already it has started to get a lot colder. We have stopped wandering around in shorts and thongs and have been decked out in our woollen garb. Tress and Kiddo have taken to snuggling up under the blanket in front of the telly. Tress usually drifts off to dreamland before too long – the telly is a wonderful sleep inducing tool, especially lately – there has been a dearth of good programs. Winter usually sees the best telly shows served up. Maybe it has been because of our busyness, especially on weekends. We have not been sitting down to a peaceful night at home on a Saturday, for months now. Maybe that is why we have not picked up a good night’s viewing lately.

I guess that is a good thing. Spending next to no time unwinding at home means we have been spending a lot of time with others. Yet I feel this has tired us considerably, causing me to lose focus in various areas. I am really someone who is a whole lot more comfortable reading a good book or watching a great movie (with a glass of red, of course) than being at a dinner party or such other social events. At these events, I don’t get to think about what’s stimulating my thoughts and senses. Someone says something and it is usually blasé or inconsequential. Seldom does anyone have a refreshing idea. Maybe we are just too nice. There is no attempt to extend the boundary of our relationships. Maybe it is just tiredness. I just need some time to chill out. I have been a bit wound up recently and obviously that hasn’t been good.

It is approaching the middle of the year now. Footy season is half-way, and the football season in Europe has ended. No more early Sunday morning internet result surfing to see how United went the night before. No more looking up to see which team United would be up against in the next round of a cup competition. No more looking up league table positions. United is champion of Europe, as well as domestically. What a glorious season it has been – not quite the holy grail of a treble. Pompey beat us and won the FA Cup competition but if there was one title we had to forego, that would be the one, no question. It’s about time “Arry” (Harry Redknapp) had a medal anyway. I missed Moscow (A mate in Malaysia had secured match tickets but NY office personnel was in town and I was booked for a meeting on the morning of the match! Plus, visa was a hassle) but had a glorious recording. I had to leave for work when the first period of extra time was drawing to a close, and I followed proceedings via sms with a mate in Malaysia. The short “we won” made me let out a little shout, which of course embarrassed kiddo and Tress. When we pulled into the railway station, there was a single parking spot left at the far end of the lot. Kiddo said this was a good omen and in retrospect, that was so true. United won it only at the very end and only just.  It was a great day. I already had my United tie on, notwithstanding that meeting with NY head office blokes first thing that morning. I ended that day with another meeting in the city so left for home earlier than usual. All in all, it really was a very good day.

Well all that’s in the past now. I have decided, since about 2 years ago, to follow the Hawks in the footy for no reason in particular, except they are the ones closest to where we live. So I guess this is what I look forward to on weekends now. I will however, never be a fan of the Hawks in the way I have been with United.

That may be a sad existence – following a football team from half way across the dying earth. Perhaps it is. It is however, a form of escapism which is probably healthier than many other forms of escapism. Making belief, pretending to be someone else in online forums, making up stories – these are arguably worse forms. But I could be wrong. For now however, the falling leaves and changing weather are real. My endless attempts to catch up on work are real. United’s triumphs are real. My experiences with my family and friends are real. Autumn is here and almost gone, and the seasons continues to turn.