This past weekend I was in a Kansas City suburb, Lee’s Summit, for a speaking engagement. I was plenty smug as I drove south, glad to trade an Iowa early fall weekend for a Missouri late summer one. In my way of thinking, the gig was an opportunity to pretend winter isn’t on the way.
Unfortunately, nobody told Missouri what I was expecting. When I got there, fall greeted me. The next morning on my walk – without a coat or sweatshirt because I was in Missouri in early September which should still be summer four hours south of my usual morning walk – the weather was damp, cool and undeniably fallish. You might assume I’m exaggerating, but this picture squelches that idea. Looks like fall, doesn’t it?
After Missouri’s nasty weather deception, I’m worried about the future. Next weekend, I’m attending a conference in Minneapolis, about three hours north of here. I’m thinking I ought to take my winter coat. Maybe even my long underwear and Hiram’s cross country skis. Definitely the winter survival car kit, complete with candles, blankets and a couple Hershey bars.
Make that a couple dozen Hershey bars, and I could learn to cope with winter. As long as it doesn’t snow. Watch out Minnesota, I’m on my way.
