Indian Summer

First days of fall, time to put the summer sheets back on the bed. The hottest days of the year are always in September. This summer was so chill, I put flannel sheets back on in July. It's been an off again on again flannel sheet, weather. But I am considering putting on the summer sheets again. 

One year, the temperature climbed to 117, then to 119° in September, 1970? Walking along San Anselmo Avenue, in my new school clothes (wool, of course), hitching home from College of Marin. I keeled over and hit the sidewalk. It climbed to 119° later that afternoon in Fairfax. It was like an oven blast when the breeze blew in.

September has always been HOT! We called it Indian Summer. And it sometimes extends through October, but that's rare. Now it’s considered politically incorrect to call it Indian Summer. Somehow Native American summer doesn’t quite cut it.

Seasonal temperatures are often averaged out with night temperatures, so it's inaccurate. We may have as much as a 40 to 50° difference in temperature between night and day. The entire Bay Area summer has been deliciously cool while the rest of the nation fries. Small mercies. The air conditioner rolled in last night, so now we're back to cooler weather. 56°. The flannel sheets stay. Stet.

rev. from a Facebook post 9/20