The air has changed here in Boston.

It has this distinct but familiar crisp, nutty smell, and on my way home from work I realized that it smells like Christmas! I checked weather.com and today's forecast is indeed equivalent to December in L.A. It makes me shiver to think that for the next half year, the weather will be colder here than any day in L.A.

The changing of seasons affects so many things here - the radiator pipes in this old building are clink-clink-clinking to life; our thick comforter came out of storage and soon our heavy jackets will too; my feet have entered their annual ice-cold state; and therefore my flip flops and all open-toed shoes need to be put away; the puppy will need plenty of sweaters and maybe some boots which I can trust that DJ will purchase (or already has); the darkness will set in at 4:30 instead of 8:30; people in Boston will begin dressing and looking like they're attending a funeral; and I will need to warm up in the afternoons with my daily cup of hot cocoa. Tomorrow Shan and I will take our last walk of the season on the Esplanade...the day after (God willing), the Bos comes home. Ah, I love the fall!