Anybody else glad it's Autumn?

And now I feel depressed ;) a decorator- what is that?

Talking about colours, have the trees began to 'turn' yet (and where are you). Here in the Swiss mountains, there is just a hint of colour, but only just beginning.
(about 950m)

The decorator arrived today. He is repainting the outside of the house. All the windows are open and the house is FREEZING. I am wearing a fleece, over a cardigan, over a light summer dress, over a sleeveless vest - and thermal socks.

Is it the drop in temperature, but after 3 weeks of coping very well with a SW inspired diet (6lbsdown) this evening I could eat my body weight in biscuits

Our roof blinds in the conservatory getting covered in dead flies which is really disgusting. I don't like dead insects.

! I don't b****y want several!!!

Sure sign of Autumn- just taken blinds down in conservatory

There would be room for a nice comfy bed and room service!

Elegran I think you'd be better off using an empty box of Cook's Matches. At least you could fit several in there!

(shudder...)

I just caught a large Houseman spider in a glass. It was running about in the sitting room. I transferred it to the downstairs loo and told it to go into the cellar and eat silverfish. If it comes back in here it's getting evicted.

Swan Vesta don't have much headroom. They may have to kneel down.

Elegran

It might have to be a Swan Vesta matchbox. They won't fit in the smaller ones.

At this time of year it is the big ones with long legs that are moving in. I have not interrogated them about their respectability. They won't stand still long enough.

Only if they are of the most respectable sort! I'm choosy about my lodgers! Have you vetted them?

I would rather discourage them than put them out or kill them. I could send them to you in a matchbox?

Actually, Elegran that's probably the last thing I'd do with them. I'm one of those strange people who are quite fond of spiders! ?

Bbnan I am deeply envious of your Bannf visit and snowfall. Is the all year Christmas shop still there?

I love Autumn, all the delicious casseroles that I can do in my slow cooker, watching the leaves change, the smell of wood smoke from my neighbours chimney, having the excuse to draw the curtains and shut the dark our. oh yes what's not to like!

Greyduster The conkers will discourage spiders from moving into the house if you put them wherever they sneak in. I intend to get some from around the zoo at the meet-up on Friday. There are some magnificent horse chestnut trees there. It is probably a bad idea to load my pockets too much and have extra weight to carry around up and down the hill, but I will forget that when I see them gleaming through their shells.

And I'll stay for lunch, if I may because it sounds delicious!

Wot, you are very welcome! We had the stove put in after a piece of wood we put on the open fire exploded and a piece went over the fireguard and set a chair on fire. Thankfully I was in the room at the time and managed to dowse it with a cushion. But it was quite frightening how quickly an ember became flames. After that we never left the room empty for even a minute if the fire was lit, which got very tedious, so we installed a stove.

Anyway to continue my autumn ramblings , we had our first 'winter' lunch today, a portion of venison stew from the freezer, left from last winter, with red cabbage and roast root veg followed by a baked apple. Then I made some apple chutney.

We've just bought an electric 'real fire'. Its unbelievably realistic -infinitely variably flickering flames and even smoke! Great heat and economical too. Even the cat loves to curl up in front of it. Autumn nights? Lovely!

I'd love a real fire, but we made the decision to have a gas "coal" fire installed because of the work involved in a real one, but I do so envy those with real fires.

I'll always remember how sad and disappointed I was, aged perhaps 5- when I discovered that the wonderful conkers I had collected had turned mouldy and dull

Well, this topic has certainly divided us clearly- seems that autumn is a bit like Marmite- you either love it or hate it.