Summer's last gasp

Today it was in the mid-60's and gray (yet again). Everything about it just felt wrong. I mean, it's DECEMBER first for crying out loud.

But I couldn't resist one last run in short sleeves and shorts before winter finally comes to town and hunkers in. So off I went with the thought of covering 3 miles.

Just before heading out, the cat suddenly looked up and starting meowing at me. "Meow, meow, meow," she cried out in staccato bursts, "Meow, meow!" It was kind of wierd, but I knew how she felt, the day had one of those horror movie "don't go in the house you moron" feels to it.

I suited up and headed out any way. Along the path there were squirrels. Not the usual one or two playful guys that run and jump along watching my progress. There were lots of squirrels everywhere. They were skittish and confused. In fact, instead of staring you down like normal, if you glanced their way they turned tail and ran! They were in bunches and solo - no matter where you looked, there they were.

The path was practically empty today too. I had the place to myself and again I was wondering if this was the horror movie set up - the cat, the squirrels, the odd weather and gray day. I could almost hear the cello strains in the distance, so I was on high alert around me as I turned DJ Steveboy's mix down a notch.

Every so often a fellow jogger would come the other way and I'd breathe a little sigh of relief. Then there was the guy riding his bike like a bat out of hell - his navy blue rain coat flapping behind him like a Scottish Superman cape in his wake. I finished the first loop and went back for the second.

Again I had one of those "screw it" runs where my body just decided it was walking. So I walked for a while and then it decided "screw it" again and began running. It was odd. On the last leg of the trail towards the entrance, I was again alone - no one in sight when I suddenly heard fast, heavy footfalls behind me. It came from no where and I jumped with a bit of an "eek!" only to see the captains of the high school track team blow past.

"Sorry..." they called out.

By the time the rest of the team came along, I wasn't surprised but I was glad to be done with my run for the day.

When I walked in the door, the cat looked at me with one of those smug cat looks. I'm not sure what got her meow going earlier, but whatever it was it was over.

Now the rain's here and the temperature is beginning to drop. Time to put away the shorts until the spring. Summer's over... it's about freakin' time.