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When I was a young boy, we did not have air conditioning. We had open windows and some had screens, while some didn’t. No telling what crawled or flew in.

Then, in 1963, we moved into a new house, thanks to the FHA. It was a modest home. In those days, the FHA only approved loans for unpretentious homes. No McMansions.

Still, it was a new house and quite an upgrade from the big, wooden farmhouse we had been living in. Our new house was the standard, brick, three-bedroom with a garage just waiting to be closed in for a great room.

It was all-electric with heating elements in all rooms, but no air conditioning. I’m not sure of the FHA regulations regarding air conditioning, but in those days, most houses did not have what we know as “central” air conditioning.

I say all of that to say that many years after we moved into the house, maybe ten or more, my parents decided to add a central heating and cooling unit. We finally had air conditioning and painted the windows closed, never to be opened again.

All was well until the first REA electric bill came in the summer months. After viewing the bill, the name of the air conditioning unit outside became “The Monster.”

My father has since passed, but mother mentioned the monster the other day as she spoke of the power bill. It was $ *#@.00 according to her. That means it was high!

Thankfully, the month of October has arrived and the cooling portion of the bill has decreased. The monster in our house doesn’t come on very much these days and, for that, I am glad. The cool morning temps are also quite pleasant for my morning walks. Long sleeve shirts feel better now.

Although the differences between the four seasons doesn’t seem to be as stark as they used to be, I’m thankful for the four seasons. The hot summer has passed and the green of that season gives way to the bright yellows and oranges of autumn.

Leaves are beginning to fall and that means raking, but, if other people’s yards are like ours, Hurricane Michael will have taken care of many of the trees and leaves in the yards. It’s been a little over a year since that once-in-a-lifetime storm, but just the other day, I heard the pounding of hammer upon roof and one more house was replacing its blue tarp for a new roof.

I don’t know why we say that “It’s hard to believe the year has passed so quickly;” we say it every year, but, my-oh-my, the year has flown. If you count the weeks of the fall by the number of football games your favorite team has played, you’ll know that the season is already half-way or more through. If your measure of the year is by Hallmark movies, get ready for 24/7 Christmas movies. Actually, on the Hallmark Channel, Christmas movies are as close to eternal as anything this side of heaven!

From here on out, 2019 is in the short rows. It won’t be long before the turkey and dressing are being served on that great Thanksgiving Day and the blur of the holiday season takes over. Another year has almost come and gone.

Here is the good news. If you are reading this, you’ve made it this far! Despite all the impeachment inquiries and Democrat candidate debates and other foolishness that emanates from our nation’s capital, we regular Americans are keeping on, keeping on and paying the bill for The Monster to come on! Thank the Lord for regular Americans.