Yesterday was unseasonably warm and humid, even as it was gray and drizzly: a thick, steamy day. In the morning I wore a lightweight raincoat when I took Reggie on his morning walk, and I was uncomfortably warm by the time we got home. Last night, after dark, I walked Reggie once more around the block, and I was comfortable in a T-shirt, yoga pants, and sandals, as if it were still summer.
On Tuesday afternoon, several of my Creative Nonfiction students mentioned how they dislike the word “moist,” as it evokes for them the damp, sticky feeling of sweaty flesh. For me, “moist” conjures images of cake–a tasty thought–but the word “clammy” makes my skin crawl with its suggestion of pale, soft flesh glistened over with damp.
Wednesday’s unseasonal weather was steamy, sultry, and unsettling. October drizzle is not uncommon, but those days are usually chilly; October warmth is not unheard of, but those days are usually sunny and dry. Warm, moist October days seem downright unnatural, as appealing as a clammy handshake in a crowded elevator.
Since I took no pictures on yesterday’s damp morning walk, today’s images come from a dryer dog-walk several weeks ago.
Oct 28, 2010 at 10:17 am
Yeah, the weather’s been odd down here in Virginia, too.
Hey… have you ever thought of teaching a Non-creative Fiction class?
Oct 28, 2010 at 10:19 am
Actually, I recently joked with several of my students about “Non-creative Fiction,” as that’s the malapropism several of them use in reference to the class. (In a previous incarnation, “Creative Nonfiction” was “Expository Writing.” The new name is definitely sexier!)