The House of Burks

No, not that nip.  Get your mind out of the gutter, you pervert.

No, the nip.  The first nip in the air that signals the approaching of fall and cooler weather.  I felt it this morning.  I walked outside to head to work, and it was there.  It was almost palpable.  The nip.  That little bite.  The not damp but almost, not quite cool but certainly not warm, crisp feeling of autumn.  And while I am aware that we are still battling summer and that it is currently over 90 degrees on my fair Peachtree Street, I could not deny that I felt the nip in the air this morning.

The nip is a signal that many wonderful things are coming soon.

Wonderful things such as fall foliage.  Crunching leaves as we walk.  Cozy sweaters and crockpots full of chili.  Chilly breezes that make you snuggle down into your jacket.  Scarves.  Boots.  Hoodies.  Watching a movie with the Mister under a blanket.  Football season. Halloween and Halloween costumes.  My mom's birthday.  My birthday.  Shopping for Christmas gifts.  Thanksgiving dinner.  Time with family and friends.  Sharing our blessings with those in need.  Remembering the reason for the Christmas season.

But most importantly, football season.

That's right, ladies and gentlemen.  It's the most wonderful time of the year, and it starts tomorrow.  Every Saturday (and a lot of Thursdays) from now until mid-January will be spent in front of at least one television in our house.  We have both of the big screens set up in such a way that if you sit in the big chair in the living room, you can see both of them.  The game of secondary importance plays on the downstairs TV if there are two games we want to watch at the same time.  This is also where having UVerse comes in handy:  sports multi-view.

But all games are secondary to any game played by our beloved Auburn Tigers.  Say what you will about them, but we are fiercely devoted Auburn fans.  They have one rough year, and everyone counts them out.  I say look out.  Remember what Nick Saban's first year looked like with Alabama ::cough:: 7-6 ::cough::.  Two short years later, they have a national championship team.  Gene Chizik did better his first year than Nick Saban did.

I love college football like any redblooded Southerner does, but for the Mister, college football is a religion.  His entire week is colored by Auburn's performance each Saturday.  When they play well and win, all is right at the House of Burks.  But if they win sloppy, or lose, there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth.  The Mister is such a douchebag when Auburn loses that I typically lock myself in our bedroom with a book and my computer for the rest of the weekend.  He is surly and mopey, and absolutely nothing will get the burr out of his shorts.    So as much as I want Auburn to win football games because I am a die-hard Auburn fan, I want them to win football games so that my husband is at least partially bearable for four months.

We are looking forward to going to a few Auburn games this year now that CJ is ambulatory and can do more than sit there like a cute and cuddly lump, as he was last year.  I really think he is going to enjoy the college football experience and all the people and activities.  We already have his jersey ready to go.

That's his game face.