The leaves are falling and temperatures are dropping. Fall is upon us and that can be a good thing… and also bad thing. Let’s start with items the Sip Advisor loves from the season:

Nature’s Beauty

There is something magical about the change from summer to fall and all the unique colours we get to experience with leaves and sunsets. The Sipplings have realized this phenomenon and it’s neat seeing a shifting world through their eyes.

Chilling Out

For those that find the heat of the summer to be a bit much, fall can come as a massive relief. Sure, the sun still comes out often, but it’s no longer blazingly hot. Yes, the fans and air conditioning units can enjoy some rest and be packed away.

Birthday Bashes

The fall brings many birthdays to the Sip Advisor headquarters, most notably, myself and Girl Sip’s big days. Our birthdays fall right on the cusp of the new season and that’s something Girl Sip finds to be very special about her.

Off-Season Over

The end of each hockey season can allow folks to recharge the batteries and watch something else for a change. But it doesn’t take long for us fanatics to pine for the return of our favourite sport. I want nothing more than for hockey to knock baseball off the local sports radio station and the start of a new campaign, with hope at its highest, is exciting.

Sweet Stuff

The preparation for Halloween starts before summer has even set and that brings all the little treats you love. Mini chocolate bars are awesome… that is, until you’ve eaten so many mini bars they add up to more than any full-size bar and you feel ashamed. Oh well, you can always get back into shape after coming out of your hibernation in the spring.

Premiere Party

Things have changed with streaming services rolling out shows throughout the year, but September used to bring the return of all the hit shows you love. This still happens with the major networks, but I’ll admit the concept has lost some of its luster.

Cozy Up

After a summer of many activities and the need to be doing things outdoors all day, every day, fall can be applauded for forcing you to return inside, snuggling up on the couch to watch the many movies and TV shows you neglected the previous season.

While fall can provide a nice change of pace, it isn’t all good. Here are some things the Sip Advisor hates about the season:

Enjoy it While it Lasts

While watching leaves change colours and fall to the ground may have its own majesty, once the rain gets to them, they become disgusting hazards. I’ve slipped on wet leaves many times and they just kind of look gross covering streets and sidewalks.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Speaking of the wet stuff, there is a lot of it in my part of the world. Combine that with increasingly shorter days and a steep drop in temperatures and it can be a pretty dark and dreary time.

Schedule Fills Up

While summer brings a hiatus to school and other activities for the Sipplings, the fall brings all these things back with a vengeance. It’s not long before carefree days are filled with so much that the Sip Advisor ends up living in his car for large portions of each day and when not in the car, I’m at arenas, fields, gyms and pools.

Pumpkin Spice Everything

I am not a pumpkin spice fan at all. In fact, I view pumpkin pie – the Thanksgiving dessert of choice – as one of the grossest on the planet, it reminding me of something someone regurgitated. I’m so anti-pumpkin that I don’t even really enjoy it in alcohol.

Layer Up

While you are more confident in how to dress during the summer and winter, fall can bring many different weather patterns, sometimes within the same day. Thus, you have to dress in layers and add or remove them accordingly, which is just a headache.

Fall Back

One of the stupidest traditions on the annual calendar is Daylight Savings Time. I can’t wait for this to be removed from existence and hope one of the anti-Daylight Savings Time campaigns is eventually successful.

Planning Problems

The end of summer also brings on the reality of a new year approaching. At work, you have to turn your mind to what vacation time you’ll need to book off for the next year, while you may also start thinking about personal and professional goals, as part of your future planning. I’m just not ready for any of that.

Scheduling Scraps

As mentioned above, both Girl Sip and myself have late September birthdays. This can make scheduling our celebrations quite difficult, as you never know what the weather will be like. We’ve attempted to have Girl Sip’s birthdays in parks before – especially during Covid times – only to have to hunker down under a picnic shelter as it poured rain.

Winter is Coming

Lastly, fall means that we’re all one step closer to winter, which aside from a few things to look forward to, can be one of the most depressing times of the year. But we’ll examine that more in a future Love & Hate article.

Love & Hate: Campfire Mule

• 1.5 oz Smoked Bourbon or Whiskey
• Top with Ginger Beer
• Splash of Lemon Juice
• Dash of Maple Syrup
• Garnish with a Marshmallow

What do you love or hate about fall? If you’re gonna call it autumn, though, don’t even bother commenting!