autumn thoughts - again

Funny, I've just been re-reading a post from Fri 22nd Sep 2006, talking about Autumn - and how I loved it in Japan but it reminded me of Durham.

Now (this year and last), when I feel the autumnal chill and see the autumn leaves, I have 2 main memories/ thoughts:
1) Sitting in English Corner- the after school English club I tried unsuccesfully in setting up. I had some activities planned but only one boy, a 2nd year volleyball player if I remember correctly, turned up. So we just did one activity. I'd picked some leaves earlier in the day. And I think we wrote poems (maybe haiku?) about autumn, in English. All I remember feeling was the chill - the heating wasn't on- and the sense of 'deadness' (i know that isn't a word, but death sounds too brutal): trees were dying/ shedding their leaves, and the English Corner was a complete waste of time
2) kouyou - and the Japanese going out on trips to beautiful spots for kouyou viewing - pretty places with autumnal colours. (Maybe that's partly why I want to go to Westonbirt Arboretum, but haven't quite got there yet.- Any takers?)

Funny how you the same thing reminds you of different things/ places at different stages in life. Maybe in a few years, autumn will strongly trigger a memory relating to Cheltenham.... I.e. now autumn doesn't remind me of Durham, but Japan. I guess that's how things change.

- And running now reminds me of when I used to run in Japan by myself. It no longer triggers boat club memories. - I'd forgotten that it did so strongly. Ah, life...