Fall in the Desert

So...this is weird.
This is my first fall season in Nevada.  I've been following all of the posts from my loved ones in Indiana on Facebook about shivering, cold temps. rain, hayrides, bonfires, pumpkin patches, and chili.  I've been homesick before, but this has pretty much sent me over the edge.
Two weeks ago we decided to try camping.  We couldn't get a spot on Mt. Charleston, because apparently all of the other transients in Las Vegas who are not from here are up there trying to pretend they are back in Michigan, or somewhere in New England, or even Indiana.  They want dry leaves and fires and frigid night time temps and well, that smell.  So we tried Red Rock Canyon.  Sure, plenty of room to camp here!  Come on in!  Oh but...you need to drive 20 minutes up the road to Target to get a propane grill because you can't have wood, charcoal, or a bic lighter here in these parts because it's THE DESERT.  But come back after October first when the burn ban has been lifted so you can roast some marshmallows and see the kangaroo rats dance in the firelight, instead of noticing them only when they run over your foot in search of your hot dog buns when it gets dark at 6:00.
Three weeks ago, I noticed some activity in the Kmart parking lot next to my office.  First, a bunch of people showed up and started laying poles down on the ground.  Then, they ran one of those metal speed bump things to cover the extension cords running across the road to Jack in the Box.  Then a fence and some hay bales showed up, and a mobile home with some canoes on it.  Oh look, what's that?  Some scary looking carnival rides and a big inflatable slide.  Monday the pumpkins showed up.  Yesterday, cars were parked all over the place in the Kmart parking lot, women frolicking with their toddlers in tow to this thing they call a "Pumpkin Patch".  We drove past it on the way home from dance lessons and I pointed it out to Wayne and said "Do you believe that?  That's a pumpkin patch!!!"  And Wayne, being a southern California boy looked at me like I was the one that was crazy!
It is 100 degrees here.  It is October and I am still using clinical strength Degree.  My hub bearings are shot.  I had to get my battery replaced.  I had to give it up and buy a sunshade for my car.  It's 11 o'clock at night and my a/c is running.  I have NOT made a pot of chili since last February.  I bought pumpkin spice flavored coffee this morning at 7-11 just to stop the tears.  Yes, we have dried leaves here on the ground, but they have been falling since April because these poor trees that get transplanted to the desert are sitting here saying "What the heck?  I'm supposed to be at the end of a long stone wall in an Iowa cornfield in a damn Ansel Adams photo!!!!!"
And I can relate...