Acouple years ago my partner Liz and I had a really big fight. And, like most really big fights, it was about a really small thing.

We were choosing new carpeting for the hallway. Liz wanted a shade called ‘vanilla.’ I said this was a ridiculous choice.

I insisted on 'toasted almond.  Truthfully, I’m not sure the difference between these two colours was visible to the naked eye.

That didn’t keep us from standing over the rolled up remains of our old carpet (an entirely different shade called, I think, ‘beige’) screaming, “Vanilla! Vanilla!”

And “Toasted Almond! Toasted Almond!”

There’s only one thing that can turn two reasonable, happily married people into raving harpies.

It was November. Come these dark, dismal days of late fall, we human beings get testy.

Appropriately, Nov. 2  in Catholic tradition is Holy Souls day, dedicated to remembering “souls in purgatory.” 

That means “people stuck on the bus on Nov. 2 in the rain heading to a staff budget meeting.”

And, on Nov. 2 goalie Jacques Plante wore the first goalie mask in the NHL. I don’t know the significance of that. Maybe it’s “He just couldn’t face November.”

Nov. 2 is also national adoption day.

I used to get pretty excited about that until I realized it didn’t mean someone was going to take my kids for twenty-four hours.

If we’re going to make it through the month with anyone still talking to us, we need help. So here are:

Five Reasons to Love November :

1. It’s a well-known fact that calories consumed during November don’t count. OK, I made that up, but admit it, you felt better for a minute.

2. November has fascinating trivia attached to it. For instance, the month of November and the month of March both begin on the same day of the week. You heard it here.

3. There are no holidays this month that require you to cook someone dinner or buy them gifts, cards or chocolates. Mind you, there are no holidays that require someone else to do that for you either. Never a perfect world, eh?.

4. It’s finally possible to get that really great table on your favorite outdoor patio. Getting served there may be more difficult.

5. It’s not February.

If you know another reason to love November, e-mail me and I’ll share them in a future column.

’Till then, remember these words of wisdom, “Those who value peace, choose their carpet colour in June.”