October!

I greet the new month with mixed feelings.  It's wonderful to be close to Columbus Day, when I'll see many good friends.  October means we're well into fall, which the foliage is already telling me.  I'll post pictures of leaves this week.  The color is most impressive this year--brilliant reds and oranges.  It's reaching the point where the woods are so bright it looks as if the sun is shining all the time.  Even when it's raining, as it has for the last 3 days.  I don't really mind rain (good for my well) but hate to have heavy rain or wind that knocks leaves from trees.  SAVE THE LEAVES for my friends to see this weekend.  We figure it will be peak this week, maybe for the weekend.  Will still be magnificent by then, anyway.

Had a good weekend, a combination of lots of activity and lots of down time.  Saturday I had coffee with Fred & Linda, then F & I went to Big Daddy's diner for breakfast.  yum.  From there on to the cider pressing at Lin's, where I spent a few hours.  Really nice time, and excellent cider.  From there I went home for a bit, then to Linda's for dinner with Joe & Martha, Duncan & Sue, with cocktails with the Berry-Jacks.  Linda had a bottle of special wine (1961 vintage) to share.  It was great wine--but how would I know, really?  I liked it a lot, but it was reported to be excellent.  As was dinner.

Sunday I visited with Pat, Jim, Bill & the Atkinsons (+ Katelyn's new beau).  K's birthday so we had lots to celebrate.  I left there early, picked up Linda & went to Lin's for Day 2 of the pressing.  It rained pretty much the whole time, but that didn't stop the crowd from pressing on.  Lots of cider was made, lots was consumed.  By me especially.

Home in the afternoon to watch TV and nap--I got up at 4:30 on Sunday, having had a bad dream & then being unable to go back to sleep.  In the morning I made Katelyn's cake, then some gingerbread for Lin's, then watched TV.  Should have walked the dogs--bu IN THE RAIN?  They took themselves for a long walk this morning, came home separately, panting heavily (presumably from running in the woods).  I knew if I started to make coffee they'd come home so I wouldn't be able to drink it at home.  Wasn't late to work, but wasn't very early, either.

The neighborhood is full, full, full of deer and turkeys.  The deer are on the move, combination of bucks in rut and people in the woods I guess.  They're everywhere, and starting to be a bit reckless.  The turkeys are as stoopid as everyone says they are.

I need to get my birdfeeder up and running--Linda has a lot of birds at her feeder right now.

I made arrangements to have my deck stairs re-built.  YES!!  Haven't had a sturdy railing for a couple of years, and now the steps are getting old.  Ken put them on, using wood from one of the camp cabins.  So this year I'm having REAL steps put on--can still use the stringers, thankfully.  Am also going to get the heater at the back of the house working, or replaced, whichever needs to be done.  Again--YES!  What I really need is to have the bottom of the house insulated, but that's not happening this year ($$$).  I should also order 2 loads of firewood.  That might happen, but I need more money for that.  It's always about money, isn't it.

Tonight is dinner with L&E, WDL and Stephanie at McDougall's.   D&S are leaving later this week (sad) so we're all seeing a lot of each other.  They'll be back in Feb.--Duncan in January, Sue in Feb., to ski and be in a Hawkeye winter.  That's not really so far away, it's just that so much happens weather-wise during the intervening months that it seems like years away.

Will go to Saranac Lake on Weds. to do some cataloging and consulting.  I love going there--it's a wonderful library and great town.  Nice people, a lot going on.

FOUR DAY weekend coming up--I'm taking Tuesday off to have my chimney cleaned.  $$$.  Yikes it just goes out the door & up the chimney, doesn't it.

But life is good.  I love the fall.