Honest autumn

OK, so I took a month off...

We're having an honest autumn here now, the trees are coloring up nicely and the air has that autumnal feel to it.  The weather has been wonderful but next week, late in the week we're supposed to have highs in the 50's.  I think I won't like that much but then it will give me a chance to wear jackets I haven't worn in a long time and that's always entertaining (briefly).

I had a good month, some very nice fall dock time with my friend--it's our tradition to sit on her dock in the September sunshine then get in the icy water and squeal a lot.  The last time we did this the water was lovely, this was last week (my journal tells me).  I do love September.

I spent almost a week in the Midwest and it was even better than I anticipated, what wonderful people my Rockford friends are.  I think only 1 or 2 of the 15 of us still lives in Rockford, but many are still in the Midwest.  I flew to Minneapolis, spent a night in Chippewa Falls (Wisc.) with friends then drove pretty much the length of Wisconsin to Lake Geneva where we met up with the rest of the women.  I have been going to these gatherings for many years now, and first felt more like an outsider but kept going anyway (why?).  Now I feel very much a part of this group and feel embraced by them.  They are kind, loving, bright and funny.  It was a really nice experience and I look forward to our next gathering--we pretty much get together every 2 years.  It costs a lot of money for me to go but as I say, it's a group I like being part of.

I boarded the dogs while I was away ($400, thank you very much) and they were fine.  Treasure was happy and relieved to see me but Bear never likes to let me know how much he really likes me.  Yes, he wagged his tail but mostly he explored the dog sledding equipment stored in the room where I was having a long dog talk with the kennel owner (about Bear's behavior on a leash).

Bear was suddenly quite ill this week so I rushed him to the vet in Plattsburgh (the BIG vet) where they xrayed and blooded him, discovering a mass in his abdomen.  Boy did my heart drop at that news.  They operated on him that night (Tuesday), removed the mass and his spleen and I retrieved him the following day.  He is recovering incredibly well, the huge incision is good and he is almost as bouncy and energetic as ever.  He must be walked on a leash but he is so very good at peeing and pooping when leash-bound.

One night this week I went out with friends to a restaurant for a library benefit and it turned out to be Trivia Night.  I am NOT a group gameplayer but we formed a team and had a lot of fun playing.  Our team came in 3rd (out of how many? is the most important thing--about a dozen), did quite well I think.  I knew that Elvis died in 1977 but didn't know that Greenland was the largest island in the world.

Now it's 1:30 and I'm a few days behind in my journaling (unforgivable!).  Friends are leaving soon, some Tuesday, some soon after that.  Other friends will arrive for Columbus Day and that will be that.  The color this year looks to be very very bright and lovely.  I will find out whether Bear's abdominal mass was malignant.  That's scary but he's my Bear.  He's a Dog.  He's a Bear Dog.