Thankful---You Bet

Whoosh. The sound of a month gone. October was spectacular; bright, clear days and no rain to speak of. And now November has arrived with shorter, grayer days and some rain. The furniture on the deck was covered up weeks ago and the lawn/meadow/jungle clearing has seen the last of mowing for a while. The Head Gardener was busy planting bulbs yesterday in reassurance that Spring will eventually arrive. But for now, it's the quiet time of the year.

We did have a visitor last month. A young bear made its way on to the porch one evening. We heard an unusual noise about 8pm and looked out the windows but failed to find the source in the pitch dark. As we settled back into our TV-viewing positions, another ruckus was heard, this time seemingly right outside the window. As our local hero, known only by the name Pajama Man, opened the front door (armed with his super hero tools: a flashlight and a walking stick), a small bear was exiting down the front steps and across the driveway. He had been on the porch and we heard him bumping into the chairs there. As is almost always the case, where there is a small bear, there is likely a bigger bear nearby. PM prudently closed the door and remained inside, allowing the visitor to exit gracefully. The next morning we observed the (already empty) trash can overturned as well as several other bits disturbed in the quest to find a food source.

I am working on a flannel quilt that will be a nice addition to the winter bed. It's taking a hiatus for a few weeks until I can order a little more fabric. In it's place, I am anticipating our small visitor for Thanksgiving. And his parents, of course. The grandson will make his first trek to the Pacific Northwest in time for Thanksgiving (just) and we are getting ready. By the time he arrives, the house should be properly childproofed and I have already stocked up on toys.

The newest addition to the household, Sabrina, has been a positive influence. She is very friendly and playful, not allowing Roosevelt to be stand-offish. They race around the house after one another several times a day and then take a reprieve, often napping on the same bed. Roosevelt may even be losing a little weight!

I stumbled on a new commute pattern recently and have shaved at least 15 minutes off each end, giving me back 30 minutes of the day! That might not sound like much, but at the end of a 2-hour commute it's a welcome break. And with the time change and darkness falling just after 4:30, it's nice to arrive home even a wee bit earlier.

So, as I said, it's the quiet time of year. Not much else to report here. I am blessed and thankful every day to have the opportunity to live in this place and to share that living with my beloved mate.