Fall...

It was a beautiful, Fall day here today. It was much appreciated after a week of gloom and rain. Friday it rained pretty much all day and yesterday it was gray and rained off and on. It was a good day for some shopping, and that's what I did. I've officially started Christmas shopping. In fact, I really started last weekend when I went to a craft show on Saturday. I won't say who I was shopping for but I think they'll like what I bought.
This view is from the back deck, out onto the pond.


This tree is just about done for but the yellow was really spectacular this year. In fact, all the yellows in and around the neighborhood have been spectacular this year.


Another view of the pond, more a side view.


While I was out front taking a picture of the yellow tree I noticed that the house was looking nice too so here's a picture of that.


This is toward the pond from the family room window and I just noticed how it captured all but the reddest of reds of the fall colors, all in one little window view.


Last Sunday we took the Mustang for a little ride out to an apple orchard. It's quite small and so is the store that goes with it. We picked up a bag of Rome Beauty apples and an apple loaf. Howard said the apple loaf was so bad that I decided to bake him an apple cake last week which was really delish. It's a recipe I have had since Scott was in preschool and in fact, Scott's class made this cake when he was in the 4 year old class.



I'm not sure what the orchard does with all these tractors but they were on display so I took a picture of them.


Amber and Andy (with lots of help from Nicole) got the nursery all painted. It's being occupied by Andy's sister, Molly for the time being, while she hunts for a job and an apartment. Amber looks so good. She'll be coming for a visit in a couple weeks, one last time. Her pregnancy is going well and everything's going along as scheduled. Only a couple short months now until the baby is here.


I haven't talked to Tyler in a while. I'm assuming his last semester of college is going well. Still no pictures of that jeep. Hi son. If you're reading this, give me a call sometime. And send pictures of the jeep!

With all the rain we've been having, today was the first day I have been able to take the pups to the park. It was a little soggy but thankfully just wet, not muddy. They had a great time playing frisbee.





I've been taking Charlie to obedience class again. A friend at work has been telling me about a class she attends so I thought it would be good to get Charlie out and around other dogs again. I'm not crazy about the instructor. She likes to hear herself talk and she talks on and off for about 40 minutes out of the 60 minute class. Charlie has been doing fabulous! Since many of the dogs are puppies or younger, he at least has a jump on the basic obedience stuff. He can sit, lay down, stay, all that good stuff. He likes socializing but doesn't quite know what to do when the puppies approach him. My friend is in the class and she has a goldendoodle. She's definitely the star student and can stay and then come, all off leash. I doubt Charlie will ever be able to do that stuff. He's having a good time though and getting out, which is a good thing.



H is going on a business trip this week. He hasn't traveled in ages. He's lucky to be going some place warm too, Atlanta. It's supposed to be another crappy weather week around here. I don't really expect any other kind of weather week until maybe May. It will just be measured by degrees of crappiness, unfortunately.

My week will include taking Zoe for her yearly check-up on Tuesday, after work. Wednesday night is obedience class for Charlie. Friday we have Halloween parties at school. Special Ed always dresses up together as a theme. I made my costume today but I can't say what it is. It's apparently a big secret and I can't let the cat out of the bag yet. We also have bowling Friday night. Things should be getting back to normal at school now that conferences and MEAP testing are behind us. I like normal, normal is good.

Have a good week!