You can go home

And Grandma did. Looks much the same with some changes. But not the sign on the house.

Christmas cookies

Get your hands out of there

A roof

And just in time. It's getting cold up here. Johnny came over and reattached radiators and turned on the heat.

Mary and I came up last weekend since she had a couple of days off. We primed the new bedroom and closets and mowed the lawn. Looking more normal. Still a long way to go and lots to do.

We as usual stopped to see Grandma coming and going. She had had long chat with Aunt Ruth and Debbie. Sarah is getting married soon.

Scattered. Joe went to Baghdad for work right after Labor Day. He's written saying he's bored. That sounds good to me. He was supposed to go to a project outside the Green Zone on 9/11 but they canceled the trip. Any guesses why? A certain pastor in Florida.

Annie wrote and she had her first Mandarin classes. Fun. She has started tutoring a couple of children at the international school as well.

Margaret was thinking of going Maine for Labor Day but stayed here since her friend from Peru was coming to town. They went out a couple of times.

And Johnny and Marilyn went to India yesterday. And Peter and Janet and Johanna went to San Diego.

Big news in Dundee. Claire is first oboe in the orchestra and won 17 straight points on her serve in a recent volleyball game. Daniel is setting his sights on the NFL as a tight end!

Spoke with David and they are getting ready for the big visit next week when Grandma and I take off for Rochester, Pittsfield and Pomfret (and even Greenwich). Foliage and nostalgia.

On the social circuit we have seen friends from Peace Corps, Mexico and Princeton in the last few weeks. I drove to Boston twice to see college roommates Steve and then Bruce. Fun to see them again.

For cultural and intellectual stimulation we saw Bruno. And the Patriots beat the Bengals in the season opener. Ouch and love.