Look out. Weird things happen. So far, not yet. Fall means we wake up in the dark, it means the first frost this week, it means leaves and apples, it means breaking out the long sleeve shirts and sweaters. What it should mean as well is that the cat should let us sleep in a little, that the grass should stop growing, that the garden should be done. None of that has happened yet. We are getting a bumper crop of tomatoes, after good crops of lettuce, beans, zucchini and cucumbers. We even have some small peppers, and potatoes and carrots.
As I sit down writing, Mary is on her way back from a weekend in DC, with Joe, Margaret, Andrew and Annie. It sounded like a great time and I am sorry to have missed it. I heard there was pizza, brunch, a walk through of the Mexican Cultural Institute. When Mary called I actually did hear a fair amount of laughter in the background. That's all good.
The big news from down there is it looks like Joe is moving. To London. How cool is that! Book your rooms now. It could happen fairly fast, but with all the paperwork, and then the the threat of government shutdown, the timing is up in the air.
I was unable to go because the UMass history class was coming to Pittsfield and the Berkshires. I showed them around Herman Melville's home and then we traveled to Edith Wharton's Mount and the WEB Dubois Homesite. I had not been to either of the other two, so it was nice to take in two more places. Still a lot to go.
Here's a weird thing, but I am not sure it was connected to the full moon. I have turned a request to document a restoration project in Pittsfield into a Masters thesis. The building being restored is the old Berkshire Athenaeum, the library, right on Park Square in the center of town. My initial exploring into the background was the discovery that the architect who did the library (in 1876) was the same one (William A. Potter) who designed the Chancellor Green Library at Princeton. Some of us grew up with the lore of that building, where Pop first met Grandma. So, how does something like that happen? The architect also did a few other buildings on the Princeton Campus - Alexander Hall and Witherspoon Hall, among others.
I guess another weird thing did happen. We've been a little late renewing the registration of our cars. Both had emission issues, and we had to get those fixed before the inspections. When Mary finally took the Mitsubishi to the inspection, they told her she was driving a dangerous car, that the wheels could fall off, due to faulty "Tie-rods"? Well, that happened the day before Mary was to drive to DC, so fortunately Johnny let us borrow his car (he's in Florida) and we got through the weekend. Thank you!
Next weekend looks to be a fun one. David called to say he and Paula were coming over for the Hancock Shaker Village fall fair. Spontaneity is alive and well, as Peter and Janet are also coming up. More grist for the weekly letter! David and Paula had been in NYC, for meetings but also went to see Jersey Boys which they report is well worth it.
Unfortunately, Andrew was unable to come, but they thought about it. The good news is that next weekend is Bill and Jen's due date. So, they are going to stay put. Other news from Dundee comes by way of Facebook, with a photo of Daniel looking a little like a movie star.
We love the change of seasons. But we also love summer, and we'll be happy when you return. Fast forward, and we can imagine all kinds of changes before then. Wonderful.
Love from up here.
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