Sunday, October 6, 2013

Hello Auden

The world stops with the birth of a family member.  Cares, worries, jobs, to-do lists, errands, they all come to a screeching halt.   Even baseball.  Wow.  Wonderful.  Congratulations to the Illinois clan. Everyone looks so happy, and Miles looks so big.  When did he grow up?  And Auden is beautiful.  And Jen looks strong and ready to go!  

Unfortunately, the government also came to a screeching halt.  But I have yet to read that this was due to Auden.  Margaret kept working, as her contract was already on last year's budget.  Joe was furloughed, and that had huge implications as he was set to move to London.  He was told one day that he should go to London, put a downpayment on an apartment and that he would get reimbursed.  Oh, and by the way, he would still be furloughed.  I thought he should call up his old St. Andrews classmates (Andrew and Kate) and stay with them, for 50 years.  Well, eventually all got sorted out, and he was packed out on Thursday and left for London on Saturday.   We heard he had arrived safely.  A new chapter, at least for the next 6 months.  Margaret and Andrew threw him a going away party Saturday night.

Births also remind us of birthdays.  Happy birthday Johanna, Janet and Paula.  David and Paula came to Pittsfield to spend her big day.  And Peter and Janet came up from NJ to join the festivities.   Mary baked a birthday.....strawberry rhubarb pie, and Peter made dinner the following night.  Thanks!  We brought out Grandma and Pop's photo albums from high school and college, and I even found my old honor cards from Far Hills Country Day.  Peter was a good sport.  

We had spent the day at Hancock Shaker Village for their fall country fair.  It was a beautiful, sunny, fall day and there were lots of exhibiters - Quilts, Shaker boxes, timber frame construction workshops, furniture.  Special.   Peter and I went for a hike into the state forest across the street, and the ladies went to Stockbridge.  At least one the guys went home for a nap.  ME!

David and Paula stayed over Sunday night and met up the next day for my tour at Arrowhead before heading back to Rochester.  Thanks!  

Cliff and Sheila were here this weekend, and we also went through photos, this time from scotland, reliving our adventures this summer.  Cliff also brought his chain saw, and we cut down about ten trees, and we have firewood for next year.  I have been splitting wood this summer, and we're ready for this winter.  And it's coming.  We turned on the heat this week, but we still have not had a frost so the garden continues to produce.  

We had many nice photos we wanted to put in the weekly letter, of Johnny surfing in Florida, of Paula's birthday, of Margaret outside the Bengals' bar for the patriots game, the woodpile, but this space was reserved for Auden.   

Love from this corner.  

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