We've noticed a few trees turning color in our yard, and around the city. It seems like this year the changing foliage is a little later, perhaps because of the heat wave, or perhaps because we haven't been driving around as much. Our suspicions of a dry month were borne out when the city announced water restrictions this week. Not California restrictions, but no watering between 7 am and 7pm and only on alternate days. Two big rain days have helped.
We've had visitors. The beds in our guest bedroom still have flannel sheets, to show you how few people have made their way up here this summer. But Andrew, Margaret and Simon spent the past week here, working remotely, and the grandparents doing their best to babysit. Or should I say the grandmother? We figured out the time grandparenting was about 80-20 in Mary's favor, but the 20 that I had was ….. how shall I put it? Pretty easy. He's a good baby and easy to please.
Margaret and Andrew went down to Great Barrington to visit Annie and Sankar, and then they came up for a return call. And so did Kathleen, on a day trip out from Boston. Nice to see her and hear her news – Pat is fixing up the shed behind their house in Stonington to make it a rentable tiny house, and Mary Forte is doing census work.
And we had one other overnight visitor, a friend from Peru who was on his way to Vermont for a week of sailing on Lake Champlain. He had taken a test (negative) before he left the DC area. We're all pretty careful, and there's plenty of space. No bro-hugging or air kisses either.
Leonor and the boys are in Portugal, surrounded by her family and friends. Lots of cousins to play with. Portugal figured all this illness out early on and has been largely spared our dystopia. Photos show happy Thomas and baby John at the beach and in the yard. We talked to Joe and he seems pretty lonely, maybe even bored. If you think you had a bad airport experience, ask Joe or Leonor about trying to fly out of Sao Paulo to Lisbon. Old news, I think – Joe and Leonor sold their house in DC as they couldn't get a renter.
And we have a house next door for sale. Anyone interested? Remote work?
Some of you probably saw on social media this photo of Peter who ventured out to Brooklyn to check up on Johanna. Not sure they've seen each other since the start of all this.
We had a long chat with Andrew and Lur, after her father fell and landed back in the hospital for a few days. He's doing better, but have not checked in a few days. They have some overnight help for a few days a week to give Lur a break. I asked Lur which was harder – taking care of grandchildren or elderly parents. Not even close, she said – parents.
Timmy is planning his next big move, heading out to Washington state in a few weeks to look for a place to live. He's been packing and finding all kinds of things. He came over one night with a slowcooker full of ribs for everyone.
The garden has been not as good as past years, but still we manage to get enough for meals and to give away a little. Looking forward to the plum tomatoes that are ripening as we speak. We had a bumper crop of peaches this year, and couldn't keep up. Mary made some peach cobbler and then the squirrels finished off the last dozen or so.
One thing we do seem to be raising are groundhogs and deer. They're taking over and don't seem to mind the mad man waving his arms and shouting at them.
David and I got a mailing from Mountain Springs offering a discount for fall stays. I thought about it, dreamed about it, then put it on hold till next summer.
Happy September everyone. A different kind of summer, and hope this finds everyone as well as can be expected.
Love from up here.
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