Two woods diverged in a family – one in Maine and one in Brazil.
Well, actually, the one in Brazil was more than woods – it was the jungle, the Amazon. We got a text from Joe saying he was going into the jungle. At first, I thought he meant Thomas and Joao's room. When Mary asked for clarification, he wrote back and said "the Amazon." Well, I've heard that the Amazon is quite a big place, and that there are places in it that no one has actually gone to, or other places that some have gone into but never come out of. Hmm.
Long story, to note that the photos Joe and Leonor sent back from their long weekend in the Amazon were spectacular, and I share a couple of them with you all. I hope the two young boys will have some memory of it.
The other woods was the Maine woods. Mary and I went up to see our friends Cliff and Sheila, who live about an hour from the NH and Quebec borders. Way up there. Cliff told us that they were in the middle of a drought, and I pass that along only as an explanation for why the fall foliage colors were so spectacular, in comparison to what we're seeing around here, with all our rain. Our leaves are turning….brown, for the most part.
Anyway, it was a beautiful drive up there, north of the White Mountains. We were led on a walking grouse-hunt (no shots fired) by Cliff, and toured a local history museum. But, what do I remember most? The first Philly Cheese Steak I had in years. Imagine that, a Philly Cheese Steak in Strong, Maine at the White Elephant Restaurant. Almost as good as Fred's Café in Pocotello, Idaho.
Other big news out of Brazil is a girl. Leonor and Joe found out today, confirmed, they are having a girl. They have a name, but I've already spilled too much of their news to tell.
Out on the west coast, Annie and Sankar have moved into their new apartment. Unfortunately, the day before their move, one of their kitties, Petta, was hit by a car. Annie found him in the road; he is making a slow recovery.
Speaking of slow recovery, we're pleased to note Peter's good doctor news last week.
Down in DC, the big news is Simon has mastered a playground slide. All by himself, with squeals of delight, I would add. Of course.
Birthday wishes galore for Janet this week, whose birthday used to be shared with Columbus Day, but now Indigenous People's Day. How 'bout that for a lifetime of witnessing change?
And, this week, coming up is Claire's birthday, followed closely by Kathleen and Billy. I do remember calling October birthday month. And I forgot to mention that Auden also had her 8th birthday, the day after Johanna. She had an old-fashioned tea party, that reminded me of a tea party Ann had when we were living in Indian Hill for her birthday. I wasn't invited. And I know why.
What else? Mary went down to NYC for a day-visit to the Botanical Gardens to catch before it closed an exhibit by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama that looked sensational. I wasn't invited to that either.
It meant we played host to Marj and Lew and had a string of breakfasts and dinners with Mary's high school crowd, and then watched the nail-biting Game 5 which the Red Sox pulled out.
I mowed the lawn today, and hope it's the last one of the season, but with the temps still in the 70s during the days, I may be mowing through December. Ugh. Is it better than shoveling snow?
With that, love from up here.
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