February Here Already!

January flew by in record time and February is doing the same. At the end of January, I continued to celebrate my birthday in delightful fashion when Chris treated me to a play and dinner.....and we were joined by our friend Sally. The play was The Christians by Lucas Hnath, and boy was it apropos for the times. It was followed by a discussion session with a member of the clergy (a difference on at each performance) and it was very thought-provoking, It was followed by a delicious dinner and stimulating conversation. It really was a nice thing for Chris to do and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and one of the things I love about my friends is that we can always find something to laugh about, to lighten and brighten the day, That is such a joy!

I am saddened to tell you that Rosie's back is no better. I took her to Charleston Veterinary Referral Center (CVRC) on January 31st at the recommendation of Jennifer Smith, President of Noah's Ark Rescue from which I got Rosie. This is the same veterinary that did her surgery for her broken back legs and pelvis. My vet just sent me away with meds and no mention of a followup. I also wanted someone who knows her history and would look at the whole picture. I felt confident after their exam and their plan of action was to put her on Gabapentin for a month, restrict her movement - even down to limiting her walking time to 5 minutes (impossible!). That has not been easy. Anyone who has met her knows that she is an all-out girl! If I even say, "Let's go walkie" she sprints to the door. The medication does sedate her a bit, but that is sad for me to see. I have done my best and my house looks like a furniture warehouse. Sofa cushions are removed and put upright in front of the sofa to keep her from jumping on....and then off! She is a fearless jumper and if the doorbell goes, she's off, no matter where she is. So, I've done my best. I bought and constructed a ramp for her to get on and off the bed, neither of which has really worked. The only way that booger will use it is if I put her half-way up the ramp. Then she will run the rest of the way.....and the only way she knows how to get off of anything is doing a Michael Jordan type jump!!! The good thing is that she doesn't often get off the bed once we settle. I'm doing everything I can to NOT have to crate her as a restraint.

I have set up her crate again and put her longtime bed in it. Sometimes, when she isn't feeling well, she heads for the bedroom closet, which is where I first discovered her shivering in pain. I keep my bedroom door closed and put her crate outside. If she isn't feeling well, she will go to her crate. I now, after the fact, see the importance of keeping them crate trained!! So, I got her a new bed to use outside the crate. This is called a calming bed and she took to it straight away!  It is so soft and squishy. It was vacuum packed and arrived in my mailbox.....literally. I opened it, shook it out, put in the dryer to fluff it up, and it was ready to go. It's washable and I use it on the floor, on the sofa, or on the bed. 

Rosie on her bed as I write!

All who know her knows how much I love her and what a joy she is in my life. I will do everything I can to make her comfortable and maintain her quality of life. I'm taking her back to CVRC on Monday to see a neurologist. It may involve an MRI to see exactly what is going on and determine a treatment program. Please keep her in your thoughts and send healing vibes her way.

All of this has kept me sidelined for a while. I missed a Liberal Ladies luncheon and other meetings due to Rosie having an episode of shivering, panting, and teeth grinding. Even so, I am happy to announce that our (Liberal Ladies') movie debut (The Glorias) happened at Sundance to very good reviews. We are anxiously waiting to see if any of us actually escaped the cutting room floor!!  After seeing how it was filmed, it will be interesting and fun to see the finished product. Will keep you posted if/when more information is available.

One achievement I'm very proud of is that I was instrumental in getting the Black Voters Matter bus to come to Beaufort County!! I've been following them on Facebook since they were instrumental in getting Doug Jones elected in Alabama. One day they announced they were coming to SC. I immediately commented and asked them to come to Beaufort County. Mika Gadsden messaged me and asked if I could put her in touch with any Black-led organizations in the county. Our Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) organizer and our Democrat Club leaders are both Black and I put her in touch with them. Neither of them was aware of this group and was probably surprised that this old, white lady was! In any case, shortly after that, Mika met with the Dem. Club Steering Committee (and me). Their first visit will be on the 22nd of this month to Campbell AME Church to which I've been invited. This BVM bus is based in Charleston and will come down for various events through the November election. We are hoping they will encourage POC in our community to vote. The League of Women Voters will be focusing on the Latino community,,,,.and we will all have to do everything we can to dump trump.

There is an interesting aside to the story above. When Mika contacted me, I knew everything would be passed on to someone else, though I would have liked/expected to be kept in the loop. So, I did tell my buds what I was working on. She (Mika) mentioned something else on FB and I commented, "Don't forget Beaufort County"! She then said she was coming down on Thursday, only a few days away!! I texted one of the contacts and, sure enough, there were plans for her to come down and meet with them...and I was out of the loop. At that point, I was invited to join the meeting. I don't know if it was all happening too fast or if the whole process was taken over by male-dominated committees. Just saying.....

Tippy and I are also preparing to teach an OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) class on our trips to Africa at our Hilton Head Campus at the end of the month. As of last week 91 people had signed up for it - YIKES! It's been a long time since I taught anyone or anything and I'm not a comfortable public speaker, but I know I can rely on Tippy to save me! It is great to see so many people interested in it and to be able to share our unforgettable experiences. I hope we can do it justice.

That's a quick rundown of my doings, most of which have centered around my sidekick and sweet girl, Rosie. Please send good, healing vibes her way and we will keep you posted.

Belatedly...

Birthday Time

Now that Christmas is packed away in the garage, life resumes its normal - too busy - pace! I had hoped to slow things down a bit but don't seem to be very successful at it. I've pretty much decided it will be this way until November and who knows what it will be after that?

In my last post, I mentioned that Rosie was behaving anxiously and I didn't know why. Several times I found her cowering and shivering in my closet. Once I picked her up and put her on the bed and she began panting, which she has only done while riding in the car, so I knew she was anxious. Then one day she saw someone come into the yard looking for a golf ball and she jumped up, tail and ears up, and barked at the invader. I praised her, but when I walked through the living room a few minutes later, she wasn't there. I found her in bad, under the cover, shivering. It was at that time I called the vet and made an appointment. It turns out it was a back issue, which is often an issue for long-bodied dogs. The vet felt down Rosie's spine and when she got about 3/4 down, Rosie yelped. So, she was put on 3 meds for a week, which was lots of fun trying to get into her. She is like a cat in that she can eat everything and spit out the pill. Her keen sense of smell also doesn't help. I did the best I could and it seemed to help. I am now trying her on CBD oil and it seems to be helping. I'm hoping it was only inflammation and nothing more and that the CBD oil will help control it. It is such a helpless feeling when something is wrong and they can't tell you what, and I never want to see her in pain. Please keep your fingers crossed that all goes well.

Some of you who have visited may recognize the guy on the cover of our local magazine. He's the chef at one of our favorite restaurants, Olive & Fig. We were pleased to see the magazine do a positive piece on 6 immigrants who have made prominent contributions to our community. I belong to Lowcountry Immigration Coalition, joining after the El Paso shooting. It was heartening to see 4 new people show up in response to the shooting. We wanted to know what was happening in our local community and how we could help. There are 3200 Latinos registered to vote here, but they are hesitant to do so. The local League of Women Voters is going to work on getting them represented in the census, which they are also reticent to do, and out to vote. The Bluffton Drinking Liberally meets at a restaurant owned by an immigrant and he has hosted several Democrat candidates to speak there. He has also received threats and promises of people who will no longer frequent his establishment. That is why positive articles like this mean a lot in a place like this.

Well, another birthday has rolled around - #73!!  How did I get so old so fast? Luckily, I have nothing to complain about except for putting on weight - and I blame that on the chaos of trump!! Reyna was kind enough to have our merry band over for chili rellenos, red rice, salad, and pistachio cake. It was all delicious and everyone was in fine form.

We celebrated on Friday because Tippy and Kieran would be out of town on the 20th, so I felt like I celebrated the whole, long MLK weekend. Saturday and Sunday were quiet but on Monday I participated in two MLK marches - one in HHI, the other in Bluffton. We have been having fantastically beautiful weather, but overnight the temperature dropped to 36 degrees at the start of the HHI march. Thank goodness it was clear, bright and not breezy. I was walking with Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate, but there were many groups I could have walked with. It was great to see so many kids participating, and there was a 9 member band who showed up on their own, in the cold! They really were a great addition. There was a good turnout and it is one of the few things that attract a diverse gathering. It's a shame we don't interact more. Anyway, at 2 PM Risa ad I took the banner to Bluffton, arriving at what we thought was well in advance of departure...but there was no one around. A guy came up who was operating with the same information we had and suggested we go to the other side of the building. When we did, we ran into 4 adults and lots of kids who were also trying to find the parade. Someone received a text saying they had begun early and were already at the destination. So, they unrolled their banner and we had our own little march to the park!! So, it was a full day, though chilly. Yesterday and today have also been cold though today will get into the 50s. I'm hoping this will go away and our mild winter will return.




Thanks to one and all for the many birthday wishes whether by mail, email, Facebook, Messenger, phone, or in person! It is always great to hear from friends, especially on a birthday! You made it a very special day!

I'll leave you with another wedding video. This is one that was professionally done for Warisa and Jeffrey's wedding that I shared last time. This is so beautifully done, I thought you might like it, too.

Surviving the Holidays

It's been a busy time in some ways but a much-needed change of pace in others. There have been lots of holiday celebrations but a break from the usual meetings, groups, etc. It has made me see the need for a lighter schedule in the New Year. 

Along with the holiday celebrations, the Three Amigos (not Giuliani, Sondland & Perry!) participated in a nationwide action on the eve of the impeachment vote (12/17). About 150 people showed up at Joe Cunningham's office to thank him for voting for the impeachment. That's a very good turnout in a red state AND on a cool, rainy afternoon. One of the cutest things was a young man/kid who called the chants. His mom was close by and offered suggestions...he was adorable!



Two nights later, I had the gang over for Christmas cheer. I'm not a natural entertainer, but I think everyone enjoyed it and had a good time. It may become a tradition as it motivates me to put up the decorations. That's something that my mother and I used to do together. We took our time and enjoyed the process. It seems a lot to do just for me, so it seemed like a good idea to have friends over to enjoy them with me. Things started slowly as we sat in a circle to eat the munchies, but by the time desserts were out, everyone was up, mingling, and chatting. It was a good evening for me and I hope they enjoyed it, too.

On Christmas Eve, Chris and I went to one of our favorite places - Olive and Fig - for dinner. They had a set menu with several options for a starter, entree, and then dessert. We started with Lentil Soup (regular portion!) and selected the vegetarian entree.  If you look at the servings on the table, you can see that we could have easily shared one meal! Each of us had 3 Falafels, 1 Spinach Pie, Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, Muhammara, Tabbouleh, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!! All of that was followed by dessert! It was delicious and a pleasant evening, with a doggie bag for the next day. We were surprised that after three solid days and nights of rain, around noon on Christmas Eve, the sun came out and by our early dinner, it was almost 70 degrees. That weather still holds and it adds to whatever is happening.

Christmas day was quiet but sunny and bright. I did some cooking while watching Animal Planet. Their morning was just Christmas music with dogs, cats, goats, and bunnies doing their thing in rooms decorated for Christmas. It was perfect for me! After that, it was the Bronx Zoo, which is quite interesting and reminds me of behind the scenes at the San Diego Zoo. The golf course was closed so Rosie and I did our afternoon walk on the course....and the weather was perfect - a very good day!

Michelle, Valeria, and Joann.

Yesterday, Tippy and I did some Christmas shopping for Reyna's girls. It started when a friend of Tippy ordered one toy and six were delivered. The company wasn't interested in taking them back so she was giving them away. Tippy thought of Reyna's baby, but you can't give one child something without having something for the others. So we two old, childless broads go shopping for gifts for a 13, 11, 8-year-olds and Richard's twin 3-year-olds!!  Needless to say, we didn't have a clue - but we would ask the other questions as though we actually expected a knowledgeable answer! Finally, we saw some girls of similar ages of Reyna's and asked what they would like. We got an in-depth seminar on Slime! Slime seems to be the thing. It was all worth it because the girls were totally surprised and seemed to really like the gifts we'd chosen, especially the Slime!

SOMETHING SPECIAL: I received my Christmas update from the Smith family in Thailand and it was so lovely I asked if I could share it with you. This year was a year of weddings for Aeaw and Bob as both of their sons were married. I knew these young men when they were babies/kids in Saudi and it's wonderful to see them happy, healthy and doing well. Both Bob and I commented on the "global" life of all those kids we knew at that time. They have the confidence, curiosity, and freedom to move about in the world with ease - and at such a young age. I marvel at them and admit to being a bit jealous that it took me so long!  In any case, enjoy! Link: https://sites.google.com/view/smiths-through-2019/home



I also had to share the photos above. I've already told you about these girls who love Rosie so much. When the grandparents wanted to take the photo on the left, I asked if they would take one with the girls and their signs. Our routine is that we go to the door (when signs are posted) and I unhook Rosie's leash. She stands there and whines until someone answers the door. Then she shoots in and makes several laps of the kitchen, dining room, and den - just as fast as she can. Of course, the girls are then trying to follow her, squealing, etc. Once she settles down, they bring toys for her to play with and give her lots of loving. This last time they had decided (talking about it the night before!) that Rosie might like a bowl of water at the end of our walk. Being the perfect guest, Rosie lapped it up on cue and I thanked them for thinking of her. So Sweet!

It was after returning for our trip to Africa (and experiences such as the one above) that I fully realized what a nice neighborhood I live in. We never know how long our walks will take. It all depends on how many people we run into, with some passing by in cars even stopping to chat a bit. I'm not fooled to think it's me....it's mostly Miss Personality! In any case, it is nice. Just this week, I've been given oranges, lemons, and chocolates from neighbors as we were passing by. 

Not everything has been roses - my computer died, Rosie has been a little anxious and I don't know why, trump is still president, I'm too fat - but life is good and I have no complaints. I hope we all go into the New Year in good health and with hopes for a peaceful, prosperous, compassionate year ahead. Best wishes and much love to all. 

Happy Holidays 2019

December 1: After posting the last entry, I sent the next two days decorating for Christmas. As I said, it seems like a lot for just me and Rosie, but I do love seeing the ornaments that I've collected over the years. I must have the most eclectic/tacky tree around - it has everything from Washington state salmon to Chinamen and every color of the rainbow!! In most cases, I can tell you where I got them and there may be a story attached! While decorating the tree, I thought I'd look for some music on my phone to add to the decorating, so I tried Spotify. So, I'm listening on my phone, which doesn't have much range..... when all of a sudden it begins playing on my TV!!  When I opened an account on Spotify, it asked me to choose 3 or more artists, which were artists like Queen, EJ, Van Morrison, and a little bit of Bruno Mars, Celine Dion, etc. Then it came up with a Day 1 Playlist. So I decorated the tree while listening to some of my favorite oldie goldies (from Saudi days) - they threw in some artists I didn't know, which was great. If I liked them, I listened. If I didn't, I deleted it.  It was a full day of great music and they also showed a playlist for the next few days. I'm liking this more and more.....

I'm not going to bore you with Christmas decorations as I have re-cycled the same ole thing for years. If you want to see the basics, you may go HERE and check out the video in the middle of the entry......same thing only different by a smidgen! Going to that page only reminds me of how long we have been resisting. No wonder I'm tired!!

Our glorious weather has continued, though we have rain this afternoon. Even so, it was 66 when I got up and I was definitely overdressed when I walked Rosie - or she walked me if the truth is told.

December 15: Where has the time gone? After my last post about Spotify, I got inspired. I started looking at speakers like Alexa and found that Home Depot had a doorbuster of Google Home Minis for $19 each. So, I headed down and picked up two, one for the bedroom and one for the den. Now I can say, "Hey, Google, play Freddie Mercury" and it does. I can have music playing while I fall asleep (rather than MSNBC - a great step forward in self-care and sanity). I can ask Google questions or to remind me of things. I then got online and ordered 2 wifi-outlet plugs, one for each Christmas tree. Now I can tell it when to turn on the trees or, better yet, I have scheduled it to turn on and off at specified times. I'm loving this stuff!! After Christmas, I will use the plugs to turn lamps on and off in the evening.

Life has also been busy otherwise. We had a fun Liberal Ladies holiday party. This time it was without a speaker but we had a trivia game about liberal ladies. It was lots of fun and out table (Rachel Maddow) came in second. We were beaten by one point by Nancy Pelosi's table!!

The usual suspects:
Carol, Chris, Me, Tippy, Diane, and Diane's friend.

This photo is from the Democrat Club Christmas Brunch. It was a wonderful spread and we were lucky enough to sit at the table with our local club leader and the speaker for the event, Trav Robertson, who is head of the state Democrat party. The table conversation was fun and Trav was a great speaker.

In the meantime, my computer died, which panicked me as I do the Liberal Ladies newsletter and the Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate's Facebook page!!!! I immediately got online in search of a Geek but could not see one for two days! So, yesterday I went to Best Buy to see a Geek with all fingers crossed. I was helped by a delightful young lady who informed me that if the laptop would not come on, which mine no longer would, there probably wasn't much they could do.😰 Then, she proceeded to use her electrical/charger on my laptop, and - voila - my computer comes to life! My charger had died. So, I feel like I was spared a big expense and it's always a treat to have a positive encounter. Even so, BB didn't have the connection I needed and to order one would not solve the issue until Dec. 24! The young girl told me to check Staples and Target in case they might have one on hand. So, I was able to find one sooner and am able to complete this before Christmas.

After the brunch, while I had on my holiday, red sweater, I thought I'd take a photo of Rosie and me for an ecard to friends. Silly me!!  It was a comedy of errors and I was never able to get Rosie to put her ears up. We looked so silly that I decided to make a gif of it. It is looking doubtful that I will get cards out (protesting Tuesday and having friends over on Thursday), but I hope this will bring cheer (laughter) to your holidays. Please know that I am thinking of you, dear friends, and wishing you all the best at Christmas/Hannukah and the New Year.
Love and

Merry Christmas

And

Happy Holidays

To All

via GIPHY

Thanksgiving and Before

Many thanks for your Thanksgiving wishes. It was a glorious day but not without surprises. I will let you see the photos before I tell the story!



Tippy, Kieran and I decided to go to Hudson's for Thanksgiving this year. Every year Hudson's gives the restaurant to St. Andrew's by the Sea who feeds anyone who shows up on Thanksgiving from 11AM-3PM. Last year they fed 1600 people and it's known for being a diverse group of people. I've heard of it forever but have never been, so this was the year. We got there a little after 11AM and there was already a line. We met a lovely couple from Ontario and a family from Pittsburgh in front of us and a nice, young Mexican family with three kids behind us. It was a fantastic day and everyone was chatty and welcoming. They had face painting for the kids, a band, and Mr; & Mrs. Santa! It was really well planned and staffed. Looking back, my first clue that something was wrong was when Tippy said she was tired and wanted to sit for a minute. It was also sunny and warm, so warm that I took my coat back to the car. There was quite a long wait and as we were getting near, Tippy grabbed my arm firmly and said, "I'm feeling dizzy". I know by the grasp and her fading look that she was serious. The gentleman from Ontario took one arm and he and Kieran walked her toward an ambulance that was there on standby. By the time she is seated, she is throwing up. The paramedics were fantastic - her BP had dropped to 88/62. They called in a second group who checked her BP again (more normal) and did an EKG. She was feeling better by the minute but they recommended they take her to the Emergency Room to be checked out, which they did. She was dehydrated and was given fluids. She was the second person to go to the ER from Hudson's and one of the nurses said we were "dropping like flies" which tickled Tippy! We didn't get lunch but they even offered to pack something for us. All is well that ends well and we'll have to try again next year. Lynn and Tom had also invited me to have Thanksgiving with them, but since I had plans for Hudson's, they invited Rosie and me over for dessert. By the time we walked home, many of our neighbor's were out walking around and enjoying the end of a lovely day.

Check the "Photos from Friends" tab at the top to see what Thanksgiving was like in Albuquerque, NM!!

You can tell from the photos that the day was beautiful. We have been having glorious weather - chilly mornings but sunny and warm (60s) by mid-day. While Jan and I missed the peak of the fall leaves when we did our road trip to the mountains, we have had some color here in my own neighborhood.




From my last blog entry, you know that Chris and I were going to celebrate her birthday by going to see Harriet followed by dinner at Bricco. What I didn't mention is that Chris; birthday was on the 16th and Tippy's was on the 18th. so, I sent an invitation to the usual suspects inviting them to surprise Chris when we showed up at Bricco. Then I sent a second one, excluding Tippy and Kieran, and notified everyone that we would actually surprise them both! I provided a cake and Sally showed up with balloons and Birthday Girl pins. The surprise was fun and I think everyone enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the service was VERY slow but the food was good - and I think we actually pulled off the surprise!!



Lynn, Tom, and I also did our outreach to liberal neighbors, which was fun. Everyone seemed happy to meet each other and it was a good evening. I'm hoping we will follow up with something else after the holidays are over.

Speaking of the holidays, I am in total denial. I'm debating whether or not to put up decorations. It seems like a lot of work just for me; but, if I don't I won't see my ornaments, which I do enjoy. If I'm going to do it, I'd better do it soon to get the most out of it.

Reyna just returned from Mexico and while she was there she had one of my earrings replaced/re-made. I lost one when in Panama and was upset because it was one of my favorites and I have a  matching bracelet. I sent some of my pieces that I never wear to be used to make the replacement.  The goldsmith did an excellent job and I am so happy to have the complete set again. The bracelet was given to me by fellow teachers in Dhahran when I left Saudi and I bought the matching earrings, so they have great sentimental value.

I finally found a fleece jacket for Rosie that is actually long enough. I also found an Advent Calendar for Dogs so, at this point, she is more prepared for the holidays than I am!!

Happy Holidays!

Odds and Ends!

I'm here nursing a cold with not a lot to report. After the fun road trip with Jan, I had to have my usual reclusive time, which led to limbo time - I haven't been able to focus or get much done since. just lying around in limbo-land. Thus, I am behind in everything!!

Tippy and Rosie time

• Ann - thank you so much for your recent email. I had not heard from you in a while but thought you were busy grandmothering!! Will be in touch ASAP.
• Cheryl - all of my routines are broken and I haven't tangled (or walked) in weeks!! Send me anything you've done as a motivator. I hope all is well there.
• Eileen - we need to catch up, too. No doubt you are as busy as ever!
• Jan - have been meaning to let you know that I've made the pickled onions and am enjoying them with avocado toast. If I could just find the large sun-dried tomatoes like we had.....not that I really need to, but they would be delicious.
• Jean M for Doug - a belated Happy Birthday!! It looked like you are celebrating well. Hope you enjoyed the trip.
• Rhonda T - Rosie and I are still alive (just hibernating!). You asked about Tippy and she is doing well....as you can see. She is out and about and sounding like her usual self. She has lost a lot of weight and has the terrible problem of eating everything she can to add the pounds! We got together this week and she came over for some Rosie time!!

I'm sure there are others to whom I owe a message - please forgive me and be in touch again. I will do better!!

In addition to my usual activities,

• I have joined World Affairs Council. This month's speaker was Dr. Monica Limpia from Costa Rica, speaking on A Small Country with Big Ideas. It was very interesting and makes me even more interested in visiting Costa Rica.
• Chris and I went to a Lean Ensemble play, The Humans, about a dysfunctional family at Thanksgiving, which will lead us appropriately into the holidays!! So as not to end on a sad note, we followed the play with a nice meal and good conversation.
• We also went to see The Capitol Steps (We put the mock in democracy!) on Sunday. They were very entertaining and clever, but then they have had a lot of political material on almost a daily basis. 

It has turned cooler here and it is nice to see the leaves falling and feel the crisp morning air. It seems to add a spring to Rosie's step {and mine} as we take our morning walk. By now, you know that Rosie is Miss Congeniality in the neighborhood. My neighbors about four doors down have two granddaughters who spend Friday nights with them. The girls have drawn pictures - one of two girls and a little dog and the other with a rainbow and "WE ARE HERE"! It is our code that when the pictures are posted on their front door, we are to ring the doorbell and let Rosie play with them! I can let Rosie off the leash halfway up the driveway with the assurance that she will only go to their door and whine until they admit her. Then she will run around in a circle - through the kitchen, dining room and den - until she tires. The girls will try to follow while squealing and laughing all the way. It really is fun. Rosie loves it and it makes me happy, too.

Wednesday, November 13: I began this post several days ago but have just gotten back to finish it. The cold wave has hit and the impeachment starts today, so it seemed like a perfect day to stay inside, stay warm, and possibly get a few things done. 

• Tonight is Drinking Liberally and I'm introducing a neighbor to the group. I also invited a lady whom I met at the polls last Tuesday to join us - we've got to make those connections.  
• Tomorrow night is a cocktail party given by one of the steering committee members of LIberal Ladies. This is the same lady whose husband died the day before she had invited us over several months ago! We are all hoping this one is less eventful.
• Then Friday, Chris and I are going to see Harriet (which has gotten great reviews) and then celebrate Chris' birthday with dinner at a new Italian restaurant, which has also gotten good reviews. If it stays this cold, pasta will hit the spot.
• Sunday afternoon, Lynn, Tom and I are giving a meet-and-greet for those in our neighborhood whom we have identified as being liberal-minded. We sent the invitation about 10 days ago and included a resource sheet of as many democratic groups as we could identify. It will be interesting to see what kind of response we get.

So, the holidays aren't even here yet and the schedule is already hectic. This part of the year always goes very fast and we will be in a new year before we know it. I'm not sure I'm ready for it.

I thought I'd leave you with this Halloween decoration. My neighbors outdid themselves this year. They usually have these guys out, but having him climbing the tree is a special touch! I'm always amazed at the effort some people put into Halloween, especially since there are so few kids in the neighborhood. Another cute one was of three witches, all is black flowing fabric which moved with the wind, with pointy hats and holding hands. The first time Rosie saw them, she was frightened. She put her tail down and turned to go home! I reassured her and then she just stood there with her nose twitching, trying to get a scent from them. It took us about four passings before she could walk by without being bothered by them.

Take care and stay warm!