Yesterday was the best of this extraordinary October. Temps in the low 70s, no wind, sunshine.<\/p>\n
It was also, I knew, the last of the great days, which made it very poignant as well as making me want to stay outside — a choice of which Ava heartily approved. We managed by running errands, taking extra walks, and then (because of construction traffic) a long detour into the country.<\/p>\n
—–<\/p>\n
This particular detour is a pretty as anything we’ve got around here. It runs along river and wetland, through tiny pocket neighborhoods, and past farms. Friendly and bucolic.<\/p>\n
It also runs past the home of our local serial killers, where several of their victims were dispatched. It’s a strange feeling. Strange story, too, but that’s for another day.<\/p>\n
—–<\/p>\n
To my regret, I had to spend an hour and a quarter indoors in a basement room at the height of the day’s goodness. A lawyer was giving a public presentation on wills and all that planning and other documentation that goes with them.<\/p>\n
I’m glad I attended because I learned that the will I thought<\/em> I had might not even be recognized as a legal document because it’s holographic. The prospect of the state or a family member I haven’t spoken with in 30 years getting what ought (literally) to “go to the dogs” made me want to rush home and use the rest of the sublime day to type legalese and hunt up witnesses.<\/p>\n I refrained.<\/p>\n But I will do it soon.<\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n Today wasn’t terrible. It was just gloooooooomy until about 2:00 p.m. Then the temperature rose 10 degrees and the outside world beckoned. <\/p>\n I swept leaves for the third time this fall and whacked away at spiderwebs that circle below the eaves, span empty spaces around the porch, and descend near-invisibly from above my path (always precisely at face height). Medium tan spiders, all appearing to be related. They’re everywhere<\/em>. And they do not enhance Mo Saoirse’s curb appeal one bit. <\/p>\n Ahem.<\/p>\n So I worked. But mostly Ava and I just wanted to be out there.<\/p>\n The weather may be like this for the next few days. Monday night, I think reach the end of our version of Indian Summer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yesterday was the best of this extraordinary October. Temps in the low 70s, no wind, sunshine. It was also, I knew, the last of the great days, which made it very poignant as well as making me want to stay outside — a choice of which Ava heartily approved. We managed by running errands, taking extra walks, and then (because of construction traffic) a long detour into the country. —– This particular detour is a pretty as anything we’ve got around here. It runs along river and wetland, through tiny pocket neighborhoods, and past farms. Friendly and bucolic. It also…<\/p>\n