Country Roads, Take Me Home, West Virginia

6:48

7:13

7:20

7:20

It's early, 6:25, and we hope to off to visit our granddaughter Hayden at West Virginia University in Morgantown, a four to five-hour drive depending on the roads. After spending Wednesday night in Morgantown, we will drive to Bristow, VA, for three nights, visiting our daughter Jill and her husband Drew. We are looking forward to seeing everyone, especially my sister Ellen and her husband Walt.  At the moment, it's 7:10 and a strip of orange fills the eastern sky, just above the hillside, on a 40º morning. It's 8:25 and I am back from a brief half hour on the lake, another spectacular morning sky and shoreline. 

Paddling Into The Sun (thanks to our neighbor,  Joe)

Sun Just Rising

Victoria/Woodlawn

Woodlawn

Yesterday was another perfect autumn day, sunny with puffy clouds, and highs in the low 70s. I got in a good long paddle before heading off to yoga at 9:15. Class was not over until 11:00, a bit longer than usual. I then stopped at the bank to pick up some cash for our trip, gassed up the Outback, and stopped in Wegman's briefly. I was home by noon and Evie had been busy, making a coffee cake, cleaning up, and beginning to pack and organize for our trip. We will be gone four days, returning home on Sunday. I had leftover rigatoni and cauliflower soup for lunch but it was interrupted by the arrival of the guys who were going to pump out our septic tank, something that needed to be done after ten years. It took them about a half hour, good guys, and interesting to talk with. When they left, I finished my lunch and then adjourned to the couch to read and nap, 

Around 2:30, I finally got busy and started packing and organizing for our trip but it was hard to do. It takes me all of 15 minutes so I shouldn't complain. I have it easy compared to Evie. While I was packing she mowed most of the yard but ran out of gas so I finished up the last quarter of the yard. It sure looks pretty but will be covered with leaves when we return on Sunday.  Around 4:00, I had a call with a guy from Schwab, introducing himself and tried to get me to use him as a financial advisor. Unforuthanatley, I already have one I like. After the call, Evie gave me a quick shearing so I look presentable when we meet my granddaughter on her campus. Don't want to embarrass her. 

Dinner With Good Friends

By 6:00, we were showered and gussied up and on our way to our friends, Dick and Caran, for dinner. They both have some teaching background and I taught their son Rick at Reserve so we have been friends for quite a while. And we love going to their house because they know we love lamb, especially grilled.  We sat in their living room, enjoying a Manhattan and appetizers while the butterflied leg of lamb was on the grill. Dinner was the lamb, with roasted potatoes, and my favorite swiss chard from their garden. We spent the evening reminiscing mostly about our teaching experiences in various schools, states, and countries. It was a fun evening. We were home by 9:15, in time to finish the last episode of The Killing.