Peaceful moment

We've had just about 24hours to rest and recuperate in Sebastopol before heading back to our ransacked Berkeley house to ransack it some more--a uniquely difficult side-effect of moving.

Our neighbors dropped by last night with a bottle of champagne. His daughter and son-in-law had been to visit and share the news that he is going to be a grandfather. We all drank a toast to the next generation, and went on to discuss the fact that the "greenhouse" he installed at the beginning of the summer could more appropriately be called a "black house" since every plant he puts in there is steamed to death within 24 hours. Fans, thermometers and vents have been installed to no no avail and the dismay of his wife who put her prize orchids in there a few evenings ago.

As a special treat for Ozzie, we took him to the Russian River this morning. Being a water dog , there are few places he would rather be than fetching sticks from the water. Although we are supposedly heading into winter, the weather is lovely and warm--no jackets necessary. Apparently Ozzie got the memo since he is shedding black hair in prodigious amounts. When the weather does turn wintry, we may have to get him a coat.

A little peace and solitude outside in the fresh air can be the best restorative....