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Life back home goes on, whether we are here or not. But despite missing the relaxed peace of the cottage, there is always something good about being home, especially during this time of year when everything is ramping up. For me, the ramp-up was a reunion with my college roommates. And then, Halloween is just around the corner! 

And right after that, the annual art sale. I'm getting my inventory together so I don't have to hustle too much at the last minute! 

But first -- many of you asked in comments if we had thought about turning the cottage into a year round home and the answer is yes, and in fact, Rick would like that. I'm not a cold-weather woman. So, I told him that if he wanted to put in a furnace and pay for the additional utilities of heating and maintaining the house in the winter, he was welcome to do so. (In fact, when I was a kid, my parents did that; that furnace has long since died!)

We would go up for Thanksgiving, decorate for Christmas and return on Christmas day after dinner with my grandparents. Dad would ice fish, none of us wanted to ski and it was fine, but very lonely! 

Back then my aunt and uncle were living close to the cottage and sometimes Dad and I would take out Wendell's snowmobile. It felt fun then, but I'm pretty sure I would hate it now! 

 

It is expensive enough maintaining two homes, even if one is only six months of the year. Besides taxes and insurance, keeping it open in the winter would mean heating bills and utilities, internet and potentially plowing or a lot of shoveling. So, unless he decides that several weeks of skiing would be worth the expense, it's a no-go, as enticing as it might seem.

 

On a more fun note, I gathered with my college roommates for a fun reunion. The five of us lived on the same dorm floor for two years and then in two different apartments during our junior and senior years. Obviously, we got on well! In addition, the various others who crossed our paths became part of our "group." This is four of the five of us.

I'll have more about that in another post -- but it was such a wonderful tonic -- loads of laughter and fun. 

 

Our gathering ended on world's nicest day -- a true rarity. So I took advantage of sunny and 75 to take a walk down to the Ditch.

It looked beautiful. Though many of the leaves had dropped, those still there were dazzling.

 

And, I saw my buddy, Harry. I can't tell you what a joy it was to see my big bird, still here! 

 Here's a closer look!

Harry wasn't the only wildlife at the Ditch. Bushy Squirrel was hanging out, too!

 

Then on Wednesday, Kate and I had an art day. I have to hustle for my upcoming sale and it was good to just sit and paint. I got a few more cards done, plus some experiments.

This was a new technique. I think I like it!

  

I have more to share -- a wonderful roomie reunion, October decorating, books from September (yes, September). More to come!

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