Beautiful fall

I love this time of year, and the last few days have been beautiful with blue sky, sunshine, and turning leaves. But this afternoon it is back to reality..........rain. That just gives a reason to turn the lamps on low, build a fire in the fireplace and snuggle up with a quilt and a book.

Ken is continuing to improve with a final diagnosis of amyotrophy (caused by the diabetes) as evidenced by a sudden onset of pain in the hip and thigh. But he continues to improve and has completed a month's worth of PT. We have charged headlong into the diabetic diet routine and all is working well. He is at the very low end of the scale, and a few years ago he would not have even been considered to be diabetic.

This past Monday was Colleen's birthday which we celebrated on Saturday with her requestd menu of stew, bread and apple crisp. A pretty easy meal from my perspective. Craig, Cassie and Greta joined us as well as three new faces; Jim and his daughters Noa and Ani.

Colleen and Jim have been a twosome since summer, but I have tried to mind my own business and not get too involved:)!! He lives in Seattle and lost his wife about 3 1/2 years ago so he has been a (super) single parent to the girls who are ten and twelves. We have known Jim for ages as he was Brian's best friend when they were in college at UW and we have always been very fond of him.

Jim has included Colleen in several recent social events where she has met his friends and the folks from his office. In August they spent four days in San Francisco, and this coming weekend they are going to one of the San Juan islands for an annual get-together with friends of his. We are very happy for both of them and are thrilled to have him and his girls be a part of our lives.

Ken is keeping himself occupied by shopping for a new-to-us used diesel-pusher. I am still very content with our current coach, but he would really like the diesel engine. With the wonder of the internet, he has been shopping the entire country, and I see a real possibility of our making a quick trip to Iowa or Minnesota or some other far-flung state should the right rig become available.

I mentioned in a previous blog that we had not seen the Schulers since last Christmas, so they are coming on Saturday for a short two-day visit. She and I use our October birthdays as an excuse to get together this time of year, and we are looking forward to seeing them.

Our friends the Ouseys have been threatening to come and see us, and I think I have convinced them that they need to act on their threats. We are hoping they will come for a visit later on this month. And then we will see them again when we all get to the desert in January (although we hope to leave here right after Thanksgiving).

We had a good time in Prosser on our little mini-vacation last month, and the wine cellar is replenished. I love that part of the state with all the green fields and vineyards. We stopped in Kennewick to visit with my cousin, Ellen Jean, who is about 90 years old and cute as can be. She has had two broken wrists and a broken hip, but she is on her feet and perky as can be. She can't be bothered with staying down.

Happy Halloween. Ciao