Awesome October

This month turned topsy-turvy early on and became a winner! Mark’s big trial in southern Missouri was delayed from October to next June (yes, it will be hot then ), which allowed him to take off three days in the absolute best weather…beautiful sun-drenched days with warm temps and fantastic colors in the trees. We did things around the house and yard, then went to the range one morning and out to Sherwood Lake and the county forest out there for a fine walk. After the past three months of lots of deadlines and pressure for Mark, he really relaxed.

All through the month, I felt better and better and finally got back to lots of energy and worked on getting fall harvesting and cleaning done. We gathered in an enormous yield of squash and pumpkin and throughout the month shared them with family and friends and took about 30 squash to St. Paul’s School. I began enjoying the pumpkin baking: pies, breads, and those melt-in-your- mouth orange blossom sweet rolls, which I made for the crafts ladies. I enjoy having them out very much…on those seventh Thursdays when there is no taekwondo.

The postponement of the trial allowed Mark and me to be here for the October taekwondo testing, always a good gathering and celebration of the progress of students. I also had election training, attended a conference on the redistricting coming in spring, and the last meeting of the board of Aging & Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin as a two county agency. Starting November 1, the ADRC CW will serve four counties---Marathon, Wood, Lincoln and Langlade. It will be exciting to chair meetings of such a large group and watch the expansion happen.

At the end of the month, a buyer showed up for Hazel’s house in Rice Lake, so Mark and I took the trailer over and retrieved the other pieces of furniture to be cherished by the grandchildren. Of course, until they have room, the bed, chest, desk and low dresser will be here. That trip on the 22nd of October was not only the last day of really nice weather, it began with this full moon setting just at dawn over Rudolph. Very nice!

As nice as the beginning weather was, allowing lots of outside detail work, the final week of October featured two days of very high winds and some of the lowest barometric pressures ever recorded inland (not from a hurricane) The wind did damage in several areas, but mostly, made it hard to sleep and concentrate…it felt like an attack! Further north, power was out for several days and schools closed.

We don’t have a lot of spooks and goblins out here for Halloween, but we did get to skype with Jim and Kayme….they are fine and nearing the time for the new arrival in the family. We are all counting down the days.