Snared!

The keeper came home late today and let us out until it got dark.  Cecil came in promptly when she called us.  However, I stayed out a bit later, and she came out looking for me with her flashlight.  I wanted her to miss me a bit, and I was hiding next door in the bushes.  But while she was hunting for me she walked into the biggest spider web ever, and was screaming at the spider and its dead prey in her hair. The web draped onto her shoulders.  Poor spiders.  All that work.  And then to become another of her scarves, tossed away.  We rushed to her side immediately, and came in for dinner.  It was a quiet night and we watched Modern Family. Cecil got to eat coconut milk ice cream.

Back to School

The keeper left us to spend Sunday night near Seattle U because she needed to be there at 7 am to begin the first day of  teaching. Yes, as if she weren't involved in enough other things, she thought she would try her hand at teaching at STM.  Thank God it is only one day each month, but you should have seen her grading papers.  Yesterday she brought us home special treats and she fixed herself a G&T.

It's Fall, Sigh.

So, it's fall now, and the pine needles suddenly descended on our mossy back yard.  It's kind of like snow, but warm. It's getting darker sooner so we can't prowl much.  Cecil is starting to chase dogs walking by.  He says he misses his old dog pals in his old house.  He is hoping that they will walk by. I told him they all moved to Hawaii with his former keepers. 

Happy Birthday Dear Katherine!

The keeper taught a class this morning and rushed away to West Seattle where her dear friend K was celebrating her 39th birthday plus a year for the second time.  Friends from childhood, family, and colleagues all gathered for cake, ice cream, and conviviality.  We sent a card with the keeper since we don't like car travel.  The birthday girl was ready for a nap after two hours and constant streams of people.

Farewell to Summer. Sigh.

We are mourning the departure of summer.  It seems like you just arrived, old friend. It seems like you are dying a very premature death.  It's the keeper's favorite season, and hence, ours. We still have summer projects we haven't started yet.  Sigh.  The pine needles are starting to cover the yard with gold, even though the weather is muggy and warm. Sigh.  Soon the chairs will go inside, and so will we. The keeper is already acting like it is autumn, she's never home. Sigh.

Home Again

And the sun set over the river as the train wound its way home.

PDX Station

The station in Seattle is pretty dumpy.  But the Portland trains arrive and depart from a very stylish building.  There is an elegance about train travel from PDX, she said.  We might even enjoy this kind of travel. The keeper likes going Business Class. We are not surprised.