This Morning . . . .

After getting Goldilocks ready for school ~ which meant finding a pair of sneakers to fit her feet, because hers were MIA ~  doing her hair ~ and putting on Snow White (she was here very early this morning because Reasy Peacy had a field trip to The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.!), I gave Baby Girl her morning bath ~ I noticed I was able to do something that I have been waiting a looooonnnng time for.  After getting her dressed, I sat her in her place for breakfast. Then my heart took flight, along with a comb and a teeny-weeny pony tail holder!  I just love the results ~ my Grand Be`be` is growing up.

Somewhere in the midst of this, I listened as Jenny descibed how their family pet had very quickly, very unexpectedly,  gone down hill.  They had to put Chessie to sleep last night.  The family was with her.  I can hardly write this without feeling a huge knot in my chest.  I am not a pet person, but I understand all too well the attachment that families have for their pets.  And Chessie had been with them for ten years. She came from here on the shore.  Jenny wanted an authentic Chesapeake Bay Retriever.  How much more so than to come from the bay area?  This silly dog drank antifreeze about five years ago.  They didn't think she would make it, and if she did pull thru chances were slim that she would be "right" or live very long.  She did, however maintain a decent level of sanity ~ tee-hee ~  and lived for five more years.  She loved her humans, and they loved her!

So, with all this transpiring in a matter of minutes I decided in a matter of seconds that I would bake some pumpkin bread when I put Baby Girl down for her morning nap.  She's good about AM naps! I can usually count on a two hour time frame ~ now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

As I'm cleaning up from mixing my bread, I notice out the window the second graders making their yearly trek through Downtown Hebron.  They visit the bank, the post office, and Town Hall. It's important to know about the heart beat of the town that houses your school.  The cool thing is, they were able to use "Shoe Leather Express"!  School is only a couple blocks down from the hub-bub of Hebron.  And it is a beautiful fall morning!

Can I just say that: "I love fall days like this."?  The sky is overcast, the leaves ~what's left of them ~  are vibrant yellows, reds and golds.  The wind is lilting along, as if it too knows today is a perfectly wonderful fall day and it needs to take it's time to enjoy the journey.  It's the type of day that settles my spirit. Calms me from the inside out.  Makes me feel very domesticated and nostalgic.  I think of days gone by, days at hand, and days yet to come.  I think of people that have entered, stayed, and left my life.  I. Think. Of. Life.

Well, Be`be` is rustling.  I think she smells the pumpkin bread!  Better go ~ she's not one to wait! ! !