We have finally come to my favorite time of year. The leaves are starting to change colors, the air is cool and the breezes are fresh and clean smelling. I love being outside when it is like this. There are still birds flying around and the other day, a cardinal landed on one of the Jasmine vines outside of the lanai. It was big and red and we wondered if it was part of the family of cardinals that built their nest in the high part of the Jasmine bush earlier this year.
In addition to visiting birds, we continue to host family and this time it was Rose and Joe. It was a quick visit, and hopefully a relaxing one for both of them. Rather than pack the days with trips and events, we opted to go to Brunswick town--a museum that tells the history of area. It also has remnants of an old church and pieces of the foundations of homes that were built in the 1700's.
From there, we went to Southport for some shopping and dinner at Oliver's, one of our favorite restaurants.
On Saturday, Rose and I went to the Compass Pointe Craft Fair and sat at the lazy river, just talking. After that, we all went to church (I went to a Catholic church, but claimed dispensation if the Pope suffered a heart attack as a result of my visit!) When we got back, we played an outrageous card game, "Cards Against Humanity."
I enjoy this type of visit. We did a lot of talking, laughing and remembering. I don't think that Rose and I have ever spent this much one-on-one time together and it was nice to take our relationship to a new level.
Joe continues his cancer treatments and looked very well. I finally figured out what a "dry" sense of humor was when I first met Joe. He can be looking straight at you, not cracking a smile, but he is saying the most off the wall stuff. He is quietly and creatively funny. Joe has kind of a crusty shell, but is really a very caring person.
Dixie, of course, had a great time with two new people here to love her. Since Rose and Joe stayed in our guest room, Dixie made sure they knew that this was her alternate bedroom and spent as much time as she could sniffing their suitcases and sleeping under the suitcase stand. Rose and Joe have two Golden Retrievers and are big dog lovers. Unfortunately, I am terribly allergic to them so when we visit Cleveland, I can't spend any time at their house.
In other news, I am planning on attending a writer's conference at UNCW in November and am looking forward to exploring writing possibilities again. I am happy when I am writing and creating written memories.
And so, the year draws to and end with Thanksgiving coming up and a visit from the Lakeland Swegle's.
Donna and Bob will be in Sunset Beach in January and February and our cycle of visitors starts all over again.
It will be good to see everyone again next year.
Joe and Rose enjoying the weather out on the lanai
The Jasmine vines where the Cardinal visited
New roses near our palm trees
Wispy grass on the small island
A really, really dark picture of us at Oliver's Restaurant
The Christmas wreath/centerpiece that Rose
bought me from the Craft Fair
Dixie took over my chair in the office since Joe and
Rose took over her other bedroom!
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