Autumn Arrives

Rarely have I observed such a clear division between the seasons; the last day of August was fine and hot, and the first of September a dreary gray with a definite, well, perhaps not quite chill, but at least distinct coolness in the air. Here we go...

It was a short and not particularly fine summer - just a few weeks of fierce heat following the protracted blustery and wet period that passed for spring. It doesn't say much good about Our Nation's Capital that I saw just about the nicest stretch of summer in May - in San Francisco.

But in any case life goes on. It's taken quite a while, but I think at last I've recovered from our week with our Egyptian friend Ahmed. It was enormous fun, but having someone of his energy around was a reminder that we're not quite the butterflies, socially speaking, that we were back in our Sandlands days. We actually went out clubbing three nights in a row (a good three more than we average in the usual stretch of six months or more), and while it was all tremendously diverting, I was shattered for days.

But now I've caught up, more or less, on sleep, and things are starting to pick up as the autumn approaches. For my sins, I somehow got on the hook to lead a week of training at the office, and so I've been bustling about lining up reluctant speakers and trying to keep my colleagues from running totally amok in regard to my exquisitely carefully devised schedule - they keep trying to insert additional coffee breaks and, far worse, "drop ins" by various Golden Handcuffs VIPs. There is really nothing more fatal to effective corporate training than the presence of a Senior Vice President who Just Wants To Say A Few Words, that much I know.

And then there are all things political, of which the less said by the likes of me the better.  All I know is that the average five minute stretch of public radio these days makes me want to rush to the side of dear Mr. Peenee and score some of his dolls.

But all is far from woe - it appears entirely possible that Mr. Muscato will get a rare Sunday off tomorrow, and if that miracle really does happen, we're going to toddle downtown with the dogs for a nice morning at the Eastern Market and a lavish sidewalk brunch, just like people (as opposed to benighted suburbanites...). If I'm lucky, I'll get a good shot of Koko in his urban incarnation for your pleasure; it's been far too long since we've since much of the terriers round about here, don't you think?