Wow. Where did the Summer go?

I feel like I must have inadvertently stepped into a time machine. Seems like yesterday was mid-August, now suddenly October is nearly done.

Let's see if I can remember what has happened...

In August, Sara and I traveled to Seattle to watch a production of Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, put on by the production company Jake and a few friends have founded. Well done. Sometimes actors chant Shakespeare, sometimes they sing-song his lines. Rarely do actors actually speak the lines as in a conversation. Happily, Jake's company's version was the latter.

Next summer, the company (Renamed "Handwritten Productions") will produce Jake's fourth play: The Munich Post. He finished the final draft a month and a half early, and has farmed it out to friends and family for review and comments.

End of August/early September, I went for a week of hiking and touring with the Wolfhounds and a friend from Florida who had never been to the PNW. We spent time in every Oregon Biozone: Mountain, high desert, river valley, lakes, ocean and Portland.

The 'Hounds were awesome traveling companions. And as much as I enjoyed the human company, and seeing Oregon from a newcomer's perspective, I am eager to try a solo hike -- just be me and the dogs. And I'd like to do a long hike with Jerry and the dogs.

Sidney came up for a long weekend, and we "scrubbed" the COAST (Continuum of Autism Spectrum Traits). We are very close to a working prototype. Next step: Find some sites willing to administer and review the scale with their parents, and compare the COAST results to the results of already administered autism tools. Sidney is now busily editing the draft while I re-learn InDesign for the book layout.

Then school started up in September, and I spent a week in Juneau training some teachers on our assessment system for kids with severe cognitive delays. I'll go to Anchorage to deliver the advanced training next week.

I rented out the middle bedroom to a lovely retired gourmet chef /caterer. Christine moved in October 6, and left on the 9th for a week and a half visit in Georgia. I'm nearly done painting her room. The master bedroom is occupied by John Monday through Friday morning -- he's a plumber from Medford working on re-plumbing a state park near Monroe.

And here we are, middle of October. Before the year disappears, I'll find time to visit Jake and Sara, hike with Jerry and the 'Hounds, take my little fishing boat out and do some fishing, and finish some home fixups.

And start planning for Thanksgiving III (Saturday, November 27 -- Sara asked for lamb instead of turkey...)

Life is good. Fast, but good.