Well, we are not waking up at the Mountain in North Carolina, where it would be beautiful. I am sad that the kids did not get to go. But, I was glad to sleep in my big warm bed (with Ray) and wake up in my warm house, with no middle schoolers. It's pretty beautiful here too (and quiet now) and driving up there in the dark is a little terrifying, staying up late and sleeping on not-too-comfortable beds.

I took a bin for pig food down to Five star day, after dropping Ray off, and have to pick it up at 3 on Monday. Then I drove to Joy and Harry's house in Kingswood. The address I had was off--there was no 153 and I drove back and forth. I called Covis and Bob helped me find it -- 155.

Helene, Penny, Deb H.

Joy is dying of cancer. She weighs 80 pounds, but was alert and active when I saw her, sitting up on the couch and getting herself something to drink. She said that whenever she sees the doctors, they like to be sure she understands that she will not be recovering. I heard her assuring her boss on the phone that they need to go ahead and fill her position at work. The only thing she needed from me was company. I am sure sitting around all day waiting to die is about the suckiest feeling there is. Of course, to some extent that is what we are all doing--we just don't know how soon it will be. And she doesn't either. But she won't be here a year from now. Meanwhile, Harry works for the USDA and they are closing his office. They keep putting it off, which is sort of good, but makes it hard to plan. They will tell him in the next month where he has been reassigned, and he will have a month to say yes or no. Then they will have to sell their house (yes, in this economy) and move to that place...while Joy is dying. Hopefully somewhere with good health care. Totally sucky. Of course, there are people with worse stories and similar stories all over. I know another family being affected by the same closure--with a 12-year-old son, who will have to sell their house and move. But no one in that family is dying right away, that I know of.

Herb, Myrna, Paul

So we talked and I knitted. Then I picked up Ray and we went home. It was sunny and cold and breezy and the leaves on the trees are gorgeous. My Dad arrived just ahead of us and unloaded some materials from his car to finish the grape arbor. We visited a little and he watched some TV. I made a rice dish (with peppers) for the Hootluck (hootenany/potluck), which was at 6 at Rosemary's. He had to go to rehearsal at 6.

Deb B., Karen S.

Ray and I stopped to feed the pigs on our way, giving them some leftover rice milk (thanks to Bonney and Hank) with their dog food. At Rosemary's, we had great food and a good time and sang a lot of songs that I enjoyed, with good friends. Bonnie S. just got her Ph.D., so she was celebrating that. I think she is about my age, with white hair. Now she will find a job--it is in sociology. Bill is a peer counselor, so I guess he can find work wherever she does. We drove home about 9:30, still singing and falling asleep, like when I was growing up. Fortunately, Ray didn't fall asleep, just me.