So last Wednesday, I’m having Celeste, Rita, Betty, Dot, and Shirley over to the house for a little birthday celebration for Celeste, right? Got the place all spiffed up. I wish I could be more relaxed when entertaining, but I just can’t. It’s important to me that everything’s looking good, clean and tidy. Set the table the day before, so I don’t get jammed up last minute. Splurged on some fresh flowers.

Saturday morning, I went to a yoga class with my niece, Caitlin. She’s been bugging me for ages to go with her, and I figured now’s as good a time as any. Summer’s over, and I’m trying to get back on the good foot, diet and exercise-wise. Besides, Zumba doesn’t start up again ‘til October, so what the heck, right? As they say, the older you get, the more important it is to try new things.

A friend of mine died last week: heart attack, from out of nowhere. Joanne was a wonderful woman: full of life, a joy to be around. We were friendly in high school, then drifted. That happens. But I’d just seen her at our reunion this summer, and we struck up a great conversation. Joanne lives, well, lived in Connecticut, but we promised each other we’d get together for lunch the next time she was in town visiting her parents.

Alas, the end of summer is upon us. But to be honest, we’ve been feeling it up here in Mahoosuc Mills for a couple of weeks now. Though it heats up during the day, there’s a definite nip in the air once the sun goes down. “Good sleeping weather,” Charlie calls it. In the evening, I make sure to close all the windows (except in the bedroom), so it’s not too chilly in the house come morning. And our first shipment of mums has arrived at the A&P. I haven’t surrendered to buying any yet, but it’s only a matter of time.