Autumn splendour

Isn't my street lovely? I've been working in the upstairs lounge to take advantage of the view:

Close up of middle window and right-hand window:

Close up of middle window and left-hand window:

You feel as if you are in a park. The downside is a lot of raking. The upside is a street sweeper cleans all the leaves swept to the curb.

In other news... Monday night I saw a Georgian film called Blackbird, Blackbird Blackberry, about a woman forging her own path in midlife. It was interesting. Tuesday night was a documentary about preserving a breed of Hungarian dog. Dogs were invited, so here's himself on the bus.

And at the film:

The film was really good and covered terrain including pedigree politics and Romanian-Hungarian politics.

My complete disinterest in work meant I left early Monday and Tuesday to play golf – both beautiful days after two weeks when the course was mostly closed. I then called in sick on Wednesday and got very serious about preparing for visitors on Friday night.

My dining room table from mid-July to end of October:

And after I prepared for Friday's party:

The flowers are a mixture of grocery store roses and my hydrangeas:

I rented the Rug Doctor and cleaned rugs on Weds and Thursday, as well as mopping floors and doing some painting. Friday I realised I wasn't going to get all 150 things done so I played golf, putting me behind. But if the sun is out and I'm not working, I want my vitamin sun.

I ran home, showered, tidied the place, took Paddy to a neighbour's for the evening (his manners aren't great around a crowd) and was in position when the first neighbours arrived. Twelve neighbours came over and it was a fun night, particularly given that some don't know each other! One of my neighbours is expecting, so it was good to hear how she's getting on. Another neighbour's husband is towards the end of chemo treatment, something I didn't know. It was just great to catch up with people that usually get just a wave when I'm walking Paddy.

6-10 nov