Subject: Weekend Update: October 3-4
Date:    Mon 10/5/98  7:48am

It is sweater weather in New England now; at least in the mornings.  I
need to get the storm windows up.  Meant to do it; didn't get to it.
The wood man will be delivering three cords, hopefully sooner this
week so I can get stacking.  The huge maple, low and out back, has
begun its pilgrimage to red and orange, and then littering on the ground.

On Saturday, a bunch of people got together at our house as a starting
point to go apple picking.  There is an orchard five minutes up the
road from our home so we decided to have a party afterward.
(Surprised, anyone?)  As we traipsed through the orchard, someone saw
what they suspected was poison ivy around the tree from which we were
picking (Spencer) apples as big as small melons.  Whoo boy, does that
put the fear of God in people!  We saw a sign afterward cautioning the
patrons to take care to stay away from poison ivy!  Fortunately, the
only itches we came away with were psychosomatic ones.  Everyone
washed vigorously once we returned to the house!

The orchard had a pumpkin patch, too, so Lucy, Linus, and Charlie
Brown went searching for the Great Pumpkin.  Joy selected two or three
for decoration, and later carving (or pie). After getting home, I
grilled burgers and dogs while the Red Sox disappointed everyone yet
again.

We're giving Jessica opportunity to drive from time to time, on low-
traffic roadways and for short durations... until she gets more
driver's education under her belt.  She is progressing nicely.

Our anticipation builds as we head towards the long weekend, where
we'll sample peak New England foliage in the woods of Maine.

I hope your week goes well.

Mark
                                  @       Mark Metcalfe, Sr. Writer
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