Suddenly, Autumn, and All That Entails

(Photo by Pete)

Seriously, it was a bit unseasonably high for most of August. Then a couple Mondays ago, we had a big (well, "big") evening rainstorm, and woke up to autumn. Cool weather, golden light. Nice — but a little too sudden.

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But August's end means two things: Jamie's annual gallery show and Bubonicon. On the same weekend this year. A problem because we were staying in Albuquerque Saturday (after such a great time last year). Meant that Cheyenne had to get to the dogsitter (the other one, about 30 minutes out of town) Friday. The night of Jamie's opening.

Monica was able to juggle her schedule, pack the dog up, meet me downtown so we could all go to the opening. Cheyenne just loves Jamie; generally dancing around when he appears, pestering him for pets and, I'm told, talking to him last time he stopped by. All the crowds threw her off, but she was still happy to see him.



Opening was apparently a big success. We made it to the dropoff and home. Up and on the road early so I could set up for a 10:00 presentation Jamie, Pete, Paul, and I were giving at the convention; sparsely attended, but went well. Staffed the 7000 BC table, sporting the Babelfish that Susanne made to go with the con's Hitchhiker's theme; with all other members there, we could come and go, so I took some time to run errands in the big (well, "big") city.

Gathered up a group, none of us from Abq, to head out dinner. To the Vietnamese place we went last year, one of two places I know in town. Where they were out of rice. And rice noodles. Well, everything really. But they directed us to their sibling restaurant nearby. Which apparently decided to close early. So, to Flying Star, the other place I know, just before low blood sugar just did us in. Worked out well, and even ran into Chris.



Stayed up late gaming with Jon and Susanne. Staffed the table for a little while, added to the rats drawing, then lunch (Flying Star again) to catch up with Rob. Spent a while there, visiting, falling for his iPad. And then on home, exhausted.

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Been busybusy at work. But also, let's see, in there was also a day at a fencing clinic run by the coach's coach, dinner at Stacy and Jim's, and forgetting M+D's anniversary (wince; sorry).

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And Thursday night. Cheyenne, as is often her way when she's had enough of us, was outside in her bed. Some sort of yelp or squeal had us rushing out into the dark, where she was just kind of standing. The stink said skunk activity, though it wasn't much worse than the average summer night smell.

The blood on her collar, well, that spoke to something else. And she did kind of have the stench on her face, but no other visible marks. While Monica got the peroxide/soap/baking soda bath going, I went outside to find messy evidence of Cheyenne's victory. It was only the next morning that we discovered it was just a stub of tail. Ecch.

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This morning, Farmers Market in my new birthday shirt.