surprised

yesterday was about as good as it gets. i woke to love from my wife and kids who presented me with their handmade gifts. we had breakfast together and then they were off leaving me to keep inventing the day. i watched "let it be" on youtube and then headed out for a quick ride up to weimar via the back roads. the air had a fall chill and there was a haze of fog and smoke as i rode through the scent of burning leaves. i love moving through the old main roads of these towns. past lake arthur and clipper gap. into applegate and heather glen.

and right about there i spotted a graceful doe standing on the road. i slowed for her without the rudeness of tooting my horn, and she slowly moved to the edge of the woods, stopping to look back (i thought at me) before moving out of sight. as i began to accelerate again i caught glimpse of something moving quickly out the corner of my eye. it was a large buck moving to pursue his doe. i could feel his power as he leaped in front of me. my heart felt like somebody had squeezed it and then let go. as i rode back through the same spot later (much more slowly) i noticed the crossing deer sign this time. yeah.
anyway, the rain began to spit lightly as i got close to home. i garaged the bike and came inside to enjoy a cup of tea and a classic movie as the rain fell steadily harder. later barbara and i got to go out alone together for the first time in weeks. we were invited to a surprise party for our friend chelsey. although the rain was still falling and it was getting chillier outside, our little group inside was warming up. the surprise went off seamlessly as chelesy had never suspected a thing.


and our hosts jenni and brian were superb. with a spread fit for kings and beatniks alike, there was no shortage of eye catching decor throughout their home.


upstairs they had created a craft station where we could take our pick of coloring pages from the indie rock coloring book or making felt moustaches or charlie dog magnets. (charlie is kyle and chelsey's pooch)


we stayed until it was time to go, and although it's been a bit of a rough turnaround getting back up at 6 this morning, it really is as letterman used to say "a good kind of tired".