Early Morning

It is the early morning. Last night was the first chilly night of the season.  The temperature went down into the lower 50's. For the first time since I arrived in June all the doors and windows were shut, the fans had been turned off. Princess Pippi slept on my quilt. She wasn't interested in spending the night out chasing mice. Soon, the heater will have to be turned on.

Last night we filled the house with light and celebration. It was my niece's 24th birthday. My sister and I agreed that from our experience, it is the first real year of adulthood for most American kids.  I know that all these transitions are hard for my sister. I went through it 3 times already. But for my sister, it is the barring jolt of the first time, and the emotional sting of the empty nest all at once. But last night we had my niece, her two life long friends, a partner and a child all over to celebrate with us. They are all vegetarians, so I made vegetable soup and French bread. My sister brought home a beautiful cake and some ice cream. There was a party, but mainly it was just a room full of people who deeply care about each other.