Fall came and then went on vacation ......

 

We went hiking last Monday ~ this is one of the photos I took (probably the best one).  Off in the distance is the Kiwanis cabin built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (or CCC as it is commonly known) around 1930.  It is quite tiny in the photo.  If you want to learn more about it, go here.

We had a great day, the sun was warm, but the temperatures mild with just the slightest breeze.  A few weeks ago we had a very windy evening and night with gusts up to 70+.  The results of that were the Aspens that were at the top had all of their leaves blown off.  The forest floor was covered with them.  Luckily there are plenty more that were in a more protected places that are beginning to take on their golden fall colors.  They were only just started to turn when we were there....

 

Beautiful, isn't it?  That is Sioux and Romeo on the trail.  We both tripped and both of us skinned our right knee ~ I found it funny afterward, although I wanted to take a hammer to the root that I tripped over, haha.  Romeo slipped on one of the rocks which have had so many people walk across them that they are smooth and very slippery with a fine coating of dust on them.  It is so dry, that the soil is very like powder.  My ankles and halfway up my calves were coated with it when we got back in the suv to go home. 

Our weather teased us with cooler days ~ in the 50s in the morning to the low 80s to high 70s for a week, but this week the temperatures have climbed back up to the 90s.  Fall is starting out slow, summer still seems to have a firm grip on us.  It has been a very very long summer, and those of us that are ready for cooler weather are ready for it to go!  I do have friends that hate seeing summer end, although I'm not sure if they like for it to be uncomfortably hot or just prefer the longer days ~ I've already noticed it's darker in the morning when I get up.  We all like longer days.....

Although all is going along, sometimes well, sometimes not......I am concerned about the spike in cases in France, India, Israel and other places.  I've heard opinions that here in the states we will probably have another shut down.  I certainly hope not!  Like everyone else, I am ready to be able to step outside without a mask, hug people, be able to converse without feeling like I have to yell to make myself heard. 

We did have a patient that "went off" on us this past week, her husband and son have the same name, and when the claim was posted to the insurance web site I inadvertently posted her son's claim under her husband's name.  She was really po'd, even though she had, right off the bat, stated that the insurance company had resolved the issue based on OUR efforts.  This was a person who just kept berating us for minutes on end, and didn't allow us to have any part of the conversation.  We kept trying to interrupt, but she wasn't having any of it, and was very rude to all of us.  Which resulted in her being booted from the practice.  I was a tiny bit surprised, but honestly, why should anyone have to put up with that type of behavior?  It's still a free country, we don't have to keep on with people that treat the staff like that.  I wrote the "dismissal letter" (because I'm the writer of stuff that comes out of the office for some reason) and the reason given was that we strive to have a positive relationship that is open and honest with our patients where everyone involved is respectful to each other.  So, there she goes.  We all were speculating on if she responds to every "insult" (how dare we make a mistake!) she encounters.  Our consensus was yeah, she does.  Probably because most of the time it works, and she gets what she wants, although in our case, I'm not sure what she wanted.  For us to grovel before her feet perhaps?  :D

Every other Friday I go over to a friend's house to bake.  The Greek Orthodox church we both are members of has a very nice commercial kitchen, and makes good use of it.  When we aren't in a pandemic, we bake goods for the Greek festival (cancelled this year), Festival of Tables (also cancelled, and is a fundraiser for the women's philanthropic group), baptisms, weddings, etc.  The reason we are "practicing" is because Tula (Greek much?) has retired from the position of handling/organizing menus/maintenance....in fact she moved to Austin.  My friend has been given the dubious honor of taking over for her, and she is in the process (the one thing the pandemic has been a blessing, so she didn't get thrown in) of developing some new baked goods, menus, etc.  She is also "training" me to help her out.  I can bake, no question.  But she is a trained cook, has her culinary degree, and knows much more than I do. 

Yesterday we made these pavlova shells (bottom right) and meringue kisses.  Aren't they gorgeous?  It's a lot of fun even if it is exhausting to work from 7:40 - 2, then go and bake for 5 more hours.  Still, fun fun, and I need some fun!  These particular meringue kisses have been flavored (very delicately I might add) with watermelon flavoring.  I can't wait to try them!

May you all have a great weekend!

Love, 365