ring, spark, water bowl

* I am early. The guest of honor has not arrived nor any guests. I snag women who look like they are here for the party as they walk by, coming in from the cold. They continue to come even as we settle at a table downstairs (the g of h arrives from the dentist) and we pull over tables and tables and tables until the room is at a bursting point and filled with ladies ooing and admiring THE RING.

*"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person." How many times I have borrowed a spark!

*A water bowl sloshes with a brown cocker spaniel ear.

29th, road, square

*T e-mails to ask if this is his sister's birthday and I plunge into memories of 29 October 1972--the wet red and yellow leaves on the early morning sidewalk on the way to the hospital, the amazement of delivery after succumbing to imaging I would be pregnant for the rest of my life, bliss.

*We drive a favorite road which runs (funny, a road running) parallel to the mountains, far out on the prairie past enormous grain silos, dodging tumble weeds.

*I master a mitered square!

Mma, reservoir, ears

*Mma Ramotswe

*I drove to the reservoir road and paused to view the autumn hued city. On my right is the city, on my left is the brimming reservoir with late season boaters slicing through the cold blue water.

*The ears of Wilson the basset hound flap in the gale-like wind.