Trifecta*

 Since El Jefe, el muy viejo sargento de la fuerza aérea, has been waxing poetic with pictures of Fall in the Far North East, I thought it best to counter with "yeah, well, 'bout 3 weeks too late!"  The Fall Foliage was rather muted as we sailed the St Lawrence.

But, even a retired fighter pilot and a retired MSgt don't can't reschedule Mother Nature.

Or even moderate her.

Pedernales River near our place.  This is LOW water compared to the Llano River north of us.

Our Stock Pond, a day after the rain stopped. The far side is about 15' deep

However, once the flooding ended down here and the ark came ashore, we were treated to some fall foliage of our own

 

 Our Chinese Pistach Tree is showing its colors quite nicely.  That's our guest house in the background, it will figure later in the post.

So....Fall?  Check.  In the 40's in the morning.  70's in the evening.  Just about perfection especially with the Fall Back aspect of DST.  Much nicer driving in when the sun's up.  Makes the deer easier to see.

As I mentioned last week, the Juvat clan was headed into some major course changes in the ensuing week.

9 g's will turn you around in a hurry, I'd estimate this weeks changes at about 13 g's.

Source

Or for you nautical types out there. (You know who you are.)

Coming about Sir!

Source

 The week started Sunday with Dinner.  Last chance for the gang to get together and wish Little Juvat and his Bride "Bon Voyage".  So we did it up pretty well.

From L to R: DIL, Little J, My Niece, her new son, her Daughter, her Husband, My Sister, Mrs J and some dopey old Fighter Pilot.

Carnitas was the dish, some beer and wine was consumed and a good time was had.  After dinner we adjourned down to the Guest House where some Oak was consumed in the creation of a dessert I'd never heard of prior (S'Mores,  evidently I've led a deprived life never having been a girl scout.)

Did I mention that my phone died in New York City and with it, all my pictures from Boston, Newport and NYC?  

So, I'm playing with my new one.  Yes....I went to the Dark Side.  I contributed to the Steve Jobs foundation.  Little Juvat having advised me there was an app that would allow us to communicate directly from his new duty station.

So, my photographic talents still need practice.  Yes, that is my stockinged foot, a glass of single malt scotch and a marshmallow roaster.  My blood sugar was not within acceptable parameters the following morning.  Mea Culpa!

Tuesday, Little Juvat and DIL and my Granddog, Tex, loaded up and drove to Houston.  Wednesday, they blasted off for the Sandbox. Thursday we get confirmation that all had arrived safely.

Tex, resting comfortably on the cool quiet floor of their apartment.

So, that change in course succeeded.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Mrs J's change in course is a bit more convoluted.  We have to move out of her store.

Did I mention I LOATHE moving?  I've moved (defined as changing zip codes for mailing address) something like 50 times in my life.  That's a lot, but do you know why I LOATHE moving?

It has precipitated every single time.  

This time was no different.  We knocked off at about 1900 on Tuesday, 2100 on Wednesday  and Mrs J finished up the last load on Thursday AM.  Final Clearance sales cleared out most of the inventory, quite a few of the racks and other equipment went to St Vinny's and most of the rest was donated to a local children's home. 

Some of it however made it home.  Where I'm sure it will mate and reproduce in a manner that will make rabbits blush, consuming all available space in our house.  Millennia from now, archaeologists will discover my remains under it all and say "What a terrible way for a fighter pilot to be buried."

But so it is.

This weekend was our first together in a long time, vacation's excepted.  Suffice it to say we have some adjustments to make.  Our Battle Rhythm is not coordinated yet.

Did I mention that our refrigerator took this moment to croak?  Freezes everything hard as a rock.  Lowes delivered the new one today.  Some genius mis-measured the gap.  Said genius then had to drive back down to Lowes and order another.  This time having measured the gap at least 14 times with Mrs J's supervision on the last 5.  

It'll be delivered on Veterans day.  But the floor it will rest on is clean.

Wednesday, I put my retirement papers in. Crickets......Which is fine by me.  I'll spend the last two months doing what I know needs to be done and training my replacement.  However, I'm not sure she's going to stay either.  She's taken some short notice time offs recently.

Some biblical saying about "reaping what you sow", comes to mind. 

 Friday Night finally arrived and Mrs J, my Sister and I went to "The Club" for a light dinner and some wine.  Rather Nice!

Sarge,  the band was our age, playing 60's and 70's rock.  The Music was great, but the vocalist had a very high pitched voice, almost a falsetto, which detracted.  That having been said, the crowd was entertained and the band had fun.  

Maybe a retirement option, Neh?  Keep up the Drum practice.


So, all in all....The Juvat family got through Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes week with flying colors.  

* "Refers to a group of three (usually desirable) things (such as “the trifecta of curing cancer, ending hunger, and putting an end to war"). It is found in everything from advertisements to media company names to casual speech."  Source