As the recent months have been, September was relatively uneventful.

I did turn 62, which is a significant birthday for me. It means that I COULD start collecting social security and retirement money. I’m NOT yet, but I COULD. It’s nice feeling there’s a Plan B.

The birthday itself was quiet. A friend and I went to the park by the harbor in the next town and just talked and enjoyed the shade and the fresh air. She brought a cake.

A few weeks later another friend took me to lunch at a Japanese tea house and bakery I’ve been wanting to go to and it was lovely.

One of my “little spots” cleaning up projects. The ebay photo and packing area. It will be such a relief to have all the ebayable stuff gone and the table back in the kitchen and out of the bedroom. That’s a little ways off still but…at least things are moving in that direction.

There has been an uptick in work events after two years of relative quiet. Me and my new officemate hosted a refreshment stop at the Bike to the Beach event where cyclists ride 100 miles from Manhattan to West Hampton Beach. It’s a nice event. They thank us for offering water and goodies, we thank them for rising to raise money for autism.

Also, our twice-yearly Adventureland event, where a local amusement park is closed to the general public and open only to individuals with autism and their families. With the park at only a small percentage of its full capacity, there are few lines to get on rides, and everyone at the park is understanding and accepting of everyone there. Another nice event.

I’d had plans to go to Florida to dog-sit for Katie so she could go to NY to a friend’s wedding. Hurricane Ian almost put a stop to those plans…but the worst of it by-passed Katie and after a day’s delay, I got there and she got to NY. There was devastating destruction in Fort Myers, which is about 70 miles south of Katie. I’m grateful her area was spared…and my heart goes out to the people in the areas that got hit Really Hard.

When I first caught sight of this in the Tampa airport I was like “why is there a giant intestine hanging from the ceiling?” Then I saw the head and beak. Ah. That made much more sense.

And that was September. Summer is over. Fall is here. It’s cooling down in NY nicely. I can sleep with the windows open and snuggle cozily under the blankets and not sweat all night.

Not Sweating is one of life’s great experiences.

The End.