Fall begins today.

I am happy.  My sister Maureen is sad.  She feels melancholy when summer officially ends.  I welcome the shorter days and cozier nights.  She misses carefree sails, every evening after work, with her husband Olivier, out of Noank and back.  I like apples.  She makes apple pies.  Maybe she will make one and feel happy.  I hope so.  I know I will, because she will give me a piece, and she makes the best pies in the world.  I also hope she has many more sails before it's time to take the boat out of the water.  But still; I respect her sadness even as I love the season.  It's funny, how two people so close can feel completely different ways about the same thing.

My friend gave me a chrysanthemum.