I worked today so that i could take Monday and Tuesday off and drive down to Shunk to close up the house for the season. I was a little bored at one point and took some pictures of myself with iSight on my work Mac.

Worked until noon, then drove down to PA. I was going to stop at a Tractor Supply in Oneonta, but missed the exit. The next rest stop was closed. I stopped at the Tractor Supply in Vestal and it was closed because of flooding. The next rest stop was closed as well. Finally stopped at the Tractor Supply in Sayre and bought some cotter pins for the tractor at the lake. Route 414 was closed at Monroeton, so i headed down 220, but then remembered that there was a back road that might take me around the washout, which it did. Got in around 6:30 and set a fire in the fireplace. Mommy arrived an hour and a half later.

Walked around and checked out the devestation from Tropical Storm Lee, which had passed through a few weeks before. The main dock had been washed down to the end of the lake, the small dock was as pictured, and about half of the foot bridges were off of their footings, but intact. Above is the bridge that Don and i had just built a month or so before.

spent the day using the wood splitter with Steve Blondy, helping him split some wood down at the other house, then splitting the wood at our house. Also took in the swings and trampoline, and started a siphon to drain the canoes. We couldn't figure out why the canoes hadn't floated away except that maybe they were left upright and filled with rain water before the flood waters came...?

Brought in the canoes, put the wood chipper in the barn, brought in the patio furniture, then drove home.

Not too colorful of a fall this year, but some.

My car is very small.

First big road test for the Mini. I drove down to Edna & Greg's house in Littleton. No problems (other than no working heater, but that hasn't worked yet).

Observing at Regionals in Devens. Nothing notable, although i saw a couple of great catches and Ds and actually got some good pictures for once.

Day 2 of Regionals. Observed 3 games then got to watch the last game-to-go in the Mixed: Slow White vs. Odyssee (Slow White won).

Mini drove superbly all the way home.

The painting on my house is done. A bit bright, but i like it. Took the dogs over to Evening Song Farm again.

Worked until 1:30, then drove down to Albany airport. Haven't flown Southwest Airlines in a while and was pleased that the flight attendents are still a bit irreverent on the PA system.

I got a window seat from Albany to BWI, but had a high boarding number for the next leg so had a center seat from BWI to Tampa.

Lots of ultimate players at baggage claim. I got my bag and met Jonna at the rental car desk. We had to wait another 45 minutes or so for J, who's flight was delayed. Then we drove down to Sarasota and checked into the hotel. My roommate was Wally, who i observe with at Regionals.

Arrived at the Sarasota Polo Grounds for USA Ultimate Nationals. I was part of the Observer crew. I was off for the first round, then observed two games, one on the showcase field which was streamed live on the web.

Three games today. Took pictures between rounds while other games were still going on. Light rain most of the day. The woman above did catch that disc.

Had a volunteers dinner at a restaurant next to the hotel.

Observed a womens quarter-final game, then the mixed semi (Polar Bears vs. Wolverines). Most of the observers went out to an Amish restaurant for dinner, then a few of us took a long walk on the beach (how cliche) in the dark, went to a bar for a few minutes, then went back to the hotel.

My observer duties were done. I watched the mens final and took pictures, then watched the mixed final and too pictures. The disc above was wobbling by me when i took that picture.

As soon as the mixed final was over, Hank and i jumped in the rental car and drove up to the airport. We got in, i got through check-in and security, and got to the gate with about 15 minutes until boarding and a very high boarding number. Zach and Elise from Burlington ultimate were on the same flight (direct TPA to ALB) and were the last onboard. For some odd reason though, i got the last window seat.

Left the airport parking lot and drove over to a Panera Bread, which was closed, so stopped at a Chipotle, which was closed because their supplier was in Connecticut, which was snowed in, but the manager told me that the Chopotle in Latham was still open, so i went over there, but then decided to get a sub from the sub shop next door.

Drove up to South Wallingford and picked up my happy dogs from Katherine and Ian. There was snow on the ground, but not much and pretty crusty.