This afternoon at Larz Anderson, up on the hill. Lydia next to me, memorizing something Shakespeare for homework. Grace nearby in the shade, reading a murder mystery. I, like a cat in the sun, with the new book love of my life: The Art of Fielding. And of course the coffee.
At some point, Lydia turning to me, “Happy October!”
leaf stitch word 
My grandparents used to take me to Larz Anderson Park – what a wonderful place! They had this incredible, huge, circular slide that we could slide down all day long if allowed. Then one day we went and it was gone. I heard some kids talking, and they said someone had fallen off the slide and died, and that’s why the slide was gone. As an adult, I’ve idly wondered if this was true or just an example of kid gossip gone wild. (Yes, I’m a librarian, and could look it up if I really wanted, but was never sure if I really wanted to know.)