Sealed off on the 19th floor, I woke late into a rainy New York city Sunday morning. Time to go home. We are packed and off into the rain, the highway home, a drenching drive, but still, the long sweet conversation with my husband, the kind of continuous conversation you can have, away, undistracted, just together, sharing the hours, and we are talking about the shape of our future, these years post-children filling the house and what is next. And we are in synch, we want the same things in the same places. How lucky we are, best friends in this age of our good fortune. We are driving home in the rain. He is helping his good friends in recovery on the phone, as always, there when needed to listen, to encourage, to challenge, and to support. When we arrive in Sherborn, the first thing I see through the rainy windshield - the trees, the yellows and reds drenched, but still bright and gorgeous on the tree-lined back roads, and I want to jump out of the car and hug them. I am itching to be in the woods on my walk. We stop to see friends and celebrate birthdays, and then rush home, I am out the door with Charlie who is crazed with happiness, and Suzi, trotting along, not so thrilled to be splashing in soaking rain, not as thrilled and enthusiastic as me and Charlie, but eager enough and energetic. Most of the trail is one big leaf puddle we splash through. The rain dashes down through the gold canopy in the late afternoon light. In the swamp we stop to watch the rain and be in the blaze of the red leaves. Home to the fire Frank has lit and the children arriving to celebrate my birthday. I make pizzas and Frank and I bustle together a happy dinner and we all sit by the fire in the living room, and my gifts are books and loving wishes from one and all. This togetherness so sweet. And now I have a son-in-law in the circle. And we always do “appreciations” on each others birthdays, and the youngest suggests a creative variation, and so they give me titles denoting how special I am. Now, snug in her bed, the youngest decides to stay over, finish her laundry, walk in the morning with me. It will be so messy and lovely and I will be so glad to wake up in the woods after my weekend away.