We go to the town dump – recycling station – on Saturdays, the car is stuffed with garbage cans, recycling, cardboard. Fate comes with us, she loves the dump and especially the workers there. If it is not too crowded, I let her out of the car and she hangs out in the office, there is a box of biscuits there.

Fate adores people – all people, and she has good friends at the dump. She sits in the office helping people pay to bring their trash and when we are done, she hops into the car and we leave. Her love of people is quite profound. Today, the dumped closed at noon in honor of Christmas Eve. Maria and I are going out to see “La-La-Land,’ I’m looking forward to it, and will write about it later.

The dump we eerily still today, we were the only people there. Still, the day has a strong Christmas Spirit feeling to it. We went to the Round House Cafe for breakfast, we brought home some wonderful mushroom barley soup.  There were a half-dozen people there to hug and wish Merry Christmas, including Scott Carrino and Connie Brooks from Battenkill.

I think we have found our community. The dogs have found theirs as well. In the morning, we’re going to the Mansion in the morning to say hello to the people who have no families to visit with. We’ll also go and visit the Gulley’s, just to say hello.

Maria gave me a beautiful lotus candle this morning, I have some things for her tomorrow. A lovely Christmas, I wish the same for all of you.