I sank into a dark funk this afternoon, the Black Dog and all. Our power went out – again – it was dark and fierce storms raked the farm, banging and booming and lightning all over the place. I thought my computer might have been damaged by lightning and my back was bothering me, and I am struggling to find time to work on my next book, “Lessons Of Bedlam Farm.”

I sure wasn’t going to get to it today.

Around dinnertime, the power came back on and we decided to go to The Bog for dinner.

We were the only people in the dining room for awhile, and there were only three or four people at the bar, the weather was angry and confusing.

To my surprise and delight Kelly was there. Her smile just lit up the room, as usual, and my black cloud just floated away. I had fish and chips (without the chips) and Maria and I talked how serious we both were and how we worked all the time, and we both wondered if we really knew how to have fun, like some of the people we know.

I know I am sort of serious, and I do not really know how to have fun. We didn’t do that in my family. But Maria and I do have fun together. I think I will always be serious, I am working almost all of the time and when I am not working or writing, I am thinking about working and writing.

I think Maria has a more pronounced fun streak, but she is always working too.

Kelly came over to say hi and ask where we had been. We talked about Gus – she knew about him – and we talked about Red’s illness and the ethical limits and boundaries about caring for these animals and spending so much money when they get sick. Many of you helped pay the $1,300 vet bill when Kelly’s dog nearly died having puppies. “I didn’t want to be a bad pet owner,” she said.

I missed Kelly’s smile, I hadn’t seen it in awhile, and I realized the importance of it tonight. A smile like that justs lifts up the people around and as we left I went over to the bar and we all joked about how popular Kelly was. At the Open House, a number of visitors went to the Bog to see her and meet her, they were excited to find her working.

That smile is a gift, and I am lucky to be able to photograph it. I felt completely at home in the Bog. For years I avoided it, assuming it wasn’t friendly to outsiders. It is actually the friendliest place in town. When I left, I was joking and smiling, and having fun.