Caitlin got home today from a two-night school trip to the Poconos. She was in Hickory Run State Park and a good time, although came home exhausted from having slept on the floor of the dining hall. They actually did have cabins, but no one would sleep there after bears began wandering through camp, knocking on the dumpster, tearing screens out of windows and just generally making a bear-like ruckus. After reading about the self-styled "bear expert" who was mauled to death this week (which was, gruesomely, caught on audio tape), I'm glad I hadn't thought about the threat of bears where she was camping.

I had lunch today with two female co-workers at one of the beautiful old Revolutionary War-era inns that are scattered throughout the countryside here. The meal was wonderful consisting of crab bisque, lobster crepes, tiny pumpkins filled with a cinnamon and nutmeg spiced pureed squash, and a cappuccino/chocolate/toffee ice cream delight (I think they had a more elegant name for the dessert, but those were the ingredients). Here's a sampling of the topics we managed to squeeze into our conversation:
1. The Mayoral race in Philadelphia, including the bugging of the mayor's office.
2. Governor Schwarzenegger, whose election still has us all stunned.
3. W - no consensus on this one, but it was generally agreed that he's not the brightest bulb in that family chandelier.
4. Roy Horn - you play with wild animals, you're eventually going to be bitten.
5. The aforementioned bear guy - or eaten, as the case may be.
6. Intimidation (no, not in the mayor's race) - I was, once again, told I'm intimidating at work. I just don't see it. Demanding, perhaps.
7. A juicy, simmering HR issue involving charges and counter-charges, scandal and sin (well, anger is one of the seven deadly sins)
8. Grudges - who's holding them and why.
9. Women in business - why everyone admires her, but no one wants to be Carly Fiorina.
10. White collar and blue collar - the definitions thereof.
11. The most attractive sales guy in our company 12. The pending re-org at work - who will end up where
13. Pets - dog, cats, they all shed.
We're already looking forward to our winter holiday outing.

Tonight I watered the mums I had planted over the weekend. The moon was full-ish (95% I believe the weather channel reported) and glimmered through the trees in the neighbor's back yard. Somehow I never notice the flowers in the daylight, but they retain their charm even in the gauzy moonlight.

Music: Loudon Wainwright III, Little Ship. Lyle Lovett, I Love Everybody.