Lunch at the Arboretum

I love days like this! My COD BFF, Carol, and I met at Morton Arboretum for lunch to catch up on all the news in our lives now that we are both retired. We worked in the same department at the college for the last several years that I was there. She retired a year ago...because she's.younger.than.me!...obviously

We were happily chatting away when I glanced out the windows overlooking Meadow Lake just in time to see my first boss at COD, Judy, and her husband, Jim, walking past. She had noticed me first and was waving. They both still work at COD and were taking a lunchtime walk around the lovely lake. I am so glad that they came inside to visit for a little while. If she had not hired me, I would not have met Carol AND I would not have been able to cobble together my various little segments of public employment into a small but decent pension. Yet another person in my life to be forever grateful for having met. By the way...that whole being hired at the college thing was one huge coincidence...another story...I have so many.

You may have noticed that they are all wearing fall clothes: pants and sweaters, real shoes too I might add. Not me, I was wearing short sleeves, capris, and flips...yep, it's time for me to head south and west!

As Carol and I were leaving, FOUR AND A HALF HOURS LATER, this tree caught my eye. I have noticed them this fall and love the green that remains at the end of each branch after the rest turns to that rusty, cinnamon color. Isn't it lovely? There was a sign identifying it as a Shawnee Brave Bald Cypress...what a name for a tree!!!

What I am especially excited about this evening is that I finally remembered to take pictures of these special folks today!

Lovin' Life ~~ Catching Up With Old Friends