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It's autumn. The most wonderful time of the year!

Our Cats

John won't let me dress the cats in Halloween costumes (and I'm pretty sure the cats won't let me either) but you know they would be so cute!

Our cat, Charlie Chaplin, would be so charming adorned with a kitty sized bowler hat. Charlie's brother, Buster Keaton, would look dapper in a straw boater-like pork pie hat like the actor Buster Keaton wore. Keaton converted fedoras into straw boater-like felt pork pies by stiffening their brims with a dried sugar-water solution. This kind of pork pie had a very flat top and similar short flat brim.

I haven't found my favorite costume for Tommy, yet. I saw one costume that initially I adored - Albert Einstein! Alas, it was actually a Beetlejuice costume. The black and white stripes gave it away. See more Halloween Cat Costumes. But it's all conjecture anyway -- John and the kitties almost certainly won't cooperate with me on this.

On September 29 I started decorating for Halloween. I set out a small display in the kitchen and I created a couple of scenes in the windows where the kitties hang out. Tommy claimed one of the windows because it has new pillows with scratchy covers that he likes.

Tommy had another checkup this month and he is a little better now than last time he went to the vet, which is good as this is the third checkup where he has improved. He's also becoming more and more active. Lately his behavior often reminds me of when he was a kitten. He's 14 years and 7 months old so a bit over 74 years in human years. When he was sick he was slow and skittish but now he can keep up with the kit-kats although he avoids wrestling with them.

Buster in his hammock. Charlie and Buster watching the world go by. Tommy exploring the kitty maze we set up
in the living room.
Charlie





Our Neighborhood

One of the many community events occurs in September in our neighborhood park Oberthür. These events are geared primarily toward kids but there is plenty for adults to enjoy. Look at the images below to see some of the many activities available at this event (fencing, rope-climbing, dance, music, games and more).

John also provided several photos of the local architecture. After 5 years in Rennes we frequently see something new and intriguing in our neighborhood.

We also visit Thabor Park, often starting with the aviary. There were still little birds scurrying around. Thabor park also provides new surprises regularly.

The street art in our neighborhood is still changing regularly in interesting ways. France is big into art. The art adds a pleasant livability element to our neighborhood.

Stade Rennais where the women's rugby team plays, is just a few blocks from our home. One component of the stadium is a velodrome for competitions and training. As is common worldwide, the men's team has a MUCH nicer stadium and better equipment than does the women's team.

Various canals run through Rennes and connect the two main rivers, the Ille and the Vilaine. Our department (county) is named Ille et Vilaine. Recently we saw Coypu or nutria (an invasive species) in the nearby canal during one of our walks. We had previously seen nutria in the Willamette River in Eugene Oregon and I had seen them in Louisiana decades ago.

Now that we've had some rain the canal water levels are back to normal. When we had the heat waves some vegetation turned brown but with the September rainfall everything is back to lovely green.

We usually find street art on our walks. Vélodrome Commandant Bouguin
where the women's rugby team plays. 		Looking at the other side.
A poster from the women's rugby team. The first of many sightings this month of nutria
in the La Vilaine river. 		Compared to the pic last month you can see that the water levels in the rivers have risen
quite a bit.
At the annual community get-together at Oberthur Park Ruth and I were almost the only ones masked. Lots of things to do and see this year. This year we had music by the pond.
This fencing club gave lessons to youngsters. A martial arts club gave a demonstration
in tumbling. 		Two dozen games were set up for family fun.
Her mother was watching closely as
this little one wandered around. 		A climbing club showed these kids how. Lots of booths for folks to participate
with local organizations.
Folk dancing 101 Fencing lessons were also available for adults. Another nutria sighting. Looks like
Wilford Brimley.
La Vilaine river in the morning. Rowing for exercise in the early morning. Blue heron on the river
Graffitied guard tower from World War II. La Vilaine heading west to the Atlantic. The fire station east of Rennes.
The city built several platforms for folks to sit and appreciate the river. And yet another nutria sighting! We saw this large mural of a waterfowl across the river.
A quick and easy way to build a wall separating the street traffic from the river. We saw the smallest moorehen chick swimming with it's mom. We see a lot of sights walking around town getting our exercise.
Nice facade on this building. Love these towered houses. A map of the circular gardens at Thabor Park.
There are over a thousand plants in
the circular garden. 		Some of the circular garden area is shaded beneath very large trees. We've walked down these rows many times in many seasons.
There are three gardeners that work on this circular garden every day. The ferns are shaded in the summertime. Each plant is identified with a little sign.
Lovely flowers and interesting architecture. Such a peaceful place to get our exercise. Thabor Park started in the early 1600's.
Beautiful white doves. The chicks from last month are bigger
and fluffier. 		Couldn't find a sign for what these birds are.
Topiary bird The orangery Stele in memory of French painter
Charles Lenoir.
A great looking house. Another morning over the La Vilaine river. Ruth got out her Halloween decorations.





Covid

Covid cases in France are now increasing week to week. France's Health Body Warns of Resurgence of COVID Virus in the Country

John and I wear masks when we go out if we will be in a crowd or if we will be indoors. Almost no one else does except doctors and pharmacists and until recently, the kitties vet.

Our tentative plans now are to visit Paris for a day or two in December, but that will depend on how much Covid increases from its current prevalence. I hope we go. We've been taking baby steps toward having a social life again. Christmas in Paris would be very nice.





Putin

A lot is happening in Europe because of Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Fuel prices and availability are greatly impacted. Weapons manufacturing is sky-rocketing. People are dying.

About Putin's threats that Russia may use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, former CIA Director David Petreus said it is likely that NATO will then go in and destroy all Russian military personnel and equipment in and near Ukraine. Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said the same thing. Various Russia officials or former officials close to Putin have threatened to use nukes against the UK, the US and Finland earlier this year. I hold my breath when one challenges another in this war. I wonder who is crazy enough to destroy the world. It seems that Putin hopes the West thinks he is but Russian opposition to his insane actions is growing and he may not be in power for much longer. I hope.





STEM group

Dana Price, the founder and leader of our atheist/STEM group, recently died. I did a few presentations for the group mostly about entertainment tech and included info about those presentations in our blog. I don't know if the group will be continued since everyone seems to have plenty of other alternatives, but even if someone did restart the group it wouldn't be the same without Dana. Of course MANY people were heavily impacted by his death and we are helping each other get through losing him. I am grateful for that community.





Euro-USD conversion

The Euro is now equal to less than a dollar. The value of the Euro has fluctuated a little over the last several months but it has been close to or less than one USD which is the lowest its value has been in 25 years. So if you Americans want to travel to Europe -- now is a good time.