The first weekend in November is one that is permanently marked on our collective calendars to gather with friends. Usually we head over to Urbanna for the Oyster Festival, but this year we found ourselves in Richmond, with Eric playing host.

While we missed our Urbanna friends, we got to see a slew of folks we don’t normally see. It was a mix of the old CBF crowd, the Poe’s pub crowd as well as some of the JRA folks. It was the sort of afternoon where worlds collided while also catching up with friends we hadn’t seen in far too long.

We brought Betsy the beagle with us, who absolutely luxuriated in the freedom of Eric’s fenced in back yard. She literally bounced across the yard for a few hours with sheer joy. By the time all the other dogs showed up, she was more than halfway done for the day.

Edie made signs for the garden gate, asking everyone to please be aware of letting the dogs out.  Some may have seen it as a message from the get go on how to behave, period. Think about your actions. Don’t be that person.

These did not entirely keep Betsy from escaping, but by late afternoon, she was so wiped out, she went to bed and stayed there for two days straight. That’s how much fun she had.

As for the rest of us?

We had so much fun it may have taken a few days to recover as well.