In previous years, by now we would have had leaves turning colour on many trees and also dried or withered leaves, but this year they have stay fairly green and healthy looking so far. Andy mowed the grass everywhere, the lawns, around the monument and at the entrance. In fact the area around the entrance to the monastery has been somewhat neglected but now the flowers and shrubs stand out so well there. Glyko has just returned from her two month stay in Switzerland and I am sure that she will have a lot to tell us about her trip. Alysia, one of the care women who come each morning to help Vladika Lazar with putting on his compression socks, said that their dog ran across a skunk yesterday and was sprayed. I do not envy her in removing the smell. One of the remedies used to be washing the dog in tomato juice but I cannot verify that, since I never had that experience, nor do I wish to ever have one.