Back in Albany safe and snug. The school year is off to a smooth start with this week’s focus being on classroom preparation and Professional Development.
This year's ruling is that there are no pets allowed in the teacher housing, so the dogs are free but no longer wild. They both tend to stick close to home, sleep on the porch, and provide a very playful guard to and from school.
The return to Albany seems to have lifted their spirits by inspiring pure joy in their complete freedom, readily accessible friends to play with, and quite considerably improved Bel’s dwindling appetite.
They are however slightly worse for wear with Oji’s right eye almost
completely swollen shut (I have to assume gleaned from his overenthusiastic,
albeit characteristic playing) and Bel’s got a strong limp from a cut on the
pad of one of her front paws. Neither
seems too concerned, so life goes on.
Albany itself has a lot less mud than when we left in June
and considerably more green. The air is fresh and the waters, from what I hear of
the more avid anglers, are simply teaming with fish. 
I'm looking forward to the this year with a spirit of optimism that seems akin to the anticipation of the Christmas holidays. The kids will be back to school following Labour Day, hopefully with similarly bright outlooks.
