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In the Bag

Knock on gingerbread, but I feel like I've got the Christmas scene pretty well in hand this year. Tree's up. We've made cookies. My husband brought home a mistletoe clump the size of a tumbleweed. I've got a few minor shopping things to do, but mostly it's all wrapped up and in the bag, so to speak. Aside from rooting around in the back of my closet for something passable to wear to the company Christmas party, I'm set. Often I'm starting to feel a little harried at this stage in December. I don't know exactly how it happened, but this mellow season of waiting has been quite pleasant.

Median Strip

Happy Thanksgiving everybody. Hope your mashed potatoes were merry and bright. We had a thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat and sang a few bars of Alice's Restaurant, with four part harmony and feeling. As you do.

And now we're out the other side of turkey day and it's December. The leftovers are pretty much gone, which means I'm going to have to start cooking again. Crap.

Halloween Part 3: Oral Hygiene and the Moral of the Story

As I've mentioned, I undertook a big steampunk project effort Halloween this year, which I'd love to show you but only finished it by the skin of my teeth (weird expression) and I haven't properly photographed it yet.

I wore it to a friend's Halloween party last weekend and I was grateful for the opportunity to take it for a test drive, but it's a bit of an ordeal to put on, and long experience gained over many Halloweens has taught me that doing my regular job at a desk for eight hours in a corset makes me cranky by day's end.

Trick and Treat

Halloween has arrived, and with it, one of my favorite traditions: All Hallow's Read. And so, dear friends, I give you two stories for your contemplation on this dark and stormy end-of-October day. I read these both in the last couple of weeks, to get into the spirit of things. I offer you the same spirits.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving

Halloween, Part 2: Eye of Needle, Head of Frog

My husband chose the worthy character of J. Thaddeus Toad for his Halloween costume.

"Esquire."
"Pardon?"
"J. Thaddeus Toad, Esquire."
"Ah, my mistake."

He chose the worthy character of J. Thaddeus Toad, Esq. for his Halloween costume.

Halloween Part I: My Kingdom for a Horse

"I want to be the headless horseman this year."
"Okay, that's not too hard."
"With the horse."
"Oh."

This Whole Circle of Life Bit

One of my co-workers has a sister who was in labor this morning. She came to the office announcing the imminent baby, periodically checking her phone for news. I smiled. Eight years ago today, I was at the hospital laboring myself.

Charlotte's Revenge

A couple of nights ago, I got into bed, closed my eyes, and cuddled up next to my husband... who had eight more legs than I was expecting.

Full Dark

I looked outside last night at 7pm and it was well past dusk and moving on to full dark. I guess it's fall.

My summer hopes for a glorious pumpkin patch in my front yard fell short. The dry crunchy pumpkin vines out there have yielded one softball sized lumina and nothing else thus far. I did get some lovely pumpkin flowers anyway. And I can console myself that we're sticking to our advised water rationing guidelines, and also supporting my local farmers at the pumpkin patch down the road.

All Dressed Up and...

On Saturday, I was putting my hair up for ballet class when my seven-year old walked into the bathroom.

"You look very pretty in that suit you're wearing, Mommy. Are you going to a party?"

"Thank you, sweetie, but no, I'm going to ballet class."

I paused for a second to consider how my son might have gotten the idea that a leotard and tights constituted appropriate evening attire. "And also, it's possible that we're reading too many superhero comics."

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