Catching up on Comments

Gawdessness - I put that commentary on government in especially for you in light of your travails. It would also apply to all of us who deal with schools, silly meter maids, etc.

I think I'll pass on the kipper flavored muffins as well but Angel's soup turns out to be something I've eaten often in Thai restaurants without knowing the name. I made a mental inventory of my pantry and have everything I need except the fresh cilantro and ginger. I may also have to replace the lime that's been resting in my refrigerator door for two weeks. Still, I have the chicken and coconut milk. I googled the recipe but if you have one you wish to share, Angel, feel free. This blog is turning into a little of everything which, I guess, is what I had in mind.

Tomorrow is pumpkin painting day, Sunday night is the Halloween spectacle at the local multiplex (free), and Monday is Halloween as well as Rebecca's 10th birthday. For 2 months of each year, I have two the same age at least in years. She falls through the cracks a little because of the Halloween chaos but at least we'll manage a cake for her although it may be the next day.

I have talked their mom and friend into taking them to the festival. There are two performances each night and a line almost around the block. They'll take Elcie in her chair; it might not get them in any sooner but at least she won't have to stand. We made that mistake the first year - now we know better. I'll probably send a thermos of hot chocolate and maybe some popcorn for the wait. One year I made a thermos of chocolate and sent the empty thermos by mistake.

I was going to write something about perfection but I forgot what it was. It wasn't empty thermoses I know that. Maybe I was thinking about painting pumpkins rather than carving. I remember. I never carved a pumpkin as a kid because my dad always did them for us - perfectly. They were beautiful and they occupied a place of honor on our front porch. I never missed what I didn't have - the fun and the mess - but now that I'm the one supervising the pumpkins, I'd rather turn the girls loose to create. Paint is safer than knives and they enjoy it just as much, including the paint they get all over themselves and each other. Plus you don't want to turn me loose with a knife. I do well to slice a cucumber or an onion. Eyes, noses, and jagged teeth are totally beyond me. I bought one combination set of acrylics - the small vials in many colors and then four larger bottles in purple, red, blue, and green. By now I know the colors they'll fight over. We'll have a five year old joining us so it should be an interesting evening. Her mother will be here as well. I may just disappear and let them surprise me with the finished products. We'll see. I need to remember to take my disposable camera out of its wrapper.

I know I said before I feel much the same way about costumes. Turn the kids loose as long as they are within limits of decency. It's their party, not mine.

Tim refers fondly to most of our special occasions as "memorable". They were that, in one way or another. As we get closer to Christmas, I may tell some holiday stories; for example, the time the tripod for our fake tree lost one of its legs and we replaced it (the leg) with a rat tailed comb. Or the time I bought a very cheap fake tree and discovered it wouldn't stand. It was intended to be hung from a ceiling. So we did.

More to follow as I remember things I hadn't thought about in years.