The first group of kids strolled up to the house at about 6.45 PM -- and then ended at 8:00PM. So not that long -- but I am happy to report that we had a record number of trick or treaters -- twenty six! That is TWICE the amount we had last year .... the first year 16, last year 13, this year 26 (just in case you didn't get that already.)

Cool. The vast majority of them were preteen though -- and you all know that preteens just don't try that hard. PLus that is when all human beings are generally creatively stunted.....must ... do...."normal"...costumes -- dracula, two girls dressed as boys, one girl wore sponge bob pj's and claimed his identity, five or six that just had a rubber mask....

The best costume was the daughter of the Chinese American family up the street --- this year she wore an elaborate feathered masquerade mask, feather things in her pig tails...and other accruements. It was a great mask and I made sure to exclaim quite loudly as soon as I opened the door. She giggled. I told she could have more than one piece and her polite mother and grandmother cringed in the back ground.

The big "oops" of the night was when two visitors came to the door -- a young boy dressed a ninja and his mother. She was wearing that trashy pink flouncy material stuff, with purple flounce in her hair. I asked the boy if he was a ninja and while he said yes the woman nodded and smiled. I gave the kid his candy and was about to close the door when I saw she put up a bag. Then I took a closer look -- no this was no mother...this was a very chubby preteen girl! Oh good heaven's, I almost critically ruined her self esteem for years to come! I tried to cover "Oh, I can't quite tell what your costume is....." She replied "I'm a singer..." I gave her candy, into her backpack and said "How clever -- what singer?" She replied "Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen."

Ha ha. I don't believe it. I think she just dressed up -- which I can't begrudge her. I did that this past weekend too. Anyway, I never would have asked if I hadn't been trying to cover.

Still -- the old folks are leaving -- this is starting to become a neighborhood of young families again. Cool!

Happy Halloween!

I got more to write...but I'll write it tomorrow. I am exchanging Wednesday work for Thursday work. So that means I get two days off in a row -- man I need it. This weekend was not much of a weekend at all. It was mostly spent moving tons of crap, getting dirty, covered in mouse poop -- I'm surprised I didn't get some kind of plague!

I am looking forward to seeing the handful of kids our neighborhood has tonight. :D

Frugal people eat soup. Today's soup is a beef soup thickened slightly with cornstarch and includes potatos, carrots, onions, one can of tomatos, beef stock, water and 1lb pound of beef meat -- along with a few spices. There are a lot of servings of this -- as I doubled my made up recipe.

The weekend was busy -- wedding was fun. Our table setup was cool and met some interesting/fun people, including Phil R. and Jeremy S. lovechild. It was weird. Then we left to meet up with James for a drink at the Boathouse. Afterward me went to the Hampton Inn in Milwaukee where (MIL) Sharon set us up with a great deal for a hotel room. Only 30 bucks! Nice. The only not nice thing was being woken up twice by very loud sex in the room next door.

We also volunteered to help DH's parents pack up their house and move everything to a storage unit this Saturday. They STILL don't know where they are going too. Man...talk about living on the edge and having faith. We told them they could stay with us, but I hope it doesn't come to that. I don't *think* it will. I mean, who wants to go and live with their kids when they are still able to live for themselves?

I convinced Tim to be the King of all Cosmos if I make him the outfit!!!!

Laima and I are accepted for Warner Park HolidayFest:

HolidayFest Arts and Craft Show
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005, 9 am – 3 pm
Admission $1

That makes it TWO craft shows I am in this year. Holy craft! I mean it's one thing to conquer my fear of selling wares by going to one show, but two in a row? That's really beating the fear down. As you might have guessed I am VERY busy making crafts.

One other thing I would like to bring up -- since a Christmas party is unlikely (I still think someone else should host it this year), I would like to have a Cookie party -- in which lady friends, or those men friends who like to bake and write cards and gossip -- might get together. The idea is to either make or bring two batchs of cookie dough, bake them and then divy them up in the end so we all have a great assortment of cookies. As an added touch, I was thinking we could write christmas cards WHILE we are baking. I have a bunch of stamping stuff that we could use -- as I am sure others have...and it would be a great start to the Christmas season. Of course I am bringing this up now, because I would like to know if there are any specific weekends that are not good for you. It's such a busy time of the year and it's always good to plan ahead. :D

Okay, back to work.

Yesterday I had a glorious mini retreat. I decided to treat myself to a nice lunch, all by myself and some cards at a sit down resturant on State Street. After looking at every single resturant ON State Street, I ended up at the mexican grill resturant called Frida. I got a twice baked chicken burrito with the usual smattering of rice, tomatos, refried beans and lettuce, and well as the chips and salsa opener. WOW! I totally expected typical mexican food but this was...good. There was something about everything that was exceptionally flavorful and delicious. I scarfed the burrito and the chips. Then I decided "Hey, Laura you are having a blast. Why don't you go the extra step and get dessert and coffee?"

I did. I ordered it without looking at the price. I got the chocolate fudge cake -- it was amazing. HUGE piece that I immediately cut in half to put in a togo box for the DH later on, and then tried to eat the remaining half. I only got a quarter of the way through it, it was incredibly rich delicious. After I paid the bill I looked at the price of the cake -- $7.00!!! I have never paid more for a piece of cake -- but man was it good, and big so the experience was lengthened.

Walking out of the resturant I headed to my favorite State Street store -- Ideal for You to shop. It was nice to feel like I could shop and not feel guilty about it because it was for a wedding gift. :D

Last night was mellow -- had a beer, played X-Men, shopped at Menards for window insulation packets, came home turned on the heat and then went to bed. I slept in this morning and it was WONDERFUL! Gah...so nice. My goal this morning is to clean. The house is less clean that I would like it to be, and since we are going to be out of town tonight I want to come back to a nice place. There is nothing like that feeling of coming and saying "ahhh...home."

I am kinda bummed I get to miss the Madison Zombie Lurch this afternoon at 2:00 -- but we have prior obligations. I hope a lot of people go and that a lot of photos are taken. I hope they do it again next year.

So far today I have washed the dishes -- I still have four pots to go, but everything else is washed. I also made breakfast and coffee, and showered. Now I am updating this -- all part of the morning of cleaning, see. Next up is to sweep and vacuum, light some incense, straighten up the flat surfaces in the living room, wrap gift, pack and pet the Migo kitty.

Sometimes I get into the mode of thinking, in which I say to myself "You can't go posting all day, when you have a crap load of things to do."

Sure, that's okay for a day or two...but over a week? My goodness, I can hear my fans starving from all the way over here for meaningless tidbits of life. :D

I've been kind a busy. Let's look at last week:

Monday: Work, Yoga, grocery shopping

Tuesday: Hilary craft day, dinner, TKD, X-Men

Wednesday: Rollerblading with Tim, watched Endif at the Inferno

Thursday: Got my 5th stripe on my Blue Belt -- now I just need to test for the Brown

Friday: State St. stroll with the Samsa ladies, Audrey N. at the public library with
Sarah, after work beer at the Weary Traveller, party at Sigrid and Matt's.

Saturday: Greyhound Gala in Waukesha all day -- I won a terrycloth robe, and lavender bath set with loofa all in a basket that Arkham now uses for his bed.

Sunday: Woke up to coffee, cream cheese kringle and the sunday paper via Tim (heart). Haunted a church for our every other month service, wrote a letter, rollerbladed 10 miles with Tim on the Cap. times trail.

Monday: Yoga was cancelled cos Laima went to a show. Phil and Caleb came over to pick up the old gateway (all cleaned up) and hutch (equally cleaned up) to start it's new lease on life. Hilary came over and we crafted, talked and listened to music while eating freshly baked apple walnut cake and raspberry tea. We had fish soup for dinner and I made croutons for the first time.

Tuesday: I crafted most of the day, walked Pluto who has started to do the MOST annoying thing ever. He lifts his leg like he is going to pee -- and then poops! All over trees. It's a bitch to clean up, I tell you. A bitch. Updated this.

I forget what I had planned for dinner tonight. :( I am kind of peckish now, come to think of it.

Ha ha....I guess if you read that last post in a certain way, it is possible to see it as a divorce announcement. Sheesh, am I that much of a drama queen? I didn't think so.

Post resignation has been great! DH is almost a totally different person. He has one good job lead here in Madison, a call to discuss his resume for another (in a crappy city), great advice from DBA's to spiffy his resume...so it's cool. At this point in time, he is focusing his search on Junior Level DBA (data base administrator) with 2-4 year experience jobs. Thus if you see anything like that, give us a shout. He is also willing to drive cab. :D Ha ha. He is a pretty good driver. But a big thanks to everyone who has said something -- all that support is incredible.

This past weekend I went to a bachelorette party -- it was fun. I really enjoy the company of Tiara's friends -- they are such a great collection of smart, funny, intelligent, crafty women. DH drove me to Milwaukee and then spent the hours with his parents while I proceeded to mix alcohol and get drunk. :(

I hate hangovers -- however they do enable me to have "delicate movie days." You know? Even when I was sick last week, I still managed to get a lot done around the house. Thus we have had a lot of netflix movies piling up and not getting watched, and video games not getting played. I remedied that situation with lots of Katamari Damacy II, and then I watched Million Dollar Baby and Finding Neverland.

I didn't think I would like Million Dollar Baby -- but I did. I mean, it wasn't anything I would shout about off the top of a big building, but I enjoyed it. There was one scene in particular that I can't get out of my head. It's the one where she buys the house for her Mom and sister and takes them there to surprise them. The mother and sister then proceed to yell at her for doing such stupid thing, that if she wanted to do something like that she should have just given them the money. It might jeopardize her welfare and "I know you mean well honey, but sometimes you just don't think these things through."

I couldn't turn away. That exact same thing has happened to me, and I know if I ever had the money to buy my Mom a house that I would get the same lecture. It would jeopardize her SSI. It's crippling--that fear...and it's horrible that I could see both sides of the story. Of course I sympathized with Maggie (Hilary Swank) and really admired her spirit throughout the movie.

Finding Neverland, on the other hand....eh. I watch a lot o drama and it was just okay. Not that great.

Today is Columbus Day so no mail. I sent my Mom/Family a package last week full of double and triple X shirts, a gossipy letter and crafting supplies. I had gotten the shirts for a dollar at Maxwell Street days -- they are all Wisconsin orientated but hey, a freaking dollar! I hope they fit someone. The lady at the post office told me that the package wouldn't get there until Tuesday because of the holiday. "What holiday?" I asked. "Columbus Day," she replied with a knowing smile.

Oh. That.

There was this woman at work today I told "You have a doppleganger -- I met her at the Barktober fest at the humane society."

"A what?" she asked.

"A doppleganger," I replied.
"What is a doppleganger?" she asked with a smile.
"It's someone that looks just like you," I answered and walked away.

Who the heck doesn't know what a doppleganger is? Is this what living with a bunch of germans does to you? Er, by germans, what I really mean is a State and region of the state heavily influenced by german ancestry. In that case, then shouldn't every one know what a doppleganger is? Well, I went back and related the incident to my coworkers who then told me that I made that word up, and didn't know what it meant either. Huh?!

Seriously, it's not that often I feel like I know something the general public doesn't know. Usually I am the one to ask these questions.

Yoga tonight with Liama -- so not in the mood. But I paid for it...and I gots to go for three more months. :! At least it's only once a week. And I don't have to ride bike there. Riding home after work was hard -- wind the whole way and it's cold. I don't know how much longer I am going to continue to ride my bike home from work. I might have to fix my DDR dance pads to get that same exercise in during the week.

I am super behind on letters. Really super behind. Thank god this is a "normal" week, in which I have the day off tomorrow. Then I get to do things like clean, pay bills, and craft. I should at least shoot off a card though -- a short letter to at least Helen, I think I am almost two months behind in replying to her. Whoa!

That reminds me that I got the BEST Card in the mail last week -- it was from my Jessie -- handmade...you open it up and on the inside is a tiny little karate uniform with a black belt (hey big wishes right?!), little nun chucks with a real chain, tiny little black slippers and a little broken board! Oh my god, I nearly died from cuteness. I think it's the most clever card I have ever gotten -- and it's going to be framed. How can you NOT frame that? I wish my camera was working. Oh -- it was congratulating me on my big win, but really I should be congratulating her on her excellent card.

It's so cold! I am trying to out wait this stupid cold spell by resisting turning on the heat. IT's hard...so hard. I should at least put down the storms -- maybe that will keep the meager heat we accumulate from three cats, a dog and the daylight sun. I am also seriously considering getting a ceramic space heater to "spot warm" the house and the basement --- to save on heat.

I have been trying to think of a way to say this without feeling like there is going to be judgement. It's ridiculous really, because there is always going to be someone who is going to judge, whether it is a conscious act or not.

Let me be begin by saying this needed to be done. It's had a need for several years and while there have been band aids -- the wound has festered too long. It's time to take off the bandage and address the wound though it will hurt like hell, or cut the fucking thing off and be done with it.

Cutting it off, is quitting. Isn't working through the pain worth it is save the arm? It's the way I am looking at it. Although it's a daunting situation, and it's scary--but it's also liberating, and exciting.

I cannot begrudge him this. It has taken him, for what seems like ages, to come to this decision. His unhappiness started to leach into our life. This is the first real time that he is taking a risk. I mean, a real risk with the sole intention of doing something better for himself, and making himself happy. I don't see this as an easy road ahead. But it's something he has needed to do for a long time. It's better now than later, or never.

He resigned from his job. His last day is November sixth. No, he doesn't have any leads on a new job, so if you got ANY idea for one, now is the time to let us know. We are open to any possibility.

This also means several things: we cannot go on vacation, we cannot buy the new computer, we cannot donate to charitable things, we cannot have a Christmas party and we must conserve every dime. With our savings, my job and per capita we could make it to February before we run out of money.

There comes a time in your life when something has to be done --- and now is the time to do it.

Sometimes I wish I had a filter on this, you know for friends only. Not that I don't consider each and every one of you my deepest friends. ;) But seriously it would make some things easier to say.

It's really cold today. What a drastic change from yesterday. IT dropped at least 30 degrees overnight. I went outside and mowed the back and front lawn, picked up poop, did some laundry and worked on keychains for the upcoming craftfair. I need to really spend some quality time cozing up to being a crafting factory.

I can't find my bike light. I think I am going to ask DH for a ride to TKD and then just walk home afterward to see if I can't get a ride to at least cottage grove road. I can walk the rest. OR I very well might be walking the whole thing.

Good news is that Tigger is working on a second homestay with the Neighbors to see if he might be a good fit to their little family. Also, Chatty the Whiney dog has found a home! Thank goodness, she is a pill to have around the house -- very smart, very active and quickly bored. I miss Tigger a little bit, but I think I'll get over it. Especially since his possible new home is a MUCH better fit for him. Chatty I won't miss one whit. She is leaving tomorrow -- hopefully.

SICK!

Oh so sick. :(
How can this happen? I was just sick a month ago -- to the day. Yesterday was pretty crappy, and today I woke up feeling good (like you always do when you manage to get sleep after a crappy day), but that wore off quickly. I did manage to shower and eat some dry toast though. Then when I was sitting on the couch DH asked "Why don't you just call in sick?"

"Because I have responsibility,"I muttered. "I hate it. If I wanted a job with responsibility I would get one."

"So tell them that, or your gonna simmer all day!" he replied.

"No," I said "It's not that big of a deal actually. Just some questions and stuff I don't have answers to anyway."

Then while DH went to buy me cold medicine and diet coke, I called in sick and then said I would email them. I mean, why should I get worked up about this? I can barely talk without sounding muffled, and my thinking seems like it could be straighter.

Ugh. We have a foster dog (picked up last night) named Chatty. She is living up to her name -- she is a LOUD whiner. It sucks. It really really sucks.