BOO!

This has been a week of late nights - made even more late when I'd come home and then stay up into the witching hours working on these projects.





I'm really happy with how the pumpkins turned out this year. It's the first year I've used patterns. My drawing skills suck, haven't improved since preschool, well, let's just say I should have sent for my free drawing test from the Art Instruction School when I had the chance.

Last year after Halloween, I picked up a little pumpkin carving set on clearance. The pattern of the flying witch is from a book that came with the carving tools. (And let's have no jokes out there about that one being a self-portrait!) The Headless Horseman is a free pattern found online. (If you've seen Disney's version of the story of Ichabod Cran, then you'll recognize the pattern as the flaming "head" the headless horseman carries.)

We did not get as many trick or treaters coming to the door as I had expected - there will be a LOT of candy going to the office on Monday.

Hope you all had a good Halloween.

As for me, I need to lie down until the sugar high subsides. OK, maybe just one more bite-size Butterfinger.

Secret Pal 13

Ha! At last, I haven't missed the deadline for the Secret Pal exchange.

Deadline is October 31st.

If interested, check here and click on the link to sign up.

And just look at what came in the mail today!



Gads, this book is HI-larious! When you get your copy check out page 111. At my rate of stash enhancement, that'll be me, in 50-60 years, knock on wood. And a warning: don't start reading it after midnight if you have to be up the next morning.

Old Man Winter Calling

On Monday we got a collect call from Old Man Winter.



We didn't accept the charges, but you can bet he'll be calling again.

It wasn't just my neck of the woods that got a call from Winter. Take a look at Lucy's and Amelia's pictures.

DH and I are hoping for the weather to temporarily warm up a bit. Our furnace is out of heating oil and we're not going to replenish the oil tanks as we need to get a new furnace. So the entire house is being heated by the gas stove in the living room. The result is that the 2nd floor is comfortable (all that heat rising) while the downstairs is very chilly. The air inside of the refrigerator seems tepid in comparison.

Last night DH and I saw the Capitol Steps. If you've never heard of them or you're at all interested in politics, or you need a laugh after living through the 18 month long campaign cycle, you've got to click on the link and listen to some of their songs. How can you not love a group with songs entitled "Electile Dysfunction" or "Subprime Mortgage Holders (sung to the tune of John Denvers' "Sunshine On My Shoulders")?

Dixie's Tupperware® Party

Last night my sister and I went to the most outrageously fun show.

This is Dixie

and we went to her party.

The first indication that this was going to be an interesting evening? This was a REAL Tupperware® party with 2 bars IN the theater hall - not in the lobby - and open throughout the show. This wasn't just a show - as Dixie told us, it was a golden opportunity to "buy this crap." And, really, if I'm going to purchase Tupperware® from anyone, it would be from a single mother of three kids, with 18 ex-husbands, who got into the business on a recommendation of her parole officer and was inspired by the looks-like-crystal-but-durable-like-only-plastic-can-be candy bowl given to her by her PO. Who wouldn't want a sophisticated looking dish that can withstand even the most tempestuous domestic arguments? That item is going on my "must buy" list for future bridal showers.

Dixie is so enthusiastic about the product and her adulation of Brownie Wise. I didn't realize these are not your mother's plastic food storage containers. People, they even have a container for that 1/2 of a tomato or 1/2 of an onion so that you don't end up throwing out the other half, or having all the contents of your frig tasting like onions. And it hangs from a rack, so you don't end up exhuming it from the back of the frig 9 months later.



The show is a fast-paced mix of kitch, alcohol, adult content humor (this is NOT for the kiddies), social commentary, history of women, empowerment of all - "everyone matters, sweetie." At the end of the night everyone leaves the theater laughing, smiling, eager to line up in lobby and order crap from Dixie.

For a taste of the real Dixie, here's an interview with her that y'all gotta read.

So, hey, y'all, if you ever get the chance to go to one of her parties, don't miss out, sweetie, because, really, who of us doesn't have food storage needs?

Fall

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."- Stanley Horowitz

One of the joys of living in the midwest is Fall. A season of change - colors changing from shades of green to golds and reds, the air becoming crisp and cool, night falling earlier.

The view from the landing on our stairs is gorgeous.




Thought I was crazy to tell you to go play in the leaves? Well, in the midwest, we take our fall foliage very seriously. See?

I've been slowly getting the closets organized - trying to bring an end to the chaos of moving to one little part of the Haus at a time.



(Isn't the carpet in that closet horrible? But it stays until I can sand and refinish the floor in this room - which unfortunately is way down on the list, after new furnace, new water softener, new wiring on the second floor, and new insulation in the attic.)



Thank heavens the stash was already organized. It's trying to figure out where to put it - along with everything else - in the new Haus. While the square footage of the new Haus is larger, the closet space is about half of the old place - more typical for a home of this age. While the kitchen is a bit bigger, the shelf and storage space is less. You get the idea. I'm also missing my huge built-in linen closet.

I think the most difficult aspect is finding a new place for everything - toiletries, bedding, towels, etc. - and not knowing if the new chosen spot is convenient or if I'm going to have to reorganize a month from now. It's not my favorite thing to do and I'm not very good at it. I can only imagine living a life like Benita over at Chez Larsson. I envy, am horribly jealous of, admire her artistic eye.

What do you do to organize your home? Anyone out there have any helpful hints?