It's heeeerrrrrrrrrre...

I loved Halloween SO so much as a kid. I was always so confused as to why (some) people had to make a big religious deal out of it. If you don't want it to be scary, then just dress as a pirate or a butterfly and focus on the fact that EVERYONE is GIVING away CANDY. What is so wrong with that??? As I've gotten older, I've been a little more open to hearing other people's opinions, but I still generally think that way. (Although I do especially respect this blog post...) Then a few years ago, I heard the great Jerry Seinfeld do this routine and it was all perfectly clear. That IS Halloween. He got it. At least for me anyway. Take a listen here (at least to the first three minutes) and I dare you to do your best not to laugh.

Then go eat some delicious candy.

Also, Halloween is extra good this year ... Don gets home from tour!

So Runs The World Away

Tonight I went to see Josh Ritter for the 4th or 5th time, I can't remember.

It should get old, right?

You should be used to a performer and their onstage presence.

But have you seen Josh Ritter?!?

It's nearly impossible to get used to.

He is SO happy everytime I see him play.

(and not the fake happy you see from Celine Dion either...)

He loves his band so much and you can just see them love him back.

He smiles so much and laughs so happily, it's contagious.

Then there is his song writing, which gets everything started.

If you don't have his albums, you should be leaving your chair in a few seconds to get them.

(Or emailing me to make you a mixed cd, although that could prove difficult as every single one of his songs is good and cutting them would be hard to do, but I'll try. For you.)

If you haven't seen him live, you should be planning that.

Right.

Now.

Go.

It's over!

Know what I'm happiest about? That I don't have to listen to anymore recorded phone messages soliciting my vote. Especially when I get home and check my messages, hoping the one that's there is from the person I love who is thousands of kilometres away ... but no, it's some candidate running for civic election. Like their recorded message sent to 100,000 homes is going to change my vote? Come ON! Goodbye election!

Currently...

I am in my parent's kitchen (part of my prolonged stay here while the mice are in and don is out), learning how to make holopchis with my mom and learning how to roll them with my grandma and pretty dang happy. I guess there are some good things about your husband leaving for weeks at a time.

Did I mention....

I HATE MICE!!

What was going to be a busy day of Getting Stuff Done is now going to be a day of cleaning out every drawer and cupboard of mice poop. Annnnd since we have deer mice here in Manitoba, I can't vacuum it.

BLAST YOU DARNED LITTLE BUGGARS!!!! ARRRGGHH!

Good Day

I count myself quite lucky that I am able to participate in A2CD with a bunch of guys each year (and becky). Or twice a year, rather. For today, we took votes and here were the final films.

Bottle Rocket

Solomon Kane

The Professional

District 9

A couple old movies, a couple new movies. Some junkfood, some good food. Some pretty darn cute visits from 2 sweet little girls. A pretty good day.

And also - I haven't seen the mouse for a couple of days now. I hope they've decided to leave/die/stay away from me.

I'm such a girl...

"A huge, like, spider or something just ran across you kitchen!" Becky said.

"Something?" I said, "Like a mouse?"

"Yeah...that makes more sense than a tarantula!" she laughed.

"Oh, nooo," I moaned, "I haaaate mice. They've probably gotten into everything!"

And they did. They kept us up all night munching on something we couldn't see. I even dreamed about them. (Ughhgh, what an awful dream!) But I can handle it. It's a world wide problem. I'm an adult. We've had mice in almost every place we lived. Even here already, last year. I can handle it, as long as Don empties the traps.

Except.

Don left on tour today. Until November. And I am left ... well, not quite alone.

When I got home today, I very hesitantly checked the traps. Oh no. No, no. That one is flipped right over. I tried, honestly, I did my best to be brave. But in the end, the bravest I could be was to get my landlord's number a mere 4 feet above the deceased culprit.

"Um, hi, Dave, this is pretty embarrassing, but..."

Within minutes, my kitchen was my own again. Until the loud snap I just heard*...

How am I gonna last the next 2 weeks?

*phew. i checked. the trap just snapped on it's own. Now I'll at least be able to sleep knowing there won't be a dead mouse lying in the next room all night.

¡Va Chile!

I can not stop watching the rescue of the chilean miners. I'm so glad for high speed streaming internet and my free cable news channel! So many thoughts continue shooting through my mind all night and all day and all night again. I'm just so happy for all of them and their families. With each safe journey to the surface, each opening of the cage, each of their families waiting patiently to hold them, each long, joyful embrace, and each and every hug from the president and the first lady, my tears fall. How incredible all aspects of it are. I just love this 'first' picture.

Welcome back to the world, guys.

Thursday Thirteen

Of a combined sort this week...

Why I loved Holland so much:

1. Such good people that we were able to visit and become better friends with.

2.One word: Gouda

3.Everytime I'm there I love bicycles a little bit more and hate Winnipeg's cycling systems a little bit more...

Why the trip home was good:

4. We got the most incredible view of Greenland on our flight home!

5.We decided to drive home through the US just when all the leaves were at their most beautiful.

6. Two days of driving-One cozy hotel bed-Three happy canadians.

Things I love about being back in my own home:

7. My own bed AND my own shower -- I CAN USE AS MUCH SHAMPOO/FACEWASH /LOTION AS I WANT!!!! I still can't believe I didn't run out!

8. Making meals. Happy sigh. Even after four days of being home, it's just still so nice to think of something I want to eat and to go make it.

9. No gross dog hair to deal with. At a few of the last places we stayed, there were really sweet dogs. And I do actually like dogs now*, but I don't like their floaty dog hair sticking all over my clothes. Or floating into my glass of water. Or coating the bottom of my socks. Or their stinky dog breathy tongues licking all over my hands. I know dog owners don't notice it anymore, or just learn to live with it ... but it has confirmed one thing for me - I'll never be a dog owner.

Good things about this week:

10. Realizing once I got back to work that I had an extra paycheque I'd forgotten about, making me and our less-than-empty bank account, sigh with relief.

11. Reuniting with everyone I love, Sunday morning at church. It was just the place to make it a sweet, familiar welcome home.

Things I'm looking forward to soon:

12. Giving everyone the presents we picked out so carefully for each person. I love giving presents!!!

13. It's thanksgiving. They don't have anything even remotely similar in Europe, which seems really obvious, but I kept forgetting that fact. Then remembering it and feeling sad for them, because I love it so much. I mean, come on! At least celebrate the harvest or something! The things I'm looking forward too are endless. Crisp fall mornings, pie making, woodstove warming, hot dog roasts, book reading, sleeping, hugging, sharing stories, doing dishes, hauling water, creating centrepieces, walks on the beach, raking leaves, laughing, eating...

*After about 15 years of recovery from snarling-dog-chasing-me-around-the-block-as-a-7-year-old syndrome.