O(nly in) Canada!

Yes, what you see there are snacks available at a convenience store in Montreal - Smoky BBQ and DILL PICKLE flavored sunflower seeds! I'm surprised there are no ketchup flavored ones (*shudder*).

Happy Turkey Day!

I am thankful for (aside from the obvious):

• the improvement in my career path in the light of the recent economy
• the excellent doctors who have helped/healed our respective families
• a year of many visits and reconnection with old friends
• the prospect of going home for the holidays for the first time in too many years
• Chipotle (yes.. you were saying?)

There's plenty more, but I gotta go pick up some guacamole at Malibu. Thank you Malibu!

Happy... Let's Just Say, I'm Glad You Were Born

To all you lovely people who didn't get a birthday card this year - Happy Birthday! Yes - I missed virtually every birthday on my calendar this year. Even my parents' birthdays were late. I'm sorry.

This is really embarrassing, but I still haven't quite adjusted to working Monday to Friday, 9-5. The rhythm of it just hasn't become natural yet. I just don't understand how everyone else manages to get stuff done after business hours or on the weekend! I have spent my entire adult life working the weirdest, off-balance schedules and just taking care of Life between the hours of 10am and 3pm. Usually on Tuesday and Thursday. Who knew Salvation Army is closed on Sunday?!

I'm not entirely sure why this has so affected my ability to remember birthdays, except perhaps that one thing that I actually have gotten used to (aside from dinner at home with the Mister AT DINNERTIME) is using the Outlook Calendar to remind me when to do everything but blink. No excuse, but a viable explanation at any rate.

I need to get iPhone to remind me of upcoming birthdays 10 days in advance, and then go buy the card. And the stamps. There must be an app for that...

Zen Mastery

This particular moment is kinda itchy.

Happy Howl-oween!

Left to right: Jeremy, Beth, Hannah, Kelly, David & Adam


We had a most excellent Novo Collegiate Halloween! JC and Beth (and Hannah) came and camped with us, and David drove up from Ithaca for the afternoon. David was a student of Adam's folks back in the day - blast from the past and a genuine legend! He had only just returned from the Charter Class Reunion in Sarasota, and we got an update on the current inhabitants of the Ivory Tower. From all accounts it sounds like they are keeping the spirit alive and doing their best to make us all proud. Warms the heart...

It was a little chilly right on the water, but the guys got a toasty fire going and we had some cheap red wine to help keep us warm. The s'mores helped too. Then came the howling. For real y'all... we decided it was coyotes, and Hannah was ready to party with her people! JC brought out a super cool Jack-o-Lantern, but the photos didn't do it justice so you'll just have to use your imagination.

I've only ever camped once, when I was about 10. All I remember is rocks and spiders and wanting to go home. I never really cared to repeat the experience, but this was actually quite fun! Of course we had a proper cabin, with a space heater and a double bed. And since we only stayed one night, I didn't have to use the public shower... so not really camping. Whatever it was, was fun.