October Ends in Pictures

 

 OK, let's get some tea going.

 I am staying home today.  I think I'll try this old sweater of Dad's.  It's too big, but it's cozy cashmere.  I got the best hand-me-downs ever!

 Nate has a cold.  I may no longer be living with a Brit, but I have custody of a few Lem-Sips. This is one of my favorite British things.

 Sara is being a dragonfly for Halloween; but those wings in a crowded middle school hallway?  She decided a gypsy costume was a practical solution to the problem.  And given the way she and I both dress, not even much of a departure...

 The dragonfly eyes are ready.

 She's a blur!  Bye, Sara!  I have to drive her to school when I have custody, because my apartment is too far away for walking or biking.

 Nathan's school starts a bit later.  He likes to ride the school bus with his friends, so I park at the school bus stop and check out my new issue of Cooking Light.

 There he goes.  They race to be the first one in the bus line; so he watches for the appearance of other kids, then makes a DASH across the parking lot.

 Back to my place.

 Oooooooohhhhh.  It's so beautiful!   RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.

 (Some time later...)  That was naughty. Quick, make the bed and conceal the evidence!

 Inventory and shopping list...

 ...charge iPod...

 I go over to the rec center, but I park on a side-street.  When it's time for me to leave, Sara's school will also be letting out, and I don't want to get caught in the crush of traffic.

 Sara's school and Cottonwood Rec share a parking lot.

Forgot a water bottle.  I found this can in the truck, though, so problem solved.

Hi, Sara.  No, Mo can't come home from school with you.  You're going trick-or-treating with her in a couple hours, anyway.

 Time for a quick chat with Dad.

 All Nate wanted to be was a boring soccer player.  To quote Sara, "All he has to do was wear what he's been wearing to school all day, and pull up his socks."  He was Lionel Messi.  I asked him if we could add a little face paint and make him a DEAD Lionel Messi.  That would be cooler.  No.  Just plain old Lionel Messi.  We stopped by Swiss Oaks, so he could get his jersey.

 Getting ready.

 I took Sara and Nate and two of Sara's friends up to the Aloha Road neighborhood.  That's where Chuck and Cliff live; a bunch of kids were getting together up there, so I added to the pizza supply.

 Mo, as a mime.  Do you think she shut up even for one minute?

 Caitlyn as a vampiress.  Yes, I agree:  the visual irony is entertaining.  I refrained from mentioning it to her, though.

I dropped the kids and pizzas off at the trick-or-treat headquarters a few blocks away, then went to find Chuck at Aloha Road.  The house is for sale, and Chuck was helping the realtor take photos. 

The realtor was a nice guy. We hung out for a while.



It's late, but we had to read just a little of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

What, the bathrooms didn't finish cleaning themselves while I was gone?!?

Detritus from the Halloween mom-purse.

Didn't I already do this today..?