Punkin' Fun-kin

October 30, it was about time we carved the pumpkin Wally brought home a couple weeks ago.



Are the insides ever not gross?



Jimmy helped me sort all the pulp off the seeds (yuuuck.)



And I did the carving (yuuucker!) I kinda screwed it up.



But I didn't screw up the seeds,



They were woodstove'sted and YUUUM! Happy Almost Halloween!

October 29th

...is the day Jimmy's class wore costumes and went singing at a local nursing home. Everyone melted for Captain Jimmy,



...it was too cute! After that we decided we wanted to check out the other October 29th event, the opening of Portland's Trader Joe's!



I hit a little traffic coming upon the site. It kept getting denser and I started thinking "nooo...this can't be becau--. Can it?"



Affirmative, the gridlock was caused by all kindza new Trader Joe devotees. Getting around the parking lot was impossible, the guy they had directing traffic was completely overrun,



...and with my rearview mirror looking like this:



I decided to put off my first trip for another time, which ended up being later this afternoon. My first impression = AWESOME!! It's like Deliciousness and Disney World and Great Prices and Maine all wrapped up with Groceries and excellent customer service. They thanked me for being there. ME! There were thousands of other shoppers there and they still managed to make me feel special and welcome. With that level of customer service, I can pretty much cross Trader Joe's off the list of places that might hire me, which is fine because I'd much rather just shop there. Happy October 29th!

B'ackfrica

My brother Mark and sister-in-law M, and Laura and Kay are home from their most recent 3 week trip to the Newstart Children's Home in Zimbabwe, and here we are with some awesome treasures! From M and Mark we received this wonderful soapstone carving of Wally, Jimmy, and me:

Does that just not say it all. LOVE IT!

We also received a hippo carving:

...which goes only too well with my other soapstone hippo:

Hippo and Child

And lastly, written responses to the letters Jimmy "wrote" to the kids at Newstart.

Priceless

Each of these is packed with personality, it is unreal. These kids are so well spoken and surprisingly introspective and present themselves with a level of class that I am certain is not taught in our American schools. As I read them aloud I knew they were something special, but it really came true when Wally started picking them up and also reading aloud. Just magical, many thanks to these selfless folks who travel on their own time and dime to help out. These gifts have made my week!

Southward Ho!

We're leaving in the morning for a wedding, hubby is IN the wedding, a minor detail I learned just a few weeks ago. It's at a yacht club in Connecticut, shi shi! Wish us luck!

Goin' for a Walk...

Autumn shadow


"Where did that RV go...?"


Pinecone hunting




"Where did summer go...?"


Run-ninnnng!


Stoppin' to watch the game


Loot from an autumn walk around the 'hood!

2 π 4

Dinner Before:


Dinner After:


I know, I just made a pie yesterday, but as the title implies this was a pie to die for! That's red bell pepper, swiss chard, and eggs, then topped with parmesan and pie crust. I had to make it after being uncontrollably inspired by this recipe. Its photos are amazing, the recipe is amazing, the entire blog is amazing, but I believe the final decision to make this pie hung on the post's final line: You can serve this warm from the oven or wrap it up and serve it cold at a picnic. Sold! Nevermind that it's cold windy Northern Hemisphere October, in fact I think it made it better. Happy Saturday!

Thanks Uncle Sal!

Wally has an enamorment for the landlord of his recording space, Sal. Uncle Sal is like a, well, an uncle to him and we are periodically recipients of his garden foodstuffs. This week we got:


Swiss Chard


Grapes (Sal turns these into wine, of course.)


A peek of the most delicious Bell Peppers ever!


And a bunch of pears!


Which I baked into a pie.


Mmmmmm! Thanks Uncle Sal!