What do I need when the days get shorter and the weather colder? A new obsession, of course. In November and December, it will Christmas readying, but in October, it's books. I have started haunting book sales to find little gems, like this cookbook from the 60's. I bought $45.00 worth of books at the Ridgefield book sale and sold 8 books on ebay for over $150.00. CHA-CHING! I'm sold...and a new obsession is born.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
OCTOBER 14th: It's Getting Dark Earlier
Six-thirty and the sun is going down. The autumnal equinox nearly a month behind us and the days are getting shorter and the nights are stretching into the days, licking them away early and making me sleepy. At 6:30 in the summer I remember still swimming, trying to drag the kids out of the lake. At 6:30 in the fall, I am huddled in a down coat in the car, chilly, waiting for the kids to come in off the playground so we can go home. I feel ready for the half-hibernation I will embark on once we fall back, but scared for the slowing of my exercise routine and quieting of my social life. I withdraw. It happens every year. I should be used to it by now.
OCTOBER 11th: Bissell House
There's a new restaurant in town. One weekend, when I had no kiddos, I was actually able to get to church and afterward stopped by Bissel House to get brunch. The golden, autumn sun warmed us as we sat and ate wonderful food. I highly recommend, if you live in the Ridgefield area, partaking of the Bissell House fare!
OCTOBER 8th: Milo
I met a new friend. She has a dog, two of them to be precise. This is Milo, the Italian Greyhound. He loves to stand up at the window stretching his elegant tallness to its fullest. Isn't he gorgeous?
OCTOBER 12th: Halloween Approacheth
When Halloween starts to come into season, scary things crop up. I am not a fan. I am not a fan of dark costumes, deathly themes and the supernatural. I have never been a fan of anything but the creativity of Halloween (oh, and the candy). Anyhow, October 12, we went to eat at the local Mexican restaurant and they had the whole place decked out. Day of the Dead had just passed, so they had a lot of skulls and skeletons around, but they also had this sign.
Liam noticed it about halfway through the meal. He jumped out of his chair and was about run amuck through the restaurant, as he so often does...I'm such a good mother! Anyhow, he saw it and stopped dead in his tracks. The curiosity in his eyes was palpable. Surely, this sign must be announcing that someone had just died on this spot or something horrible. I could almost see the chill run up his spine. He turned to me and asked, "Mommy, WHAT does that sign say and WHY does it wook wike it's written in blood??" Halloween is an enigma if you don't remember ever experiencing it before.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
OCTOBER 13th: Fire Chief's Funeral
It all started when I was driving Liam to school and we got behind a fire truck from about 1930. Odd to see this truck, shined up and driving on the road at 9AM. Odder still to see a fireman, dressed in full regalia with white gloves and a hat on driving it. I felt I had stepped back in time!
I dropped Liam off at school and went for my walk. I saw firemen in their finest hanging about the firestation. I was curious, I asked one of them. He told me that Richard McGlynn, the town's first paid fire chief had died and that they were all coming out to honor him. I continued my walk and got some random shots of clusters of firemen standing by polished rigs:
I walked by St. Mary's Catholic Church as everyone was gathering there with bagpipers and police cars:
I felt I was spying, gawking, at something very sacred, so I walked on and went home.
When I came back with Elena to pick Liam up from school, the funeral was just getting out. Throngs of the firemen were hurrying back to the fire station. I brough the children over and we sat across the way, quietly, and watched stock still. The firemen put out a table with a chief's hat and uniform and all lined up behind it. They stood at ease for some time. 
As the funeral procession left the church and approached the fire station, the chief called out to the ranks to stand at attention...
The hearse approached and they all saluted in unison:
The hearse then pulled in front of the station, led by all the old and glorious machines and paused:
The station blew a three whistle salute and the old chief moved on to his final resting place. It was one of the most moving experiences of my life.
OCTOBER 9th: Photo Hike
One of my favorite things to do when I drop my kiddos off at their dad's, is to stop at Lover's Leap State Park and go for a hike. On this particular hike, I brought my camera and photographed the turning leaves and beginnings of autumn. The best thing about Lover's Leap is that there are still trails I haven't conquered, so I chose one of those this day. I found all kinds of interesting things:
First off, that's a steep cliff down to water that you walk along the whole time you are hiking...I was so grateful I didn't have Master Liam with me!
I found this really neat yellow fungus:
and this weird, almost roiling red fungus:
Cool moss:
Beautful pink quartz: 
Weird blue wood...*what the heck is that?*
And then, a little outbuilding I was especially drawn to:
I poked around outside it:
And inside:
I wanted to hop inside it, but saw that water was running through the little house, and figured I better go around back to investigate. When I tried to peer around the backside, I realized about a third of the house was hanging over the cliff's edge! Good thing I didn't go inside!
OCTOBER 7th: Soccer Walk
On my walk today, I played kick the hickory nuts. I think I must have looked quite uncoordinated, but joyous as I skipped along, alone, kicking nature's balls as if I were Pele. I got some good exercise and was grateful for this time of year and its myriad gifts from the trees!
OCTOBER 6th: Beautiful Sky at Dusk
I love the undulating puffs of clouds. It looks like I am lying underwater, in a river and someone dropped a dump truck load of shipping peanuts on the skin of the water. There is a sense of motion and stillness at the same time. This picture does not do the real thing justice.
OCTOBER 5th: Notice if You Will
Ni Hao Kai Lan is on at 6:30AM. Notice how DARK it is at 6:30? Notice that window in the background that is pitch black? Notice how awake Liam is, he's already dumping cars in piles on the floor (his M.O.)? Yup...he's my morning boy. I don't mind it, as long as I go to bed at nine. So, being a mom really does eat up the entirety of your social life, or at least mine! Anyone for breakfast?
OCTOBER 1st: It's called marketing...
Elena says she's heard that word before. When I asked her what she thought it meant, she said, "Giving stuff away to people" Pretty good! Although, it's giving stuff away to people with the hope that they will return to you to buy something...I guess. Or, it can be just getting your name out.
Anyhow, big work project done. 28 boxes off to the post office.
September 30th - Give Us A Call
Spent the day boxing up stuffed animals for a marketing project. This was the culmination of weeks of work. Each box has a "calling card" an informational card, an invitation to call us, and a stuffed animal (our product). Fun, fun, fun....
I'm a Little Behind!
I am going to do my best to catch up, but my computer has that wonderful problem that computers so often have where the female portion of the power adapter has separated from the motherboard so it cannot be powered up. I hate that our world builds disposability into things, such as laptops. I hate that I have had this happen to several laptops over the years. I hate that I can't take the top off and repair it like I would do with a toaster or toilet. So, I am relegated to stealing time on my daughter's or mother's computer. Can't blog at work, so here I am weeks and weeks behind.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
SEPTEMBER 29th: I Feel Better for Five Minutes!!
I felt better on Tuesday evening. Better enough to leave the house, go to the knitting store, buy colored roving, and gather rocks to felt. Weird? Yes. I have always sprung out of bed with energy and a project in mind. All that lounging around had left me itching, positively yearning to do something productive! So, off I went to my friend Amy's house where I made dinner and felted rocks. Sure, I came home after an hour and a half of exertion and collapsed, but it was well worth it!
SEPTEMEBER 28th: Feed a Cold, er, Sinus Infection Cream Puffs!!
Being sick for so long, I wasn't able to get out and do much. So, when Ketra was heading to the Big E, I begged her to bring me a cream puff. Even though, I really couldn't taste and probably enjoyed the thing only fractionally compared to last year's that I ate at the sunny fair venue itself, I was most grateful to have a bit of the festivities brought to me!
SEPTEMBER 25: The Lost Weekend
This is me for days. Boring? Yes. Relaxing? Yes. Sick? Yes. Hello Z-pack!!!!
SEPTEMBER 24th: Beginning of the End!
My family jests that the way you can tell you have a sinus infection is that you no longer want to go on. You are content to image death stealing up behind you and snatching you while you sleep or moan quietly. Sound dramatic? Well, I'm telling you, it was! I slept and remained in bed for at least four days before going to the doctor on Monday the 26th...let's just say these won't be the most exciting blog days!
SEPTEMBER 23: Hugh Heffner and Potty Training
Liam is spending a lot of his time naked as of late. Apparently, it's one of the only ways to remind him that he needs to sit on the potty when he has to go. It works pretty well, too. The family is getting a little sick of seeing his "junk" hanging out all over the place, though.
SEPTEMBER 22nd: Elena Getting Off the Bus
I love seeing my kids' artistic eyes developing. This is a picture Elena drew of her bus. There she is getting off the bus (or on, hard to know). Some family member is waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, no doubt her beloved Grammy! I love the detail and I love the way you can see the entire bodies of the people on the bus as if she has X-ray vision...do you think she does?
SEPTEMBER 21st: International Peace Day
And then we planted them on UN Peace Day. I was so proud. They looked beautiful. My children, angels that they are, were taught about peace. I was such a good mother!
And then, along came Liam walking softly with a big stick. "I smash-ded them, Mommy"
SEPTEMBER 20th: Getting Ready for International Peace Day
Apparently, every year people all over the world create pinwheels for peace. Last year, I missed the boat and was quite disappointed by that! So, this year, I prepared ahead of time. For days prior, as a family, we made peace pinwheels. What a great family project! We talked about what peace means. We did art together on the kitchen floor. We put ourselves on the map at www.pinwheelsforpeace.com. I even printed out fifty blank pinwheels and had them taken to church so the whole congregation could participate! Here are some pictures from our experience:
SEPTEMBER 19th: Sometimes I Get it Right!
This was the snack I made for Elena one day after school. She LOVED it. It made me think about "Love Languages" and where they come from. Do we instill a particular love language in our kids by how we love them or are they born "hearing" a certain way? It seems to me that Elena is one who appreciates gifts and works. When I do things for her or with her, I get the "You're the best mommy in the world!!" kind of accolades. Liam, it would appear is all about closeness and touch.
How about your kids? Have you read the Five Love Languages? It's fascinating! I recommend skimming it! It's a neat concept.
SEPTEMBER 17th: In all Seriousness
Are these the prettiest eyes? Sometimes they remind me of my eyes:
SEPTEMBER 16th: Bear, Bear, Lambie et al
Somedays, my little boy seems littler. Days like this day, when he lugs all his bed-friends to the bus stop to put his sister on the Kindergarten bus, the age difference between the two of them seems monstrous...much larger an abyss than usual.
This leads me to my most recent favorite story of Liam and his bed buddy, Lambie.
Liam: Doesn't Wambie have the cutest ears, Mommy?
Me: Yes, they are adorable.
Liam: I want to have cute ears wike Wambie.
Me: But, you have adorable ears, Liam!
Liam: (pauses to think for a moment and who knows what path his brain takes) I don't want to grow up to be an old lady!!!!!!!!
Friday, October 02, 2009
SEPTEMBER 15: Mountain Climbers
I came across this Jack-in-the-Pulpit while I was walking. It immediately took me back to being an eight-year-old in Brookfield, playing Mountain Climbers. We used to play this game for days on end. There was stack of firewood that had all sort of organically shaped nooks for storing items. We used to pretend we were pioneers gearing up for the winter. We would store various items in the various cubbies. We would prepare meals and salads of all the items we found. Somehow, we always knew not to eat them...thank goodness. We had cubbies that served as ovens, cubbies that served as refrigerators and cubbies that served as pure dry storage. We would forage all over the neighborhood, traveling blocks and blocks to pick deep eggplant colored sumac flowers (which, in case you haven't noticed smell like raspberries), Queen Anne's Lace roots plucked out, sliced with stone knives like carrots, or these Jack-in-the-Pulpits, which we called corn. It all involved creativity. It all involved fake food...hmmmm...
SEPTEMBER 14th: Hello Widdle Pider
Nothing like being waken up at the ass-crack of dawn every day by your son. It can certainly make one cranky. But then, mention of 'nuggling or something cute will make it all worthwhile. I imagine a time when he won't even want to talk to me, and I am grateful he trundles into my room at night.
This particular morning, he 'napped the shade open (as only Liam can do, it makes your teeth rattle) and found a little 'pider (have I mentioned we are having a speech eval?). He tapped gently on the glass cajoling, "Hellwo widdle pider!" And then he whipped around and looked at me, "Mommy! Do you think she misses her daddy and her children?" (we had already had a discussion about the fact that I thought for sure the spider was a girl). This made me think he must think that I miss him and Elena when I go off to school...and, I guess that I miss my dad (his Boppa). So empathetic. Poor widdle pider. I wanted to cry for her! It was like reliving Charlotte's Web all over again.
SEPTEMBER 13: Beaver Dam
This is the kids' new favorite game. I am not such a fan. It's called beaver dam and it involves the piling of pillows, beaver-dam style, into a giant pile. Other things also like to get added into the pile. Books, stuffed animals, important papers, toys, recyclables...it's like living with ACTUAL beavers, or eighty-year-old hoarders. Sigh...and, apparently, the game should be called beaver dams, because there can never be enough of them...ALL OVER THE DOWNSTAIRS.
SEPTEMBER 12: Nugget Store
McDonalds, would you please, please, PUH-LEASE, not advertise on every blessed flat surface? My son is highly observant, he notices everything. I think he's noticed the golden arches, aka signs for the "nugget store" since he was a year old, probably before he could even TELL us that was what he was seeing and craving. This particular day, we exited off Super 7 and there, hanging quite low on the street sign, was what appeared to be a five inch by five inch sign for said outfit. In the car we have Mommy, Daddy, Elena and Spot (Liam). "Wook! Wook Mommy! Dere's a teeny widdle nugget store sign. Wet's go dat way!"
This brings up a larger issue. I fear, and I know this is usually just a threat used by mothers, Liam is going to turn into a nugget. He eats nuggets for breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner. It's embarrassing. I love to cook. I love to cook a variety of things. I love to eat. I love to eat a variety of things. Liam does not.
Friday, September 25, 2009
SEPTEMBER 11th: Ellis Paul
Got to go see a wonderful concert this evening at the University of Hartford. Ellis Paul. Always been a favorite of mine and my friend, Caroline's. Caroline's because she knew him when she was in college and mine, embarrassingly enough because of his song from Me, Myself and Irene. Anyhow, Caroline and I try to see him whenever he comes near. He's not only a fabulous singer, but an interesting story teller and amazing entertainer as well. Check him out if he ever comes near!
SEPTEMBER 10th: Big Boy
First day of school. Big boy backpack, check. Big boy undies, check. Big boy attitude, check.
Liam seems to have been born for school. He's ready and willing to go in when we get there. He immediately shrugs off the parent pall and gets down to the business of finding every wheeled and transportation-themed toy that the school has to offer!
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