Happy Halloween

We live in a neighborhood with over 100 houses on the 1 mile long road and again Halloween was a bust. We had a total of four children -- needless to say those four kids scored!

It makes me wonder if parents just don't trust people anymore, or if Halloween is a thing of the past. I'm quite visible in my neighborhood. I'm always outside with my kids, walking around the neighborhood or chatting with neighbors. Yet, again a total of four trick or treaters. It's a shame that that little aspect of childhood seems to be a thing of the past.

Nano Writes

To those who signed up - it starts tomorrow. Good luck to all, may you all prosper with your writing!

I've toyed with my outline. Then changed the entire story to something else last minute and now I'm in a new mind set. So I'm curious to see if I can complete it in the month's time!

The joy of snow...

I watched a little girl sit out in the snow/rain mix this morning and have this absolutely wonderful time making "slush" angels (she kept calling them snow angels, but it really was more slush than snow), snow/slush men, creating Heffalump tracks, and just in general she was having more fun than I've seen any child have in a long time. She came in with the adorable rosy red cheeks that kids get after they've been playing in the cold. Her exposed hair was dripping wet... and all I could think the whole time was how much I loathe snow. Snow means cold, damp, and generally miserable conditions.

So it makes me wonder, I used to be that rosy cheeked kid playing in the snow - trying to stand up in my sled and make it all the way down the hill without falling flat on my behind. (Snowboards... there's something I should have invented since that's what we were really doing...)

My son hates snow now, he's like his mom and snow means cold- but I remember his wanting to be out in it all rosy cheeked. My daughter still loves snow and was up eating breakfast at 4:45 this morning hoping that they'd have a snow day so that she could stay home and play in it. No such luck, though I've heard the high schoolers are out early because the power went out. But I wonder if everyone loses the magic of a first snowfall or if it is just those of us who have lived a lifetime of cold winters and never-long-enough summers?

Snow???

So every year I have this one goal, this year I am sticking to it more than ever. My goal is to not turn my furnace on until at least November 1st. So at this point, I have one more week. With the price of propane at all-time highs, I really want to hold out as long as possible!!

So the weatherman today announces that because of Hurricane Wilma, we are about to get nailed with the remnants of this storm forming a "snowicane." His phrase - not mine. I'm not very happy. Snow to me means cold temperatures and I'm just not ready for either. I realize some of you never see snow, but I've had my fill of it. Snow means drivers "forget" how to drive and they attempt to drive the speed limit while snow builds up. Vermonters can be great snowy road drivers, but the more people that move from non-snowy states, the crazier winter driving becomes. Especially when more and more SUVs are on the roads and some people have this tendency to think that 4wd makes you invincible in the snow - trust me it's NOT true.

I've heard that the Farmer's Almanac says we are in for one of the snowiest winters in a long time, but I really, really am not looking forward to it at all. I'd like to hope they are all wrong! However, if they are, I have this plea to those driving on Vermont roads this winter. Road conditions can change in a heartbeat around here, so if it's snowing - slow down, allow extra time to get to your destination, and remember you are NOT the only one on the road. You have to be twice as alert as usual.

A little more serious a topic

As most know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Friday was National Mammography Day.

I've lost two friends to breast cancer. My hairdresser and then this spring my mom's close friend/next-door neighbor growing up--she was like our second mom growing up, and we knew if mom wasn't catching our misdeeds, that Sarah would. It's still shocking to think that they are gone, even more so for their families.

Please, if you can, donate to this very worthy cause. Make sure you have a breast exam yearly and mammogram if you are in the right age group. I also want to mention that Hansen's Organic Sodas have red tabs on their cans. Mail these tabs in - for every tab they receive, they will donate 10 cents to Breast Cancer research.

Lost -- Another one's gonna bite the dust!

So I am thoroughly addicted to the ABC show LOST. I've never missed an episode and love the mystery behind the island. With all the twists that are thrown at you, it's impossible to know what's going to happen next.

So anyway, there is another cast member leaving the show in three weeks. I read a rumor that Shannon is going to be the one to go next, and personally that kind of makes sense given the fact that she's barely been featured this season. But I've also read interviews with the actress who plays Shannon that she's not the one. So who do you believe? Anyone else have guesses about who is next to go?

Company Policies

I ran into a situation today that ticks me off. I can understand the policy, especially when a number of my husband's co-workers push personal calls to extremes. But in this case, I think some modification needs to be made.

I rarely call my husband at work. Years ago, I'd called him because I was having a rough day (I used to have panic attacks daily) and I needed to hear his voice. The secretary who answered rudely hung up on me and told me never to call again with trivial matters, so I turned to my former sister-in-law to help me through the rough spots instead. Now I'll only call him if it's pretty important.

So today, I really needed him to pick up something at the store before he heads home. I called his work and the receptionist tells me they have a new policy this month - no personal calls at all unless it is a matter of life or death. So, I asked if she could take a message then and she refused. Said I could tell him myself when he gets home.

Where my husband works, cell phone reception is a major issue - they are right behind the National Guard base and near the airport so cell phone service is limited at best unless they are outside. So now, I have no way of texting him a message or getting a call through until he is in his car, and even then he barely knows how text messaging works and he won't answer a call when he's driving. So this means the milk I needed is now something I'll have to go out and drive 10 miles to get myself - when it could have been a quick stop on his way home.

I do understand that some of my husband's co-workers have abused the phone call privilege. However, if they kept track of who is getting the calls, they'd see that the last time I called my husband was back in the spring when I'd taken the kids to a friend's house for dinner. It's not like I call him three times a day like these other guys he works with. And even at that, if I can't personally speak to him, that's okay, but they should be able to get messages to their workers. Outright refusal is a little too big-brotherish for me.

Rainy Days

It has done nothing but rain here. So I've been going on this mad cleaning kick. Just how messy does a kid's bedroom have to be before you cave in and do it yourself? My daughter's room was horrendous. Her rats are sweet, gentle, but wickedly messy creatures. So there was litter under her bed and I was throwing a fit at the number of socks hiding under her bed. It's no wonder she ran out of them!!!

So now her room is immaculate, and I'm wondering just how long it will last. My son is messy, but he doesn't compare next to her!

My 2nd Post today---

It's making up for the one I'll most likely miss tomorrow as it is a school day here, so I'll have kids around.

One of the reviewers here (Deb) sent me a link to a November challenge that I'm going to do. http://www.nanowrimo.org/ You have one month to write a 50,000 word novel. Now I figure that's about 1700 words per day. That sounds manageable, but then when I add in everything else in my schedule, it's going to take some planning. However, I really want to prove to myself that I can do it! So I accepted this challenge yesterday and can't wait to get started!

Who else is up for the challenge?

Wallace & Grommit

Due to the rainy, suddenly much cooler, weather, my husband and I decided to go catch the matinee for Wallace & Grommit. I know the movie is rated G, so I expected plenty of other families to be there. What surprised me was the parents of kids no more than two years old who felt their child was ready for the movies. The little girl in front of us was about two years old and she was potty trained supposedly, but she ended up wetting her pants and crying uncontrollably because daddy got very upset. My feelings are that he NEVER should have brought her in the first place. There were other children who were screaming/crying because in essence the new W&G movie is a little scary. Someone called it "a horror movie for vegetarians" that's kind of accurate.

First, the movie should have a PG rating in my opinion. There are sexual innuendos, funny to older kids and adults, but lost to little ones. (At one point Helena Bonham Carter's character is stood behind a pair of canteloupes and she asks Wallace if he'd like to touch her melons. Another scene has a naked Wallace covering himself with a box that says "Nuts may be inside.")
This movie does contain typical Wallace & Grommit humor - everyone should expect it - so parents who were upset with the semi-violent scenes (a were-rabbit biting and "killing" veggies, shooting/airplane fight with Grommit) and such should have expected it. Wallace and Grommit are British and British humor is included. If you are unfamiliar with the characters, perhaps you should check them out a little more first before bringing your 2 - 4 year olds.

I liked the movie. Still isn't better than The Wrong Trousers, I don't think, but it is enjoyable.

Book Banning

I read a book today that was okay, but I have this issue now because I was reading the author's bio and read that he successfully led a book banning campaign against his local library. See I have this thing with book banning - FREEDOM of speech... If you don't like the book's topic, then don't read it. The fact that there are people out there who deem themselves a God of sorts and that they MUST remove books they find offensive for the general population really bothers me. If you don't like it - don't watch it, read it, listen to it. I'm sure those same people have some food they can't stomach - be it brussels sprouts, spinach... Can you imagine their response if you forced your way into their home and forced them to eat that intolerable food???