Happy All Hallows’ Eve

~ from a Halloween party pooper ~

Have you noticed how in the last few years, Halloween has become extremely popular? I’ve actually heard someone say, “Halloween is my favorite holiday.” I must confess, I’m not that big a fan. I was raised in a household where treats of all sorts (chips, chocolate, popcorn twists, ju jubes) were available (in moderation, of course), so I never felt compelled to resort to dressing up and walking the streets to get my junk food fix.

Of course, when I was quite young, my dad would take us around Riverside to our grandparents’ and relatives and a handful of neighbors (a majority of whom were the aforesaid grandparents and relatives; I mean, hey, it was a small, rural community), and that was that. Not like some people I recall who, at one high school noon hour, drove themselves into town to go trick-or-treating. Also not like the 14-year-olds at Mom & Dad’s door one year whose voices gave them away. When it comes to trick-or-treating, the age of accountability may not be firmly fixed, but I’d think hitting puberty is a fairly good indicator one should stop.

And honestly, I find the displays at my local Shoppers Drug Mart repulsive: they’ve got the Grim Reaper, complete with scythe, in sculpted plastic leering at all passersby at the end of the aisle closest to the bins of Halloween treats. It’s (almost) enough to turn me off chocolate. That’s why I found it disturbing to read Tony Hicks’s article, “Really scary stuff: is Halloween décor too adult for the kids?” in this past Saturday’s Ottawa Citizen (p. J4-J5). The author shared that his five-year-old “weeps uncontrollably at the sight of a dead roly-poly bug, but doesn’t bat an eyelash at the disemboweled rubber man on a torture rack” in the Halloween store. In fact, she “giggles at the decapitated head on the ground.” Strange. No way I’m going to frequent that store.

Oh, and by the way, Halloween’s not a “holiday.” Not yet. Betcha’ within a couple of years someone will lobby to make it a stat.

So I guess you’ve gathered that we’re not going to be handing out treats to the little darlings. Nope, not this year. The few I’ve bought, we’re keeping. Actually, I have French class tonight. But after that, I think I’ll need to indulge in le chocolat.

new 'do

alternative title: “hair today, gone tomorrow” or “i'm so vain”

I’m finding it difficult to squeeze blogging into my schedule, what with all the seemingly endless bus rides to work, work itself, French classes, and the general grocery shopping, meal preparing, house cleaning, laundry, litter scooping, TV watching, and many other quotidian details. (Quotidian is such a great word, isn’t it? I rediscovered it again yesterday, in French class, when we learned the French equivalent: quotidien/quotidienne - depending upon if the word it modifies is masculine or feminine.) If a picture really is worth a thousand words, the following means I’ll have fulfilled my quota for a while.

I've taken a lot of pictures of myself lately - blame it on the built-in PhotoBooth application, and my indecision over what to do with my mop. Here's my hair and how it’s evolved over the last few months.

Apparently, this was August 2, perhaps about 2½ months after my last visit to Maria. That was the Thursday before the long weekend. Feeling the longer layer brush against the back of my neck started to drive me crazy in the heat and humidity.

I’ll admit this cut was not the greatest idea. It got rid of the itchiness, but it was obviously a hasty/cheap job, a rash decision made on the Saturday of the Civic Holiday weekend. I look like I should be wearing wooden shoes and a three-cornered white and blue bonnet.

This was taken October 11, one higher-end cut plus about 6 weeks’ growth later. Hmm, could use a little taming on the ends.

I have a photo which I’m *not* posting: me with hair pulled back off my face to try to figure out my basic facial structure, and consequently, what cuts, if any, will flatter me, according to the hair magazines.

Ta da! After the salon! It’s a miracle. Of course, when/if you see me in person, do not be surprised if I do not look exactly like my photo. I must confess I have not mastered the whole round brush thing. And the latest crisis is that I’ve run out of Scruples O2 foam mousse. I’ll have to phone around to find it. I suppose another mousse would do, but I’m particular about scents, and I liked Scruples because it was light and not overly perfumey and didn’t smell like coconut, watermelon, vanilla, or sunflowers.

Watch for my next hair adventure: I expect it will involve highlights, possibly lowlights, too.

Happy Thanksgiving Monday!

So as most of you prepare to savor turkey dinners (or leftovers), and as we look forward to our non-traditional leftover chicken curry (or a meal of whole wheat spaghetti and tomato sauce if I can’t stretch the curry), I thought I’d reflect on some of the many things I am thankful for. Here’s a partial list:

• my husband
• my family, immediate and extended—yes, my in-laws, too!
• my friends, far and near
• that I’m forgiven and free in Jesus Christ
• good health
• that I possess five senses (and sometimes a sixth)
• the education I’ve received
• a comfortable little townhome
• Red Rose tea
• lunch with Shirley at Feleena’s on Friday
• the privilege of sponsoring a Compassion Canada child (actually, we’re on our third one, since the previous two moved out of sponsorship areas and ceased being eligible)
• that it’s time for the Samaritan's Purse annual Operation Christmas Child shoebox-packing event
  
• art & literature
• chocolate:
  
• that James was not fond of the Godiva milk chocolate strawberries ("made from real dried strawberries") we bought Saturday (more for me)
• that our friend’s daughter was out of school fundraiser chocolate bars to sell ('cause I would have bought'em and stuffed myself with even more chocolate)
• that the Smith Falls Hershey’s Chocolate Shoppe is still open, meaning that there is still a slim chance I’ll get to visit it before it closes
  
• that we can watch Church of the Rock on TV on those Sundays we don’t feel motivated to attend a local service
• running water
• the smell of Canadian Tire
• the smell of clover
• red maples
• teddy bears
• technology, especially being able to send emails, Google for information, reconnect with people on Facebook, and order online from McNally Robinson (come to Ottawa!), ChaptersIndigo, and Amazon
• white cheddar popcorn
• obtaining a reasonably priced return flight for early December
• two goofy cats
• Swiffers, 3M lint rollers, and Dirt Devil vacuums with which to clean up aforesaid pet hair
• a good highlight, cut, and blow dry session with a reputable hair stylist
• a good book and a comfortable chair on a rainy day
• a long, leisurely walk
• massage therapy
  
• stretchy jeans
  

Enjoy today!