No! This IS my costume!!!

Happy Halloween! In the spirit of the day, I dressed up for work. I am usually the only one in the building to dress up so the day will be interesting. This year I am a Bohemian 70's girl. The dress is pretty cute. It reminds me of what my mom actually wore in the early 70's (though not such a crazy pattern)... I put on lots of makeup and teased my hair so people would know I am actually dressed up for Halloween, not dressed up for work. I just hope they don't think I am a hooker :)

Have a super day handing out candy or trick and treating with your little one(s).

Back to Life, Back to Reality

Ok, the Red Sox have won and baseball season is officially over. You won't have to read anymore baseball stuff here until April. The other part of this good news is that Mike and I will actually return to our normal bedtime schedule. Thank goodness! We've been pooped.

So what do we do now? It will be the fun of raking leaves and getting ready for winter. We started a bit this weekend by cutting down about half of our plants. The remainder will be tackled this weekend. The yard looks bare!

We've also started getting our music organized again. Tonight I will go through CDs and make sure that music we've purchased online is on our NAS. Eventually our goal is to have our Mac Mini hooked up directly to our TV so that we can listen to music with our new A/V receiver, watch movies, and view pictures. This should be straightforward once we are all organized.

Have a happy day!

Red Socks ROCK!!!!!

I guess there really isn't much to say... The papers below say it pretty well. I still have a headache from staying up late to celebrate!!! The parade is set for tomorrow. SO GOOD SO GOOD SO GOOD! What a great end to the season.

And, we should not forget our New England Patriots. 7-0 for the season. Boston sports are on top. Hopefully we'll have another Super Bowl this year!

WOOO HOOOOO We Won The World Series!!!!

We are so dancing around I can't even type at 12:23 am... More to come ....


I will lose my voice...

Leaves, Leaves Everywhere!

I was looking at all the leaves this morning and thinking (okay, the first sign of a good day is thinking first thing in the morning), "there must be some fun things to do with leaves." Low and behold, there is! You can make Ghost Leaves! This cute, kid friendly project from Family Fun makes good use of the plentiful fallen foliage. And makes for less raking, too. A little less, anyway.

Here's the project:

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	hole punch
	fallen leaves
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

1. With a hole punch, make 2 eyes and a mouth in an assortment of fallen leaves, one for each place setting.

2. Tuck each leaf stem under the edge of a dinner plate or inside a napkin ring or tie.

I think there are plenty of modifications you can make to this simple approach to really jazz the leaves up. Try pasting buttons or glitter to the leaves. Maybe even paste a little tissue paper behind the eye holes to give the eyes color. For more great Halloween crafts, visit Family Fun's Holiday Fright Site.

Red Sox WIN Game 2 of the World Series!

In baseball news, the Red Sox won Game 2 of the World Series against the Colorado Rockies with a 2-1 score. Double-digits are not required for the Sox to steal the game, just good pitching and fielding.

A co-worker of mine brought in a commercial that his mother-in-law was in. It is a hoot :) For the full video that includes director commentary, check out http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-352433179491798352&hl=en.

WOOO HOOOO!!!! World Series Game 1 Win!

Last night was absolutely amazing. The Red Sox were poised to play and they took the win with gusto. We stayed up for every play, down to the last inning. Ace pitcher, Josh Beckett, was true to form, striking out Rockies players over and over. Red Sox hitters -- that being the entire line-up -- dominated nearly every inning. I never could have guessed a 13-1 win.

We're looking forward to Game 2 tonight. We're already pooped from last night, so I am betting tomorrow we'll really be dragging.

Other big news for us yesterday... We ordered a new TV. We really liked the Sony KDL46W3000 when we were looking. However, it was substantially more expensive than the Samsung [that we purchased]. Luck was with us, though. Mike got a flier from Dell advertising the Sony model with a hefty employee purchase program discount. We ordered the Sony and are returning the Samsung.

Also, we booked tickets for a holiday trip to KC. It will be fantastic to see my family for the holidays!

LETS GO RED SOX!

What I'm Reading (October)

Another month has passed, so I thought I would give a quick update on what I am reading and what I have recently finished reading.

Vineyard Fear, by Philip R. Craig, was a great book in the J.W. Jackson series that takes place on Martha's Vineyard. This installment involves a crazy stalker, a college town that closely resembles Northampton, the Colorado Rockies, and of course, the Vineyard. I liked this one for its variety. Sadly, the author passed away in May after a brief illness. There will be a few more books in the series that he had already written.

Bump in the Night, a compilation which includes a story by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts), follows the adventures of New York City police lieutenant Eve Dallas. Dallas is on the trail of a murderer after finding two dead bodies -- one from the present [2061] and one more than 80 years before [1970s]. I found it a fun, quick read.

Dockside, by Susan Wiggs, is the third book in the Lakeshore Chronicle series. This book features Greg Bellamy and Nina Romano, two people from very different backgrounds that love the same Inn. Like Wiggs' other books, it is an uncomplicated romance that made me cry happy tears.

Finally, taking a break from reading serial books, I am currently reading Sugar Daddy (Lisa Kleypas). The story is set in Texas and follows the life of Liberty Jones. Liberty is an Hispanic-Caucasian girl left caring for her little sister. The love and devotion for Liberty towards Carrington is touching. I have a feeling this book will have a fairy tale ending, but that isn't such a bad thing.

Up next on my reading [short] list are: Shoot Him if He Runs (Stuart Woods), Mine Till Midnight (Lisa Kleypas), An Irish Country Doctor (Patrick Taylor), and Dark of the Moon (John Sandford). I'll be back in about a month with more book updates!

A Weekend of Fall Firsts

We had such a wonderful weekend! Saturday we made our first turkey. It turned out great. We cooked it breast down, following Elise's recipe from Simply Recipes. It was very moist. It didn't produce much juice, but the meat was so succulent it didn't matter.

We spent Sunday afternoon with Connor, Fiona, Deirdre, and Pat apple picking at Tougas Farm. It was the first time for apple picking for Connor, Fiona, and me. We had a really fun time. We took a tractor-pulled wagon into the orchard and got a half bushel of Macintosh apples. Next, we wound our way through the maze in the cornfield. The visit couldn't be complete without playing in the play area and feeding the goats. Tougas' is just up the road from us, about 3 minutes. Deirdre overheard someone saying they drove 2 1/2 hours to get there. Guess we are lucky to be so close!

We didn't want to waste one minute of having those beautiful apples, so I made my first apple crisp last night. It turned out pretty well. I have things I want to change next time but it was a success anyway.

One last mention of note... The Red Sox won games 6 and 7 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians. They will host game 1 of the World Series beginning Wednesday. Woo hoo!!!! GO SOX!

Another Red Sox Win

And I have to say, Thank God. Not that a sports loss would end the world, but it would darken the day of many Red Sox fans.

What a game last night! Kenny Lofton and Josh Beckett had a verbal exchange that cleared the benches (YouTube video). The Sox made some amazing plays and Beckett was great on the mound. I sure hope he gets the Cy Young. Quite a pitcher. As added interest, it seems a former girlfriend sang the national anthem before he pitched last night. Beckett was unconcerned (warning, the YouTube video contains profanity).

If you don't watch baseball or care about the Sox, the video below won't matter. But if you are a fan, please watch the video below. I found it really moving.



On to Game 6 tomorrow!

A Day of Miscellany

My thoughts are so disorganized today! I think it comes from staying up too late... Even with the Red Sox night off last night, I was up until 10:30.

Anyway, I promised to post a couple of photos of the pellets we got Saturday. They are going to keep us toasty this winter :)

One of the blogs I read is a shopping blog called Outblush. Yesterday, one of their features was Onion Action Googles that look to me like pink sunglasses. According to Outblush,

These Onion Action Goggles ($20) are a must-have in the kitchen. While you may look like a science nerd, the goggles are anti-fog and have a foam seal to keep out those strong vapors. They're a fun gift to give any serious foodie and chef.

What??? Is this for real? I suppose if you are itching to spend $20 and you slice dozens of onions a day it is a "must have."

If you are wondering about any daily observances, here is what found for today:

• Get Smart About Credit Day
• Get to Know Your Customers Day
• International Credit Union Day
• Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce

The theme of credit and customers is ringing strongly for me. I wonder who thinks these things up :)

Tonight is Game 5 of the ALCS. I sure hope the Red Sox win.

And with that, I end today's miscellany.

Have Shelters Gone Too Far?

Many people have heard by now that Ellen DeGeneres is wrapped up in a dispute with Mutts and Moms (whose site is down as of this morning) over Iggy, a dog she and her companion adopted. Apparently Ellen signed a contract saying she would provide a home for this pet, etc... She tried, spending an inordinate sum of money acclimating the little dog. When things were not working out, another suitable family offered to take the dog in. As I understand things, according to Ellen's contract with Mutts and Moms families with children under age 14 are not allowed to adopt pets. This is for "the safety of the pet." What?! And how was this age determined, exactly? The family, that of Ellen's hairdresser, has two children ages 11 and 12.

The issue of shelters' strict rules over pet adoption was featured in a local paper earlier this week. While I believe strongly in what these shelters do and I volunteer for an animal rescue group myself, I do think there should be some reasonable limits. These dogs are rescued from kill shelters or the streets and given another chance. While screening is reasonable, this situation with Ellen seems over the top. And why did the police have to get involved to take away a dog? Isn't there real crime to deal with?

I just don't get it... ...And that ends my sound off for today. Have a great one ;)

TV Talk

After a cool start to the day on Saturday, we went out and got another ton of pellets for this winter. I will post an image of the scene later this week. Work around the house was followed by a big purchase -- a new LCD HD TV!

We ended up getting a 46" Samsung model (LN-T4665F). We got it all hooked up on Sunday. Boy, is it big!!! We were due for DirecTV installation of new hardware today. Unfortunately, they have to send out a "specialist" to review some line of sight issues. Guess we'll see what happens with that.

We also started hooking up our new surround sound system (Denon receiver and Definitive Technology speakers). Mike wanted it all to look nice, so we have been busy with internal wiring for the rear surround speakers. This is a lot of fun in a house that is 150 years old. Nothing is built as you would expect. We now have a bevy of specialized tools and the final look will be beautiful. I'll post pictures once we install new trim board (which had to be ripped out) and repaint the rear wall. Hopefully this will all happen soon :)

We're getting ready for a cozy winter of TV viewing!

Cool Start

It was 38 degrees when we checked the temperature at 8:30 am. Mattie decided he would rather sit in front of the pellet stove then go outside. And who said cats are dumb?


He's also saving his energy for ALCS Game 2 at 8 pm. Go Sox!!!

Game Day: ALCS Game One

Okay, I admit it. I have become a crazy Red Sox fan. It is really cool! It has been a great season for the Sox and we have high hopes for the first game of the ALCS series with the Cleveland Indians.

Josh Beckett, Boston's Cy Young award contender, is up against C.C. Sabathia (another Cy Young nominee) on pitching. ESPN used their Diamond Mind simulation software to project the results of the Red Sox-Indian series. ESPN made a few educated decisions before running the simulation 1,000 times for the series. The results?

As unpredictable as the outcome of the regular season can be, luck and unforeseen events can play an even greater role in a short series. Bearing that caveat in mind, the results of our simulations project the Red Sox with a 58.2-percent likelihood of defeating the Indians and advancing to the World Series, most likely in seven games. (ESPN)

That is music to my ears! Our Beantown team, often the underdogs, may just end up on top this time. Woo hoo! The article goes on to say:

In our 1,000 series simulations, Boston, behind Josh Beckett, beat C.C. Sabathia and Cleveland in Game1 55.4 percent of the time. If Boston wins Game 1, it could well finish the job in just five or six games. If Sabathia and the Indians top the Red Sox in Game 1, however, Cleveland becomes the favorite to take the series, and in six games to boot. The bottom line: Imagine Sports projects a close series, likely to go at least six games and probably seven, and the Red Sox will emerge as the American League champions and face the red-hot Colorado Rockies in the World Series. Unlike our NLDS projections, where we projected the Rockies as likely to win if they had dropped Game 1, the odds swing in favor of the Indians if the Tribe can take the opening game on Friday. The pressure is on!

Tonight's game will be awesome! I hope I still have my voice tomorrow.

**Update: Red Sox win 10-3. Woo hoo!!!!! How can we not be happy. One picture is below, more can be found at Boston.com:

Jekyll Island, Georgia

We had an early start today, getting up at 4:30 am. We took Pat to the airport for a much-needed vacation. She will be visiting antebellum sites in Georgia and South Carolina for the next 7 days. She starts her tour by going to Jekyll Island in Georgia.

Me being me, I had to learn about the island. Georgia was established as a colony in 1733 by General James Ogelthorpe. He named the island after his friend Sir Joseph Jekyll (aside -- I wonder if he was related to Dr. Jekyll). During the first 150 years of private ownership, Jekyll Island had a plantation. By 1885, however, the island became a private club for the wealthy. The island was privately owned from the 1730s until 1947 when the state of Georgia purchased it for $675,000. Legislative mandates requires that 65% of the island remain undeveloped and left in its natural state.

The island has been featured on TBS (video link), CNBC (video link), MSNBC (video link) and in Islands Magazine (pdf link) and Family Fun Magazine (pdf link). The music in the video below really reminds me of the old TV show Designing Women.

An Apple A Day...

Fall is here and it is time for apple picking in New England. Did you know that New England is home to 40 varieties of apples? And you thought there were only red and green! Beyond those that are native, the list of apples you can pick in New England is extensive: Cortland, Empire, Macoun, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Paula Red, Gala, Honeycrisp, Gold Delicious, Mutsu, Fuji, Ginger Gold, and Rome. The University of Massachusetts Cold Spring Orchard grows over 100 varieties in its orchard! For a listing of other orchards see New England Apples or Northern New England.com.

Once you have those apples, what do you do with them? Besides eating them raw, there are plenty of dishes to cook. Of course, Google returns lots of recipes when you search. Paula Deen, Simply Recipes, and Julia Child are always good starting points.

And remember, an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Princess Kitty

We had a funny conversation with Fiona yesterday about her Halloween outfit. It was a princess, then a fairy, then something else... Apparently she isn't sure yet. As I was waking up this morning and looking around the 'net, I found this irresistible photo. Princess Kitty!

We don't know what Mattie will be for Halloween. As a matter of fact, he is currently MIA. He went out last night around 7 pm and has not returned. We have been searching high and low to no avail. We'll be gone from home until Thursday night, so cross your fingers he is back then.

Smiles for a good day!

**Update: Mattie returned home on Wednesday, October 10. All's well that ends well :)

Alive in the World, a charity benefit to Eden

One of my favorite singers, Ben Taylor, has a new EP out titled Alive in the World. It features Ben and David Saw live to benefit Eden, a charity for autism. I bought it today from iTunes and love it! Of the 5 songs, Boyfriend is my favorite. It is witty and cute... For $3.99 I am getting lots of smiles from the songs and helping a good cause. I feel warm and fuzzy.

My Honey, the TV Star

A little more than a year ago, Mike was filmed for an episode of Ask This Old House. The episode, #525, aired in May of this year. We told everyone we knew (of course) and distributed DVDs. PBS is ready to begin the new season of This Old House tomorrow. To get viewers ready, they've been airing the episodes from last year. Mike's segment was on around the country this week.

Mike has been getting phone calls, emails, and text messages from friends and co-workers who saw him on TV. The response has been much greater than for the original broadcast! I am lucky to have a star in my midst...

I've included the segment below if you have not seen or -- or if you want to see it again. Alternately, you can go to Google Video and watch it there.

Balloons Around the World Day

Happy Balloons Around the World Day! Doesn't that just make you want to smile? It sure makes me want to smile! The idea of the day is to make people smile with the unexpected gift of balloon art. You've seen them, the funny twisted balloons in the form of a dog, or a hat. They do bring out a smile... This also happens to be National Pizza Month and National Popcorn Popping Month, so it is all fun for the family. What more do you need for a good time than balloons, pizza?!

While all of those celebrations are good for our families, there is another day today that is good for our pocketbooks; Change a Light Day. Energy Star, the US Department of Energy, Consumer Reports, and others are encouraging homeowners to change at least one incandescent bulb to a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL).

In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, if every American household were to replace one incandescent bulb with an Energy Star CFL, enough energy would be saved to light more than three million homes for a year and cut annual energy costs by $600 million. (Consumer Reports, October 2007).

So here's the plan: change a light bulb to a CFL, then sit down with your family for a fun night of making balloon creatures, eating pizza, and having popcorn with a movie!

Cool Stuff

As I was browsing around the internet yesterday, I came upon this cool stuff at Uncommon Goods -- regional dishtowels. I did a bit more research (ehr, reading the dish towel) and found that the towels are made by catstudio. Catstudio has a Geography Collection of pillows, napkins, dish towels, placemats, and napkins that feature various states, cities, regions, parks, and countries. As a geographer, I think this is really cool!

They have designs for all 50 states. The designs for Missouri and Massachusetts are well done, as they include the highlights. I also love the New York City design. For New England, the designs for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, New Hampshire, Vermont, Ski Vermont, and New England; all have a special meaning to me, mainly because they are places Mike and I enjoy visiting together.

All of the designs I link to above are for pillows, but the design is the same no matter if it is on a glass, dish towel, or whatever. The folks at catstudio have worked hard to create unique design for each area that is an accurate reflection. The owners have anthropology backgrounds and have traveled extensively. This really comes through in their product.

The glasses are my favorite (mainly because they are affordable). Catstudio sells them in sets of 4 of the same design ($48). However, I found a store called Ampersand that sells glasses individually for $10. That is not outrageous for something so unique!

The Ultimate Gift

Last night we watched The Ultimate Gift. It was, by far, one of the best movies we have seen in a very long time. The story:

When his wealthy grandfather dies, trust fund baby Jason Stevens anticipates a big inheritance. Instead, his grandfather has devised a crash course on life with twelve tasks – or “gifts” – designed to challenge Jason in improbable ways, sending him on a journey of self-discovery and forcing him to determine what is most important in life: money or happiness.

It was such a beautiful and amazing movie. We didn't really know what the movie was about when we started watching it. It drew us in first thing and had our attention through the entire movie. It was so deeply inspirational that I really can't even describe it adequately.

I have included the trailer below (courtesy of YouTube).


This is definitely a must see! Also, if you have a chance, visit the website for The Ultimate Gift (linked above) as it has oodles of information about the movie and the movement.