It Feels Like November

First of all, I have to apologize for leaving Rootie out of the Halloween celebration pics last night. How could I forget such a cute face? Dumb as dirt, but has a heart of gold. This is the pumpkin scarf that sweet Pea sent with her Halloween package. Speaking of which, what a soiree she pulled off last night!! Wowie zowie -- my feet were still moving to Monster Mash way until the wee hours of the morning! (In truth, I awoke at 1:30 with a waft of candles burning--having a keen sense of smell is both a blessing and a curse--only to find that I had forgotten to blow out the Halloween candelabra--again from Pea. Gee, I could have burnt the place down! It was then that I finally made it to Pea's bash! But things were still rockin'. Others arrived later than I!!) Ok, back to the dog. Rootie has been wearing this scarf since it arrived The teenager says she looks like an old lady. Well, she is aging, quite well, I may add. She's the ripe old age of ten and she has the grey chin hairs to prove it!

It was a rainy day here in Middle Tennessee but not too cool. By around 6, the wind began whipping and the temperature dropped quite suddenly. Even my localite Miss Bethy commented on it being November weather, already! I'm loving it as the leaves have finally turned after quite a bit of rain and are now beginning to fall. My little maple in the front yard has a beautiful pile of orange and yellow leaves below it. If it hadn't been so wet today, I would have taken a pic. Perhaps tomorrow, because it is such a beautiful site.

I spent the day out and about, mostly. I have had piles stacked every place with a flat surface (and some not so flat spots) in my kitchen since my return from Europe and I had about enough of it today. I had to go out and purchase yet another organizer for all my artsy stuff. I just couldn't take it any longer! I am so tired of getting an idea and not being able to find that "piece" I need. I hope this does it for a while. Next time I say I need yet another organizer, I think it's time to find an entire room!

I've had my mind on a fish lately. I all but killed every plant in my father's funeral planter. It took five years, but they all died, the ivy was the last to hold out until this summer. I have brought it in and am giving it a good soaking. I'm going to put this beautiful Chinese fish bowl in the study and add either a gold and black beta or two gold fish and one black fish. I like to adhere to the art of Feng Shui in my home and this will add protection in our "Important People/Travel" area. With the hub traveling again, we need all the luck we can get! So the bowl is soaking five year's worth of dirt and roots; and hopefully it will come clean enough to use for a fish. Will keep ya posted on that project.

Tonight I made a pot roast in the slow roaster. The kid came home and asked "Didn't you make the same thing last week?" Kinda. But, not really. The hub leaves for Singapore tomorrow morning, and I thought I'd make him a good "basic" before he left. It turned out delish. I added a bottle of our local butcher's Merlot Steak Sauce, along with some chicken stock, to the pan drippings where I had browned the beef. It added so much flavor to the dish. Even the boys loved it -- with no veggies mind you.

I started my post on Bremen, Germany, finally. It always takes me so long to do one of these posts after the fact. I've been jogging my memory as best I can, and I hope I'll finish that one up tomorrow.

Here's one last pic to show you how cold it has become. This is Abbey and Dave snuggling. Too cute!!! Awwwww. Look at Abbey's tongue. She was just cleaning Dave. Awwww, again.