How much will you give me?

I happened to find a can in the back of the cupboard. Given that there's a punkin shortage, this might be worth more than the $1.69 I paid for it.

But pumpkin pecan bread sounds wonderful. I haven't made those pumpkin cheesecake bars in ages. And, I could make a whole pie just for me.

Decisions decisions.

Beverage: Cranberry grape juice

Deb

As long as you're in the sunshine...

This was yesterday, actually, in Evanston, Illinois. I was on a job site and could set up my equipment and just read until they were ready for me.

It was glorious. The sky looks washed out here because I'm shooting into the sunlight. The temperatures rose into the mid-50's and, although there was a breeze, it was intermittent. Once the sun descended behind the building to the right, the temperatures dropped, plummeted, into the 40's. I was overdressed for the sun and under dressed for the shade.

But, I'll take these days when there is a nip in the air and the breeze smells so fresh. They are like miniature blessings, although I do love the winter and snow.

It was similar to yesterday today; the perfect day for Iowa to finish the Big 10 season. It was not the most well-run game they have played all season. The problems which manifested themselves in the Northwestern game continued unchecked through this game. Still, they went out on a positive note:

Iowa 12 Minnesota 0

But it could have been so much better.

Now, we wait to see which bowl wants them. Bowl officials like to invite the Hawkeyes because the fans follow them in very large quantities to whatever game the Hawkeyes have been invited to. Even in a year when belt-tightening is the norm, Hawkeye fans will descend en masse into the area of the bowl and provide a well-needed boost to the local economy.

The question becomes, what will I do with my Saturdays, now that football is over. Wait, wait! Basketball is just around the corner.

Beverage: Lady Grey Tea

Deb

One of these things is not like the other...

The socks on the left were given to me by my daughter for my xth birthday. (A lady never reveals her age, so there.) The socks on the right were given to me by Niles at the same time. When I opened the packages, everyone in the room, including Carole and Niles, thought they were the same pair. They are nice, sturdy socks. The pair on the right had a hole develop at that toe seam and were one of the pairs I fixed way back in May.

For almost 3 years, I've thought these were the same pattern. Today, as I was balling my socks for the drawer, I happened to pick up this combination and actually look at them. If I disregard the wear on the left pair, it dawned on me. The cats on the right pair have pink eyes. Oh good heavens. I never noticed that before.

So this begs the question, how many times did I wear this particular combination totally oblivious to the fact these were two different patterns?

There's an old joke...Mom looks at her grade school child heading off to school. "Honey? Do you know you're wearing a blue sock and a black sock?" Her son looks at his feet and then at his mother. "That's funny. I have another pair just like these in the drawer."

Beverage: Scottish Blend Tea

Deb

Another Happy Birthday

April turned 40 last Saturday. It's been a tough year for her and Perry with him losing a job, finding a job, only to have the project on which he was working yanked from under him last month. Plus, they lost cat Jenny in the late spring. They have added Carli to their family but Perry is still without gainful employment. I'll believe the recession is over when my friends are back at work.

Hence, the whole idea of a birthday "party" was almost anathema to April. I believe it's at such time that you need to celebrate something and a birthday is perfect, especially a milestone birthday. It doesn't have to be lavish. It should just be a time to get together with friends, have pot luck and play games.

And open boxes into which has been stuffed a rather large...

April said it popped out of the box as it was supposed to. Of course, having seen Perry's in September, she knew what the large box contained.

I also sent her favorites: caramels and red and black licorice bites. I know she has dental work going on and can't eat these right now, but they will be waiting to be consumed when the temporary crown becomes permanent.

Pilchard and Mija, for some reason, didn't play with the string. Rather, they started chewing on it. As it's really not good for cats to ingest curling ribbon, I wound up putting the balloon up where they couldn't get it. Out of sight, out of mind.

So, Happy Birthday, April. Even in a bad economy, birthdays give us reason to celebrate the person and an excuse to have cake and ice cream.

Beverage: Assam Tea

Deb