I had a 3 day weekend thanks to Personal days that I hadn't taken yet.  Chef had Monday off too so we went to the Harry Potter exhibit at the Museum of Science.  It was advertised as being the science behind HP but it really was a bunch of the props and costumes from the movies.  Still, it was fun.  They really had a lot of stuff.  I never thought much about how much goes into making a movie set look soooooo real.  Then we went and visited with our great niece Lilly.  She's such a cutie pie.  She wasn't sure about Chef at first but warmed up to him quickly. 

Then last night we went to see This Is It - the Michael Jackson movie.  It was really wonderful.  I loved the music and seeing how the tour was developed.  It was 2 hours long but I wish it was even longer.  Such an amazing talent.  I can't believe he's gone.

Between my trip last week and Monday off, I am so far behind at work I can't think straight.  But this too shall pass.  Either it will get done by me, by someone else or not done and never needed to be done.

Halloween was very nice.  We had about 3 dozen kids and just enough candy.  We usually get about 6 kids and have lots of leftovers.  I think it was because it was such a beautiful night out.  The streets were really busy and the children very sweet.  No really little ones though.  I always like the 2-3 year olds.  They're funny.  Chef was even able to come home early to help hand out candy.  He kept his uniform on and the kids loved it!  A couple even joked with him and started ordering burgers and stuff.  What can I say - I married a kiddie crowd pleaser.

Impossible to rent a movie anywhere around here anymore.  All the rental joints have closed down.  I didn't want to join Netflicks but I guess I might have to.  Unfortunately it won't help me now.  I need a halloweeny type movie for tomorrow night.  Nothing scary but something like Ghostbusters or Casper.  It makes it more festive while I wait for the chillun chile types to come begging for treaties.

CC - I'd never read the book until last year.  Neither had my sister.  We were both a little frustrated at the fact that the tree gave everything and yet the boy didn't seem to learn much in the end.  But most people I know (especially children) love the story.  I guess she and I are missing out on something when we read it.

So, I'm home from my trip.  This one was physically bad (i.e., exhausting) for me.  I didn't get more than about 3 hours of sleep for 3 nights in 4.  I tried some sleep aids but they just don't work on me.  I've got to figure something out before my next trip.  Nothing much to report other than the new hotel was nice.  Oh, and it turns out that Frankenstein's castle is only about 20 minutes away from the office.  I didn't get to see it this trip but next time I go my team wants to take me there.  That could be cool.

I've got a new work computer and they didn't load all the software I had from my previous laptop.  That makes me nuts.  I provided a list of everything I had and needed.  I hauled the thing with me on my trip only to find that I couldn't do the work I'd planned on.  Things like this make me very tired.

Saw Where the Wild Things are today with my sister and my nephew.  She was watching him while my other sister had a job today.  It was ok; a bit slow in some areas but I have to say that I don't really think it was made for children.  I did like the characters though.  My nephew has the book but he didn't really understand the movie, other than it had a happy ending.  Happy ending stories always make him smile.  He loves The Giving Tree story.

Just before I left to meet them my neighbor (landscaper) was working on my next door neighbor's yard.  He asked me how I felt about him clearing out some of the plantings between the houses.  I told him he could get rid of the icky stuff like the scrub maples and prickers.  I trusted that he would make it look good.  I got home and HOLY COW there's almost nothing separating us anymore.  Almost no privacy at all.  I threw him a horrified look and he started laughing.  He's actually going to put in some burning bush and forcythia (sp) which will fill in nicely.  Fine with me.  It's got to be better than what was there.  I had to call Chef at work though and warn him.  We had been trying to convince our neighbor to let us do this since we moved in but he always said no.  This landscaper is going to help me with some other bits around our house too.  Especially around my new parking lot.  He's got great ideas and great taste so I'm looking forward to that.  I told him I had to save up money first though.

It's pouring buckets and I'm supposed to be packing for my next trip. 

I was a block from home heading to work today.  I saw a black lab (like I owned when I was young) running down the sidewalk like it had just escaped from his owner.  I was going through the intersection very slowly and watching the dog carefully.  There was a woman on the opposite side sidewalk who was saying something to the dog and I thought "You idiot - the dog is going to run across the road to you now". And of course he did.  He ran in front of my car and the oncoming car didn't see him and the dog ran into the car and under it and then bounced back out in front of my car.  I screamed a little horrified scream and started to get out to look for the dog (and yes I'm in the middle of the intersection) and cars have stopped all around us.  The other driver got out.  With tears welling up in my eyes, I asked him where the dog was.  He said that it had run back to the house on the corner of the intersection.  The woman from the sidewalk yelled to the woman at the house "Your dog was just hit by a car!".  The owner's response was... "Oh.  Well he's running so... whatever."  Everyone was stunned.  I asked the other driver if he was ok and he said, "Yes but I can't believe that dog is able to move". 

I know how he felt.  A few years ago I had a black lab literally run into my car as I was swerving into oncoming traffic and trying to stop and not hit him.  He hit the side of my car, bounced over the hood and took off.  I spent the next half hour trying to find the people who owned him.  When I finally did they were completely disinterested in what had happened.

And all I can think about is my black lab, Blackberry, who got away from my dad and was hit and died in my mother's arms.

Mom called early Saturday morning and asked me to take her to the shoe store so that she could get some new kicks.  Her feet have grown a bit this year because of some trouble she's had with them so she can't fit into what she had.  But, let's face it, does a woman really need an excuse to buy new shoes?  Nope.  So she ended up with two new pairs.  She really wanted some red ones but they didn't have any in the style she chose.  She's 85 and still wants red shoes.  Gotta love that.

I found a pair of boots that I liked.  But there's no way I'm paying $450 for a pair of boots.  It'd be like spending tens of thousands of dollars on a wedding dress.  I didn't even cry when I put them on.

It's pouring buckets here.  Sigh.

I had my appt with my Onc/Gyn today.  She said everything looks good.  Yay!  I'm still waiting to hear about my blood work.  Usually we get the results same day but it was too busy at DF today.  So unless my counts are screwy I won't have to see her again for a year.  I see my other onc in 6 months.

I think a lot of people must schedule chemo on Thursdays so they can be sick at home over the weekend because there were so many people there today.   The lab must have been doing triple duty.

My brother just called me by accident.  He's working in another state for awhile and was trying to voice dial his wife using his new blue tooth headset.  He surprised me by chatting for awhile.  Usually he hangs up quickly.  It was nice to talk to him.

The temperature dropped drastically and the room the cat was in was too cold so she got an early parole.  We're still trying to keep her quiet and that is a struggle.  But she's happy now. 

The Halloween fun day with my nephew and sister turned out pretty well.  They were a little late but we still managed to fit in a lot of activities.  Within 5 hours we colored 1/2 dozen pictures, made, frosted and decorated 24 ghost cupcakes, watched cartoons, watched Hocus Pocus, dressed him up in his Halloween costume (a black ghost), made up his face in case he didn't want to wear the mask, took a bath, had dinner, pet the kitties and finally went to bed watching The Kid. 

The next day we went to breakfast with Chef and then while I was taking a shower and getting ready for the Renaissance Faire, Chef chased Ben around the house and bounced and threw him repeatedly onto the bed.  On the way to his swimming lesson, he told his mom that Uncle Chef was fun and he promptly fell asleep, completely worn out.

I changed over my clothes today.  Summer stuff is stored away and I've got an overflowing laundry basket full of clothes to give away because some of my winter stuff is no longer my size or my taste.  I've been very good the last couple of years.  I've given away more things than I've purchased new.  My closets used to overflow.  This is much better.

Jeanie - General studies is what I was looking for but unfortunately most continuing ed programs don't offer it.  I was in one but the school had unreasonable expectations, changed things without notification and cost more than most other schools and these were online classes.  I just don't get it when an online class is over $400 per credit.  The overhead for online classes is nowhere near a brick and mortar school.  Oh well.  The search continues.

My kitty is still in lockdown although we've been giving her furloughs around the house to assess her leg.  It's much better and she's able to put her weight on it steadily.  The problem is that she's doing too much and stressing the knee.  Chef and I decided that we're going to continue as we have been - keeping her pretty quiet and locked in the crate and sunroom for 1 1/2 more weeks.  That will make it 6 weeks since the injury and her prison sentence was handed down.  The doc said 6-8 weeks in solitary.  Then we'll give my sis back the crate and take back the sunroom just in time for it to be too cold to use it without a space heater.  LOL

He and I also agree that she won't be going outside until Spring.  We want to be sure that she's well and healed and quite frankly she doesn't need to go out in the cold weather.  We don't allow it usually anyway so she's housebound.  Which means she'll beat up on the other cat.  This whole situation has made me realize that I wouldn't want to be a prison guard.

I'm back to looking for a school and degree that I can bring myself to finish.  It's really all about the degree so that I don't have that piece missing from my CV at work.  Nobody wants to look at what you've accomplished on your own without it, they just want the alphabet soup after your name.  So, what suggestions does anyone have for me? 

Oh and AD? It's not that we didn't want to contact Carradine ourselves.  It's just that we know you have special cane flinging connections in the wonderful world of Hollyweird and knew you were the Wonder Woman for the job!  I really hope Mr. C sees your blog and responds.  But if not, do you have a plan B?

I knew that AD could handle chairing the entertainment committee for our convention reunion!  She's already got a bare knuckle brawl planned for us.  I'm putting Chef in charge of bets.  He likes to gamble so I figure he'll do a good job.  ChuckJim can help.  I'm not going to say who my money is on. I inadvertently started the battle so I'm going to play Switzerland until just before they come out swinging.

BTW - how is the Carradine Connection going?  Any luck?

I've got a 3 day weekend coming up.  Took off Monday so I can hang with my Chef.  My sister and Ben are coming on Saturday and staying overnight.  I've got cupcake things that are shaped like ghosts and lots of frosting and M&Ms (for the eyes) so that should be fun.  He likes Halloween.  I'm going to pick up a movie too.  Maybe the Bette Midler as a witch one.