Despite my disliking Halloween so much, the kids had a blast. They couldn’t have been more thrilled if the neighbors were giving out $100 bills. In fact I’m sure they wouldn’t have been.

And dear Bill has built an extra roomy doghouse for himself after being grumpy Friday, Saturday, playing golf all day Sunday (after I asked him to specify whether I should do work Sat. or Sun. and he said either…and I got no work done because he claims he doesn’t remember the conversation) and missing Halloween for the Steelers game. “Work,” he says and that’s fine, but certain things are not acceptable to miss unless you’re doing surgery, in surgery, or coaching in the game…And if you’re gone all week, for work even, you should be psyched to be with your kids and wife for the 36 hours you’re going to spend with them–36 hours over the whole week, that is.

Enough of that…Bill’s not feeling well…no, he’s not massively hung over after the nail biter Steelers game, he doesn’t drink…just a little virus he says, all bundled under the covers…

I’m not sympathetic at all right now…and he deserves some, I’m sure. But every week I feel like he feels now, for at least 24 hours (interferon injections) and guess how much sympathy I get? That’s right housespouses… none. At least none that’s unsolicited. I love him lots and feel bad that I can’t locate my supply of sympathy, but it has been one of those weeks.

Back to the title of my post…the first part…Halloween was really fun for the kids.

They were excited all day, leaping around, obnoxious with overflowing energy.
Faces lit up with the joy of gathering as much candy as possible before their little legs gave out.
I love it when they’re like that.
But it would have been more fun to see it with Bill…Oh shit, back to that. Yes, he hates me some times because I can’t let things go…not the things related to the kids anyway. Keeps things fresh. So when we like each other again, it’s as though we’re meeting for the first time…hehehe…kidding…neither one of us is romantic at all…just wait for the March post about our tenth anniversary…you’ll see how frighteningly unromantic we are…stay tuned….

PS…my babysitter canceled so no update on my nanowrimo word count…I’ll squeeze it in after the kids are in bed, the house is clean, I’ve mopped Bill’s feverish brow….

Well, I’m doing it. I’m setting aside the second draft of the sequel to my novel which is being shopped around to dive into a totally different book. I need new characters and new places to take them…so I’m excited to spend this month spilling out fifty thousand words.

I used this model to write my second book last January and got about 30,000 words done. I figure with the support of half a mill (I think) other writers, I can pull off a full 50,000.

This novel has been brewing for ten years so it’s about time for it to see the light of day…anyone want to join me? Anyone? Anyone?

Anyone know the meaning of “flying” in dreams? I had such a vivid dream that I was flying, struggling to do so, but succeeding nonetheless that I swear I know what it would feel like if I could take to the air right now…Anyone?

Okay, well during my cleaning of the closets, I went through a bunch of purses I haven’t used in years and came across a receipt from Victoria’s Secret and one from Ann Taylor. Both were dated 8/16/03. I’m pretty sure this was the last time I set foot in either store but it surprised me because I thought it had been much longer than that. I realized that date was a mere month before I went from feeling like a 34 year old to a 90 year old (this took just two weeks). It all made sense. I tossed out the purses and the receipts and felt good knowing I’m finally feeling good again!

Someday I’ll venture back…This post sucks. No wit at all. I’m beat. Bill’s been out of town all week and the kids were both up at 5:30…oh well, life goes on…Thank goodness for that.

Okay folks…today was the last time Beth will be visited by our trusty child development specialist, Kelly. And it made me sad.

Because Jake (Jake was moved out of the program last year) and Beth were premature, we had access to this county service that’s intended to catch any developmental problems and solve them before they’re exasperated by time.

But at age three (Beth will be turning three Christmas Eve) if there are no problems, they are dropped from the program. Beth has officially been dropped. Great news!

Let me brag for a moment…The language benchmark for a three year old is that they use three or four word sentences…Beth uses and used several 10 word sentences right in front of Kelly!!!! Of course I was beaming. How could I not? I’ve been talking my ass off to them since they popped out, building their vocabularies and yeah, someone noticed!!!!

Anyway. Kelly has seen so much of our lives through the development of Jake and Beth and suddenly, the relationship will be no more….that makes me sad.

Kelly was always encouraging and offered such great advice when being a new mother seemed even more daunting with early babies. Her objective and wide ranging perspective was just what I needed.

I hate saying goodbye to people. I’m not good at it at all.

Anyway, beyond all the facts this mom can brag about, the kids are happy and healthy in all the ways that can’t be measured. Knowing that right now, everything is good for them, brings me instant peace and joy. Thank you God and thank you Kelly!

I couldn’t leave the depressing Chronic Illness post at the top or I’d lose my happy go lucky readership…so I thought I’d post on some random things like, my hair.
Yes, that fantastic hairdo I got in Arizona and have done a good job of “stylin'” every damn day, is going awry.
I knew it would.
It actually hung in there longer than I thought was possible.
But now, just three weeks later, the layers are losing their edge and I’m screwing up the mouse usage.
One day, I don’t use enough and the semi-bangs are flopping in my eyes. The next day I use too much and I look like I’m tyring out for the Pittsburgh Steelers with my very own antique football helmet.
Over all things are going well…the compliments are rolling in, but I’m in need of a hairdresser in Oakmont…even going into the city will hinder my hairdo upkeep…and I can see time is running out fast. I have a mere week to find a hairdresser before I’m just eleven inches from where I was three weeks ago. Who could imagine that hair upkeep could be such a hassle…

Other random stuff…I have so many ideas over the course of the day…I’ve got to write them down…