Bad Blogger - Again.

My attempt at updating at least 3x a week has once again fallen by the wayside, along with my vows to lose weight and keep the house immaculate. Am I forgiven if I show you a really handsome cat? (That appears to work for many bloggers.)



Or how about a little Halloween-loving dog, watching for trick-or-treaters? I should have put it in video mode, to capture his hysterical screaming at the sight of a whole bunch of kids all dressed up to see HIM! Because that is what Halloween is all about! Christmas caroling, too. It's so exciting when kids come to the door just to see HIM! He was crushed that we only had a couple of dozen trick or treaters last night - last year we had none at all, but that is somehow easier, because it didn't build his expectations.



Last night his hopes were raised by a couple of good-sized groups of kids, but it petered out early. Sigh. Halloween isn't what it used to be around this neighborhood. There are kids, but apparently their parents no longer believe in trick-or-treating. Their cars were in the driveways, but the porch lights were out, they were neither participating nor giving candy to the kids who did. I didn't recognize any of the kids who came to the door - I take that back; the gal up the street not only brought her daughter (the other was home sick) but was dressed up in a slinky black dress and long black wig, heavy makeup, and was trick-or-treating with wineglass in hand. Now that's my kind of gal. Apparently she's the last of her breed around here.

The leftover candy goes to the office tomorrow, where it will vanish from the break room table before lunch. And it's November, and the holidays are roaring at us like a freight train. I went to get my hair cut today (new stylist, new salon - I liked her, she's a keeper, and my last disastrous haircut from the Guy Formerly Known as the Hair God is on the road to recovery). Anyway, I was a few minutes early and walked the mall for a few minutes - the Christmas tree was up. Not fully decorated or lit yet, but up. November 1. That is just WRONG.

I may be a crappy blogger these days, but I've actually been knitting. I made myself a hat and scarf for the cold weather travel to come, from Manos del Uruguay worsted in the Autumn colorway (No. 106). I am very, very pleased with the results. Photos to follow one of these days, but the scarf is the Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf - easy and interesting looking. The yarn had enough going on with the color that I didn't want to get too "busy" with a pattern, and this was perfect - a rib that is more than a rib. Likewise, the hat is a basic 4x4 ribbed cap with a huge folded-back cuff, so I can have two layers of luxuriously thick wool over my tender ears. My ears hate the cold.

And I have been savoring Clara's latest book. I am so totally making that Bella Baby Ensemble - that will be the first project up, but there are several that tempted me.

Otherwise, just read the archives for the last six months. Blah blah blah hot. Blah blah work sucks. Blah blah F-ing House is Needy. Murphy's doing okay, which is a Big Yay, the biggest, in fact - but the rest of my world needs a makeover. I wish it happened as quickly as it does on TV, but in real life, it's like emptying the ocean with a shot glass.