And on a completely vapid note...

...I liked the dress!

Yes, we can!!

OK, I know it's cheesy...I can't help it! I may be idealistic, but I feel like it's a new day for our country. Maybe we'll be able to hold our head higher in this crazy world. Maybe we'll actually be able to come together to get problems solved (although when I heard a blurb from Rush Limbaugh today, I heard exactly the kind of idiotic and immature assholery that prevents that from happening. I feel sorry for his unhappy self. Rush, put your country above your ego and your ratings, OK?)

Here are some lovely pics of election day in Miami that my cousin Stephanie took. Bonus pic of one extra special little voter at the end:

Today's the Day!

Take your coffee and your book and go get in line! Really, I can't remember being as excited about any election as I am about this one! Not even 20 years ago when I voted in my first presidential election!

BTW, our friend Astrid will comment for MSNBC! Little blurb here.

Happy Halloween!

Here are our little historical characters. And a big thank you to Grandma and Grandpa who helped with costume issues, the small Halloween lunch/party the kids had (I don't think I'll do that again! I'm just not one of those moms who can whip up a kiddie party like a batch of cupcakes...I was frakkin' wiped out even with my parents' help!), and trick-or-treating escort. It was a gorgeous, gorgeous day for Halloween!

Where did he get those pants?

A somewhat macabre picture of a red-tailed hawk feasting on a bunny (see the ear??) on the lawn of a church downtown. I've never seen one this close! It wasn't perturbed in the least by people trying to sneak up and snap pics.

Bipartisan Conciliation

No October would be complete without a visit to the local pumpkin farm, despite the fact that it is owned by a far-right former state rep who is running to be re-elected. Imagine our surprise when the "magic show" M3 was so keen to see ended with a lecture on how the only real magic is attained by inviting the Lord into your heart and going to church! They oughta put an MPAA warning on the in-door! I did feel kind of sucker-punched. But I trust that my admission dollars are going to the local economy, not to the Danny Carroll re-election campaign. (And don't give that magician any of my money, either!!) I'm willing to reach across the aisle for good, clean fun:

Say it ain't so!

It was snowing last night. We noticed on our way home from Dari Barn, which we visited despite the hurricane-force winds seein' as how it was the last day of the season and all! To quote Darth Vader right after he found out Padme was dead: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!* That is regarding both the snow and the closing of Dari Barn. Oh yeah, you can laugh it up, Angelenos!! At least we don't have earthquakes!! Oh...um...yeah...that's right...we have floods and tornadoes. You have the ocean and green foliage year round. Oh, forget it...

*That should cement my membership in the geek squad.