CLAY AND WATTLES

Stunningly Beautiful Day!

The rain has gone away. It has been a gorgeous day, the kind of crisp, cool fall day where the leaves rustle beneath your feet. I'm sure there is still a lot of water standing in places, but Paul got leaves up out of the yard with the lawn mower (mulched and bagged) this morning.

I did accomplish my list. I like the color Marcie put on my hair - she mixed two colors so it's not too dark this time. Our good white beans with little carrots cooked in them (Mrs. Laura Foust used to cook them this way and share with us) are done and waiting for reheating for tomorrow's lunch. I deep cleaned the fridge and sort of organized the utility room. I read and napped.

Then Paul and I went to Jonesboro for our traditional October 31 supper. We did treat one little Snow White Princess - our next door neighbor's granddaughter. We met them in the yard as we were leaving. I gave her a dollar. Her mom said, "Say thank you." And she did, adding, "But I wanted candy for Halloween." I told her the dollar was for a rainy day candy treat.

We ate a Chili's and I ordered a chicken fried steak - what was I thinking?! It looked like something a lumberjack would eat. It was good, but way too much. Paul had blackened chicken/pasta, which I should have gotten. And we shared a piece of cheesecake. Oh, it was the $20 two meal deal, so for "appetizer" we had chips and dip. I was bad. But... I didn't eat all of anything. But... I had a Dr. Pepper. Man, those are good. Kaye knows.

I wanted to get a couple of things at Dillard's. In the parking lot, a man in a car near told Paul he wanted to talk to him about cats in his neighborhood. It was Darrell Smith with his and Judy's little dog Feebe (pronounced Phoebe), a puggle - so cute! (Pug and beagle mix.) He was waiting for Judy and he and Paul got to talking about football and I was cold so I went on into the store. I lost or misplaced my little fake diamond circle earrings I wore a lot and looked for some more but didn't find any I liked as well. I got a couple of things at Clinique and went back outside - Paul and Darrell were still talking football! I got cold again and went to sit in our truck while they finished up.

Then we went to B&N. Finally found the National Geographic I've been looking for with the feature about the Redwood Forests in California. And some other things. Checking out, the young man asked me if I happened to know all the Supreme Court justices. He had a list and I read them, couldn't think for a minute, finally thought of Sotomayor. I thought of Sotomayor! I'm so bad with names. I told Paul when I met him outside that I had offered to use my Life Line and call him for the answer. Now I'm sure I couldn't name all the other eight! I asked him, "For school?" and he said yes.

Oscar was glad to see us, as usual, when we got home. Wonder what kind of excitement he had or if anyone came to the door at all? We didn't leave lights on. He probably had a pretty uneventful night. It's 11:22 as I'm writing this - but really only 10:22 which is better. Because I won't be getting up at 1:00 a.m. to set my clock back.

Happy November, everyone! Thanksgiving isn't far away... But then again, that's every day.