I love Wii and Blee!

Last night I was methodically smashing Coms’ pants off on Marioparty 8 all by my lonesome and wracking up gold coins and stars like no one’s business!

All of a sudden I was no longer alone and found myself playing Princess Peach against Blee’s Dry Bones. (I like Peach because she accessorizes and doesn’t say annoying things like Daisy.)

We were playing a dueling game set and everything was going grand when he decided to eat his Bollo candy and rolled right over me. All of my gold coins disappeared into the nothingness of having been smashed.

Anger.

To make it up to me he sweetly wasted twenty of his gold coins on candy at the next candy shop, thereby giving up his ability to buy the winning gold star. To even the playing field, he said.

A series of minigames, rearrangements of the playing board, and dumb luck ended up giving me the winning combination of gold coins, position, and rolls of the dice.

Huzzah for victory!

You see, Billy boy has caught on to the one major rule of living with women: we always win. Whether at being “right,” knowing where to find the cheapest whatever (or best deal, because sometimes quality over quantity really is the steadfast rule), or at being the fairest in all the land.

So, here’s a gold star just for you Blee; because you know how to keep a lady happy.

Tender Mercies

Today my mom called me.

Since getting my first cell phone three years ago talking to my mom has been a nearly daily occurance. We talked about the house plans. We talked about food. We talked about the family. We talked about work. We talked about school. We talked about movies, vacations, and books. We pretty much talked about everything. We got mad at each other. We laughed.

Daily.

Even when I didn't have time to talk or didn't have words to say or didn't want to share how I felt about things. We talked.

My parents left on a business trip to Europe last Friday. They called the next day at 6am when everyone was sleeping and Dad left a voice mail pretending to be a ghost having perished in a plane crash. That was the last I heard from them.

I've missed them. I mentioned it to Lorri, who has been talking to them. Daily. She passed the message on and mom called me this morning!

She had perfect timing. The van I take to work every morning meets in a UTA parking lot and we leave at 5:40 every morning. This morning they were about 15 minutes late. Mom called right as I was parking at 5:37. I got to talk to her until my van came and until her ride came to get her on the other side of the world.

Perfect timing.

It made me loved and comforted and happy in one fell swoop. Tender Mercies of the Lord.

I love my parents.

Finally!

I wait all year for the arrival of one month. The best month. October!

Crisp, cool air.

Tart apple cider.

Rich, full pumpkin masterpieces with a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of ginger.

Pumpkin Patches!

And my very favorite holliday: Halloween! What more can you ask of a celebration? Costumes, free candy, vibrant colors, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, bon fires, Frightmares at Lagoon, spooks, fairy tales incarnate, late night storms, the first frost, plaid, suede shoes. . . and did I mention; free candy and costumes!!

Love, love, love this time of year!!