I'm trying for a pumpkin color.  Anyway, Saturday I cooked pumpkins - probably about 20 or so.  Sunday we scraped the yummy insides out and ran it through the food processor.  I now have 15 quarts of frozen pumpkin.  And two loaves of pumpkin/chocolate chip bread on the counter.  The pumpkin seeds are waiting to be roasted with olive oil and garlic salt.

I do so love pumpkins.

And, that I believe, is the last of the garden produce for the year.

(big yawn) I was up to 1:00 AM finishing my latest Jacqueline Winspear novel.  Now I have to wait until she writes a new one.  The most disappointing thing, to me, about a series is that they are never equally well written; some will be great, some mediocre.  The Maisie Dobbs books have all been excellent: well written, interesting and engaging plots, good characterizations plus a view into post WWI Britain.  A good book always provides rabbit trails.  I've just spent the last hour reading up on Oswald Mosley and the British Union of Fascists. 

My time is up, lunch has been eaten, and I need to get back to school and early Native Americans.

I spent all of Sunday working on lesson plans for November.  Abra has taken over most of her planning, with my help, and of course, subject to my approval.  It was a perfect fall day.  Chilly in the morning, warm by middle afternoon, clear bright blue sky.  Today looks to be similar although they are predicting winds and a drop in temperature by evening.  Fall never lasts long enough. 

Tim and I spent Saturday in a rented U-Haul moving Hannah and Sean into a new townhouse.  It's two story with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.  Plus, an eating area and counter space.  Oh, that's not all.  A full size stove and refrigerator.  Yes, she's very excited.  I think she's crazy.  She was within a couple miles of work and school; she is now around 25 miles away.  When I point that fact out to her, she always replies with, "And I love you, too, mom."  Whatever.

Rachael and Dan may be in town today/tomorrow.  Can you see me smiling.  I didn't think we'd see them until December so this is a very special treat.  If any of you are interested in what life is like in a semi, sleeping in a different state every night, check out her blog that she just resurrected.

Well, there's history to be tackled and reading, so I'd better get myself off the computer. 

Abby love words.  She tries on new words, experiments with them, feels how they flow over her tongue, keeps or discards them.  Reminds me so much of her sister Rachael.  Her latest word is 'awkward'.  She uses it every chance she gets, even if she has to stretch the meaning somewhat.  Today she used 'awkward' in sentence that was just hilarious.  When I asked her to write it down, she asked how to spell awkward.  Being the teacher, I told her to sound it out.  So after a few seconds, I get A W K W O R D.  No, I say, it's awkward, emphasizing the /ar/ sound.  She disagrees quite vehemently saying it's awkword.  Boy, do we slur our words.  Finally I convince her it is /ar/.  So she spells it slowly, A W K W A R D, and then comments, "boy, is that ever awkward mom."  Well, I found it cute.

The weather is absolutely beyond gorgeous.  Our yard is covered in yellow, orange, red leaves, the sky is vivid blue, and the temperature is perfect.  I have split pea soup on the stove and grapes in the dehydrator.  I'm listening with one ear to the Steelers/Vikings game (which hubby is watching as though his life depends on it).  BG and Abby are watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Abra is off with some friends doing a community service project at church.  I think I shall make myself a cup of Constant Comment and pick up my book.  Oh, have I mentioned that I love Harriet Vane.  I want to be Harriet Vane when I grow up. 

I am purposely not writing about anything negative, unhappy or stressful.  Fooling myself.  So far, it's working.

(Shouldn't have mentioned football; it appears things are not going well.  Huge sigh.  The life of the wife of a football fanatic.)