Welcome To Hogwarts!

Hogwarts School of Wizardry was the theme for Halloween 2007. We had a good crowd of kids that dropped off promptly at 8. No late night doorbell ringers. Everyone appeared to enjoy our theme and for the kids dressed as Harry's or Hermionie's, well, perhaps we slipped them just a little extra candy...

 Setting the scene...

Blair as Dumbledore. Click to enlarge.   A cauldron full of candy!

Welcome to Hogwarts! Click to enlarge.

 
The sorting hat 
My costume wasn't as good as Blair's...  The full effect!

Happy Halloween!

Ah--the best day of the year. Halloween, when one is encouraged to eat chocolate.

My little husband has been working like a madman all week to pull together our Hogwarts set. He has sewn and painted his own Dumbledore costume. He has painted and chopped and nailed together a bunch of 8 foot poles that will be the framework for our castle wall.  The last two nights have been spent making a sorting hat, Dumbledore hat, and Dumbledore beard. He's coming home early today as we have close to two hours of work ahead of us to get the frame and scenery and costumes in place.

I've just realized I've neglected to carve a pumpkin (or even buy one) so that's on my list for the afternoon. I love a to-do list that has:

1. Research FOB section
2. Work on book proposal
3. Carve spooky pumpkin face
4. Write rough draft of speech

I'll take photos tonight and post for tomorrow's blog.

On a good note, Lucy had her annual exam yesterday and has LOST WEIGHT. That's right. My girl is now down to a svelte (okay--less fat) 14.2 pounds.  When we were at the vet and he told us she'd lost weight, I gave Lucy a kiss and said, "Good girl! You get a treat when you get home." This prompted a "I think we're beginning to see the roots of the problem here" comment from the vet. What-ever. =)

A safe and spooky Halloween to you all.

Cat Mulan's Mindful Musings

About a month ago, I was asked if I would provide a back-of-book blurb for a new cat book coming out called "Cat Mulan's Mindful Musings."  The author mailed me the manuscript and--as I found the writing and pictures to be fun and enjoyable--it was easy to provide a blurb. I mailed my comments back to the author in the enclosed pre-addressed envelope she'd sent along with the manuscript.

When I went to check the mailbox yesterday, there was a medium-sized box addressed to me from the author. I opened it up and it was as if Christmas had come early. The first thing I opened was her thank-you letter. She'd taken pictures of Cat Mulan "opening" and "reading" my letter, including little quotations like, "It's from Dena!" and "Yes, uh-huh, excellent. Very good." It was laugh out loud funny.  Tucked inside the box were then kitty toys galore. There's also a cat mug and wrapping paper with Cat Mulan's image on them.  It was like the bottomless box as I kept pulling one thing and then the next out.

It was incredibly sweet and fun, more so because I wasn't expecting it in the least.  I find her thoughtfulness touching.  It's also smart networking on her part. I'm giving a talk in November (along with my good friend Pam Cable) on "Publicity, Promotion, & Pulling Your Hair Out," at the NC Writers Network Fall Conference. This is a good example of a small thing an author can do to make a difference. Will I remember this author now? Yes. Will I think kindly toward her? You betcha.

Meanwhile, Lucy & Olivia are having fun with their new toys. And I think they're jealous their own images aren't (yet) on a mug. I'm working on it girls... I'm working on it.

Yeah, I'll Work On That Tomorrow...

Don't you just love when you can see a disaster in the making? And upon realizing you have the power to prevent said disaster by acting today, instead decide, "I'll deal with that tomorrow," a la Scarlett O'Hara?

Somewhere in the last couple of months I have decided that I don't work on Saturdays. In fact, I usually make an effort to not go anywhere near a computer, including e-mail and blogging. It's restorative to have one full, computer-free, typing free, work free day each week.

However, I have work to do this weekend. Mega-work. As in, due dates are Monday and Tuesday and there ain't nowhere left to run and hide. But looking at the piles of work I have decided, "Eh. Tomorrow." Knowing full well that I have a 15-mile run tomorrow morning which will occupy me until almost noon once I add in shower, lunch, and drive time. Then my sister-in-law and nephew are coming over at 3. I've warned them I must work, but you know how that goes.  Exactly how much work can one get done with a 6-year-old in the house?

So I don't know when I think I'm going to get done the hours of work that await me. I better be damn productive between noon and 3 and probably up by 4 a.m. on Monday to make up for lost (squandered) time. The words better flow.

Because I'm not working today. Cheers!