Halloween and Other Treats

No explanation needed, right? Han Solo, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, and Luke Skywalker. This picture was taken at an annual Pride fundraiser dance.

This Halloween costume theme has been in the making, no exaggeration, since last Halloween. It all fell together: Zephyr's obsession with Star Wars, my long-held desire to wear a "slave Princess Leia" bikini, the convenience of having friends from whom we could borrow the Han Solo and Darth Vader costumes, Zephyr deciding that his TKD uniform was a perfect match for Luke Skywalker, and Jubilee's steadfast conviction that she wanted to be Darth. Until a week ago, when she suddenly switched to Yoda. (Does it sound like someone is almost three?) Luckily, she happily donned the Darth costume, and even walked around doing the heavily labored breathing and singing the Empire's theme song. What makes us laugh is the congruity between this year and last- this year, Jon, Zephyr, and I were Rebel Alliance, while Jubilee alone represented the Empire. Last year, Jon, Zephyr, and I were all Supervillains, while Jubilee was a Superhero. Jon and I are playing with the idea of a Matrix theme for next year. Can anyone picture Jubilee as Agent Smith?

Besides the dance, we went trick-or-treating with our good friends Grady and Ainslie, although we forgot the camera that night. The kids scored a major haul of candy, but seem willing to comply with our one-piece-a-day rule. For now, they're enjoying the feeling of unbelievable wealth as they sort their candy and fantasize about how each one might taste.

Princess Leia Organa: You make things so difficult sometimes.
Han Solo: I do, I really do. You could be a little nicer, though. Admit it, sometimes you think I'm all right.
Princess Leia Organa: Occasionally, maybe. When you aren't acting like a scoundrel.
Han Solo: "Scoundrel"? Scoundrel! I like the sound of that.

Two weeks ago, when we made our annual trek to the pumpkin patch, I was certain I'd come right home and blog about it. I have learned that blog inspiration alone isn't enough to make the blog happen- time is also an important component, but isn't available in abundance. Here are some photos highlighting that day.

A kind stranger offered to take a family picture

Zephyr has loved the slides for years, and this year, Jubi caught the thrill.

Then, she mastered the art of pouting, when we had to tear her away
to take the hayride to the pumpkin patch.

House rules dictate that you must be able to carry
the pumpkin you choose.

We were late for our next event, hot, and tired.
As we walked to our car, I saw Zephyr gaze longingly at this tractor.
The fact that he didn't even ask if he could climb on it, but so clearly want to,
broke my heart just a little bit.
Delaying our departure a few more minutes seemed like a good idea.

I'll close by transcribing a few anecdotes from notes I've had lying around from the past six weeks or so.

In case you didn't know, Jon is a melon junkie. He grows several different types on some irrigated land that a friend owns. We are lucky to have so much exotic melon in our lives, but there are a couple of drawbacks. Firstly, I have no kitchen counter space during melon season, and secondly, hordes of fruit flies arrive with the melons. In a fit of desperation, Jon put up a fly tape this year. In a fit of genius, he put the compost bucket directly under the fly tape, so they would be attracted to the right place. Zephyr explained the physics to me. "The fly tape's gravity is bigger than the fly's gravity." It worked.

Last Thursday, Zephyr paused before getting out of the car upon our arrival to Pistoleros, his basketball handling skills clinic. "For some reason, whenever I imagine myself doing something, my brain makes me have long hair," he confided. At dinner, he added, "I guess my brain is stuck on when I was young." Ah, the insight that comes with age.