Since I have to be in Manhattan on Sunday afternoons anyway to meet with my “affinity group” for Linguistics (heaven forbid anyone refer to it as a recitation), Spencer and I decided to make a Halloweeny (or Halloweenie) sort of day out of what would otherwise have been a supremely frustrating commute. We stopped by the Illuminations store, despite Spencer’s best efforts to the contrary, knowing as he does that once I’m there we aren’t going anywhere for a good half an hour. Do you not understand that I need to smell these pumpkin pie-scented votives one more time? Have you not seen the little cast iron haunted house with spots behind the windows for tealights? The only downside (from my perspective) is that being there does make me miss Colin (who should come visit soon) very much.

There were several other stops on Emma and Spencer’s Grand Autumnal Acoutrements Tour Of Lower Manhattan, and some refueling at our usual Mexican place. The weather was perfect; as Octoberful as it gets, never mind that in a day or two when it actually is October, it’s supposed to be quite a bit warmer. But after a thoroughly successful journey around the village, I’ve not only done my Linguistics work for tomorrow, but I arrived home with skull-shaped shot glasses, fer chrissakes. If that doesn’t make a good day, I really don’t know what does. Well, maybe the little plastic coffin candy holders. Or the glow in the dark skeleton Pez dispenser, even. It’s hard to tell.

And last, but not least: a Very Happy Birthday to my big brother.