"I hate when Summer ends."

Not one comment from the millions of you who read the DumpTruck faithfully. I started two dumps in a row with those very same words. Go ahead, check the archive. I have time.

I'll try not to start another dump with those words, but you know how it goes. Sometimes your emotions get the best of you. And other times, you just struggle to have an original thought. Maybe you were all just being nice. You called each other on your cell phones (careful, they'll give you brain cancer) and said "My, she REALLY hates when summer ends. Should we call the Samaritans?" Rest assured, I'm fine. And we don't have a garage or a gas oven, so those aren't even "end of the season" options. And I won't even begin to discuss how every tree in our year dropped their leaves in a single week.

Halloween

It's Mookie's first Halloween! He's going out as Spiderman, courtesy of a pair of Spidey pajamas that have a web-like thing under the arms. Mookie's cousin Petey was a cute little pumpkin...with his red hair, he was really really cute!

For the record, the coolest thing he got at the 5 houses we went to was a tube of kid's toothpaste! How 90's is THAT! (Well, to balance the toothpaste (which came with a toothbrush!) the same house was also giving away full-size candy bars! Remind me to go back there next year!

The World Series

I'm not like my husband. He will watch baseball and football, no matter who is playing. I only like to watch the teams I "follow". I can watch the Red Sox and the Patriots. I'm not going to watch another team play because I don't care if they win or not. Well, this year's World Series was different for two reasons. One, I'm supposed to hate the Yankees because I was born in Massachusetts. Two, I happened to be in San Diego for the two [pitiful] games they played at home for the WS this year. Yes, we went to California due to an illness in Keith's family, and while we were there, the World Series came to town. San Diego had a log of Padres pride, for the record. Too bad they were swept. On the other hand, Keith got a chance to meet Yankee's outfielder Paul O'Neill while we were sightseeing one morning. He shook Paul's hand and said "Good luck" and Paul looked at Keith's Red Sox baseball hat and said something along the lines of "ya right" (jokingly). True, we really don't like the Yankees, but what was Keith going to say, "Hope you guys blow it?" He was trying to shake the guys hand, not get smacked around!

Mookie was great on the plane, and enjoyed going to the beach for the first time, until he got sand on the fingers that he normally keeps in his mouth.

Sadly, the trip didn't have a happy ending, and Mookie's great-grandmother died a handful of days after we returned home. But we did get to see her before she died, which was the point of the trip.

Whalom Park

I didn't make it to Whalom Park again this year. I dread the time when Michael becomes aware of it because we'll have to find another route to Walmart. Not that I spend a lot of time at Walmart, but I won't want to stop to ride the Merry-Go-Round every time I head off to buy lightbulbs.

The New Twenty Dollar Bills

Play money. I haven't to remind myself not to throw them away. I guess it was about time to change the design, but it seems to me they could have thrown out ALL reminders of the old design and done something entirely new. New people on them and everything. Sure, Al Hamilton is trendy and popular, but don't you think it would be cool to put someone else on the 20? Maybe a tv star. Lucille Ball? Sure, then they could add some color to the bills!

I guess I don't have any good redesign ideas because I'm not a graphic artist, nor do I play one in real life. I just know that these bills look fake to me, and the stamp machine at my grocery store doesn't handle them. You'd think a government vending machine would be able to handle it, but no.

Chicken Soup

It must be fall, because I'm making chicken soup right now. Keith won't eat it, I'm sure, but somehow throwing raw poultry in a pot and covering it with water makes me feel that everything is right with the world. On the other hand, I'm sort of "faking it" based on past experience and things I've seen on the TV Food Network's lineup of shows. While I love Emeril (you may have noticed I host a very popular fan site for him...click on the link on the left to visit) I am not really into spicy foods, so it, alas, is not an Emeril recipe. Besides, I hardly ever have andouille sausage in the fridge. On the other hand, I have learned enough from him to have my celery, carrots and onion all chopped into bitty pieces, ready to be sauteed in my pan.

And I'll enjoy this soup, even if it isn't good. I'm going to add pasta (little tiny shells) and some beans. Better than a kick in the head!

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