Thanks, Christopho.

I am not entirely sure why we celebrate this holiday, but I am so glad we do. The three day weekend comes at the climax of fall. This weekend boasted peak colors and bright, cool days that spanked of autumn. Not an ounce of summer left, but we aren't mournful. We are rejoicing because there is nothing more beautiful than a world on its dying breath.

Saturday we celebrated Uncle Scotty's 30th birthday. He had over a dozen good friends over. There was beer, and a camp fire, and ice cream cake, and a pinata at 10:30 pm. Jasper and Josie nearly exploded from all of the extra attention. Antonia was the only invitee over the age of 40 and she was the life of the party!

Sunday Peter left for a two day/night camping trip with Jeff and I took off for the Fall Foliage Festival in Warner. I have been hankering for a county fair, and we haven't made it to a single one. The Warner Festival is not a full blown fair, but you get a good fix of corny entertainment, overpriced rides and food, folk arts, and people watching. We met up with friends and soaked up New England traditional diversions from clogging to the woodsmen double saw competition and the life size moose diorama. Best of all, we made it home for naps (only because I kept the kids up with moose lollipops in the car).

Today I was faced with the hands-down most beautiful day of the year and no one to play with. I longed to get up on a mountain and see the gilded maple canopy stretching to the horizon. But getting Jasper and Josie to the top of anything was not going to be easy. We settled on a trip to Beech Hill Farm for a run through the corn maze and a chat with the animals who have not been taken to slaughter. No elevation or great views, but we spent two hours outside reveling in all that autumn in New England has to offer. Apples, cider, corn, pumpkins, foliage, and the smell of woodsmoke and damp leaves that reminds me viscerally of Halloween. We came home exhausted and, once again, in time for naps. Bravo, Mama.

As we were pulling in the driveway and I was still feeling a little lonely without my husband or any friends with whom to appreciate the day, I realized that I had my friendship right with me. One of the reasons we have children is to fight the fear of loneliness. To never be alone. Granted, one day they will leave, and then the loneliness may return tenfold. But for now, for a while, I must appreciate the intensity of my companionship. By the time I opened the back door I was feeling thankful for spending a day alone with my charismatic, interesting, adoring children.

Much of the weekend has been devoted to Halloween Preparations. Jasper has settled on being a Skeleton. 15$, a trip to Goodwill, and a bottle of glow in the dark paint later, we have a pretty impressive skeleton costume. He is cuddling in bed with it at the moment. Josie has her heart set on being a "monkey," and we already have a gorilla costume from years past, so that's easy. To appease her desire to participate in preparations, we made a puffy paint "monkey suit" together, with a pretty hideous blue and orange monkey face on the front of a navy turtle neck. So easily satisfied, my opinionated darling.

Now another night without Peter, who is hopefully warm and cozy somehow up in the mountains. Tomorrow, the rat race ensues.