Like Corduroy

That is today's date -- the date most like corduroy. I saw this description on Facebook, and it made me giggle. But it turns out there is actually a Corduroy Appreciation Club, members of which are absolutely giddy today. According to CBS news, corduroy is even trendy now. I just know that when I was in high school, or maybe it was middle school, I REALLY wanted a corduroy jacket. With elbow patches. Who knew I was so ahead of the times? Hail the W(h)ale!

Nosegays

I think I've been forgetting to photograph and post recent nosegays. Rats. Well, here are a few from October. It's always a little sad when all the flowers are gone and I don't have the random nosegay to brighten up my kitchen and/or bathroom anymore.

What The...What Happened to October?

First a quick update:
I recovered from the lung Cheetos. Eventually.

The boiler got re fixed, no charge. Gold star to Wuich Mechanical and Gary the experienced service guy.

I bought a new electric lawnmower on Amazon. Free two-day shipping! I used it twice so far, and it seems to work well. It's green. Tons of leaves have fallen since the last go 'round, so it will get another workout this weekend for sure.

Now for October...this is a long post, so a sandwich and a beverage would not be a bad idea.

My birthday (10-11-11) and the days leading up to it were AWESOME. You may recall we had fantastic weather, and I took full advantage with a few days off and the holiday thrown in for good measure. I went apple picking, biking, kayaking, took a hike around Lake Geneva (partial), went to watch Saturday night MMA fights w/some of my Karate peeps (awesome!), and had great hikes at Raceway Woods and Rock Cut State Park, plus there was eating out for lunch at Duke's after a 30-mile ride, breakfast out on my b.day, and dinner and partying with the parentals.

I started the fun a few days early with bike riding, apple picking, and a canoe trip on the upper fox that a woman I work with organized. It was mostly women from her church, but a few of us from MCC went, and Beth went too. (Click that link to view photos)



Right now I'm immersed in season 3...or maybe 4, I can't keep track, of True Blood, so there's little time to sort photos and what not. Here are some other random picks of what is now a fond memory of October.

I found a great little orchard outside of Woodstock to pick apples. It's JUST apples -- no maze, pastries, picnic grounds, hay rides, or other kiddie crap. I practically had the place to myself, so it was very relaxing and pleasant. This may seem like a lot of pictures, but it's not. It's but a very small sample! Most of these are Empire apples. I was taken with how loaded down the trees were...and I think I picked about $20 worth of apples! But hey, they keep.






The Sunday of that weekend, Beth and I drove up to Lake Geneva for a little hike. It's the same hike I took with Odie, so I didn't take as many house envy pictures, but the colors were great, and we had a quick little picnic along the way too. I like this picture of Beth, plus it reminds me that we were "trespassing" at the Christian camp, which has signs all over the place about how you can't sit on their chairs, walk on their grass, swing on their swings or drink from their fountain unless you are an actual God-fearing GUEST at said camp. Really? So, just for amusement, we sat on their chairs for a rest, and I was just waiting, hoping, yes, even praying, for someone to come out and say something so I could retort, "FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US, YOU FUCKING HYPOCRITE!"

But they never came.

I spent my actual birthday somewhat solitarily, which was OK. Beth and I went for a little hike at Raceway and then out for breakfast, then she went to work and I putzed around the house and went kayaking. This is the only picture I took to commemorate the voyage. It was a fun day followed by a b.day Starbucks after dinner (Beth's treat).



Post 10-11-11, Beth and I went to Marengo Ridge to see the colors and hike with Gracie, and the Farmer's Market came to a close. Here are a few pictures from the hike.






We (at the market) also had our annual pumpkin contest, and once again I was tickled by all of the creative entries.




This was our 13th year doing it, and every year we get new and wacky pumpkins, plus the biggest pumpkin this year was HUGE -- 175 pounds! That's a LOT OF PIE. The guy said he was going to carve it and roast the seeds.

This was the extent of my Halloween decorations. Two plastic things that I plugged in.


Except then Hoops wanted to get in on the action with her little glowing eyeballs.



I'm posting this picture from the summer's Eltoy/Sparta trip to commemorate what appears to be the end of bike riding for the season. Snow was predicted for this week, and I am so not ready for it. I did move my bike trailer and kayak out of the garage and moved the snowblower in. And the snowblower started ... I think I'm going to have my neighbor give it a tune-up though, just to be safe. So in that regard, I guess I'm ready. But mentally...not so much.