Happy November

This morning as I grabbed a few peanuts and candycorn on my way out to the gym at 6:00AM I thought about what would be the best place to hit up the after Halloween candy sale....

But then I thought better.

Also, if you haven't yet tried candy corn and dry roasted peanuts together- do it. It's a perfect mix. I used to love hitting up Target or CVS for after the holiday candy sales- especially Easter..... But this is not as easy as it was when I had a car, which is probably a good thing. Although I have been considering a trip to the Target on 116th street for a couple weeks now.

Shopping at Target and Bed Bath and Beyond and the flagship Food Emporium underneath the Queensboro bridge makes me feel somewhat normal. I get to push a shopping cart. The aisles are wide and the ceilings are high. Space is nice. Although sometimes when I'm shopping in Target on top of Costco, on top of Old Navy I swear I can feel the entire infrastructure move. Hello, I'm swaying in the wind in a cement box the size of a city block.

...

Today is the first day of Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month...) and it's been beckoning to me. A couple years ago I participated and wrote a 50,000+ word memior. And never edited it. Nanowrimo is truly a fiction writing event- for any and all sorts of fiction writers, which I do not consider myself. I could just write to write. Or I could give a big ole brave effort at writing fiction for a month.

I just have no plot in mind. No climax. No characters that I've been dreaming about for months. I consider myself a prose writer; a creative non-fiction writer. BUT maybe I should stretch my muscles just to see what I'm capable of. Who knows.

...

There was frost on the pumpkin before November 1st this year and I'm fearful it's going to be a long five months until April. Especially since I've already dawned my parka! In our apartment, all of the fleece and cashmere and wool and thermals are out of there Rubbermaid containers. I've said goodbye to my ballet flats and haltertops and sundresses that I don't feel like I got to wear enough.

This week I'm getting all those wool winter skirts laundered and buying new tights. Chris has moved our bicycles to storage (ie his office at the church!) and has found his skiing gear. I guess winter is coming ready or not. I do always love this time- fall and the holidays.

It's February that I'm thinking "It'll all be over soon." And in March when I'm thinking, "Springtime, now that's when it'll warm up...." And in April when there's still snow on the ground that I'm wondering, "Why do I live here again??!" That's when I've really had my feel.

But not yet. There are still trips to be taken, family to see, evergreen scented candles to burn, cards to be mailed, pumpkin spice things to eat and carols to be sung.