Ghosts, like ladies, never speak till spoke to. ~Richard Harris Barham

God apparently loves me despite everything – Jude decided he wants to be Captain Hook for Halloween, and Simon agreed to be Peter Pan. Mimi will be Tinkerbell. (I have been cast as Wendy. Just because I dressed up as Cruella de Ville last year, the boys assume I will participate every year. Got news for them…) As I already made Si a Peter Pan costume for his birthday last year, and we have a well-stocked dress-up box, I am set. Except for transforming Mimi into Tinkerbelle…God help me.

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Why I love my neighborhood, part 16,234: Yesterday Si, James, and I strolled up to the local coffee shop. I struck up a conversation with a woman reading Myla Goldberg’s new book, Wickett’s Remedy. This book has generally gotten lukewarm reviews from official reviewers. The woman gave me a succinct, informative, and amusing capsule review, over our lattes. This could never have happened in my old neighborhood as no one there ever ripped themselves away from “Stillers” football long enough to read the paper let alone a whole book.

Mary Roach’s new book Spook is a must-read for me. I thoroughly enjoyed Stiff, but then I tend to be a bit morbid and utterly fascinated with death, disease, pestilence, and abnormality. I had a field day with this post from Ayelet Waldman’s now-defunct blog; I am sure the local librarians thought they had a budding serial killer in their midst, blithely and efficiently utilizing the local library.

Is Bookslut going on a hiatus? Or just Jessa? Here’s the blurb I read yesterday that concerned me:
And now Bookslut rests! You can have your Tuesdays back in November and December, catch up on some Nip/Tuck, whatever. I have a vacation (my first in six, seven years!) and some baby visiting to do. We'll be back in January with something a little different. You'll be hearing more about it soon.

There’s an article on Salon about Stephen Colbert’s new show. I think Colbert is hilarious, and even more so after his guest star turn in the 4th-season finale of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” as a loony tourist who curses Larry David. However, sadly we do not have cable so I will miss this program. And tell me, does he not resemble Bob Saget or am I just crazy?

I want this set of the complete Calvin and Hobbes. I always wanted to marry Calvin – or barring that, Hobbes – and since that did not happen, the least I can have is this.

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Here is the Libby’s-label pumpkin pie recipe, for those who asked (it’s not fancy but it’s really easy and tastes good).
Pumpkin pie: It's what's for breakfast.

1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 can (29 oz) Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk
2 unbaked 9” deep-dish pie shells

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and then spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shells. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temp to 350 degrees. Bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for at least tow hours.

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Snippets:

My mother-in-law proudly brought me a jar of pumpkin pie spice she’d got for a dollar at some store in the new mall. Um, is it padded with sawdust, ashes, what? Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, for a buck? Don’t think so. The thought was nice.

I want a keyboard with the space bar split and another shift key in between the two halves of the space bar. It would make one-handed typing so much easier.

My friend Rachel, who lives in London, had a baby the same day I did. Apparently this is how they weigh babies over in Merrie Olde England. Craziness.

I tried to teach Simon how to ride a bike yesterday. (By the way, he looked SO cute in his little bike helmet…) Just remind me of this when he decides he needs someone to teach him how to drive. I will gladly pay someone else to do it.

Joke, are your windows boarded up? Is your car gassed up? Are you stocked up on batteries, water, plastic sheeting, and duct tape? Oh, wait, that’s a different catastrophe. Sorry. No, seriously, be safe and keep us posted.