No further evidence needed: we've been extremely busy this fall. Interior paint, shoe molding, lighting fixtures, electrical upgrade, seismic retrofit and an ongoing list of odds and ends has kept us energized and occupied. Now I get it - "pride of ownership" -- you want people to understand the extraordinary amount of work you had to do to whip the tiny house into shape! Well, we are proud -- it's the best (as long as it doesn't rain -- we have yet to test those 81-year-old window seals).

The jack-o-lanterns on the front porch are all the evidence we need to realize we are truly suburbanite old people now. Some of the kids who came to the door last night were at least as old as I am (in my head) and I know they thought Akhil and I were twelve. The teenagers did not even bother to dress up. That's pretty rude, I thought, but I gave them their Willy Wonka Nerds and Sweettarts like the nice old lady that I am.

Heather comes this week to break in the new "guest room" and then, my mom comes out solo next week. Todd already made it out to visit last month -- and we got in a trip to SeaWorld. Does anyone else find it odd that the place is sponsored by Anheuser-Busch? I mean, they have a Budweiser pavilion and a fleet of Clydesdales. Beer and whales. Hmmm... Whatever.

Congrats to Caroline who welcomed baby James last Monday! I get to see him tomorrow since I am off all this week. And THAT's because...

On top of all this good stuff, I report to duty at a fabulous new job at Disney this month. The choice of company is coincidental, and nothing more - Akhil and I will NOT be carpooling - as we are in different divisions, buildings, towns. But everyone has asked.