It is both unbelievable and totally believable that it’s November already. October started us off on an unexpected path and basically set the tone for the whole month. So, once again, here’s the monthly roundup of what we did, what we ate, what we watched, and what we read.
What We Did
Job search! On the second day of October, Phil found out he was losing his job, so much of our time this month has been spent searching for a job for him or him going to job interviews. It’s an exhausting process that has not yet yielded what we want. But we are hopeful.
We joined a small group at church. It has been so much fun to gather weekly with a group of people we barely knew a month ago that now feel like an important part of our week. We laugh a lot and share a lot and it’s a highlight of the week.
Flu shots. The kids and I got our annual jabs on a day off of school.
Then we went to Longwood Gardens. The kids and I had Friday off for our October four-day weekend, so after getting flu shots, we packed a light lunch and drove to Longwood Gardens. We have a membership, and we’re not afraid to use it! We explored some parts of the gardens we either hadn’t been to before or hadn’t been to in a while. It was a lovely day.
I put together a puzzle.
Our daughter went to her first football game with friends, ate way too much candy and sweetness, and I had to stay up past my bedtime waiting for her to get home. Welcome to the teenage years! A week later, she went to the homecoming game to play with the high school band.
Phil took the kids to the homecoming bonfire because our daughter’s field hockey team was part of the celebration. I was getting a massage, so I didn’t go.
One of my Saturdays I spent co-presenting at an online writers’ conference. I had forgotten how much I needed other writers and missed gathering with them. I enjoyed being able to share some tips with them as well, and now I’m pumped to knock out some of my writing goals in November.
WXPN Musicians on Call 5k. Phil ran this race a couple of years ago in person and last year as a virtual. This year we had talked about going to Philly to run it together, but we opted for the virtual race. This turned out to be a good idea because Phil’s undiagnosed health issue prevents him from doing vigorous exercise. So, I ran it myself.
Pumpkin carving. We have bought and decorated pumpkins in the past, but I can’t remember ever carving them with the kids. Our son suggested it a few weeks ago. It was messy and fun. The pumpkins didn’t last long on our porch, though. We had some above average temperatures and some hungry squirrels.
Costumes! Trunk or Treat. Field hockey pizza party. We took a Natasha (aka Black Widow) and a Thanos to our Halloween events. (Must know the Marvel movies to understand the costumes.)
H Mart. I had no idea what an H Mart was but a group of friends I completely trust were going one weekend to Philly to go shopping at H Mart and because Phil was not working, I decided to go along. And it was amazing. It’s a Korean grocery store filled with imported foods, predominantly Asian. Phil sent me with a short list, and I came home with everything on the list plus some surprise treats for the fam. Even if I had bought nothing, the time away with three fun friends was just what I needed.
Batting cages. While I was gone, Phil and the kids cleaned the house, ran some errands and went to the batting cages.
Lancaster Pride Fest. Phil and I volunteered with our church to host a table. This was a big step for us, to be publicly affirming of LGBTQ persons (although nothing compared to those who are part of the LGBTQ community). We had a good time setting up the table and having a few conversations with people before our shift was over.
I got my annual mammogram. They have capes now! Because we are freaking superheroes for taking care of ourselves.
Spirit week at school. I don’t mind the costumes all week long because it gives me direction about what to wear. We had ‘Merica Monday, Team Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, Pink Out Thursday and costume Friday. Here’s a sampling of some of our ensembles.
Phil and I went to Central Market on the last Saturday morning of the month. We still need a place to buy our fresh vegetables and fruits for the week, and even though there is a huge, gaping hole where his stand used to be, it was a bearable visit and we are stocked for the week.
Date lunch. While the kids were at a Halloween hangout after church, Phil and I squeezed in an October date just in time for it to be November a day later. We went to Appalachian Brewing Company in Lititz.
What We Ate
Pizzas from Wegman’s: Phil ordered these one night when it his turn to take care of dinner because he had a busy day. They were tasty.
Free breakfast from McDonald’s for teacher appreciation. I ate this three days in a row. I don’t love McDonald’s but “free breakfast” is the key to my heart.
Taco pizza. A specialty we’re making at home now once in a while on our son’s night to take care of dinner.
Soup! It’s soup season. Potato leek soup on a crisp, fall day was total comfort food. Our son is now putting hot sauce on everything. Soup is no exception. On what would have been trick-or-treat night (it was rainy, windy and dangerous outside), we curled up with bowls of chili. There is much more soup to come in the fall and winter months.
Seafood and vegetable noodle soup at the H Mart food court. A soupy noodle bowl is one of my happy meals. I was not disappointed by the size or flavor of this delicious meal.
These ice cream sandwiches shaped like fish, purchased at H Mart. They were fun and tasted a bit like a frozen cream puff.
Ice cream! Outside! In October! I had to finish mine in the car. Fall flavor choices: caramel popcorn with pecans; zombie brains with sour patch kids; pumpkin cheesecake with graham cracker crumbs; and pumpkin cheesecake with buttercream. This was a celebration of some good news in our emotionally exhausting month.
New ramens from H Mart. Cheese ramen? I didn’t know I needed this in my life.
At ABC (see date lunch), we ate poutine (the gravy, OMG), chicken vegetable barley soup, a firecracker burger with homemade potato chips, and we split a piece of praline pumpkin cheesecake with vanilla ice cream for dessert. It was all delish.
What We Watched
Sanditon. I finished season 1 and my only thought was: What the eff, Sanditon writers? You know Jane Austen wouldn’t have played us like that. Ugh. Are we still watching Season 2 when it drops sometime next year? Yes, probably.
Kim’s Convenience. We watch an episode or two here and there.
Grantchester, season 6. Our favorite handsome vicar solving crimes with his detective inspector friend.
Loki. Finished. OMG. Like, what? I’m glad there will be more episodes.
Upload. This show keeps surprising me, and I can’t get enough. Greg Daniels is such a smart creator of shows. And the last episode of season 1? Wowza. I can’t wait for season 2!
LegoMasters. We’re close to finishing this one, finally. One more episode to go.
Divergent. I read these books many years ago and LOVED them but never watched the movies. Now that I know about Theo James, that’s changing. I enjoyed the first movie but haven’t had a chance to watch the others yet.
Attack of the Hollywood Cliches. Hosted by Rob Lowe. We stumbled onto this one at the end of a long week, our first with Phil unemployed, and the teaser made me laugh. It was funny and informative. I now know about the Wilhelm scream and I can’t unknow it.
What If …? The next in the Marvel series of shows. Compelling. I love the creativity that comes from asking “what if?” Except episode 3. I didn’t like that one.
Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes: Sardinia and Sicily. Rick Stein is just a delightful travel host. I have to watch travel shows in small doses right now though because I miss travel. I think we will be able to do a little more once everyone in our house is vaccinated.
What We Read
Second Chance Pass by Robyn Carr. I know, more Virgin River.
Evil Spy School by Stuart Gibbs. Love this series.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. I read this at school after we read a book about Jeff Kinney. Now I know where the “cheese touch” comes from. It was a fun read.
Jesus and John Wayne, continued. For book club. We’re about halfway through and I’m ready to be done because the history of power-wielding white men in the evangelical church is depressing, frustrating and angering.
Ice Ghosts: The Epic Hunt for the Lost Franklin Expedition by Paul Watson. I’m minorly obsessed with shipwrecks and Arctic/Antarctic exploration. This was tedious at times but still interesting.
96 Miles by J.L. Esplin. YA. End of the world/disaster type of novel. Captivating writing. Surprises at every turn. I’m almost finished with it. It reminds me of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, except not quite as creepy. Still, it’s unsettling.
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore. A recommendation from a friend who knows I liked the Bridgerton novels. I loved everything about this Victorian romance set against the suffrage movement in Britain. I’ve already got the next one on hold at the library.
Our daughter is re-reading the Harry Potter series and our son finished the Theodore Boone series.
Till next time, when we find out together what November had in store for us!
