Fleeting

In the past week, the foliage has come into peak color, brilliant reds and oranges popping out, startling against the grey of a November sky. Two days ago, we had our first snow, and winter-tinged winds have torn through the heights, raining leaves down into carpets of gold.   It feels as though autumn has just arrived and already it is in its denouement.  A fleeting season, this. 

Coyote sighting in Mayfield Cemetery.   

 Cold days and newly-early dark means a shift in our lives to more indoor pursuits...
Gatherings with friends, rearranging our furniture, getting back into felting and other hobbies.  In some ways it is welcome, being close to home and snuggling in instead of feeling so compelled to go and do and enjoy the great outdoors.

Not that we aren't getting out, though!  We've been rather focused on musical theater these past few weeks, it turns out.  Last week we had just the most terrific time going to the Heights High musical, Mary Poppins.  Our good friends have a 4th grader who was singing with the Boulevard Honor Choir so we went and sat with them to support her.  We soon discovered we knew MANY of the children performing-  and it was such fun to see them up on stage, to smile and celebrate with their families as we left, to revel in the talent and creativity at work in our schools and community.  Eleven years into our lives here in the Heights, we are finding ourselves more and more invested in the community as a whole, knowing people everywhere we go, watching children grow up.  Hugging a whole passel of little ones I know and love at intermission, I felt so much joy at being a part of this little enclave of 44118, so proud of the work being done here, and so grateful to love where I live so much.   Really glad we went to see the musical, it turns out.

 After a few weeks of some really November-y weather, this weekend brought the sun. So we went to the lake.

 It's been a delightful weekend, actually.  A bit of stretched out time in the midst of this fleeting season.  I think it was all because of the magic that is an afternoon off of work.  We had parent teacher conferences this week and our "payment" for two nights on duty til 8pm, was the chance to leave at 11:30 on a Friday. To add an extra layer of awesome, I didn't even have any conferences in the morning that day, just several hours of quiet, productive time in my classroom.  Then home!  Nat and I went out to lunch, had coffee and travel brainstorming at the Art Museum, and walked the dog all before picking Ivy up from school.  Took the kids shopping for some new clothes and shoes at Kohl's (they just keep growing, those two!) and actually managed to have a nice time, even in an environment that usually stresses me out. What a difference, to have a day off from students!  Without them sapping all of my energy and patience, I had some left to give to my own children... imagine that!  I took Ivy to a much-anticipated birthday party sleepover with a new friend from school (a lovely family- we are so glad they've joined our Boulevard community!) Then we spent our the rest of our Friday evening rearranging furniture in our living room and dining room (isn't that what YOU do on Friday nights??), flipping the two rooms for the season to have the couch in same room as the fireplace. Our good friend Mike came over to keep us company while we drank beer and moved heavy things and rolled rugs and cleaned out strange collections of items and a lot of dust from hidden corners of our room.  And you know what?  It really was a pretty great Friday night.

The rest of weekend followed suit, stretching out wide enough to hold all the things-- some cleaning, some relaxing, two visits to the lake, afternoon coffee-drinking, lots of driving around town, two estate sales, Second Sunday Soup, dinner swap, and a really terrific date night on Saturday.  I'm not sure how it happened, considering just how busy and hectic most of our weekends end up... but I could get used to weekend that feel like this one.
Saturday night magic, compliments of my mom (who hosted Ivy for her second sleepover of the weekend!) and Tiffany (who hosted Jack for a fun a great overnight with his friend).

Nat and I got to dress up (any excuse for rhinestones and a vintage coat!), go out to dinner, see a terrific performance of one of my all-time favorite musicals, and even have a beer at Noble Beast on the way home. We felt like real grown ups.

Today, back to real life.  The next few weeks promise to be back to our hectic norm, as Nat and I both prepare for time out of town at conferences, and all the cooking and travel and family of Thanksgiving week just ahead. Around us the leaves are drifting down and the trees are turning their November grey.  I am grateful for a lovely weekend and these lovely colors to carry me through.

Boo!

Halloween 2018:  The "Underworld Family"  takes on Cedar-Lee, Spooky Pooch, the Boo-levard Spooktacular, and a cold and rainy Halloween night...

First event of the season-- as quick trip down Lee road where our little demons gathered plenty of candy and we ran into plenty of friends.

I love our little community!

Not a Halloween event but an excuse for a different kind of dressing up-- a visit to the MOCA fall art opening for the grown ups.

As usual, we spent most of our "adult time" doing crafts.  Really, they are the best part of the art openings.

Second of course to being with this guy.

That same weekend we had what would be our only full-family costume event-- the Spooky Pooch parade.  A cold, drizzly day but the weather cleared for hour of the actual parade, and we had a blast looking at all of the other doggies, and showing our our little "Cerberus," who was quite the hit.

For one part of the parade, there were people sitting along a curb on Detroit.  Winter took it upon herself to go up and give each and every one of them a personalized, wiggly lick.  She played to the crowd very well, I think, even if our family costume did not win any awards.  Next year, a float. That's the way to victory.

Ivy and Win and I hung out for a but at Gram's to warm up and dry out from a rainy walk home, while Nat and Jack went off to one of the last games of Jack's season...

He's had a fun fall with the Kickers, even if they did not win very often.  I think he's happy he joined.

Fast forward a week (because that's just how this October has felt) to the next Halloween event:  The first annual Boo-levard Spooktacular.  The PTA this year decided to abandon the traditional movie night for a more interactive event, and it went off pretty well.

We had a adorable costume contest, games and crafts, and the book fair going on.  This little demon spent much of her night helping me sell concessions-- she can make change like a boss.

Sunday-- pumpkin carving!  Perfect timing with Becca in town for a visit.  She even spent the night-- in Ivy's room-- which pretty much made Ivy's year.

Halloween itself was on a rainy Wednesday this year.  Our crew braved the drizzle boldly and garnered a good haul, coming home with soaked feet as well as pounds of candy.

Winter was a hit in her costume, but did not like the rain. She kept trying to walk right in to each house, and began refusing, straight-legged and pouting, to leave the covered porches.  She and Nat headed home early while I carried on.  Turns out my vintage black wool coat is impervious to weather and I would have happily chaperoned trick-or-treating all the way til 8.  I just love the sidewalks full of happy people, the adorable costumed little ones, the sense of excitement. 
Ivy was the one who demanded to head home around 7.   :)

This year's candy trading was very well organized-- each child would place their agreed upon item at the "belt line" and then on the count of three, push them across to the other side.  It was hilarious.

And just like that, October was over!  Happy Halloween!  Now on to the next thing...