He's always watching...

Because Santa is creepy, I give you the Santa scene from The City of Lost Children, a beautiful and brilliant film that I adore.

Birthday Video

I want to show off my birthday presents. Hee hee...

Paper Cranes, Pirates, and Presents!

My sister-in-law and I have been meeting on Thursdays to watch movies. So far, we've seen the Devil's Backbone, Welcome to Woop Woop, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Skeleton Key. There will be many more in the future, but last night we strayed from the course. Anneliese took me out for foo-foo chai with rasberries and whipped cream, and we had Chinese food for dinner. She taught me how to make paper cranes, and she let me play with her very cute and very hyper corgi puppies. There was a movie playing in the background, but I honestly don't remember much of it. I was distracted by the dogs, but I do know that it had Franka Potente in it. I always notice Franka Potente, because she's frelling drad.

When I came home, Christoph was wearing a black velvet pirate's hat. In his best scoundrel voice, he sent me on a treasure hunt to find eight items that he had hidden for my birthday. The first was the pirate hat which he plunked down on my head. I also found two temporary jolly roger tattoos, theatrical adhesive, two fake handlebar mustaches, a bowler hat, and...what I really, really wanted...a world war II bomber's cap! Yay!

I have a goofy grin plastered to my face, and I think there might be a need for a video in the future.

Halloween

Here are some pictures that my father-in-law sent from Halloween 2006. I'm missing pictures of a few people including the nieces who were dressed up as a princess and a zombie bride. I'll have to update the gallery if I can get my hands on some photos. They were both really adorable.

In case you're wondering, the anachronistic bunny rabbit is my goofball of a husband, and I'm supposed to be a skunk, but everyone thought I was some sort of weird cat.

One More Day...

The autumnal equinox is in the vicinity, and from the corner of my eye, I'm getting the vaguest impression of long, wild strands of russet hair blowing in the wind (which has been rather brisk these last two days, I must admit). Additionally, I think I just glimpsed a pair of amber eyes quietly peering around the corner. It was slightly unsettling, but I understand that Autumn is waiting for her allotted time before making a full appearance. It makes the humans feel more comfortable when everything is properly scheduled.

The other flora and fauna...well...they already know about her majesty's arrival, and they're doing all that they can to tidy up their homes and stock their pantries with food for the festivities. The leaves (foppish little things that they are) are beginning to dress themselves in their most colourful finery, and the royal detractors among them have sadly plummeted to their deaths littering the landscape with their brittle corpses. It's a pity, really. Her majesty is a much more benevolent ruler than Lord Winter.

Me? I'm a royalist at heart, and like the critters of the forest, I'm beginning to prepare my home for the coming of Autumn. I made a big pot of pea soup, an Indian recipe with lots of coriander and cumin and heavy cream. There are apples to be made into apple crisp, and there have been many pots of warm red-tea or coffee.

I've also been window shopping for warmer clothes and a pair of new boots but without much success... Parting with my sandals is the most difficult part of welcoming Autumn. Everything else comes absolutely naturally to me. She's such a beautiful entity, and this year, she'll be arriving with a gift. My soul sister in California is due to have her baby on November 11th, and I'm beyond excited. I've never wanted any children of my own, but I'm exhilarated by my friend's pregnancy. I get to play the role of aunt, which will be loads of fun. :)