Halloween

This guy is the best pumpkin carver I think I've ever seen - check out his carving!

I haven't carved a pumpkin in a long time. I remember the slimy guts and roasting the pumpkin seeds (yum!).

Tonight I'm manning the door (who else is there to do it?) giving out candy. A lot of kids take big handfuls these days if you let 'em. I have an assortment of Kit Kats, Hershey bars, Twizzlers and Jolly Ranchers. Oh, and halloween-themed plastic rings. Not as many kids as last year so far, and mostly younger ones. The best so far was a teenage boy dressed as a grandma who was acting the part, using an old lady voice, etc. But the older ones come later anyway. At the same time I'm watching Ghost Hunters live for a kick - they're revisiting the Waverly Sanatorium.

This weekend, insha'allah, I'm off to Atlanta for a weekend conference. Leaving Friday and coming back Monday. It has been a lot of work to try to get ready and take care of the usual work business as well. I have to leave right from school on Friday to the airport. I hope the conference will be useful. I'm giving tests for the sub to proctor on Monday. It is almost impossible to get a sub who can do math so we always have to write our plans accordingly. I will be hip deep in grading when I get back. I'm also out next Friday for another meeting of the same group going to Atlanta, and trying to make plans for a sub to handle then, as well, without getting behind. The days of not having every second scheduled in schools is long gone. Ten minutes misspent can mess you up for a semester if you're not careful.

I'm also, insha'allah, getting to meet a special friend in Atlanta on the evenings when I'm not in meetings, and I'm looking forward to that!

So anyway, have a great weekend if you don't hear from me sooner.