Vertigo

I just looked down at my keyboard and then up at the screen and had the sense that I was looking down the wrong end of a telescope. Now I'm feeling dizzy, and seeing little spots, and it's just the weirdest phenomenon.

There have been times when I've felt like this but they've all been when I was standing up, or getting up to a standing position too quickly.

I hope that it passes.

So much for NaBloPoMo

I spent most of yesterday knitting. Less than 50 rows to go on the Fibonacci scarf!

If you're ever in High Falls

Go and see the High Falls. They are quite lovely.

Happy Thanksgiving

Muffin Man was the emcee at a talent show he put together. I was very proud.

When Brussels Sprouts Attack

The Brussels sprouts didn't appreciate getting little x's cut in their bottoms, and conspired with the knife to stab me in my thumb.

Ouch.

Fortunately, it's not deep.

At my mom's for t'giving

Posting will be light. Mebbe some pictures.

Talking about chores

Muffin Man is nine, and he has the following chores:

• Feed and otherwise take care of the gerbils (I help with their monthly re-bedding).
• Set and clear the table, including pouring drinks for the family
• Empty the dishwasher
• Put away his clothes (I admit to being pretty lax about this).
• Keep the play room tidy
• Empty the waste baskets
• Make his own week-day breakfast (cold cereal and milk).

What chores do you have your kid doing? Is MM getting off easy, or are we too hard on him?

Wild boar...

Also easy to cook, but the flavor is identical to domesticated pork. I love living close to a Wegmans.

Turns out...

That it's really easy to cook duck. Seared ducks breast with garlic & rosemary roasted potatoes. Yum. And we even have leftovers.

When one thing leads to another

An item in Carolyn Hax's chat today made me think of this song:

Appalled

My co-workers have never read Caves of Steel.

A PSA from TMBG and a girl in California

The inspiration for my New Year's Resolution

I haven't done much in terms of sending MM with a packed lunch this school year, but last year I sent him with lunch at least three times a week between January and then end of the school year.

Here's a video by Mrs. Q, from Fed Up With Lunch, who ate the school lunch every day for a calendar year, and took pictures.

Before and after

Before: A whole year's worth of hair

Random bullets of a busy day

• talked to SingsLullabyes on the phone. She's in the hospital with pneumonia, nut may be released tomorrow.
• made a gallon and a quarter of spaghetti sauce.
• got Muffin Man's hair cut. Picture tomorrow.
• auction at church. Big turnout.

Makes for a tired Mystery Mommy.

Review: Dunkin Donuts Warm Cinnamon Swirl Muffin

If you go to Dunkin Donuts, you can skip the warm cinnamon swirl muffin. It's crumbly, sticky, and squishy, and the flavor is very fake (leaving a chemical aftertaste).

Bleah.

Another short post

Too pooped to pop, and feeling gloomy over yesterday's outcome.

Short post

Tired. Feet hurt. Talk to you tomorrow.

The worst day of the year.

Tomorrow is election day and so, of course, Muffin Man will be staying overnight tonight with a babysitter so that Mr. Spock and I can be at our volunteer posts at 0530 in the cold, dark morning.

We'll be at our posts all day (with a short break to go to our own polling place to vote), and then we'll go to a watch party and, depending on how long it takes, we'll probably be home after MM's bedtime (his sitter will bring him to our house after his holiday camp's field trip tomorrow, and stay there with him until we get home).

This is the part of being involved in elections I hate. Not seeing my son for two whole days (though I'm volunteering at the sitter's polling place, so I'll actually see him when she comes to vote).

There's no doubt in my mind that what I'm doing is worth it, that this is how a democracy continues, that I'm teaching my son how much I value our system. But I'm not going to lie to you, Monday before an election when there's a chance I may not see that sweet boy until Wednesday morning? It's the worst day of the year.

Musical interlude: sunshiney weekend before election day edition

Anyone have a reliable pedometer for the iPhone?

I can't get the Nike one to calibrate, and Footsteps paused after 2 miles.

In related news, I need better non-sandal walking shoes. 

More cheap, non-crafty costumes: Some purchase required edition

Muffin Man as Captain Feather Sword.
Character copyright Disney

Muffin Man is wearing an official Captain Feather Sword hat, purchased at a Wiggles Concert that I won tickets to (thank you MIX 107.3!!)

He is also wearing a red quilted vest we already had, black pants and white dress shirt we already had, and a Wiggles logo we printed off their website.

More cheap, non-crafty costumes: grown-up edition

Three years ago, Muffin Man was Anakin Skywalker for Halloween (alas, a purchased costume).

And me, being me? I was a Princess.

Mystery Mommy as Princess Leia Morgana.
Character copyright George Lucas

Ingredients: White poet shirt (bought in, I am not joking, 1989. From Victoria's Secret. I know.) over a white turtleneck and cinched with a black belt. Beige pants, white sneakers. Iconic hairstyle.

I look bulkier than usual because there is a sweatshirt underneath the turtleneck.

Not a perfect match, by any means, but I got the flavor right. Everyone knew immediately who I was supposed to be, and MM loved that I was playing his character's daughter.

The only item purchased new for this costume were the hairpins.

The cheap, non-crafty parent's guide to making costumes.

Muffin Man is nothing if not a stickler for verisimilitude. The boy shaved his head for last year's costume.

I am cheap and, beyond knitting, am not at all crafty.

I do not like buying costumes that will be used once. I especially do not like paying more for a costume than I would pay for real clothes. Particularly since those costumes are severely lacking in verisimilitude.

That being the case, the Miller Household puts our heads together to come up with costumes that incorporate items we already have, or that can be reused in everyday life and that also capture the spirit of the character. I think we're pretty successful! What do you think?

Side-by-side pictures of MM's last two Halloween costumes and their inspirations.

Cone Head Zombie from Plants vs. Zombies. Character copyright PopCap Games.

Aang, the Avatar from the cartoon, The Avatar
(not to be confused with the movie Avatar,
or the character from the movie version, called The Last Airbender).

Both costumes are home-made, (ingredients here and here) and involved no sewing or other crafty skill whatsoever (although MS made a terrific traffic cone, which ended up not getting used in favor of the real much heavier one from Home Depot).

There's a zombie on my lawn

Muffin Man as a Cone Head Zombie from Plants vs. Zombies

We didn't know when Muffin Man asked to be the Cone Head Zombie from Plants vs. Zombies this year that it would be so topical!

Road Cone ($8.00) from Home Depot. Ripped jeans (skull on back pocket), bought last year at Target, and worn to shreds. Shirt from Target via my closet. Brown blazer from Target via my closet. Tie from J.C. Penney, came free with a suit two years ago.

Make-up from Ulta. I did a base coat of beige foundation cream. Then I applied a thick top-coat of a matte-green eye-shadow all over his face. Then I accented his eyes with a thick coat of black eye-shadow, and brushed a bit more black and grey eye-shadow here and there for effect.

The inspiration. I think we captured the spirit quite well.

I am sporting a GMU sweatshirt turned inside-out, with pictures of the sunflower and pea-shooter taped onto it. Pictures from worthplaying.com.

(This post inspired by real-life friends of my youth, Eclectic Mom and The Unfocused Life)