Week off

I have all this week off because we have a mandatory shutdown at work. It's part of the cost savings that the company is trying to do. Better than laying off people. But it then gives me the perfect week to finish painting the dining room and kitchen. Here's a panoramic view of the dining room. I'll put up the after picture once it's all done.


I didn't get too many leaves in our yard, so the kids had fun in Christy's pile of leaves. Armaan didn't care for being in the leaves at all - which is the same thing Priya did when she was his age.

Priya making cup cakes

Painting between the lines

First haircut

Before we get to the haircut, I'll start with Priya's first pre-school picture. It's so adorable, and she looks so old. She cooperated with the photographer more than she has with anyone else taking her picture.


It was finally time for Armaan to get his haircut. Take a look at the picture below. A girl would be proud to have hair as long as he does! His tight curls in the back didn't make the hair seem that long, but it was getting generally pretty shaggy.

Yep - definitely time for a cut

Getting set up

A sucker to keep him compliant

Almost done

Posing for his picture

Fall stuff

The elections are finally over. It feels like the day after Christmas. All that anticipation, and now it's done and over with. Not entirely, though. There's still emails flying around with Obama this, and McCain that. I guess there will always be people who feel strongly enough about some things to keep the in-boxes full. The election is still too close to call in Missouri and North Carolina. Once those results come in, I'll put up a final electoral tally, and compare to what was projected - mostly for my benefit. Statistics are fun. One in every four persons will believe anything they read.

I finally managed to get back to the phone I had lost over the flood. It took two tries on Craigslist to finally get one in my hands. When I went to meet up with the first guy (a 35 min drive each way), he never showed up. The second one called to change locations as I was en-route to a place called Dino's Den. Hmmm.. That turns out to be a family restaurant mostly frequented by people in their mid- to late 70s.

The dining room / kitchen project is slowly coming along. By this weekend I should have all the wallpaper down. Then comes the task of repairing the walls from where the plaster peeled off, and the many pocks and holes. A messy job, with a messier cleanup after the sanding is done.

Armaan is now fully walking by himself. He really has his own pace of things. He refuses to be rushed into anything.


The kids had a fun time at Halloween this year. Priya was old enough to not get freaked out, and enjoyed the idea of being able to go to any house with a porch light on and get free candy.

Armaan is all skins and bones

Priya is a fairy princess

Costume day at pre-school

Out trick-or-treating

Hey! A house with a light on...

Free candy!!

Sharing candy and enjoying a nice warm fall day

This is a cute picture!