Christmas in October

I remember this from last year. October is such a busy month in Ridgecrest that it starts to feel like December. Everyone either comes home from vacation or comes out of hibernation, and dozens of major events are organized. I think this year is especially bad because there are 5 full weekends in October. I can't remember anything major during weekend 1 (but the last weekend in September we had the Family Fun Fair at the park). And then...

weekend 2 we had the Star Party at the college and the Gem-O-Rama in Trona,
weekend 3 we had the Friends of the Library booksale and the Maturango Junction,
weekend 4 will be the Desert Empire Fair, Thursday through Sunday out at the fairgrounds,
and weekend 5 is of course Halloween -- there's a haunted house put on by the theatre group, and all the churches have their "Harvest Festivals" to try to prevent people from celebrating Halloween.

In addition to busily attending all these events (we do our part), I am also attempting to sew 2 little Halloween costumes. Also, there are 3 birthdays in my family this month (conveniently held on weekend 3, weekend 4, and weekend 5, which helps me keep track of them). And I really should buy, write, and send out a few Halloween cards. And of course I'm busily planning the novel that I'm going to write during National Novel Writing Month, which begins on Monday, November 1st, and trying to figure out how I will get the house clean for the houseguest we're expecting on November 2nd.

Not to mention the fact that Rocket Boy is trying to find a Democratic phone bank to help with, before the election (he might have to go to Palmdale, or beyond).

All I can say is, it's a good thing I don't have a JOB or anything like that. Who has time to work????

This weekend was pretty fun, I will say that, if a bit overwhelming. On Saturday, we got up early (the twins are in charge of making that happen EVERY SINGLE DAY, capably aided by our cat, Pie Bear, who has the advantage of having access to our bed). Our first destination was the park and the library -- Rocket Boy and the twins played at the park while I attended the Friends of the Library booksale. I went at a good time and found many books I couldn't live without. Then I played with the twins at the park while Rocket Boy went to the sale. Then he drove his car to Sizzler, where the Democrats of the High Desert were having a meeting with 8 of the 11 candidates for City Council, and he took notes so that he could fill me in later on what they all said. The twins and I, meanwhile, went to the grocery store and home for lunch (Rocket Boy ate at Sizzler). After he got home, we packed ourselves back into my car and went to the Maturango Junction, which is a sort of fair -- with booths and live music and the inevitable bounce houses. There were booths selling things, and booths distributing information about nonprofit organizations, and booths for each of the City Council candidates. We visited the Tortoise Club booth, of course, and Rocket Boy went to talk to a City Council candidate who he'd heard speak that morning, and we listened to a band play, and we wandered around. The most interesting sight at the Junction was, hands down, the large Sulcata tortoise on a leash, being walked by a kid who had a sign supporting a City Council candidate. Rocket Boy saw the kid feed the tortoise some nachos.

And after all that, what was left to do but drive to Olancha and have dinner at the Ranch House Cafe? (where nobody said "Shhhh!")



And on the way home there was another beautiful sunset.