After picking up the kids from skagis (our family word for "skola & dagis"), we headed out into the bush looking for autumn finery to deck our Halloween party tables. First stop, a red-ivy covered house (permission received earlier) where we bagged leaves. Next stop, our babysitter's house, where a giant chestnut tree has covered the ground with nuts and chestnut casings. Chestnut jackpot! Then it was off to our traditional stop, where we get more red ivy (a different leaf) and those orange papery chinese lanterns. Here was where disappointment struck. No lanterns. Not a one...wait! here's one! and one more...and the skeleton of one...but that was it. The bounty and glory of former years was just a memory.

By that time it was 6:15 and we were all getting hungry so we headed into town and had some quality cuisine at Micky D's. (2nd disappointment: old happy meal toys that the kids already had). And then home to bath and bed. Now it's only 8:30 and I'm seriously considering taking my magazine to bed right now. MAN, I'm tired. It's been a long week, and I still have one more day of it. Luckily, Anders gets home sometime tonight! :)

Tomorrow is dinner with friends, and a semi-busy weekend, but not so bad. Hopefully I can wind down a bit.

My brother says there's snow everywhere down in southern Germany. Yow