Another holiday episode of Now & Then

This morning we woke up to a boil water advisory, the first time I have ever experienced one. We didn't actually hear about it til we had been up and about for several hours already... I had gone for a run already... and drunk a big glass straight out of the tap before I left. As a result I am walking on eggshells right now, hoping that every little twinge doesn't lead to having my head down the toilet for the rest of the day. Happy Thanksgiving or what!!

Chad went for another long training session this morning, so Liam and I headed over to what will have to pass for our local pumpkin patch to round out the front porch decor. The whole American midwest thing with local patches where you can pick your own pumpkins and partake in other autumnal activities... well, I would really like for that to catch on here. There's nothing like it around us, although there are numerous fields full of pumpkins out there - a business opportunity just waiting to happen, I think. We did pass a place just outside of Stratford yesterday with a sign that read Pick your own pumpkins, hay rides, cider, free kittens... exactly what we're looking for (all but the free kittens!)... maybe we will have to go there next year. For this year, I took Liam back to our local farmer's market, where the pumpkins are lined up in rows but are obviously already taken off the vine. He still very much enjoyed running up and down the rows and trying to wrangle them to the ground, and I guess that's all that matters. The pumpkins at this market are on par with what you'd pay at the grocery store, but a few years ago I discovered one of those honour system produce stands just down the road from us, where pumpkins are priced at $1 each... so I typically buy just a couple at the farmer's market for the photo opportunity, and then round out the collection with the cheapies fresh from the field. For some reason the produce stand ones seem easier to carve, too.

Just for fun... here's the pumpkin patch (ok, ok, farmer's market) photo from last year... just for comparison's sake.

Surprise surprise, photo trouble. Maybe later then...