Next Holiday...

I believe it's safe to say that you know I love holidays. Actually, I mostly love holiday food - I think you knew that, too - although some of the customs and cultures are lovely and meaningful and some are downright fun. Next week is Sukkos. Sukkos is a celebration of the harvest and also of the Tabernacles. I stick to the harvest part.

When we're home Cowboy builds an extension in front and back of the wooden canopy he built for my roses. It's a temporary affair but it does the trick. I hang long wide ribbons and at the end of each ribbon, I tie something good to eat - candied apples, plums, peaches (guess who eats those) and dates, fresh figs, clusters of grapes and the occasional eggplant just to see who's paying attention...

I used to hang vegetables but the kids invited to the party are pretty smart and always ignored those. I also hang candy - all kinds - though chocolate is at a minimum, unless it's dark chocolate which I'm not that crazy about. I also hang "little" toys - miniature racing cars, troll dolls, yo-yos, slinkies, Spalding balls, spinning tops, jacks, slingshots, water guns, marbles, etc.

I love shopping for these in "five & dime" stores and occasionally, spot them at a garage sale and gobble them up for future use. Most kids today have electronic gadgets and ironically, get excited about the old fashioned ones I grew up knowing.

Out here, on the beach, I invited the neighborhood families to come over for the holiday celebration. Bull is building a canopy for me right on the beachfront. I'm expecting a huge crowd and Cowboy said he'd invite a few off-duty squids to keep a campfire going, roast hot dogs and marshmallows and maintain order. Maintain order? Who is going to get rowdy? Okay, no need to reply to that.

"Don't hang water guns or slingshots, bambina."

Oops. Too late.

"You worried we're going to hurt someone with those?"

"YOU're going to pay for it if anyone gets hurts," Mr. Grumpy said and gave me a swat!

Tsk.

Actually... I used the giant squid's credit card to buy everything, including the water guns and slingshots but I think he might be thinking of making me pay in other ways. Did I mention this man often lacks couth?

The pups are very excited. Kids will jump up and down and run and laugh and they're very attracted to that kind of excitement. I just have to make sure they're thoroughly fed before the party begins.

Note to self. Feed Bull before the crowd shows up...

Speaking of Bull...

He's leaving in a few days to go visit his mama and sisters down in Arkansas. I asked if he warned her he was coming so they could set up temporary quarters in the local supermarket.

SWAT!

"Stop making fun of Bull's appetite."

"He's currently eating *your* peach cobbler."

"What? Bull! Front and center!"

Smiling...

~Sar~