October 1st - October 5th, 2011

Not as bad as the last game of ketchup, but I'm still not quite keeping up the pace I set at the beginning of the year. Eh, waddyagonnado?

The first day of October comes with a fall picture, of course.

The trees outside my window (as well as around post) are dropping these acorns like whoa. Barnacle likes to eat them on walks. I would tell him that swallowing seeds makes plants grow in your stomach, but that's a lie. Also, he's a dog and he wouldn't understand.

On the 2nd I discovered that I have an in-law in town!

Daniel and I were driving through downtown and we came upon at least three of these signs. Szymanski is apparently a much more common name over here - who'da thunk? Anyway, now I tell people all about my famous in-law, Rolf, who was not a would-be nazi in The Sound of Music, but is actually a famous sculptor.

But seriously, it's weird that he would come to the town I'm living in. Yes? Yes.

On the third I had a panic-inducing morning.

This morning was like any other, I woke up, laid in bed for a good twenty minutes before hauling my lazy ass to the bathroom to keep up with hygiene appearances, and then I got Barnacle ready to go outside. I took two steps out the door before freezing in my tracks: there was a bird in the stairwell.

Now, for most people this isn't cause for panic, but birds seriously freak me out. Like whoa. It didn't help that this particular bird was a complete spaz and kept swooping around and around, to the ceiling, to the floor, to the windowsill and back. It would sit still for maybe 3 seconds, enough time for me to get down one step, before it would start up again.

To put it lightly, I freaked out. Every time I tried to go down the stairs the bird would start swooping and I would start letting out little shrieks. I'm surprised no one came out and called me an idiot. I went in and out of the house three times trying to muster up the courage to get past a tiny bird, no bigger than a sparrow. Of course, I did go out one time to take this picture.

I kept arguing with myself, if you don't take the dog out he'll go on the floor - so I kept trying to go out, trying to go out, trying to go out. Meanwhile I'm texting Daniel about it and his response was, "put on a hat and run."

Instead, I opened an umbrella, figuring my luck couldn't get worse that morning, and streaked down the stairs, shrieking a bit both ways (going out and coming back in). When I came back from the ordeal I vowed I would not be going back outside until the thing was gone. So, I called maintenance, who told me to open a window. I  told them that was not happening while the winged beast was swooping around like a demon. The guy laughed at me, which I accepted because I fully understand how ridiculous I am, but then he said he'd have someone come around to get the thing outside.

About an hour and a half later the fire department showed up. The Fire Department. They captured the bird in a cloth bag or a jacket or something - laughing the whole time - and let it free outside. I think it flew right past my window as I was watching, thus ending the bird catastrophe on a sort of poetic note.

Now, onto the fourth, which wasn't nearly as dramatic.

Every time I give Barnacle a dental chew Bootstrap tries to steal it. He likes to chew on/play with them. Bootstrap literally laid in front of Barnacle the entire time he was eating it, hoping he would drop it out of his mouth.

Finally, today I found another pumpkin display that is entirely the most creepy one yet.

I don't know why they all have demonic toothy smiles, but they totally freaked me out.

I imagine them crawling after me, dragging their strange, straw-stuffed bodies behind them.