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Cooper’s first Halloween! My nephew, a little red-haired gorilla. With a wand. Can you tell that Stacey and Bowen are having a blast with him? He is the cutest. The Coopster!

Nathan wore a t-shirt that said “this is my costume” – I think he’s getting over the whole Halloween thing, non?

Friday Coffee with Suz today! I know, I know, it’s Wednesday, but we can’t pull off Friday this week, so we’ve rescheduled for today. I’ll need her feedback on my new hair, she’ll need mine on her new Lancome foundation. I’m not kidding. We cover it all, one could learn alot sitting next to us. Religion, makeup, parenting, clothes, politics, cooking, marriage, books, sex, family, neighborhood gossip, education, and major trash-talk and cackling about who in our lives is driving us nuts. Too bad the Maven of Mischief can’t join us this time! Kim had a couple of Fridays in a row where she could be with us and it RAWKED! Alas, today it’s just Heavy Metal Momma and the Priestess of Pate. We’ll miss you Kim! We’ll need to Hijinx SOON! (That’s us, below, recording down in the “naughty” pine…)

It’s cold – but SUNNY – today! Woo hoo for the sun! When it’s dark by 5 p.m., one cherishes the sun while one can. I gotta get outside and catch me some rays today.

Tonight, grilling a steak for din. Perhaps I’ll come up with a tangy, tomatoey sauce to accompany it, a la the delicious I Nonni steak we had at Zimmern’s last week. Garlic, capers, gooood stuff. Probably rice and a big salad to accompany. As you can tell, keepin’ it pretty simple these days in my ongoing effort to shave off a few pounds. Going well, going well. Slow, but steady (sigh), so I can’t complain (but I can sigh). I am however cooking a lot less, eating more simply, more whole foods, lots of vegetables and soups. And enjoying it mightily! I don’t eat food that I don’t love, I don’t care how healthy it is.

Now I really only make a full dinner on Wednesday nights and every other Saturday, when we have both kids. Otherwise, it’s been pretty a la carte eating for all of us. Wine? One glass per week, if that. Not that wine is bad, in fact as we’ve all heard, in moderation it’s quite beneficial. But when you’re trying to keep things light, it does get in the way – alcohol has its own major calories, plus stimulates the appetite. Not what I need right now! So wine has become a special occasion treat, and that’s just fine.