I volunteered to take my granddaughter to a father/daughter pumpkin carving party.
So I found myself at a very nice church with lots of daughters, Dads, teachers and one grandpa. Josie provided Amber and me with some really nice carving utensils, a hefty pumpkin prime for the carnage, and a plastic bowl. Oh, and there were these templates that looked good, but were impossible for me to use, let alone a four-year old girl. But, what ya gonna do?
In the picture to the left you can see the resulting masterpiece. Amber luved sticking the carving device and punch tools in the pumpkin, albeit randomly. But we were having fun and I expect the pumpkin to be a total disaster of mythic proportions. Then the nose fell out. But Amber and I just laughed and slid it back in. The paper template Amber is holding was decimated too.
Then Amber went to play with her bestest friend in the whole world, Gillian and I was left to my own devices, cleaning up the mess and dabbing the pumpkin with debris on its face as if that would help. I talked to some of the dads who were very intent for the most part on keeping the pumpkin, shall we say in classic form. I began to wonder if I should have too, but Amber was happy so then was I.
You might note in the picture to the left that Gillian came in all black which I thought was a nice touch. And Gillian and Amber spent much of the time just running around the gym until story time. Then the moment of truth came when all the pumpkins candles would be lit and the lights turned out. And me without a candle or match to my name. How embarrassing. But one of the teachers had a bag of votive candles and a lighter so I spent the next five minutes trying to get the candle in the pumpkin. None of the holes were big enough to reach through to light the candle and the top was way too small. Oh well, what’s a burn or two for my sweet granddaughter. I lit the candle and dropped it in.
The lights went off and that mess of a pumpkin you see above turned out to look pretty nice in the dark (see the picture below and to the right). But then I might be biased. Amber and I agreed the cat we were trying to make looked more like a racoon, but whatta ya gonna do? Oh, did I mention there was cookies. We like cookies, do we not Amber? :o)
Since they wanted us to stay seated, this was the best picture I could get without using a flash. But I suspect that when Amber and her mom see this tomorrow, they will be happy. Whew, another major moment in a child’s life turned out alright. ;o)
IT IS impossible to forecast how important any presidency will be. Back in 2000 America stood tall as the undisputed superpower, at peace with a generally admiring world. The main argument was over what to do with the federal government’s huge budget surplus. Nobody foresaw the seismic events of the next eight years. When Americans go to the polls next week the mood will be very different. The United States is unhappy, divided and foundering both at home and abroad. Its self-belief and values are under attack. 
The Bis Key Chronicles 