i forgot to mention

1. In the class I attended this week, there was a girl who looked like that actress who plays Ugly Betty, another girl who looked like Tina Fey/Sarah Palin, and a woman who looked like what I imagine the wicked witch of the west would look like if she got a decent haircut, some new clothes, didn't have green skin, wore a bit of makeup and glasses, and smiled instead of cackled.

2. Flight to Florida: middle seat on exit row between two skinny guys. The one on the left kept himself in his own seat; the one on the right kept his elbow on my side of the armrest even after I tried to slide my elbow under his to gradually edge him back to his own side of the armrest. Could not get him to get out of my space. For the whole four hours and fifty-eight minutes.

3. Flight from Florida: window seat in the back part of the plane. As I approach my row, a really, really large man rises from the aisle seat, steps out and moves back so I can take my seat by the window. Then he settles himself back in the aisle seat and tells me he can promise that no one will be sitting in the middle seat because he has purchased two seats. He makes sure the flight attendant gives me an entire can of diet coke, offers me his emptied lunch sack to put my sandwich wrapper in, and tells me to feel free to put my things on the seat between us.

4. When I left for Florida, my trees and shrubbery were still heavy with leaves. When I returned, the leaves were all on the ground. Even the leaves on the neighbor's grape vine had dropped, exposing the remaining clumps of grapes, so that today, Janey and JoJo shared the last few bunches.

5. We have scheduled installation of carpet for two weeks from today. The Saturday before Thanksgiving the basement will be finished. Cannot believe we are so close to finishing this project.