Well it’s been a busy few weeks. Took a surprise trip down to Utah for a long weekend earlier this month, and just got back from a long work trip to California. Mom and Aunt Lisa joined me down there and we had a ball.

But first, the evening I wrote last I attended (and helped a bit to run) a Harry Potter-themed Halloween dance.

For my birthday I got some lovely gifts from home, and a typewriter!

It arrived a bit broken, but there’s a service center about 50 miles away, might see what they can do with it.

But yes, the Utah trip. Was awesome. Managed to keep it a secret from the siblings for the entire time it was being planned.

So I’m in a dinner group now, we meet on Wednesdays. Last week we met at a house during a power outage. Didn’t let it rain on our parade, lit up the place with flashlights and powered the smoker off a car battery. When the power turned on half-way through the meal we kept all the lights off, to maintain the ambience.

Work’s been kind of crazy. 10, 12-hour days aren’t uncommon. End of this month things should start getting back to normal. But since I’ve been working such crazy hours, I didn’t feel guilty about spending some time with Mom and Aunt Lisa on my work trip to California.

Got back late last night. Thankfully I’d taken time to make my bed and clean up before heading out earlier in the week.

Headed out to church this morning and came across this lovely surprise:

Guess it’s the start of some tradition in the ward, got “clammed”. I suppose I’ll have to pass it on now to some unsuspecting victim.

Can’t wait to head back for Thanksgiving later this week!