Cheers to Autumn

We planned a fall-themed evening with friend J.R.: pumpkin cookies, hot apple cider, and a backyard fire. Cool wet weather got in the way of sitting outside, but a large flat screen television let us enjoy a simulated fire, each of us with a costumed kitty on our laps. It was a delightfully low-key gathering in the middle of a long stretch of clinical work.

It reminded me of other fun Halloween posts, such as this one with my still-popular smarty-pants costume and this find from the way-back machine involving a wombat.

Having a "Saturday"

When I showed up for an extra shift at work one morning and was assured they didn't need me, it was perfect timing to stop by the fancy bakery on my way home for second breakfast. Having just opened, it smelled heavenly inside. I opted for three pastries: a croissant aux amandes for me, a panier framboise for Dear Husband, and an extra pain au chocolat. The first two looked delightful (below) and were good to eat, but to be truthful, they tasted less than fresh. 

DH went off to church to practice, and I decided to study with my suddenly free morning. This was a relief after having spent the prior weekend "in" a conference. After lunch, I continued my "Saturday" with a couple household chores, such as reattaching the hinge to the cupboard island that had come completely off when I opened it to feed the cat that morning. This involved texting my dad for advice (a home repair consult, if you will), match sticks, wood glue, and a power drill. Success!

Then, because the weather was absolutely gorgeous, DH and I took a long walk through Frick Park. You can see how sunny it was by our squinty expressions in front of the tree that is changing colors behind our apartment. The fall colors have not really set in yet, but the foliage is still full. It was a restful backdrop for a prolonged discussion of our finances and the hope that we can afford to purchase a house in the spring. 

Everyone's experience of the pandemic will be different, of course, but one of the things I will remember most will be the long walks up and down those tree-covered hills. The green space in Pittsburgh really is one of its greatest assets. 

There was a lot of wildlife, even in the middle of the afternoon. In addition to the usual squirrels and chipmunks, a lithe garter snake slithered right in front of my feet and into the underbrush. We thought there were quite a lot of people around for him to be out and about--and he probably felt the same way! On our way home, we came across the mowing and pruning goats.

Then it was time to decorate the front porch for Halloween. Nothing ambitious, just some bones in the garden, a skull on the railing, some fake cobwebs with a large dangling spider, and the piece de resistance: a string of monster eyes that light up. Halloween is on a Saturday this year, and I am no longer seeing children in clinic, so I have to decide whether to dress up this year. If I do decide to wear something punny, now taking ideas!

What Residency Looks Like LXXIX: Yolk, yolk, yolk

Sometimes residency looks like wearing a punny costume to the hospital on Halloween, modeling it in the hallway for your webcam, and then taking it off in the afternoon when you have job interviews(!). You probably can't see the "paprika" red marker specks on the yellow tissue-paper yolk; it's been affixed to a white oval of paper. I have to attend a residency recruitment dinner tonight, or else I would have cajoled Dear Husband into wearing a tan outfit with my old halo, and going to a friend's house as angel food cake.

Editor's Note: Past costumes can be found here and here.

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