(This is a photo of this year's bonfire. We were fairly far away. The bonfire was pretty huge.)

It is definitely that time of year where the whole sunlight situation (or lack thereof) is weird. It is just WRONG that it's dark by five pm. It's also so strange that the sun never gets very high up in the sky. It seems late all day. I really don't like it.

We've been pretty fortunate with the weather so far though. Except for a day here and there, it's been pretty dry. At the end of October, we had some unseasonably warm days, which was wonderful! Over the last week or so though, the weather here seemed to remember it was November, and the temperature dropped accordingly. When the sun is out, it's gorgeous except for the wind/breeze (there always seems to be one or the other around here). It's the breeze that makes it really cold. The sun is warm, but the wind has a sharp, freezing edge to it.

I managed to kill a plant. My Grandfather had the greenest thumb, and my Dad does, too. I thought I'd inherited at least a little of it. At a friend's baby shower, little flowers were given out as mementos. The idea was to pot the plant and watch it grow in honor of the baby to be. Well, I bought a nice pot and some nice soil, and potted the nice plant and put it in a nice spot in the kitchen window. It promptly was devoured by aphids and died. I think I may have over watered it, too. Oh well. It may not mean the green thumb gene skipped me. Even the best lose a plant now and then. It was still a bit disappointing.

Speaking of disappointing, I discovered today that someone threw an egg at our house! I hope it was random. We live in a decent area. I think it's so stupid when people do things like that. Larry said it's probably the same people who pulled off our license plate!

I've been running with the Harrogate Harriers still. I think I can actually see some improvement in my running, which is always gratifying. Because of where the group meets, pretty much all the runs end uphill. Tuesday night, I started up that final uphill stretch and realized I felt good and strong. I enjoyed a sense of power as I increased my pace and accelerated up the hill. It's moments like that when I truly savor being a runner.

Ryan's been doing well. He's started saying, "Ready, steady, go!" Which every time Larry hears, he says to Ryan, "Ready, SET, go!" :P

Last Saturday, Larry and Ryan and I went to IKEA for a few things, then had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe in Leeds. That was fun. We hadn't had lunch there in a while. Oddly, we were seated at the same table we sat at the last time we were there.

Today Ryan and I took advantage of the nice weather and spent a lot of time outside. In the late morning, we went over to the shopping area where the farmer's market (on every 2nd Thursday) was taking place. It was fun to browse, though I didn't buy anything. Of course we stopped at Starbucks! Actually, during our previous two visits, we got free drinks! The first time was because a very nice girl there doesn't charge us for Ryan's hot chocolate, when she's working the register. I think that's very sweet! She says that it's hardly anything at all, and we're in all the time. It's much appreciated! The second time was because another barista forgot to put espresso in my gingerbread latte! :) Neither time was I expecting it, so both times the freebies were a pleasant surprise!

Ryan and I came home and had lunch, then we went back out to the Stray where he ran around for almost an hour. Ryan loves to run, and he loves to be outside. A few days ago, Ryan accidentally discovered how much fun it is to roll down a slope. Ever since then, he's been trying to duplicate the experience! It's funny how kids take you back to your own childhood. I'd forgotten how much I used to enjoy rolling down hills. Another thing Ryan loves to do that I think everyone loves at some point is kicking and tromping through fallen leaves. It's so much fun to watch Ryan having such a good time!