Halloween, and happy news

This was my costume: vintage dress, vintage apron, high heels and pantyhose. I had a rolling pin, too, but that didn't make it into the picture. I was the Ideal 1950s Housewife.

Truth be told, I think I would've loved being a 1950s housewife. Okay, the whole "oppressed woman" thing would have to go, the whole "be obedient to your husband" thing would have to go, but, you know, the cookie baking could stay.

I did the Happy Housewife thing for a few years, before I started working, and it was quite lovely, really. I was more the Sweatpants Housewife, though, than the Pantyhose Housewife. And that may have made the difference. Thank goodness hardly anyone wears pantyhose anymore, the stuff is vile.

And hey, check out the bathroom taking shape behind me! Look at that nice new (WORKING!) bathtub! Check out the awesome, temporary, jerry-rigged shower curtain rod my father-in-law rigged out of plastic tubing and drywall screws! I love these people.

This week involves: a lot more tiling in the new bathroom, and the hopeful re-installation of some key appliances (TOILET!); the season's first pot of lentil soup; the making of Thanksgiving pie filling (to be frozen); the closing on our Gilbertsville house.

Let me just say that again. It is too impossibly good to say just once. The closing on our Gilbertsville house.

Next Saturday night (post-closing) will involve two very relieved people, one of whom writes this blog, a dog, an air mattress, a space heater, a bucket of paint, and a very nice bottle of wine.

I'll give you all just a minute for that visual to sink in.

This is a week of rallying, of summoning. Calling up and focusing all energies for the long months of banging, scraping, yelling, discovering, enjoying, celebrating, painting, tearing, coughing, creating ahead. We have waited so long.

Bring it on.