12:45 p.m.

The other night I was invited to my sister Joan's to do mini tarot readings for her friends, who have a Splurge* party once a month or so. Joan had spent the day decorating the house for Halloween and making theme treats. There was the pumpkin-top ginger cake, seen above. There was the spider cheeseball --

and the delicious peanut-butter-cookie "fingers" which I kept calling "toes" --

 

Joan put a lot of time and effort into this and pulled it off beautifully, right down to the spiderwebs we found in the food! I brought home samples of the above three delicacies for the boys.

***

My days have been full, as usual. Went to see Mom yesterday morning. She was in bed waiting for me, wanted me to rub her legs and work her feet. I couldn't stay long, as I was due to meet some new friends for lunch. The lunch was a pleasure, with women who like to laugh. Can't ask for more than that. The food was good too, and since I hadn't had time for breakfast I wolfed down my favourite restaurant fare -- Eggs Benedict.

Dad just phoned, asking if I'd make some return-address labels for him. Mom's been in bed all morning, as the 12-hour morphine is making her nauseated. I invited them for brunch tomorrow and he said he will try to drag her out. I will be making Curried Eggs, which I hope they will like as much as I do.

It's afternoon and here I sit in my dark blue housecoat patterned with suns, stars and moons. I like it so much I don't want to take it off. We have had a lovely lazy morning and now it is time to get a move on and go out for some fresh air.

I have taken a page out of Joan's book and starting collecting toonies (these are our two-toned two-dollar coins, you yankee doodles; our one-dollar coins are called loonies and have a loon on one side of them) because they add up like the dickens. Every time I dig into the change section of my wallet there are a couple of them to throw into the jar tucked among my socks, panties and bras. It's only been a couple weeks and already I bet there are 50 bucks in there.

Have I mentioned how much I am enjoying having both Joan and Karen so close by, and Mom and Dad too?

*Splurge --each woman throws in a predetermined amount of cash and then there is a draw. The winner takes home about $200, is supposed to spend the money on decadent luxuries for herself, and has the next party at her home.