current score

So I haven't done an exact count or anything, but it is about 6 weeks to Halloween. If I was tucked safely in to my other life back in Cleveland, this would hardly be anything to comment on. However, here I am 10,000 miles away from any Halloween costumes, with two little boys who must be taught the rituals of trick or treat and a logistical nightmare ahead of me to make this possible.

Fortunately I am not alone. Last year, probably almost exactly, I picked up some stranded Americans at Exclusive Books. And for the 2 odd weeks they camped out at my house, it was like a little vacation home. And when they left, the house was oddly quiet and deserted feeling. Hoping, I think, to re-create this lovely feeling, Steve "picked up" another American couple for me two months ago. He met them at the pizza place. I'm not exactly sure of the conversation, but it must have gone something like this:
(upon hearing the accent) "Where are you guys from?"
(knowing the accent was a dead giveaway and bracing for the imminent criticism) "We're American"
"my wife's American. She's homesick. Be her friend."
(thankful to not have to once more apologise for Bush) "yes, we just got here and we don't know anyone yet"
(number swapping)

That settled, I phoned Monica (the female counterpart of the America couple) the next day and we arranged to hav drinks a few nights later. It was a nice night. We swapped stories on how we got here and I think I may have talked alot about Combos. Monica was bound home for a few weeks and she left with grocery list in hand. So she left and then, surprisingly, so did I.

In Mentor, having lost my sandals (and prior to their subsequent re-entry into my life from underneath the couch), I went shopping for a new pair and as we were right there, my mom & I stopped into Burlington to look for a pair. No luck on the sandals, but they had some amazing Halloween costumes for all of $12. My mom offered, but had to go and get some cash first. I, being all flustered about stores not carrying a basic black, high-heeled, open-toed sandal, decided that we should just get out of the area as soon as possible. I bought a pair of sandals within the hour at another store and then went to browse the most amazing collection of yarn I have ever seen at Jo-Ann Fabrics. Costumes, halloween, and shopping for small boys then escaped my mind altogether. Which didn't matter anyway, cause how was I going to pack them?

Monica, having returned from the States while I was still there, with the much discussed Combos, could not find my number, but having no idea that I had gone to the States, waited patiently for me to find her number. But she saw Steve at the Zoo Lake Jazz Festival first - with another woman. Having no idea that the was just our friend Jude, she marched right up to him and demanded my phone number. Whole story gets explained and Monica decides to keep one box of graham crackers for herself while she awaits my return. I phone and damn near the first thing out of my mouth is, "did you buy Halloween costumes while you were there?" Nope, but she thought maybe we could get some patterns and get someone to sew them for us. Hmmm, I had already tried to order the patterns with no success. But she is conviced that a good seamstress should be able to pull something together. And we agree that 6 weeks is like next week as far as Halloween is concerned. But no time for that now.

Yesterday, the American couple and the other woman come to our house for a braai (which is Afrikaans for get drunk while waiting for the boys to decide the fire is right for adding meat to it and then putting it on the table when everyone is so ravenous they don't notice the eating boerewors - which is Afrikaans for "Afrikaans sausage") and the Americans bring hamburgers, cause thats what you bring to a cookout, right? And after they are forgiven for not yet knowing that you bring lambchops or what have you (Katie says, "just go to the grocery store and buy a slab of meat - I mean it, a slab of meat...") we talk about life here, life there, in between dealing with the plethora of hungry and demanding boys.

On the way out, I mention that we still have Halloween around the corner, which is what it is when costumes are not readily available and you are more likely to be eaten to death by guard dogs than receive candy when knocking on someones door. But I'm tired and they're on their way out - so there's no time for that now.

Current score: Halloween-1, unprepared moms-0...