In the last 72 hours, I’ve consumed more candy than in the last 72 days.

halloween in deer springs

After being oblivious for six years to what was going on around the neighborhood on October 31st, the birth of my son made me realize how unique this area is. People drive over from other places to do their trick or treat business. There’s a guy around the corner who sets up his driveway as a dance floor and has incredible music, sound, and massive amounts of candy.

All of this makes me fear that we will run out of candy early in the night, so I buy a lot of it. A lot. The following day, in the morning, the house is swamped in candy. The two buckets from my two kids, filled to the brim. And all the candy that we couldn’t give away.

This year I attacked all the milky ways I could find. I have been consuming them day and night until my gums hurt. Seriously, I think I’ve developed some sort of inflammation. Hopefully it’ll go away tomorrow.

expeditions: los padres national forest and pumpkin patch

On Saturday, we drove to Los Padres National Forest. I wanted to hike in a forest climate, but wanted to drive northwest instead of northeast. We passed by the Wheeler Gorge Campground where we camped earlier this year. It looked closed to the public due to maintenance work. I kept going up the mountain until my kids started screaming of how bored they were.

We turned around and drove to Ojai and played at the public park instead. My mental note was: hiking trails are few and far between in this area. We’re not in Mammoth Lakes anymore.

Sunday was a different story. All month, my wife had been talking about going to a pumpkin patch. (Side comment: who goes to pumpkin patches?). So, I finally said, let’s do it. We drove south to Irvine to the last pumpkin patch of the season. The kids were happy playing around in the dirt. My wife was happy once we took a couple family photos. I was happy once we left the place and stopped by my favorite Peruvian restaurant on the way home.

the aeneid

I continue reading The Aeneid, and I may be dazzled and in the honeymoon phase, but I venture to say that The Aeneid is the most beautiful poem I have ever read.

In the not too distant future, I hope to organize my thoughts and feelings and write about The Aeneid. Pre-requisites for better comprehension and higher delight: The Iliad and The Odyssey.

money ramblings

Tension has developed lately between my desired approach to money and the temptation to expand my vital space and buy a bigger house.

I find myself checking mortgage rates and houses for sale. I’m patiently waiting for a decline in both, but I am yet to formulate a combination at which I’d switch from browsing to acting.