This mint thing looks like a new way to manage your money. Lord knows I need it!

Any Other Saturday It started as any other normal Saturday but it certainly wouldn't end as one. We headed out to Ward Warehouse to catch the free demo at Taj Clubhouse where my wife first got the inspiration to take her craft hobby seriously. She graded her work (and herself) against some of the more experienced crafters there, and when she felt she was ready (with a little shove from me), she joined the ranks of crafters who gave free demos at Taj. Her Self Confidence Soared Her demos sent her self confidence into outer space and it was great to watch her explain her home-grown techniques to some of the older ladies who came to learn. Before she knew it, the crafters she once regarded as mentors were asking her for advice and "how-tos". One Last Make and Take This Saturday, she would be asking the one questions, since it was someone else's turn to give a demo today. Shortly after walking into the store a couple of seats opened up and we began creating our own little Christmas card to take home. After completing the project it was time for a little shopping, naturally. We were stopped from leaving by an urgent request from one of the crafters that Mitsy admired most. She wanted us to wait for her in the store. A Showering of Gifts When she arrived, she presented Mitsy with a beautiful handmade box that unfolded into an equally beautiful card. That was the signal everyone was waiting for because another crafter gave Mitsy a photoalbum, checkbook cover, and an address book, which was promptly filled with the addresses of all the instructors there that had become Mitsy's crafting family. The owner of the store had stashed a gift for Mitsy under the counter; it was a goodie bag with a rubber stamp, a sweatshirt, and a t-shirt for me. It was a bittersweet occasion, and one crafter summed it up nicely, "You're leaving just as we got to know you!" Group Pictures and Group Hugs After the tears were wiped away, everyone posed on the stairs for a few group pictures. The tears started anew as Mitsy and I said our goodbyes, and gave a round of hugs to all the ladies who had become so much a part of Mitsy's life. The send-off was totally unexpected, and all the more poignant for it.

Since I didn't have to work today, we decided to take Puppy to the vet for his pre flight physical. We wanted to make sure nothing was wrong with him and that he would be ready for his flight to Texas.He got the usual round of vaccinations, and one extra (for Hawaii): rabies. After the injections, he was running and playing in the waiting area for a short while before making a home in my lap. Needing to drop off some paperwork with my employer, I handed him off to my wife and headed out the door. She was going to stay behind while her mother was having her dog examined for the very same reasons.Not five minutes down the road my wife rang me on the cellphone. Puppy was having an adverse reaction to the vaccination shot. His muzzle was swollen; his ears and gums were white while his tongue was purple. Not good signs.I hooked a u-turn and headed straight back to Waimalu Animal Clinic where I was greeted by a somewhat frisky Puppy in the waiting room. Apparently, the doc had given him a shot of Benadryl immediately after noticing his reaction. His turnaround was as quick as his crash.With all of his shots, blood work, flea and tick medicine, and emergency care, I spent over $300 in the space of a couple of hours.It was money well spent. 

As I've gotten older, Halloween has come to mean more than just free candy-although I do love my chocolate!As a kid, my favorite treats were caramel apples and Hershey minis. As an adult, carving pumpkins with my wife is the highlite of the holiday.

"The problem with the designated driver program, it's not a desirable job, but if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house."   - Jeff Foxworthy