Sorry about Mr. Quackers - maybe you can shoot some turtles when it's warm and they all come to sit on the rocks and logs. It's interesting that the pea-fowl came to comfort him or provide moral support. Birds sticking together!
The costumes went very well. I wore a black velvet dress with a deep red pelisse in what looked a bit like heavy silk, but is 100% synthetic ;-). I think it was originally a blouse from the 1980s. With one set of accessories, it looked medieval, but with others, it could be "Steampunk Organized Crime Boss," "Malaysian Pirate," or "Babylon5 Telepath"; the last would require changing the red tunic for something in black, though. Sally's look was "ragamuffin servant," until she put on her sweatshirt and just looked dumpy. But she got plenty to eat, at least.
There was a roadblock on Mill Grove near the Hemby Bridge Fire Department, three state police checking ID. This happened a couple years ago near Stallings Methodist, when we were coming home after church. I never did find out why. Not drunk-driving control, because the first time was a Thursday evening, and on both occasions it was about 8:00 p.m., not when you'd get people coming out of bars.
Bothersome when you don’t know why the roadblocks. When the meth lab still existed across the street, I still remember the helicopters doing the search-grid thing. I had four big dogs and a shotgun at the time, so I’d turn on the news, sit and wait.
Interesting about the desserts: since I’ve been making my own and just having one or two portions and bringing the rest to Earthwoman for her, her family and friends, I like the stuff I make better with the exception of the blueberry pie. Whoever made that really knew what he/she was doing. The berries were extraordinarily good, and the crust and topping were as close to perfect as it gets.
Gotta feed the horse. SYL