An early November ITEM! list

ITEM!: I had a lofty goal for today, which was to put away all the Halloween decorations, and put up all the Thanksgiving decorations. It all really needed to be done today, because tomorrow I've got randoms and cleaning to do because Mom will be here Wednesday, and we've all got a super busy weekend coming up. Happily, I was able to achieve that goal, and now can go about my week without being annoyed by the incorrect holiday decor throughout my house. Turkeys are out and about, my friends.
ITEM!: How's this for horrible: I think my asparagus fern at the front door is a hive and breeding ground for mosquitoes. Damn "skeeters" attacked me, with a vengeance, when I was out front changing out the Halloween outdoor stuff for the Thanksgiving stuff. It all started out okay, but once I got down to the installation of the lawn decor (which is a complex and involved process when the ground is instead hard rocks and packed earth), the little fuckers were swarming my ankles and arms. I freaked out, and hurried, and then ran inside. I hate those bugs. The plant is going in the trash tomorrow. I can't have a skeeter nest at my front door.
ITEM!: Yesterday was the two-year anniversary of our having to say goodbye to our sweet Daisy. Facebook saw fit to remind me of it this morning, and it was not pleasant for me. I really miss that doggy. I'd have her back, if I could, please.
ITEM!: There was an earthquake in Arizona last night. In fact, there were more than one. The second was a 4.1-magnitude quake, and it shook my house. I was laying in bed, which is the best place for experiencing an earthquake because you feel every single movement, when it happened. The first shake felt like Cooper was on the bed and scratching, but I knew he was downstairs. The second shake, which lasted longer, made the whole house groan and sway. Amazingly, Brian was somewhat awake, and he felt it. Did you know, with all his trips out to California, and however long he's stayed out there, he'd never felt an earthquake? And then, he feels one in Arizona! So funny. Well, he was giddy, as you can imagine. Sydney slept through it. Cooper was not amused. Oliver was all, "Whoever is moving me, stop it." I am super pleased with the fact that, even in an environment that would be the last logical place for an earthquake, my California-ness kicked in and I knew exactly what was happening, exactly that it wasn't going to be a big deal, and exactly my plan of action should the next one be worse. Some things just can't be forgotten, no matter how unlikely the application of that knowledge might be at any one time. Yay earthquake!