Our first party...

oh, thank goodness for wonderful friends! We had our first Chester party -- our annual wine tasting. I was sure I should cancel because we were so far from ready...but, our friends are so amazing! ...and I'm so glad I didn't. Yes, it's a long way from ready for presentation...but, having their presence there truly helped to start making it feel like home.

I didn't have a table...but, I had the base left behind by the seller. So, I went to the horse barn, the barn of many doors and much wood, the barn full of broom handles, baseboards, moldings, and stuff -- loads and loads of scraps left behind...plus, literally a wall of stacked doors, windows, etc. -- and found a closet door and a piece of glass...then Chance and I collected fallen maple leaves from our driveway and sandwiched them under the glass -- vwa-la! our dining room table!

Whoops! Just remembered one more for the list -- get a lock for the hallway pocket door to keep Finley out of Iwa's kitchen! One box of Abuelita Mexican Chocolate later...sigh...our Halloween was spent largely on the phone with the vet trying to decide if the dog had chocolate toxicosis, and should he have his stomach pumped? We went the cheap route, and let him suffer through it. Not that we're really that cruel, (though I felt like I could have been I was pissed enough) but, in truth, it had probably long since passed through his stomach, so there was naught to do but wait it out and take him in if he got worse.