When my sister Alie and I were growing up our favorite hairdo was "Dorothy braids." Sure they were just 2 french braids, but to us it meant we were just like Dorothy. Perhaps that's why Alison decided to send Emma this costume for Halloween. NBH is sick so I don't think I will be dressing up tonight, but at least someone in our house got to celebrate!
Today I went on a Starbucks odyssey. Odyssey? Yes, an odyssey. While on my way to get my eyebrows threaded (those scary caterpillars from the London pics are no more) I saw a sign promoting the new "Dark Cherry Mocha." So this morning I decided to indulge and have one.
The first Starbucks I went to the line was too long, so I went to a 2nd Starbucks, again with a giant line, so what else could I do but go to a 3rd Starbucks. All locations were within a block, two blocks of each other. I could have pondered the politics of globalization and market saturation, but I was determined to try this new taste sensation.
I arrived in line and was told that the Dark Cherry Mocha was not available to the public yet, but the wee man made me a sneaky one anyway- SCORE! However now their card machine was broken, so I had to run out to a cash machine and back again. I was rewarded not only with my lovely tasty drink, but a coupon for a free tall one after November the 5th. If you aren't a fan of cherry it is also good for Gingerbread Lattes or Toffee Nut Lattes.
On a completely different note, I am extra sad I didn't see the Dupont Drag Race this year because of fabulous runners like this divalicious creature. I have a secret desire to dress as Palin this Halloween and walk around winking and saying "you betcha" all night.
For those who don't know the annual Drag Race takes place at Dupont Circle around Halloween when fabulously costumed Drag Queens have a 'race' in heels. It's more about the outfits than the racing though. I never managed to make it to a race while I lived in DC and regret it deeply.
I sometimes daydream about running away and having my own drag cabaret as a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman. Yes I have issues....
This past weekend NBH and I went to London to see the New Orleans Saints play the San Diego Chargers at Wembley Stadium. We also got to visit and stay with his sister Kate who moved to London a month ago.
We had a great time wandering about London and an amazing time at the game. Special thanks go out to my good friend Bonnie's mom, who since she got into a suite gave us her tickets which were way better than ours and 20 rows back on the 25 yard line.
NBH's Mom was nice enough not only to babysit Emma, but also to loan us her camera. Here is our weekend in pictures:
London 10/24-27
My Grandmother's friend Gert was part of the Kindertransport and I promised her I'd take a picture of the memorial outside Liverpool Street Station the next time I was in London.
There were a couple people building sand sculptures along the banks of the Thames. It reminded me of the sea creatures my Dad made when we were little in North Carolina.
Katie and NBH at pub on the Thames Dinner at Cafe Dos Sol in Clapham High. It was the best Mexican I've had since living in the UK and I'd highly recommend it! This has to be the coolest Wetherspoon's pub ever. It's in an old cinema and it still has a lot of the original features. I really wish the big screen was still there though. Tailgating next to Wembley. There were people in just about every NFL jersey. It was pretty gross and rainy though and the lines for food, drink, face painting were super long. I didn't realize there was a Bengal one on the other side of the room so I'm a Raider. NBH couldn't find the Pats either so he was an Eagle.
Even though the rain stopped, it was really cold and I had to break out my hat.
We were so close to the field.
If you look close you can see the ball in the air. All the Saints fans around us had flown over from New Orleans.
"Just again, the example of the eloquence of Sen. Obama. He's 'health for the mother.' You know, that's been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything. That's the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, 'health.'"— Sen. John McCain, during presidential debate
Since when did women's health become extreme?
What's really extreme here is that John McCain doesn't understand that women's health matters.
What John McCain said Wednesday night, in front of millions of viewers, was belittling to women. He not only mocked Barack Obama for supporting women's health, he mocked women across the country. The debate last night was just the most vivid example of what we've known all along: John McCain is out of touch on women's health.
The simple fact is that we need a president who wants to protect and promote women's health, not ridicule it. If John McCain doesn't understand that, then he's not prepared to govern this country.
Remember, this is not the only example where John McCain doesn't get it when it comes to women's health.
Just a couple months back, McCain had the deer-in-the-headlights look, and couldn't answer whether he thought it was fair that insurance companies that cover Viagra should also cover birth control.
And, remember the time when McCain was asked whether he thought condoms helped stopped the spread of HIV? McCain's response, "You've stumped me." And there's more.
Let's count the ways that John McCain is out of touch on women's health and women's rights:
*He's voted 125 times against women's health. *He wants to overturn Roe v. Wade. *He opposes funding to prevent unintended and teen pregnancies. *He opposes requiring health care plans to cover birth control. *He opposes equal pay legislation, saying it wouldn't do "anything to help the rights of women." *He's proposed a health care plan that will be worse for women.
Barack Obama, on the other hand, gets it. Obama talked about commonsense proposals to prevent unintended pregnancy. He talked about a woman, along with her family and her doctor, deciding what is best for her health care. The simple fact is that Barack Obama is a passionate advocate for women's rights, and has a long and consistent record of standing up for women's health care. As president, he will improve access to quality health care for women, support and protect a woman's right to choose, support comprehensive sex education to keep our young people healthy and safe, and invest in prevention programs, including family planning services and breast cancer screenings.
For those not aware of the awesomeness that is La Pequeña, s/he dons different outfits to enthrall all of us on the Internet. S/he's been Hillary Clinton, Amy Winehouse and many more.
My Grandmother's friend Gert was part of the Kindertransport and I promised her I'd take a picture of the memorial outside Liverpool Street Station the next time I was in London.
There were a couple people building sand sculptures along the banks of the Thames. It reminded me of the sea creatures my Dad made when we were little in North Carolina.
Katie and NBH at pub on the Thames
Dinner at Cafe Dos Sol in Clapham High. It was the best Mexican I've had since living in the UK and I'd highly recommend it!
This has to be the coolest Wetherspoon's pub ever. It's in an old cinema and it still has a lot of the original features. I really wish the big screen was still there though.
I didn't realize there was a Bengal one on the other side of the room so I'm a Raider.
Even though the rain stopped, it was really cold and I had to break out my hat.
We were so close to the field.
If you look close you can see the ball in the air.
All the Saints fans around us had flown over from New Orleans.
Geaux Saints! 
