November, November...so fleeting and yet so....nope, just that. I can't pretend to have any idea how we've come to find ourselves in the waning days of Turkey Month (or, you know, the vegetarian equivalent), and yet here we are. So let's do a recap of some recent highlights for Team WestEnders, shall we?In between receiving the offer for my new job and actually starting, I used some of my dwindling free time to visit a much anticipated, long awaited addition to downtown: a delightful entity called Epilogue. In this case, I won't try to improve upon their own words, so here's how they describe themselves on their website: "an independent bookstore and Spanish-style chocolatería that aims to foster community in the heart of Chapel Hill. It is a place for people to gather, whether to cultivate new ideas, learn old ones, or escape into the welcoming atmosphere that books, chocolate, beer, and coffee all provide." Um...YES, PLEASE...ALL OF THESE THINGS!
The day I checked them out, business seemed to be bustling, with a line at the counter to order bevs and treats, people wandering the shelves perusing the available titles, and even groups congregating in the seating area for meetups. I procured my brew (some kind of Mexican latte concoction that was delicious...and tongue-tingling-ly spicy, as advertised!), then made my way into the section of used volumes, to see what I could find. I sipped my java and lost myself in blissful browsing for a while...until it occurred to me that I had neglected to snap a picture. (Horrors!)
This turned out to be a fabulous idea, because my camera happened to capture the owner of the fine establishment, manning the register and chatting with a customer. I discovered this when I went over to explain why I was taking the photo (free publicity on social media!). He introduced himself and told me a few fun tidbits about the shop, including the fact that there are approximately 8,000 page-turners already on display...and he has an estimated 22,000 more at home waiting to be organized and brought in to sell! More awesome things to read = super-happy campers! I made off with a small stack of prizes, and am already looking forward to when I finish them and can head back for more. This could be dangerous...but also educational...entertaining...and enlightening? Yeah, it's definitely a WIN, y'all!
As for Riley, 11th grade continues apace, and he's embroiled in all the activities thereof. These include cramming in practice driving excursions whenever schedules permit--it's actually helpful now that it gets dark so early (go figure!) since he still needs to amass those elusive "nighttime hours". He's about 10 away from the required amount for his full license, so we can almost glimpse the finish line. Meanwhile, he's dedicating study time to prepping for the SAT, which he's taking in a few weeks. On a related note, there's been a mild, expected uptick in the college advertisement mail since he completed the ACT in last month, the most amusing--and impressive--of which came from the University of Chicago. Now, he has no intention whatsoever of attending their venerable institution...but we had to give them mad props for that lovely poster! It's almost a shame it's too far away...and COLD...for Riley to consider--ha!
And finally, the college dude is returning to the nest for the holiday, of course--on a slightly...unusual schedule. You see, the university gives students Wednesday through Friday to travel home and spend quality time with their beloved fams. As a bonus, some of his teachers went ahead and cancelled sessions that would have met earlier in the week...which left him with the option of remaining on campus for ONE class, or bailing on Sunday and savoring the extra days in NC. He assured me that he hasn't skipped all semester, and that he would check with his professors to make sure he wouldn't be missing anything important, so I trusted him to be a responsible adult about it...and stroll in over the weekend....yay! Besides, we already know--because he told us a YEAR ago--that he'll also be headed back to Columbia on the early side at the end of the break...for a football game. (Raise your hand if you're surprised....no? Me neither....siiiiighhhh....) Yes, I'm well aware that it's Rivalry Week, and UofSC faces off against Clemson, their Palmetto State enemy, blah blah blah. At least we get him for a solid 4-day stretch, to catch up, EAT, and enjoy each other's company. We'll take it, for sure!
And there you have it, November in a Nutshell. Peace out for now--see you peeps on the other side of the feast!
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