Laowai

Last weekend was mostly good.

My maple tree was at it’s peak. I love when the yellow fills the windows of my green dinning room. Although photos never capture just how bright it is.

As I packed up my Halloween decorations I got rid of a bunch of stuff that doesn’t seem worth saving (now that my kids aren’t little). All down to a box and a plastic pumpkin and a big jack-o-lantern cutout that goes on my door. That feels good.

Claire had Friday off and made some macarons for her friend who just had foot surgery. Yum!

We had a little frost earlier in the week and my zinnias still looked pretty.

I got to spend the weekend with mom – Jennifer dropped her at our house on her way to visit Jenna at Madison. And then we got snow! It was very pretty covered in yellow leaves.

The bad thing that happened over the weekend is something that I just want to put down here to remember in the future. ICE (immigration and customs enforcement) and federal agents have been in Chicago reeking havoc and stealing people off the streets in the most inhumane way. Over the weekend things got very close to home when they came to my neighborhood and cruelly took some landscapers away. They were adjacent to Bea and Claire’s elementary school! Across from Thornwood park where we used to go to play all the time. This is a five minute walk from my front door!

The weekend before I picked up a whistle and a brochure when I was in downtown Wilmette. Lowly little whistles have become a powerful tool and symbol to everyone who is trying to resist. So I have been wearing mine whenever I go out – just in case I happen to see something and as a symbol of my support for immigrants in the United States.

I hate what is happening to our country at the moment – I’ll just leave it at that.