My doorman just asked (or axed) me what I was going to be for Halloween. I’m sorry to say that for the umpteenth year in a row, I’m going to don my witches cap and that’s going to be it. I was burned before, about fifteen years ago. My friends and I went to a costume party–one that said “no one admitted without a costume.” We were dressed as Bob’s Big Boy, Joey Buttafuocco, Joanne Worley and The Evil Queen from Sleeping Beauty (me). Apparently, we missed the fine print which said ‘if you want to dress as an east village hipster, that’s okay too.’ Man, did that steam me. We went to all of that trouble and we were the ones who looked like idiots. Can I tell you how happy I was when I made my headdress and it was just perfect?  And I had a sceptor and long press on nails, a big stand-up collar.  The hostess of the party was dressed as Janet Jackson (self tanner and a really slutty outfit) so I guess we didn’t look as stupid as she did.

All of you who know me know I am a volunteer for Boston Terrier rescue. Today our intake coordinater posted something about an incoming boy from a shelter in PA. Try and figure out why I blew a gasket when I read this.

Sugar is the young male in the Lycoming shelter in PA. I spoke with the shelter this morning and he is ready and waiting for us to spring him. Doesn’t seem to have any behavior problems and the shelter said people have been put off by his eyes which seem to go in different directions! Here he is.

http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9372010

I’m writing this here because I don’t want to forget it.

In a small park next to our apartment, there is a monument to Ida and Isador Straus who perished on the Titanic. Ida was the one who said she wouldn’t leave her husband on the sinking ship despite the fact that she could’ve (she was a woman). Atop the monument is a classical Greek style woman reclining on a sofa complete with the gladiator sandals that were featured in yesterday’s Style section.

A few weeks ago, my daughter Violet’s best friends, Aaron and Nate, who lived just on the other side of Straus park and played there with her moved to Connecticut. Shortly after that, Violet said that the statue, who she calls Ruby after my good friend’s daughter, who Violet has hand-me-down clothes from, and also lives in Connecticut, was her best friend. Every morning and evening Violet stops to visit Ruby — if she doesn’t Ruby will be ‘really, really sad’. Violet hugs her and plays with her and talks Disney Princesses with her. (Ruby’s favorite is Cinderella, Violet’s is Sleeping Beauty). Violet told us yesterday that Ruby also wrote Violet’s favorite stories “Dora’s Fairy-tale Adventure” and “Dora Saves the Mermaids.” So she is a busy statue… with a lot of merchandising tie-ins.

Ruby is a bronze, over-life size figure who must weigh many tons, it’s written that she represents “Memory.” Laying down, smiling, one thing is clear, she ain’t goin’ anywhere.

I have been working on the proposal for my next book and when I talked to my editor yesterday she said she was impressed because it wasn’t the book people would expect– and this book showed I wanted to grow as a writer. Those words sent chills up my spine. Am I wrong? To me growing = too hard! It’s been suggested that I write about being a mother next but I’m very afraid of being compared to Erma Bombeck. Don’t you think Charlotte Rae should play Erma in the biopic?