Dear Friends and Family,

The year continues to rush by, and I continue to toil with my dissertation work. I am making slow and steady progress. I've become very comfortable with the language of my documents and their typologies, and I have begun writing an actual draft in earnest.

Jim and I helped our good friends Tony and Mark move into their beautiful new house in East Bristol north of Sun Prairie. The house, built by Mark's brother's crew, is situated atop a hill overlooking a lovely panorama of fields and woods. The driveway is a bit steep, but the acre lot is impressive. They have very heavy furniture. Get better soon from your kidney stones, Tony! (First below, the house on a hill; second below, Mark's father, sister, Mark, and Tony; third below, Tony and Mark)

Jim went to the Homecoming Game without me. As is Houzner custom, he met up with his sister Amber and brother-in-law Walt's family to tailgate before the game. The kids are all growing up so fast! (First below, from left, Jim, Mitch's friend, Walt, Mitch, Jakie, Amber, Jessica; second below, Jakie's going through that sticking-out-his-tongue-for-the-camera phase; third below, Jim and handsome nephew Mitch)

The Buckmeister continues to charm and annoy us in turns. He's always hungry and trying to trick us into giving him extra meals. Last week he managed to escape into the condo hallway, and a neighbor knocked on our door an hour later to remind us to watch our cat. Embarassing. Still, he has his tender moments, such as when he decided to use Jim's hand as a pillow as he worked on the computer in the bedroom.

One of the best seasonal activities in Madison is the celebration of Halloween. Pedestrian State Street is ideally suited for a promenade of costumes. The city took over ownership of the event a couple of years ago and beefed up the police presence. The extra security has led to a largely incident-free and fun public festiful. I went again as a Hodagger. Jim was "feeling a little blue" or, as I quipped, a "blueberry."

We met up with friends at Woof's and the Shamrock and then went up and down State Street. State Street Brats at last reassembled its outside seating area after a summer-long street project, so we were able to get a table outside and take in the scene. The weather was mild. What a fun evening. (First below, cowboy Art; second below, Bill, Art, "Blueberry", Jim, and "Hodag;" third below, Snowwhite is a Hodag fan)

I'm going to have to come up with a new costume next year. The Hodag was fun, but it's time for a change. Maybe something similarly wearable without the face paint? (First below, a meeting of Santas; second below, friend Paul and Lady Liberty; third below, the procession below the flood light on the 600-block)

The following evening of Saturday, November 1 Jim and I accompanied our friend Tom to Mary and Perron's Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) party in Mount Vernon. (Mary, Perron, Tom, and Mary's sister Patty had accompanied us to Mexico earlier this year for Jim's 50th, you may remember.) Dia de Los Muertos is the Mexican version of All Saints' Day. On this day, many Mexicans go to cemeteries to picnic near the graves of their deceased loved ones and make symbolic offerings of food and drink to the ghosts of the departed. The spirit of the day is festive, like Halloween. (First and third below, sugar and icing skulls; second below, the table for items from the dead)

Another aspect of the festival is its gentle mocking tone toward death. The underlying message is that physical death should not be viewed as an end in itself, but rather a passage from earthly existence into a better heavanly state. So, accordingly, the iconography of the festival mocks the macabre. This explains why for generations Mexican folk artists have posing goofy skeletons in mundane activities on the Day of the Dead (think of Frida Kalho's work). One of the media for such displays is the sugar skull. Perron spent all day decorating those skulls, I heard. (First below, an Obama sugar skull; second below, a skeletress scuplture)

The highlight of Mary and Perron's party was the commemoration of the dead of our gathering. Individuals at the party had brought in items of significance (a picture, a watch chain, a tiny wooden Cubs baseball bat) to their dear departed. One by one, everyone talked about their item and its significance to their loved one. It felt a little schmaltzy at first but was really very sweet and evocative of the true spirit of the holiday. (Below, Patty, myself, Jim, Mary, and Perron) The following weekend, Jim, friends Ed and Tim, and I headed to Bloomington, Indiana for the Badger football away game. We had fun galavanting about the small city of 69,000, although the weather was quite windy and cold. We had fun at Nick's. The locals insisted that Nick's is THE place to go in Bloomington. We couldn't help but agree after the weekend. Nick's is a warren of half a dozen sports bars inset into a city block. (First below, Jim and Ed, why are you standing in the hotel tub? And, what are you wearing on your heads? Second below, Ed in Nick's; third below, Obama paper dolls in Blue State Indiana? Weird)

The blustery tailgate in the gravelly Memorial Stadium parking lot was frigid for me. I was underdressed. Fortunately, Badger friend, stand-up comic, and permanent Indiana resident Jimmy Augustine let me borrow his wool mittens for the duration of the game. The game was a 55-20 Badger obliteration. Motor City Bowl -- here we come! (First below, Eddy-Jo-Bob hops into the back of Cooter's pick-up; second below, the Badger road crew; third below, the pitifully attended game; fourth below, John and Jim happy on a cloudy day)

The star of the weekend was the aforementioned Jimmy Augustine. A part-time college student at Ball State and a full-time stay-at-home dad of three, Jimmy let's loose at Badger games. Whether dancing the funky chicken or demanding that Jim rank his favorite to least favorite Big Ten rivals, he was a hoot. Love ya, Jimmers! (First below, Turkey Jim, second below, a buffalo head at Nick's; third below, ONE-THRU-TEN, NOW!)

Despite my intention that Indiana be the only Badger game for me this season, I caved to Jim's offer to give me a ticket to Minnesota. Bundled up better this time, I enjoyed the Badgers' rousing comeback against the Golden Goofers. They kept that ax for another year! Brother-in-law Walt, Tomah friend Greg Sheeter, Ed, and Tim joined us for some libations at the Main Depot and Echo Tap after the game. (First below, the Badgers parade the Paul Bunyan Ax; a "safety" high-five with Greg Sheeter at the Depot; second below, posing in silly glasses with some random new friends)

The following day Tom, Bob, and Lisa Hulien joined us for a Packer party. Although Jim and I were a bit pekid from the previous night, we thoroughly enjoyed our company and a wonderful spread of scrumptuous treats. And, the Pack stomped the Bears. (First below, Jim's impromtu game-day Packer shrine; second below, the Pack pack)

My next update should include Thanksgiving pics. Stay tuned. Happy Holidays!

jkb