The Daily Pixel: Gearing up

As I mentioned a few days ago, I'm gearing up for my first National Novel Writing Month adventure which kicks off day after tomorrow. While others create beautiful works of fiction, I'll be putting together a first draft of my dissertation. In preparation, I've been revisiting my research and sketching outlines. I've also been cleaning up around the house, literally and figuratively. As you'll see below, this means cooking up recipes that have been on the brain, nearly finishing the bedroom redecorating project, and miraculously, organizing the office (most of it anyway). Hopefully with these things off my mind, I can concentrate on the task of writing 50,000 words on top of my regular workload. Wish me luck!

#291- Oct 17- Butternut squash mac and cheese even a squash-hater can enjoy
Creamy and healthy-ish. Click here for the recipe.
#292- Oct 18- A clean (cartoon) office
Bonus points for me. I cleaned the office and it's more or less still tidy two weeks later. 
#293- Oct 19- Snaggletooth
A few years ago, Goliath had some dental work done. And by dental work, I mean he had 10 teeth pulled. (Brush your puppies' teeth, people!) He still retains most of his chompers, but some of his lower fronts now seem to point every which way. That is, until he knocked one out last week! Of course, he probably saved this bad dog mommy a bunch of money since the tooth was already loose and painful. I'm still traumatized from the experience, but G seems to be just fine.
#294- Oct 20- Textiles make T angry
Sooommmeeeeonnnneeee doesn't like rug shopping. 
#295- Oct 21- Pretty pansies
Despite daytime temperature swings (90-50-80 over the last two weeks), the Fall fleurs seem to be happy. 
#296- Oct 22- First fire of the season!
The first big storm of the season called for fire, of course. I made super tasty veggie chowder and T conjured flames. (Eagle eyes: Yes, that is a nose on our fire place.)
#297- Oct 23- Bedroom revamp continues!
T survived the trip to Home Goods where we found this pretty patterned rug. And then we set up the new bed frame that we bought in, oh, August. Slowly by surely!
#298- Oct 24- Beautiful day for flying
A quick trip to Phoenix for me. I guest lectured in a friend's class last week, teaching for the first time since April. I almost forgot how much I like the classroom
#299- Oct 25- "You killed the dog..."
Soooo, I might have called Mr. T to assess whether or not we had enough dog left to justify buying 42 pounds of kibble at Costco. I mean, Goliath is turning 13 (or 14?) this year... T responded that I probably just killed the dog. Actually he said I was "stabbing him in the little doggy heart" with my words and he warned me not to be surprised if Goliath croaked during my shopping trip. You would think I'd have learned not to tempt fate by now, but no.
#300- Oct 26- A little Friday lifesaving, no big deal
Survived my 18th (or 19th?) blood donation. Have I mentioned that it's easy? And you get snacks? Learn more about visiting the "vampires" here
#301- Oct 27- The shoulda-been-amazing-but-weren't Twix Brownies
Not only did these brownies--comprised of a shortbread cookie layer, brownie layer, caramel layer and chocolate fudge layer--take forever, they turned out not even "okay." Thanks to a rock hard sheet of caramel, these buggers were impossible to cut and eat without falling apart or getting severely irritated. Grrrrr! Though I must admit, we took them on a picnic the next day (quaint, right? Taking your brownies on a picnic?). After leaving them in the sun for 20 minutes, they became edible and even tasty. If I make them again, I will use the caramel trick from Pioneer Woman's Knock-You-Naked brownies. Or I'll just make those again!
#302- Oct 28- Lovely place for a picnic
We visited Amador County with friends and enjoyed a lovely picnic of lemon-thyme pasta salad (more on that later), fresh fruit, hummus, a variety of cheeses, crackers and breads, and melty Twix brownies.
#303- Oct 29- A little Fall color
After wearing shorts and flip flops in our 80-degree picnic weather, I almost forgot it was Fall until I spotted this remarkable tree in our neighborhood. 
xoxo,
shawna

More pixels!
#274-290- Fun with filters (and a few other things)
#264-273- A week of "Fall"
#245-#263- Sweet September
#236-244- Once in a blue moon
#226-235- Hot, hot heat

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