I am quite cross with The Popcorn factory. Every year I order tins of popcorn for the niblings, and every year there is a problem. This year the (first) telephone representative assured me my three orders were set up and all is well. A few days later I received an email saying one of three items was out of stock; please call to replace it. The second representative couldn’t find any evidence of a sent email, nor that my item was out of stock, and yes, they were all sent. However this process took time playing twenty questions to conclude this. Yesterday morning I got another email informing me my item is out of stock/please call to replace. I called Brother #2 who said only one item arrived. On it were both names. Oh the pain. Then I got an email asking me for positive feedback. After some deep breaths, I sent an email, carefully worded, not to voice anger so much as disappointment and how sad a little child’s Halloween was spoiled. * I got back an immediate email of apology and a refund. I wrote a courteous reply of thank you for taking care of things. Mistakes happen; they cleaned up the mess. Next year I am sending cookies.

More shenanigans in the post! I forgot to cancel my annual cache of Halloween gummi-bears and spice drop pumpkins from Old Time Candy. I was pleased as Punch to see I’ve already dropped from 80 kilos in August to 76 kilos – and now all this arrives. Then last night The Popcorn Factory sent La Casa de Spo a package pf penance of pretzels and popcorn. Oh the horror. I need to get this stuff out of the house ASAP as I will be home alone all weekend with these things calling from the candy dishes.

Speaking of faulty festive foodstuffs, this weekend I plan to find the skull baking pan. I want to try making pizza skulls. Last year the pizzas didn’t come out that well; I still need to practice on the thickness of the dough and the ingredients. Unlike cookies, candies, cakes, and crunchies, cold pizza isn’t easily hauled to the office. I suppose one ‘cheat meal’ per week is acceptable, or at least a rationale to make some.

These pouts are not ponderous and I will focus on gratitude. It was a relatively quiet week at work and I have a new wrist rest for the office computer. The Spring-heeled Jack Coffee Company (the dear!) sent a bag of fiendish beans I am told makes very good coffee said by thems at work who drink such. They have mixed feelings about the yellow, black, and orange gummi-bears. Cast not pearls before swine and that includes impudent office staff.

*One of the advantages of being a psychiatrist is knowing all the mind tricks. The difference between Hannibal Lector, M.D. and myself is I use head-shrinking skills to heal and he uses them to eat people. Otherwise we are basically the same. It is fun to let loose once in a while my inner-Hannibal Lector; he get things done. This isn’t as efficacious as Obi-wan using The Force, or The Bene Gesserit using The Voice, but damned close.