Béla sent this to me when he was on a spontaneous trip to Acme with some of our handsomest friends.

Thank the universe for Chris, my first “playground dad” friend ever. Can be counted on for anything and everything. The person you want with you on the Titanic. The person you meet up for Halloween and Santa photos at Macy’s.

I gave Chris my Ralph Bakshi “Frodo Lives” shirt for Bruce last year and I wish I had recorded him opening it; no bigger surprise reaction have I ever seen. I don’t think I ever made someone that happy with a present before. Oh, I wish I’d recorded it.

Chris is an artist and also an actor at Terror Behind the Walls.

Chris’ son Bruce Wayne (yes) adores Béla beyond measure. Even when Béla is out in the playground with his own friends, he will take time to spend with Bruce, who is three. Bruce refers to our family as “The People”. It’s nice to be reassured.

Béla also loves a good nighttime buying trip to Trader Joe’s, even if the Advent Calendars for Cats aren’t in yet. (Marble has been losing baby teeth like wild, but we retained one for keeps!)

Meanwhile, Claude sketched out her Jack-o-Lantern design as a tattoo.

Very well executed. Thanks Tuck.

Béla made a happy 한국 호박. I’m so happy to see him showing more pride in his Korean identity after having such a hard time with it for so long.

We are looking forward to seeing Chris and Bruce and Tara and Young XJ for Trick or Treating (which is not really something you do with your Adults at my kids’ age). I also realized that we bought treats this year based not on how many kids we get but how long Tuck and I can stand giving them out (we are often in grim solidarity with our next door neighbors praying for the final wave.) Either way, we will have costume photos soon… and I am so excited to hear that CHUCK TINGLE is also John Wick this Halloween!