when I say a big yam, I mean a really big yam. Every year at Christmas the grocery store fetches out all the decent-sized yams they've been hoarding in the back, and sells them for 49 c a pound. Seriously, they are the size of small chickens. A meal all in themselves. Who needs turkey when the yams are this big. And I have a beautiful butternut squash, and fresh brussels sprouts, I'm feeling quite pleased with myself. My father is bringing the turkey, I figure if he wants to roast birds he can knock himself out...

All this month I've been selling change to the couple running a kitchen implement stall just down the way from me at the mall, and today they brought me a present: red and green dyed popcorn kernels in a plastic bottle with a ribbon round it. It popped up real nice but the kids were disappointed that it was only the hulls that were dyed. We ate it, anyway, but now I'm wondering if I'll glow in the dark from so much dye.