November ’25

Got up to some fun stuff this month, and worked on several projects that I can’t show quite yet. Let’s dive in!

Poe Speakeasy

The day after Halloween, Kim and I went to an Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy, which wasn’t as much of a “speakeasy” as I thought it would be. But the drinks were fun and the four stories/poems were done very well. I also wish we had gotten tickets for a nighttime performance since there were windows in the auditorium – the daylight streaming in really detracted from the spooky vibe. They’re coming back next year, so I’ll be sure to book in advance for a time it’ll be dark inside!

Tattoo Progress

Got the color added to my jumping fox calf tattoo early in the month. Just one more session scheduled for any touchups, but it’s looking pretty much done! I love the final product.

Holiday Preparations

Kim had bought all new lights for the house, and while she’d planned on putting them up herself, I felt much more comfortable being the one getting up on the ladder and getting it done. Here’s what the new setup looks like – a little different than my usual monochromatic preference, but still very pretty.

Thanksgiving

We hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year. As usual, Kim was the GOAT and did all the cooking – everything was delicious! I figured out an new arrangement of the tables in the dining room / living room to accommodate my growing family. I feel like I may have finally found a winner with one long, skinny table!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Somehow, I packed a lot of stuff into the long weekend. Kim and I tried out the float tank place and we got to the theater to see Wicked For Good. We also acquired a new Christmas Tree and got it all set up and decorated. Thankfully, I chose a tree that could do both white lights and colorful lights, so we have it set to the mode where it slowly goes back and forth between the two, giving us each the tree the way we like it.

Caril(lon) of the Bells

I finally was able to play Carol of the Bells on the carillon this month. I’ve been working on it since October but was told that it’s too egregious to play Christmas music for the public before Thanksgiving. So, on Saturday the 29th, I went up the bell tower and played the first Christmas carol of the season! (I know I was the first one because we have a sign-in book and nobody else was up there at all since the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.) (This recording is from a couple days later, which is why you can see my teacher hiding in the corner.)

Wrapping Up

Other than all of that, I was feverishly working on holiday gifts this month, along with an unhealthy amount of time dedicated to the new Borderlands 4 video game that Kim and I got hooked on. Sadly, I can’t share any project photos until next month, once everything has been gifted, so look forward to that next time! Stay warm, folks, and have a great holiday season.