October 2025

If you missed last month’s entry, you can find it here: September 2025

October 1st: Brought up the fall/Halloween bins from the “Home Goods section” of the basement. Brad’s mom Debbie & I dove into seasonal decor galore!

I also went to my first rehearsal for the Dracut Community Chorus!

October 5th: Went to a couple Dracut farm stands on a grocery outing (see Brox Farm pictured below)

October 8th: Brad & I met with Diane & Tom from Dracut Arts at Frobies Cafe in Dracut, MA.

I had Dracut Community Chorus rehearsal in the evening.

October 12th: My best friend Zoe came into town to visit for the week!

Zoe, Brad, and I got to Parlee Farms just early enough to grab a warm apple cider and a bag of warm apple cider donuts to share, take the hayride out to the orchards, pick a peck of apples, and pick our pumpkins just before the nor’eastern rainfall started.

Made pumpkin mac n cheese with roasted broccoli for dinner.

October 13th: Apple cider making, pumpkin puree, rainy rainy day…

Went to the board mtg for the Dracut Historical Society and acquired their letter of support for our use of Harmony Hall for a youth theatre program in the spring, to submit with our Dracut Cultural Council grant app.

We had pho for dinner - from Lanxang Star Restaurant, a Laotian restaurant in Dracut, which we’d not had before but will definitely order from again!

October 14th: Made apple baby pancakes for breakfast, using some of the apples left from our picking adventure at Parlee Farms.

Brad and I submitted our application for a Dracut Cultural Council grant.

Later, Zoe and I got tattoos! They were done by Ray at Mayhem Tattoo, Nashua.

October 15th: The sun came out!! Brad, Zoe, and I walked around downtown Lowell to soak it up after days of staying in.

Later, Zoe made Puerto Rican food (black beans/white rice/fried chicken) for dinner. Brad’s parents learned that they like sazón!

October 16th: Brad, Zoe, and I went to Christian Hill, the highest point in Lowell, where you’re supposed to be able to see clear to Boston on a nice day (we couldn’t tell whether we saw it or not but had a good time nonetheless)!

Brad and I went to the Dracut Cultural Council meeting that evening.

Afterwards, we went with Zoe to Skate 3 Roller Kingdom for Adult Night and had the most entertaining and physically demanding hour & change of recent memory.

October 17th: We had a cultural night out in Lowell and in Boston - first we saw Indras Artistic Creations perform as part of the kick-off for the Lowell Asian American Film Festival.

Next up was Jacques Cabaret in Boston for their weekly Dollhouse drag show featuring all trans performers!* The show was incredible AND as an unexpected bonus: in the middle of the show, the audience was invited to participate in an impromptu lip sync battle and who won but Zoe!!

*Sidenote: Before the show, I quickly searched for nearby eats and we wound up at Rebels’ Guild, the part gothic/part Revolutionary War themed restaurant at the Revere Hotel. An accidentally hilarious choice but a good one in the end.

October 18th: I brought Zoe to the airport (cue sobs!).

On the way out of Dracut we went to The Perfect Cup so she could taste Shaw Farm’s delicious banana milk before going back to Florida.

October 21st: Brad left for California to help his best friend Matt with his kids for the week.

I met with Bonnie Marranca of PAJ to talk about research related to her forthcoming book. We’ve been corresponding over email for a few months so it was nice to put a face to a name!

October 22nd: Debbie and I brought the Halloween-specific bins up from the “Home Goods section” of the basement and spooky-fied the house for Saturday’s fiesta.

I had Dracut Community Chorus rehearsal in the evening.

October 23rd: Had my first day back doing trivia since coming back from S. Korea!

October 25th: Burgess Halloween and birthday(s) party! I made three dips- a pumpkin hummus, a guacamole, and (my favorite) cheese fondue inside a pumpkin. We celebrated the spooky holiday and the birthdays of four family members who have October birthdays!

Also: my brother Graham had his first day of rehearsal for the tour of Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical (for which he is the percussionist) in Palm Desert, CA.

October 26th: Brad came home from California.

October 29th: We went to the launch event for Revolutionary Valley in Lowell. The Greater Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau is rebranding and expanding as “Revolutionary Valley,” and moved their offices to Lowell. Brad and I signed the ribbon after the ceremonial cutting along with the other attendees.

I had Dracut Community Chorus rehearsal in the evening.

October 31st: The birth of The Draꓘe-uteer: a costumed character Brad won’t just wear for Halloween but for New England Patriots games and any other occasion that calls for some extra cheer. The costume is similar to that of Pat the Patriot, but also includes a Dracut High School varsity letter (one that belonged to one of Brad’s parents), invoking the townie name Dracuteer. AND, the costume includes a Drake May jersey, putting the “Drake” in Draꓘe-uteer.

The Draꓘe-uteer and I (reprising my witch from last weekend) ventured into Lowell for Halloween dinner and a show: Tenacious D tribute at Warp and Weft