Rocktober!

October started back a couple of days ago when I wasn't looking.  It's my birthday month, and our anniversary, too.  I'm taking two trips to conferences late in the month.  There's Halloween for the kids (which I will miss during my second conference).   And then when it's over, it will be almost the holidays and almost 2011.

But wait -- I'm getting ahead of myself.  First, the anniversary.  I've made an effort to stick to the vicinity of the traditional gifts (or their more expansive modern variations) for the past thirteen years.  It all culminated with number 13 in 2009 -- textiles!  Finally an excuse to knit my man a sweater.  I did!  And now there will never again be a prescribed anniversary gift that falls so squarely in my kitchen.

This year the traditional gift is ivory, and the modern gift is gold jewelry.  Hm.  Where do you go with that for a stay-at-home dad and freelance writer?  Piano is out -- budget will not allow.  I can't see Noel sporting a gold chain.  What else is made of ivory, or an environmentally and politically acceptable substitute thereunto?

Fourteen might be a challenge, readers.  If you have any suggestions, leave 'em in the comments.