Frankencalm before the Frankenstorm

While at Sobey's this evening picking up my 'za, I stocked up on Hallowe'en treats (mini chocolate bars, caramels, chips, oranges) ... all stuff that I like since we will probably have lots of leftovers due to Frankenstorm looming next Wednesday. I taste-tested a couple of mini-chocolate bars already; they were fine.

This Friday's Daniel's-away-at work dinner: Sensations by Compliments Thin-Crust Brick Oven Spinach pizza and Ernest & Julio Gallo Merlot. This time I got the grill thaaaang right:

• indirect heat (side burners on medium-high/pizza in middle) 
• bake 9 minutes 
• give it a quarter turn and bake 9 more minutes

winning combination

Frankenstorm was much talked about today - enough for me to pick up an extra wine, frozen pizza, goat cheese rolled in ash (you know, the staples) in case we lose power/get snowed in next week. Environment Canada isn't committing yet to Frankie having much of an effect here but will start issuing weather statements tomorrow morning. Along with the spare pizza and wine, I have a stash of firewood, coffee, gas for the BBQ, matches, and a corkscrew in my storm preparedness kit. Cold high + warm low (Hurricane Sandy) + astronomically high tides could brew up another perfectly messy storm reminiscent of that badly acted George Clooney movie. I remember reading the book Perfect Storm while living in Oaxaca; it inspired me to go sailing asap on "HMS" Rose ...

giving that capstan pall a Marshall sister sandwich off Guadeloupe

I digress. The pressing question is: should I dig my Hurricane Dress out of summer storage for Frankie should he want to party? It's not going to be a warm weather bomb, but with the wood stove cranked, it might just work. I didn't get to wear my little blue number this summer because all the hurricanes stayed offshore; I would root it out for a good nor'easter at this point.

While whether or not Frankie will visit the Riviera is pure speculation for now, today's Backyards & Kitchens poll is crucial to a done-deal wardrobe decision I must make within the next 24 hours: what costume should I wear for Halowe'en? Please vote on the right side-bar, and I'll post photos once I am attired in the voters' choice.

Vote now! (please and thank you).