Cookie will be very excited about his Sonic Hedgehog costume. He walks around the house singing a little Sonic song to himself (when he's not singing Soupy George, that is).

Even Alane is singing Soupy George, complaining that I put it in her head, as if any of this is my fault.

"Oxtail, Chicken, Mushroom, Minestrone... Soup on your head!"

Maybe this affliction will start to subside in a few days. I sure hope so. Maybe it's the time of year: something about autumn makes me want to listen to ska. So I've dug out all my English Beat, Specials and General Public (seem to be missing at least one major album from the latter group). I've also been playing lots of Toasters. Guido and I used to go out and see those guys play all the time. Those were the days...

Coming soon: photos of Sonic Hedgehog conquering Tuckahoe. We also want some snapshots from O-town -- but please, Merle, no pix of you two cooking anything.