There have been moments this week when I wanted to cry, and moments when I flew with joy.

The weekend was glorious, perfect clear, brisk, windy weather for hiking and hanging out at the beach. I ran barefoot in the sand and through the waves, playing and laughing and thoroughly childlike. I raced at a flock of seagulls, and when took off they got caught against the wind, so that for one long moment they hung in the air around me and I was almost flying with them. It was amazing.

I celebrated Halloween on Saturday this year. We all dressed up — I went as a vampire slayer, Kara as a vampire (don’t worry, I restrained myself), Jacob as a mime, Jessica as Audrey Hepburn, and Peaches as a Romantic poet very convincingly dying of consumption — and went to Harvest Ball. The DJ was awful, but it was great fun to see everyone’s costumes. Without trick-or-treating, what else is Halloween for? Max H. transformed himself into a Beer Bot (a robot made out of beer boxes), all seven of The Endless were present, and even Google made an appearance.

Parents have taken over Reed this weekend. This being Parents’ Weekend, the state is completely logical, but all the students are going around a bit awkwardly. The influx of grown-ups is very effective at making me feel like a kid. Then again, the grown-ups are a bit out of place themselves, treading cautiously in a world that is not their own. There are two intersections of domains here: one between Reed and the outside, and the other between each person’s school and family lives. As for the latter, I’m happy watching it from a distance — I’ll wait for Thanksgiving.

It has finally begun to rain. I wish was able to stay in pajamas all day and drink hot chocolate, snuggled up in warm blankets. Perhaps tomorrow it will remain soggy and I’ll get my chance.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.