One bright spot in my week-long battle with microbes is that I bought a pink suit. Before anyone thinks that I have radically changed styles, let me explain- I am determined to dress up as Dolores Umbridge for Halloween. My recent suit purchase has every possibility of being engineered into a fantastic Dolores Umbridge costume. I need to make a few adjustments and embellishments, but I am thrilled to not be starting with finding fabric and sewing the whole thing from scratch!!!

My mom is painting a cat motif on a china brooch. Now I just need to figure out a wand,(the 'authentic' ones for sale are a bit steep), perhaps a chilling quill, and a way to 'set' my hair into a helmet-do.

I expect to be the most frightening character around on Oct. 31.