My Month in Numbers 2013: November

Hi you. Come in. Sit, sit.

I blog a numerical round-up each and every month of the year, but it's round about now that I don't feel the usual need to talk about the passage of time ...

... that's because, at this time of year, we're only ever a glance or a click away from an Advent calendar, a 'number of sleeps-to-go' countdown or a flashing neon reindeer shaped reminder that Christmas is on its way!

But for now, rather than living in the future, let's hop back in time a little to dwell on the 30 days that was November [or should that be Movember] 2013:

Despite Facebook comments to the contrary ... no, I did not take part in Movember this year ... I was just playing with a dressing up box [because who can resist?] ... but more of than later ...

Let me tackle November's Communal Count questions first:

[a] The date of my first Christmas card of the season: I haven't received any Christmas cards yet ... so the only number I can record there is '0'! When I set the question I was sure that I've received very early cards in the past ... but not this year!
[b] How many items did you write on a Christmas list to buy for someone else? And for someone else to buy you? Well, with this one I haven't actually written anything down yet ... so the list is still in my head and on Pinterest! But I've bought 9 gifts for others up to now and have hinted at 3 definite things that  I'd like [a phone / L'Occitane treats / David Sedaris tour tickets] making for, so far, a 3:1 giving-to-receiving ratio that I reckon Santa will definitely look kindly on! 

[Oh dear ... after writing that I've just remembered the 2 tops I tried on last week and both of which were bought for me while I was there. Sorry Santa ...].

Here's how the rest of my month measured-up ...

6 days for James's stitches to dissolve: he had a short operation on the 1st of this month. In fact, I wrote about the way zebras were watching over us that day here [seriously ... if you didn't read that post you'll be forgiven for thinking that he was operated on during a safari. Which he wasn't!].

But as for the stitches themselves well, obviously I couldn't actually count the actual number because, being dissolvable ... they'd vanished before the dressing was removed. Speaking of which ...

10-14 days =  the time he had to wait before removing the post-op dressing which he was perfectly happy with thankyouverymuch but as for me ... well ...

... we're talking here about someone who, in the past, has been known to open Christmas presents [secretly] before Christmas and to me 10-14 days felt like a long time to find out exactly what they'd done to him because, with the dressing in place, it really wasn't clear cut [pardon the pun] .

Knowing me as he does, I think he slept with one eye open for the first week ... just in case temptation got the better of me and I decided to chance a sneak-peek in the night! ;-)

Before you worry about him, he's almost back to normal now, well ... when I say 'normal' ...

... meet the man of 1000 faces [OK, so, there's only 8 here ...]:

I think every time I looked up during the party he'd turned into someone else ... like Alec Guinness in Kind Hearts & Coronets!

What's that I hear you ask? What party am I talking about? Why ... it was this one:

My [older...just sayin'] sister had a 'Heroes & Villains' themed 40th birthday party:

While she herself is partial to a spot of  theatricality involving dressing-up she decided not to force a full-on costume party on those less flamboyant guests! Instead we collected together all the dressing up items [wigs, glasses, masks, capes etc] and silly props [moustaches, hats, guns, sonic screwdriver etc] we could find and turned our parents' hallway into a self-contained party photo-booth:

It made a great alternative to a costume party as those who fancied dressing-up and capturing it on camera could do so to their heart's content ...

... meanwhile, those who didn't want to make fools of themselves could still enjoy the night and ever-changing surreal scenery eg. the 2 nuns dancing to Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky'.

[I would say 'you had to be there' but, as I was one of those 2 nuns ... I'm actually glad you weren't!].

We also had a board for people to leave messages for the birthday girl. Messages like:

And if you thought she might be mad at me for telling you she was 40 ... imagine what she'll do to me now!

But, however old she is ... she's not as old as a certain Time Lord who turned 50 this month:  Did you watch the Dr.Who 50th anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor?

I've only been interested in the show since Matt Smith took on the role [I really can't enjoy the original episodes despite James's attempts to sway me otherwise].

And I generally consider it a good night if I've managed to understand at least 50% of what's going on in an episode!

 But I do so enjoy Smith's Doctor ... and the fact his final episode airs on Dec 25th is a rare reason to not be looking forward to Christmas Day!

Because 'bow ties are cool'

The 50th anniversary occurred in the same week as Jo's birthday and, appropriately enough the backdrop to her photo-booth was a TARDIS.

A TARDIS which we'd pinned up over the door during the day not realising for a moment that ... once it got dark outside it would be perfectly aligned with the glass of the front door and, once the hall light was on it would be illuminated and ...

... and look delightfully like the real thing!

And, in case you were wondering about how we fit all that dressing-up equipment, a full-length mirror, props and tripod into the hallway while still having space for slightly inebriated people to strike a pose in, well ...

... that'll be because it's bigger on the inside you know? ;-)

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So, those were my November numericals ... do you want to share yours? Either for November or at any time in the future? 

• Then PLEASE visit the full 'How to join in My Month in Numbers' guide here.  
•  There are no power-mad 'rules' as such but you can definitely help me out in a couple of ways to keep the Month in Numbers community running contentedly!
• I'll gladly visit you, comment and save your post to the Month in Numbers Pinterest board [currently followed by almost 750 people] but this takes me a fair drop of time, so there are a few simple things I ask in return. All of which you can find here in the guide.

I'll look forward to reading your posts and I know for a fact I'll see many of you in the comment sections of each other's blogs too.

I'll pop back here tomorrow with the final Communal Count of  2013.

Julie :-)