Well, hello there Reader!

Halloween is tomorrow, {BOO! Did I scare you?} and somewhere between finding the costume pieces and deciding whether to buy more candy, (remember it all goes on sale super cheap Sunday!) an ordinary household question remains: “What’s for dinner?”

Apparently, the people who live here expect an answer even on holidays. They’re remarkably consistent about this.

Whether you’re feeding your household, taking something to a party or making an evening at home feel a little more festive, I’ve gathered a few ideas to help. Choose what solves your particular problem. Nobody needs another assignment this week.

“What do I feed everyone?”

Let the slow cooker take a shift.

If you can get dinner started early, Mississippi Pot Roast or Slow Cooker Carnitas can take one substantial job off your evening list. Choose your recipe today so you can pick up what you need and allow for its full cooking time tomorrow.

Mississippi Pot Roast In just 20 minutes, you can have this roast simmering in the slow cooker. Clean recipe, no packets!

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Melt-in-your-mouth, flavorful and juicy with irresistible caramelized crunchy bits Restaurant Quality. #truth

And while we’re making dinner easier, that jar of pasta sauce in the cupboard has talents beyond spaghetti.

My guide to ways to use pasta sauce beyond pasta includes a slow cooker Italian-inspired pot roast (pictured above). Just another reason to give this pantry staple a little more responsibility.

Creative Ways to Use Pasta Sauce Beyond Pasta

You know those inexpensive jars of pasta sauce? They’re lifesavers for whipping up quick spaghetti dinners, but these sauces have a lot more to offer than just a date with noodles. Let’s explore some genius ways to use pasta sauce that think outside the pasta box.

Easy dinner ideas? Why, yes!

“Wait. I’m supposed to bring something?”

There’s remembering that you’re going to a party, and then there’s remembering that you promised to bring food. These memories rarely arrive together.

Short on time? My Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins/Cupcakes come together with very little fuss. Two ingredients is a shopping list even a distracted person can appreciate.

The easiest pumpkin muffins. Ever. A boxed cake mix and canned pumpkin. Add a little glaze or frosting. Call them cupcakes. Done.

Have a little more time and ambition? Shape a Beer Cheese Ball into a pumpkin for a savory contribution with autumn personality. Set it out with your favorite accompaniments and enjoy having brought something that looks like you planned ahead.

Beer Cheese Cheeseball Scroll down this charcuterie post to get this cheeseball recipe! Don't make the whole board!

“I’d like to do something festive, but manageable.”

An apple cider station gives guests something welcoming to gather around, and the idea works for Halloween, Thanksgiving and autumn get-togethers in between.

Use my setup guide as a starting point, then choose the touches that suit your gathering and your budget.

Apple Cider Station Interactive and inviting with an array of add-ins and toppings. Lots of fun!

This takes a little more ambition, but you can really do the Diva strut when you take this to a party.

Spiced Dark Chocolate and Pear Skull Brownie Turn boxed brownie mix into a Halloween masterpiece. hauntingly delicious

Your Mission: Fix One Thing You’ve Been Working Around

You know the thing. The loose handle you have to wiggle just so. The lamp that leaves your book in shadow. The drawer that requires negotiation every time you open it.

We get remarkably good at adapting to small annoyances. We lift, tug, squint and work around them until the extra effort becomes part of the routine.

This week, choose one small irritation and do something about it.

Tighten the handle. Move the lamp. Put a nonslip pad under the wandering rug. Adjust the shelf so the tall bottle actually fits.

Pick a safe, manageable fix, preferably using something you already have. Give it ten or fifteen minutes. If it requires specialized skills or a bigger repair, choose another task for this mission.

Then enjoy the next time you use that spot and everything simply works.

You deserve a home that cooperates with you. Even if we have to start with one drawer.

It’s Only Scary for a Minute

Some perfectly ordinary sentences apparently require the courage of someone entering a haunted basement.

“Would you like to get together sometime?”

“I made this.”

“Hello, I don’t think we’ve met.”

Suddenly, we’re imagining rejection, embarrassment and the possibility that we’ll forget every word we’ve ever known, including our own name.

But a little awkwardness is often the admission price for something lovely: a friendship, a new interest, a chance to share something we’re proud of. Most people are busy wondering how they’re coming across. They aren’t standing by with scorecards.

You can be nervous and introduce yourself anyway. You can bring your homemade contribution without announcing its three alleged flaws. You can be a beginner at your age. Whatever your age is.

Halloween gets one evening for imaginary monsters. Let’s not give the fear of looking a little foolish the rest of the year.

One more thing worth making a plan for

Between Halloween candy and Thanksgiving shopping lists, there’s another important item: voting.

If you haven’t voted yet, take a moment to check your official state or local election website for deadlines, ballot return instructions and voting options.

National races get the headlines, but don’t overlook the decisions closest to home. Local elections help shape our schools, libraries, roads and community services, the things we live with every day. If you’ve ever thought, “My one vote won’t matter,” remember that local races can come down to very small margins. Your vote counts.

Put it on the calendar now, figure out the logistics and give yourself time to follow through. Check with your friends and neighbors to see if anyone needs your help getting to the polls. Your voice deserves a place in the decisions that affect your community and our country.

Thank you for making room for me in your week. It’s a pleasure to share ideas that make everyday life a little easier and a little more fabulous.

With love and a little mischief, Happy Halloween!

Onward and awkward!
​Diva Patti D.

Grace Notes:

• Let someone finish the story. Even if you’ve heard it before. Many times, before. Sometimes being listened to is the lovely part.
• Take a picture with yourself in it. You belong in the record of the people and occasions you make special.
• Let a compliment land. A simple “Thank you” is enough. You don’t have to explain why the nice thing someone noticed doesn’t count.

See you next week! xx