I was tooling back to the ranch from lunch with girlfriends in Los Olivos the other day  and thought while I was goofing off I may as well stop in at my friend Jefferson Woeste’s shop J. Woeste, which is a great place to goof off, and there is always something there to make you smile. Here’s what I mean:

Jefferson wasn’t there. I think he was off somewhere goofing off, too. There is scientific evidence that goofing off is good for you. But don’t take my word for it, try it yourself. Capitalize it.

Goofing-Off’s first cousin is Playing, which is also good and the only possible explanation for these charming potted arrangements of plants, miniature houses and figures, and the odd owl or arachnid.

If it makes you smile it is not technically considered Goofing Off or Playing. It is considered Therapy.

Ditto if it brings to mind the immortal words of Mammy in Gone With the Wind: “An’ you be settin’ there waitin’ fo’ him… jes like a spidah!”

Or if it reminds you of the Dalai Lama dressed in his frog costume for Halloween.

Or if it is just plain cute. She looks kind of like our Stella.

Of if it involves birdhouses in any way, shape or form.

Or bouquets of handmade ceramic flowers.

And then just when you think it’s safe to go into the street again…

Everybody dresses up and goes in the street and does the whole dance thing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” He used to live around here if you recall, in fact Neverland is just a few miles from Rancho La Zaca.

Doesn’t every town have a Thriller Zombie Parade?  My friends in Tarboro and maybe New York too (which knows from a parade), are going to see this and think, enough of this Goofing Off in California. Frances needs to GET HOME NOW.

You can’t be too careful these days. I know you were hoping for a happy ending. Sorry…

But maybe not… they are Zombies after all… Meanwhile…

You can link to  J. Woeste here, or say Boo at (805) 693-1951. And I’d like to add that no pumpkins or zombies were harmed in the making of this post.