Eleven ...

Happy, safe and mindful Samhain, Hallowe'en, Los Dias de los Muertos, Guy Fawkes Night, Hallow Tide ... bon fires, candles, handing out or collecting candy, dressing up, undressing, parades, graveyard renovating, buying things, getting drunk ... however you celebrate this time of year.

More and more families are going to the malls and safe events instead of going door-to-door, but I lit candles and hung a bazillion filmy scarves around the place (no, not near the candles), got dressed up and waited anyway. I knew there would be at least one kid 'cuz My Dawn Chicken had phoned to ask about bringing Hugh by before they went 'round their neighbourhood.

Hugh said, "I'm a ninja. What're you?" I said that I could be a witch or might be a gypsy or possibly a pirate or how about a dark faerie or maybe even a half-dead librarian. Hugh thought about it and told me I was a witch. But where was my hat? I pointed out that the candy was in my hat. He said witches don't wear cowboy hats. Dawn decided I must be a newt rancher. Hugh looked at us both like we had tomato plants growing out of the tops of our heads.

"I'm a ______. What are you?" is pretty common, since costumes are over/under or incorporate snow suits, toques, scarves, mitts and boots. With the exception of one dad (who may have been dressed as a hockey dad, I guess), all the parents who came with the eleven kids (that's eleven more than last year!) were dressed up. Coolness!

I put l'il rubber spiders in with the candy and a black flocked rubber rat (with a little silver leash) on the edge of the hat-bowl. They were more popular than the candy! I'll hafta remember that for next year. And here I thought it would scare 'em! Hah! Creeped Nina out, though.