Finally Friday

So I actually got trick-or-treaters! The ceramic pumpkin in the window did its job. I'm fairly certain I had some repeat visitors. Usually it was the same kid, but with a different group each time. All in all, just over 50 kids came by, of all ages and in various states of costume (some very elaborate, some not actually in costume at all, and everything in between). Aussie wore her horns on her nightly walk around the block, amusing my neighbors and confirming for them that I'm quite possibly insane. But they loved it. She barked every time there was a knock at the door or the doorbell buzzed, so she was exhausted by 8:30pm from all the excitement. I did have a little bit of leftover candy, but my colleagues made short work of it on Thursday morning.

It's been one of those weeks where I just feel like I'm slogging. [Need more coffees!] Between the leak over the weekend, the leak repair on Monday and Tuesday, a trip to the dentist, and Halloween on Wednesday, I was just busy and didn't have a whole lot of downtime. I'm so glad that Friday is finally here.

Fortunately, I have a nice relaxing and fun weekend planned. My friend CH has a meeting in town next week (Monday to Wednesday), so he's coming into town tonight to hang out for the weekend. So I have an excuse to not be responsible and to play in my city all weekend. I love having company for that reason, I get to do all the fun stuff too! Not sure what we'll end up doing, but I do have a running list of things to see and do (including a Stieglitz photography exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art). And restaurants to try. There's always a restaurant I want to try or a cuisine I'm craving. We are going out for dinner on Saturday with my colleague/friend KS and her husband RK to Fogo de Chao (a Brazilian steakhouse), which sounds delicious.

But right now I better get back to work so I can be irresponsible all weekend.

Happy Halloween!!

I do hope everyone is celebrating the day and having some fun with it. I, for one, am sitting here at work in a set of sequined and sparkley devil horns and a matching tail. My colleagues keep doing double takes. I keep telling people I'm not actually wearing a costume...they are there all the time and just happen to be visible today because it's Halloween. (Joking!...sort of...)

I do love this day. It's so much fun. I love seeing how creative people can get with their costumes and pumpkin carving. The "barfing" pumpkins crack me up. And some are such incredible works of art! My dad was always the best carver on the block, even giving our pumpkins hair. We also always tried to pick out the pumpkins from the patch that had the most "character" so we could get even more creative. He could carve just about any design or face we drew. And we'd roast the pumpkin seeds after separating them from the guts...so yummy. Mom would seriously deck the house out with fake cobwebs (yes, fake), complete with plastic spiders, candelabras with white candles that dripped red wax when lit, and all varieties of spooky things. She had some friends over for a visit one year, and one of them reached back to get her drink from the side table, encountering one of the cobwebs in the process, and screamed bloody murder! And had a good laugh about it afterwards. It was fabulous!

Even Aussie gets into the Halloween spirit! She's got two costumes: a pumpkin hat and devil horns. She doesn't like the pumpkin. When I put it on her she mopes. But the horns, now those she prances around in showing off. My little devil dog...takes after her mama (yes, me).

Aussie in her horns last Halloween
(all tuckered out at the end of the night)

So tonight Aussie and I will be wearing matching horns again this year and waiting for any trick-or-treaters. I'm not sure if I'll get any, as there are lots of block parties that people go to and events at community centers and churches instead. I'm putting the big ceramic electric jack-o-lantern my grandmother painted decades ago in my window in an attempt to entice a few kids in costumes to come knock on the door. If not, well, my colleagues will be treated to a variety of leftover candy tomorrow, as it must leave the house lest I eat it all.

Ironically, I went to the dentist yesterday afternoon for my six-month cleaning and check up. And today (and probably tomorrow) I'll be eating lots of candy corn and chocolate. Fortunately, my dentist gave my teeth a clean bill of health, so as long as I brush well I'll be fine despite all the sugar I'll be consuming.

Happy Halloween!!