Finally Halloween is Here

"Finally, Halloween is Here!"   is a quote from our grand-daughter as she ran down the stairs outside the front of the house to start collecting candy just as it started to get dark on October 31.  She had her costumes for weeks and just was so excited.

                                       

We left home on Wednesday October the 30th so we could take the ferry to Vancouver Island and watch the grandchildren as they experienced Halloween.  We both hate doing the freeway and city traffic through Vancouver but we only got honked at twice.  There is a lot of construction going on so it is hard to figure out which lane we should be in this month.  You think you have it figured out from the last trip, but its WRONG.

After a 9 hour trip we arrived safely and got lots of hugs and kisses.  We had eaten on the ferry so it was an early night.  The grandkids like to tickle my toes in the morning.  But 6:00 comes too early for me now that I am retired.  They both climb into the bed to get warm as it is cooler in the basement guest room.  Their parents went off to a Diabetes Gala they work on that includes a silent auction.  They raised $120,000 for research but also had two days at a lovely beach side resort.  

                                                   

We got to have the grandchildren all to ourselves.  I enjoyed the whole visit. 

We went to the school for the costume parade and dancing at 9:00 in the gym.  The older classes buddy up with a younger class for many activities.  So the older and younger Buddies class went into the middle of the gym to dance to songs I remember from the 50's like "The Monster Mash" and "Purple People Eater".  Eden was so excited that her K class and her buddy class in grade 5 won the dance contest.  It was about school spirit not choreography.  Eden dressed as a mermaid riding a dolphin. 

    

 Nolan was a Mario character from a video.  He has the big polka dotted head in this chain dance.

My daughter in law signed me up to take a group of kindergarteners through a series of stations. The favourite station was pumpkin bowling.  Eden went back to it twice. That was fun to watch as there is no way to make a pumpkin roll in a straight line. 

Then in the evening they left to go to their friends' neighbourhood to collect candy and watch fire works while by a campfire.  Eden put on a second costume.  She was a good witch with lots of sparkles.

  

                                                               
Nanny was left at home to answer the door bells.  It got boring after a while so I started doing some tricks on the treat-seekers.  I had big kids late in the evening so I went to the door and said, "It is lovely that all you folk are bringing me candy and reached into their bags to take some out."  There was a chorus of "What?"  before I put them back and added some miniature chocolate bars.  As they were leaving they were still saying, "WHAT ...  WHAT  was that all about?"   Then a group of pirates came and when I opened the door I said, " Pirates....pirates are thieves, so I will just take some of your loot and return it to its owner."  That brought stunned looks. Well I had to amuse myself somehow.  

We are back home but it will take me several days to rest up.