Clever Costumes

Above: Our friend Fay dressed as the 30-Second Novelist, a riff on Dan’s 60-Second writer alter ego of 38 years. We laughed and laughed. Fay is also Dan’s skilled editor at Neurology Today.

Buttercup and Sugar. When I sent the photo to Figgy in Florida and Sis in California, Fig pointed out that our kitten, Nina, is in the photo, too. She always wants to play with the big kids and watches closely from window or door when they go outside.

Between the adults and young adults at our friends’ party, the costumes I spotted from the car while shuttling Skip around Saturday and Sunday and the many trick-or-treaters who rang our bell, I/we saw some interesting disguises. Some were downright ominous.

• Painter Bob Ross (Dan) with Afro and palette. Cute.
• Teen, eighth grade (Skippy) in black with red lipstick and other makeup, discarding the “Scream” mask she had Dan buy except for one minute she put it on at our friends’ house to get a reaction. :)
• 30-Second Novelist--a riff on Dan as 60-Second Novelist. It was our friend Fay, in yellow jacket with hat, round glasses, short stories ready to hand out. 
• U.S. Postal worker in uniform with Scream mask (most realistic, scary). I thought, This could be a real murderer at my door tonight. It was the juxtaposition of the uniform and the mask. Dan was in the kitchen carving our pumpkin and roasting the seeds, so I felt safe extending the candy bowl. Dan, come here! I said. You have to see this! It’s a really scary costume. But he was up to his elbows in pumpkin guts. That is really scary, I said to the person on my doormat. Thanks, a preteen/teen girl’s voice replied. She sounded very nice.
• Ice Climber (from 1984 Nintendo game). It took me a minute to recognize my young, sweet friend George from the kids’ room at church.
• Sumo wrestler. You look like you’ve had one too many, Dan joked as he held out the big white bowl of candy. It was our next-door neighbor, Skip’s friend, in a huge inflated costume. So great.
• Family of four dragons. Our clever friends across the street--mom, dad, son and daughter in variations on dragon costumes. Their yard also featured cool puffs of smoke, cackling witch laughter and gravestones.
• Han Solo from “Star Wars”--our friend John’s nephew is a strikingly handsome young man and this was perfect.
• Harry Potter wizard in training. The little girl, named Penny, wore a robe and striped tie and did a spell for me with her wand.
• Lion King. Our neighbor, Ted, a talented artist, husband of Drury, and Dad of two darlings, Sally and Tess.
• Baby Lioness. Age 2, from the next block, being pushed in her stroller by sweet Mom and Dad, who also had lion details going.
• Dumbledore. John even seemed to speak like him when he said hello. I loved that.
• Roy Orbison. Our handsome friend Michael, all in black with black shades.
• Old guy trying to look cool. Fay’s husband, Howard, with fake tattoos, a hip outfit and relics he carried--including vinyl record albums.
• Spider Web with skeletons (on black cape and hat)--worn by our friend Moose.
• Buddy the Elf, outside Starbucks with his friend. (What would the real Buddy think of Starbucks, with its pretty sprinkles and whipped cream, if he got that excited about spaghetti?)
• Cowboy. Saw two men sporting cowboy hats. 

Alas, I did not wear a costume, just a black Milly sweater with a hole pattern and a flared black skirt to the Saturday night party. On Halloween, white denim skirt and ribbed black turtleneck. Sometimes underdressing is enough.

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Oh! Look at this Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence (MFEE) fundraiser: https://baristanet.com/2021/10/sabor-montclair-a-tasty-fundraiser-to-support-mfees-navegadores-escolares/

Like our Great Aunt Tessie did, sending our family chocolate (she worked at a candy factory in NY) and, I think, metal jack-o'-lanterns that we used every Halloween, Sis sends our family Halloween treats--stuffed animals, nuts, candle holders, fresh pears. Cute decor that we put out every year. But this year, she ordered two meals from the Latinx fundraiser above. It was a treat and the cost included two coats for kids. I am grateful MFEE is involved in this effort, Navegadores Escolares.