Another Saturday Night

 All orange and dark, like a Halloween night
 [or Lindt Excellence Intense Orange dark chocolate bar
from the grocery store, yum]. Photo by my Figgy.

H. is working @ a party, Sug is collapsed in a heap of fur on the ottoman after our long walk and Figgy is over at her friend M.'s in Montclair. She had me drop her off almost a block away at 9 o'clock so she could sneak up and scare her girlfriends. I was worried about her safety--I'm always worried about her safety--but know I have to trust that all is fine. [What if someone not good leapt out at her from the bushes?] She had on a red sequined hairband with devil horns, the striped Halloween socks Sis got her @ Target and some glittery eye shadow. We also made a quick stop at Party City, her last-minute hunt for vampire fangs.

Somehow, I saw my younger self in her quite clearly tonight. I can remember loving to go hang around at my friend Irene's house, loving to stir up a little mischief.

I'm in a morbid mood tonight, but by now, you're kind enough to know about my moods and still be my friend. Thank you. But I figure Halloween Eve is a fitting time to feel morbid. It feels weird to be here and not at home, where we would always have a glowing jack-o'-lantern on the front steps on Oct. 30. Back home, there's still a porta-toilet on our lawn, giant bald spots where the dumpster was, and no hope of us getting tulip bulbs in the ground for weeks. And we are moving back on November 12. I just texted H. at his party and told him to get a pumpkin so he could carve it, as he always does with Figgy. Good idea! he texted back. [When we were dating, it really warmed my heart when I saw he had one in the window of his studio apt on Third Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It seemed so old-fashioned and fun.]

Not much else to say, except am about to try some Allegro Coffee Company organic Whole Trade Drinking Chocolate [nutritionist Caryn once recommended drinking chocolate to me], sort through some laundry and piles and and and....go to Joe's Halloween yoga class in the morning, before Mass and a visit to Dad and probably couch shopping with H.

Boo. Grrrrrr. Beware slinking black cats. Happy Halloween.