0063. [ 10.31.21 ]

Quick poll: was everyone really into halloween this year? Youths in Ecuador certainly were. My aunt owns a costume rental shop and business was booming all week. It was unusual but oh so welcome after a lost year.

What am I for halloween? My brother put it perfectly: sleepy grandma. This might apply most days but after a 26 hour journey from one home to another it's hilarious and too accurate. I wassss nicknamed abuela at some point in my life.

Current status aside, I haven't dressed up in years and maybe it's a sign that I don't have a social life and/or children? Reality: personal choices/I enjoy celebrating my own way. 

First up, getting witchy. It's a rainy weekend and I'm excited to go on foliage walks but also stay in and make potions. I've been meaning to strain some calendula oil for months and today I'm taking the time to do it. It's so cool and fun to harness the power of nature and I'll be adding it to a balm batch soon. When I caught up with a friend and shared skin woes I laughed and loved that she described my behavior when I had a terrible face rash as witchy (I made a soothing calendula wash in her kitchen). Fall is my favorite time for making and I have a few more potions in mind - coming soon.

I can safely say - I'm not a gory movie fanatic (I think Chucky traumatized me when I was 10). My halloween tendencies are for the cute and funny and here are a few of my favorite October traditions: 

1) sing/listen to this

2) watch halloween episodes: see #1 (s.2 e.2) and It's Always Sunny s. 8 e. 3 are so good!

3) carve pumpkins with my MIL - since I missed that hoping to try these with my niece 

4) vampires! I love Buffy but I'm excited to catch up on the new season of What We Do in the Shadows 

5) tour de fall(s): rain means all the falls are raging. woooo! 

Did you or yours dress up? How genius is the idea of a costume rental shop? My buy nothing group was teeming with requests and actually held an event to swap costumes, I didn't attend but it made me happy nonetheless. Looking back on when I did dress up, I love that my approach was always to make / make do and borrow or thrift. A trash panda since before I even realized it! Which brings me to this just re-found quote:

"You're always the person you were when you were born, you just keep finding new ways to express it." 

(From "My Life on the Road" by Gloria Steinem)

~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you enjoy getting spooky? 

PS. Should I watch Hocus Pocus? Is it worth the hype? 

PPS. Clearly AB is really into halloween :) panda + AB. october 2012. (babies!)