Halloween has always been a big deal for me, probably because my Dad went above and beyond the call of duty, creating the freaking coolest costumes around for the lot of us. We never had the store bought kind, those were so gauche, darling (it didn’t occur to me that we probably couldn’t afford them). Instead we wore works of art (photos of which I am unable to locate at this time). Dad’s hand-crafted Darth Vader and Storm Trooper costumes won contests, and he received requests to produce more of them for others. So I feel like I’m dropping the ball here. My child has, thus far, worn a store bought costume every year. For shame. Until now. This year he requested a costume so simple I figured I could make it myself. And I started to. But it needs more oomph. And I just realized I need to put on the finishing touches…tonight. As he is supposed to wear the danged thing at school tomorrow. Doh! So it looks like there’s some manic errand-running in my near future, before heading over to Zophia’s this evening for some pumpkin-carving. The next several days are going to be a blur, and then November is already booked with NaNo, a small project for a new client, and more. Tomorrow I’m attending the little man’s party at school, riding the bus with him and everything. Then we’re going right back there in the evening for a Special Needs Parent Support Group. This is followed up with a weekend of parties. Friday night is the NaNo kickoff party, Saturday morning a four year-old boy’s birthday party, and Saturday night a Halloween party. Still trying to figure out what my own costume could be, on the cheap, from materials commonly found in my own home. Aging goth girl? That might be a little too close for comfort. I should have enlisted my father’s help, but it’s a bit too last minute now. How the heck did Halloween sneak up on me this year?