Three weeks ago I was wearing flip flops and sunglasses. Then, all of a sudden, literally overnight, I had to trade in my sparkly sandals for wellies and have, over the last fortnight, found myself in the centre of more thunder storms than I care to recollect. Just last week I had to spend the entire second half of a day-long business course sitting in my socks like a total professional because I'd stupidly allowed myself to get caught in a downpour of Biblical proportions on my ways to Greg's at lunchtime. In my Uggs. They will never be the same again.
So it seems that Autumn is well and truly upon us. Either that or, judging from the extreme weather conditions of the past few weeks, we are in the early stages of the Apocalypse. Either way, I've been tagged by the wonderful Mismatched Knitwear to complete this Autumn themed post. So here we go...
What do you love most about Autumn?
As much as I love that weirdly satisfying found of newly fallen leaves crunching underfoot, my absolute favourite thing about Autumn is Halloween. Carving pumpkins, watching Hocus Pocus, erecting a graveyard in the front garden to terrify trick-or-treaters...I love it all. Over the years some of my best memories have been of Halloween parties or of helping my dad put together ridiculous props and hauling all the boxes of decorations down from the attic.
And, for my fellow Halloween junkies, I'm in the middle of uploading a series of Halloween makeup tutorials on my Youtube Channel that you will almost definitely love. (Shameless self-promotion.)
What's you favourite seasonal drink from Starbucks/ Costa/ Cafe Nero?
I didn't even know that coffee shops offered seasonal drinks. Coffee is something I avoid at all costs and will only resort to if I'm travelling a long way or find myself falling asleep in my sandwich. Even then, so offensive is the taste to me that I always order a vanilla latte and add four sweeteners to make it bearable.
What accessories do you opt for, scarf, boots, gloves?
All of the above! Add to that earmuffs and mittens I can thread through my coat on a string. I may look like an oversized child, but I'll be the one laughing when you lose your gloves.
What's your favourite music to listen to during Autumn?
I don't tend to change my music tastes according to the seasons. I'll probably continue listening to the bizarre selection of CDs I currently have in my car. You know, the likes of the Frozen soundtrack, a Britney Spears album from the 90s and a whole lot of country music. I know, I'm the height of cool.
What candle scents will you be burning this season?
I feel like for some reason it's assumed that all bloggers should have strong feelings about things like overpriced candles and washi tapes. I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you, but if I light a candle it's usually because I want to burn something, not because I have a strong attachment to the smell of pine needles infused with tangerine extracts...or whatever.
What's your favourite perfume for this time of year?
I had a bottle of Beyonce Pulse for my birthday last month and I am absolutely in love with it. I don't think it's a particularly Autumnal fragrance (although I'm not sure what would be apart from pumpkins or smushed damp leaves), but I love it all the same.
Favourite make up look?
I'm very excited for berry lips this Autumn. In fact I would love some recommendations because otherwise lipstick shopping can be a whole minefield.
What are you looking forward to most in Autumn?
This Autumn I'm going to be setting up my own business. I know I've been promising to throw light on this exciting news, but I can't fill you in on all the details just yet. I'm still in the boring process of making cash flow forecasts and signing paperwork. But as soon as things are up and running I seriously can't wait to tell you guys all about it! (You will definitely think I'm mad.)
So there you have it. A little seasonal post, which will hopefully brighten up this chilly Autumn afternoon.
Oh, and to my American readers, I'm talking about Fall. Yeah, that confused the Beacon more than once...
Everything suddenly came to a screeching halt. No new blog posts, no new Youtube videos, my nails are a disaster and I can barely remember what my friends look like. Over the past month all of my time has been sucked into some kind of vortex and I'm not entirely sure what I've even been doing other than looking for jobs and mourning the loss of my footless and fancy free student days.
Maybe I haven't adjusted to living with my parents again yet. I'm used to waking up to a plan I made the night before or a totally blank canvas ("What's the plan for the day? Four hours of Netflix followed by cocktails and the Sex and the City drinking game with my housemates? Why not?") Last week I woke up to the sound of Lauren scampering into my room.
"We're going swimming!"
I broached the subject with my mother. Admittedly, rather tactlessly.
"Swimming? Nobody consulted me. I could have had plans for all you knew."
"You don't though, do you?" She said, knowingly.
She was right. It was meant to be one of those blank canvas days. Maybe I'd have gone to pilates. Maybe I'd have gone to the pub. Maybe I'd even have finally gotten around to writing my new blog post. But my blank canvas day was snatched away and instead I was heading to the swimming pool with two small children. Still, my soul was, as of yet, uncrushed.
That quickly changed.
We drove all the way over the Swansea, only to find out the gym we're a member of wasn't open to children for another hour. Try explaining that to a four year old diva. So we ended up on the road again, heading towards the public pool in Neath, which, as it turns out (the lady on the phone failed to mention this little gem) is free for all school children after 2pm. Wonderful if you're a ten year old, but not so great if you arrive at quarter to 2 with a small child in a wheelchair and a tiny loon with no patience and find yourself in a queue that winds itself around the building. Especially as my mother had phoned ahead to make sure we could go straight over with the wheelchair with no problems.
Lost adrift in a turbulent sea of scores of screeching children with a worrying lack of manners, I started to lose it. To cut a long story short, the staff at reception made me despair at the state of humanity (and the education system) and I ended up wandering around in a towel looking for change for the locker. This is why I pay a monthly membership for the Village. That and the Village has ample room to do hair and make up when you're done working out.
Anyway, that's the kind of thing I have to put up with now that I'm no longer living the glorified student life. One small mercy is that I had to come back to Exeter for today's exam and I stayed overnight on campus. It was like being a fresher again, brushing my teeth in my little en-suit, collapsing into bed safe in the knowledge that there was nothing to wake me except an alarm I personally controlled. No one tried to make morning conversation. No one asked me to do the dishes. It was bliss.
The red line is the ridiculous route I took
What made it even better was that I was staying in Holland Hall, which will mean nothing to you if you didn't go to the University of Exeter and will mean everything to you if you did. Back when we lived on campus, hearing someone say, "I live in Holland Hall" was like hearing someone say, "My father wears tweed and shoots pheasant...which the servants then cook." At £6988.80 for a 32 week contract, it's officially like the Mecca of Exeter rah culture. Oh the rumours I've heard about that place...
After searching for it for 20 minutes and seeing no sign of it, I was concerned. I'd lived down that end of the campus two years ago. It isn't a big place. I took the most obscure route possible, finding myself lost more than once. ("Wait...why is there a children's park here? Where am I?" And so forth.) I started to worry there was some kind of Hogwarts-style enchantment over the place so that peasants couldn't see it.
And then I found it. Perched on the perfect spot for stunning panoramic views, close enough to campus to crawl there in the mornings with the least amount of uphill walking (a big problem in Exeter), courtyards, an outdoor dining area, a bar, full English breakfast with a selection of cereals and juices on the side...it lived up to all my expectations. Still, a girl like me with a valleys accent and an aversion to gilets would have burned upon crossing the threshold if it hadn't been during the summer vacation.
So call me a loser, but my trip to Exeter to sit my exam has been like a mini holiday. I got to have fried bread with breakfast, didn't have to share my bathroom, and no one ordered me to go swimming. In reality, I'm not really all that hard to please...
So I’m nearing the end of a 4 and half hour train journey up
to North Wales to visit one of my best friends, Beth. I do not enjoy trains.
Public transport is, after all, where society’s loons congregate. Like the lady
across the carriage who stared intently at me for 20 minutes. And the old woman
who stood in the middle of the aisle, shouting about everyone and everything
and refused to take her seat because she was convinced the conductor was ‘up to
something’.
So I thought it would help make time go by a little faster
(and keep me from having to make eye contact with anyone) if I caught up on
some blogging. Despite the fact that my life has become boring and meaningless since
I left uni, it’s surprisingly hard to find the time to sit down and type up a
blog.
If you read The Littlest Loon then you'll get the idea behind this post. This time the spotlight falls on my nine year old nephew, Ellis, who was born an old man and, in recent months, has taken to informing me that I'm embarrassingly uncool (gone are the days when my knowledge of Disney films and extensive fancy dress collection made me a legend in his eyes).
A few weeks ago I asked him a series of questions to see what kinds of bizarre ideas lurk in that little brain of his. There are some very odd answers. Everything I said is in red and Ellis' ramblings are in blue.
What makes you the most happy?
Having someone to play with.
What’s your favourite food?
Meat.
What advice would you give to mammy and daddy?
You’re awesome.
If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?
Not go to school.
You’re not in school now and you’re visible.
...Still not go to school.
What’s your favourite thing about Lauren?
Pause
She's cute?
What’s your least favourite thing about Lauren?
She annoying.
What are the best at?
Building things.
How would you describe your Auntie Aimee?
She’s amazing! (Emphasis added)
What’s your favourite memory?
When I went to Disneyland?
What part?
When I went to Sea World.
What was your favourite holiday?
When I went to Greece for the last time.
If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Texas.
Why?
Because it’s awesome.
If you had a million pound what would you do?
…..
Mulling it over?
…..
A million pound. What would you do?
Go to Route 66 and buy the Lego Movie video game…because
that’s the best game you can get and you can get a better chance of not having
a glitch if you buy it in California.
…Ok.
What’s your favourite time of the year?
Summer.
Why?
Because it’s the season that people umm…go on strike. And
you can go down the beach a lot.
Do you have a girlfriend?
No.
Do you want a girlfriend?
No.
Why? Because I don’t.
What five words best describe you?
That’s too hard for me. I can’t.
What’s the hardest thing about being a kid?
You have to do more…you have a lot of problems because you
have lots of bullies.
What’s the best thing about being a kid?
That if a ship is sinking, children get off first.
If you could have one super power, what super power would
you have?
Oooh. I can’t think...Telekinese.
Telekinesis?
Yeah.
What do you want for Christmas this year?
Mmm. Disney Infinity 2.0 if I don’t get it… if it isn’t….no.
No, not that. The Lego Movie video game. That’s the main one.
And now that I've shared the weird and wonderful musings of a nine year old loon, I have to return to my train journey of doom...making a concious effort not to accidentally glance over in the direction of the woman I'm pretty sure is still staring at me.
My four year old niece, Lauren, is a loon. When her older brother first laid eyes on her he said, "Welcome to this world" as if she was an alien rather than a newborn. At the time we thought nothing of it, but looking back he may have been on to something. At two months months old she started to growl at us. She has only very recently grown out of it.
"...my little diva..."
Cupcake Mumma has a cute little interview with her daughter on her blog called 43 Questions for Midge and I thought I'd steal the idea to try out with Lauren. Unfortunately, I knew my little diva wouldn't have the attention span or patience to sit through forty three questions so I cut it down a little.
When I turned up at my brother's house yesterday afternoon, Lauren answered the door in an Anna dress, high-heeled Snow White shoes, fairy wings, and a face full of make-up. Her left eye was covered in purple eyeshadow and the right eye was plastered with pink eyeshadow. I'm not entirely sure if she was trying to set a new trend with that one. Then she began dancing and referring to herself as Strawberry Girl. It was a while before I could sit her down to answer my questions, but the answers were...interesting.
The following is what happens when you ask a four year old loon questions about herself. Everything I say is in orange, Lauren's answers are in purple and side remarks from Ellis (he couldn't help himself) are in green.
What makes you happy?
....
What makes you happy?
....I'm thinking....
Oh, ok. Take your time.
...Playing with Ellis on Infinity.
What makes you sad?
When Ellis shouts at me when I want to play infinity.
That's a lie!
What makes you laugh?
Bursting balloons.
If you could do anything today what would you do?
Oooh. Anything? If I bought an Elsa doll like my Rapunzel doll with long hair and not any plaits. Elsa one...umm...with the dress.
How old are you?
Four.
How old am I?
*Shrugs*
Have a guess.
...Thirteen?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Princess.
Who is your best friend?
Tommy.
What is you favourite animal?
Oooh. Unicorn!
*Sigh*
What is your favourite song?
You know.
Let it go?
No.
Cutie Patootie?
No.
Underpuppy?
No.
Gangnam Style?
No! Wreck it Ralph! *Laughs hysterically*
What is your favourite food?
Chocolate.
Where is your favourite place to go?
Neverland.
What are you really good at?
You know. Balancing.
What are you not very good at?
Jumping.
What do you want for your birthday?
The Elsa doll like my Rapunzel one.
What did you do today?
Play princesses.
If you were invisible for a day what would you do?
Umm...go in front of them?
"...a four year old loon..."
So there you have it. It's like a window into the mind of a deranged person. When the questions were over, she looked at me and said, "Now I'm going to follow you wherever you go because I love you. I will follow you. Forever. You can't walk away from me."
"So...kind of like a stalker then?" I said.
"Yeah."
"Ok. Great."
But I want to leave you with this anecdote. Lauren went into my brother's room one morning, woke him up, leaned in close to his face and said, "Mam Morgan is going to die in one hundred sleeps." How creepy is that? We have it marked on the calendar. Just in case.
I'm back in Exeter, patiently waiting for my housemates to finish their exams and doing my utmost not to run into their study area with a bottle of tequila and demand someone entertains me. Instead, I've spent my afternoon looking up a half-decent questions tag for my blog (note to whoever writes these, 'what do you order at Starbucks?' is not an interesting or enlightening question). Eventually I found the fairytale tag and, as I am on board with anything Disney-related, I've spent my time typing away at this and avoiding housework. After all, I'm not Cinderella.
"I am on board with anything Disney-related"
Snow White - Do you consider yourself beautiful?
There are some variables to consider here. For instance, am I wearing make up? Did I just wake up? Am I sober? Sometimes I can look in the mirror and think, "Oh wow! I look great!" but I'm always treading the line between Beauty and the Beast and you never know which way it's going to go.
Sleeping Beauty - How many hours do you sleep at night?
Somewhere in the region of 10-12 hours a night, which is slightly excessive.
Cinderella - Do you have a curfew?
It would be rather ludicrous for my parents to officially implement a curfew now that I'm 22 years years old, have been living alone on and off for three years and have proven myself to be an upstanding member of society (most of the time). They always know exactly when I return home anyway because I've usually forgotten my keys and have to wake them up to let me in. I'm a joy to live with all round.
Rapunzel - Do you love being outside?
"I'm always treading the line between Beauty and the Beast"
I'm no hiker if that's where we're going with this. I have hayfever, I'm allergic to insect bites and camping is my idea of the ultimate torture. In a world where you can get a room in the Premier Inn for £20, why would you choose to sleep outside on the floor? But I'm more than happy to be outside if it's on a beach. A warm beach. A warm beach with men who bring me cocktails.
Unfortunately yes. There was the time Kirsty found me making friends with a large group of Iranian men who were giving away free champagne. Then there was the time Hayleigh and I agreed to follow a group of army officers in posh suits back to an after party in the Grand Hotel. (Free gin? Why not?) And who could forget the incident in Venice when I led my friends into a wine cellar because the waiter told me he owned it? And that he had a gondola.
The Wolf and The Seven Young Kids - Are you easy to fool?
See the above story concerning the man with the gondola who, in hindsight, had so obviously illegally broken into that wine cellar.
The Little Mermaid - What would you sacrifice for love?
I'm a true romantic. That said, I don't think I would ever willingly give up my voice the way The Little Mermaid did. I'm sure there are many people who wish I would, but it would take a seriously amazing man to convince me to shut up for more than five minutes. However, there's plenty I would give up. I'd move away, I'd spend all my money, I'd set aside my plans...I wouldn't give up my shoes, though. That's not negotiable.
The Frog King - What do you find disgusting?
There are many things I find disgusting, but what instantly pops to mind (probably due to some recent escapades) is the decline of chivalry. Call me sexist (I'm sure you will), but there is nothing more disgusting to me than a man who pushes past a woman in a queue, allows a door to slam in her face, or dashes for the last seat on the train and lets a girl stand. If this is progress, hand me an apron and count me out.
Jack and the Beanstalk - What plants do you have?
None. I have an excessive amount of mould growing in my bedroom in Exeter if that counts?
Puss in Boots - Do you have pets? If not, do you want them?
I have no pets. I have no desire to get pets. And I do not appreciate pet owners trying to force me to love their pets. You may see it as some kind of small child with fur, but I wouldn't take kindly to your real children slobbering over me and I don't appreciate it from the dog either.
Pinocchio - What is your biggest wish?
I've got my fingers crossed for a miracle. My nephew has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which is a progressive muscle-wasting disease. My biggest wish is for a cure. Yeah, I know, way to darken the mood.
Peter Pan - What is your mental age?
My mother calls me childish. I prefer to think of it as a youthful inner glow. After spending some time at home I realised just how much I have in common with my niece. We love the same films, I envy her amazing pink dresses, we discuss Barbie at length. So, from that, I would put my mental age at four. No. Four and a half.
"We discuss Barbie at length..."
The Star Money - What is your most valuable possession?
I have some fancy mod-cons, I have my cute little car, and, when my Nanna was alive, she used to buy me expensive earrings (which I am too terrified to wear). But I'm very sentimental. My most treasured possession would be something left behind by my grandparents, photos of me when I was tiny and adorable, or the weird gifts my niece and nephew get me.
The Princess and the Pea - Are you sensitive?
Yes. I especially react badly to being shouted at. My neighbour shouted at me a couple of weeks ago and I cried for four hours. That probably had more to do with the fact that my dissertation was due in a few days later and I hadn't slept in nights, but, either way, I am still slightly terrified of him.
Bluebeard - What is your weak point? Chocolate cake. That counts, right? So there are some random insights into my life based on beloved children's stories...and some stories that I've never heard of in my life. Now all I can think about is chocolate cake so I'm probably going to have to buy some. Seriously, I'll never be fairest of them all if I'm popping out of my jeans.
Let's make the most of the fact that for first time in a week I can get internet in my room and write a blog post. Yesterday my housemate Jess, the blogger behind Mismatched Knitwear, tagged me to do the Liebster Award. I have no idea who or what Liebster is, but these are the rules...
1. Include a link to the blog that tagged you.
2. Share 11 facts about yourself (11 seems like an odd number, but I'll roll with it)
3. Answer 10 questions put to you by the person who tagged you
4. Make up 10 new questions and tag some more bloggers to answer them.
Confused? I am...
11 Facts About Me
1.I have a crippling fear of cows. I don't know whether is the slow, lumbering way they move or the evil that is clearly lurking in their eyes, I am just terrified. Once, when I was younger, I was on a walk with my father when I noticed a cow lurking in the bushes. I screamed and fled and have never walked down that path again. To this day my father insists that the cow was just standing there, but clearly it was up to something malicious. 2. I am left handed. Let's just put that one out there now because I'm sick of people I've known for years randomly shrieking one day, "You're left handed? Since when?" Since birth. Let's all accept it and move on. 3. When I was born I was a jaundice baby. For those of you who don't know, jaundice is a pretty common condition in newborns that turns your baby an attractive yellow colour. The doctor told my mother to make sure I got plenty of sunlight to make it disappear faster. When I was a few days old my Nanna dropped by to check up on us, only to find my mother had left me out in the garden to bake in the noonday September sun in some kind of attempt to cook the jaundice out of me. My Nanna quickly pointed out that this was probably not what the doctor had had in mind. 4.My favourite food is Dominos. I know my dad is right when he says it tastes like cardboard, but I just can't get enough! 5. Most nights I dream about Disney World. I don't particularly spend a lot of time thinking about Disney World when I'm awake, but it somehow always manages to find a way to creep into my dreams. Usually I'm rushing to see the parade or meet Belle and recently my dream-self has spent a lot of time trying to get onto It's A Small World, which, for some reason, has an entryway so small you have to crawl through it. If any medical professionals would like to offer an opinion on what on earth is going on in my brain, please feel free. 6.I'm a godparent to both my niece and nephew. No one actually ever mentioned this to me and it was a bit of a shock when the vicar asked all the godparents to step forward. The first I knew of it was when my mother poked me in the back and hissed, "Move, that's you." 7. I don't like gravy. Go ahead and judge. 8. I love Halloween. Ever since I was little my dad made a big deal of it. It started out with him making a few creepy decorations and screwing in coloured bulbs. Eventually it got to the point where our entire house would be transformed, inside and out. One year complete strangers dropped by to take pictures of it (Halloween isn't a big deal in the UK like it is in the US...except in my house). Some of my best memories are of Halloween and now that I'm a grown up it's my job to scare Ellis and Lauren. 9. My eyes are so big that my eyelids don't cover them when I blink. I need eyedrops. Yes, I'm a freak. 10. I am pretty much always cold. There are not enough layers in the world to get me through winter in my student house and, when I'm at home, I have to put the heating on full and curl up next to the radiator while everyone else slowly melts. 11. I organise my wardrobe by colour and I am in no way ashamed of this.
Jess' Questions
1. Where did the name for your blog come from?
I don't particularly like the name of my blog. It just kind of happened. I wanted to start writing about all the random stuff that was going on in my brain and didn't have the patience to sit and think about the fundamentals of the blog itself. 2. What was the last thing you ate?
Bran Flakes. Is there a more boring food? 3. What is the weirdest thing someone has searched for to find your blog?
I always hear these great stories about the weird and wonderful keywords that can lead to your blog. Unfortunately, the only thing anyone has ever searched to find me is twentyoddball. 4.What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
I'm judging myself right now, but the first thing I do is look at my phone to see if the Beacon has text me. Loser! 5. What was the last GOOD film that you watched?
I watch a lot of bad films. The other day Kirsty and I watched Boogeyman 3. I can't imagine how Boogeyman 1 and 2 proved so popular that it was necessary to make a third, but it does exist. The last good film I watched was Frozen. I loved that, Tangled, and the Princess and the Frog. Finally Disney are making good films again! 6. What was you New Year's resolution? Have you stuck to it so far?
My resolution this year was a bit of a tricky one. Basically it was to get my life together. Get more organised, spend less time in bed, get fit and healthy, stop wasting so much money and so on. I've definitely improved in some areas, but it's an ongoing process. That's how I can justify being in bed right now. 7. What is the 'go-to' song on your Ipod?
Oh Jess, why would you ask this? Generally speaking, I refuse to let my Ipod embarrass me. I fully admit that my music tastes are...individual and varied. I'm aware that the amount of Britney Spears is probably disturbing for some people and the lack of house music or whatever annoying noise my housemates listen to probably makes me very uncool.
But I am ashamed to admit that recently my go-to song has been my 4 year old niece's favourite, LOL by Isabella Barrett and Eden Wood. I need to link the video so you can see why it grieves me, but be warned. It will be stuck in your head forever.
8. If you could pass 1 law right now, what would it be?
Twentyoddball is not the place we go to to talk politics so I'm not going to give this much serious thought. I do think they should ban airbrushing because if you've seen that weird gif that's going around the internet of a model being 'touched up' you'll know how freaky it all is.
9. What is your proudest achievement?
Tough question! Probably winning a Blue Peter badge. My dad used to tell me that when he was little he'd always wanted one. I didn't tell anyone I was submitting anything and when I won and they sent me the badge I felt so proud that I could give it to my dad and he could finally have his own. He still has it framed in his bedroom. 10. Tell us an embarrassing story.
My life is just a series of embarrassing stories! Where to even begin?
When I was in my first year of uni I lived at the bottom of Cardiac Hill, which, if you can imagine, if even worse than it sounds. One day I had a 9am seminar (boo!) and I hadn't felt too great when I first got up. But I ate some breakfast, packed my bag, and made my way up the hill. Then I got to the top...and collapsed. No one seemed particularly bothered about my being sprawled on the grass with by head in my bag, but I did get a few funny looks when I came to and had to lay on the floor for 15 minutes before I could walk back home. I did not enjoy that.
Ok, so now I have to tag some bloggers to answer some questions of my choosing (all of which will probably be totally bizarre).
So Bethan Jane and Ashleigh, it's all on you.
1. What's at the top of your wishlist right now?
2. What was your most ridiculous hairstyle?
3. What would be your plan of action in a zombie apocalypse?
4. What's your signature dish?
5. What was the most random thing that happened in 2013?
6. Do you still sleep with a teddy? (I won't deny that I am guilty of this)
7. If you had to be a Muppet, which Muppet would you be?
8. What has been your best ever bargain?
9. What is your weird food addiction?
10. What is the worst item of clothing/outfit you own?
So there we are Liebster, whoever you are. I hope that's done to your satisfaction.
Hi! I'm Aimee. I'm a blogger, Youtuber and full-time loon. I may be stumbling through life with no clue which direction I'm heading in, but at least I'm wearing good shoes.
As much as I love that weirdly satisfying found of newly fallen leaves crunching underfoot, my absolute favourite thing about Autumn is Halloween. Carving pumpkins, watching Hocus Pocus, erecting a graveyard in the front garden to terrify trick-or-treaters...I love it all. Over the years some of my best memories have been of Halloween parties or of helping my dad put together ridiculous props and hauling all the boxes of decorations down from the attic..JPG)
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