All Hallows Eve, '09

Hooray for the Black and Orange! My brother. He celebrates everything. Not only that, he and wife decorate for every little holiday and semi-holiday. They even make up a few of their own. Don't remember the last time I celebrated Halloween and don't believe I've costumed up for it since I was a kid. I have worn costumes from time to time as I am a closet ham actor. Dressing in costume frees one somehow, and one can let loose and get away with things one normally couldn't or wouldn't try. So, brother and wife want to know if we will go down to Bridgid's and hear one of their favorite music makers Uncle Shurley. Never heard of Aunt Shirley, and surely haven't heard of Uncle Shurley. "And don't call me Shirley." We say why not? We accept the invitation, and over they come to pick us up. Alas, wouldn't you know they are in costume, and brought partial costuming for us. Silly we be feeling, Barbara and I and grab a wig, and rumble through drawers to add to the pretense, and an illusion begins.

Halloween seems to have come by the Celtics, a superstitious people that lived in what is now Ireland, France, and Great Britain. The Celts had themselves a fire festival and feast that they called Samhain ("sow-en) or "All Hallows Eve" on the 31st of October. The colors black and orange are associated with the celebrations, perhaps because of the darkness of night and the color of fire, autumn leaves, and pumpkins.

Some good trivia. Did you know that the first official Halloween in the USA took place in Anoka, Minnesota in 1921? Eeek!

Cap'n Jackie the Sparrow. Showin' of 'er girl curls. Believe it or not this woman 'ave not one but two black cats, in addition to bats in 'er belfry with the butterfly chimes. Thank goodness she keeps her ladders 'anging not standing in the garage.
Cap'n William the Kidder. That be a frog in his pocket just in case he be needin' to mix up a potion of number nine, which he need from time to time.

I took my troubles down to Madame Rue

You know that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth

She's got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine

Sellin' little bottles of Love Potion Number Nine

I told her that I was a flop with chicks

I've been this way since 1956

She looked at my palm and she made a magic sign

She said "What you need is Love Potion Number Nine"

Princess Aurora, she drives a boreali-bus. A magnetic personality, she dances at night in oh so many colorful ways.
Big Sur Lance A. Lott. That's what he said anyway. After that he didn't talk. But kept this sly, michievous grin about him, like he knew something about Eskimo Girls that none of the rest of us knew or had any clue. Perhaps he be a temperate Templar. Hard to know for sure.
Glinda, the Good. A wholesome Witch indeed, not at all crafty and with just a touch of Frances Ethel Gumm. Her favorite course in school? Why spelling of course.
The Halloween Five, prepare to go bobbing for apples. Will it be trick or treat? In my book of spells? Tricks are treats.
Blood brothers form a pact. We shall search for wenches, while listening to Iron Maiden.

And if you're taking a walk through the garden of life

What do you think you'd expect you would see?

Just like a mirror reflecting the moves of your life

And in the river reflections of me

Just for a second a glimpse of my father I see

And in a movement he beckons to me

And in a moment the memories are all that remain

And all the wounds are reopening again

We're blood brothers, we're blood brothers

Cap'n's Jackie and Billy have pirating in common and soon dock up.
Aye, and chivalry be not dead after all as Lance shows a little teeth as he kisses the hand of Aurora. She seems pleased. How often can it be that a man genuflect afore ye? Me thinks often me thinks. He shall assure safe passage on her pilgrimage.
And partnerships prevail, with a blessing by Rev. Jack O'Lantern.
The double partnership travels by coach over to the land of Bixby to pick up a witchy woman.
Glinda, Jackie and Aurora pose for a photo. But there has to be trouble ahead, look at 'em.

I see the bad moon arising.

I see trouble on the way.

I see earthquakes and lightnin'.

I see bad times today.

Don't go around tonight,

Well, it's bound to take your life,

There's a bad moon on the rise.

I hear hurricanes ablowing.

I know the end is coming soon.

I fear rivers over flowing.

I hear the voice of rage and ruin.

Hope you got your things together.

Hope you are quite prepared to die.

Looks like we're in for nasty weather.

One eye is taken for an eye.

John Fogerty

Poor Glinda, her mate Derrick the Plumber hath chosen to stay home with the goblins whilst she goes searching for cornstalks and pumpkins with the likes of pirates and princesses and knights, oh my.
Fiddle Annie flashes a smile after the flash of her camera shooting photos of all who come through her doors. She is costumed as a proprietor of a brew coven. An Irish lass, she has an alias, but I promised not to tell.
Pete the voyeur, or was it voyageur. I can't recall. But it doesn't look like he's been portaging now does it?
Janice "Static" Cling. She'll never get cold feet no matter the weather nor challenge.
I'm not sure who she is, but what an excellent companion for the Invisible Man. Some were thankful they wore their robes, but not all.
The Rev. Jim Jones, kool-aid pocketed, show up with 60's radical Angela Davis. Seems like an odd couple. Does it not?
Aye, soon we'll be teamin' up with Long John Silver and keel haulin' any land lubber who might be gettin' in our way, and be searchin' for Treasure's Island while proudly flyin' the Jolly Roger.

Fifteen men on a dead man's chest

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

When I look out my window,

Many sights to see.

And when I look in my window,

So many different people to be

That it's strange, so strange.

You've got to pick up every stitch,

You've got to pick up every stitch,

You've got to pick up every stitch,

Mm, must be the season of the witch,

Must be the season of the witch, yeah,

Must be the season of the witch.

Donovan

Lookin' at the Princess, he looks more like Knight Temporal than a Knight Templar.
And the princess lookin' back, is amazed at how the Knight does not change the apparent permanent smirk upon his face. Hmmm, what is he thinking?

Arghhhhhhhhhh Matey! And shiver me timbers, seems to be missin' most of me lower teeth. Oh yes, and look at those gray roots.
Jackie Sparrow shows all a tiny black pearl she found on her last voyage with a skeleton crew.

How can a pirate captain tell if his crew is getting impatient?

The crew keeps asking "AAARrrgh we there yet?!"

Father Time and the Boys remind us all that time waits for no one. But it's all about relativity and a woman or two.

Passing the Time (Ginger Baker and Mike Taylor of Cream)

It is a cold winter, Away is the songbird.

And gone is her traveller, She waits at home.

The sun is on holiday, No leaves on the trees.

The animals sleep

While cold North wind blows.

The snowflakes are falling, The roof a white blanket.

There's ice on the window pane, She waits alone.

She sits by the fireside, The room is so warm.

Her children are sleeping, She waits in their home.

Passing the time.

Passing the time, everything fine.

Passing the time, having the wine.

Passing the time, drinking red wine.

Passing the time, drinking red wine.

Passing the time, wine and time rhyme.

Passing the time.

It is a long winter, Away is the summer.

She waits for her traveller, So far from home.

She sits by the fireside, The room is so warm.

There's ice on the window, She's lonely alone.

Peek-a-boo I see you

Hiding behind your hands

Peek-a-boo I see you

Hiding behind your hands.

First I see a little nose

Then two little eyes

Then I say “Oh my, it’s you!”

What a big surprise!