Scaredy ghosts

We were visited in the night by the Candy Ghoul! Apparently this is a neighbourhood tradition. Someone, unknown, leaves a small bag of sweets on your doorstep after dark, with instructions for you to do the same for three other neighbours. The bag also contains a drawing of a ghost to tape by your front door to show that you have already been visited.

Needless to say, the kids were thrilled, and just as excited to be the Candy Ghoul themselves. But when it came down to it, one of the houses they chose to visit was just too spooky to get close to after dusk, so they ended up throwing the sweets onto the drive and running home as fast as they could.

Generally speaking these days, if the kids aren't at school they are at a Hallowe'en fancy-dress party. But when by chance they find themselves at home they like to devote time to the domestic arts. The Girl continues to cook with enthusiasm (though she's still not at all interested in food), and serves up cups of tea given the least bit of encouragement.

Meanwhile the Boy has taken up sewing in a big way and is proving very adept at cross-stitch embroidery. He has spent hours working on a sampler today - here's a sneak preview of his work-in-progress. Apart from needle-threading and knotting he gets on by himself, and we sit together with our sewing like a couple of nice old ladies - except that from time to time my companion breaks into songs about toilets, which most of the nice old ladies I know tend not to do.