October 31. Day 305. Spooky

 

Jack-o-'lanterns are, apparently, a way of protecting your home against the undead. Phooey. 

I know children are typically not fond of vegetables but really a pumpkin is not exactly terrifying. Get your act together, Undead.

Having said that, however, the decaying mouldy flesh of a fruit-fly-infested pumpkin is a huge gross out.

Like this one. The people a few doors up had what looked like a completely awesome Halloween Party on Saturday night (my invitation obviously got lost in the letterbox).

Clearly someone had got their carving knife out and a series of  jack-o-'lanterns lined the entrance.

Cobwebs, bats and other spooky paraphernalia also abound.

Five days later it is still there obviously waiting for the real Halloween today.

I haven't seen any undead around the place (with the possible exception of my own face in the mirror at 5am) so I assume the carved pumpkins have done their job.

They have been far less successful is keeping away the types of vermin that like to feast on rotting vegetable matter. Trick or treat all right.

It's very popular to be dismissive of Halloween and poo poo it as an another infiltration of American culture into Australia.

I say any excuse to dress up and to get to know the neighbours a bit better should be embraced.

But I stick to my assertion of a few years back that we should make a local adaptation to the old tradition.

If Aussie kids are going to demand lollies with the threat of menace, they should dress up as Ned Kelly.

Boo!