Halloween this year would pass with no little monsters battering my front door and grabbing goodies as though their life depended on it; I would make sure of that, I decided. On my last trundle round the supermarket I eyed the shelves of pumpkins askance, and determined to ignore the whole thing, on the grounds that this totally American import of Trick or Treat was one we British could do without.
Having taken this grouchy decision, as darkness fell last night, I betook me to a secluded room, hunched over my cauldron, donned my pointy hat and prepared my potions. Drips and drops of gaudy liquids were added to my selection of gruesome, ground up ingredients. My marble pestle and mortar worked overtime and the toughest bone was reduced to the finest powder in the twinkling of a bat's eye.
Secret incantations left my lips, as one by one, the ingredients added their noxious elements to my witch's brew. By the time the moon began to light the dimmest corners of my hidey-hole, the work was complete. An eerie, luminous steam rose from the cauldron's mouth as I carried it to the open window and placed it on the sill. Slowly, slowly it drifted out and up, up over the neighbouring houses and gardens, billowing, ballooning, growing, until eventually it had infiltrated everywhere.
And what, you may ask, was the end result of this wizardry? I am exceedingly happy to report, not even the tiniest ghoul dared darken my doorstep with its outstretched hand begging for treats. None of the houses round about were bothered by begging bowls, either, so I climbed upon my broomstick for one last tour of inspection before bed, well pleased with my evenings work... I'd have to remember to use the same spell next October the thirty first.
Okay, Jinksy, you can send the cats home now...I take it you're done potioning and flying? Lillibet isn't used to being out so late! LOL...you are a hoot!
ReplyDeleteSandi
Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteyou' re a character right out of an rk rowland book, i remember you in the great womb of elohium our god of this world...don't you remember???????????we all had tea and crumpets in the preexittance a\swari near th old tower in kolob....the star nearest the throne of god....some of my religious theology is in therre.....did you ever read my council of eggs jinksey????,love putzy
ReplyDelete"Witch Jinksy" sounds very natural...I don't need to ask for the witch's brew ingredients for my cauldron, for we never get any beggars back our lane, except for grandkids of course!
ReplyDeleteWas this potion an eye of newt and toe of frog thing, Jinksy or more in the way of honey, whisky and lemon juice?
ReplyDeleteDon't you have another costume day over there? Seems to me that I've seen something else on your telly.
ReplyDeleteOur Chinese neighbours hand out stock cubes. The children tend not to come back. :-D
ReplyDeleteYou can get those at Sainsbury's, whereas wool of bat and owlet's wing are a bit more difficult aren't they?
I gave out worthless GM stock certificates this years.
ReplyDeleteMy my....
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say?
I hope you have a bewitching day!
Smiles to you from Jackie
Living up an unlit, unadopted lane seems to have he same effect as your potions! All quiet here last night.
ReplyDeletemy council of eggs around i6february 2009 a must read if you want to understand my theology....in my archives, you can't miss it if you get to my blog and my side bar and feb and push council of eggs
ReplyDeleteyou mean old hag!
ReplyDeleteno kids trudge up my dark drive either and if they did I'd tell them that sweets (candy? bah humbug) are bad for their teeth and that I was fresh out of shillings.
jinsky, I thing trick or treating originated in United Kingdom, though I have to admit I have never looked it up just something I grew up with......I had just over 30 little spooks last night and they were so cute, bees, pumpkins, princesses, angels, even Michael Jackson's....oh jinksy they brought me many smiles only wish there had been more..:-) Hugs
ReplyDeleteAnd a wonderful night it was. You told it so well. Thanks for letting me do the photo shoot. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, you little meanie, but incredibly well written, every word a gem!
ReplyDeletesheeesh, am i glad i live very far away from you, heee heee heee
ReplyDeleteWell this is the first time in years I handed out any treats. When I worked no one here in the house wanted to do it. The last time I was able to do it I almost froze sitting outside. I would sit at the end of our driveway, with a pumpkin light and the treats, saved them running helter skelter through the yard and shrubs.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I must admit, this year the little ones were all accompanied by adults and I don't think there were any over the age of about 10 that came around. We had a total of around 50, which was a low number. I think it was partly because most of the surrounding towns also held theirs on the same night. Some years in the past, they would hold them on different nights, then we would ahve cars and trucks drop off loads of kids from other towns. Most trick or treaters we ever had was around 225.
The only reason I handed out treats, the daughter and granddaughter living with us at the moment bout Tootsie Roll Pops to pass out. I knew none of the kids or there parents that came around. Mostly in our neighbor, we've all lived here for quite a while and we're all retired. This year I also had a radio playing a spooky CD. That seemed to interest the kids more than anything. LOL
I have a feeling next year, I will also be hiding in the back of the house making some potions. LOL
Halloween must be moving further east with each passing year. Our neighborhood was near bereft of kids. We had ONE child come to our door, which was an all-time low. I shall now no doubt contract diabetes as a result of eating all the leftover sweets.
ReplyDeleteMust have reached this far because we didn't get a single kid either.
ReplyDeleteIt has come a long way since we used to do it when I was a kid.
ReplyDeletesuch fun writing!! Wonderful :)
ReplyDeletelove to you my friend
xxsm
Hello Jinksy,
ReplyDeleteCan't believe you are really that nasty! Perhaps it's because I've lived in rural parts of Scotland for 20 years but I've never seen a trick or treatster. As a child I have been known to ask for a "penny for the guy" or sing a Christmas carol at a neighbour's door, in hope!
Our island celebrates "Hoptunaey" (that's the phonetic spelling, teehee). Traditionally, they carved turnips, but seeing as how hard it is to carve a turnip, most have swapped over to pumpkins thesedays. Actually, we grew pumpkins this year and had a bumper batch! Instead of yelling "trick or treat", the kids sing the Hoptunaey song (it's all in Manx, so they could actually be cussing us out for all I know). We NEVER get kids a-calling on the off-chance, our drive is too long for their efforts, but my poor 16 come 6yr old still gets all hyped up and excited at the prospect (I've been known to bribe his siblings to drag a few of their friends our way in past years). I have to confess it's Guy Fawkes night that makes me want to go into hiding - shudder - not that I ever succeed (sigh).
ReplyDeleteOh you wicked witch ;-)
ReplyDeleteGive me the recipe for next year!
ReplyDeleteNuts in May
Jinksy - you kill me. I laughed aloud while I was reading this. I so enjoy how you knit your strings of words together into a work of art! You are a crafty witch indeed!
ReplyDeleteA post to cause one to laugh out loud. Good one, Jinksy. Keep them coming.
ReplyDelete