The migration alarm clock went off a few days ago, and all the geese and ducks s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out their necks and shook their wings and took off, in great wavering ropes of v’s. Once again, I think they are all going the wrong way, but who am I to argue with the geese? Martin counts them and with each progressively longer string of birds, gets more and more excited that winter is on the way.

Yesterday, after being put to bed on time, bathed and brushed and read to, and tucked in at 8 p.m., Martin could not get to sleep. He usually reads books until around 9 when I come in and tell him that’s enough, put the book down, it’s time to go to sleep. Last night at 10 I had to do it again, because he was still awake when I came in to turn his light off. A little bit later he came into the computer room, where I was working and said he couldn’t fall asleep because he couldn’t stop thinking about “scary things.”

A bit of digging on my part revealed that he had read some scary book at school earlier that day and it was that he couldn’t stop thinking of. All the books he had read after getting into bed hadn’t helped. We talked a bit, and we got his stuffed dog to snuggle with, and I propped the last book he was reading up beside the bed and told him to look at that until he could fall asleep. After a few more reassurances and kisses, I left the room.

15 minutes later he was crying, and when I went back in his room, said it didn’t help! Nothing helped! Final solution: Call Grandma Linda in America and let her talk to him. THAT worked, and he finally conked out.

This morning I was informed by a solemn-faced little boy that ghosts are just souls that miss us and want to be near us and don’t know where to go. They aren’t mean or evil or scary, even though movies and TV might portray them so. I know we went through something similar before Halloween last year as well. No scary pumpkin faces or scary costumes for Martin! He still remembers the fright he had when he was 3 years old at the AWC Halloween Party when a very tall man in a scary dinosaur suit loomed over him and frightened the bejeezus out of him before pulling off his mask and apologizing and introducing himself as Michael.

Martin still remembers Michael. I hope that he also remembers the reassurances that Grandma gave him last night, and that these night fears ease.

To Do List: Finish ATC’s for swap and mail them, finish painting new art desk, edit verian‘s poetry, pick up AWC directory from printer, edit photos for family website, finish AWC website, do AWC newsletter, carve pumpkins!