It’s heading on for Halloween. I have signed up for the annual adult Halloween social for the AIC which Kirstin hosts, but honestly I hate dressing up. Every time I have to, I try to find the easiest, most simple costume idea I can…one that doesn’t involve a lot of shopping or face paint or elaborate things to put on. I signed up for 2 people but Anders doesn’t usually want to go if he can avoid it, so I might end up going by myself.
Last year, I went with both kids and Karin came up with a super easy fun idea. We were an Oreo cookie and all I had to do was wear a white shirt, and the kids wore black shirts with cardboard cookie halves that Karin and I painted the day before. Karin won’t be in town this year and Martin is working, so I’m stuck for ideas.
We have a work Halloween thing too and everyone wants to do some kind of team costume. Which…ugh. The only one I’ve seen that I thought was good was to go as Pantone colors, which requires only wearing a colorful shirt, and having a huge cut-out Pantone card with the Pantone code on it which corresponds to the shirt color. Pretty funny for a bunch of designers, but I suspect it won’t win any prizes. I also have a dentist appointment immediately before the work thing starts so I’ll barely make it back in time (maybe I can just be late…). Last year I convinced everyone to go as a bunch of pairs of blue “Jeans” which was also super easy. Blue hairspray and denim/blue clothing and nametags that said “Jean” or “Gene”. The Swedes didn’t really get it, though.
I used to have black felt cat ears on barrettes and a red cat collar in human size so I could just wear black and paint whiskers on my face. Maybe I’ll do that one again. I still have the collar I think. I’d just have to recreate the cat ears.
We have a huge duffel bag full of costume bits and pieces in the front hall closet, but we’ve used most of them so many times I don’t really want to resort to that if I can avoid it. There are hats and some wigs, and masks, and various other things. I think our burlap Viking tunics are still in there as well as the royal robes.
I still have 2 weeks before I have to get my shit together, at least, but I guess it’s good to start thinking about it now. The kids are supposed to come home with their significant others next Sunday for pumpkin carving and dinner, which should be fun. Neither Theo nor Olivia has ever carved a pumpkin, as I understand it. Deprived children. And I need to get Halloween candy soon, too.
The weather is already very autumn-y. Suddenly cold, windy, rainy, grey. It’s dark much earlier too, and even if there is sun for a bit during the day, it doesn’t seem to want to stick around, and it’s dark in the mornings, so it’s harder to get up. The trees have been changing, those that have bright fall colors, since a week or so ago, and many are dropping their leaves. And while I haven’t actually seen a sugar beet on the side of the road yet, which is my signal that it’s officially fall, I HAVE seen harvested long piles of sugar beets along the edges of the fields waiting to be fetched for the sugar factory in Örtofta.
Autumn used to be my favorite time of year, but after this long in Sweden, I find myself just wanting to make it through fall and winter so spring can arrive.
Mood: chilly
Music: The Pierces—Kings