Yes, we're grateful for being safe and well, and for having local friends we "pod" with -- watching each other's children a few days a week and doing things safely together.
But we thought a month ago we'd be able to play Captain Hook make Halloween walk the plank and be done with it. But then our daughters and their friends Peter Panned us into it; Halloween was on.
Trick or treating wasn't really going to be an option this year. But then one of our friend families had the brilliant idea to have a haunted house. Or, more accurately, a haunted garden that started in the front of their house, went around one side of the house, through the backyard and then out the open garage for treats. The whole time keeping every one we invited socially distanced and wearing masks (again, it was Halloween).
We had scary fun set up throughout the haunted garden walk -- including my little pirate area. "Arrrrrr, you scurvy dogs, stay away from my treasure!" While not quite Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean, we gave it our best shot.
Our friends who hosted our haunted garden added their own take on the dark musical Cabaret on their front porch, and then we had zombie teddy bears, edible eyes and entrails as the entrance attraction. Our pod kids were the haunted garden guides. We had ghost projections on the window and spooky side effects throughout the journey. The side of the house was full of jump scares and then our Halloween guests could get their fortunes read. After my pirate scene, their were giant spiders and then a zombie graveyard with one of our friend's son dressed all in black slinking around and scaring everyone. Then there was a ghoul bride swinging on a swing next to a corpse on a cot. Then a madman jumped on a trampoline and a witch who brewed magic over a fire. Then the haunted garden ended with passage through a body shop replete with sawing sound effects. Yikes! Those who dared to complete the journey were rewarded with treats.
We had no idea how many would come to our haunted garden tour, and in the end, there were quite a few who did. So, going rogue this Halloween paid off, giving a few folks the opportunity for a little normalcy in a very abnormal world. It's like we've all been living in this haunted garden on a remote island with no means of escape, and 2020 is an angry, drunk pirate who keeps scaring us, stealing our stuff, throwing up everywhere and getting us all sick.
But fortune favors the bold, and there is still much beauty in our garden to fight for, and lots of love and hope as well. Time to boot that rotten pirate!
Other "Days of Coronavirus" posts:
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