Monster Cat Encounter

How many monkeys does it take to score free candy?

Just one!

All hallows eve began with a wonderful dinner with our buddies Christy and Michael who are the parents of Sylvia's good buddy Annabelle. We all trooped out the door, mostly costumed, to take the neighborhood on.

Witches and
monkeys on the move.

Sylvia, never the shrinking violet, quickly got the hang of the drill: "trick or treat" followed by immediately digging around in the bowl for a handful of sweets.

Sylvia and Annabelle with bags weighed down.

Piratical papa attempting to keep in his daughter's good graces to score candy.

Evening ended with monster cat encounter...

Tales from the Crib

All Hallows eve finds the shortest amongst us a bit taller than before. And this time the Duck of Terror has been discarded for the even more terrifying Ladybug of Doom!!!!

 Since we Portlanders will do anything that involves a brewpub we carted our dudded up child and selfs to the local McMenamin's brewery for the big costume candy trick-or-treat-a-thon. I took this picture below to ensure that my trusty readers (hi mom!) would get a sense of the fantastic costumes and frivolity that ensued. Instead I managed to take a single shot that not only fails to capture anything fun but also does not reveal a single child or costume.

(For those who look closely you'll see the

guy is wearing a Boston College Hockey sweatshirt.

Go BC, I guess.)

Luckily this shot has frivolity and cuties so I am redeemed.

Despite the fact that "trick or treat" is still beyond Sylvia's vocabulary, we managed a pretty good haul.

Here, Sylvia inspects her optimistically large bag. 

And Ronald McDonald on his day off, as I was christened by the check-out clerk at the QFC, shares in the bounty.

Cute!

 

Cuter!!!

The Dangerous Duck of All Hallows Eve

It is said that ducks can't be scary. A more false claim was never made. There is a Portland legend, spoken in hushed tones over organic coffee, of a 19 inch yellow duck that strikes fear and terror in the hearts of even the most grim bicycle courier. One night a year this tiny duck, really no more than a duckling, stalks the streets of Stumptown in search of sweet candy and human flesh. Now, in a DinnertablePDX exclusive, we present pictures of this dangerous duck.

(People of nervous demeanor or subject to night terrors should not read on).

What is that in the distance?
A faint, scary, yellow blur.

See how the scary ducky attacks her little thumb.
Squeal!

Chocolate can appease this dangerous duck.

(Thanks neighbor Wendy!)

Perhaps this poor man's last moments before the duck attacks.
See how it lulls him into a false sense of safety.
Then the duck fangs come out.

All Hallows Eve

It is an annual tradition at Aurelia's work for the managers to dress up on Halloween and parade around the floor for the amusement of the staff. Last year they went as witches (I'm not sure who suggested that one) and this year they went for pirates. Aurelia spent a moderate amount of time searching for the appropriate swashbuckler attire and here is the result. (She's the timber shivering pirate on the far right applying her sword cheerfully to a scurvy ridden knave).



I, being less organized, ended up dressing in last years' costume (actually purchased for a bachelor party) which is why I'm publishing last years picture. Any different between this image and how I appear now, one year later, is purely a digital artifact.

Viva Las Vegas!