Fillet of a fenny snake, in the cauldron boil and bake: eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog, adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting, lizard’s leg and howler’s wing, for a charm of pow’rful trouble, like a hell-broth boil and bubble. — Second Witch, “Macbeth,” IV:1

Get the candy ready!  We can’t wait to go Trick or Treating.

October is Mom’s favorite month.  She really likes this time of year and always decorates the house and yard with stuff that has an “Autumnal” theme, which of course includes lots of Halloween decorations.

We had visitors this month.  Uncle Barry, Aunt Lucy, Uncle Brian, Aunt Rosemary, Aunt Janet, Granny and Pop-Pop were all here during the first weekend of the month.  We also had four dogs running amok: Captain, Gunston, Piggy and one named Buttons who Mom was dog-sitting for a friend.  Ross said we were having a “Dog-a-Palooza.”

Mom, Granny and all the Aunts went to the Waterford Fair.  Pop-Pop and the Uncles watched football games and drank lots of beer.  We all went out to dinner at Red, Hot and Blue one night and had pizza at Giovanni’s the next night.

During the last week of our summer vacation, we went on a field trip to see the Natural Bridge of Virginia.  It was really impressive.

We went back to school the Tuesday after Labor Day.  When we left the house to get on the school buses that day, our dog Cappy was really sad.  Now we have to get used to getting up early, doing homework, going to bed early, and that other stuff that we have to do until next spring.