It's Halloween! It's Halloween!

Our celebration began with cupcakes. Then, at about 3:15 p.m., we decided to don our costumes.

Isn't she lovely? Her sister is, too, even if she is playing at being a zombified version of a Victorian lady.

Now this is more like it.

Hey! Can you guess what my costume is? Here's a hint: It's a character from some of the Misses' favorite childhood books.

Two trick-or-treaters rang the doorbell -- repeatedly! -- at 3:49 p.m. Miss M-mv(i) excitedly greeted them, complimented their costumes, and dropped candy into their sacks. We've been sitting in the living room, clad in costumes and an air of expectation ever since.

You see, in the seven previous Halloweens, we have had precisely one trick-or-treater. Yes, you read that correctly. It was last year. We were relaxing in the living room when we heard an insistent banging at the back door. "Who is that?" I asked loudly, querulously. And then we realized, It's Halloween! It's Halloween!

We scrambled for the cutest Halloween basket ever and arrived at the door, breathless. What must that child and his parents have thought of the three of us, crowded into the door frame, thrusting fistfuls of candy into the sack, and all but shouting, "Hello! Happy Halloween! You look great!"

____________________________________________

We -- the Misses, in particular -- have high hopes for this Halloween. One of their earliest observations about the forever home is that it's more readily accessible -- sidewalks, street lights, swell neighbors, and all. "Maybe we'll actually get some trick-or-treaters." And, oh, how excited they were earlier this month, when the October practice schedule was released and they realized that they would actually be home to dispense treats.

Wait. What was that? The doorbell!?! Happy Halloween, readers, thinkers, and autodidacts!