Nicole and Danny put on their second fireplace play tonight. It was a five act play that took place at a karate place, in an ambulance, and at a hospital. Kelly alternated between audience member and actor.
The origin of the play was Halloween, since Danny wore much of his Ninja costume. The plot was weak, not unlike other marshal arts films. Often the actors planned the next scene as they fought out the current one. At one point the play stopped as the leading man took a bathroom break.
Kelly took it all in stride. Since so many things are new to her, the unusual play that took place on her fireplace stage was nothing to be concerned about.
Last night, she quickly accepted the bizarre ritual of monsters and fairies ringing our doorbell, shouting, and receiving candy. She was perplexed at first, looking from door, to candy, to parent, to sibling, back to door, then back to candy. After the first trick ‘o treaters left, she seemed to review the bizarre event again in her mind. After a few calls, Halloween became standard operating procedure.
It was the coldest Halloween night I remember. That didn’t stop Ninja Danny and Clown Nicole from scoring over 100 pieces of candy each. Nicole counted 103. Danny gave up on the count. The mid-thirties temperature kept Kelly from her first trick o’ treat.
The two oldest spread out all of their candy to be grouped in piles on the floor. Kelly found this to much to resist, and made repeated raids on the nearest pile, which happened to belong to her tolerant brother. She would rush into the stack, squat while Danny was not looking, and pick up something. If it looked promising, she would hasten back to my lap to share it with me. Most of the things I threw back to Danny, but I couldn’t turn down one of her favorites, a purple Charms pop. She sat on my lap for a long time, enjoying the sucker, and occasionally giving me a lick.
The jack o lanterns that Kathy and I spent hours carving, were a big hit. Both Danny and Nicole had pumpkins from Harry’s that weighed more than 20 pounds but only cost $2.99. Kelly’s pumpkin weighed in at only half that.