Hallowe’en

My days of carving faces into turnips and latterly pumpkins are long over. Hallowe’en was never been  so commercialised as it is today. In my childhood back in the day the lanterns were carved out of turnips with huge effort because it was really hard work. I can still smell the singed turnip when the candle was burning inside. It is much easier now to carve pumpkins, the modern festival having been taken over by America and hugely commercialised. The guising outfits are complicated and expensive unless you have a creative streak and are able to make something cheaply. Neither is it considered safe to let the children guise round the houses on their own, an adult has to accompany them for safety.

I remember guising as a child reciting or singing a song in return for pennies not sweets which I imagine were still on ration. Nowadays it’s maybe  money and sweets

My book group met this morning to discuss ‘The Most Fun We Ever Had’ by Claire Lombardo. We gave it 3.5 out of 5 - overly long and jumping between characters and time. 
The cake seemed to go down well but there were no rave comments. I thought it was a success though and am relieved I won’t have to bake or host again for 6 months.