Hallowe'en 2009

We had a Hallow’en Party here at the Grand Court.

It featured costumed residents/staff, as well as a Karaoke Operator with HUNDREDS of selections of Song Accompaniments and arrangements of well known singers. Many staff, and some residents sang.

I had seen pictures of last year’s party, when we weren’t here, and I tried to imagine me in a costume, and couldn’t come up with an idea. I wasn’t very interested, actually.

About a week before, I mentioned to someone that I didn’t have a costume, and Timi overheard, and told me she had one I could borrow.

Only, it was a Pope Costume - or maybe just a Bishop - or some other fomal clergy I’m not up on. I was a little hesitant to put on a “horror mask” with that outfit, but Timi said last year, she was considering wearing it, and asked several Catholics if they would be offended by it.

All said “No”.

So, “throwing all caution to the wind”, the night before, I went to K-Mart and bought a “Ghoul Face” mask. Still wasn’t certain, but I “bit the bullet”, and went for it.

On Hallowe’en, coming around the front of our building, I saw three outside Hallowe’en displays that I thought were outstanding.







On the inside was this "pumpkin", made to look like a "kitty".



No sense keeping up the suspense, so here I am (I THINK it is I), just inside the front door of The Grand Court. (Supposedly to “throw off” any suspicion that this could be me - or any other resident, I guess.)



Funny, but I got the feeling that no one, at first, could figure out who I was. Oh, Timi sidled up to me and whispered that she wondered where I was and went down to my apartment, which was vacant. Her borrowed costume gave me away to her.

I got the strangest stares! Nobody wanted to venture a comment. Too scary, I guess.

You know, I’ve learned that human nature is such that you can do something, or act a certain way “incognito” that you wouldn’t think of doing, if it were instantly known it were you.

I strutted around, while various ones were doing their Karaoke thing, giving a “thumbs down” to all the performers, and acting real “smart-alecky”, I think.

Some stared at me, as if they were trying to figure out who I was - half grinning, but not venturing to touch.

Walking around, I found one “old gentelman” in an “old gentleman’s” mask, that I found fascinating. Hard to tell who it was, until I saw that he was sitting at the table of the lady he “pals around with” all the time, who had on an outfit, but with no mask. Then his walk rather gave him away, too.

How about this for authentic old?



He’s with me, but he’s the one with the white hair.

There were others, such as a dining Room Waitress dressed up in green, with a resident beside her.



Here’s a waitress and a resident "Witch".



I THINK these pictures of the hay ride were taken on an earlier date, but they fit right in with this subject:









Old man and the Witch, again.



Near the end of the celebration, Timi lined up all the “costumed” residents, and asked the other residents and staff to vote on the “best” costume. She went through the line maybe three times, then centered on the old man, and me.

Old man, by a lot!

One “perennial” (loosely interpreted) feature of these Karaoke sessions is the duet between Pam, our Dining Services Director, and Timi, our Activities Director, singing “West Virginia”, that they said they first sang several years ago when just the two of them, and their kids, drove into West Virginia, and got the “call” , to sing that song.

Sorry that I have nither the picture of the two of them singing, nor a recording. Sad.

However, I just HAPPEN to have one of them, separately - not singing. Timi, then Pam.





Me singing Anne Murray's song, "You Needed Me.", with the Karaoke.



"A good time was had by all!”