I would have loved to talk to your husband back when I was a kid. But then, I just wanted candy and I was indiscriminate about which houses I went to.

My condo association does an annual haunted house for the neighborhood. This year's theme was a hospital for the criminally insane. I got to be a doctor cackling maniacally and holding up dripping intestines. And when the "director" said that hospital did cutting edge research, I got to hold up a bloody knife and screech "Yes, we are CUTTING EDGE!" with more cackling. So fun!

I'm glad to hear that story after the unmember one. Depressing.

Eta: I meant Connie's DH's second encounter, but I guess unmembering could also apply to Vortex. In the after-hours version anyway.

Mommy, Vortex is scaring me!

Castle made me cry tonight with their family dynamic. Friggin Castle! Then Buffistas got me all warm and fuzzy with their posting of wee Buffistas in halloween costumes on FB. Then Buffistas made me cry in email with their all being shiny and caring toward each other.

PS. Some of the Wee Buffistas are WAY too big and doing crazy things like walking and I'm pretty sure because I've been here since 2004, that some Wee Buffistas can in no way be such little people already.

#ThingsLongerThanKimsMarriage

Is it wrong that my first response to this was Firefly or shows from @CancelledAgain ?

A couple of years ago, my dad, who adores Halloween, dressed up like a scarecrow--complete with burlap bag head and a 2x4 through the arms of his tattered denim jacket, sat quietly on their porch swing, waiting for trick or treaters to come up and ring the bell.

When they stepped up onto the porch, he leaped up off the swing. Some poor kids ran, screaming and terrified. My mom came storming out of the house yelling, "Dammit, Joe, I TOLD you not to scare the kids!"

We had a fun halloween with maybe 50 kids

bt the best part - i had a witch costume on , my neighbor was dressed as snow white. So I gave her an apple. She kept telling the kids about the nice witch that gave her an apple -- and the kids kept telling her not to the apple because it was poisoned It was awesone

I had to fill out a fun facts thing about me today. They asked for the weirdest food I've ever eaten. I answered, "Circus Peanuts."

I hope shrift wanders by so I can squeeze out some more Gone-to-London tips.

I didn't really do much shopping while I was in London. I mostly went to museums, monuments, parks, and West End plays. Somehow I suspect that Regent's Park is less glorious when it's not summer.

We went to Harrods just to say we did, and also because we were already in Knightsbridge, but the store was so jammed with tourists that I cannot imagine actually trying to shop there without having a panic attack.

Um. There's the Covent Garden Market across from the London Transport Museum that has crafty things and food and street performers, and there are a lot of clothing stores on Long Acre between Drury Lane and St. Martin's. There's a shiny new shopping centre next to St. Paul's Cathedral. Gabriel's Wharf in the South Bank which has art, jewelry, food, and fair-trade stuff.

My friend took me around Notting Hill and told me about the market on Portobello Road, but alas, we weren't there on a Saturday.

Edit: Tip: get Thai food at The Churchill Arms pub in Kensington!

And another tip: it's probably worth it to sign up for LivingSocial London daily deals prior to the trip, because I scored cheap tickets to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead that way. That, or go to the tkts boot in Leicester Square on the day of.

and the kids kept telling her not to the apple because it was poisoned It was awesone

I love this so much! Still with the magic in their hearts!