HAPPY HALLOWEEN everybody!!!

It's a wild, wet, wintry day here in Shanville -- ideal for the Halloween mood, but not good news for anyone planning to go trick or treating!! We normally do the rounds in a group, with other kids who live along our road, but this year we had a party with them last night instead, and will probably be lying low tonight, which is just as well, given the weather!

Regardless of the inclement conditions, we swung by the fabulous Pumpkin Patch in Curraghchase Garden Centre this morning, to carve some pumpkins. It's become something of an annual tradition for us, so it was good to be able to keep it going. The first two photos were taken there.

We were in the UK for more than a week, over the half term here in Ireland, staying with Mrs Shan's mother (thanks, Urszula!), and she treated the kids to a small fireworks display in her back garden on our last night there. Private fireworks (even the basic kind that we were using here) aren't readily available in Ireland, so it was a big thrill for the kids. They watched the show from inside (we weren't taking any chances!), then joined us outside to wave some sparklers around.

I hope you all have a wickedly wonderful Halloween -- and if you're going out trick or treating, be careful out there!!!