random thoughts – Day 1,286 – (Sunday) – fall panic

Fall mums!

In addition to the renewed interest in cooking, the arrival of fall also heralds the arrival of the potted mums. There was a colorful sea of them at the farm stand passed en route to and from dance class.

Then there is the regularly scheduled Halloween costume panic. The dance troupe is performing early in the Halloween season at a haunted trail and costuming needs to be ready (and practice tested) for the event on October 7. Oy.

This is an acceleration of the usual costume planning process that occupies most of October. It starts with panicking over having no ideas, getting an idea and then panicking about the idea, shopping for items for the idea while second-guessing the idea, changing the idea several times and starting over with the item sourcing. Then, after finally settling on an idea, there is the last minute discovery that a crucial component once in the closet was given away in a move, and the item doesn’t exist in any retail environment. It's a tradition.

So far, my costume ideas for performing with “The Dancing Ghouls,” have not been very inspired. Of the many options residing in the home costume collection, several of the favorites were removed from consideration for various reasons. The much beloved corset, trotted out for many a costume-wearing occasion, is off the list due to the mobility restrictions from the boning. The 1920s flapper, mermaid, and pirate stuff would all result in frostbite. Not to mention the mermaid mobility challenge.

The Amazon shopping cart has been filled with components for creepy carnival, Steampunk, or pirate, but none feel quite “right” and they were saved for later or deleted. In case it’s cold that night, gloves and tights with skeleton bones printed on them were ordered. And a black crown, because I don't have one and it looked really cool. But so far, that is the extent of the costume. 

I hope inspiration strikes soon so I can wrap it up. There are other things I need to be cultivating ulcers over, like what to pack for the October vacation trip to the Vegas wedding.