Laxie through the Looking Glass

[Laxie]

So that was Halloween.  Not the same as years previous.  Even the kids who called to the door said as much.  There were requests for me to return to the old ways of running the Halloween disco for them too.  Very nearly considered dressing up and making an appearance this year.  In the end I just didn't feel like it.  But after all the comments from the kids who called, I might have to seriously reconsider next year.  Halloween is supposed to be fun.  And I used to be good at making sure they had fun.  Need to get the old laugh back...lively.

[Laxie]

Isnt that Cruelty to animals?

You think they look abused?  I don't.  And I would NEVER harm them.  But you know that.

[Claw75]

great pics dawn

[Snatiramas]

Being in the US for Halloween helped me understand much better  trick or treating......stilll an American festivity and too close to bonfire night in this country with all the religious baggage that entails

[Girgy85]

Isnt that Cruelty to animals?

You think they look abused?  I don't.  And I would NEVER harm them.  But you know that.

If i was a dog i sure as hell wouldnt want dressing up like that!!

[Laxie]

Being in the US for Halloween helped me understand much better  trick or treating......stilll an American festivity and too close to bonfire night in this country with all the religious baggage that entails

I never knew there were religious holidays in and around Halloween until I moved to Ireland.  Luckily the local priest at the time was 'cool'.  

Fr. Martin had been to America a number of times and really enjoyed some of our customs.  Despite my refusal to attend mass he had a soft spot for me as the local Yank.  We often covered the topic of my absence from church but it was always light hearted and not at all condemning.  This is a rare trait in an Irish priest.  Trust me on that one.

When the first Halloween in Knocknagree approached I was already stuck in volunteering at the local Community Centre.  I'd set up a Friday night youth club for the national school kids and was there every Friday night with another woman.  Mary would take the younger ones into the kitchen area to do arts and crafts and I looked after indoor games and sports with the older ones in the main hall.  We live in a small village, so it was a big deal in the area that we had at least 40 (usually more) kids there each week.  They were travelling from other small nearby villages as well.  Yet the hall was still struggling to remain open as the Friday night was the only thing paying the bills.

An emergency meeting was held with the hall committee.  They were looking for ways to inject some cash into the hall quick.  I suggested a Halloween disco.  They'd never heard of such a thing and weren't sure it would work.  

"Regular discos work.  This one will too.  Don't worry...leave it with me.  I'll take care of everything."  

Famous last words.  There was WAR when they realised the date of the disco!  Apparently it's a religious holiday and everyone's expected to attend 8pm mass.  Not one to keep track of the church's schedule, I'd scheduled the disco to be held from 5 - 8pm.  Fr. Martin came to the rescue double time.  He announced the usual mass time was being pushed back to 8:30pm to accommodate and support the 'fund raising efforts' of the hall committee.  He then requested all children attend mass in their costumes!  The villagers expected nothing less from me, but they were caught for a hop by Fr. Martin.

[Laxie]

I must fix something before I go further.  I've never before referred to Martin using the 'Fr.' title and it doesn't feel right doing it here for the sake of random public.  He and I had an understanding from day one.  I never much cared for my own father and felt it was an insult to use that title in relation to Martin.  I know the title holds different meaning for each of them, but still couldn't get me head round it.  So from day one he was always just Martin to me.  And he was cool with that.  From here on out in this diary he'll be just Martin as well.  I know he'd prefer it at this stage.  In fact he'd have heart failure if he found out it was any other way. 

[Laxie]

So Halloween arrived.  I'd booked a D.J. and decorated the hall mostly with things I'd brought over from America as the shops here didn't sell much back then.  Mary had the Friday night youth club kids make a bunch of decorations as well. 

The local shop donated most of the things I wanted for the gift bags and I made up bags for 100 kids.  Each bag had a drink, sweets and a packet of crisps and all of it was coeliac compliant for the kids who suffered from that condition. 

I bought a really good theatre set of face paints too.  A huge tray of them with all sorts of colours that were easy to apply and safe for sensitive skin.  Figured we'd need them as most kids wouldn't know what to do and might want help once they got to the hall.  Had my own kids kitted out in their costumes.  All that was left to do was dress myself up.  Martin had an idea.

[Laxie]

He'd already given me a dressmaker's mannequin for the disco.  We dressed it up as a witch and put it on the stage next to a coffin/mummy combo I'd made earlier in the week.  So that was my witch costume out the window as it was on the mannequin. 

Got a call from Martin.  "I have something I think you might like.  Get over here."  When I arrived, Martin was holding out a robe of sorts.  "I'm sure you can come up with something using this, but don't tell the locals where you got it."  Turns out it was his Ordination gown.  It was PERFECT!  By the time I was done adding accessories and face paint, I was the Disco Wizard.  Even had a matching wand with a star on the end of it.  OK, no big deal these days, but at the time it was very deffo perfect.  lol

For the first hour or so of the disco, myself and Mary dealt with a huge crowd of kids lining up to get their faces painted.  Some few had arrived with black rubbish bags tied round their necks as capes, but that was about the limit to them the first year.  And the second year.  And the third year too for that matter.  Which is a whole other story altogether! 

[Laxie]

Those first couple of years were hard going because Sarah was just a wee one.  She was only a year old the time of the first disco.  Luckily there were lots of parents hanging about those first few years as they wanted to keep an eye on proceedings.  A couple of moms helped keep an eye on Sarah while I painted faces.  Brian and Sinéad were too busy having fun with their mates.  They loved being able to say their mom was in charge.  The little things in life, huh?  lol

By the third year word had got out.  We'd gone from a small local disco to 150+ kids.  Families travelled from Killarney and as far as Cork City to bring their kids each year.  By the third year they'd copped on about costumes and started to get creative.  Mary and I thought we'd get a break from face painting that year.  But then I got a call from a local refugee organisation.

Kosovan refugees had flooded Ireland.  There was a refugee group in Killarney who'd heard about our disco and asked if it would be ok to bring the kids staying at their centre.  "Sure!  No problem.  How many extra gift bags do I need to maker?" says I.  50 more.  Blimey.  Ok so.  Bring em on.

That year I dressed as 'Big Mamma'.  Had the cheesy dress, painted every inch of visible skin brown, wore the wig and had the walk down pat.  Didn't half freak out the poor refugee kids as they waited in line to get their faces painted.  Sigh.  But once the painting was done and I was able to get up and dance with everyone they didn't take long to figure out the local kids weren't afraid...and they didn't need to be either. 

Still have the 'thank you' letter they sent afterwards.  Whenever I'm feeling like, 'what's the point?' that letter is one of the things I bring out to remind me.

[boldie]

Beautiful posts Laxie

[Laxie]

Today was cricket shopping day.  Well, it was supposed to be anyway.  You'd think I'd learn.  It's a 40 minute drive each way and there's no guarantee the shop will have crickets in stock when we get there.  But I never think of that until we're already half way there.  Some day I'll remember to phone ahead. 

Sinéad informed me she needed new trainers so I reckoned we'd kill two birds with one stone.  She's a bit like me when it comes to shopping.  Get in, get the gear and get out.  Not sure if it's because I'm there or if that's how she is when she's with her mates too but I'm not complaining. 

We were on the road as soon as she got home from school.  By the time we dealt with traffic and made a stop for petrol we'd killed off a goodly bit of time and only had 50 minutes to get things sorted.  Crickets first.  Then shoes.  Military stylee with our time. 

Only the pet shop's cricket supplies were pretty dire.  Very few containers left and at least half of the crickets in each one were already dead.  Sigh.  I asked a shop clerk if it was possible to sell them at half price.  She couldn't do that.  Well, I'm not paying full price for half the goods.  Can we combine the stock of two containers into one to make a proper lot?  No.  But, they'll do us the favour of two containers and only paying for one.  Took 20 minutes to come to that agreement.  Isn't that what I requested first day?!  lsgfkhf;jgfdgnfd;gjkfd;n 

Shoes next.  Or so we thought.  We ended up calling to two shops in the end but neither one had anything Sinéad was keen on.  I'll give her credit.  Other kids buy just for the sake of it.  But she refuses to do that.  We're heading to Killarney tomorrow.  More shopping.  Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

[tikay]

Crickets? Like, insect crickets?

For what purpose?

[Claw75]

Crickets? Like, insect crickets?

For what purpose?

fair-weather reader obv. anyone would think you were busy or something

[tikay]

Crickets? Like, insect crickets?

For what purpose?

fair-weather reader obv. anyone would think you were busy or something

Whoops, owned. Guilty as charged.

Still curious, though!