A Tall Drink of Water in a Big Yellow Hat

Last year, about this time, I learned a couple valuable lessons about Halloween.

I should preface - Halloween is, as all right thinking people acknowledge, the only good holiday.  No shopping, no obligations, no stress.  Just dressing up in ridiculous costumes and making little kids happy by giving them candy*.  That's my idea of a good time.

*I also make it a practice to give the surly teenagers who don't even bother dressing up candy, as life is really too short to clean eggs off the front door.

Last year I decided, well in advance of Halloween, to go as The Man in the Big Yellow Hat from Curious George.  This was largely because I work at public TV and that's a show we broadcast, so it was sort of a theme. 

So, on the night before the Halloween party at work I stopped off at the fabric store to pick up a pattern and some yellow cloth to make such a thing.

*LESSON 1 -  This should not have been occurring the night before I needed to have the thing finished.  Sure, it's easy to spot in hindsight.

*LESSON 2 - If you ARE trying to sew a Halloween costume the night before you need to have it ready, under no circumstances should you begin with 'Step One: Open a bottle of Wine'*

*I know, I know.  This goes against everything I've ever stated or believed.  But it turns out that getting hammered on a reasonably priced Cab is not, in point of fact, a productive thing to do while trying to get some sewing done.  Yes, we were all shocked.

Needless to say, by 1 in the morning it all crashed and burned into tears and recriminations (cit. Dawn Summers) and perhaps a glass or two of single malt before going to bed.

And so it is, this year I stand, pattern in hand.  New fabric purchased, and a large glass of refreshing ice water on deck.

I probably won't open a bottle of wine for at least an hour.

Maybe two.