Halloween

It's been a busy old week here. I met a work colleague for a coffee in town early on Tuesday morning, Isobel was so well behaved we were able to sit in a cafe for two hours having a chat. The pound I spent on that sticker book was money well spent! It was nice to catch up with her as she left our office for another department last November.

Wednesday was obviously Halloween, or Samhain for the other Pagans out there, so that brought with it the usual flurry of activity. I was gutted this year as I couldn't find a pumpkin anywhere. That was the first year in about 10 years that I haven't had one, it felt weird. The photo to the right is a few years old now. I'm temped to still buy one and carve it, just so I feel like I haven't missed out! We fancied a change so went to Jane's to do the trick or treating, and I was shocked at how much trouble they get where she lives. There were groups of boys with their hoods up lobbing eggs at everyone, they seemed to be everywhere, and the police were out in force. I've never seen that where we are.

My vampire and witch.





Last night Ryan came running in like a bat out of hell for the 3rd time this week saying that he had two lads after him. These two boys are part of his crowd of friends, and are bullies. They change their minds about who is to be beaten up every week, and this time around it's Ryan and another lads turn. The other lads parents are now banning him from leaving the house, as they are so sick of it. The bullies threatened to kick Ryan's face in last night, so we decided we'd had enough, and Pete and I went wandering around the estate for about an hour looking for them. We had no luck, so on we went to the parents.

We appeared to have some success with the first house, where we spoke to the stepdad, who made all the right noises and said he'd be punished and grounded when he got in etc. The second one's mother was clearly struggling with her son, the father doesn't live there anymore and she didn't even really tell him off, but did send him round to our house to apologise. He walked back with us and Pete gave him a talking to as he obviously needed one and wasn't going to get it at home. He didn't even apologise when he got to our house, so Pete shouted at him again to look up and get on with it, and he halfheartedly did. The first lad then turned up on the doorstep with his Mum about ten minutes later to apologise to Ryan, and he actually looked like he meant it. His Mum was all apologetic and said he wouldn't be coming out for a while or be hanging around with the other lad anymore.

Imagine my surprise tonight then, when I see the pair of them together up the shop. No wonder they behave like arseholes when their parents give in like that. If any of my kids were threatening others their feet wouldn't touch the ground. They would've been grounded and had Christmas taken away. Idiots. The parents deserve everything they get.