Well, we were going to do something different, but we've changed our minds. I won tickets to the Halloween Ball at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, MA. Typically, I don't go into or drive through Salem the whole month of October. Because Salem is famous for witches, etc, with the Witch Museum and the Witch House and all, it is unbelievable at Halloween. Every night in October, there is something going on and the traffic is horrendous. Parking is impossible and the closer it gets to Halloween, the worse it gets.

The Halloween Ball is an elaborate affair. The tickets are hard to come by. They go for $80 each. Since we got married at the Hawthorne, go there for dinner a lot and I am having my daughter's baby showere there and I love dressing up and have always wanted to go to this thing, I thought I'd get a room and spend the haunted night. (There would be absolutely nowhere to park.)

There are no rooms left. They sell out a year in advance for this shindig! Who knew? So I decided it's not worth renting a costume (or going through the trouble of making one)and not knowing how we would get there and home. I work with a doctor who is going with another couple. He thinks I should go with them as "road warriors." I was thinking more along the lines of being Scarlett O'Hara. Didn't think I could fit in a cab in my green velvet gown with the curtain rod attached to it though. So, I've decided to sell the tickets to him. He knows people who want to go and can't get tickets. I'll just stay home and eat candy corn.

Louisa