I hope you and yours have a safe and happy holiday, however you celebrate. It’s raining here (which we GREATLY need; Houston is under a drought), so even if we were giving out candy (we’re not), I doubt there’ll be many children trick or treating. Behind the cut, I’m sharing the last days of my skeleton photos posted to Instagram. Y’all get a lot more details here than I provide on my Instagram posts. I had a little help today thanks to posters from the coloring book pictured above. It’s always a party if there’s music!
Found this shirt when I was thrifting. It’s actually for a Wilson tennis racket (or racquet, since Lord Cuttlebone is British), but who cares. The Clash have been around longer than the racket (much like Lord Cuttlebone himself), so they got the October 23 spot. (The Clash song featured: “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”)
Nirvana on October 24! Cuttlebone pictured with his pet duck (there’s an old Southern phrase, “He looks like death eatin’ a cracker.”). Since Cuttlebone is all about spirits (he haunts Houndstooth Hall, after all), the choice was obvious. (Nirvana song featured: “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”)
Very fortunate to have a couple of thrifted (at different times! I’ve been collecting these since last year) Led Zeppelin T-shirts for Lord Cuttlebone and Ambrose on October 25. This is a band I would love to have seen in their heyday, and at least two of my characters in the Neverending Saga did. I have a running gag I play on Debby by sending her masked links that take her to the old meme (shared below) that plays “The Immigrant Song.” I took mercy on her with the song I chose instead (and she commented that I’m now allowed to live–she’s so violent!). (Led Zeppelin song featured: “Going To California,” mandolin and guitar version without lyrics. That song has a lot of good memories for me.)
(If it says video “unavailable,” the link should still work with a click.)
On October 26, I had a good time featuring the band Poison. Timothy commented that Lord Cuttlebone is missing the famous Bret Michaels “wigdana.” Also missing the tattoos, but he’s got the bandana and the bracelets! (I’ve shared here before that I once dreamed Bret Michaels was my brother in a former lifetime.) Another connection: In a previous post, I featured Boston musician Ben Cote. Last weekend, he and his band dressed in costume for a three-set, all ages welcome concert. In the first set, they dressed as ZZ Top and covered their music. In the second set, they dressed as the members of Poison and covered their songs. (Ben Cote has a gig opening for Bret Michaels soon.) Their third set was, OF COURSE, a Van Halen set, in which Ben dressed in a way to honor Eddie, Dave, and Michael. (Poison song featured: “Nothin’ But A Good Time.”)
On October 27, in case the front of the T-shirt didn’t give it away, I added the back which shows the dates of Eric Clapton’s 2011 World Tour. I also included Eric Clapton and B.B. King buttons on the shirt front, because of the duet I chose. (Featured song with Eric Clapton and B.B. King, an entire album of which I used to blast on my way to work: “Riding With The King.”)
On October 28, Lord Cuttlebone, Ambrose, and Amarise gave homage to Willie Nelson and Keith Richards, because Cuttlebone says they might be even older than he is. (After all, Johnny Depp once called Keith “eternal,” and we have no proof that he isn’t.) Another duet–and whoever thought the perfect one existed. (Song featuring both Willie and Keith: “Live Forever.”)
On October 29, Lord Cuttlebone was touting the promise that listening to reggae reduces stress, promotes relaxation, and in his case, soothes old bones. My old bones agree. (Featured song: Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Trenchtown Rock” that includes the line, “One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain.”)
On October 30 or any other day that ends in “y,” Eva can never resist Bob Dylan (she may get that from me–I owe it to my brother and Riley), and Lord Cuttlebone granted her request for an acoustic song. Fortunately, Timothy was on hand to lend the skeleton his guitar, so it all worked out. (Featured song: Bob Dylan’s “My Back Pages.”)
And now we have reached today, “Hallowe’en” as Lord Cuttlebone spells it, like my old pal Mark from England says is correct–(I miss Mark, who’s currently without a laptop or an Internet connection, but I hope he’ll be back one day). Lord Cuttlebone says he and the family are partying like it’s ANY century’s ’99, and I think Prince would approve. (Featured song: Prince, “1999.” Remember when we were warned there could be mass catastrophe on January 1, 2000? Several years since have said, “Hey, 2000: hold my champagne flute.”)
That’s another October wrapped. Five years of Cuttlebone and his shenanigans.
You rock!
This was a lot of creative fun, including those songs, too.
Thank you! I’m always exhausted coming up with content by the end of October and wonder if I’ll do it again, but then I start missing my silly skeletons…
Have you a plan for 2025???
Not at this time. =)
It’s been written ‘Halloween’ here the past few years and it drives me nuts! Because an apostrophe is so much effort… Much like using one’s indicators when turning left or right. But don’t get me started on that one.
HA HA! You mean British cars ALSO don’t have blinkers? I promise, I use mine. I’m so glad you found this post and knew I deferred to your judgment in this matter. I may not use British spellings, but I’m always happy to oblige a well-placed apostrophe.
I’m not necessarily consistent in such things, but ‘Hallowe’en’ was always written with the apostrophe here until recent years. It does indicate an abbreviation, of course. Language does change, though. I have never written phone ‘phone, for example – though I think few people do nowadays. My mother still wrote ‘today’ as ‘to-day’ – but that was how it was written when she grew-up. Maybe modern English is increasingly lazy?
I wonder how much texting and the tendency to shorten everything or turn it to initials will ultimately shape the language.