I had Halloween twice this week. On Thursday evening, we hosted a Halloween party for the science campers, including a "haunted hallway," a morgue with "body parts" (mostly food items) kids could touch by reaching through slits cut in a sheet, trick-or-treating, doughnut bobbing, vampire tag, dancing... the list goes on. It was pretty exhausting coming back from a five and a half hour hike and having to get right to work on setting everything up, but in the end it was worth it. My costume consisted of pieces of lichen attached to my face with Elmer's glue. The next time I do something like this, I will attempt to not get any glue in my beard or chest hair. Ouch. Some of the kids were too scared. Others were not scared enough. It sounds like we achieved a good balance.

I had two different Current 93 cds playing in the scary rooms (the morgue and the haunted hallway), and I think they contributed wonderfully to the atmosphere.

And then (segue, segue) last night, we went and saw Current 93 at the Great American Music Hall. Jen and I drove up (while Jay and Stacy, bless their selfless hearts, watched all four of the kids), picking up Justin on the way. At the venue, we bumped into a great number of friends and acquaintances, some of whom we hadn't seen in years. Baby Dee was up first, playing piano and harp. Simon Finn, accompanied by Joolie Wood on violin and recorder, played second - powerful Leonard Cohenesque folk music, which sometimes erupted in snarling fury. Om followed them with rumbling sludge that could be felt through the floors and walls. Jen commented that it was the audio equivalent of used motor oil (in a good way). Current 93 played one of the best sets I've seen them do, with lots of new material and rearranged versions of old classics. David has assembled a band that includes two guitarists, piano, accordian, harp, two violins, recorder, flute, and cello, making the sound more lush than it has been in the past.

Oh, and Nigel, who flew in from London for the show, gave me a small, plush Tawny Owl that hoots when you squeeze it. What a guy! The girls have been playing with it all morning.