Halloween surprises started early when a puppy and his fire hydrant knocked on the door. Actually, it was Vance dressed as a puppy and his mom had gotten creative and made a fire hydrant costume. You knew that though, because seriously, how many puppies carry their own hydrant with them?

Trick or treat!

Vance headed straight over to the little stool I use as an ottoman (because the real ottoman is too high, I really wish I had gotten a couch with sections that reclined!) sat down and ate his Kit-Kat. He likes the t.v. which is almost always on at my house when he visits. At home I think he just watches Sesame Street and football, which at his age is probably a good thing.

The cutest puppy I’ve ever seen!

The weather on Halloween was perfect here, about 70 degrees, overcast, and a decent breeze. A front was coming, but until it got here Friday evening, the humidity was high. I went outside with Carlin and Vance, and one of the neighbors came walking up with his dog, Wendy.  This year I had quite a few trick or treaters, more than the last couple of years and I enjoyed seeing all the kids in their costumes. I did miss hearing the dogs bark whenever the doorbell rang.

Two little dogs eyeballing each other

Halloween also brought a World Series championship to the Boston Red Sox at home in Fenway Park for the first time in 95 years. It reminds me of 2004 when the BoSox won their first championship in 86 years, or more specifically, the morning after. It was foggy and overcast that morning when I let the dogs out before breakfast. Zoe was mesmerized by the gutter extender and I had to call her several times to get her to come inside. Food for Dudley trumped everything else, so he came right in.

I let them outside again and Zoe went back to the gutter extender, I didn’t want her to chew it so I went and took it from her. I was shaking out sand and pebbles from it when out rolled a bunny rabbit. It scared me to death and I’m sure the rabbit was terrified as he (or she) bolted with the dogs only a nanosecond behind. The rabbit may have had a chance had he headed toward the fence, but he went behind the fan for the heat pump and Dudley and Zoe cornered it and crushed it with the weight of their paws. Unbelievably, they came into the house when I screamed at them hysterically. It wasn’t even 7 a.m. and I had to clean up rabbit carcass before I could let them back outside.

So anyway, I have a man coming to give me an estimate on a fence Tuesday at lunch. I’m waiting to hear back from another fence builder, but I hope to have a fence in place within the month and a dog by Christmas. Then, to paraphrase Gerard Durell, my house will be a home again.