Another epic Halloween party!

Saturday was the social event of the biennium: Pat Rogers’ and Scott Denning’s Nonpareil Halloween Party! Sorry if you missed it.

From the invitation: Mama Marais requests the honor of your presence at her Voodoo Herb & Potion Shack on the edge of the swamp.

So inviting. Step inside. (Photo: Kathy Kelly-Kubica)

The honor’s all to those of us lucky enough to be invited.

Except maybe this guy. (Photo: Kathy Kelly-Kubica)

As you can see, setting and costumes alike were wonderful. As usual. Also as usual our host and hostess spared neither effort nor imagination. From the sign above (painted by one of Pat’s talented friends, along with a framed portrait of Marie Laveau) to authentic voodoo symbols inside, to the traditional bonfire, to flooding a front garden patch for a swamp, complete with will-o’-the-wisps and wickedly-carved jack-o’-lanterns, the setting was unbelievable. And did I mention the freshly-dug grave (complete with coffin) right outside the door?

Of course, food was excellent and abundant. As was the company – attendance seemed down a little from previous years, but that didn’t dampen the festively macabre mood.

Some of our ASFS stalwarts were away at Milehicon in Denver, accounting for a little of our shortfall. Much of the gang was there, including Roslee Orndorff, Dante Stewart (pictured above), Mike McCommas, Dawn Barela, Mike and Denise Wernig, Kennard Wilson, Steve Kubica (as a Plants vs. Zombies zombie) and Kathy Kelly-Kubica (who took the swell pictures shown here, plus a whole lot more.) I’m sure I missed a bunch: sorry!

Lots of local writers turned out too. Walter Jon Williams, there with his wife Kathy Hedges, looked absolutely the part of Bill from Left4Dead. Scott Phillips showed up (he’s a neighbor), as did Joan Spicci Saberhagen, Debbie Lynn Smith, and Devon O’Leary and his partner Deb. Melinda Snodgrass, Ian Tregillis, and Steve and Jan Stirling made the trek from Santa Fe. John MillerGail Gerstner-Miller and brought Skippyjon, the Halloween Chihuahua, to the place where they first found her, or she found them, at the Halloween party two years ago. As always, she was a huge hit.

Not least with my friend Joe and his daughter Juana Inez, fellow Chihuahua owners. Or ownees. This was their first time at one of Pat and Scott’s Halloween extravaganzas. I was delighted they were able to come. They seemed to have a good time.

Did I? What do you think?

I had an especially fine time. Lots of wonderful conversations. Also for a lot I was content to just sit and look and listen and soak it all in.

Thanks, Pat and Scott. And everyone.

There is one bad thing about the party:  it’s over.  And I have to wait two whole years for the next one!

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