Halloween birthday party

It's party season. This is always a hectic time of year for us with Halloween, two birthdays and fireworks night. It's almost like a festive season warm-up.

Sean was very excited in the days leading up to his party. He probably looked forward to that more than his actual birthday (until the material element of birthday presents and, more tellingly this year, birthday cash, kicked in). He was preparing Halloween decorations a week last Sunday and has been working on the timetable for the party all week, discussing the menu with Sharon and me and what games were to be played with me.

On the day itself we picked up some extra decorations from the Fishers and festooned the house in skeletons and bays and ghosts. I carved the pumpkin while Sharon baked the cake and made up the sandwiches. With due respect to the other boys, Sean's party always seems to be the big one. Maybe it's because he was the first, or because he now has a fairly established set of friends or because he himself knows what he wants from his party and involves himself in organising and, more importantly, participating, in it.

Adrian arrived over from Glasgow which was a useful foil for Angus and Rowan and took them out the hustle and bustle especially once the be-costumed nine-year olds began filing in and running riot. Fortunately, once more, the weather was fair so we were able to turf them into the garden and play there. I executed the obligatory treasure hunt and a less successful "touch, smell and taste" game, then they came in for food and a cauldron cake which was covered in a rather unappealing grey icing but was duly scoffed nonetheless.

As darkness fell (the clocks went back last night) we returned to the garden for the ever popular "night-time dodge the ball" which ended with me fighting off seven or eight of them as the hunted became the hunters. Remarkably no-one came a cropper on the trees or clothesline in the dark.

Sean was particularly grateful to me and Sharon for hosting the party and seemed to really enjoy himself, which is the main thing.