We went to our friend Madalyn Miller’s downtown bookshop to enjoy Halloween this year. Due to COVID, we didn’t feel prudent to take James trick-or-treating at people’s houses, so when Madalyn invited us to a “fun and surprising” Halloween party with a few other people, we were happy to accept. There, Jacob and James painted their pumpkins and we were all treated to delicious food and snacks.

The surprise element was that her bookstore was decorated with images from the children’s book Alice in Wonderland. Madalyn’s Mom, Susan, was dressed up as Alice; Madalyn and her best friend, Jada, came as the red and white queens of heart; and Jada’s husband, Evans, was the rabbit. Another friend of ours Susan Walters came dressed elaborately as a flamboyant pirate.

We had fun.