I have a bad feeling that this is going to be a less than fun day. The past three have been unfairly long and slow. Someone inserted more minutes into each hour, I’m certain of it, and neglected to warn me. It’s also been grumpy – everyone’s been growly and lethargic and generally vaguely unhappy. I worked in the store on Tuesday, which I usually work at home, so by last night I’d used up my working-with-customers patience, and I still have another whole day to get through. The good thing is I will be dining with MLG afterwards, which will cheer me up to no end. It will also officially launch my weekend. I’m covering for someone else on Monday, however, so it will be the shortest weekend I’ve had in a while. I’m being generous in the covering for others department, though, becaue hey, as of the beginning of July, I won’t be worrying about that for a while, will I?

Ceri, evil woman that she is, sent me links to new costume patterns, and voila, a whole new Hallowe’en concept unrolled itself in my mind. I called my husband in to share and showed him all the pictures and detailed the idea with some excitement. He put his hands on my shoulders and said, “It’s a wonderful idea, and yes, you’d look perfectly stunning, but you made me promise to remind you of something: You hate costume parties.”

Damn. I did, too. I do hate them. I’m a perfectionist, and obssessive, and I dislike large gatherings of people. My record for the past four years: an hour at the party; half an hour; skipped; hid far away in the hotel.

This would be so good though! I have plenty of time, too – all summer, in fact. I have excellent photo references! I have a pattern to base it on (although I’m already modifying it and adding things mentally, oh dear)! I just need to find material… I sense a trip to St Hubert street in my future.

Ceri asks, “Are you going to get a new sewing machine?” I answer, “No, just a new needle. Plus extras.” I intend this costume to be as light as possible (enough with the gold lycra and the heavy tapestry!), so a sturdier machine won’t be necessary (you hear that, Easy-Bake Oven of Sewing Machines? Don’t let me down!). Besides… my birthday treat is to be a beautiful wooden recurve bow, and I want to buy the extras like the armguard and fingertab and arrows are sort of important too. This summer is going to be lean, and a new sewing machine is not in my long-term budget.

Curse you, Ceri! In the nicest way possible, of course.