Melbourne Cup Day

For the first time in many years (10 probably as the day glided past when we lived in the UK) I spent Melbourne Cup Day with no plans. Before we went OS and even as a poor student, I had a group of us who dressed in silly hats, ate chicken and drank far too much cheap bubbly.

I didn’t think too much about it until mid morning and now I feel a bit sad and empty. Previously there had always been a work function to go to as the rest of Australia took half a days unofficial holiday. Even after officially leaving work to have kids, I’d either had a part time job or group to celebrate the day with.

A few weeks ago I looked about our local cafes and restaurants to see what cup day functions were on. I wasn’t particularly keen to pay up to $70 ( for Lilly and then for me) to be with a bunch of strangers. Of my friends who were not working, they had other plans - so I thought to just do nothing.

Racing a close first with Halloween, Melbourne Cup Day always signaled the wind down to Christmas - of indulgent lunches with friends and the end of exams or projects. It was a day I enjoyed dressing up, having made or bought a fancy hat and giggle with colleagues and friends. I would call one of my sisters, Julie for tips on the race as for a time there she got quite serious about the condition of the grass, past wins and history of trainers etc. Sweeps and fundraisers assisted many of us at work in choosing the right horse for the race. Of course I would bumble my way into a TAB and choose the ‘winner‘ purely on the colour of the jersey coupled with the nags name. Highly technical and based on logic and genius. It was never really about the horses; but we all got over excited on the home straight shrieking the nags name out as they passed the finish line.

But today, I had nothing planned and it feels as empty and stale as a plastic champagne glass. On Adrian's insistence, Lilly and I dressed up and opened a bottle of lemonade ( oh the sheer luxury of all that sugar!) and shared a packet of cheezels. Sadly we missed the start of the race as I struggled with the television control box ( point out the person who doesn’t watch telly) - but got to cheer on the end. I had no idea who or what was running - so we just chose colours.

Miss Lilly looked gorgeous in pink fairy colours. Note my new mac set up behind her - as I am writing NaNo currently.

Halloween 2009

Along with an annual Xmas party, our street also celebrate Halloween.

I love our street. The feeling of community runs strong in a number of the people who live here and even though we don’t really see one another that often, it’s the nods in the afternoon or on a weekend and the catch up chats at our xmas party that really make a difference and make you feel like you belong. But its Halloween, when the most ‘stayed’ neighbour will dress up to scare the kids or leave a full basket of chocolates at the door because they have had to go out for the evening, that really brings a smile to my face.


Celebrations for Halloween range from children dressing in fancy costumes and begging for sweets door to door, to watching horror films and attending bonfires. Most Australians only see it as an ‘American thing’ having see it only on the TV or in films associated with that country. However, most people ( including Canadians and Americans) have little idea of the origins or meanings behind these customs. Halloween draws from an ancient Gaelic festival known as Samhain , which means roughly “summer's end”. Immigrants brought their festivals to the US and it has evolved largely from there. For us in the southern hemisphere it is a heralding of the summer to come – if it hasn’t already hit us!

In many other cultures is has been seen as a festival of the dead, where the belief that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin on this particular evening; thus, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. Interestingly, Halloween (All Hallows Eve) is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, which is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic Church still honors its Saints on this designated day with a variety of festivities.

In saying all of this, our family observes Halloween as an honouring of the knowledge, wisdom and energy passed down to us from those who have gone before, of those who have passed on. It’s a time to reflect on the lives of recently passed over friends or family members; to give thanks for their presence in our lives and to open ourselves to the blessing and wishes which can be passed to us in this existence.

Before the trekking up and down the street tonight, we sat in a circle and gave thanks for simple things around us and offered up our gratitude to the spirits around us, asking for protection , guidance and blessings.

We had a great little groups of kids to do the trek with this year – followed close behind by another group from a little further up the street.

Adrian delighted and terrified callers with his Frankenstein outfit. I quickly did up a coffin and headstone for the front where Morgan and Lilly placed little buckets of sweet offerings to the callers. We string glow sticks around the fences and I was luck y enough to find some pumpkin heads in a string of lights to be p-lugged in and looped around the fence as a welcoming light.

Just in case we didn’t have enough sugar – we laid the table with all sorts of sweets and treats – and how could you not have dead mans fingers dipped in blood at a kids party? ( cheerios)

The kids are still running around in circles (9 pm) and giggling ( drunk on sugar literally) I haven’t stopped them eating the treats they got , so I am expecting a huge sugar crash for the morning – hangovers all round.

Belly dancers and friends

Annie in belly dancer costume..... this is a bit of a ground breaking thing here - its me... actually in public and happy showing my mid drift.. I know I am not going to knock any of the super models off their perches just yet... and when reviewing the photos I went oh yuck - I went out like that?? but on the night - I felt great...


Adam and Bettina.. Bit of a funny story here - Adam didn't come in costume - so Jen and Bettina sent him up to their room - he stripped the sheet from the bed and the runner and is basically only wearing that.... what a crack up




Paramar ( thats not how to spell his name - but I have forgotten..) puts in an incredible amount of effort every year and every year he wins the costume comp.... and yep - this year - he won... Man - he must have been so hot with all that body paint on.

The guy in the other costume --- ummm well its just disturbing on too many levels and I can't comment any further...









I'm not sure how clear this will come out - but this is the entrance into Aladdins cave... just to give you an idea of the silks and the richness of the fabrics to decorate inside. am kicking myself for not taking photos of the interior.