Winchester's 1920s Hallowe'en

It's that time of year again. And this year The Writer is planning an old-fashioned 1920's Hallowe'en. You know Hallowe'en was originally for grown-ups. They threw big parties and dressed up in costumes. Kids didn't get in the picture until the 1940s. Anyway, you're going to wear an authentic 1920s costume! And you'll sit by the door when The Writer hands out candy to the trick or treaters.

Does this mean I'm get to be a gangster? Oh, boy! Call me Al Cat-one. Or Pretty Boy Kitty. Or Clawed from Bonnie and Clawed--

Stuff your Tommy gun back in your violin case. You're not going to be a gangster.

Who else was famous in the 1920s? I know! I'll be Jay Catsby in "The Great Catsby." I already have the spats--all I need are tennis whites.

You're not going to be the Great Catsby. In the 1920s people didn't dress up like people of their time. They dressed up like milkmaids and Cleopatra.

But I'm not a girl.

The Writer's husband has said you're not much of a boy, either. The guys in those days dressed up like . . . clowns.

Clowns? You mean with red noses and great big shoes?

Yes! Like Harlequin and Puccini's Pagliacci--like the costumes from this old pattern book.

Oh, no! I'm not putting on that hideous wig! Get those jingle bells away from me! I'm going over the wall! I will not be a party to The Writer's stupid Hallowe'en party!

Come back! You don't have your red nose on yet!

Ellsworth's Day at KidLitCon 2009

Get up!

Nooo, let me sleep. I got in very late last night. After the conference, there was a cocktail party and then dinner . . . I think I had one too many Pink Elephants.

I know for a fact you were home by six o'clock. You mumbled something about being the very first one to blog about the conference, then fell in bed.

It was a long day, anyway. Going to conferences is hard work!

Aw, I bet you're worn out from giving all those pawtographs.

Some people were glad to see me! Miss Rumphius was there, and Jama from Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup and Mary Lee from A Year of Reading and Pam from MotherReader . . .

Did anyone ask about me? Huh, did they? I'm the more famous one in this blog.

But our blog is named after me. Yeah, a few people wanted to know about you. The Writer put up your picture on the table with her books. See? Oh! And I met Cornelius from Jama Rattigan's blog. We hung out together. He just came back from Hawaii and was sort of jet-lagged but we still--

Okay! Okay! Sheesh. It's all about you, isn't it?

Yeah, for once! Tee-hee.

Winchester Messes With The Writer's Computer

Let's see . . . what shall I wear to the Kidlitosphere Conference next Saturday? A lot of the attendees are wondering what to wear. So is The Writer.

What do you care? You've had on the same outfit for 47 years.

They say if you keep something in your closet long enough, it comes back in style.

Those clothes will come back in style when they bring back bustles and spats.

Speaking of spats, are you still mad at The Writer because she's taking me to the conference and not you?

Me? Not a bit? Hmmm. I wonder if I switch the wires on the motherboard what would happen? Look at that! I'm downloading a new system on The Writer's computer.

You're what???

Windows is so over. I'm putting Snow Leopard operating system on her computer.

Snow Leopard is for MACs! The Writer has a PC.

Oops! Heh-heh-heh.

I don't like this no-picture business.

Neither does The Writer. She has been working on the problem for two weeks. She's cleared her cache, dumped her cookies, and prayed to the blogging god, but nothing has worked. We'll just have to soldier on without photos.

But photographs of me are the whole point of the blog!!! Without pictures of my cuteness, the blog is just a bunch of words.

Think of this as a caveman's blog, before he learned how to draw on the walls. Now . . . The Writer is leaving today for a whole week at Bell House to work on her novel. She delivered her nonfiction book Monday.

Oh, yeah, that book about constipation.

Her book is about the Constitution, not constipation.

Whatever. Hey, I noticed a widget on the blog. Something about KidLitCon '09?

Yes! The Kidlitosphere Conference for this year is Crystal City, only an hour away from The Writer. She's going and--guess what? So am I! I'm making a surprise guest appearance.

You're going and not me? But I'm the one everybody wants to meet! I'm the star!

I behave better than you do.

I don't care! This tears it! I'm going to--to--

What? Run away? You've only done that about a gazillion times.

I'll think of something! I'm not taking this insult lying down!