My Halloween Sunday in Surrey

Like yesterday, Sun was proud this morning; its bright light prompted me to get up earlier than usual.

Fumbling...fumbling...there...my MP3 player...click...pre-breakfast treat...first song for the day...

I Will Not Take These Things for Granted
by Toad the Wet Sprocket
Fear, 1991 Columbia

One part of me just wants to tell you everything
One part just needs the quiet
And if I'm lonely here, I'm lonely here
And on the telephone, you offer reassurance

I will not take these things for granted
I will not take these things...

How can I hold the part of me that only you can carry?
It needs a strength I haven't found
But if it's frightening, I'll bear the cold
And on the telephone, you offer warm asylum

I'm listening, flowers in the garden
Laughter in the hall, children in the park

I will not take these things for granted
I will not take these things for granted
I will not take these things for granted
I will not take these things anymore

To crawl inside the wire and feel something near me
To feel this accepting
That it is lonely here, but not alone
And on the telephone, you offer visions dancing

I'm listening, music in the bedroom
Laughter in the hall, dive into the ocean
Singing by the fire, running through the forest
Standing in the wind, the rolling canyons

I will not take these things for granted
I will not take these things for granted
I will not take these things for granted
I will not take these things anymore

If I were in Philippines, I would definitely be with my whole family--mom, sisters, niece and nephews--"trick or treating" at Glorietta Mall, like what I did during my last Halloween at home.

Nonetheless, I had a fairly fun day.

Before lunch, everyone except Jenny (who was yet to take a bath and we were already leaving) went out. First stop, Future Shop (a computer and appliance center): Papa bought me a headset. Yippee! I can now talk with my friends who also have a headset through the Yahoo messenger. Actually I was also supposed to buy a webcam, but the most economical brand/model was sold out. Tsk...tsk...tsk! Better luck next time.

Mike and family dropped off Papa and me at Guildford Centre. Papa and I with Jenny (whom we would be meeting at the movie house) were watching the 1:25 p.m. showing of The Grudge (starring Sara Michelle Gellar) at SilverCity Guildford (a.k.a. Famous Players), a theater near Guildford mall.

For the faint-hearted, and especially for those who believe in ghosts and similar stuff, the film is definitely a thriller. To me, though, and to my grandfather, both of whom do not believe in such stuff, The Grudge was just another "scary" movie.

Papa and I had our lunch at Guildford Centre's foodcourt: roastbeef sandwich and soda from Mr. Sub (a.k.a. Subway). I checked out Black Bond Books and bought some Dover books:

1. Thomas Hardy's Selected Poems
2. Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince
3. Friedrich Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil
4. 100 Best-Loved Poems, edited by Philip Smith
5. The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain: A Book of Quotations

After the movie, past 3 p.m., we went back to Guildford, and at Wal-Mart we bought shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and hairdye for Papa and me.

Mike picked us up at around 5 p.m., and we headed home, in time for the Halloween get-together; Dickson's and Reinil's families were coming over.

Pizza...vegetable salad...soda...

Then, at around 7, I accompanied the big kids--Racquel, Melanie, and Alyssa--for the 'trick or treat' in the neighborhood. Awesome! My first time to enjoy Halloween in Canada. They were right! Halloween celebration here is far more festive and eagerly awaited than Christmas time; there were fireworks and impressive Halloween decorations adorning most houses--reminded me of Christmas back home.

The kids were in their respective costumes. I went with them as myseLf. Ha-ha-ha! I would have felt out-of-placed, but some of the children roaming the neighborhood looked older than I. Perhaps because Caucasians usually look older than Asians, or simply because I am an eLf.

It was funny to note that only during the 'trick or treat' when I got to see the people in the neighborhood, for on ordinary days, especially when my grandfather and I are on our regular morning walk, the streets are virtually deserted.

There was also this particular house which its owners had turned into a "haunted house"--creepy to the kids, awesome to me. I should have brought Papa's camera. I was glad, however, that I was able to have Dickson take a picture of me with the children in costume.

Back to the house, 'round 9. I feasted on the pizza again. Finally, the visitors said bye.

I washed dishes. Cleaned up some of the mess. And then, fixed my sleeping place...I'm tired...and sleepy.

May I have a creepy Halloween nightmare. Freddy Krueger, heed my wish! Ah-ah-ah-ah!

10:32 p.m. Logging out...

Goodnight.

aLfie