31 Days of Halloween: Day 30

The big weekend is here! And today was a busy day, involving several costume changes and a little bit of performance (and some pumpkin pie!).

Litter-Pick in the Woods

In honour of the spooky season, the monthly Friends of Bailey's Wood litter-pick was a fancy dress this month. I went as an angel, for reasons that might become clear shortly!

Hannah's Bookshelf Halloween Special

The Hannah's Bookshelf Halloween Special was on North Manchester FM. I presented the shortlisted stories for this year's 3 Minute Scares competition and, as is customary, I presented the show in fancy dress (the other half of my two-part costume for the day).

Dinner with my Mother-in-Law

Rob and I were at his mum's tonight for a Halloween dinner tonight. We took the opportunity to show off our Cluedo costumes in person, and also to partake of her very special pumpkin pie. My costume was not the most comfortable, so I did change into a slightly less coherent outfit later in the evening (complete with Halloween headband, Billy the Puppet earrings, and an appropriately spooky dress).

Today's Story

Today's story - the final story (as my book of '31 Horror Stories' turned out to only have 30 in it) - was 'Corabella' by David Fletcher. A creepy-kids story with a great final line. A good way to conclude my Halloween story-a-day.

Today's Tea

Today's tea (the penultimate tea!) was Bram Stoker from The Literary Tea Company, a fruit infusion with morello cherries. It's blood-red, of course, and it tastes delightfully and dramatically of sour cherries.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 17

A bit of a quieter Halloween day for me after yesterday's fun. I just stuck to my daily story and tea today.

Today's Story

Today's story was 'A Little Place off the Edgware Road' by Graham Greene. I've read this one before but forgot how much I liked it. The story is creepy, but it's the amazing setting that wins it for me. Brilliant.

Today's Tea

Today's tea was Mary Shelley from The Literary Tea Company, which promised to be an aromatic violet black tea (and I LOVE violet flavour). I wish I give you an idea of how good this smells. It's SO violety. I love it!

31 Days of Halloween: Day 10

Continuing with my Halloween month (though a bit less intense than yesterday)... I just had my daily horror story and seasonal tea today...

Today's Story

Today's story was 'Lot No. 249' by Arthur Conan Doyle, a creepy story about 'the great terror of Abercrombie Smith' (that may or may not be a resurrected mummy).

Today's Tea

Today's tea was H.P. Lovecraft from The Literary Tea Company, a pumpkin black tea with toffee, liquorice and the fear of the unknown. H.P. Lovecraft smells and tastes quite strongly of toffee, which is actually surprisingly nice for a black tea. Mmm... eldritch.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 3

Carrying on with my daily Halloween stories and teas. Today was another full-on work day so I didn't get chance to do any other Halloween stuff. I did do a litter-pick in Crumpsall Park this morning, and so I saw some pretty cool autumnal stuff. I think one of the things I spotted has a bit of a Halloween vibe to it, so I'm counting it!

Fairy-Tale Mushroom

The litter-pick might not have been a Halloween event, but I think this awesome mushroom has a Samhain feel to it.

Today's Story

Today's story was 'The Premature Burial' by Edgar Allan Poe, concluding the Poe triptych that kicks off this collection.

Today's Tea

Given the first three stories in the collection, it seems fitting that today's tea was Edgar Allan Poe from The Literary Tea Company. Quaff this vanilla Ceylon tea and forget your lost Lenore! A little lighter and more delicate than I was expecting, but rather nice. And who knew Poe would taste of vanilla?