31 Days of Halloween: Day 13

Well, I'm still ill, but the show must go on. For the first time this week, I managed to fit in a little bit more than just a tea and a story (but I'm absolutely shattered now as a result). I did find a way of making my horror cold work for me though...

Today's Tea

Tonight's tea was Witches Brew from Pentacle Herb Store. It's hibiscus, rosehip, elderberry, orange, lemon and mulled wine spices. And it tastes, as you might imagine, like mulled wine. (I've definitely had way more hibiscus than pumpkin so far this year.)

Today's Story

Tonight's classic tale of horror is 'The Terror of Blue John Gap' by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Tonight's Halloween Look

I wanted to go for a Woman in Black vibe for tonight's Facebook live event. The one saving grace of being so poorly is that I didn't need any white face make-up, I could just lean in to the deathly pallor I'm currently sporting.

Ghost Story Readalong Live

Well, I managed to get through tonight's Ghost Story Readalong video on Facebook Live without sneezing. Who knows what next week will bring?

Mr Harrigan’s Phone

As me and my little brother are both still ill, we couldn't get together for our regular Myst replay. We decided to have a remote film night instead (party like it's 2020!). We watched Mr Harrigan's Phone and I had some Joe and Seph's Strawberry Cheesecake popcorn. If It Bleeds was the first Stephen King book my brother read (he randomly borrowed it from me one night last year), so it was nice to watch the adaptation of 'Mr Harrigan's Phone' together.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 12

Another day of not quite celebrating Halloween due to the cold from Hell. I'm posting this a little late again, as I didn't feel like a tea and a story yesterday. I caught up today though, as I'm not going to let the seasonal celebrations slip too much!

Today's Tea

Catching up with what should've been yesterday's tea... Evening at the Fireplace from It's Tea Ltd. It's a weird one... green tea with cinnamon, cardamom and sugar Christmas tree decorations, so probably more a Christmas than a Halloween tea!

Today's Story

Yesterday's classic tale of horror (which I read today) was 'Le Grande Bretèche' by Honoré de Balzac.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 11

I've caught up with my teas and my stories now, so I'm posting this one on time. Unfortunately, I'm still feeling under the weather, so I didn't have any energy for anything other than a Halloween tea and a (very) short story this evening. Really hope I can shift this cold and get back to Halloween festivities soon.

Today's Tea

Tonight's tea was Immortali-Tea from Monster Mash Teas. It's a cup of warm blood... orange, apple, hibiscus and rosehip infusion.

Today's Story

Tonight's classic tale of horror was 'Sredni Vashtar' by Saki.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 10

Another late post, as I was still down with a bad cold yesterday and not in the mood for doing much celebrating. I caught up with my Halloween tea and story today though.

Today's Tea

I'm catching up with what would've been yesterday's tea... Dorian Grey from Monster Mash Teas. It's absolutely delightful, the most delicious Earl Grey ever. Downside is, I now have to keep a cup of rancid stewed tea in my attic. Swings and roundabouts.

Today's Story

And catching up with what would've been yesterday's classic tale of horror... 'The Body-Snatcher' by Robert Louis Stevenson.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 9

Unfortunately, my Halloween celebrations have been curtailed for a couple of days, as I caught a nasty cold at the weekend. It's the first cold I've had since before lockdown, and I'd forgotten how unpleasant they can be. So, I'm posting Sunday and Monday's posts a bit late. Hopefully I'll be back on track after today though.

Today's Tea

As I've been under the weather past couple of days, I haven't quite kept up with my Halloween tea-a-day. I'm catching up now with the tea I would've had on Sunday... Campfires and Vampires from Bird and Blend Tea Co. It's a green tea with rose petals, cinnamon, cloves and red peppercorns. No idea if it will help my cold or repel vampires, but it tastes absolutely lovely.

Today's Story

And the perfect accompaniment to the tea, today I read what would've been Sunday's classic tale of horror, 'For the Blood is the Life' by F. Marion Crawford.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 8

It's been an incredibly busy week, so today was a game of two halves. A litter-pick in the park in the morning, but then a quiet afternoon making soup and reading a book.

Today's Tea

Tonight's tea was Druids Dream from The Tea Crew. It's an infusion of hibiscus, apple, elderberry, banana, rosehip and strawberry. It's absolutely delicious and looks gorgeous, but it leaves the question: do Druids dream of bananas?

Today's Story

Tonight's classic tale of horror was 'The Vampyre' by John Polidori.

Boggart Hole Clough Litter-Pick

I was out in Boggart Hole Clough (a park that is reputedly haunted by a boggart) this morning for the monthly community litter-pick. It was quiet, but gloriously autumnal. I've taken lots of acorn pictures this year, but seem to have missed the conkers. Went to a big chestnut tree in the Clough today to look for some, and this is literally all the squirrels had left, the greedy little nutkins.

Mystery Allotment Squash Soup

Remember my mystery squash from Tuesday? Well, I cut into it and I really don't think it was a summer squash or a round courgette. I'm pretty sure it was some type of winter squash. Anyway, I made it into a soup with a red chilli (also from the allotments), and whatever it was it tasted great.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 7

I'm a little bit delayed posting this, but it's another day of Halloween! I had some work commitments yesterday that, while nice, were definitely not things I could count as seasonal celebrations (I have to be honest that afternoon tea with the Lord Mayor of Manchester isn't a Halloween event). I've decided that I really can't shoehorn them in, so this post will just include the 100% Halloween stuff.

Today's Tea

Yesterday's tea was Black Forest No. 1 from Tenacious Tea! It's got cocoa nibs and cherry pieces, so as you might have guessed it tastes like a cup of Black Forest gateau!

Today's Story

Yesterday's classic tale of horror was 'The Shunned House' by H.P. Lovecraft.

Halloween Earrings

I wore my bee earrings for afternoon tea with the Lord Mayor (of course), but I changed into something more seasonally appropriate for the evening.

Battle Royale

We spent an awesome evening watching Battle Royale (2000) with friends at Chapeltown Picture House last night. I haven't seen Battle Royale in a good few years, and I'd forgotten just how much fun it is!

31 Days of Halloween: Day 6

Bit of a busy day today. There were a couple of very Halloweeny things, and a few things that were nice but perhaps not 100% Halloween. I'm still going to count them though.

Today's Tea

Tonight's tea was... not strictly speaking Halloween themed. Or is a cowboy a Halloween thing? Anyway, it was The Bandit from Tea and the Gang. It's a chocolate and orange black tea!

Today's Story

Tonight's classic tale of horror was 'The Willows' by Algernon Blackwood.

A Visit to the Avenue Library

I was at the Avenue Library today. I tried to find the most Halloween-appropriate selection of books, but I'm not sure I quite managed it! Close enough though.

Lunch at the Hidden Gem Coffee Shop

I went for lunch with my mum at the Hidden Gem Coffee Shop in Heaton Park today. Again, not the most Halloween-tastic thing ever, but I guess Red Velvet Cake looks a little bit seasonal.

Ghost Story Readalong Live

I did the first Facebook Live for the Ghost Story Readalong tonight. It's didn't go... smoothly. But at least I had fun.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 5

Today was a bit of a marathon work day, so there was no time for anything more than a Halloween tea and a story. Still, at least I managed to fit those little seasonal things in.

Today's Tea

Tonight's tea was Winter Charm from Ahmad Tea. It's apple, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest. Admittedly that means it tastes more Christmassy than Halloweeny. But still.

Today's Story

Tonight's classic tale of horror was 'Young Goodman Brown' by Nathaniel Hawthorne.