More Chicken stuff

As funny as the Chicken costumes the kids tried on at Target last week were, we got a better one from my cousin when we were up in Maryland last weekend. It was an Easter Chick that had been in her basement for 10 years. She pulled it out when I showed her the cellphone picture of DQ and GB and told us we could use it for Halloween.

The original plan was for me to wear the suit, and GB to wear the beer keg he got. But once GB saw it, he needed to wear it. So I happily reluctantly agreed to switch. It worked out really well since the feather arms were too small for me anyway and they really make the costume.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon we went to a Children's "Main Street Halloween parade" that was held downtown. (And the main road in my small town is really named "Main Street." Go figure.) The kids go up one side of the street and then back down the other side while all the store owners stand outside handing out candy. (With coupons usually tossed in as well.)



DQ took off with one of her friends from her class for the parade because we couldn't keep up. The chick costume was hard for GB to walk in (the shell kept getting in the way) and the fact he couldn't see very well made for slow going.



But what really held us back is that every child under the age of 5 wanted to hug him and have their picture taken with him. GB was such a good sport, he was waving to everyone and posed with any kid that asked so their parents could get a picture. He even held a couple of toddlers at the requests of their mom or dad. (Remind me to give him extra allowance this week...)



The parade ended in a small park where there were a bunch of small games and activities. And aside from even more random picture posing for GB, there was fortune telling booths, ghost stories, face painting, cake walks, little areas for picture taking, and lots of small games around the park.






(E and her girls)

One such game was sponsored by the local grocery store. There were a bunch of apples hanging from strings and the point of the game was to remove the apple from the string using only your mouth. If you could do it within 30 seconds, you won a prize (and the apple.)



After several groups of kids couldn't get their apples off, GB got this mischievous grin on his face. His turn came up and once his apple was in place, GB put his chicken head on, leaned back and gave the apple a huge "peck" with his beak that sent the apple flying. He took the helmet off, looked right at the guy and said "did I win?"

I was laughing so hard that I only became bummed later that not only did I not think to video it, but I didn't get a picture either.

Once we got home, the kids took a break and GB and I watched "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." (That has nothing to do with this post, but it was a funny movie that he had never seen before...)

At 6 o'clock the kids went trick or treating around the neighborhood. GB this time decided the Beer Keg was a more comfortable and mobile costume to wear. He was disappointed when I stuck the words "Non-Alcoholic" across the top of the costume though. He failed to see both the humor in that, nor my attempt to play the political correctness game to appease Barbie. The keg costume was "bad" idea according to her, but all the pimps, french maids, zombies, murder victims, pregnant nuns, and the like were fine.

(I'll post a picture of GB in the keg once I get home. I forgot I took those pictures with my other camera and I don't have it here with me now.)

Going off on a complete tangent, here's a Joe Rant: One big drawback to moving the clocks back a week later is that it's still light outside at 6pm. That meant trick or treating began before the fog machines and scary music could have full affect. What's up with that? I blame George Bush. *grin*

Once the kids were done trick-or-treating and I had handed out about 30 pounds of candy it was time to head out to the "Fear Farm". Both kids chickened out decided they were too tired, so E and I went by ourselves.

That sucked. (OK, no it didn't.)