Salutations, Pine Oaks readers!
We had an exciting Pine Oaks Book Club discussion last month, about a series of short stories called �The German Well-Tender�s Saga.� Some of our members were apparently confused, and thought it was a novel, so we had several questions about why each chapter had a different title and different characters and why the author couldn�t sustain promising plotlines. Thankfully, after a mere hour and 20 minutes, we got everything sorted out, and had a pleasant conversation from there on out.
This month�s book, is very topical. Because it�s October, we decided it would be a good time to read �A History of Halloween,� which traces the holiday�s history, as the book�s subtitle puts it, �From Pagan Ritual to Candy Holiday.� Frankly I think that�s a little �on the nose,� but the only other Halloween book we could find was �Clifford the Big Red Dog Goes Trick-or-Treating.� But that�s our local library for you.
And just a reminder, the Pine Oaks Book Club is always looking for new members! Especially if they�re willing to both host and lead future discussions, and can guarantee a time commitment. Reading about Halloween is the perfect way to �dive in,� so drop me a line if you�re interested in joining us. Until next month, keep reading for the stars!
Julia Schaun
Chairwoman, Pine Oaks Book Club
By Tony Daniels
Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha.
No, it�s not Dracula. Tony Daniels here with another year�s worth of Halloween safety tips. You know, Halloween is a special time for safety mavens, what with the people you�ve never seen before walking around and the taking candy from strangers and the nighttime. Has it been a year already? This year, I�ll show you how to make some safe � and fun � costumes at little to more-than-little cost.
Spooky, the Reflective Ghost
Step one: make a normal ghost costume by cutting eye holes out of a white sheet.
Step two: past and/or tape bike reflectors all over the sheet. White or clear reflectors are preferable here, but red will also work in a pinch. Avoid brown reflectors.
The Human Torch
By �torch� I�m referring of course to the British word torch, which refers to what we Americans call a flashlight. You can either revise the Spooky, the Reflective Ghost costume and use flashlights instead of reflectors (in the �on� position, of course!), or you can dress your child up like one large flashlight, using construction paper to simulate the case and a large light bulb on top, which you can probably buy at Stillman�s. Also, the light bulb will probably be very hot, so this is recommended only for bald children, who don�t have any hair that could burn.
Mike, The Guy Who Totally Forgot It Was Halloween and Watched Season 3 of Family Guy Instead
Pretty much self-explanatory. Just stay in your house all night. Sure accidents can happen in the home, too, but they wouldn�t be Halloween-related mishaps. Whenever someone comes trick-or-treating to your door, just say, �Oh, is that today? Man, I wondered why all that candy was on sale.�
Dale Davis
The 6�10� veteran power forward who has played for such teams as the Indiana Pacers, the Portland Trailblazers, and the Detroit Pistons. You�ll have averaged 9 rebounds a game for the 1998-1999 season, and he looks like one tough dude, so no one will probably mess with you. Which brings us to�
A Dude With a Gun
If no one messes with Dale Davis, then no one really messes with a dude with a gun. A real gun isn�t necessary here, but would probably help. There�s always on tough guy who wants to test.
So there you have it! This Halloween, be sure to have fun, enjoy your candy, and most of all � be safe.
Neighborhood Watch...p. 2
Message from the President...FRONT
Pine Oaks Book Club...p. 2
Fighting Spirit...p. 3
Welcome Wagon...FRONT
This Month in Pine Oaks...FRONT
Young Person's Perspective...p. 4