Spookay

I haven't been to Spooktacular in years. But when my friends were coming into town and told me they wanted to get into the Halloween spirit, it was the first thing that came to mind. Dark, winding, earthly smelling pathways, cleverly gorged out pumpkins, the incessant twinkling of candlelight that is only really appropriate this time of year, and cheerfully costumed people handing out candy at every quarter mile. What, I ask, could be more Halloweeny... or better?

So, I fervently dragged both friends and family, unfed with dinner but armed with a canister of snuck in wine, to the Jacksonville Zoo's 2009 Spooktacular.

It helps that Best Buddies, my good friend Mary's so-to-speak lovechild [she didn't envision it, but she has envisioned amazing things for the Jacksonville chapter... including the pairing of my buddy Wanda and I!], had me out at the Zoo carving away at a few of those "thousands" of pumpkins creating the spooktacularistic ambiance.

It was exciting to find my pumpkins as we wandered through the cavernous pathways.

Cielo's craftily carved pumpkin.


One of mine. Peace in the Mid East.

We thoroughly enjoyed the awkward anteater, the baby [baby? or small?] cheetahs and their playful abuse of the underprivileged pumpkins, and the giraffes who never tired of the relentless leaves being thrust their way.

I convinced, easily, my sister Jana and great friend Donald to ride the carousel with me. It was a trek my sister and I have taken on a number of occasions and, as we exited the ride red faced and laughing, she hugged my neck and whispered into my ear, "I will always ride the carousel with you, babe."

And at the end of the night, wine drunk and thermos thrust back into my purse, candy eaten, and feet incredibly sore, we visited my uncle's fountain. We silently walked the perimeters and thought of his big smile, his big heart, and how perfect a place this was to honor his legend. Outdoors, yet family friendly, fun and light, yet serious and beneficial. Real. True. Fun.