It's around this time each year that we dress Da Chimpz like little boys wearing Holloween costumes and parade them around the neighborhood collecting sweets. This year our little ninjas met up with their pals from around the block and quadruple-teamed several unsuspecting area homes.

Alane led them about; I stayed behind to distribute the candy. There sure are a lot of kids in this area! We ran out of swag about an hour and a half into the festivities -- I quickly turned off the porch light, closed the front door and drew the curtains. If we get egged, I don't want to know about it until morning.

Right now Cookie is downstairs doing his homework. In a few minutes we will chase ghosts in the attic. Well, not really ghosts, but a bird I heard flapping around this afternoon. Better get the little bastard before he craps on everything. Not sure how to be rid of the little beast once I find him... I'll make it up as I go along. And I'll bring Da Chimpz. Maybe I'll read some Poe to them before we venture up there -- give them some real Halloween excitement.

Nevermore, indeed.

UPDATE: Too late to free the trapped sparrow -- we opened the attic door and it lay there dead at the bottom of the stairs. Breathed its last. An ex-sparrow. Not even nailed to its perch. Who knows how long it has been trapped up there. Got a shovel from the garage and did the disposal thing.