Getting into the spirit - pumpkin carving

Ha ha... I crack me up. Get it, spirits. It's Halloween (well the day after). I know. I'm a riot.

I love America. And not in a Team America 'F*** yeah' sort of way. I love that everything is big. Big Apple. Big steaks. Big on Sex and The City.

They really throw themselves into it, and largely seem to be having fun as they do it.

I know Australians whinge 'Halloween is so American'. In fact, most of the traditions came from Ireland or the UK. In fact, it's a Catholic thing before All Saints Day on 1 Nov. In fact, it was a pagan holiday before that.

So what? Who cares? It's fun and that's what life is about.

I've always wanted to get into Halloween, but life is too jammy and I run out of time. This year we have Sister S's engagement party, so I can't join the festivities, but I could knock number 11 off my 101 in 1001. Carve a pumpkin.

For the past few years, Woolworths have sold the special pumpkin you need to make a jack-o-lantern. Score.

Carrying my prize home in the caring way I first took Mini Me home, I was ready.

First up Hubby sharpened the knives. Off to a good start. Then I drew the face. Going well.

Then I made the first incision... Pushing... Cutting... Yanking the knife out. 

It was exhausting. Only then did I visit my trusty friend, Martha Stewart, for advice. She said I needed special tools. Wha?

Being proud I cut, scrapped and chiselled some more using whatever I could find in the kitchen. Pfft to special pumpkin carving tools.

The making of Cletus

And you know what; Cletus looks scary. He's missing a few teeth (I got a little vigorous punching his mouth out), he's scarred and his wonky. The effect is a mangy ginger cat who got into one to many alley fights over scraps for that sweet... He he. Almost made a naughty double entrendre.

Most of all, he's eerie with his candle brain. I love him and he's part of the family.

That is until the neighbourhood cats start mewing for his scraps.

Oh yeah, he's eerie.

PS... As Aussies we have to stop complaining about things. When I was travelling, it was the Aussies who whinged. In the UK we compare everything to Australia and whinge. Seriously guys. Stop complaining. And no longer can we say whinging pom, without also saying whinging Aussie. My whining rant is over.