Halloween Cookies made by my daughter
(c) copyright Sherri Matthews 2013
Halloween is upon us at last!
Better get that pumpkin carved, the treats ready to hand out to all those trick-or-treaters and decorate the house with paper bats, dangling skeletons and put on the spooky music!
Most importantly, if you own a black cat, make sure to keep it inside!
Now, there has been a lot said about black cats and Halloween. When my children were little, they picked up somewhere along the line, as children do, that there are some nasty people out there who like to do horrible things to black cats around Halloween time. They used to tell me most seriously to make absolutely sure that we keep our cats, especially our black cats, inside at all times to keep them extra-safe during this time of year.
We did this anyway, but they were afraid that the cats might shoot out when we opened the front door to the trick-or-treaters.
Those of you who read this blog regularly already know about our lovely black moggie Eddie. Others have done a much better job than I could do of writing about the myths and superstitions that swirl around these beautiful black cats, so if you would like to read more about this subject, I highly recommend you visit Beverly’s post over at MoggiePurrs and/or Robin’s over at Playful Kitty
As for Eddie, I will say this: He really loves getting into the ‘spirit’ of things – pardon the pun – by helping out with the carving of the Jack O Lantern.
Eddie helping carve the pumpkin – 2006
(c) Sherri Matthews 2013
Afterwards, when he is tired, he likes to lounge on top of the radiator. After all, it is very hard work preparing for Halloween.
What a Life – Eddie enjoying a well deserved nap
(c) Sherri Matthews 2013
The only thing spooky about my black cat is the way he mysteriously appears by my side, like a ghost in the night, whenever I open a tin of tuna.
One minute he is not there, the next, there he is. Truly magical.
All Ready for the party.
Halloween 2007
(c) Sherri Matthews 2013
Happy Halloween!
A View From My Summerhouse 
Haha, not sure that applies ONLY to black cats, but Eddie sure is splendid. Great carving BTW! I’m off to my daughters just now ( wish me luck on that M25), where I am sure to find carved pumpkins and three very excited grandchildren – oh and one strange Tabby 😉
Jude xx
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Ahh, have a lovely time Jude with your, as you say, very excited grandchildren (and the strange Tabby!) and I do hope that the traffic isn’t too bad. I have been to Salisbury and back today (2 hours drive) on the A303 and it was fine.
Happy travels and Happy Halloween 🙂 xx
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Boy, Eddie is living the life of Riley. Happy Halloween, Sherri! I love the pumpkin cookies your daughter baked…too cute!
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Yes, Eddie really does live the life Riley and knows just where all the warm, cosy spots are all over the house, as cats do!
Thank you for the cookie compliment, I’ll be sure to tell my daughter!
Happy Halloween to you too Jill 🙂
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Eddie will be out Trick or Treating i’m sure!!
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Yes, he has his costume all ready – it’s black and furry with little cat ears 😉 x (oh, and whiskers too!)
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How adorable! This is the first time I’ve “met” Eddie and he seems to be quite the helper 🙂 I had never even thought about black cats and Halloween… I’d be sure to keep him under close watch inside too!
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Ahh, thank you Heather! This whole thing with black cats and Halloween is steeped in old superstitions, myths and legends. I was going to do a proper post all about it but in the end I just couldn’t manage it with everything going on with my son at the moment so that’s why I took the easy way out and linked to those other blog posts (both by lovely bloggers whom I follow!).
Glad you got to meet Eddie and if you want to see more pics of him and our other cat, a grey and white stripped Tabby called Maisy, you can find them under the category title CATegory! Not very original I know!
Happy Halloween!
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Hi Eddie. Bit of a handsome ham if you ask me–posing for the camera. 🙂 Curious and helpful fellow too.
Black cats are adorable and their fur s.h.i.n.e.s. My daughter had a black cat once. He was gorgeous and so lovable.
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Ha ha! Yes Tess, he is quite the ham! You are so right, black cats’ fur really does shine. I’ve always adored black cats and I do believe that they have an extra loveable nature. Perhaps I’m just biased! Your daughter’s cat does indeed sound adorable.
Once again, Happy Halloween 🙂
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Let’s the tricks and treats have fun tonight.
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That’s a very impressive pumpkin carving! Happy halloween to you.
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Thanks Rachel! My daughter did that, she is great at anything creative like that!
And a very Happy Halloween to you too, hope you are still having a lovely holiday 🙂
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We certainly are thanks, Sherri. We’re heading back to the UK tomorrow.
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Safe and happy travels 🙂
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Hi Sherri- what a nice Halloween post! I think it’s smart to keep Eddie out of the public eye on Halloween… you never know. Happy Halloween- I’m looking forward to trick-or-treating tonight with my kids.. can’t wait!
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Ah, thanks Tieshka! Yes, I saw your adorable kids in their Halloween outfits, all ready for trick or treating! I bet they are so excited (you too!) well, will be in a few hours just realising that we are 8 hours ahead of you! Have a super time and Happy Halloween to you too 🙂
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You knew you would hear from me with a cat post!! Loved the picture of Eddy lounging over the radiator. How cute! Have a Happy Halloween!
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Well Bev, I would have been so disappointed if you hadn’t visited with this post!!!! You know I always have you in mind whenever I do anything about my cats!
Happy Halloween to you too 🙂
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Oh — thank you for the mention of Moggiepurrs! We appreciate the shout out.
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Anytime… 🙂
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I hope you were wearing a witches hat while writing this, you know, just to fit the theme 😉
I love Eddie! That photo of him lounging on the radiator is too cute! My cats always move from positions like that just when I get the camera ready. Awkward beggars 😛 I love black cats, we have one of our own and a stray who has essentially become part of the family (nothing to do with me feeding him on the quiet 😉 ) I like how they tan in the summer and turn a dark brown.
Happy Halloween, I hope the trick or treaters don’t disturb you too much ;). Let’s see if we get more than zero this year 😉
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Ha Ha! Actually not, but I will be dressing up later as a sort-of-a-gothicy- Adam’s family Morticia kind-of-a-get-up. Huh? Now even I’m confused 😉
Ahh, I love what you said about black cats. How many cats do you have?
No Steven, absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with you feeding that lovely stray, of course not…!
Black cats do tan don’t they? Eddie does that, and we always say that he is turning orange 🙂
Judging by last year, we should get quite a few, I do have all the sweets ready and waiting but if not well then, more for us! Maybe you will get one or two!
A Happy Halloween to you too 🙂
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Haha wow, sounds like a nice outfit :P. I used to love Addams Family; I’m trying to learn the theme on piano actually.
We have 3 cats at the moment, Oscar (15, Russian blue), Maisie (12 years ago today we got her actually, one-eyed tortoiseshell witches cat) Mimi (8, black fluffy thing).
And of course the stray whom I have christened Bernardo. He’s hilarious. I think he may have been dumped or mistreated by people as he started showing up what must be about 2 years ago now, and at first wouldn’t let us go near him, he’d vanish over the fence and then creep back when he thought we’d all gone. Now he still doesn’t let us touch him or anything, but he is much more comfortable with us and our house and stays around here most of the time – actually we had a new fire installed in our dining room last winter, went out of the room for 10 minutes, then guess who’s sprawled out on his side, yes, in the house, in front of it? Why Bernardo of course! He started letting himself in lot but doesn’t come in so much now as we have a new dog since then and he’s a bit too lively for Bernard’s liking. He does make me feel guilty sitting at the doorstep in the rain!
I just think it was a shame if he was thrown out or whatever because he clearly would have grown up to be such a loyal and sweet cat but now he’s constantly cautious of people.
Hehe black cats go like my beard which gets worryingly orange in the summer 😮
Well we’ve smashed the record for the past couple of years as I have had TWO knocks at the door. How many have you had? 😛 Hope you’re having a fun evening!
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Ahh, loved reading about your cats and your Maisie too! They do know who they want to be with and obviously Bernardo wants to be with you! I expect he will get used to your dog eventually and that won’t deter him for long as he has adopted you! Talking of which, you certainly do have a house full, love it 🙂
Well that’s great, two, wow. I wonder if you had any more? We had 40 – I counted as I had little trick or treat bags to hand out, 40 of them, once then went, that was it – so that’s how I know! Still seemed quiet though compared to what I was used to in the States! 🙂
I
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We do have a house full, we had 6 cats at one stage with 2 dogs! Haven’t even mentioned all the chickens and the parrot and the rabbits yet 😉
I’d never let a snake anywhere near my house though!! You’re very brave 😛 Think I’d sooner have a crocodile. That’s an idea actually – walking it would be fun…
40?! Blimey, you must have been backwards and forwards to the door like a yo-yo! Haha, I’m afraid we didn’t improve on 2.
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Ha ha, it was a bit like that last night!
Once upon a time we had chickens, 2 dogs, 3 cats, tropical fish, a pet frog (actually it was a Fire Belly Toad!), lizards, rats, hamsters and Zebra Finches. Oh, and 2 African Lovebirds for a short time. I did a blog post that touched on our brief venture into bird ownership a while ago: https://sherrimatthewsblog.com/2013/06/04/birds-of-a-feather-all-that/
You will see why I think you are very brave having a parrot!
Yes, I still can’t believe I relented to let my daughter have a snake. I must be nuts!
The one pet we never had were rabbits, although my brother and I had a pair which we called Bill and Ben – of course. One ran away and the other died. That was the end of our rabbits and my ex was allergic to them.
Have a great weekend Steven and I hope the wedding goes all to plan 🙂
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Lovely pictures Sherri, your cat isn’t a bit spoiled is He 🙂
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Ha Ha! What? My cat spoiled? Of course not 😉
Thanks Bob, glad you liked the pics 🙂
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Hahaha – love the photos, Sherri. Have a Happy Halloween! 🙂
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Thanks Pat – same to you, hope you had a Happy Halloween 🙂
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You too — was pretty quiet for us. 🙂
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Eddie is a delight. So cute, and ALSO a huge helper with the pumpkin carving!
I bet he magically appears at your side when you fix any kind of fish, too. Such a smart cat, and also a fun post!
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Ha Ha! Thanks Marylin, glad you enjoyed it! Yes, he does have a very special gift for doing that, truly amazing 😉
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What a fun post! I had to look up the word ‘moggie’ …must be a British term of endearment for cats? We live at the top of a very long and steep driveway, so we never get any brave youngsters up here on Halloween. It used to make me so sad because each Halloween I’d buy all this candy thinking THIS was the year someone would be brave, and then no one at all would come. I still get candy every year JUST IN CASE, but so far: 15 years, ZERO brave souls. Sigh…someone has to eat all those goodies. Oh my oh my, what to do? 🙂
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Yes, moggie is a British word for a cat that isn’t a pedigree. Just your ordinary, run of the mill everyday, loveable cat!! I had forgotten that it wasn’t an American word until fairly recently!
It is difficult when you live in a place where trick or treaters don’t come by to visit. I wonder if it was any different for you this year?
I can only think of one thing to do with all that left over candy, and I’m sure that it is the same as what you are thinking… enjoy 😉
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He’s adorable! We kept our black cat, Atticus, inside last night as well. He was quite unhappy about it. I have the bite mark to prove it.
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Ah, thanks TB, and glad that Atticus was safely indoors last night, even though you had to pay the price for his safety 😦 Sure he is glad to be out and about again today though 🙂
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He’s actually sound asleep on my bed. My cat has a tough life.
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Just like mine 🙂
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I’ve always been afraid of black cats, especially during Halloween. I know there is nothing to be scared of, I just couldn’t shake the silly old stories we were told when I was a kid. 🙂
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That’s the thing about black cats, some people are afraid of them for this reason. Having owned several of them over the years I can assure you that they are the most loveable and sweetest of cats. But those old stories from our childhood do persist!
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Hope you had a nice Halloween! I’m in the process of moving house and with my upcoming book, my life is a constant stream of chores!! But I’m glad I visited your wonderful blog, it was a time well spent…, and yes, your cat is lovely, sending some kisses his way!!! 🙂 🙂
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Thanks Sandra, we did, and hope you did too! Wow, you have a plate full, moving house never gets any easier so far as I’m concerned, having done it far too many times! Thanks so much for taking the time to visit anyway, that means a lot! I hope that things are going well with your move and your book, busy but very exciting times for you 🙂 Keep in touch!
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Those cookies look brill … as does the pumpkin cake next to them! Eddie is so handsome – I like how he’s basking on top of the radiator just like a film star. 😀 Hope you all enjoyed your Halloween.
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Ha Ha! Thanks Lesley, I’m sure Eddie will very much appreciate your admiration of him 😉 We had a good time thanks and hope you did too – we ended up with 40 trick or treaters!!
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