Halloween and a Photo Op

Hi, this is Mabel. I'm writing to you from my backyard, since I have been banished to the back of the house since the yesterday.
It's not as bad as exile to the dog room; we still have access to one small bedroom (and a real bed!) as well as the dog room and the entire backyard).
Our Mamas have left us for a couple of days. Our new friend, Huey, is taking care of us.

Thursday night, or Halloween, as some very strange people call it, passed almost quietly at my house. 
After an early scary warning about Halloween night:

We just heard that ghost and zombies would knock on our door! (and maybe a fairy princess, too). Harley's the bug-eyed twin on the right (in case you can't tell us apart).

Harley and I practiced relaxation exercises all afternoon so Harley wouldn't fall into a huge panic attack when the zombies arrived.

Here I am, coaching Harley on her deep breathing exercises. (I am the twin on top, just in case you can't tell us apart). Harley learned quickly how to breathe deeply and relax.

I'd barely finished Harley's relaxation training (and Harley was very relaxed), when Mama #2 said, "Time to go on a March." 

A Forced March.

Horrifying.

My twin was all relaxed and ready to snooze through zombies and ghosts coming to the house, and Mama #2 wanted to march.

Oh, well.

She put on our neck ropes and off we went.

Marching through the neighborhood.

Did I mention this is my most unfavorite time of year?

People put weird things in their yards.

Look at this:

 And this:

I marched quickly. I thought that if Harley didn't have time to look at the weird yards, she wouldn't dissolve into an anxiety attack.

We didn't see anyone on a horse, though.

Yes, I marched very quickly. Usually, I drag my paws and march very slowly so that I can sniff deeply and enjoy the smell smorgasbord for my nose.

No time for that today. I had to get Harley home and help her to relax before the zombies and ghosts came.

As we  marched, Maggie noticed the vans of people driving by.

Vans.

Driving by slowly.

People staring out their windows at us.

Scary.

Vans full of people, slowly driving beside us as we marched, then quickly driving away towards the scary yards.

Even I felt a bit anxious about all the vans. 

Harley was ready to start barking. And barking.

Maggie was thinking hard, trying to figure out what was going on. Why were all these vans driving beside us, and who were all these people staring at us? And why did they drive off and stop at the scary houses?

Did Mama #2 care? Nope. Mama #2 just kept on marching.

Suddenly, a van pulled up beside us. 

I jumped on Harley, just to keep her safe.  I was pretty sure this one was a dognap attempt.

Suddenly, Maggie realized what was going on; We were a stop on the Haunted House tour!

They'd spotted me, the Famous Diva, out on her daily march!

Amazing!

Harley, Maggie, and I quickly stepped into formation and began marching in perfect step. My Fans. I had to give them good photo ops.

The vans of people (my fans!) kept driving by us, slowly. We practiced our posing as we took our photo ops. I hope at least one or two make the national news.

Me, on the cover of Time Magazine.

I can only hope.

Anyway, after a long afternoon of marching and posing, we marched home to wait for the zombies to arrive.

Harley, Mama #2 and I hunkered down in the back room to await the arrival of the supernatural beings.

Harley chomped furiously on a chewy stick.

The doorbell rang, and the first group came and went. No problems. Harley just kept on chewing.

More people at the door. We heard Mama #1 say something like, "aren't you cute; what are you?" I felt Harley stiffen as she considered the possibilities of what kind of "cute" monster was at our door.

Amazing.

I had to jump on Harley just to keep her from running to the door to see what a "cute" monster/zombie/ghost looked like.

Anyway, the evening passed, and we survived. Harley did not have an anxiety attack and none of the zombies who knocked on the door tried to make Mama #1 into a zombie.

I wonder what it'd be like to be a zombie dog?

Never mind; Divas can't be zombies.

Halloween's over. Time for a nap. Haley's exhausted, that's why I have my ear over her head.