Paws In Pursuit: Paws Up! Its Friday! - Halloween Spooktacular & Fractured Fryday Hairy Tails

HAPPY HOWL-O-WEEN EVERYONE!!!

Its the big, scary day today! Its here already. And we're joining a very special blog hop today to celebrate the spooOooky occasion, Halloween Spooktacular, alongside the Fractured Fryday Hairy Tails Blog Hop!

Well, after a major and literally 'gutting' (get it, hahahahaa! Pumpkins! Gutted!!!) pumpkin failure with our humongous, PAWsomely wicked beast of a festive vegetable, we've managed to successfully carve a funny face into our cute little emergency pumpkin.

The pair are extremely proud after their dash for another pumpkin in time for today. It all worked wonders!

We have a funny story as part of Fractured Fryday (last Fridays of the month blog hop) regarding pumpkin carving, spoken by Earl himself…

Its Halloween, and Ethel and I have been busy getting things ready for tonight… well, more me, really. You simply can't trust a little one 100% now can you?! Anyway, I was preparing our pumpkin by drawing out some ideas on paper. I was comfy, it was a Friday morning and breakfast still lay yummy in my blissfully full stomach. It was a lovely warm day, with a very Autumnal look and feel. I started drawing one, and then a bigger version of the design. I knew exactly what I wanted my pumpkin to be like.

I proudly lifted my completed design gently into my mouth. The pages in the pad fluttered as I bounced down from my sofa perch and trotted into the kitchen where I leaped onto a dining chair and placed it down. Still, I had left several soggy teeth marks at the top. All the more unique, I say?! Oh well. Anyway, I was just about to show Ethel my designs, when Mum came staggering in, weighed down by yesterday's emergency pumpkin. I wagged my tail, lolled my tongue and let out an excited screech.

"Guess what we're going to do Borders?" she said, "Earl, your face says it all!"
"Whoohoo, Mum!" I woofed, "I can't wait to get started. Just help me with all the equipment from the cupboards I can't quite reach, and I'll be on my way".
Mum looked rather shocked at this. Ethel simply stared up and wagged her bum at us. I sighed.
"Look, I'm a big dog now…" I moaned.
"No you're not!" Ethel whines, "You're only four, small breeds like us can live well into our teens! Like, 15!!!"
"Shut your kibble hole sis" I barked gruffly, bending my neck down to stare at my little cousin/housemate.
"Now, now, dogs" Mum interrupted. "We'll NEVER have this pumpkin ready for tonight and set on the windowsill if you two keep quarrelling so. You're acting like a puppy Earl".
I rolled my handsome, shining brown eyes (yes, I do regard myself a stunner indeed). I sat there watching mum prepare the needed equipment to start with the pumpkin.
"You're like a grumpy old man!" Mum laughed at me, "Maybe that's what you should simply go as for Halloween".
I gaped at her, showing all my 'fangs'.
"I, woman, am a handsome young boy" I said proudly, shutting my eyes and turning my head regally. Mum ignored me and started humming a scarily worrying Halloween-y tune.
"And you KNOW what I am going to be for Halloween! A mummy, of course!" I said in firm response.
"Ah yes!" Mum sang, "I forgot all about getting that ready for you fella. We shall dress you up after the pumpkin is done. And what about you, young lady?" She pointed at Ethel, grinning at her furry little pup face.
"Well, I could always try to be a mummy alongside Earl". Her admiration impressed me and as much as Ethel can be rather annoying from time to time, she obviously looks up to me a lot as her older brov.
"Righty ho then" Mum breezed, "I can get something pulled together and Earl, I'm putting you in change of the pumpkin here. Its a big responsibility, and I…."
"Mother, you're babbling" I interrupted quickly, and she left the room. I took a deep breath and grabbed the nearest marker pen. The first thing I needed to do was go by my earlier design I had proudly drawn out, and sketch it out to cut our later. With a slightly shaky little dainty paw, I stumbled around with the pen. In the end, I nosed off the lid with a pop, and clamped my jaws around the body and the pen, easing it closer and closer towards my festive vegetable… Once I had put pen to pumpkin, I knew there was no turning back now! I swayed my head with the squeak of the marker, lifting and placing back down, until I was satisfied.

Pretty PAWlease forgive my greedy licking-of-lips at the pumpkin!!! BOL!!!

I was more than happy with my PAWsome work. I was such a good dog. I AM such a good dog. I'm so perfect and cute and… back to Howl-O-Ween happenings. Sorry, all the wonderfully positive comments mum showers me with every single minute of my life make me rather big-headed sometimes, especially after fantastic work being done… Anyways, I howled to mum to show her my work. She came in totally beaming. Ethel also looked quite impressed, from her perch in her den where she could view the top of the table - just.

"Wow, what good work, little guy!" Mum squealed, joyfully. I noticed she was swinging some loo roll around after her… and kept making banging noises at the other end of the house. "You ready for the cuttin' n' carvin'? Remember, keep that sharp knife well away from your little sister".
"Wait, we need to scoop the guts out first!!!" I said excitedly. I love this part - only because it was the time I usually got to sneak some pumpkin into my mouth and then to my belly. And I think Mum knew my game. She scowled a little.
"I love this bit too Earl, but tea time will be soon enough. Don't scoff everything - it won't do you any good, OK?" She said, wagging her finger in my sleek face.
"Whatever" I said, "Just let me SCOOP AWAY!!"
Mum left, and I managed to knock off the lid of the pumpkin with my head. It made a hollow noise. Was that my head, or the pumpkin?!?! BOL.
I grabbed a truly huge metal spoon, drooling all around the metal body when I saw the innards there. Food!
I did my job however, dishing the guts of the veg to the pan next to me, ready for recipes made by mum later on. Hopefully some recipes to make PAWsome doggy Halloween snacks, maybe just, huh, eh?! *Wink* *wink*

I finished with success, and Ethel went to fetch mum again.
"Eth, you're a good one" I smiled at her. She wagged her bum at me again.
"Hooray for Earl! NOW for the carving. You keep that knife well away from your little sister right Earl" mum commanded sternly, for everyone's good.
"Yeah Mum" I replied.
The knife was easy to hold in my mouth, with the rubber handle and plenty of practice after the pen, which was slippery and plastic.
When the knife went first into the pumpkin, I clenched my paws and my teeth around the knife, squinting at nothing. It made a 'chhhthht' noise, and pumpkin juice seeped out. Like I was stabbing the life from the poor thing.
Soon, I had done my job. I had even managed to chop its head off, for inserting the candles with. I had completed the entire pumpkin, and was proud of it too! The finishing touch was to put in the candles and watch it shine spookily from the windowsill in our kitchen.
Mum came in again and patted me on the head, stroking me right the way down my back. I shivered with delight.

Like how I tried to match the pumpkin's face with my own spooky look?!

Whilst Mum had one final check over of my work, little Ethel tried urgently to join in. She squeezed her body up against Mum and the jolt it made on my chair led me to diving off and back over Ethel's barrier to the lounge, whining. She looked so funny, staring up at my work of art, her eyes shining.

"Ethel" Mum said softly, "You're in charge of getting the trick or treating sweeties ready and waiting for those dressed up, who will later come knocking at the door. Your brother will assist you to make sure you don't 'accidentally' snaffle any, as they're not meant for doggy intake! Then we can get dressed up and PAWty until tonight, where we will go out for a dark walk and do our stuff, strutting our stuff".
I was very excited, and rushed around with Ethel, carrying lollies in her mouth to the door, plonking them on the lowest shelf of the bookcase. She held them impressively daintily by the tips of their sticks and turned away swiftly, avoiding any temptation for herself. Very mature, I thought kind of aloud.

Excuse me Ethel? They're for the trick or treaters.

I was so excited to get my costume on, I rushed swiftly back to the kitchen to see mum had added the last flaming touches to our very special pumpkin. The emergency pumpkin had really turned out to be a spectacular thing indeed, and a very special one too! I was so proud, that I ran over to Mum and jumped onto her back and off again! She jolted, but laughed with me, the lighter only just remaining in her grip! What fun we do have, on Howl-O-Ween…

We hope you enjoyed our spooky story and photos to go alongside! We had true fun!

We've also been dressing up and having a real party here, with plenty of yummy treats and snacks, dancing, playing around, and general spooktacular celebrations.

I'm a mummy!!!!!!!!!!!

Ethel tried to be a mummy, but was more interested in the tissue paper itself!!!

Ooooh!! What's this then??

And, before I forget, we simply HAVE to show you a photo of our creepy dog pumpkin lit up!!

Super fun and even more scary!!!!!

We hope y'all are having as much fun on your Halloween!!!! Enjoy the rest of your day, and on a serious note, keep your pets safe from your Halloween food, and attempt to prevent scares and stress over trick-or-treaters. Make your pet a cosy den somewhere quiet with a stuffed toy, chew, etc, if he/she gets overly excited negatively when trick-or-treaters come creeping by.

Have fun!

We're truly excited to be participating in the Spooktacular Halloween Blog Hop special today, hosted very kindly by Barking From the Bayou, Oz the Terrier, and Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries and Meows - thanks guys!

We're also delighted to be joining, for the first time EVER, Murphy's Law - Stanley Rules for The Fractured Fryday Hairy Tails Blog Hop! - Every hop, there is a phrase that must be included in your story - this time, it is 'I knew there was no turning back now!'