Goblins and ghosts will soon be making their appearance here in Covington County. White knights and princesses, cats and dogs, not to mention Powder Puff girls and Sponge Bob Square Pants will be lined up and down the streets as the toll of "ding-dong, Trick or Treat" is heard through the air.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year. The cool autumn air is laced with a nip of the winter weather to come. This Halloween is truly the first Halloween that I have been able to take an active part in the costume selection process. I never knew what kind of selection the stores would have in the costume department. Everything from the mundane to the extravagant can be found if you're willing to look.

This year, Ora made a simple request. She wanted to be a princess. I though, hey that sounds pretty easy. Boy was I wrong. Do you know there was not a pretty princess hat to be found in all of Covington County? We looked everywhere. Wal-Mart had hats, but they were the wrong color. The dollar stores had hats, but they were too big. I don't even want to remember how many stores we went to looking for that hat.

Finally, someone I work with came up with a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, I can't say that I came up with it my self, because that would be lying. She told me to get a child's size birthday hat, cut out the tip and cover it with felt. Then pull the ribbon through the small cut in the top. Voila, a pretty princess hat.

Duh, why didn't I think of that?

I usually consider myself a pretty creative person, but gee, who knew Halloween could be so stressful?

I have a friend who informed me the other day her daughter, who is 3 years old, had decided she wanted to be the purple cat off of the Broadway musical "Cats." Nancy, my friend, went on to tell me that she and her daughter have to spend 45 minutes putting on her make up. To me, not only does Nan deserve a "Mother of the Year" award, but I think Tabitha deserves something for sitting still for 45 minutes.

Next year I'm sure my child, as well as yours, will choose to something

as equally frustrating as this year's choice. Then we'll all be scurrying around trying to find this or that, but if you're really proud of this year's costume accomplishment, come out to the 2nd Annual Lockhart Garden Club Costume Contest. It will be held in the Longleaf Yellow Pine Memorial Park in Lockhart (right across from the Post Office) at 6 p.m. First, second and third place ribbons will be given for best costume in three different age groups: 0-3, 4-6 and 7-10.

So grab your mask, and see us at the park.

Too bad you won't be able to see my homemade princess hat. I had to trash that thing. It was a disgrace to hats everywhere. Thank goodness I found one at a yard sale that looked way better than anything I could have ever tried to make.