Bonita

As part of my mom's family's yearly reunion, we auction off items that help to fund the next year's reunion. Although we are now asked to bring new items, in the past the auction consisted of wrapped white elephants; the only clue to the contents being a description on the outside of the box that said if the item was best for an adult, a child, a boy or a girl.

At a family reunion in 1992, we were still being asked to bring white elephants, but at this point we were asked to not wrap them. My Uncle Stan brought "Bonita" to the auction. Stan teaches at a college; teaching students how to do hair! Bonita was a hair school practice head!

During the course of the auction, they put a funny Robin-Hood-type hat on her. My dad thought she was pretty funny and bought her, and then traded hats with her to make everyone laugh. Here is Bonita in my dad's hat, and he in her's:



Bonita floated around the house for the next few years, usually forgotten in a box, until someone opened the box and screamed when they saw eyes staring back at them!

Around 1998, my mom was ready to get rid of her and asked if she might find a home at our place.

Now we've had Bonita for 10 years. Each year at Halloween she makes her appearance. Once we made her a body and hung her from the trusses in our bay window. Another year we put her behind the door in the bathroom. She's been the centerpiece on the table, surrounded by veggies and dip. We've put her on top of the TV, on top of the post at the bottom of the stairs, on shelves, in windows, and on ice.

Last night as I started my Halloween decorating (I ALMOST made it until October to start) I unpacked her. I put her in the window of our downstairs bay, facing the front door. I thought that might creep someone out.

This morning as I was locking up to come to work, I almost simultaneously jumped out of my socks, peed my pants, and had a heart attack! The first thing that shot into my mind when I saw her looking at me through the window was, 'Someone's in my house!' ... of course I figured it out quick enough, but I had aftershocks all the way to my car. And then I laughed as I remembered yesterday thinking that she might creep someone out, and of course she did, and of course it was ME!

But, that's how it always is! Each year I put her somewhere so she'll scare MATT, and instead, forgetting she's there, she scares ME!

We love Bonita. She's part of our Halloween Family. (Next we'll have to introduce you to Romer Treece.) And I can't wait to share where Bonita's going to be this year! I'll keep you posted!