Deep joy.

Well, here we go - trick or treat followed by penny for the guy, followed by Christmas carollers. A more or less solid couple of months of the constant threat of having your peace and quiet interrupted by small, and not so small children demanding money on the flimsiest of pretexts ("where's your guy, then -- oh, it's that mop with a mask on??"). And then there's fireworks going on just about every evening until the small hours. I do try to be charitable about all this, but I'm afraid I've taken to turning all the lights out and pretending not to be in. But really, why should I have to?