...and relax (a bit)

It really is starting to sink in that our craziest period of the year at work is over, and that the next nine months or so will be calmer, quieter and more peaceful. We're still at high capacity, but with the average age of our visitors now at 45 or so, rather than 10, it doesn't seem that way. The pace is slower, the noise levels lower, and the general atmosphere much more reserved and mature. We're already having to put plans in place for the October half-term, as our esteemed leader Gavin likes to pressure us and not give us too many days of breathing space, but that's only a two-week run, and it's nowhere near as hectic as the Summer. And a lot of that is just repeating what we did last year. I mean, how many different ways are there to package a Hallowe'en event aimed at families?
As a little side note - we had a long (and I do mean long) discussion in a meeting yesterday about whether or not it should be stylised as 'Halloween' or 'Hallowe'en' on the advertising. Is the apostrophe redundant or important? Someone got a bit irate, insisting one was "American" and should be avoided at all costs, someone else pointed out that it's just a nod to the original full title of 'All Hallow's Evening' and most people couldn't even work out why it mattered and why we were talking about it. Personally, I thought we should lose the apostrophe, as it would save on printing costs, but when I said that I got accused of not taking the issue seriously. In the end, common sense (I think) prevailed. We're going with HALLOWEEN because it simply looks better, and because it's now accepted in the wider world as the correct modern spelling.
It's also exciting to note that I am now just two months aways from not having to work every Saturday. Get myself through to the end of October, and I have proper weekends again! And I assure you, I am determined to enjoy them.

RC 11-9-25