Tait hostess MarLynn Rasmussen was also bedecked—as a fairy princess. Appropriately showing up on her doorstep the next morning was a 6-inch glass slipper, mayhap a gesture of appreciation. She reported that all the vampires and goblins she encountered were courteous.

Amazingly, no litter was spotted the next morning. The Halloween hostess still has a male jacket in custody that no one's claimed. Shirley Henderson, dressed as a pocket lady, was hard-pressed to keep her pockets full of candy to be pickpocketed, so thick were the crowds.

In the way of costume sightings, Henderson particularly admired a couple of skateboarding gorillas rolling down Main Street during daylight hours.

CRACKING ENEMY CODES: Marilyn and Bob Cross have taken two Elderhostel trips to learn how the United States was able to crack its enemies' codes in World War II. Last year they went to the island of Midway to study how the Japanese code was broken. As early as 1942, code crackers were savvy enough to determine on which island the Japanese were planning to land.

This year the Crosses were off to England to explore how the German code was cracked in an operation called Enigma. Enigma was a much more difficult undertaking because the Germans had invented a contraption that complicated its code even further, making it nearly impossible to decode.

Some 12,000 Brits were enlisted in the code cracking, and so compartmentalized and secret was it that nearly all of them had no idea what they were working on. This was what most amazed the Crosses—that so many people were able to maintain such secrecy. (Workers being told they'd be shot could have been one incentive.)

Even today some people haven't divulged to their mates that they were involved in the doings. So complicated was the code-breaking operation that one member of the Cross group said, "I didn't know then [the code I was trying to crack] and I don't know now."

Incidentally, Bob Cross was a counter intelligence agent during the Korean War, which undoubtedly enhanced his interest in the subject.

INNOVATIVE PROCEDURE: Community Hospital of Los Gatos is one of only 50 facilities around the country performing an innovative procedure called Deep Brain Stimulation to treat Parkinson's patients. Performed by Dr. Russell Andrews for the past several months, the treatment is eliminating or lessening the symptoms of the disease.

The treatment uses two surgically implanted medical devices, similar to cardiac pacemakers, to deliver electrical stimulation to precisely targeted areas on each side of the brain. Continuous stimulation of these areas blocks the signals that cause the disabling motor symptoms of the disease.

Andrews recently treated a 67-year-old Los Gatan who has had Parkinson's for 15 years. Since undergoing the stimulation operation, the patient's tremors and double vision are gone, and he no longer falls down. His medication has been cut in half and he is eating and sleeping well.

PUMPKIN CARVERS: Los Gatos Rotarians held their annual Pumpkin Carving Halloween Picnic at Oak Meadow Park for local special education students. Chief pumpkin was Rotarian Mike Frangadakis, aided by Robin Wickman.

Union school district teacher Judy Stein coordinated the young honorees. Helping carve were Linda Lubeck, Cas Szukalski, Don Kuehn, Eric Eberle, Alex Bodisco, Joe Varozza, Ed Stahl and Barney Davidge. Cooks were Paul Clark, Tom Dodge, Don Bacci, Leo Kramer and Al Hogan.

BIRDING BY THE BAY: Freddy Howell, who, with her husband John, owns the Wild Bird Center in Kings Court, will speak at the Friends of Los Gatos Library's Friday Forum Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in town council chambers. Howell's topic is Birds of Los Gatos and a slide show is included.

She will also recommend birding books and give a bird's eye view of the library's selections. The Wild Bird Center is noted not only for its wide selection of offerings for grazing and gazing, but also for its community outreach.

Parents of ornithologically inclined offspring can sign up for parties where participants build a bird feeder. The Friends message line is 408.399.5700.

SECOND GRADE ALERT: Children's Librarian Sandy Wee visited 2nd grade classes to talk about the library and encourage children to apply for their own library cards. After acquiring them, the youngsters' new cards qualify them for a prize at the library, besides all the books lying in wait.

The fact that the program is exclusively for 2nd graders generated perhaps the most excitement.

Got a tip? My email is maryanncook@earthlink.net.