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#2: Very Superstitious
Ghosts, Halloween music & a scrumptious recipe for pumpkin crunch cake.
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In the early 2000s I was a grad student living in a third-floor Brooklyn walk-up with my husband. We were in our twenties and felt lucky to have our tiny place — even though the ceiling was so low my husband couldn’t fully stand up in the kitchen and the power went out at least once a week. It wasn’t perfect. But we could afford it, and most importantly, the landlord let us keep our Labrador retriever, Oreo.
The building was old, pre-war, with creaky wooden floors and a narrow hallway that groaned as if the walls themselves had grown tired. We moved in late fall from the Midwest, and for months it was just the three of us, adjusting to city life.
Then spring came — and with it, baseball season.
On my husband’s desk, tucked into the corner of our minuscule living room, sat an old-fashioned radio. He liked to keep it for emergencies.
One afternoon we staggered through our front door juggling groceries from the bodega down the street, and immediately something felt off. The air inside our home was thick, still, as if the apartment had been waiting for us. Then we heard the radio, which was somehow turned on. Tuned to the Yankees game.
We didn’t think anything of it. My husband is a Yankees fan and he assumed he must have forgotten to turn off the radio after replacing the batteries the week before. He switched it off and we moved on with our evening. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary — yet.
The next day we came back from walking Oreo and she paused at the top of the stairs. Off to the right, just before our front door, there was an empty landing. It had always been cold, but today, the chill was biting. The cold wrapped around us like fingers curling around our skin, a sharp contrast to the warm air of the hallway.
Oreo froze, her body tense. A low growl rumbled deep in her throat as she backed behind my husband, her eyes fixed on the landing. Her tail was tucked tightly between her legs, her hackles bristling.
“That’s strange… what’s gotten into her?” my husband muttered, though I could hear uncertainty creeping into his voice.
We unlocked the door and stepped inside, and there it was again — the radio. On. Tuned to the Yankees game.
This time, my husband frowned, his hand lingering on the dial as if unsure whether to touch it. He scrambled the stations, turning it to static before finally switching it off. Maybe it was a quirk of the old building or a glitch in the radio.
But the next day, it happened again. The cold spot by the door. Oreo’s growling. And the radio, somehow tuned back to the game.
I wanted to dismiss it. A coincidence, I told myself. Maybe the radio was malfunctioning. Maybe we had left it on. But each time it happened, the explanations felt thinner, and the knot in my stomach tightened. Something wasn’t right.
It wasn’t just the radio that had me on edge. It was the cold, the heaviness in the air, and Oreo’s behavior — ears pinned back and body trembling, as if she sensed something we couldn’t see.
“Do you think we have a ghost?” I asked my husband, half-joking, but my voice wavered.
“I don’t know… but I guess we’ll find out,” he replied, though his tone was uneasy too.
We decided to test it. We turned off the radio, scrambled the station, unplugged it, and even removed the batteries. There was no way it could turn on now. Right?
We timed our next walk to coincide with the Yankees game. As we crept back up the stairs on our return, Oreo slunk behind us, her growl low and continuous. When we reached the landing, she barked sharply, then darted into the apartment as soon as the door opened, leaving us alone with the silence.
And then we heard it — the Yankees game, crackling through the radio.
Somehow, our unplugged, battery-less radio had turned itself on, louder this time, as if someone — or something — wanted to make a point. I stood frozen, staring at it, my mind racing for explanations that no longer made sense.
There was only one conclusion: we were not alone.
“At least he — or she — is a Yankees fan?” my husband joked, his laugh shaky.
He wasn’t wrong. For weeks, the pattern continued. Every time the Yankees played, the radio would find its way to the game.
Eventually, we stopped resisting. We turned the radio on ourselves when the Yankees were playing, as if to offer some kind of truce.
And it seemed to work. The cold spot near the door faded, and Oreo stopped growling, though she never fully relaxed. An uneasy peace settled over the apartment and it remained that way — just the four of us — until we moved out that fall.
Even the ghosts in Brooklyn love their baseball.
The above is a true story about a time in my early 20s.
What about you? Have you ever had a “spooky” experience that made you wonder if you’d seen a ghost? Please share in the comments.
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Halloween Playlist
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and over the years I’ve created a party playlist we use every season. I couldn’t share it on Spotify without all of the songs being cut off, so I made a YouTube playlist for you. Enjoy!
Published in September
In case you missed anything, here’s a quick look at the recipes, stories, and essays published in September. Also, check out the new Recipe Index.
Breakfast & Dessert Recipes
Pumpkin Crunch Cake — September’s free recipe! (At the bottom of this post.)
Essays
Legacy Cookbook Project
What I’m Loving Right Now
Books
Menopause Manifesto, by fellow Substacker Jen Gunter: I’m including this one here with a nod and wink to the fact that perimenopause/menopause can be a scary topic for many of us ladies nearing “the change.” Seemed appropriate for Halloween! I’ve read several books on this topic, and this one was by far the most empowering and easy to understand. Highly recommend.
The Bone Witch, by Rin Chupeco: I’d describe this book as “Memoirs of a Geisha” meets necromancy. I enjoyed this dark fantasy about a young woman who accidentally resurrects her dead brother and discovers she’s a Bone Witch. The world-building is unique and immersive without being so detailed that the story suffers. I appreciated how the author takes the time to describe what the characters are eating when food is in a scene. As I mentioned in my House of the Dragon post, glossing over details like this is a huge pet peeve of mine.
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms, by Charlie Holmberg: I haven’t finished this book yet but I’m enjoying this story about a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay with a magic house that won’t let its owner leave. I would call this a “cozy fantasy” - there’s nothing dark or scary thus far, but it does have modest elements of romance.
Magical Midlife Madness, by K.F. Breene: I frequently recommend this book to friends who enjoy reading paranormal romance but, like me, are tired of the twenty-something heroines with little-to-no life experience becoming literal queens. In this series, the heroine is a 40-something recent divorcee who inherits a magical house nestled in a small town filled with paranormal creatures. The side characters in this series are a hoot, too. (Note: There is spice in books 3 onward.)
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, by Sebastian Junger: So far, this is the best book I’ve read this year. Written by journalist Sebastian Junger, it’s a poignant look at our society, what makes us human, and how our culture fractures the ties that bind us together. Given the undercurrents of strife and disharmony in our world, this book is well worth reading. The author does romanticize certain historical eras, but overall this book will make you reconsider how you relate to your fellow human beings.
One Dark Window, by Rachel Gillig: I’m almost finished with this story about a young woman named Elspeth Spindle who lives in the mist-locked kingdom of Blunder. An infection of dark magic has taken hold of the land, and the Nightmare that has taken up residence in Elspeth’s mind may be the key to their freedom. There seems to be some romantic inklings on the horizon, but the focus of this story so far is the gothic mystery at the heart of Elspeth’s world.
TV & Movies
The Diplomat: My husband convinced me to try this show and I’m glad he did. It’s about Kate Wyler, a diplomat who unexpectedly becomes the new US ambassador to the United Kingdom. As she tries to diffuse an international crisis and forge new alliances, she also juggles a deteriorating marriage to fellow career diplomat Hal Wyler. I loved the dynamic between Kate (played by Keri Russell) and her husband Hal (played by Rufus Sewell). Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger but the second season comes out at the end of October so now’s the perfect time to jump in.
About Time: I recently shared a note with an image that asked: “You’re dating someone new and have the opportunity to show them one movie that encompasses everything there is not know about you - your values, your fantasies and your fears. What’s the film?” About Time was the movie I picked immediately, no hesitation. If you haven’t seen this movie, I highly recommend it.
Little Luxuries
Super Cozy Socks: I’m a sucker for fluffy, soft socks. These ones are so comfy that I bought enough to have a pair for every day of the week.
Autumn fragrance: During the summer I usually wear “Gypsy Water” by Byredo, but once cooler weather arrives I bring out the appropriately named “Autumn Vibes” by Maison Margiela. Both fragrances are a bit pricey, but the good news is that a little goes a long way. I’ve had both of these for a few years and still have about half a bottle left of each.
A Kind Gesture
October through January are the busiest times of year for delivery people. They work long hours in all kinds of weather, delivering packages around the country. Have you ever been relaxing with a TV show late a night, then heard the UPS truck pull up? These folks work late hours this time of year.
In recognition of their hard work, we try to do something nice for them by assembling a snack station on our front porch.
The setup is simple: We get a large plastic storage bin with a lid and place it on a chair next to our front door. Then we go to Costco and buy an assortment of snacks: granola bars, cookies, candies, mixed nuts packets, SmartPop, chips, etc. We do a mix of healthy and indulgent snacks so that everyone can find something they like. (A snack bin with a lid is important, both for keeping snow/rain out and for keeping critters out.)
Finally, we stuff the bin full of goodies and place it on the porch with a sign above the bin that reads:
Thank you for delivering our packages and for all of your hard work this holiday season. Please help yourself to a snack!
Once this initial setup is done, all you have to do is keep an eye on the bin and restock it when items are taken.
You would be amazed by the way people’s faces light up when they see something like this waiting for them! Why not set up your own “thank you bin” this year and see for yourself?
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
This pumpkin crunch cake is perfect for cozy fall baking. It comes together in minutes and then bakes up to golden deliciousness.
I love the contrast of textures. The creamy pumpkin layer has just the right amount of sweetness and autumn spice, while the cake layer is fluffy and sweet. Crunchy pecans baked in butter top it all off. Put all three layers together and you’ve got yourself a killer pumpkin dessert, especially if you serve it with whipped cream!
This recipe used to be on my food blog and here’s what one reader had to say about it:
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a quick look at some of the ingredients in this recipe, along with my notes about substitutions. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for a full, printable list.
Pumpkin Puree – Make sure you are using pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. I used Libby’s brand pumpkin puree.
Evaporated milk – Don’t substitute for sweetened condensed milk.
Sugar – I used white granulated sugar, but you could also use light brown sugar.
Box of yellow cake mix – Make sure you get a box that is 15.25oz. Pillsbury and Duncan Hines both have yellow cake mix with this amount. Don’t sub for white cake mix, it’s not the same thing. (There are more differences than color between yellow vs. white cake mix.)
Cornstarch – We’ll use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to help the pumpkin layer maintain its structure and hold up nicely once your cake is sliced.
Pecans – Chopped and sprinkled on top. You could also use an equal amount of chopped walnuts.
Quick Tips
Let it cool. Give this cake time to cool before slicing. This allows the pumpkin layer to firm up and will ensure you’re able to get nice clean slices of cake.
Serve warm. You can enjoy this cake warm or cold, but I think it’s best when warm or at room temperature. At this temp the pumpkin layer is so creamy while the cake layer is nice and fluffy. If I’m taking a slice out of the fridge I usually let it come to room temperature, or I zap it in the microwave for about 15 seconds before digging in. If you go this route, make sure you don’t get it too warm!
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 12 slices
Ingredients
15 oz pumpkin puree
12 oz evaporated milk
4 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 box yellow cake mix, 15.25 oz box, divided use
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cups pecans chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
Whipped cream for serving
Instructions
Prep your tools. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with PAM, set aside.
Mix the pumpkin batter. In a large mixing bowl combine the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin spice, and kosher salt. Add 1/4 cup of the cake mix, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and stir well. Don't worry if the batter is runny.
Assemble the cake. Pour the pumpkin batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the rest of the yellow cake mix on top of the batter. With the back of a spoon, gently spread out the cake mix and pat it down so that all of the batter is covered.
Add pecans & butter. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the cake mix layer. Drizzle the butter on top, making an effort to get some butter onto all of the cake mix. If the butter pools in places, use a spoon to scoop some butter out and drizzle on an area of cake mix that is still dry.
Bake for 60-65 minutes or until golden on the top. Allow the cake to stand for at least 2 hours before serving. If you try to cut the cake too soon the pumpkin layer will not have had time to firm up. To get clean slices, cover the cooled cake with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Serve. Top each slice with whipped cream or ice cream.
I hope you enjoyed this end-of-the-month postcard! If you did, please share my newsletter with family and friends. :)
Loved this! My husbaand and I also love the Diplomat for all the same reasons! I can't wait for the next season! Also, About Time is one of our family's favorite movies. So good. And the thank you bin idea is genius and so kind and thoughtful!
I looooooove this postcard format! 💖 So I aspire to never, ever, EVER have a ghost story of my own. Even listening to other people tell theirs raises the hair on the back of my neck. 😥 Those fuzzy socks are now on my Amazon list, thank you, because it’s impossible to have too many soft, fuzzy socks!! 🧦 Your body pay lost graphic is genius and so freaking cute!!! 🎶 Pumpkin anything is a huge yes. I also aspire to eat as many pumpkin-flavored foods as I can during autumn. LOVE ALL OF THIS.