Preparation for Samhain

Hello my lovelies,
So, Samhain is just around the corner. Literally. And am I prepared? No. That's a big, fat... NO. Not one iota. The local pagan group I am involved in was scheduled to have a Samhain ritual at one of the members' houses, but now that's had to be cancelled, so I have been trying to drum up support and find somewhere else for us to have ritual. So far, not good. Also, I have done absolutely no personal planning. I have no altar set up, my 'witchy room' is looking more like the 'junk room' and I'm just frazzled. Today, I plan to research Samhain and will write a group ritual, continue to chivvy up the members of the local group and get my witchy room in some sort of... order. I really want to celebrate Samhain properly this year... As is Celtic tradition, I too view Samhain as the end of the light part of the year and the beginning of the dark part, but I also view November 1st as my spiritual new year. I want to make sure that I can banish myself of all that has gone badly over the past year and open myself up to new things and a new life.
I have a plan that I want to visit my local cemetery over the coming weekend, take some photographs and honour those who have walked before me. According to Judika Iles in 'The Element Encylopedia of Witch Craft', it is Breton custom to pour libations over graves and tombstones at this time. This is something I may well do. I also want to write a poem for my Nan, who passed away on December 14 last year. I have not been to her graveside since the funeral (mainly because I haven't really been home either), but I want to do something special and personal to honour her memory. I miss her.
OK well I will get nothing done unless I actually begin *doing* rather than *saying*, so I shall sign off for now and then catch up with you later. If anyone actually has any interesting ideas for what I could do over the weekend... please do share, I'm open to anything and everything!