Spooky Times

When James was little I had the best time with him on Halloween. Starting when he was very small and hardly knew what was going on, I would roll him through the autumn streets with my friends and their kids. Back then, we got all dressed in costume. I was Groucho Marx, and many different witches. Witches with big pointy hats and later on a witch with a headband that had googly springy pumpkin lights that blinked on and off. I had a candy corn necklace that had blinking lights and painted my face green one year. I think that was the year that James was Dick Tracy. We really hauled in the loot. It usually started with the Halloween Parade at school and went on from there. Since we live way up here on this hill, we never get trick or treaters..ever. Of course now that James is grown up and too old to trick or treat, I merely observe from a distance. It's probably for the best since candy is a no no for all of us. If it's around I can't control my sweet tooth and Roger and Bob are diabetic. I hope I'm around long enough to have fun with grandchildren on Halloween. It's a fun time. There was a little Halloween celebration down in the park this past weekend. Pumpkins and candy and hayrides for the kids. The village has a safe Halloween zone for the kids where they can trick or treat all around Main St. At least I think they are having it. Maybe with financial things being so bad this year they aren't having it. I'll have to check that out.
One year my friend Terry and her husband Jim dressed up as street people with buckets and mops and brooms. Their outfit was so successfully creepy, and it was such a surprise to see anyone at the door, that it took us a minute or two to respond to these really hideous looking people who clearly had dressed themselves from a rag pile. They said they wanted to clean the house for us. They were really awful looking with dirty faces and ripped, dirty, hoodies. They used to do a lot of stuff like that. One year there was a party at their house and a couple brought dozens of soft shell crabs in a huge box. Needless to say, the crabs were escaping the box and had to be rounded up. We got to be crab wranglers for a while that evening. For several years Jim rigged a big light on his roof and dropped the ball like in Times Square on New Years Eve. I'm not sure why we don;t do fun things like that anymore. Probably because everyone from those days is working outside their home and too busy. Lots of fun memories though. Terry is also the mistress of crank phone calls. It took me a couple of those to get wise to her. Very funny lady that friend of mine.
Anyway, this year Terry and Jim are in Las Vegas for Halloween. I can't wait to hear all about that one. It seems like the kind of place where it could be Halloween every night and maybe not in a good way. I really hope they're having fun. When Terry is home she dresses up in costume at the Library. She was Dorothy (Wizard of Oz) one year and a Hershey Kiss another year. I really miss my friend when she's not here. There won't be any Thursday Night Quilters this week since she's gone. I'll enjoy spending the evening with my guys watching Survivor and CSI instead. I look forward to those evening as well.
I spent the afternoon getting the window toppers measured and ironed into place so I can just zip through them on the Viking tomorrow. I'm getting ready to do a good fall clean-up which is sorely needed around here. The inside of my house looks like it's decorated for Halloween and I haven't done a thing. Between the cobwebs and dust it's getting a little spooky around here.
Whatever you are doing to celebrate Halloween, I hope you have fun doing it. Stay safe.