trick or treat

Another Halloween in the books

     Put out the pumpkin candle lamps on small shepherd hooks along the sidewalk.  Carved two pumpkins and lit candles in them.  Painted a third pumpkin.  Put my headless dummy on the bench.  Bought two bags of candy.
We had four trick or treaters.
     Four.
     The first two were young girls, middle school age or so.  I gave them each two fun size candy bars but in hindsight should have given them four or five.
I gave a cow four.
     And I gave our little friend a full size candy bar because, darn it, she is a cutie!
     I don't know why I am always optimistic.  Last year I think we had three, and they moved.
     Maybe next year we will just go out to eat.....although I do like seeing the kids in costumes and I love all the Facebook pictures.
     When I was a kid we would start when the bell rang after school and not come home until late.
     Houses, apartment buildings, businesses....all were fair game.
     And we ate the home made cookies and popcorn balls.  I still love popcorn balls, but I have not had one in ages.
     We didn't worry about the unwrapped candy, although that was not the first to go.
     Go as in eat.
     The unwrapped and hard candies were the ones to last us through Thanksgiving and Christmas.
     I think that's why I love the day.....the innocence, the excitement, the fun.
     I know it has changed.....and I think we are all a little less for it.
     And if I hear someone yell "Bug" at the top of her lungs one more time, I may crack.  Damn box elder bugs won't hurt anyone.  They are just annoying.
      Think I'll dream of pirates and super heroes tonight.  And box elders.