Halloween 2022

Oleg's family wanted to carve pumpkins, so I threw a pumpkin carving party. Everyone had to bring a pumpkin, and because we live in Florida and pumpkins only last about forty-eight hours, I waited to buy mine the day of the party. 

Big mistake.

I traveled all over the county looking for pumpkins and gave up an hour before the party. I sent Tom out. My friend SueG sent out her daughter. Results? We ended up with more pumpkins than we needed.

Still, the party was a success. We put out tables in the driveway and sweated our way through carving several pumpkins. Tom's sister Beth, visiting from Chicago, collected the seeds. She and SueG's daughter washed, spiced, and roasted them. Grammy MaryAnne observed and judged the winner. 

We were all pretty proud of our artistic abilities, including fixing mistakes. I hope this becomes a yearly thing.

Darcy: "I hope I get invited next year."

Me: "Oops."

Sydney was the winner with the witch pumpkin.

Quarantine day 237

Last week I ate in a restaurant for the first time since COVID hit in March. I did it without thinking. I received a text from a friend whose daughter had surprised them by flying in for the weekend. The daughter is a SnapChat fav of mine, and despite already having eaten breakfast, I jumped on seeing them. A minute later, I remembered.

I went anyway, although my stomach hurt on the drive there. We wore masks and ate outside by the Gulf. There was hand sanitizer, fresh air, and lots of birds hoping for a scrap of food. We caught up, ate, put our masks back on, and caught up some more. 

I got into a lot of trouble when Madison and Tom found out what I'd done.

Madison: "It's not just the eating in a restaurant part, but the fact you were near someone who'd flown in on an airplane."

Tom: "If you knew the things, I knew. All the people at work who've been sick and who say you don't want this virus..."

Truthfully, the worry overshadowed the joy. 

We didn't do Halloween this year either, turning off the porch light and keeping our front door shut, but it didn't matter. No one wandered down our street, and we saw zero trick or treaters walking the cross street. Madison's school kids came up with alternatives to the usual Halloween neighborhood stroll as well, so I'm guessing most people nixed trick or treating this year.

That didn't mean we didn't get candy. 

Madison had lamented our lack of sugar the night before and set off for candy before picking up our usual Saturday take-out dinner. Apparently, that isn't as naughty as eating outside in a restaurant. 

Meanwhile, we are putting ourselves to work with projects on our improvement list. While my fitness goals took a back seat this week due to a reoccurring knee injury and an almost broken toe, I did manage to complete project #1, and Tom got to work on project #2, which will be in an entry later this week.

Onward into November...

Halloween 2018

Holidays are vastly different now that I'm an empty nester. This Halloween I didn't even decorate until two weeks prior, and that was only because I forced myself not to be a Halloween Scrooge, and then it was only minimum. A couple of scarecrows and pumpkins inside and out. Mostly stuff that will count towards Thanksgiving too. It's my new thing.

What's the point if the kids aren't here?

Every holiday I now reminisce. Remember when? It's probably not a thing I should do because it doesn't leave me feeling gooey and nostalgic but leaves me longing for something I've already had. Then I feel guilty. Thus the reason I backed the car out of the garage and took down the Halloween boxes. Suck it up, buttercup.

My Steelers buddy's wife insists on keeping the traditions, but then again, she still has one at home and another who pops in every Sunday to watch the game. She bought two pumpkins and forced them to carve them even though the girls rolled their eyes and muttered under their breaths. I watched for a while before heading home. It made me glad that I'd decorated my home.

Last year I didn't buy candy, but we took our adopted children (kids that belong to my friend SueG but who we borrow from time to time) trick or treating through our neighborhood. I was rebelling against the previous Halloween, where I was robbed while checking out the neighbor's haunted yard.

This Halloween, after deciding to embrace my empty-nest of a holiday, I purchased candy the day of and then invited my adopted children once again. They didn't want to trick or treat but wanted to help pass out candy, and since their mother was at work and their dad out of town, they came willingly.

I only had six groups of three to four children trick or treat. I sat outside alone while my new neighbors sat on their own driveways--missed the Halloweens of the past where my old neighbors gathered in my driveway with cocktails and food. I read a book waiting for trick or treaters.

One of the adopted brought a mask, and the other wore a skeleton shirt. My husband invited them to walk the neighborhood to check out the decorations and the action. He insisted on bringing a bag "just in case." They were gone for two hours and returned with a massive stash of candy. They divided it with big smiles. They told people they were dressed as The Big Disappointment and The Letdown. I think the neighbors were happy to get rid of their candy. We didn't have much action. The neighbors are growing up too.

We ended the night doing our own thing while overeating candy. Holiday Empty Nesting sucks.

To the Halloween thieves...Boo

When my kids were small, and we trudged around the neighborhood, seeing Halloween through their wondrous eyes, two of my neighbors sat together in one driveway, passing out candy and enjoying adult cocktails. I told them that one day I would be able to join them, and several years ago I did. Eventually, they joined us in our driveway, food was added, and more neighbors joined the circle.

This year my neighborhood is different. Gone are the first couples who started the trend. Our new neighbors next door who joined us last year inquired on whether or not my driveway would be open. I hemmed and hawed. I got sad thinking about my neighbor who arranged the previous year's gathering with such joy, and who had us laughing with his silly costume. He got sick two months after Halloween and died two months after that, and it just seemed too much to continue the tradition.

Then an impromptu visit from friends from Indiana and a couple of trick or treat aged children changed my mind. I set up chairs in my driveway, my friend made some cocktails, and one by one the neighbors trickled in. We handed out most of our candy, admired the costumes, and had a lot of laughs. It was a nice evening.

Darcy dressed up and went out trick or treating with her friend and her younger brother in their neighborhood, but she returned in time to join our next-door neighbors for a small party. She left the canvas bag full of her candy haul between my chair and a cooler.

Since the neighbors around us were turning off lights, we decided to call it a night. Tom wanted us to walk down to see the neighbor's haunted house. I felt we should clean up first, and we did, leaving only our chairs, Darcy's bag of candy, and our left-over Halloween candy on top of a cooler. At the last minute, I went back and collected my phone and keys. Tom pooh-poohed my worry of thieves.

When we returned home, we had been robbed. Someone drove by and stole our bagged candy and Darcy's canvas bag, which also included a make-up bag full of expensive cosmetics. Suddenly our lovely evening wasn't so great. I felt violated. I mean, really? Take the candy on top of the cooler, but don't take a canvas bag clearly hidden. That's a crime, and it left a foul taste in all our mouths.

Thankfully, the thieves did not enter our house despite the front door being left wide open. My friend's husband was inside, but he was sound asleep in the bedroom.

We discussed it and then let it go. We didn't need the leftover candy. We hoped the thieves felt crappy when they discovered her bag contained personal items.

The next day my neighbor across the street gave Darcy her leftover candy and a hug when she heard what had happened, and we realized that good neighbors and good friends will always triumph over ugliness.

Halloween 2009 Photos

A trick or treat bag

The neighborhood graveyard

Happy trick or treaters

Skeletons line the walkway

Terror in the swing!

Charlie Brown and Linus await the Great Pumpkin

The Devil Fairy and the Candy Corn Witch

A ghostly being

Graveyard #2

Pirate skeletons on the route

A giant spider looking for treats

A good time had by all despite the 90-degree weather and the miles of hiking through the neighborhood. A great haul of candy and a fun tradition with friends.

Happy Halloween

We started our group trick or treating in our neighborhood in 2003. The first year we held a great party in our garage and then went trick or treating. Our group photo was taken there. The next year we began taking pictures against the red wall in my house.

Behold our photos through the years:

Halloween 2009 -  Madison was a witch and Darcy was a devil fairy. Madison used a black dress she already had and added a witch hat and carried a broom. Darcy purchased her costume online.

Halloween 2008 - Madison was a balloon girl and Darcy was a genie. Again, Madison used clothes she found digging through bins at other people's houses and Darcy purchased her costume. This year we had another kid (friend of SueG's). 

Halloween 2007 - This year we added SueG's family to our group. Madison was a nurse and Darcy was a cowgirl. Both outfits were put together with things we had in our house and dress-up box. 

Halloween 2006 - Madison was a genie and Darcy was Flora from the Winks Club. I think Madison borrowed her outfit from Sarina and Darcy's was purchased online. Sarina's costume was borrowed from Darcy's last year. A Grandma Boos' original.

Halloween 2005 - Madison was Wil from Witches and Darcy was Layla from Winks Club. Madison's costume was purchased online and Darcy's was made by Grandma Boos.

Halloween 2004 - The year of the red wall. Madison was Kim Possible (cheerleader mode) and Darcy was Annalise from The Princess and The Pauper. I think both of those outfits were Christmas presents and definitely purchased online.

Halloween 2003 - First group trick or treating. Madison was Lilo from Disney's Lilo and Stitch and Darcy was Odette from Barbie's Swan Lake. Both costumes were an online purchase. 

Happy Halloween 2008

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Originally uploaded by tcboos

Our annual Halloween photo against the red wall. We started trick or treating in my neighborhood in 2003. The first red wall picture was posted in 2004. Each year our group expands. We walk the hood with the kids, get some exercise, and rake in tons of sugar.

First photo from 2004 against the red wall. My how they've grown.