Halloween...it actually is like it used to be!

I sit here tonight handing out candy as I have done for many, many years. Not much has changed since I was a child, ringing doorbells and yelling "triiiiick ooor treeeeeat!". I get a kick out of everyone's costumes, kids and adults. Every year I also get the teenagers, some with decent costumes and some who don't bother. Some adults are annoyed by older kids participating in trick-or-treat, but I figure as long as you are under 18, you can share in the fun too. I never refuse to give anyone candy even if they are not dressed up. If you are bold enough to walk a neighborhood in any weather, ring a stranger's doorbell and ask for candy, I'll make it worth your while.

I've been carving a pumpkin (or two) for the past several years with varying degrees of success. Without the right tools, it can be tough to get a really detailed carving. I tend to use large, well sharpened knives to do the rough carving and purpose-made carving saws for more detailed areas. This year I had a rotten spot on my pumpkin, so I had to improvise. I gave him a snarl to work around the bad spot.

This year's pumpkin had a snarl giving him extra Halloween 'tude

One thing that always comes to mind while I wait for the doorbell to ring is how trick-or-treaters seem like popcorn. You get a ton during the early evening, then a few more bursts as the evening wears on and then suddenly you get no more "pops". This year I waited until 8:30 to blow out the pumpkin's candle and turn off my lights. I stood on my porch for a few minutes to make sure I didn't hear any more kids around the neighborhood. It was quiet and still, so I knew the festivities were done.

This is the one holiday my black cat can celebrate. He has been cooperative most years in hanging around the front door so the kids can see him. He gets his share of oooos and aaaaahhs. Truth be told, I think he enjoys the celebrity that being a black cat brings on this spooky holiday.

Neo enjoying a sunny day, dreaming of Halloween

Another Halloween has come to a close, and I am ready to go to sleep. I have just enough candy left over to treat myself for the next week or so. I take comfort in the tradition of Halloween in this modern, technology driven world. With that, I bid everyone a Happy Halloween, and before you know it, we'll be eating some turkey and dressing.