No, this post isn't about our 3-legged cat, Boo.  I'll have to write about him some other time. 

Can I just say that I'm Halloweened-out!  This holiday is just not my favorite.  When I was a kid it was absolutely a big deal, but as an adult I really have to try at it.  I don't know what my problem is.  This year we had a black kitty and a banana.

Our little town trick-or-treated Saturday night.  We met some friends who live down the road from us and went to a few houses.  Lots of people didn't have their porch lights on, so our haul wasn't particularly impressive.  Considering we have only two subdivisions here, we really need more participation!

Tonight I agreed to run the girls into the big city of Alma to do a little more trick or treating.  It was better, but my little kitty cat had forgotten to put socks on with her boots so our evening was cut short due to an owie on her foot.  Parker was a good big sister and went along for the walk.  We ended up running into another family who we know pretty well which made it more fun.  Let me just mention here that Halloween brings the characters out of the woodwork -- and that's all I'll say about that.

On another note, I guess it's hard for some folks to grow up.  I was raised to think of trick-or-treating being for kids -- like, old enough to walk to about 7th grade or so.  Not true anymore.  PJB had a rough weekend and didn't actually get to do much except go out with her little sisters because she stinks at planning and coordinating and sticking with what the original idea was.  Better luck next year!

I really wish I had some pictures of my old Halloweens scanned in to share.  Once I hit middle school, I had a couple of really great friends -- Martha and JeanAne -- who were a part of every Halloween until we graduated.  I think it must have been 7th grade (our last year to trick-or-treat) when Martha's dad took us trick-or-treating.  We'd been through the regular neighborhoods and we were just about to call it a night when he told us he had one more house to check out.  We drove out of town and up to Taylor Drive.  Sure enough, the porch light was on.  We asked and asked whose house this was, but he wouldn't tell us.  He just sent us up to the door.  He said they'd probably have lots of candy to hand out because he doubted they got many trick-or-treaters.  Well, we walked to the door, rang the doorbell, said, "Trick or Treat," "Thank You," and made it back to the Jeep.  It was only then that Mark told us we'd been to V. Taylor's house -- a man who had been charged with murdering his wife the year before!  He was acquitted (but I'm thinking he was about as innocent as O.J.).  However, that's beside the point!  We trick-or-treated an accused murderer's house!!!

The next Halloween we made the haunted house rounds with JeanAne's aunt who was visiting them.  That was really lots of fun.  I have no desire to ever go in another haunted house, but I am glad for that super-fun night and the great memories.

High school Halloweens found us dressed head-to-toe in black.  We'd start the evening with dinner at Martha's house.  Eventually that dinner grew to include tons of people.  We had chili, hot dogs, nachos, sweets...you name it.  Once everyone had eaten and the little kids were off the streets, we would head out (by foot) to Country Club Estates.  CC was sort of the central neighborhood in town.  We had noodle balloon (water balloons with noodles inside them -- soggy and wet, they stick to whatever they hit!) fights, maybe threw a few eggs (not at cars -- never at cars!) at each other, and smashed some pumpkins (specifically the assistant principal's).  We ran between houses and behind houses and dodged the police.  Amazing fun!  Then it was home by 10ish because Halloween was always on a school night.  We never caused any real trouble.  Kids today can't do this kind of thing.  The world is a different place.

I should send a big THANK YOU out to my mom because I was in serious danger of missing all this fun my senior year.  I worked after school at our church's daycare.  They'd decided to have a party that year and everyone had to be there to work it.  To make a long story short, my mom volunteered to come take my place.  I believe the director was a little miffed by the whole thing, but Mom knew how important this was to me and it would be my LAST time!  I guess I had a knack for getting adults to fill in for me because a similar situation occurred the summer before my junior year when JeanAne's mom filled in for me at the cheerleaders' fireworks stand so I could hit the lake.  A little bit spoiled?  Yep.  I'm paying for it now, though!

So, why can I not get excited about Halloween anymore?  I don't know!  Next year I'll be a better mom and figure something out.  Maybe I'll start having dinners here for PJB's friends.  I have a whole year to think about it! 

Tomorrow is November 1st!  Where has the year gone?