I'm well aware that Halloween was a couple of weeks ago, but I've been busy with my grandkids, and frankly, blogging takes a back seat to those tykes! However, it is one of my favorite yearly events so I'm catching you up on what went on.
There is a tradition in our neighborhood that on Halloween night those of us participating in the annual candy grab fest open our garage doors or park ourselves at the end of the driveway and await the onslaught of tiny monsters bound and determined to wiggle their hands into the candy basket and scarf off more than "1 candy bar each, please". It is one of the things I love about Halloween here in Western Pennsylvania. My neighbor and I chat across the street during the lull. A police car cruises slowly by, lights flashing, as he keeps an eye on things. And as the kids go from house to house, we can all keep an eye on the little ones. It gives the whole evening a protective, and social air. When the weather is right, it's perfect! Of course, a blizzard can change things, but so far I've been lucky. I have been away the years we have suffered a snowy Halloween.
Next year I will be in Georgia, living in a small neighborhood, at the end of a dark cul-de-sac. I don't expect many trick-or-treaters. This year, I really wanted to be home so I could take part in what will likely be my last neighborhood Halloween. The day before, I brought in my pumpkins and carved them. The candy was opened and put in the candy bowl. I was ready.
The weather was looking ok...but the weather guy was worried about rain. Oct. 31 dawned gray, and cool, but the main rain looked like it would hold off until after trick of treat. Of course, when has the weather ever checked the weather forecast??? Certainly not this time. The rain started in earnest at 4:00. It was not a downpour, but a light steady rain. I looked at my huge bowl of candy. Normally, I only buy candy I like so I don't mind whatever I have left over. This year, of course, I bought whatever was on sale, even if I didn't like it. (A good idea if you are on a diet. I should be...but I'm not.) I stirred up the candy to make sure the sweet tarts were on top and the chocolate was at the bottom.
As 6:00 neared I was determined to be outside on my last Halloween. We have a small roof over our front door so I put out a chair, added a small table with the candy, and lit the pumpkins. I was ready.
Maggie looked at me, questioningly. All of our dogs have loved Halloween. I shook my head at her. "Sorry girl, there's not enough room out here for you, too," I told her.
I donned a rain coat to keep out the chill air and keep off the splatters and settled down...and waited. It might be a light night tonight, I thought.
The first 2 girls came by and I told them to help themselves. They did. 2 fistfuls of candy disappeared into their bags. I waited some more. My neighbor was holed up in her garage out of the rain. We waved to each other through the dark.
And the kids trickled by...first a couple, then a few more.... and then the steady stream that we usually see. Umbrellas waved uselessly in the air and galoshes splashed through the puddles as tykes in princess slippers joyfully ran down the sidewalk followed by zombies, super heroes, and assorted waifs.
Who was I kidding? Halloween tricksters slowed by a little rain??? I remember a line from my childhood that went: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Hmmm....was that for US Mail Carriers, or kids on Halloween? Beats me!
I checked the candy level in the basket as the next herd approached. "1 each please."
