Happy Halloween!

It is a dark and peaceful night in the neighborhood, especially for Halloween. Not many children are stirring on my street. The new neighbors across the street are not home so adding their dark home with the remaining two on my side of the street it is pretty D-A-R-K! If I were walking my kids tonight I probably wouldn't turn down this part of the street, I would follow the light. Still, I have seen princesses, a cat and a super hero...one that was pretty darn tall. However, size is not always the measure one should determine for eligibility. I remember when I was 10 or 11 a lady decided I was too old would only give candy to my little brother and sister. I was polite but a little taken aback. I was tall but not too old. Alas, this young man, perhaps 13 or 14 was more child-like and his father looked on with thanks to me as I allowed him to take the last package of Skittles from the basket. The shiny red bag full of those colorful candies are always a favorite and he was excited to have that last bag. Too old? A matter of perspective.

Halloween is a night full of possibilities when a child dons a costume. Make believe fun and visions of all treats imaginable. I listened on as the big kids told us about some of the treats of years gone by. Big 5 cent candy bars and a whole popcorn ball from Mrs. So & So. Of course some people gave big red apples and others had wonderful decorated cookies.

When I went out I had some of those treats but as time goes, so does the treats of by gone years. Apples were tossed out when my kids were going out. The same for cookies or popcorn balls. Then came the days the fire stations x-rayed the candy for saftey.

The news would have stories of apples with razor blades or laced with poison like Snow White...yikes! But boy do I remember those nickel candy bars; they gave way to dime candy bars only to move ahead to a quarter and eventually they just got smaller and the price got bigger!

Mrs. Anderson, an elementary teacher in our neighborhood always had us come inside to sign a guest book and talked to each of us about our costume. Nowadays, we see neighbors we don't know except for the color and make of their cars. Nobody would think of asking the kids inside for an autograph either!

Times have changed, but one thing is the same...the little ghosts and goblins still love treats and I enjoy seeing each and every one of them.

I hope you all had a fun weekend celebrating Halloween!