Halloween

Trevor wore his business suit with a white tie. He and his best friend took his best friend's little five year old sister out with another brother trick or treating. I felt the boy was much too big to be trick or treating but since he was really escorting a small child I didn't stop him. It was more a babysitting gig with a friend.

Riley opted to stay home. I did not buy candy. I had one dollar bills to give out. I didn't anticipate many trick or treaters. The neighborhood houses weren't that decorated and many driveways are long and uninviting. The best neighborhoods are densely housed so the children can walk fewer steps for more candy.

I ended up with maybe 15 costumed people. Many looked to be middle school students. Not too many small children. I figured they must be neighborhood kids whose parents didn't want to put up a fuss. Riley recognized one group from the school bus.

I was pleased to hear one child shout to his mother "MOM! SHE GAVE ME A DOLLAR!" It made me feel better about giving out money as Tom had given me a hard time about it and said we would get egged for not having candy. Tom hid and watched football.

I stuck a pumpkin mask on the door and a couple of cute stuffed fuzzy snakes the boys had into the hanging planters by the door. We didn't even have pumpkins this year as I usually plant my own in the yard. With Trevor so busy and Riley not into the gooey carving, neither one pushed me to get pumpkins.

One of my girlfriends stopped by to hang out while she waited for her daughters to finish what they were doing. She wanted to play a game with the kids. Put change, more than a dollar in one hand, and offer them a choice, the dollar bill or the change. No children came by while she was here so she never got the chance. I kept the lights on until 9:00pm. It was an easy night. I will do the money again. I spent less doing the dollars than I would have buying candy and having to eat the left overs.

Of course, another friend posted they had 300 children come by their house, which is more centrally located. I wouldn't be able to give out that kind of money. I can barely imagine how much candy they must have had to buy in preparation. I just loved not having a tone of candy left over.

Trevor came home with a small bag of candy. It will be gone in a couple of days and there wasn't much that I liked in the bucket. He charged me for each piece. It helped keep me from gorging on sugar.

It was a school night and a Monday night so bed time was called with an order for everyone to brush their teeth well. The lights were turned off, the trick or treaters were already long gone.