Random Thoughts on Halloween and other stuff

1. This Halloween, even though I was in my Cowgirl costume again, complete with fringe, Joey told me I didn't have the Halloween spirit. When I protested, he said, "Mom, you have to like ALL the Halloween candy, and you don't like sour Skittles." When I pointed out that Joey does not like candy with chocolate, he spun it around so that it was OK, or he really did like chocolate, or somehow he had the Halloween spririt more than me.

2. Joey declares: "Jolly Ranger" candy is best, it is the"most jucier and flavory".

3. Emma bought clothes that she put together to be a Pirate, and my main thought is that I am starting to want to wear her clothes. We got her some black suede boots at Target and I actually wish I could borrow tham. She is already wearing ladies size 7 shoes, so perhaps that time is coming sooner than you'd think.

4. The kids confound David and me when they Trick or Treat. After walking one long block from our house, they report they are done and ready to come home. Even the kid we were trick or treating with told his parents the same thing. What's up with that!? When I was a kid, I don't think we ever asked to stop trick or treating. David confirms this was true for his childhood too.

My only theory is that when I was a kid, you got one piece of candy per house, and it might be something like a roll of smarties. To get any volume, or prize pieces of candy (little candy bars) you might have to knock on many doors, so you were predisposed to want to trick or treat for a long time. Plus it was fun.

Today, children in Bryker Woods get candy by the handful at each door. And every other house has Snickers bars. By the time our kids get to the end of one block, their bags are pretty full.

The other theory a friend proposed, is that we know the other parents in the neighborhood so well that we slow the kids down with our chatting and they get so frustrated that they just want to lug their big bags home and eat.

Fortunately, Max has a love of candy and a streak of greed. After coming home, I convinced him to keep trick or treating with me and we did another block. He came home and carefully arranged his candy into categories. When Emma saw his loot, she got a little jealous, so next year, I don't think we will have the party pooper syndrome again.

5. One of Max's classmates lives about a block from us. His mom gives out margaritas to the trick or treater's parents. That is a great idea.

6. Outside of Halloween, there is a significant achievement to report. I usually have a messy house, and most of my friends know it. No biggie. But one aspect of the mess is that I always have a laundry basket full of stuff that has no home; patches the boys got at an expo, old dice, popped buttons, bits of pieces of paper that don't really get filed but can't be thrown away, and other weird stuff.

I can usually guage the cleanliness of my house by how many baskets I have going. When I have two laundry baskets full of this orphan trash, I am in bad shape. And I only have my last, third, basket for laundry. When I have a half a basket, I am on a roll.

I am pleased to announce that for two days, I used free time to tackle that laundry basket, and I have an empty basket! I've noticed for the days that have followed, I wake up in the morning with a sense of calm. The rest of my house is getting cleaner, and I have dirty laundry sorted into three baskets (whites, darks and colors). Yea me!!

7. Our WORD group is planning yet another party. It will be held this Sunday. We were asked to hold it by the Texas Democratic Party. Apparantly our email network is something to be envied! Go to www.wordtexas.org. If you live in Austin, come hang out with us. I guarantee glorious weather, and even Republicans will have fun with us.

Happy Thursday!