Trick Or Treat

It's Halloween and things are starting to get scary at the house. Time is short, because I need to make last minute preparations in anticipation of hundreds of little beggars pardon me, trick or treaters.

I have been dealing with the exterior decorations for a couple weeks. I started the project before we went to Hawaii. Last week I added my big inflatable Frankenstein to the mix and he is always a hit with the kids. He also bears a striking resemblance to one of my good friends. It makes it a little weird to think I have one of my buddies hooked up to a timer on my front lawn. Yesterday I had to replace some of my spooky lights. Time and the elements had conspired to render useless two strands. Thankfully I found some for 75% off at Ace Hardware. I'm all for exterior illumination, but saving a buck is always first on the list. The wind has been wreaking havoc on my Halloween display. Twice I have had to chase my foam tombstones down the street because Mother Nature had a fit of gas and blew everything around. I'm waiting until the last minute to put them out again. Your yard can't be a truly scary place without tombstones.

Sometimes I feel like Clark Griswold from the Vacation movies when I'm in full decorating mode. I don't know too many people so obsessed with their holiday displays. To me that's part of the fun of owning a house. I used to do some decorating when I lived in an apartment, but there's not much room for a big Frankenstein balloon on a balcony. Yes, this truly is the American dream.

The biggest concern for today was what to give out to the beggars. Damn, I did it again. I mean trick or treaters. "Wife" and I spent an hour at Sam's Club trying to decide between little packs of cookies, fun size candy bars or the full size bars. I always think it's cheap to give one fun size bar. Come on stingy, cut loose with a hand full. We settled on full size M&Ms. The real reason we chose these was because if any are left over, I love M&Ms. I can't spend all my time going through "Daughter's" candy. I need some of my own.

Well, I'm off. I have a few surprises that I have to rig up. Some dark part of my soul needs to have a few scares lined up for the kids. It's the price they pay for that bag of M&Ms. Happy Halloween. Later....Brian