Happy Halloween! Or should I say Happy Halloween week? How many parties did your children have? How many different costumes?
Halloween does bring back many memories, such as the trick played at Cunningham Road when someone soaped the screens; I'm not sure we ever knew who did that. Or the cape that we used to share (or possibly fight over) for our costume. Here's an entry from the real Pop's Weekly Letters, 1980: "I spent some time trying to create some order in the chaotic basement. Do you remember the long cloak that we found in the attic in Cunningham Road and which I think each of you wore at some Halloween? Well, it finally bit the dust (or mold} and is now at the dump."
There are other more recent memories, of Joe as a mummy, converted to a car accident victim when the paper wrapping started falling off, or Margaret as an M&M, or Annie as a Princeton cheerleader. What's the best part of Halloween? The candy that we always buy for the trick-or-treaters who never venture back behind the haunted house in front of ours.
Except that maybe they will this year, because (drum roll) that house is no longer there. That occupied a good chunk of our attention these past two weeks. Once the pest control and asbestos removal requirements were out of the way, it was just a matter of scheduling the equipment. The excavator showed up Tuesday afternoon, so we knew the next day was a go. Sure enough, by 7am the crew was there, and they began at 7:30. Two hours later they were done with the tear down. The remainder of the day and the next was removal of debris, and Friday was levelling and rolling the yard.
A friend suggested we do a time lapse on our IPhone, and it worked. Two hours in twenty-four seconds. Unfortunately, I couldn't upload it here. Maybe on Facebook.
We spent pretty much all day Wednesday in front-row seats watching. Mary's nieces and brother Timmy were here to keep us company, which made the emotions of the day a little easier. Each time the crew shut down work, we would all go over and scavenge a little, pulling out bricks and a few other items. Corrinne mentioned that there was a custom to put a horseshoe in the side of the house facing north. Sure enough, not one minute later, we found a horseshoe at the bottom of the cellar hole, and a little while after that, I found another one, just lying on the foundation. We will find a suitable place for them.
What comes next? Not sure. But, I do have a pollinator flower mix, and am contemplating a pumpkin patch, a grape arbor, some fruit trees, some evergreen trees. Any other suggestions?
We need to get David over here to help out with landscaping ideas. He, by the way, mentioned that the senior housing group he's involved with has moved on to their next housing project. Paula was out when we talked, as she was at a Habitat for Humanity meeting!
A few months ago, I remember writing that if you hear the word norovirus, run the other direction. Apparently, Johnny didn't run fast enough, and he was down for the count. Terrible sickness.
Annie and Sankar are back in India, after a few weeks away, in Japan and Taiwan. Here's a picture of their Diwali celebration.
It's October which is birthday month, so we send our wishes to Claire, Billy, and Kathleen. Anyone else? I think I hit Janet and Johanna earlier, but just in case, Happy Birthday!
Love from up here.
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