High Holy Days

In Meadville, Pennsylvania, "High Holy Days" means the whole month of October, leading up to Hallowe'en. Decorating actually starts in September. In the City of Meadville, Trick Or Treat night is the Thursday night before Hallowe'en. The kids are out of school on Friday. The huge Hallowe'en Parade is Saturday.

Last night from 6:00 until 7:30 people brought their kids from miles outside of Meadville to Chestnut Street, the trick or treat capital of Crawford County. The street was crammed full of kids in costume (or not) and containers ranging from plastic grocery bags to the fanciest plush candy-hauling technology I've ever seen. Parents with babies sleeping in strollers collected candy. Teenagers who needed a shave begged for candy. Little ones who were as yet unable to say "Trick or treat" got candy anyway. I ran out at 6:55. My next door neighbor saw he was running out, sent someone to the store for more, and still ran out at 7:10. Two neighbors keep a count. The one on the north side counted 387; the guy across the street had 422. All I know is - it was a lot!

Yesterday late morning I was still thinking about what I wanted to do. I didn't want kids coming up to my porch. At last I pulled out some scrap plywood from the bookcase project and built a portal for the sidewalk at the top of the lower steps leading partway up the hill. I painted it with leftover purple paint from the living room project, stapled our orange lights around it and stationed myself in a chair beneath it. It worked great - until 6:55.

Next year: twice as much candy and more decoration. I'm posting a picture of the yard four houses west of us. Now that's Hallowe'en!