I have a confession to make. I have always hated Halloween.  I had three older sisters who were always pushing me into things. Since I was a shy child (I know, hard to believe) I resisted their most creative efforts. One year when I was about five or six, they dressed me as a Chinese child, braided a long nylon stocking and put it on my head and the rest of it is all a blur except for a lot of eye liner around my eyes.. I just remember how embarrassed I was by the whole costume scene. I think that was the beginning of my loathing of this particular holiday.  

My husband loves Halloween. I think he has fond memories of reigning terror on the neighborhood by wearing a scary mask, hauling around a large bag of candy in the cold fall air. He’s the one who goes to the door on the hallowed night at our house and he loves it. If it was up to me, and it occasionally has been, the doors get locked, the porch light is the only light on and a bowl of candy is left out on the porch.  I like the way they handle the holiday here in our small town. All of the downtown merchants stock up and the kids deck themselves in their costumes, bundle up and trick or treat downtown. It’s a nice, safe way for the children to get enough candy to bring on diabetes or at the least 5 new cavities. I’m not certain if they will be celebrating this year downtown due to Covid 19. I suspect they won’t. 

I do, however, love this particular season, Fall. I usually bake a pumpkin pie because the senses demand it. It’s either that or a cinnamon apple one. Instead of either of those this year I baked Apple Crisp. Yes, it was yummy. The air is crisp, we’re getting an occasional early morning chill with the night temps in the thirties. It’s time to get out the extra warm undies and wool socks, unpack the turtlenecks and gloves and wash or dry clean the jackets. My jackets, that is. My husband doesn’t wear a jacket. We have one in each of our car trunks, there are several hanging in his closet, but he never wears them. I occasionally wash them to get the dust off the shoulders. The only time I ever see him bedecked in warmth is when the temp falls below freezing. Pouring rain doesn’t even tempt him to stay dry. He’s always been thus, according to his Mom. She bought him a new jacket every year and he took it to school, put it in his locker and brought it home at the end of the school term. Interesting how different we all are, isn’t it?  

All the ghosts, goblins and ghouls hanging in the stores, front porches and windows are a reminder it is time to buy batteries for the portable lights and the portable radio; check the space heaters and put the down comforter on the bed. It’s also time to be sure there is a candle in each room, with a small butane lighter handy. I’ve learned to keep the sunscreen on hand, it’s not only great for bright sun but for the wind and chill that can affect the skin in the fall and winter. All of the power outages we have here in the NW are much less threatening since we installed a generator a few years ago. Love it.  

To keep yourself from becoming a ghostie or a ghoulie this year, plan ahead, stay warm and get your flu shot. I just got mine this past week. Remember the kids, also, as the CDC is recommending flu shots for all healthy children between 6 months and 5 years. The injection will help to keep those viral goblins at bay, along with an extra dose of Vitamin C and zinc as well as your usual antioxidants. It’s that time of year when caution is always called for as well as planning, for those of us with compromised health. Actually, more so this year than most thanks to this terrible pandemic we’ve been coping with. We need to do everything we can to keep the immune system healthy for the long winter ahead. Just think like the squirrels and store up those nuts. Wait, is that correct? Maybe we should think like nuts and store up squirrels, well…whatever keeps you safe.