HALLOWEEN KNOCKERS!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN once again.  Did you survive the snow that seems to have visited half the nation?  None here and in fact it was a gorgeous night to celebrate the dead.  Here's MRS Jack Skellington, compliments of Mr. Ed. 

There was no time to celebrate.  I had to be an hour away by 9:00 and once again the key fob was full of gremlins.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  I finally figured out it worked more OFTEN if I hit the unlock-the-doors button every time it told me it didn't recognize that fob.  

Here's the problem child -- a broken pull down shade on the sliding door.  Not even 3 months old and it broke.  

I would have arrived right on time had I remembered to close the freezer door.  That and rain caused a slight delay.  RAIN??  Oh yes, a nice mud-making sprinkle that caused me to panic because I had no idea where the windshield wiper gizzy was.  

Luckily I remembered that many times when I hit the turn signals, the wipers come on.  GOT IT!  Well sort of ... the button on the end makes it go one time.  I just kept hitting the button until the rain quit.  I did find the twisty thingy an hour later when it quit raining.

The place was packed with men picking up their rigs for duck hunting, but I got in, in record time.  This place is a time capsule.  Someone is a collector of antiques, not to mention old pictures, maps, equipment and trophies.  

They removed the shade, got all the numbers they needed to order a new one (who knows how long THAT will take) and I was off in less than 30 minutes.  These guys ..... their middle name is SERVICE.  With a handshake I was out the door and headed home, still pushing the little button each time it was needed.

I was rewarded with a nice little rainbow for about 3 miles.

Back home, I parked the Big Kid and grabbed the Jeep for a quick trip to town.  It would have been quicker, but I was almost out of fuel.  The cheapest around was Costco at $4.16 if you wanted to wait in the very long line.  I went to one closer to home for $4.19.  Diesel at the moment is $4.69, though many stations have both for $5.50 and up.  Why anyone would go to those stations is beyond me.

That pumpkin crunch cake was on my brain, so I stopped for a few ingredients.  Yes it is a little overdone.  I don't use my big ovens any more, mostly because the temps are way off, so I bake in my Breville oven.  Things cook faster.  It's okay though cuz I'll just cover it up with lots of Cool Whip!!

It was DELICIOUS!  It's like pumpkin pie with a sweet crunchy top.  Nancy was a BAD girl and ate not one, but TWO servings.  Yes, I definitely suffered for it a few hours later.  I won't be doing that again!

At long last I heard it ... a knock at the door!  I'VE GOT TRICK OR TREATERS!!  My box of candy was at the ready.  There stood three cute little kids while Mom waited on the street with the flashlight.  I gave them all one bar and an extra one for Mom.  They were so excited to give it to her ... and she thanked me profusely.  Well that was fun.

Next up, I saw the kids next door, so I hid beside the door ... and when they rang the doorbell, I smashed my face against the glass panel, adding extra scare by slapping the glass with my hands and yelling BOO!!!  Oh my gosh ... I scared that poor girl ... the look on her face made me feel terrible!!  I apologized for scaring her and her friends ... SEVEN of them ... but after all, it is HALLOWEEN.  They laughed!!

Cooper of course went crazy every time he heard the knock on the door.  He was in his Policeman costume, without the hat because he refused to wear it even for a picture.  

There were not a lot of costumes this year, but I gave out 26 candy bars (many more than last year) to kids and adults alike.  

The last one I scared was the best however.  I saw the headlights and figured it was someone watching the kids as they walked to the door.  I swung it open with a loud BOOO and scared the heck out of the UPS driver delivering a package to me.  I gave him a Happy Halloween snickers bar.  Sorry about that ......... not sorry!  The look on his face was priceless!

That was it ... by 8:00 there were no more knockers at the door, Cooper had wiggled out of his costume and was sound asleep on the couch.  I was not far behind him.  

And so ended another year of Halloween fun!!  Maybe next year will be even BETTER!!