Trick or Treat at 93

I remember 24 years ago and the ice storm that froze us, the drive with Pete to Mpls. for a scheduled surgery the next day, and the days that followed of living sans electricity.  So this year's Halloween is lovely in comparison--50 degrees, a bit damp, but a night trick and treaters won't freeze or slip on ice. Yesterday (Friday) Bancroft Creek held a 3 pm. Halloween "party," complete with Kate providing a history of the day and a German meal.  I'm sure Mom had been prepped about the event, but she seemed totally clueless that the festivities were happening.

One thing Mom did remember was that she'd need treats to hand out for Halloween. When I got to the apartment yesterday, she had the contents of her pantry on the kitchen table--trying to find something appropriate to hand out.  I told her I'd go to the store for her, since Halloween wasn't until Saturday, but then I looked at her weekly calendar, and there on Friday, Oct. 30 were the words, "trick or treat, 3-5 pm."  We quickly found some rather ancient coffee-flavored hard candies that would work, but I wished the trick or treat event were on its regular day, Sat., Oct. 31, so I could find more appropriate candies for Mom to give out.

Well today as I walked into the complex, there were oodles of kids and residents in the dining room--apparently the weekly calendar was incorrect--as "treat or treat 3-5 pm" was definitely being held TODAY, Sat., Oct. 31.  Residents sat at tables with their treats in front of them to hand out, and children of staff members and the community paraded around as residents filled kids' baskets.

What to do?  Either ignore the gathering in the dining room and have coffee in Mom's apartment, or join the merriment with the ancient coffee candies.  We chose the second idea.  Poor kids are going to wonder what hit them when they suck on those candies.

After about 45 minutes of treat handouts, we shuffled back to Mom's apartment to do two things: change her clocks to "fall" time (no more daylight savings time) and to tweeze the chin hairs that were sprouting all over from her lips to her neck.  We do that about once a month--hack away at those unsightly bristles.  I want Mom to look decent, though wearing nice clothes but having chin hairs defeats all efforts, I think.

As far as the clock-changing business was concerned, I didn't even tell Mom about the time change.  It would only have confused her, especially since Sunday she's picked up for church and always wonders what time to get up.  So I was able to tell her "just be ready by 9:15" even though the 9:15 is really 10:15.  I just hope she sleeps a bit longer and transitions well into the time difference.

So that's about it for trick or treat this year.  Coffee-flavored candies.  Well, maybe kids will acquire a taste!