You never know what might cause consternation around here.
This week there is abject despair because I won’t be manning the door on Halloween. I’ll be teaching body sculpting on Thursday, so Catherine must step up to the plate.
Somehow, this is a big deal. Not quite a problem, but a reason to opine, as in, “I can’t believe you won’t be here to answer the door” and “I can’t believe I have to answer the door.”
Believe it.
It’s not as if she’s planning to trick or treat. After all, the job involves opening the door, cooing over some costumes and offering the big bowl of sugar. Nothing more.
Still, I guess some traditions are hard to break.
Catherine as Spaghetti and Meatballs. Third grade. Still the best costume. Ever.
Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy my annual check of the tykes in the neighborhood. I love to see the costumes and how the littlest ghouls manage their first or second spooky outings.
There’s always a cute lady bug or sheep among the passels of pumpkins and fairies. Always a handful of kids who must be prompted to say “thank you”; always one or two who spend a loooong time choosing their candy, or treat the candy bowl as a smorgasbord, trying to take piece after piece to secret away in their goodie bags.
One year, I opened the door to Thomas the Tank engine and he chugged right past me, and headed for the living room!
I will miss it, for sure, and promise to happily resume my appointed post after class.
That is, if Catherine and Basil haven’t cleaned the candy bowl by then.
Pushing on a Rope 
That is a great costume, for sure! Traditions are so special and older kids often have a hard time dealing with the idea of something not happening the way it always has. There’s a sense if comfort in the usual, the routine. When this normal way of doing things is upset, children can feel uneasy and even a little sad that things are changing. Enjoy the fact that you’ll be burning some calories before sneaking a KitKat later tonight!
Posted by Elizabeth | October 31, 2013, 7:40 amI know what you mean about traditions; I have trouble stepping away from them too, sometimes. Thanks for stopping by … and believing I can stop at just one KitKat!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | October 31, 2013, 8:00 amIf we get 5 kids, that’s a big year! It makes me sad; the neighbor kids would rather go to the condos because they’ll get more candy. That’s the disadvantage of 1-acre zoning!
Love the story of Thomas chugging into the living room. One year when Jonah lived with us, we went to a new neighbor’s. She and I chatted in the entry way, and Jonah walked down the hall to her son’s room, sat down at the little kid’s drum set and started to play. Fortunately, Mary thought it was funny, and called her son to come teach him a few things. Jonah just settled in, quite happily.
Posted by Karen Waggoner | October 28, 2013, 10:42 pmGreat story! I’ll bet he remembers that Halloween as one of the best!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | October 29, 2013, 6:22 amAnd I miss the days of taking my kids out in their costumes, and mingling with the neighbors as we walked the block. Our neighborhood has become strangely empty of little ones in the past few years. We have had not one Trick or Treater in almost 5 years. Very sad!
Posted by momshieb | October 28, 2013, 8:34 pmThat is sad. We get TONS of them!
Posted by Terri S. Vanech | October 28, 2013, 10:06 pm