what a gift!

 Our weather here in central NY state for Halloween was absolutely, record breakingly beautiful.  We were outside in the dark, with leaves skittering across the sidewalk, just a touch of crispness in the air, no need for even a sweater.  We set up chairs and cute little lanterns in Margaret and Adrian's front yard, and gave out candy.  We had SO much candy, all of us bringing some.  

The grandkids and their parents set off to trick or treat, while Camille and I handed out candy with Patrick Star.  

Evelyn is such a good sport, so much fun.  She even sounded like Patrick.  (Spongebob?). The kids loved it so much, she got plenty of hugs, and parents asked if their kids could have their pictures taken with him/her ha.  A few kids were scared, I told them not to worry, it's just Evelyn in there and she's really nice. :)

She looked so funny.

Camille and I went out and about earlier in the day, to get more candy and some snacks.  We stopped to drop off treats for Lydia, Ophelia, and Denzel.  Molly had to work, and Josh was taking them trick or treating in their neighborhood.  Ben and Ashley went to the neighborhood where Emily lives...

Emily giving candy to Anya and Elise

Ashley with Declan, Elise, Anya

Benjamin with the kids...I am so stinking proud of Benjamin, and so thankful that he has chosen a good clean path in life.  He had some rocky teenage years, but God has been so good.  

Kamala found some support!

Tenny the officer of the law, with the Marios...Achilles and Grant.

Let's see, Grace dressed up as Sam when he was in the Army, Wulf was Frankenstein, Sam was Luigi...

Camille, Rhys, Kathryn, Margaret, Adrian up on the porch...

Jonathan shaved his beard!

Jamison was the cutest little hedgehog...he didn't last too long trick or treating, so Darius brought him back and we had a nice time with them.

All the little monsters got to watch a show to wind down, this is when Camille and I left.  

The weather has turned chillier, more seasonal air has rolled in...my window here next to my chair is open and the coolness feels nice.  I love the sound of the wind in the trees.  Wintertime is suffocating to me with the windows closed.  

I am getting up out of my chair to go to the pool in a few minutes...this is the part where I do battle with my own self, as I would like to just sit here with the breeze blowing the curtains, sipping my coffee, feet up, all content.  See, I am tired.  I stayed up and finished a book last night, then thought I'd conk out, but surprise!  I could NOT sleep.  It could have something to do with that afternoon Americano, but I tossed and turned.  When Paul got up to go hunting in the wee dark hours, I woke up too, and that was it.  Just a few hours of sleep.  Will I ever learn?  Of course not!

But I will get up from the comfy chair, I will go to that pool.  Oh, Kitchen Aid news:  the part arrived from Amazon, so Paul parked at the counter with a fix-it video from Mr. Mixer.  He took that whole mixer apart, found the part wasn't the issue, it was an errant nut, he put it all back together...it wouldn't turn on.  Camille didn't know whether to dance or cry.  We HAD hoped that it would be a black and white issue, didn't want him to fix it and have it be wobbly and iffy.  Shh, once you start looking at brand-spankin' new Artisan models, well, you sort of want one.  It felt right to attempt to resuscitate the old one, more virtuous than just trashing it and upgrading...but now that it's officially broken, well, we're a teeny bit excited.   (Oh the one that the commenter's daughter got from Costco is a great deal, but it's the kind where the bowl bolts in and lifts up, instead of the head of the mixer bending upwards...it's a great mixer, large capacity, but we are hoping to get the kinds where the mixer itself tilts up...just old habits maybe, but when you're mixing something, and you want to scrape the bowl, just lift the head and do it.  

Anyway, more minutes have gone by, and now I have to hurry...so have a good day!