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A few things on my mind this morning, but no time to do justice to them so I will just share a photo from last October. I looked back at it because our weatherman says there is a small chance we might get a drop of rain. So there is still hope that our dry, brown view might return to this someday.
Have a great day and we’ll talk more tomorrow.
I know, I know…weeks away, but my students and children everywhere are already talking about it. And I’m already wondering why, why, why we give so much attention to one day on the calendar. And I’ve decided that the answer is money, money, money. Halloween has to be our second most profitable holiday for retailers. Just think about it. What other holiday includes cards, costumes, seasonal clothing, candy, food, and decorations? Products of all kinds get seasonal packaging for Halloween. There are toys and games and makeup. And there are all the things connected with pumpkins- field tours, pumpkin stands, carving contests, etc. I would imagine that only the gifts given at Christmas put it ahead in consumerism. Valentine’s Day and even Easter must pale in comparison. I’d love to see some statistics!
I know the origins of Halloween are not as sinister as many believe, but the current celebrations make one wonder if most people don’t just see the holiday as a free license for a day of evil. It is no longer safe to let children play “trick or treat” in any neighborhood. If you still think it is I suggest you refer to your local sex offender registration list. The last time I checked one of our local towns it had 65 men listed. And it is certainly a day for drugs, drinking, vandalism, and general mayhem. Don’t even get me started on the obscene costumes that will be worn by some people.
There are still parties and school carnivals and even church-sponsored events for children. They get to dress up and play games and eat too many sweets. But don’t most of them get to do that every week if they want? And do we really need all this hoopla in order to give kids free candy?
I know children and adults love to have fun. However, it still seems a bit silly to make such a big deal out of one day on the calendar when most people have no idea what it is we are celebrating. Maybe I’m just getting old. I will certainly make some Halloween crafts with my students and enjoy their stories, but I can’t wait for the 31st to behind us.
I don’t much like meetings. I know that isn’t grammatically correct and I don’t much care. That’s what my grandmother would say and it’s good enough for me. However, last night I went to a meeting of the Town Restoration Association of Caddo and it was a great one. First of all, it was a dinner meeting and I just don’t think you can have a bad meeting if there is good food! lol And it was at the home of a great hostess with a wonderful view, so that added to the enjoyment. And last, but not least, we are finishing up some projects that have been in the works for quite some time, so we are coming to the end of the year with some successes on our agenda.
The only sad thing about TRAC is that our membership has dwindled so much since the group began in 2005. I know that is partially due to the fact that there have been “different views” that have had nothing to do with the landscape. And some of the membership changes have been due to personal changes in health and finances and other circumstances. But there hasn’t been an influx of new people with new ideas and that worries me. There is still much to be done to improve Caddo and very few people seemed interested in working to do so. I hope that next year we will see an increase in membership.
The view last night was also a reminder of the continued impact of the drought. You can’t get more than two people together these days without the conversation drifting to the weather. It affects us all. Please continue to pray for some relief.
Today is our grandson’s birthday! Happy Birthday Austin!
I spent Saturday in Caddo with family and friends, celebrating Caddo’s Heritage Day. It’s always enjoyable! I love to see people who have not been “out and about” in a while. We have several citizens who are now in their late eighties and nineties. Some attended and others didn’t. I hope they know we missed them.
Enjoyed the 5k run! Love to see people with more strength and motivation than my own. There was a good turnout and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I was fascinated by the new timing technology. Each runner wore a little numbered chip on their shoe that triggered the timer when they crossed the finish line. Of course there were the inevitable glitches…I found one in the street just moments after the race, and another runner lost his about half-way through the race. But all in all, it was a good, time-saving arrangement.
Got to see my lovely neighbors for a few minutes. I know it is a dreadful thing to admit, but with the distance between us and with our busy schedules, we hardly ever see each other in person. Just a wave sometimes!
The children seemed to have a good time. Food, candy, toys, and the bounce house were available all day. The main attraction this year was a daredevil bike group from Fort Worth called “United Freestyle”. They did some amazing tricks! All the young people were in attendance for that!
My father came for a visit yesterday and he talked about all the old friends he saw at Heritage Day. His long-time neighbor has been in the nursing home for years now and was unable to attend, but he visited with her at their weekly church service. It occurred to me that he too, is getting along in years and will be 82 in January.
The next few weeks will be a blur of activities.
Tonight is our community TRAC meeting.
Tuesday is my grandson’s birthday AND my sister-in-law’s birthday!
This week at school we will test basic skills and then send home our report cards. Next week is a major standardized test and then carnival. Then parent-teacher conferences and fall break!
October 22 is our Springer reunion.
Then Halloween.
Whew! I’m already tired. Lol
Busy, busy this weekend with Heritage Day and HD photos. See my Caddo blog if you are interested in family and friends from Caddo. Great crowd, good weather!
Today I had a few little things to photograph at the house. As much as I like parades and parties, I do love to just relax at home!
