Trick or Treat

We took Lucy to the pumpkin patch recently and after feeding the goats, watching the ducks, and going down a slide - we enjoyed a tractor ride to pick out a pumpkin - guess which 'winner' was Lucy's favorite? I guess I use the term 'favorite' loosely since we went very close to Halloween and I think it was the only whole one left. After driving for a very long time to the middle of nowhere to see clumps of disparate, rotten pumpkins, I thought of a metaphor for living in Liberty.


On Halloween, we walked downtown to the Liberty square where the shops were giving away free tootsie rolls to wanting children (one each). Lucy made it about halfway when she fell asleep and did not wake up until we were almost home. I thought some of the stores were a little chincy on their handouts given the fact that they charge $30 for a t-shirt that touts the local high shool football team (that has a 2-4 record and no chance for the state playoffs).


Good think that Nanthida was ordained as the backup candy collector - with us splitting 50% of Lucy's candy in order to provide that service. It was actually an interesting exchange when a 20-something person (not in a costume) was asking for candy. After throwing out an un-enthousiastic 'trick-or-treat', Nanthida would sheepishly nod to the stroller with a sleeping baby and nonverbally try to communicate that we were only gathering the chocolate for our 14-month old...which was usually met with a shot of suspicion and disbelief. During that time, I either looked the other way or tried to blink heavily (showing a physical disorder or emotional instability) in order to avoid engaging in any conversation. They don't teach that stuff in grade school.


Fortunately for us, the Liberty square is not that big. We actually had some neighborhood trick or treaters this year that we stealthily maneuvered around on the way home to not tip them off that we were home (and to not have to share any of our loot with anybody else). So - I hope you found this educational as to where to go - and not go - next year. So far, I have found that none of the kit-kats have been tampered with - but I am only halfway through my testing. I will let you know when I get further along in the process.


In closing, I wanted to share what Lucy's reaction was when I told her she would not be going to the Hanna Montana concert - she did not take it lightly. I consoled her by letting her know that Hanna Montana wasn't coming because her house burned down in the fires in California - and that is what happens to people when they are bad.