Happy Halloween

Another Halloween. Where has the year gone? This afternoon my grandson will go trick or treating for the second time. Last year he was in his stroller. This year he will be walking up to the doors to get candy. He is just beginning to walk so he will probably only go to a few houses although he isn't allowed to eat candy yet. This is more of a milestone for his parents. Their goal was to have him walking and he has achieved that. He will go to a family pizza party after he scares the neighborhood.

Campaigning

In yesterday's mail there were 5 large postcards campaigning for various politicians. By this time I know the size and the feel of the advertisements, so I do not even have to look at them before they get tossed into the garbage. As I was sorting out the postcards, there was one that I kept. It was for 20% off at Bed, Bath and Beyond. If I was a politician I would spend my advertising dollar putting my name and face onto circulars that people would keep. If my face was next to the word 20%, everyone would know who I was.

Shelf Life

Last week I was cleaning out a basement shelf, looking for an item that had probably been thrown out decades ago. That is when I came across a bottle of tacky glue that I had purchased in the 1980's. The same product is still being made and I just bought a bottle recently. The one I found hiding was the large size, 16 ounces. I squeezed the bottle to see if it was still pliable and soft. It was. I then opened the cap to see if it was still useful and it was. It had the same consistency as the one I just bought. I brought it upstairs for the first time in 27 years and put it in my crafting box. I guess that a well made product, closed tightly, will last forever.

Birdie Triage

I was sitting in my kitchen when I heard a crash on my glass sliding door. I went to see what it was and there was a small wild bird standing on my deck. One leg looked all curled up and his beak was in an open position. He looked like he was a frozen statue. I went outside to see how he was. I could see him breathing but he was as still as a rock. I sat with him and told him that he would be ok. He was in the sunshine and warm. After about ten minutes, I saw his eyes blink. A few minutes later I saw his beak close. He remained like that for another half hour. We talked again and his head moved to where the sound of my voice was coming from. He was slowly coming out of shock. I went back inside and stood at the window for a few more minutes until I saw him gather enough strength to fly away. It was over an hour by then. I am so happy he recovered!

A-Maze-ing

Yesterday one of the attractions at the Pumpkin Farm was a corn maze. It cost $8 to have the privilege of getting lost among corn stalks. It was supposed to be a treasure hunt where you find the items they ask for and mark it off on a score sheet. Most people were just glad to make their way out after a few minutes. Once you were in, even though it was not a very large maze, you could not get out. That is dangerous. After 10 minutes of walking in circles, I needed to rest my leg but had no idea how to leave. That is when I realized the danger of the maze. What if someone fell or a child ran faster than their parent? There was no staff member in the maze in case of an emergency. Now I can say I have been in a corn maze. One more skill to list on my resume.

Pumpkins

Today we are going pumpkin picking. This will be a yearly event. Last year the baby was too small to remember anything but this year he will be able to have fun. There is a petting zoo and a corn maze. He will be in his radio flyer wagon and be pulled through the farm. Last year it rained. Today the sun is shining. It will be a lot of fun!

Visualization

If we put our mind to it, we can do anything. That is what a powerful force it is. Yesterday, I had an MRI to check what is going on with my back. I am not fearful of being in a closed space, but for some reason when I was totally in the machine, I felt like I could not breath. I started to panic and then pulled myself together. It was all in my mind. I closed my eyes and they started playing the disco music I had requested. I envisioned myself in a dicso in the 1980's and calmed down. After that things were fine.