175 Halloween mysteries

Mysteries of Halloween

This time of year is one of mystery and wonder—what will the weather be, what costumes will be popular, and how much and which candy will be given out. Of course, this is Halloween season which is either loved or detested by the masses.

There are decisions on both sides--what to buy to give out and what to wear to add a measure of surprise and intrigue. Or even if households will take part in the evening march house to house to fill bags with loot. Some may even decide to not turn on the porch light and ignore the knocks at the door.

I have always enjoyed this holiday but not in the way some people go absolutely bonkers with decorations and costumes. I put out a pumpkin and put an orange ribbon on my wreath--no stress for me. I usually buy several bags of goodies that we may want if we don’t get the hundreds who often stop by.

During my childhood years, we would throw on anything we could find around the house (dressing up as hobos and gypsies) and add tons of makeup--that was the real thrill since we were never allowed to touch it any other time of year. We would never think about spending money on a costume and I am not sure they were readily available.

Halloween gave us freedom not only with how much makeup we could slather on our faces but also going out trick or treating on our own--just us kids with no adults.

Of course, we knew the limits and stayed in the neighborhood avoiding suspect houses we knew would not be welcoming while carrying our trusty bars of soap.

One of our main stops was our grandfather’s grocery store, Victory Market, which was around the corner. Uncle Jimmy (most of us who were on the candy run were related – either cousins or sister and brothers) would greet us at the door and said no candy for you. We then proceeded to soap the large store windows on both sides of the building.

Then he would come back out with candy and beg us to stop. This was a ritual we all participated in each year giving us all a great deal of pleasure especially with unspoken permission to soap the windows. We left no tiny spot uncovered with our robust machinations. We did feel a tiny bit guilty the next day when one of the employees of the store had to spend hours cleaning up the mess, but that didn’t last for long.

Halloween for my kids in the mid-1970s and early 1980s took on a new meaning. Plastic costumes of popular cartoon and movie characters enticed the youngsters away from homemade varieties. We gave in after a few years and let them buy the trendy products.

In addition, they were always escorted door to door and definitely no soap was involved. Boy, did they miss out, but times changed and safety was paramount.

For our grandkids, Halloween has been similar as it was for their parents with purchased costumes and guided trick or treat. Costumes are a little more creative like a cup of Starbucks coffee. The internet has assisted in this endeavor as just about anything can be ordered with endless possibilities.

Our daughter adores Halloween so she made it very special when her girls were young concocting costumes that were envied by many. She misses it now that the girls are too old for the rituals. But many adults continue this passion into amazing costume parties and contests to judge the best. 

Our son’s family gets into as a group since their daughter was born Oct. 29. Many of her parties require costumes for everyone.

As far as treats, some have come and gone (pop rocks) but the basics remain--Hershey bars, Reese cups plus some healthier options including pretzels and trail mix. No more handmade items even if you know the person who made them are given out to young revelers. Dangerous events have happened to curtail this and often not even in your area or state, but we must be cautious.

The most bizarre of rituals surrounding the holiday was when at a young age I would accompany my mother and other family members to light candles at the cemetery on All Souls Day Nov 2. Not sure if this was Catholic or Italian or both but we never missed. Votive candles were placed around the tombs or graves and lit while prayers were said for the souls of the deceased who might not have been in heaven yet so we tried to give them a boost out of purgatory.

We always went around dusk, not sure if this was intentional or not, but it added a layer of intrigue. It was actually a pretty picture. Most of the graves close by were friends and family members so we didn’t neglect any of them.

Considering it was forest fire season in the mountains, it was amazing we weren’t arrested, but great attention was given to make sure the candles were extinguished with love and care. I miss those days and wish I could ask my mother more questions about the practice but she has been gone for 20 years. I must rely on my memories to keep the pictures vivid in my mind. Wish I had some photos but we never took any--no cell phones to record everything as we do now!

Whatever the degree of Halloween celebrated, enjoy it in the best way that suits what you like!!

Frances                    

174 Cloud illusions

I was a passenger on a recent long road trip where the sky was starkly blue and filled with clusters of cumulous clouds. Of course, the first thing I thought of was "I've looked at castles everywhere--from up and down [In my case--left and right]--and still somehow, it's cloud's illusions I recall. I really don't know clouds at all."

Well, Joni Mitchell, what is wrong with illusions? I can go much further than "Rows and flows of angel hair and feather canyons everywhere." How about a very muscular giant with a bulbous nose that morphs into a poodle? (The giant, not the nose) Or a covey of gossiping cupids that become a sea turtle? The possibilities are endless and fun!

I also saw Poseidon and Pegasus. Think about a world where the clouds and the stars (along with the rest of the natural world) were the only entertainment. No wonder we have such a rich mythology from every civilization. I imagine the Greeks witnessed many battles over Mt. Olympus.

A number of years ago we took a trip with a restive 5-year old. I wasn't having much luck keeping him happy with stories or jokes, but then I pointed to the Blue Ridge Mountains in front of us and said that some folks thought they were sleeping giants.

Eventually, my husband got tired of the lad's endless descriptions of the body parts of giants, but isn't imagination a wonderful thing?

I saw the photo on the left in Facebook with the caption, "Proof that all dogs go to heaven."  Perhaps if I spend less time communing with flickering screens and more time enjoying the left and right and up and downs of nature, I'll find Tootsie in the sky . . . with diamonds!                                      Trish         

173 Crutch & Cliche

CRUTCH WORDS and CLICHES
Personal Listicles 

Actually, dear readers, I honestly just don’t know why we all seem to add words that are not necessary when writing or speaking. Are we using these words to have a bit of extra time to gather our thoughts or are they just bad habits we’ve picked up along the way? 

According to dictionary.com, crutch words often start out as words used for delaying tactics and then become “unconscious verbal tics” which add nothing to a statement. Look at my first sentence: crutch words are “actually,” “honestly,” and “just.” Easy to use - perhaps, too easy to use. 

After my usual non-scientific Google investigation, I looked at 20 sites that listed overused words, crutch words, and “why in the world did we ever use these” clichés. If you want to see these websites, Google “overused words. (Actually –you may roll eyes here – I almost typed “JUST” Google … and then, OOPS, I am putting in a filler word.) 

Look at this picture. Why not ask “How was your day?” Beginning the sentence with “so” diminishes the interest in how your friend’s day was. Both NPR and The New York Times have had podcasts addressing the now-acceptable use of “so” to begin a sentence. However, both see the little word as a replacement for “um” or “er.”

Here is an example from a wordly.com article. (Someone may have worked hard to have created this to make a point about concise and proper English. However, it could be “a for real” text message.)

Years ago when I was still teaching, I had this poster rolled up as I did not think it would be proper in the public school setting. I still find it pithy and worth remembering:

     “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’;

      your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” 

Mark Twain 

And on to the promised listicles.

My CRUTCH LISTICLE includes the following words:

• Actually

• Seriously

• Well

• Literally
  

• So

• Honestly

• Obviously

• Basically

• Well

• Totally

• Like

• Just (and Just Saying)

• Plus the one that drives Dear Husband crazy 

Clichés, according to Merriam-Webster, are hackneyed, overused phrases or ideas that have lost their impact. Some are funny. You are correct--Here is “when the cows come home.”

And here’s another: With all due respect to whom? The audience? Is it necessary to say he respects you?

THE CLICHÉ LISTICLE

• At the end of the day (does this mean when everything has been considered or I am finished speaking now?)

• Let’s face it; Let’s face facts; Let’s be honest (these are interchangeable and all mean it is time for reality. Usually, the reality is not going to be positive.)

• 110% (Hyperbole and exaggeration are found in many clichés)

• I’m not trying to be funny, but…. (yes, I am trying to be funny or sarcastic or….)

• Take the bull by the horns (let’s face the problem now) 

• Fit as a fiddle (I looked up the background of this one – it’s hard work to keep a violin in good shape and tuned says oxford-royale.com)

• Every cloud has a silver lining 

I had fun with this blog. We have gotten relaxed about what is proper--in speech, in dress, in manners. In some ways, moving away from rigid standards is liberating. In other ways, standards help define our culture and what we respect. Ah, ‘tis a conundrum for another day.

Here’s hoping for no more heavy rain for a while. If it is rainy, I hope it is “water under the bridge!”

Savvy Glenne           

172 Savvy travel packing?

The Art of Packing or Not 

After years of travel either in this country or others, I still don’t have the art of packing perfected. I either take way too much or never enough. Plus, I never have the right combinations--too many slacks and too few tops or vice versa or never the clothes that fit the temperature.

I have learned to take a main suitcase with basics and then another one for extras like bathing suits or beach clothes. That seems to work pretty well for domestic travel in a vehicle but certainly not for flying. I am also lazy sometimes when we arrive at our destination and will not completely unpack for a few days. Then some items never get worn especially those crammed in the bottom of the suitcase.

Temperature is a big factor and can change quickly one way or the other. I am realizing a light jacket is crucial, a raincoat sometimes, and short and long sleeve shirts as well as shorts and slacks.

Spring and fall are the worst times as the weather can change in what seems like a minute. That sweatshirt that seemed like a good idea when I was packing may never get worn in 80 to 90-degree temperatures. So off to the stores I go to get something that will be tolerable in the heat and humidity. And then there is the other side of it--the cold and wet weather with no raincoat or boots. Again, shopping comes into play as warmer garments are needed. I do love to shop but it isn’t always convenient or practical where we are traveling.

Sticking to one color is a help.

Driving to a destination in this country is easier as you can always throw a few more things in the car. Raincoats are usually one of the last items to be tossed in the back with the suitcases. The only problem is when arriving at the destination, there are tons of bags to be unloaded and then repacked to bring home. That is when I ask myself why in the world I brought so much.

Second Bag

But flying especially abroad presents great problems. A large suitcase is needed but by the end of the trip, I am ready to leave it wherever we are staying. Some people we have encountered on trips will bring older items to wear and just leave them along the way so that the luggage gets lighter. Haven’t tried that yet but will consider it.

I have experimented including rolling every piece of clothing so that wrinkles are hindered. That seems to work but takes more time. I don’t always have the patience for that.

Toiletries bag always
ready to go and
its wheels twirl

I do keep a bag with toiletries always ready for a road trip or short flights. It is always ready so I don’t have to repack each trip. It does require having duplicates but that isn’t a problem if you work to collect items from the $1 aisle at various stores. Also, the smaller size works great.

Some suggestions include doing laundry on the trip, using a smaller suitcase, researching the weather at the destinations, taking lightweight items such as jackets, and as far as reading material, an electronic device might be the best option.

Suitcase styles come and go so it is a good idea to look at a new one every few years. (They don’t last that long anyway after being thrown around on luggage carousels.) The rolling types are the best but make sure to also get one that swivels. This will make life easier when running through an airport.

Train travel is different as far as luggage. Rarely can you check a bag so it is put above the seat or at the end of the car. This is quicker when getting off the train but don’t pack too heavy--putting luggage above the seat can be difficult. Usually, a porter or another passenger will help. Also getting off the train can be a little tricky with too much luggage.

But traveling is still a top priority for my husband and me so I will have to keep trying to get it right!

Savvy traveling Frances         

Savvy traveling Frances