When I was a kid (back in the good old days when every kid in the neighborhood and a good distance around hit every house they could) when we got tired or ran out of candy, we'd turn off the porch light, close the curtains, and turn off the lights at the front of the house and no one bothered us. There was even a family down the street that refused to have anything to do with the whole thing, so they'd turn off their porch light but leave big bushel baskets of apples and pears out; kids would grab one (or two or three, but with other people offering CANDY, not more) and leave them alone.

The whole idea of trick-or-treating being moved seems bizarre to me.

Yeah, me too, I hate it. But in SF it's always on Oct. 31.

I've been handing out candy for all of two Halloweens, and the first one, we just put a bowl of candy out and refilled it periodically. No doorbell, and not much emotional investment if people "rob" us blind.

We had a ton of kids by this time last year, but so far none this year. I guess the weather is keeping he little ones away.

The other day I was in the hallway of my apartent building and one of my neighbors was out with their daughter trying out her halloween costume. She's ... under a year, I think - tiny, blond, cute as anything. Dressed as Supergirl, but with bare feet (tiny pink baby toes!).

Yeah, me too, I hate it. But in SF it's always on Oct. 31.

Milwaukee is like 2-5 on the Sunday before Halloween. For reals. Though I guess they got lucky this year weather wise at least.

My "short nap" ended up longer than I'd planned, and I missed the Halloween thing I was supposed to go to. It's about 45 minutes away, so by the time I got dressed and got there, it would have been almost over.

We got a Harry Potter, a firefly, a Hello Kitty, and a spaceman of some sort, all in one group. The Hello Kitty said she couldn't have any candy, and I realized belatedly that we have toy dinosaurs from our wedding that we could have given her. I tried to make Tim chase them, but he convinced me that would cross the line into Creepy Creep Who Chases Children on Halloween.

And it is STILL raining. This is some Noah's Ark shit, right here.

one trick or treater so far. its full dark now so I think it's too late for any more little kids. I've been hearing some noise so maybe there are some young hooligans rampaging about.

Cass, I have found that one trick to tea is knowing what kind of tea you like as then it's easier to try something unfamiliar knowing you'll probably like it. I think of ita drinking jasmine tea, and I like a good oolong. I've tried quite a few now and there's some I like better but even the ones that aren't quite as delicious are very nummy to drink.

That's why I picked up several samplers. Because, even at my age, I don't definitely know which basic teas I enjoy. So I am trying and taking notes and then I should have a much better place to go from when I need tea again. It was only in the last year that I bought and started using an actual tea pot.

Yep, all that. I always wonder with shops like that if they are really just a big tax write off and their whole raison d'etre is to indulge someone's hobby and lose money in the process.

There is a sushi restaurant nearish me that has been open for over 20 years and I feel like I only see a couple of the same cars there all of the time. I am convinced it is a mob front. Not with any proof or logic behind it, but I am certain in my storytelling brain.

(not my nails, just something I admire)

That's cool.

Last year I got wiped out of candy pretty early because I had no concept of how many kids I would get. Once I turned off the porch light and shut the blinds of the window next to the door, not one single person came to the door. It was polite enough that I stocked in over 20 pounds of candy this year.