On one hand I was sort of digging the cooler weather that blew in last weekend, but come Monday afternoon I was over it already.
There’s several reasons why and honestly, the one that I can’t ignore most is in regards to my extra ankle hardware.
It’s not just the 12-inch plate keeping my femur and ankle together – it’s the three long screws that go across my ankle joint that are giving the most trouble when temperatures drop below 50 degrees.
Not to mention the overall wind chill and humidity adding even more seeping coldness than I’d really like to endure.
So, to make it easier to understand I’ve decided to nickname it my “Tin Man Ankle” so that people have some semblance of what I’m dealing with when it’s not feeling very warm or flexible.
Because almost everyone has seen 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” original film and knows who the Tin Man was and how he struggled with rust due to age and weather conditions.
That’s exactly how I feel about my ankle, but it isn’t something I can fix with a can of oil.
Outside of that, the cold front prompted mom with a reminder about past Halloween festivities that were ruined by rain, cold or a combination of the two.
I can recall a few years where it rained and as a kid in costume, I was still more concerned with filling my bag with candy than staying dry.
The coldness back then was really hit or miss, too.
Especially when I walked around our old neighborhood to stay warm and raced to find the house handing out full-size chocolate bars, too!
This year, we’re headed downtown for the return of “Trick-or-Treat Around the Square” and I can’t wait to see how many families brave the chilly temperatures for it.
I’m working to get the best pictures and my sister Ashlee is in full costume to hand out candy with my mom – even though I have no idea what mom will be wearing!
One thing I’ve noticed is that ever since the COVID-19 Pandemic took hold, there’s been an uptick in alternative Halloween events like “Trunk or Treats” throughout the county.
On one hand I’m sure it stems from an assortment of desires for children’s safety and on the other it also probably makes things easier on parents, too.
Me, personally, I think it sucks all the fun out of the old-fashioned door-to-door experience.
My parents made sure we had bright costume or flashlights and glow sticks for visibility and always reiterated the same rules before we went out – don’t eat any candy until mom or dad check it at home first, always go to a lighted porch, thank the people who give out the candy, stay with your siblings or the group of friends you’re with and always look both ways before crossing any and all streets.
Those adages carried over into my high school and college years, too.
Of course, by that time we were the adults in the groups and helped herd our younger siblings around.
But, still, there are plenty of Halloween memories that are worth making and I just don’t think “Trunk or Treat” events measure up!
