I hate Halloween and other tales

I hate Halloween. There are enough boogie men in my world. Number One Daughter started to sing The Five Little Pumpkins and I joined in. The smile on her face was incredible. I told her that I sang that song in school, too. It is comforting to me that some things do not change. To borrow a line from Breakfast at Tiffany's, "it gives me hope...Continuity with our past." or something very close to those words. We might not be trick or treating. G has to work. His parents are going to D.C. for the weekend. Maybe we will trick or treat in another community on Sunday so Daddy can take part.

1. Little Big Boy doesn't want me to call him "Puppy" anymore. He didn't like us to call him anything else. He has grown up so fast. He loves school. He comes home from school and I ask, "How was school?" and he replies, "It was AWESOME!" He can't wear size threes anymore. Some fours aren't big enough. My Little Big Boy-the baby-is growing up too fast and walking out the door too quickly. It is happening right before my very eyes and I want to shout: Wait! Wait up. Alas, it is better to say: Go on. Go ahead. Enjoy.
2. Number One Daughter is having a tough time with Halloween. The "haunting" music has her in tears each night. Tonight I had her try singing Christmas carols while she tried to sleep. That didn't work and she asked if she could recite poems. SURE! That didn't work either. So I told her to turn on the hall light and sing Jingle Bells. Soon, minus the tears, she was sleeping peacefully.
3. Salsa just snuck outside with Pepper. Declawed cats, they darted out when I was letting Bessie out. I tried to coax them back in, but the cats just disappeared. Pepper sneaks our frequently. And for the first time ever, Salsa joined her. It was like a prison break-well planned and timed. I just know that Pepper has been telling Salsa all about "out there." Well, I left the light on and am worried sick, but I couldn't find them when I went outside. I will check one last time before I lock up for the night.
4. I am watching the Astros in the top of the 11th in the third game of the World Series. Two out. The score is tied 5-5. I do not like the Sox...But it appears that eight men out might be helping the nine men on the field. Every call has gone their way-minus one homer early in this game. How I wish the Astros would take it all, but again, Shoeless Joe et al, appear to be in on the games.
5. Joey, our adopted cockatiel, is pulling out some of his feathers. I am alarmed to say the least. I have read that it is something that they do when they are upset, nervous or the like. So I talked with him quite a bit today and put extra millet sprigs in his cage. Is it possible that he is having a delayed reaction to his new home? I hope not.
6. Today I was spring cleaning. It is my hope that we will be able to have Christmas this year. Last year, I was recovering from surgery, so no tree. This year, I want to have all of the trees up. One day, I will have my year-round-Christmas room. 'Til then, I will just enjoy it from the end of September to the New Year. It really doesn't bother me that Christmas decor is given more space in stores than Halloween junk. I do not like 10/31. I know that television shows and many people make a big fuss over it, but to me it just lost all of its allure when I discovered the history of it. There are so many things that I prefer. As much as I like autumn, I despise autumn colors. I have never liked them. Except on trees. Autumn's palette belongs on trees and slowly drips off of them and runs over and onto our lawns. It is beautiful.