Halloween always brings back the special memories of my Mom making cookies and cupcakes in the kitchen in our overly decorated home (which I still carry on today with my family and love it). She always made the house so perfectly haunted that all of my friends would want to come over and see the outside and well as the inside and get early treats that were just made.
I remember for days trying to decide what costume I wanted to try to have (we didn’t have money to buy one so I had to be creative). Punk rocker, mummy, Dracula and ghost were amongst my favorites. My two older brothers always tried to outdo me (but I always had the best costume).
Although my mom and brothers and I (my Dad passed away many years ago) live so far away I miss them so much more on days like today then I care to admit. We are all getting up there in age and we never know how much longer we will have in this world – that with the cherished memories from childhood make it that much harder to be away from them.
I remember as a kid going trick-or-treating and filling two pillow case up with goodies. I remember the witch in the window that made me cry, the man who sat as a pumpkin scarecrow in a chair next to the door (with a real pumpkin on his head) sitting silently waiting patiently to scare all of us, or the boxes made into a maze that you had to search through to get to the nice little old lady who gave you a piece of candy and when you turned around a monster was there to scare you out of your pants.
Today I have my home decorated to the hilt with blow up characters (inside and out), animated figures, spiders and ghost my kids made many years ago (these are always my favorites), hanging bats and ghosts, cob webs, lights, flickering electronic candles and wall decorations everywhere. Later I will get out my stereo and blare the creepy sounds and music for all the little ones to hear through the neighborhood (and i do mean through the neighborhood).
My Monkey Butt Granddaughter Willow was over a few days ago and at one has decided she is scared of nothing wanting to hit every button she could find to make characters dance and eyes light up and music and sounds to fill the room. She even shakes her whole body and dances. We got her a huge pumpkin Reece‘s Peanut Butter Cup and a few hand puppets shaped like candy corn, witch, ghost etc. I hope she gets a chance to stop in so I can get a sloppy ooey gooey cookie and candy kiss and hig to make my night a little more perfect.
Outside our house in 2012 – the left is our front porch and the right is the garage – to the left side of the porch there is a huge window all lit up with a with and steamers etc.
My wife will be at work tonight and one son went to a friends and the other will be trick-or-treating with Willow. I still have the house decked out and will adorn my bloody chefs jacket to pass out candy (along with my butcher knife dripping as well). I will put on a smiling face and give those little ones a good memory – and delight in the parents who say thank you for the extra effort to make Halloween special for them and theirs which always makes me happy. However, I will be running memories through my mind of a time that once was – a time I can never relive anywhere except my memories.
{Copyright Jeffrey Scott Thomas – The Jibber Jabber Journal}
The Jibber Jabber Journal 
