Friday, November 1, 2019
Last night was Halloween and I was on trick-or-treat duty. I do not usually trick-or-treat with my seven-year-old, Mika. Trick-or-treat duty usually falls to her older sister, Megan. But, alas, Megan is still in Georgia helping on a movie set. That left Mika’s dad, Donald and me to arm wrestle to see who would need to brave the cold and take Mika trick-or-treating. I immediately conceded and grabbed my hat and coat.
Until yesterday I had trick-or-treated with Mika once. In 2016 it was 78 degrees on October 31st. Megan took Mika out trick-or-treating for about an hour and then I took Mika out for an hour. I did not even need to wear a coat. It was awesome. Last night, not so much. It was cold.
I know Mika is not a die-hard trick-or-treater, so we started early. At 5:15 we rolled out the door. We left Donald with the candy and not candy treats and started our adventure. It was still daylight because we started early, and we could see a few of our neighbors were home so we started on our street. It was nice to see our neighbors and they all waved to me out in the street, because it was still too snowy for me to try to get close to doors.
We all know from experience that we only get about ten kids on an average Halloween in our neighborhood, so everybody gives a big handful or two of candy for each kid. When I am on door duty at my house, I put a table by the door with the candy and not candy treats spread out and tell the children to pick four. After five houses on our street, Mika already had a lot of candy in her bag. We walked over to the street Mika’s best friend lives on and stopped at houses along the way.
Mika’s best friend had been spirited away at the last minute to celebrate Halloween with her dad out of town, but we still know many people on her street because we walk this way to school. Mika cleaned up. We were only to the second block on this street when Mika said her bag was full enough and it was time to go home. We were home by 7:00 p.m.
We had eight trick-or-treaters this year. Donald was crazy enough to buy four bags of candy, so we have dessert until February (or until Megan eats it all when she gets back this weekend). The bag of not candy has been repacked to use again next year. Fortunately, diecast cars, crayons, and activity books last year after year.
I had a great (cold) time trick-or-treating with Mika this year. We went long enough to have fun, but not long enough for Mika to complain much. Mika did hang her candy bag on my wheelchair for the walk home, because it was too heavy for her to carry.
My piece of advice to you is to quit saying “not it”. I am sure if Megan was in town, she would have taken Mika trick-or-treating and I would have been on door duty. Next year I am not so sure. I did not think once yesterday that this might be my last Halloween with Mika, however I am thinking that today. I am planning to live for at least three years, but I could be completely wrong.
I may not respond to any available treatments and die within a year. I need to start treating every occasion as if it is my last and hope to have ten “last” Halloweens. Next year I will probably insist on trick-or-treat duty. What is a little cold compared to Mika’s cheers when she gets a candy she really likes?
Until next time,
Susanne
Please check out my GoFundMe page.
Last night was Halloween and I was on trick-or-treat duty. I do not usually trick-or-treat with my seven-year-old, Mika. Trick-or-treat duty usually falls to her older sister, Megan. But, alas, Megan is still in Georgia helping on a movie set. That left Mika’s dad, Donald and me to arm wrestle to see who would need to brave the cold and take Mika trick-or-treating. I immediately conceded and grabbed my hat and coat.
Until yesterday I had trick-or-treated with Mika once. In 2016 it was 78 degrees on October 31st. Megan took Mika out trick-or-treating for about an hour and then I took Mika out for an hour. I did not even need to wear a coat. It was awesome. Last night, not so much. It was cold.
I know Mika is not a die-hard trick-or-treater, so we started early. At 5:15 we rolled out the door. We left Donald with the candy and not candy treats and started our adventure. It was still daylight because we started early, and we could see a few of our neighbors were home so we started on our street. It was nice to see our neighbors and they all waved to me out in the street, because it was still too snowy for me to try to get close to doors.
We all know from experience that we only get about ten kids on an average Halloween in our neighborhood, so everybody gives a big handful or two of candy for each kid. When I am on door duty at my house, I put a table by the door with the candy and not candy treats spread out and tell the children to pick four. After five houses on our street, Mika already had a lot of candy in her bag. We walked over to the street Mika’s best friend lives on and stopped at houses along the way.
Mika’s best friend had been spirited away at the last minute to celebrate Halloween with her dad out of town, but we still know many people on her street because we walk this way to school. Mika cleaned up. We were only to the second block on this street when Mika said her bag was full enough and it was time to go home. We were home by 7:00 p.m.
We had eight trick-or-treaters this year. Donald was crazy enough to buy four bags of candy, so we have dessert until February (or until Megan eats it all when she gets back this weekend). The bag of not candy has been repacked to use again next year. Fortunately, diecast cars, crayons, and activity books last year after year.
I had a great (cold) time trick-or-treating with Mika this year. We went long enough to have fun, but not long enough for Mika to complain much. Mika did hang her candy bag on my wheelchair for the walk home, because it was too heavy for her to carry.
My piece of advice to you is to quit saying “not it”. I am sure if Megan was in town, she would have taken Mika trick-or-treating and I would have been on door duty. Next year I am not so sure. I did not think once yesterday that this might be my last Halloween with Mika, however I am thinking that today. I am planning to live for at least three years, but I could be completely wrong.
I may not respond to any available treatments and die within a year. I need to start treating every occasion as if it is my last and hope to have ten “last” Halloweens. Next year I will probably insist on trick-or-treat duty. What is a little cold compared to Mika’s cheers when she gets a candy she really likes?
Until next time,
Susanne
Please check out my GoFundMe page.