Random 5 for October 30 – Teal pumpkins, interstate highways, patience, inflatables, election signs

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tealpumpkinTeal pumpkins? – I never heard of that before. Our neighborhood has a website where you can share information or ask questions. Someone posted that they put a teal pumpkin by their front door for Halloween. It signifies a house that gives alternative treats to children with allergies. I remember the year one of my (childless) friends gave out pencils instead of candy. Her house was not very popular.

We are the kiss of death – This past week we had to travel on the interstate road for an appointment. There was a huge accident (4 tractor trailers but no deaths) that shut it down for 9 hours. Last month when we visited my brother-in-law we also got caught up in a major interstate shut down. Those were our only trips recently. I’m starting to think that we are unlucky with interstates. Then again maybe we were lucky. We weren’t INVOLVED in the accidents.

Is that me? – I accompanied someone to a doctor’s appointment this week. We spent 2-1/2 hours in the doctor’s office, most of it waiting for a succession of doctors. Long time readers know I’m not a patient person but I outdid myself. There was the possibility of bad news so I did a lot of entertaining chatter to distract. Never once lost my patience. At one point I wondered where the real “me” was and who was this person in my skin?

Inflatables? – Usually we start to see inflatable characters in yards for Halloween. This year there has been nothing. No pumpkins or witches. I guess the kids in the neighborhood have grown up.

Speaking of crap on the lawn – there aren’t any political signs either. At least not many – I saw two or three. Locally they were plastered at all the intersections. Sometimes there were a dozen for the same person. A law was passed because after the election no one cleaned them up. The street crews had to take them down. So much nicer without them.

So how was your week?

46 thoughts on “Random 5 for October 30 – Teal pumpkins, interstate highways, patience, inflatables, election signs”

  2. We had fewer Halloween inflatables around here, too. I think they may be out of fashion. I’ve often given out pencils instead of candy, but always had candy, too. It was a choice. Oddly enough pencils were very popular. I’m told they make good bartering items that close the deal when negotiating with siblings for better candy. 😉

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  3. It’s interesting about the political signs being absent. I have never before noticed so few! There are no statutes forbidding them anywhere in SoCal that I know of, but I think this is one cycle where people are completely self-conscious and not happy to let anyone know how they plan to vote. I’ve seen few bumper stickers or anything that even aligns with a political party. We have absolutely terrible accidents on the freeways so frequently that I am quickly becoming a little phobic. I have friends who have decided they simply will NOT drive on them any more. I can’t imagine that, but I’m becoming more and more fearful, which is not a good thing! I hope you felt good following your doctor’s appointment. Sitting and waiting for news you may not want to hear is the very definition of stress!

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  4. There are some inflatables along my usual walking route. Some of the yard decoration are cut and imaginative. But I hate the idea of those displays that need a constantly running motor to keep them pumped up.

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    • A few blocks there is a fabulous yard full of all kinds of things but no inflatables. We passed there on trick or treat night and there were a lot of people with kids looking at everything. They had a cemetery in the front yard and ghosts hanging from trees. Very creative.

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  5. Not surprised that the pencil lady wasn’t popular. It’s a one night permission slip from parents to kids to eat candy.
    We sometimes surprise ourselves in terms of what we can do when someone needs us. I hope the news was good for her.
    I’m not a fan of the blowup stuff and It’s a pet peeve of mind to find this political signs still hanging around into the new year.

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  6. We had a dentist that gave out toothbrushes…if anyone bothered to go by.
    I understand the teal pumpkin idea. Most of the “allegy kids” around here go to “safe” parties – or parents throw one themselves for their kids and others. A smart idea, maybe better than asking/expecting everyone else to adjust.
    Roads now are scary – distractions are worse with “smart” cars and devices
    Hope your Holler-Ring is spooktacular!

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    • Everything Holler-Ring-y was celebrated early around here so it’s like it’s been over for ages! A toothbrush? Hmmmm….ranks right next to pencils. I would think a dentist would hand out high sugar candy to keep the business going.

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      • Halloween on weeknights used to be like Jewish kids and Christmas around here: they got presents/holidays for Hanukka and the same for Christmas, too – double dose.
        SOme kids were able to talk their parents into letting them go trick or treating on weekends (Sat or SUn depending on what religion/church you were) AND on the actual day if they whined enough. Seems like the weekend substitute day idea has disappeared around here. I think schools are letting out early…they should just give Nov 1 of as a holiday instead of exhausted sugar drugged kids sleeping in class – call it cultural acceptance of Dia de lose muertos or something.

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  7. No Trick or Treaters here tonight. We are too far off the road and the country is dark. All the kids around us have grown up! I never liked the answering door thing for Trick or Treaters. We will probably go out or leave the house dark. We now have some very scary neighbors so that should do the trick!

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    • I think that’s true. Locally there aren’t many at all but I’ve heard of signs getting stolen or defaced. Friends are turning on friends. I’ve seen some of that on Facebook. It’s bad. One more week. I’m just hoping that is the end and there isn’t a circus afterward if you know what I mean.

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  11. I, too, have been wondering about the lack of political signs in the yards of our neighborhood. I don’t miss them at all. In fact, seeing “certain” signs just make me think the home owners are idiots.

    We got caught in a traffic jam a few weeks ago as we were driving home from Northern California. Turns out a truck carrying huge containers of almonds had turned over, spilling much of the load over the freeway. It took all my self-control not to reach out and scoop up several handfuls as we drove by.

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  12. When I trick or treated, there was no such thing as allergies. You just opened your bag and hoped for the best. I was either a hobo or beatnik and kinda looked the same either way.

    Accidents…so glad no one was hurt. I’ve known so many people who’ve died by way of the highway. Scary.

    And as fas as patience goes, I have none, so waiting is always an issue so I applaud yours. Hear that? It’s me clapping. 🙂

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  14. Pencils? Seriously? Pencils? That’s more than cruel! My dad one year handed out nickels instead of candy for similar reasons. I thought that was sort of lame, but in hindsight a hell of a lot more useful than a freakin’ pencil!

    We sat in a highway traffic jam last week for about 50 minutes, which I guess all things considered is fairly mild compared to some. But all the same it felt like four hours.

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    • I know! I couldn’t talk her out of pencils! She said the kids would love them because they got so much candy! I get claustrophobic in traffic jams. If you have an emergency there’s no way out.

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  15. I do definitely think there should be some alternative for kids who have allergies. Maybe an entire neighborhood that specializes in that? I’m preparing goody bags for school librarians and I actually looked up sweets that were peanut-free…it said classic Hershey’s kisses, so that’s what I bought. I try to be conscientious about that…although I only accounted for peanut allergies. I don’t know a large number of adults who have them, but there are so many kids with them, it’s something we all need to think about for adults, too.

    Stephanie

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    • You are right. I only know one child (the grandchild of a former neighbor) who has peanut allergies but he has them really bad. If he sits next to a kid eating peanuts he’ll break out in hives. They would only go to McDonald’s to eat with him because they don’t use any peanut products. The peanuts for their sundaes are packaged so it doesn’t contaminate the food area.

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    • It wasn’t good news but that’s a post in itself. I find that most of my friend (in fact I don’t know any) don’t give out trick or treat candy anymore. My brother lives in an area where the homes are close and vans of kids from neighboring communities used to come. It wasn’t unusual to get 500 kids. That’s ridiculous. They stopped it a long time ago.

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  17. Patience is a virtue I have SO much trouble attaining. Every DAY it seems I need to pull out my extra reserves of it. Feeling old and crotchety.
    I will give out candy downtown (ok, so that’s only two blocks away) during the downtown trick or treating for the businesses. Then I will return to my house and keep the lights off so my dogs do not have to bark at little ghosts and goblins. The dogs excuse my curmudgeonly tendencies, right?

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  18. Sometimes we call on our inner reserves to provide us with the patience we need to do what we have to do ~> good for you!

    I love teal . . . but I’ve never seen a teal pumpkin. Where we live, no trick or treaters knock on our door for candy or alternative treats. If I want to see wee hobgoblins, I can go to a costume contest on the island held by the Chamber of Commerce.

    Hope you’re staying W~A~R~M!

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    • We go out for dinner on trick or treat night. I’m past the candy giving stage but I never heard of the teal pumpkin before. Yes sometimes we pull deep to do what is right. We are going to hit 70 today. Crazy weather.

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  19. I recently read about the teal pumpkins on another blog. It’s a great idea! Sadly, I think terrible accidents are becoming more commonplace with all of the ignorant people who look at their phone, rather than the road. Drive safe, Kate!

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