10.31.2022

bell, book and candy

 

On Halloween 60 years ago, my father left my mother.
   He left for his boss's secretary, though we didn't know that at the time. Of course when we found out she became the evil witch. 
  My mother was prostrated. So I hastily helped devise Halloween costumes for my siblings and took them trick or treating.  Chris was a tree, wrapped in brown paper bags and carrying a branch in each hand. Ben was a sheet ghost, with eyeholes that kept slipping out of place, in the age old fashion of such costumes. Erin, at that time only five, was a gypsy. It was dark as we plied the back streets near our Briarcliff house, dark as my fears. Things I had no control over were changing.
   I thought I had exorcised these ghosts, but memories come back around. 
   And here they are again. Another year. The haunting.

10.29.2022

season's greetings

It's Christoween again, with the Thnxgvng lists growing and the pumpkins glowing and houseguests flowing and an end, hopefully, to mowing. Having closed up three houses, I am back to New York and the crosstown bus to see various professionals about the peripherals—eyes, ears, nose, toes. Sigh. But the city is beautiful in the fall. And now that I have decent internet I'll be back with the program.


10.24.2022

head cases

Signage  seen on the Upper East Side today.

And a totally different kind of head below: An emporium I have never seen the likes of in this city ere now.



10.12.2022

invasion?

"I thought the tactical forces had arrived," a friend said. And indeed, when the last guests of the season pulled in after dark, there were so many rows of bright lights that I thought the cops had arrived. Or something. To me, the huse seemed too big for just a couple, but judging by their vehicles I guess not!


 


 

don't give kids caffeine

 


 I have been spending quality time with the fam in Providence. More quality time than I had planned on, given that the boats haven't run for three days and likely will not tomorrow. And we're running up against Columbus Day weekend in BI, so not positive I will be able to get to the island with the truck. Anyway, I have had ample opportunity of enjoying the grands' creativity, of which this is just a sample.

 I tried to embed video but seem to have failed, so click this is just a sample.