Halloween

One might say that the true subject of the horror genre is the struggle for recognition of all that our civilization represses and oppresses.
-- Robin Wood

Wednesday, October 31, 2001
One year ago: Halloween Dance
Two years ago: Halloween
Three years ago: Trolloween
Four years ago: Trolloween

Jack and I walked down to Subway for lunch today. That Southwest sauce is very tasty! It must be full of oil, or crack. When we looked for Halloween candy at Safeway on the way home, they were almost sold out! I think the size of the store has something to do with that; it's a smaller-sized Safeway (say that three times fast) and caters to the older folks who live nearby.

When I saw the signs for flu shots in the Safeway, I suggested to Jack that we should just go ahead and get ours right then. This was rather a shock for Jack! He doesn't like needles (I know, who does? but they really squick him) but took some deep breaths and agreed. The injectionist was efficent, and there wasn't any line, so the whole thing was over in a minute. Fifteen bucks apiece -- I know there are cheaper places (Microsoft used to subsidize it) but it's better to have it done. Jack took H---- down to the store later in the afternoon, but they had closed up shop. We'll write it on the calendar for one day next week.

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We went to H---'s school at dismissal time to pick her up. This time she was there! (Monday she'd thought we weren't coming, so after waiting five minutes she'd gotten on the bus contrary to arrangement and gone on home. Jack had been very aggravated!) So we went to the storage unit to transfer our stuff to a smaller unit, by removing the trailer. We'll just have to park it on the street.

I was a bit nervous about this whole operation! The Goldwing is so big and heavy; Jack has impressed upon me several times not to try to hold it up if it overbalances and starts to fall over.

We opened the old unit and pulled out the trailer, then loaded it with a few random objects that aren't motorcycle-related. Jack's still got the "sandwich-board" signs that he made for his yard sale this summer. Then Jack started rolling the behemoth motorcycle (looking bigger to me by the second) across the parking lot and into the building where our new unit was located. H--- and I ran ahead to make sure the way was clear (I pushed the loading carts out of the way), and to push the elevator button.

Just getting the bike into the elevator took some backing and turning; it wasn't a straight shot! We went up one floor, and down a hall. D'oh! the new unit still had the storage company lock on it, so Jack sent H---- back to ask the manager to come open up, and to borrow the broom and sweep out the old unit. In the meantime he rolled the bike past our unit, and started getting it ready to back in to the new unit. Said unit is five feet wide, and ten feet deep. We should have insisted on a space that was at a "crossroad," facing the hallway. Then we could have rolled the bike in directly! Instead Jack had to carefully inch the bike back and forth, gradually getting to the correct angle.

Finally we managed to get the beast into its cave, locked up and safe. Now we just need to get the thing running! Then we can get it licenced and titled, and actually ride it!

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I didn't dress up for Halloween this year.

But Jack's daughter H---- (14 years old) must have tried on everything in the costume box -- santa outfit, black eyepatch, Mardi Gras beads, plus black face paint.

Jack has a very gross over-the-head mask of a horrific skull, partially flayed. He would put it on when small children came to the door; I don't approve of making the kiddies cry! So I convinced him not to do that for any trick-or-treaters under three feet, after a few were sent away wailing.

What's with kids not wearing costumes? I told H--- to both make them say "Treak or treat", and not to give to those not dressed up. But I think she did hand them candy anyway.