Halloween even though it's Veterans Day

First I'll welcome Miss Charlotte Jaymes Howe into our grand clan. We got to go up and see her the day after she was born. It still surprises me how small newborns are. Well, maybe not Isaac. He was dethroned in less than a week from his lofty spot as the newest Howe but I doubt he minds. I figured out that the difference in weight between Charlotte and him was Franklin! How weird is that?

I tried very hard last week to write about growing up "poor." I started over three or four times then gave up and went to bed. It's hard because I'm not looking for sympathy but just trying to describe what it was like. I still haven't figured it out so I will put it off until next week.

Halloween in Atomic City was tons different from what our kids and grandkids know. It was fun but much simpler. First, there were a finite number of places to Trick or Treat. We went to every house, that's right, every house. That's how we knew we were done. It was before the commercial gurus got involved so there was no such thing as mini-candy bars or Buick-sized bags of Halloween candy. Fortunately it was also before sickos putting pins, razor blades, napalm or whatever in the candy.

Most people made their own treats to hand out. Popcorn balls, candy apples, cookies and even fudge were common. Candy bars were full-size and bigger than the normal size now. It wasn't all that expensive since they cost a nickel apiece. One guy would give each of us a dime. His name was Robly Hooper and was very fat so everyone called him Tiny. Mom said he was an "Old Batch" whatever that meant. I thought it was cool because a dime could buy even more candy.

Costumes, for us anyway, were much simpler too. I had absolutely no imagination then (and not much now) so I usually wound up putting on some of my dad's old clothes, smearing some coffee grounds on my face to simulate stubble, and voila, I was a hobo. Face paint consisted of whatever cosmetics my sister LeAnna would part with. I remember she drew a scar on my cheek once when I was a pirate. An old sheet with some eye holes would make me a ghost. I don't remember any vampires, witches yes, but no pasty-faced ghouls. And we went by OURSELVES! No parents, maybe an older sibling, but usually just a bunch of kids. It was great fun.

Veterans Day.

Today, right now, this very minute, you breathe free air because ordinary men and women made, and make, extraordinary sacrifices that you may do so.

Please thank them...