While sitting on the front porch, a Mom pushing a stroller and her 2 small sons walked by. The one older boy said to his brother
"There's the Halloween house!"
The younger boy answered in that kid way of whispering that's not whispering but talking in a deeper voice but he thinks he's whispering
"Yea , I think thats the scary guy who gives out the candy?"
The Mom smiled and waved at me knowing I was hearing this. The older boy said
"You were so scared of him"
"You were too" said the little boy and turned to his Mom "We're going to this house again on Halloween right?"
"Yes" she said. The two boys ran ahead of their Mom down the street. The Mom then said to me...
"They could not stop talking about your house last year!"
That makes me happy. I can't wait to get started decorating this year.
I know that feeling of pride and accomplishment. I create the "Hallowe'en House" in my neighborhood. Truth is, there isn't much recognition in the job except for the occasional whispers of children as they walk past. I'll take it.
ReplyDeleteOur yard haunt, which started as a Halloween party, where we invited our friends to hand out their excess candy (cause their trick or treat was held BEFORE Halloween night) has turned into a full blown Milwaukee area event, all to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation! We have even been rated higher than the professionals!? Maybe cause we 'burn down our house' in mid October... we use it as a 'publicity stunt' - complete with the Fire Dept. showing up (they bring the hoses, we supply the marshmellows, graham crackers and chocolate bars)... all just to get the "story" started! Many of our new neighbors (corn fields are turning into subdivisions) called 9-1-1 to report smoke (really we were just doing a test run of our fog machines) coming from the home on Durham Drive! After the smoke subsided, we give the high school volunteers some charcoal briquettes... in response to the dumbfounded looks... we explain... rub it on the siding so it looks like soot! You've never seen teenagers look so excited! "Cool! They WANT us to TRASH their house?"
ReplyDeleteThen hubby and I come around the corner with the boards... Each section is permanently connected - no sharp edges... eye hooks in the top... all ready to hang over our windows, to give the appearance that our house is boarded up... but no one gets it, when a house burns, they use solid sheets of plywood... we used old, worn strips of scrap wood trim and laid them all over in any direction - leaving large gaps!
Well... I'd better get going! I have a lot to do!