Birthdays, Voting, and Halloween - Not Necessarily In That Order

Trick or Treat was rescheduled for this past Monday as per the Governor's mandate.  Due to the days off of school, parades were pushed back until November 1st.  It was kind of weird to trick or treat on November 5th, but with all the candy and fun ask any kid if they truly cared what day it was on!!  

So, here was our Halloween Parade, a few days late but even more appreciated because we were a town that was able to HAVE one!!  For so many, my family in North Jersey included, Trick or Treating just didn't even happen.  

The three girls paraded just the way I would expect them to.  Tink was struttin' her stuff like she was on the catwalk as Little Red Riding Hood - complete with combat boots.  

Rella was (obviously) a little black kitty cat named Midnight.  She was happy but clinging onto her Speech Therapist's hand.  She always needs her "safe person."

And Pink felt so conspicuous, awkward and overwhelmed that she appeared thoroughly depressed, eyes cast downward and a sad frown on her face.  Oh, that girl breaks my freakin' heart!  And she's so darn lovely inside and out in a beautiful '50s girl' poodle skirt outfit, but she felt that she looked "bad."  Man, it's going to be a rough adolescence with her.  Maybe I should dress her up as a Stay Puff Marshmallow next year so she can hide inside the costume.

We Trick or Treated in the cold last night with friends and we all convened at my house afterward for a roaring fire, spiced apple wine, and tons of food and desserts!  I think we should definitely make this a tradition.

So now that all this Halloween stuff is finally over, we can focus on the fact that it is now November... the month of Thanksgiving, Rella's fifth birthday, election day and... hey, look at that... 

MY BIRTHDAY!  Oh, and huh... imagine that... it's TODAY!!

Every so often my birthday falls on an Election Year and this is one of them.  The year I was born, Richard Nixon was elected as our country's president.  Wow, I think that little factoid really dates me more so than flaunting my age.  Now, if you really want to figure out how old I am, you gotta WORK for it.

On this, my 29th (ahem) birthday I woke up at 6:15 and got three out of four kids ready for school.  Rella and I then went on the errands circuit - bank, library, pharmacy, grocery store, CB's school, and Angels of God to drop off toiletries, clothing and food for hurricane relief at the Jersey shore.

And, of course, I went to vote.  I don't know why, but I get a little jittery thrill when I step out of my car to cast my vote.  Rella came with me and wanted to wait outside the curtain.  When I emerged I gave a fist pump in the air and said "Whooo hoooo!  I voted!!"  I don't know why, but I get all sorts of jazzed about it... not really because of WHOM I vote for , but that I have this gift - this FREEDOM - of voting and let me tell you something - if you are a woman and you do not vote?  That flat out sucks.  Our Fore Mothers went through a LOT to give us this right and privilege so get your little tush out there and cast your vote whether you want to or not!

The day wrapped up with the ordinary stuff... my brother and nephew came over for dinner as they do every Tuesday, so I cooked (and cleaned the dishes too... what a rip off).  CB got into her diaper and painted the floor and carpet brown so there was a major carpet cleaning too. My husband who promised the kids he'd bring home a cake didn't have enough time to pick one up after work so no "Happy Birthday To Me" song. I missed a phone call from friends going out and by the time I heard the voicemail I was already in my glasses and sweatshirt and polishing off a my first glass of 2 day old wine which meant going out was SO not happening.  You know, it was just the birthday stuff of the aged, haggard mother variety.

I did, however, get a gift - The keys to a new car parked in the garage.

Before you get all excited for me, it's not as sexy as it sounds.  It's a minivan.  A very new and quite loaded minivan, but the same minivan we've been driving for years.  Only nicer and better.  I LOVE it and it's super "new car clean."  

We'll see how long that lasts.