A Breath of Fresh Air

The coastal winds brought on a thick fog Thursday night, and by Friday morning the haze under the street lights was back to being a pleasant mist instead of ash and dust. We reveled in the air that smelled only mildly like smoke and didn't build up grit in our throat. We exclaimed in relief that we could open the windows and air out our apartments without being besieged by particulate matter. No more sweltering, sealed inside our 90+ degree prisons and wondering if the air quality was truly worse outside than in.

What better way to celebrate than by having an early Halloween trunk-or-treat? The boys were excited at the chance to wear their pirate costumes, eat pizza, and collect candy. Daniel even won the contest for best costume in the "3 and under" category! I had been sure the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Baby would win. Daniel clung to his prize, a Coldstone gift certificate, with all the single-mindedness of a little kid who never quite managed to wake up from his nap.

Then it was time for the trunk-or-treat. Leslie stayed by our trunk dressed as a witch and handed out candy while I took the boys around to the other trunks in the parking lot. Some were decorated quite well, especially the couple who managed to stage themselves with their vehicle as part of a fatal car accident. Both boys were great about saying "Trick or Treat!" and "Thank you!" at each trunk, except for the one with the glowing head moving inside the crystal ball and a candy bowl guarded by a grabbing hand equipped with a sensor, which they were too afraid to approach. They came home excited about their candy and their experience, and we were just happy they had such a good time. If last night and this morning are any indication, they'll be talking about that glowing head for days.

Joshua has pored through his candy collection several times already, and Daniel insists on bringing his pumpkin with him everywhere he plays. Leslie pointed out that the pumpkins have that "candy smell" that we remember from trick-or-treating, various candy scents all mixed together into one delightful treat for the nose.