Halloween costumes--Shayley is a cat ninja.

Dear Friends,

 Well, I’m a little down tonight.

I’ve had a return of some very inconvenient spells of got-to-be-at-a-bathroom late this week. I thought I was over it by last night, so I had big plans of taking Shayley and her friend, Jacq, to trunk or treat and then meet up at church with more friends for trick-or-treating in town. I was extremely careful all day about what I ate, and even ate supper at 3:30 in the afternoon to give my tummy time to settle before time to head out. So much for that. I never made it past my mom’s house in Floyd. I did get to see her and Jacq in their costumes (Shayley, cat ninja; Jacq, dead bride). My mom took the girls to trunk or treat, then thankfully Charlie got off work in time to take them around with friends in town.

I know I cannot really whine about this.  I’m alive and here and got to spend the day with Shayley.  But I would so like to be able to get out and do more.

Halloween has never been a particularly good day for me.

Nine years ago tonight I was preparing to return to work the next morning, ending my maternity leave. It was a hard night. We were still staying at my mom’s house because our house was half torn apart amidst an unfinished addition. Charlie and friends decided to do stuff together that night and forgot to call me. 

Six years ago today, my first colon polyps were found. They were benign and the fact that I had the good fortune of having them found and removed without ever having any symptoms gave me the false sense that vigilance always equals safety. That very evening happened to be the first time Shayley wanted to go trick-or-treating (she was 3.) I was still half groggy from the sedation of the colonoscopy (it’s much better now-a-days), but I walked up to a few houses with her and Charlie. It was a surreal feeling, having had the doctor tell me that day I would not have lived to any where near 50 if he hadn’t found and removed those polyps. I was 33 at the time and couldn’t quite fathom that thought.

Last year, the entire month of October seemed like a nightmare, and I’m not even going to try to remember the details.

This morning Tater started barking and barking and barking. He tends to only bark at stuff at night, about time we’re trying to go to sleep. And usually it only lasts a few minutes as we hear him rushing about the yard after possoms or raccoons or something. But this morning was different. He kept looking down across the driveway as he barked and we looked and looked and could not see anything. He kept on with great ferocity. Charlie tried letting him in the house to calm down, but he could not be settled and wanting back outside. He barked almost constantly for over an hour, including full-throated howls with mouth pointed vertically skyward.

A few hours later, after Charlie had gone to work, a neighbor drove up in his jeep. He was bringing up fresh baked bread and pickled beets, and also a word of warning. A bear was in our next door neighbor’s yard this morning. And  a few weeks before someone had seen one down at the end of our driveway, he said. He advised that we keep a close eye on Shayley since she loves to play in the yard. Thank you, Tater. You’re a good boy.

 Vigilance. It’s no guarantee, but it doesn’t hurt. I guess Halloween’s have not been so bad.

 Thank you for your continuing prayers.