Setting up for Halloween at the house

Dear Bro,

It is that time of year again where kids all over America throw on costumes, the candy manufactures go into production overdrive, and the dentists divide into two schools: the ones with kids in college who rub their hands in glee over the additional revenue from filling cavities or the "true enamel saviors" who shake their heads in disbelief at the whole ritual.

But at our house it can only mean one thing... no... not more cavities... it means it is the start of house decorating season. After eight years in our current domicile we have this down to a science. Or I should say, Melody has this down to a science.

The season starts on a Saturday in early October, as we are both off of work and I usually have run out of excuses not to venture up into the attic and dig up the "autumn stuff". I am referring to the Rubbermaid storage containers that are conveniently colored black and orange to properly stand out from the Rubbermaid storage containers that are colored red, green, and white to denote a holiday that occurs later. After the last year's season of Yuletide cheer, I had arranged the containers in the garage attic so the Halloween/Thanksgiving containers (3ea) were closest to the hatch and ladder.

Now we do not go in for the ghoulish or macabre blood on the walls or Jason hanging from the ceiling with a chainsaw type of decoratons, but the more middle class "spooky fun" items that will not scare the daylights out of our grandson Hunter. And the focus of Halloween at our place is the fireplace. One fireplace decoration in particular that separates us from the pack is our Halloween tree. It is a scrawny 2ft black tree with orange lights and pumpkin ornaments, but it just screams Halloween. There is a fall leaf garnish over the mantle, accented with several shiny ornamental pumpkins. Sitting below on the brick next to the firescreen is our mechnical Snoopy that is wearing an orange mask and skeleton outfit and dances to the classic Peanuts theme when you push the button in the front.

We have the obligatory "witch on broom smacking into flat object" on the tree out front, and a skeleton hanging from a plant stand that glows in the dark. On Halloween night, Melody has this really strange skull like contraption with bones hanging from it that shakes like a wind chime every few minutes.

Halloween night will see us sitting in the driveway (if it isn't raining) and handing out candy to the numerous cavity seekers who come calling. Our most fun toy goes into use for that occasion. Two years ago while shopping at Target Melody found and bought a large remote controlled rat. It moves backwards and forward, will rotate on command, and has really eeire red eyes that glow as it moves. Scares the crap out of the little kids, while the adults all get a laugh.

Doubt you will see much of this in Iraq, but I will update this with anything interesting that happens on Halloween night.