Monday, October 31, 2022

"Ghosted" by an Ex

Remember when people used to carefully drop off the their rolls of film with all the precious images they took with their cameras to the local camera shop for development?

And remember how eagerly people would pick up the packages, excitedly look through the pictures, and then carefully preserve those pictures inside photograph albums?

Well, when you have a large family, those photo albums quickly stack up. Today, they are falling apart and packed in boxes, the result of one too many moves in the last decade.

Rebekah and I are hoping we can start scanning those photos onto an external hard drive after the holidays so all the kids can enjoy them, especially since some of those photos are fading.

So what's my point?

The point is I can't show you the "before" photo.

If this were a book, the above paragraphs might be considered a prologue.

In October of 1983, when my then-husband Richard was working at a door company, having been laid off over a year from Caterpillar, money was very tight. But we wanted a few Halloween decorations to delight our year-old son Christopher.

We bought three pumpkins for the porch. One was large, two were small, and one of the small ones was green. Of course, someone stole the green pumpkin, devastating Christopher, and I expressed my dismay with a Letter to the Editor, which I sent to The Herald-News.

And Richard made a ghost from an old white sheet and a galloon milk jug, which he hung underneath the porch. Christopher loved it.

I'd show you the original photo if only - see? I'd already explained why.

So fast forward to 2022. Money is still tight, but we do have a couple Halloween decorations. 

Like these skulls that glow in the dark.



And this item, which Uncle Barty and Bertrand love...





And this autumn wreath for the door.


I decided to what my porch needed this year was a ghost.


So I asked Richard to make one.

He couldn't find a sheet.

Yes, that's correct. In 2022, it's impossible in stores (it seems) just to buy one inexpensive flat white sheet.

So we did what lots of people do in 2o22. We found one on Amazon and ordered.

Richard made the ghost, a much fancier version than the 1983 version. 

And Timothy hung it - just in time for Halloween.

I can't wait for the grandkids to see it tonight.










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