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"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and at once you learn how big and precious it is."
Maxim Gorky

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The olden days...


That's what we use to say when we were kids, talking about ancient times..."back in the olden days".
As the trees begin to go to sleep for the winter and the air is crisp and cool,
I am in a melancholy mood.
I know that my nieces and nephews are thinking of Halloween and I am thinking of my own childhood days getting prepared for the BIG NIGHT.
We didn't buy costumes, EVER!
We made, begged, borrowed or just about stole whatever we needed.
(one of those 'last minute mime' costumes)
(Stephanie Jones and I in our' not so politically correct' costumes)
(brother Jeff, pirate style...notice the bulky coat under dad's t-shirt)
Hobo's, gypsies, princess' witches and ghosts were other, popular choices.
There were some kids who might buy a costume of a simple plastic cape thing that had to fit over warm clothing.
Along with it came a cheap mask with eye holes and barely a hole to breath out of.
My neighbour always had this type of costume, and I envied her until I tried on the mask and nearly died from the sweat and stench of my own breath, suffocating me.
I lived in the city and always went out with siblings or friends.
Our parents could trust the world we lived in.
Filling up a pillow case, at least half way, was our biggest worry.
The only thing we weren't allowed to keep were those dangerous apples.
It was in the first days of razor blade scares.
Now kids are driven to the mall for trick or treating.
Costumes are elaborate, ghoulish, sexy and store bought.
I'm happy to have lived in these simpler times...'the olden days'.

3 comments:

farmlady said...

I love the "two wild indians" photo. Is that you in the first picture? What fun!
I have such good memories of Halloween in my childhood. The neighborhood was safe and other than the "apple scare" it was an annual event that all the neighborhood kids looked forward to with joy and excitement.
Life is filled with the rememberance of things past. Hopefully they are good memories and become wonderful little Casper the friendly "ghosts" in our minds.
Wonderful photos....
p.s. I love the new header photo. It's speaks to me.

Cobalt Violet said...

I love this. So many memories. The the coat under your dad's t-shirt!

I too didn't buy costumes ... there was a lot of thought and preparation! I was lucky my mom sewed my costumes. So fun.

Tatersmama said...

We always had homemade costumes too, since my mom was a fantastic seamstress!
And oh-the-memories... I remember feeling sick over the whole "apple scare"! Folks just didn't "do" those kinds of things... did they??? My dad always went with us, but I think his main reason was to pinch the Tootsie Rolls before we got into 'em, using cavity prevention as an excuse!
Speaking of cavities... one year the neightbor across the street (Mrs Paulson) passed out toothbrushes, and her husbands business card - since he was a dentist! lol!