Dear Reader:

Perhaps today, officially Halloween, I might become ‘victim’ to a prank from the grand-kids or receive a “trick” from the universe but no matter…because I have already received enough “treats” to keep me balanced, centered for quite a while.

Obviously Clemson pulling out the victory over Florida State in the ’11th’ hour has got to go down as a Halloween Weekend Extravaganza for all us orange/purple veined Clemson fans. True to the holiday, it was a scary game with all the thrills and chills one might expect in a horror movie…but, thankfully, ending on the highest of notes…victory! WHEW! Clemson woke up just in time from a very scary dream to turn the outcome around.

Watson’s “chainsaw massacre” throws in the final “do or die” fourth quarter took us over the top! It was a long wait for victory in this tough renegade environment (2006) but Saturday there was light at the end of the tunnel.

The great surprise (“delight” )Halloween treat came Saturday afternoon as Eva Cate and I were getting ready to go see STORKS (adorable movie) and we heard this loud sound like a convoy of trucks and it was!

At the same time the mailman rang the doorbell (in the most excitement I have seen on him since he started carrying the mail)…I had a package so he knocked on the door and said, “Do you hear that sound?” I told him yes that Eva Cate had just asked me what it was and his excited response was: “They’re here…the convoy of pick-up trucks is here…your neighborhood’s Hurricane Matthew debris is getting picked up today! They just finished the street next to you”

No sooner were these words out of his mouth than two front loader/excavators came down my street….I found myself waving to them in my excitement and yelling “Welcome!” The convoy of those huge red/black dump trucks (we have all seen around town) were lined up on Country Club Blvd while the small equipment pick-up vehicles went down the separate neighborhood streets and roads… bringing the debris back to them.

Within 15 to 20 minutes….my street looked like it had the day before Hurricane Matthew arrived. A most beautiful, peaceful, welcome sight! It is like starting over with a clean slate. The beauty after the storm. What a wonderful feeling of thankfulness for surviving the storm and a return to “normalcy”… with an added appreciation for what we have.

Honey…I put on my Halloween t-shirt from you to wear to take Eva Cate back home yesterday….love it! And it is true…this grandmother does love all her little ghouls!

This afternoon I will head over to Mt. Pleasant to see the grandchildren in their costumes…Mandy’s neighborhood is having a neighborhood costume parade and I will stick around to help give out some candy. And when we all wake up Tuesday morning…another Halloween will have vanished into thin air…another memory of fun from childhood. Don’t want to miss a minute of it.

*Will be spending Halloween night with the Turners and heading back early Tuesday morning for an adventure with Anne and her sister Sue….a trip to Mepkin Abbey. Can hardly wait! (It will be Wednesday before the Halloween photos can be shared…a lot going on…. including adventures from Mepkin Abbey.

So until tomorrow…tricks and treats are all part of life aren’t they? Perhaps the secret in life is to “trick” our thinking into turning unexpected or unwanted tricks into opportunities to serve and treat others as we would like to be treated.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Mollie shared this adorable memory of little Rutledge on Facebook yesterday…such wonderful memories of our little man…dressed to the hilt.

*On this Halloween morning…two more treats awaited me when ! awoke….two moon flower blooms (been a long time since I have had more than one) and two pink confederate rose blooms together….it’s gonna’ be a great Halloween! Happy Halloween to one and all!