Halloween

It was an eventful Halloween. It started with the boys wrestling on my bed and Tommy getting a black eye.

At three we went trick or treating with friends from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  My friend's child got a black eye last week and she dressed him up as a boxer and his black eye fit in perfectly. . . but T wanted to be Toad from Super Mario Brothers and did not want home made.  So we went the way of the pumpkin (or carrot depending on whom you ask).  He put on a pumpkin hat and an orange sweatshirt and walked around.  R and S decided on their own costumes. R was a secret agent (we forgot the sunglasses). He pretty much looked like a normal kid with gadget gloves (technically winter gloves).  S was an angel in her angel dress.

For the ward party I put them all in Sunday clothes and took them as missionaries (I just cut out a piece of paper for a name tag).

Durhams, Greers, and the Anderson and VDG kidlets

In Bay Ridge, people adore Halloween.  Instead of going to homes (which you can still do, certain streets welcome trick or treaters--the people sit out on their front steps and hand out candy if they want), generally though trick or treaters go into each store front and get candy from the people working there.  Give yourself about three blocks on both sides of the street, going to each store front and you'll probably end up with a half pound of candy.  One Italian store was giving out full-sized European chocolate candy bars.

Rino and Satomi and kidlets.  They are so fun!

M, the Anderson's youngest.

When we were finishing up going trick or treating we stopped at a grocery store and were checking out.  My hands were really cold and I was having trouble writing my signature. I mentioned it to the clerk and he said, "You can thank Sandy for that."

The guy behind me in line chortled and said something near, "Sandy did a lot more than that.  My house is surrounded by six feet of water and I lost two cars.  I have been clearing the area as much as I could, I just hosed myself off--I smelled like oil and came to Bay Ridge for candy and some feeling of normalcy. The worst is that no one knows about it. I haven't met one person from FEMA out there or seen any news people. They are avoiding it."

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. You and your family are in our prayers," I said.  I wanted to offer help, but with three little kids as an entourage I doubt I would be much help and W had to back to work Tuesday so I couldn't offer services there.

Then he warmed up a little, "No, my sons, my ex-wife and her husband are all okay and that's what really counts isn't it!"

I felt utterly speechless.  I will not complain about cold hands to anyone, hopefully ever again.

From Mommy Poppins Facebook Page

Movement around the city is pretty slow. Traffic is horrific. They have a at-least-three-person-per-car-rule they are enforcing on the bridges (apparently), but some of the train lines are back in commission somewhat.
So slowly but surely the city is coming back to life (just avoid lower Manhattan and a lot of Queens).