A Sweater and a Happy Halloween

Another Halloween has come and gone.  It was fun to see the kids come onto our porch and gaze in wonder at our blinking, moving, music playing decorations of a ghost mine and a ghouls' ball.  They're just little mechanical table decorations, but every kid lingered on the porch to look at them and exclaim how cool they are.  It was also fun to see that Halloween is a custom that has spread to so many other nationalities that have moved to No.Va.  I think only one trick-or treater that visited us was a garden variety white kid.  The rest were Asian, Middle Eastern, Polynesian, Hispanic, and who knows what else.  It's very cosmopolitan here, and I love it.  One thing was evident tonight. Kids from all over the world love candy (and noisy flashing lights.)

    I mentioned a sweater in my subject line.  That was what gave me even more joy today.  You may have read my last post about my sadness at the death of my friend, Bonnie.  Well, nearly a year ago, Bonnie and I were shopping at Eddie Bauer, and I admired a sweater but thought it was too expensive to buy.  We left the store, and a couple of days later, Bonnie called me to say that she was back at E.B., and that the sweater was 40% off, plus she had a further discount coupon, and wouldn't I like it if she picked one up for me.  I said, "Great.  Just buy the size that fits you, and it will fit me."  The next day she showed up at the pool with 2 identical sweaters in 2 different sizes.  She couldn't decide which fit better, so she bought them both and offered to return the one that I didn't want.  And that's exactly what she did.  I love the sweater.  I wore it all last winter, and I unpacked it and was very happy to wear it today.  It's soft and warm and felt like a hug from Bonnie.  I confess that I even kissed it before it put it on this morning.  I never dreamed last fall that before my new sweater was a year old, that my friend would die.

    Thanks for letting me muse on this a little.  It helps me to write my thoughts.  Who knew that an EB sweater could be so dear and so comforting?  Cherish the folks you love.  Learn to make new friends and love them, too.  Never supress an urge to do a kindness - like calling a friend to tell her that her sweater is on sale and that you'll pick it up for her.