So we are backtracking a bit to a time before mortgage loans, moving trucks and 11 days without any internet access...
There are two key ingredients to make a successful Halloween: candy and chili. The peril of buying Halloween candy too early is that you end up eating said candy and have to buy more. I guess that is a good problem to have though.
Chili on Halloween has been a long-standing family tradition. It is one of those things we always do each year, but no one knows when it started or why, and questioning the reason of chili is just illogical. You shouldn't need a reason for chili.
This year, the chili included more pork shoulder (pork month!) and turned out so thick that not only could I stand a spoon up in it, but I was also able to use the chili as foundation for a high-rise commercial office building. Meaty goodness. Naturally, where there was chili, there was also chili dogs:
There is a sausage under there somewhere.
On Halloween proper, we were still a little over two weeks away from getting the keys to the house, so Mary's idea was to take some blankets, candy and Fireball, and sit on the front porch to pass out candy. We were successful in meeting some of the neighbors, but were dismayed by the lack of effort put forth in the majority of the costumes. So to you middle/high schoolers thinking you can get some free candy: putting on jeans and a hooded sweatshirt along with your school backpack does not count as a costume. It is both weak and lame and we will award you no further candy.
--Isaac.
