That Time Again

Time to carve a pumpkin. The kids aren't here anymore but I have the urge to carve one, anyway. I had quite a few years when the kids were teenagers when I didn't carve. Enough of that abstinence! Can't blame it on the kids anymore, either. It's just me.There's still a bit of pyromaniac in me, too, to enjoy just sitting and watching the candle burn. It's soothing. Then, to sketch it while I quietly watch it is just frosting on the cake!

I once taught pumpkin carving when we lived in Great Bend, at the Recreation Commission. Kids loved it! When we moved to Topeka, I offered to teach it at the Recreation Commission here. They turned me down, because they didn't see any reason to offer it. I don't get them not getting it.


So now it's just me, carving for me. And that's good enough.

Slash & Gut

It's that time of year. Even though we are empty nesters, I still feel the need to carve at least one Jack-o-lantern. Used to carve close to a dozen when we lived in the city and could display them on our porch. It was fun watching the reactions or Trick or Treaters and their parents. Oh well. I'm typing this in the dark, late at night, as the owl silently watches me. Never grow tired of watching them flicker. Cost me many hours of sleep. When we lived in a smaller town with an active city recreation commission I taught pumpkin carving. Me with a room of 25 youth armed with saws and knives! That should have been a nightmare but the kids absolutely loved it, and came back year after year. They'd tell me what they carve at home and what they carved last year. Their energy level and excitement were a boost that made the HUGE cleanup effort even seem worthwhile. And teachers would have me come in and give a quick demo and tell the history of this holiday. They kids would send me neat Thank You notes. But we're in a larger city with a rec commission that doesn't need my services (I asked) and our kids are grown and gone. So now it's a personal venture. The wife and I quietly enjoy the simple pleasures of a family tradition that I can't let die.