Random observations and musings

One week from today, as our community wakes up to the results of all of the elections in Kootenai County, remember this observation from Thomas Jefferson — American founding father, principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States, “We do not have a government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”

Vote.

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After seeing the photos and stories of the Trunk or Treat events, I wondered if most people take their kids to those instead of trick-or-treating on Halloween. So I asked my Facebook village, who overwhelmingly said they plan to take their children and grandchildren door-to-door in their neighborhoods Friday. Tradition wins! Those without children at home said they welcome the little ghosts and goblins visiting. Quite a few say they hand out full-size candy bars.

Jim and Kacey Hail have expanded from just candy to handing out little rubber ducks or bubble wands to the delight of the trick-or-treaters. EmmaLee Christiansen hands out candy and party-favor-sized Play-Doh. 

Ginny Easterly’s house is decorated and ready for the big night; she even has treats for adults. Keith Ekness recalls years ago living on a dead-end side street. He handed out cans of vegetables — corn, peas, green beans. He loved seeing the look on the kids' faces before he added a piece of candy and noted back then, cans of veggies were cheaper than a candy bar.

So my advice, if you were similarly wondering if trick or treaters will be out and about Friday ... buy the candy!

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This first weekend of November, there are a number of annual craft fairs in our community and shoppers will be out in force. It’s a perfect weekend to shop local. While I applaud all of the crafters and artisans, I won’t be making the rounds. After 38 years living in the same house, it’s overflowing with tchotchkes I’ve collected or received and things I’ve purchased and meant to give as gifts, but forgot where I put them.

I also don’t go to yard sales and seldom frequent thrift stores for the same reason. A few years ago, I went cold turkey on adding more stuff to our over-stuffed home with one exception ... books. Can anyone really ever have too many books?

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Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, Nov. 2, when the clock falls back an hour. It’s traumatic enough that I have to wear socks and turn on the furnace, but it’s the darkness of night about 4 p.m. that sends me into carb-fueled hibernation. See you in the springtime!

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For those keeping track ... 63 days until Christmas. Ho! Ho! Ho!

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Happy Main Street Birthdays today to Sandy Patano, Jerry Baltzell, Mark Symons, Kara McCollum, Bill Guy, Amanda Krier, Mary Ransdell, Dave Clark and Shawn Duncan. Tomorrow, Rainey Coffin, Lori Dahlke, John Kelly, Lori Jurado, Vivian Stadley, Brad Oliver, Kay Mills and Derek McGee celebrate. Halloween birthdays for Kathy Prosser, RaeAnne Capaul, Amber Copeland, Rob Moser, Jabet Wheeler, Tyler Engelbrecht, Kevin Grady, Linda Haughton, Jaks Fowler and Susan Johnson. Happy first day of November birthdays to Brandon Burchfield, Randy Martens, Bernice Dymek and Pam Jank. On Sunday, Alex Capaul, Mike Miller, Alan Zerba, Charity Thompson and Kathleen Lazor take another trip around the sun. On Monday, Patti Harris, Jill Jurvelin, Hara Allison, Karen Pearl, Darin Hanson, Helen Nuener, Jerry Mason and Kelly Tuntland blow out the candles. Alan Wolfe, Annie Mote, Bryan Poland, Judy Jorgensen, Kirsten Donovan, Nancy White, Mic Armon, Julie Schmidt, twins Zachary and Ryan Englebrecht and Mitchell Copstead put on their party hats on Election Day, Nov. 4.

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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email [email protected].