It's been a fun Halloween for us today!
I dressed up all in black with my fancy hat and black cape and skull scarf.
What did Louis Dean wear?
His overalls and cowboy boots and hat!
As soon as I had that first cup of coffee this morning, I was in the kitchen frosting the butter pecan cupcakes I made last night. I made brown sugar frosting just like my mother made back in the day.
No real recipe and yet it has never failed to turn out great!
Melt butter, brown sugar and some milk (Mother used Carnation evaporated milk in a can) and bring to a boil. Cook it a few minutes, remove from heat, add vanilla and powdered sugar plus a little more milk until it's the right consistency. Sometimes I've made candy but most of the time it turns out to be frosting......that occasionally hardens up a bit like candy. It always tastes good, though!
This frosting and peach cobbler are the only two recipes I remember from Mother's cooking and I make both of them with fond memories.
Louis Dean and I drove to Fort Worth and it poured down heavy rain the entire 40 miles from our house to the nursing home. And I forgot the umbrella! It wasn't raining when we pulled out of the driveway but I knew it would be and I still forgot the umbrella!
I stopped at the nurses station and handed out cupcakes before going down to see all our friends on the way to Mother's room - giving out cupcakes as I went.
Mother and I had a wonderful visit.
She loved my outfit and acted scared when I said 'BOO!' and then laughed out loud!
I told her about the frosting and put a bit in her mouth and she liked it!
As nice as the visit was - when I asked Louis Dean to take our picture - she got so animated and happy! It was just like old times when I would take a selfie of us and she would want to see them and point to which one she liked best. There was no pointing today but she smiled and nodded when I showed them to her. It was a good day.
There's no getting around the fact that Mother is not the way she used to be but she still knows us and was happy to see us and she 'talked' away. I couldn't understand her but I could tell she was not upset or complaining so I smiled and nodded.
I met Priscilla, the lady who gives out the medicine.
She wanted me to take our pic together and then put her # in my phone so I can send it to her.
Oops! I better do that right now!
We decided to go to IHOP for an afternoon breakfast before braving the roads in the rain again on our way home.
Even the waitress wanted a picture of us together!
I should dress up more often!
Although I betcha if I did that on a normal day - no one would be asking for a photo with me!
It took a long time to get home.
In the gloom and the gray with the lights reflecting and the rain heavy -
these driving glasses Summer got me were a life saver!
They make all the difference!
It was after 5:00 when we got home I turned the lights on outside and set ourselves up on the porch in anticipation of the trick or treaters!
Isn't he cute??
We sipped wine I had been saving just for Halloween night!
Sweet Bloody Red!!!
There was a lull in the rain and sure enough!
The trick or treaters came!
This guy is so much fun!!!
He lives around the corner from us and comes every year!
Our next door neighbors!
Sweetest girls ever!!
Cute! CUTE!!!
These kids were so sweet!
I loved this little guy!
Beyond precious!
Our neighbor, Tamara, sent them over to us!
Then here came some more of our favorite people!
Tim and his family.
Brittany is 22 years old now and has been coming to our house on Halloween night since she was 13!
Her baby sister is Nicole and she's 8.
We love this family!
Nicole noticed I didn't have the Banjo playing skeleton outside this year so I invited her to come in and visit him!
Isn't she adorable??
The night didn't last very long and Louis Dean asked, "Are we done now?"
I guess we are.
Now I'm going to blow all my candles out and put the house to bed.
We will follow shortly!
I hope.
Louis Dean's in his room playing music and every once in awhile he calls to me saying,
"Linda!!! Come in and listen to THIS one!!"
Goodnight, Folks!!
What another great day for you Chapmans! I'll bet you didn't even get all your Halloween decor out.
ReplyDeleteYour last paragraph sounds like my husband when he finds a new song or new version of one on youtube! Our musical boys!
Thank you for inviting us to your wonderful home for Halloween, dear Linda. I have enjoyed it as much as if I was actually there. What darling trick-or-treaters... especially the repeats year after year. Your mom looks beautiful! Love, Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteYou are certainly a beautiful Halloween Witch Linda and LD is so handsome. Lovely lovely photos today.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
Joy
What a wonderful Halloween, I’m so glad your visit with your mum went well, I know it can be difficult, that frosting sounds good! Your decorations are wonderful, you look like an adorable witch lol, perfect Halloween,
ReplyDeleteLinda, So heart touching about your mom. I thought about how you would get her hair fixed and you would take a picture together. So good that she was happy and talking. I know what you mean about your mother's cooking. My mom could only make a few things well. Fried chicken(and when that smoke alarm went off that chicken was done) potato salad and peaches with dumplings. We always joked about the fire alarm. LOL. She would be the grand champion of cooking pinto beans, fried potatoes and cornbread...good grief we ate that all the time. LOL. I loved seeing all the cute trick or treaters. We never get them out here. You and LD looked cute in your outfits. Blessings, love you, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteAwe. I love that picture of you and your mom. Treasure it. Looks like you had an awesome Halloween. Gosh, your pictures make me miss my home town. Here in the city Halloween is so different. No children visit. No need for candy. Moms take their children out very early afternoon before darkness and then they only go to the stores. I don't blame them. Things aren't the same as in our day.
ReplyDeletetoday I love every single photo on the post. everyone looks so good and love your black and LD is sooo cute... perfect Halloween you had
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great Halloween at your house. That frosting sounds wonderful ! October was such a fast month it's hard be believe it's now over, but it ended in a very good way! Now on to November which is one of my busiest months of the year !
ReplyDeleteI’m so happy that your visit with your mother was a good one. These are precious times with her. What a fun day you had.
ReplyDeleteThese pictures of Louis Dean are great! And I love the background! Your Trick-or Treaters have great costumes, especially the chicken. We did not have a single one!! But the girls did come over, and wait till you see their homemade costumes! I was too tired to post last night, but I will post them this evening. This is a wonderful picture of you and your mom. And it is a real blessing that she knows you, and can really enjoy your visits. Everyone is drawn to you like a magnet. I am sure that one of your gifts is spreading JOY! I have never seen a frosting recipe like this, and am going to write it down and make it. I will call it "Linda's Frosting. Have you posted the Quads in their costumes yet? I hope I haven't missed it, I will look back at your last few posts.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great and happy Halloween you had. Plus making lots of people
ReplyDeletefeel good which is what you and Louis Dean seem to be able to do every
day. Hearing about lots of rain in your state and hope you are ok and
roof is not leaking. Pretty wet here in Oregon also. love, Phyllis
Happy Halloween Linda!! So Louis Dean was dressed as himself? LOL! I love your costume!!! Those cupcakes look so good, how nice to have a great visit with your mom! :) Oh gosh I need glasses like that to drive at night. I hate the glare and when it rains, it's so difficult to see. Though I mostly avoid night driving, sometimes I have to! Oh that banjo playing skeleton is amazing!!! I LOVE THAT!!!! And your man is the cutest, nice photo montage!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy late Halloween! I didn't do anything for Halloween but I remember it being so much fun when I was younger. Making all our costumes and getting free sweets. Hope you had a good time!
ReplyDeleteAs a Registered Nurse who has worked in a Nursing Home.. I say thank you for your act of kindness.
ReplyDeleteYour mom looks so different than she did just a few months ago. It rained here last night as well, but my grand doll still got in a few hours of trick or treating. It looks as though you had a nice Halloween.
ReplyDeleteI'm with LD about not getting dressed up! You looked cute rather than evil so that was a success. We only had 4 kids knock on the door this year - Halloween isn't a big deal here. Cheers
ReplyDeleteLooks like its another great Halloween. Love the costumes. So creative
ReplyDeleteLove the costumes...and, yes, LD is adorable. I can see why you love him so much...and visa versa...you are both the sweetest and I so love how you share it all with those around you. I am so glad your mama was feeling good. How old is she?? I knew but then forgot.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to seeing the Santa you are painting this year. I know I;ve asked before...would you PLEASE PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON TOP consider selling one of your large ones to me? I would be so blessed to have it hanging above my vintage mantel. I know you have reasons that you don't sell them...it's just that I am beside myself to have one....and of course, I will understand if it's not to be...but I sure won't like it....:) xoxo
Your Halloween looks like a fun time, all the clever costumes, visiting your mom, the yummy cupcakes you baked.
ReplyDelete