Random observations and musings

After seeing the photos and stories of the weekend’s 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 tomorrow. Tradition wins. Those without children at home said they welcome visits from the little ghosts and goblins.

So, my advice if you were similarly wondering ... buy the candy!

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This first weekend of November there are a number of popular 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 37 years of 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 overstuffed home with one exception ... books. Can anyone really ever have too many books?

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Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, Nov. 3, 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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When I receive political campaign text messages, regardless if it's a position or candidate I support, the number is blocked and the message deleted. I find text messages intrusive.

I read the newspaper daily and watch local news. I'm on social media and drive my car on city streets. The post office delivers mail six days a week. I have email. So there's no shortage of exposure to political advertising and messages to consume. I don't want or need advertising via text messages on my phone!

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One week from today, as our community wakes up to the results of the local and national elections, remember this observation from Thomas Jefferson — American Founding Father, principle 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 a government by the majority who participate.”

Vote.

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Happy Main Street birthdays today to Rainey Coffin, Lori Dahlke, John Kelly, Lori Jurado, Vivian Stadley, Brad Oliver, Kay Mills and Derek McGee. 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 Saturday, Alex Capaul, Mike Miller, Alan Zerba, Charity Thompson and Kathleen Lazor take another trip around the sun. On Sunday, Patty 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 Monday. Election day birthdays for Betty Bray-Baker, Laura Gray, Donna Hodgson, Marijo Guindon, Debbie Boe, Heather Clark, Ken Brandvold and Marci Anderson.

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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 thoreson.kerri@gmail.com.