In case you have not driven through the streets of West Pittston lately, there are plenty of residents gearing up for Halloween. And since the borough was dubbed Halloweentown just a few years ago, it seems more and more West Pittstonians are getting into the spirit.
Some of the homes that have participated in adorning their homes with Halloween ghosts, goblins and other spooky things don’t really try to outdo the neighbors as much as they enjoy outdoing themselves.
Ground Central is and always has been the 200 and 300 blocks of Delaware Avenue. I was fortunate to have grown up at the 300 block of Delaware, but the Halloween decorations of today out-surpass what is being done for today.
I’m not quite sure my mother would place a 12-foot skeleton in the front yard as is done today. What’s crazy is, some people keep up the skeletons all year round. That I don’t get.
Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 1, I’m sure more residents will get into the Halloween spirit, and you’ll see more decorating this week.
Some homes are decorated with so many Halloween adornments that it seems senseless to put everything out for such a short period of time.
Last year, people were driving up and down streets to see how Halloweentown is done. It sort of reminds me of driving around looking at Christmas decorations.
A friend of mine tells me his grandchildren go to bed early so on Halloween night, it’s too late for them to take in the sights and sounds of the holiday, so they bring the grandchildren to town a few days before to see the decorations.
And how about Hurricane Helene? The devastation is so widespread with so many states upended.
After being away from family and friends in the Bradenton area, the evacuation order was given and we had to scramble to gather our belongings and hightail out of town like all the natives.
Airports were closing down in the Tampa area and the only way out was gambling on fleeing from the Orlando airport.
It was frantic but you had to remain calm and collected in the process.
It seems a lot of natives, although concerned, didn’t seem to be too phased by the gigantic wall of water, wind, and rain heading their way.
In fact, I have a cousin in the Tampa area living in a doublewide home who decided to hunker down and ride it out. She’s lived in Florida for most of her life, and she’s seen a thing or two regarding hurricanes, and even though evacuation was mandatory, she said most in her development decided to stay put.
As Helene approached, the initial forecast of hitting closer to Tampa changed and stayed a bit more out in the Gulf. That change is what helped my cousin.
Dean Bratlee, my high school classmate, who lives in Bradenton, also toughed it out by staying home. He wasn’t in danger of a massive Gulf surge of water but of high winds.
He informed me he and his family is safe but Anna Maria Island, were we stayed, is devastated in the aftermath. The beach we enjoyed the day before is pretty much non-existent and there’s about three feet of sand in the front of the condo.
I can’t help but think that anyone is susceptible to a natural disaster, no matter where you live.
I also couldn’t help but think about the flooding we experience right here in Wyoming Valley, particularly in West Pittston.
The total devastation from Agnes is still fresh in my mind, along with the stench of dried mud everywhere.
The cleanup was overwhelming, and as many who lived through it know too well on how long it took to get back to normal. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t sure if we would ever get back to normal.
It took a few years before Wyoming Valley residents resumed a regular lifestyle again and many were assured that flood like Agnes, a 100-year flood, would never rear its ugly head again for decades and decades. We were fooled.
Can you imagine living in a state like Florida when it becomes hurricane season?
Florida can definitely be like paradise to many and those sunsets are amazing at the Gulf, but the price you pay to live there can be pretty high.
How many would live along the Susquehanna River knowing there is a chance or more each year to have devastating flooding? I can’t imagine many doing so unless their house was placed on stilts like they have at the beach in my southern locations like Florida.
After barely making it out of Florida ahead of the massive storm, was an experience. Airlines had to be changed, times had to be changed, airports had to be changed and permission from the car rental company was painless in changing airport drop off point.
Helene dropped a ton of water on a lot of people and there is mass flooding, but don’t look over your shoulder, an identical scenario looms behind.
Quote of the Week
“Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” — Henry David Thoreau
Thought of the Week
“You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot—it’s all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.” — Maya Angelou
Bumper Sticker
“Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” — Maya Angelou
