Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Definition of October

The tenth month of the year creates different feelings among the members of my household. For John, it’s Will this month ever end? For Ren and John-Heath and, yes, even me it’s like Ahhh, October!

Fall is always an active time for our family. Ren’s birthday falls at the end of September but is inevitably celebrated in October. My father and sister also have October birthdays. And, of course, there are church hayrides, fall parties, football games, the all-important Halloween costume, and numerous trips to the stores in search of items for the previously mentioned. I think I shop more in October than I even do in December.

Then there’s the crème de la crème of the season (especially among small town kids)– a time-honored, yet shrinking tradition which single-handedly makes this Ren’s favorite month of the year…rolling!



Our new, temporary landscaping.


Now, some of my city friends may be wondering what “rolling” is. Well, basically, it involves decorating a person’s lawn with toilet paper, TP as the younger generation calls it. I know some of you may be thinking this would be a terribly ill-mannered thing to do, and it would be if done to the home of someone you didn’t like, but for the most part around here, it means you’re a friend and you’re worth the time and money I am going to spend pulling this prank. Kids in our town, and even here it is not done as much as it once was, will strike their friends, good neighbors, and favorite teachers and/or coaches. And, though John can quickly tire of Saturday mornings spent collecting (i.e. cleaning up) the evidence from a night of frolicking, even he admits he feels left out if we’re not hit at least once. So far this month we’ve had visitors four times.


Two of the newly placed hay bales. This had to take some effort. Round bales are usually moved with the assistance of an engine.



I must say my daughter’s buddies are getting more creative in their escapades. Recently, they managed to move several, large, round hay bales from our fields into our drive. This most recent time they came with a ladder. I’m not sure if they were planning on “kidnapping” Ren from her second story bedroom or wanted to lure her and her girlfriends out of the house and strike from behind and above, but that part of their plan was foiled. Anyway, the girls were waiting for them this time, staking out a spot on the front of our property in their darkest clothing and a little face paint with vinegar, honey, and Vaseline in hand. If they were going down, they were doing so with a fight.



Ready to protect the homefront.


Ahhhh...October!




P.S. The Vaseline idea backfired on Ren, though, as one of her visitors was able to wrangle it from her hands. Even after repeated washings she was left looking as though she had had a lice treatment for days afterwards.

1 comment:

Michelle said...

Can't say I would be too excited to find hay rolls in my drive!