Well, Mother Nature wasn't very kind to folks around here who wanted to show off their finest ghost and goblin costumes at the annual Halloween Parade. Missed too were the bands, floats. and marching and motorized groups.
Sunday's rain gave way to Monday's sunshine but Tuesday's alternate parade date brought more rain.
As author and financial analyst Patrick Young said, "The trouble with weather forecasting is that it's right too often for us to ignore it, and wrong too often for us to rely on it."
As folks young and not-so-young get costumed up for their annual trick-or-treating jaunts next week the Town and Country would like to share some Halloween safety tips from Safe Kids Worldwide:
Walk safely - Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross; Put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don't run, across the street; Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them; Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings; Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars; and join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, tell them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
Exercise safety with your costume - Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors; Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child's vision; Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers; and when selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.
For you drivers, take extra caution this weekend - Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways; Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs; Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully; Get rid of any distractions - like your phone - in your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings; Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances; and know that popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Be especially alert for kids during those hours.
Extra caution by all will help make 2019 Halloween trick-or-treating for all.