Halloween

Im up super early to write...finding it's the only quiet time around here. I won't be going out on a job today-staying in to help make the Halloween meal. Spaghetti and meatballs (with olives inside the meatballs to look like eyes...deviled eggs and an other scary things that I can't remember right now. I hurt my elbow yesterday. We were wiping down the mold residue and i was up on a dresser wiping the ceiling. I was being very careful, moving like a ninja, doing a section at a time, carefully climbing down to move the dresser over. Yes, a dresser as we didn't have any tall ladders with us. Another crew had them.
I should have known better as I have a bad history with ladders as it is. They don't like me and I don't like them. So using a dresser was not smart on my part. After a few hours I lost my footing, slipped and fell on my elbow. Thank god I didn't break it-just bruised the bone and had to take the rest of the day off to put it on ice.

This is a scary Halloween. It's cooled down here enough to wear a sweatshirt at night (I know, don't hate me Seattle)and therefore rodents and bugs are moving back inside. They are big here. I haven't seen a rat yet but I know that if I get up in the middle of the night to pee and see one of those crossing my path, I will release a scream that will pierce every wall of this church and every dream my fellow volunteers may be having.
Plus, many people here are complaining of feeling unwell-seems there is a flu or bug going around-I'm feeling it too. Tonight is supposed to be insane-Halloween in NO. I am planning to avoid the insane part and go with a group to a jazz club-near the French Quarter but not in it.
I wasn't the only one injured yesterday. Chandra broke her thumb while cutting down a tree. Many are complaining of back pain. I'm so glad that fresh volunteers have arrived to help as many here need a few days of rest. Including me. One guy on our crew yesterday is 75 years old and he kicked ass. With a smile on his face. All day.

I received 3 care packages yesterday. Candy, DVDs, CDs,(Thank you Jay and Tracy) homemade chex mix and coffee-(thank you Suzanne and Michelle!) kitchen utensils and more coffee and candy (thank you Clayton). I was so excited and happy. Tearing up as I opened the boxes. Overwhelmed. Keep it coming y'all. I brought out a bowl of the chex mix last night and people dove into into.
Tonight before we go out we are lighting all the Jack-o-Lanterns that were made last night at the pumpkin carving contest here-and giving out candy to the neighborhood kids. I'm excited about that.