BLACK MAGIC FIDDLE FADDLE

With today being Halloween, I thought I would tell you a tale full of nonsense that is particularly insubstantial, but true to the best of my recollection. Back in the late 60s, trick or treating was a big deal and what I would call a rite of passage to becoming a teenager. While a respectable costume was essential, the prize in the end was the volume of candy one could acquire in 2-3 hours time.

In this era, I don't recall trick or treating being relegated to specific hours. However, back in the day, you made them up, and for me and my buddies 5 to 9 was pretty much our window. Once it was dusk, we were out the door. We took it seriously and worked Coralville hard. We didn't walk, we ran, and could cover 8 or 9 blocks with relative ease.

Another outstanding feature of this time in Americana was that candy bars were BIG and people were generous. A Baby Ruth or Butterfinger were highly cherished and huge, 10 inches long and a solid 1,000 calories. Milk Duds were also desirable, and when I got something that didn't meet my fancy, I would trade for items that did. There was no such thing as the mini bars of today that you could devour in a bite. Also troubling was the dreaded pop corn ball. I usually ended up with 3 or 4 that were big as softballs and hard as rocks. Truth be told, a rock probably tastes just as good. I refused to eat them and couldn't get my younger sister to take them. Even the birds were offended, and we disposed of such "crap" promptly.

After a good night's work, by 9:30 the living room floor would be covered with candy. Of course, everything was sorted into piles. Sweet Tarts, Thousand Dollar bars, M&Ms, Tootsie Rolls, Milky Ways, Junior Mints, it was all laid out in front of me and it was all mine. I even hid my best stash, as my sister was known to have sticky fingers. Not on my watch.

Getting such a bounty wasn't easy, even though it was free. Lugging around a pillow case full of candy like Santa Claus in a coat and costume was exhausting, even for a kid. Once I was able to break free of my mother's supervision and go solo, I would take a route west that allowed me to swing by the house on 11th avenue and unload, then I would march east and do it all again. I was efficient.

When I was 12, by pal Jerry and I determined it was senseless to go 9 square blocks and work so hard when we could cut the distance in half with a quick costume change. What a brilliant idea, "look different" but revisit the same houses close to our turf. Who would know? A plan was intricately established and ready to execute.

Halloween evening we were out the door for the first time at 5:00 sharp, I had on my football helmet with shoulder pads and a jersey. Boring compared to Jerry, who was sporting a daring pirate look with a black beard and eye patch. We looked good and did even better hitting the hot spots.

One place we knew was always going to produce was the Carters. They had a son named Cade, and he and I played whatever sport was in season. We got along well and were regular visitors to each other's houses. One of the great things about Cade was his mom. She was chatty, perky, and always seemed to be in a pleasant mood. I called her Mrs. C, instead of Mrs Carter, which she seemed comfortable with.

That summer, I had gotten a pair of Chuck Taylor low topped sneakers that instantly became a regular part of my attire. They had a sleek, fashionable look, and I could run faster and jump higher in them. My little league number was 5, and I took some black electrical tape, manufactured a 5 and stuck it on the white rubber toe where it was quite visible. Then to make a stronger statement of style, I swapped the original laces out with red ones. My dad didn't see how amazing they looked, but I sure did.

CHUCK TAYLOR SNEAKERS WITHOUT THE 5 AND RED LACES

Back to the Carters. I was hanging out with Cade attired in my smooth new sneakers when Mrs. C, always the cool one, noticed the look and asked me about my inspiration. Eventually I asked her what she thought, and she enthusiastically said, well, you are certainly making a statement. That was all I needed to hear, and I was quite proud of what I had accomplished.

As I indicated earlier, I loved those shoes and wore them like a badge. Not compelled to think about it, I wore them trick or treating, both times that fateful Halloween night. The second time out, I put an old sheet over my head that dad used for painting, cut holes for eyes, and put on a black cowboy hat. Before you know it, I'm back at the Carters for round 2 with Jerry, who was also a ghost. Terry and Jerry, the friendly ghosts! We rang the doorbell and Mrs. C was quick to open. Just like an hour before, she handed out a big fat Baby Ruth, only this time she gave me two. What a gal, I almost gave her a high five. Before we could turn and go, she said boys, did you not get enough on your first visit? Stunned, I stared down at my shoes only to see a big black 5 next to red laces looking back at me. Thank god I had a sheet covering my face, as I had been made and was petrified. Quietly, in slow motion, Jerry and I shuffled away in silence. When we got to the end of the sidewalk, Mrs C called out, I'll see you soon, Terry.

Well, fortunately my mom and Mrs C were only casual friends and didn't see each other with regularity, or my life would have taken a serious turn for the worse. I could see all of my loot confiscated or, even worse, given to my sister! The pain of that idea made me shudder.

For a couple of weeks, I shied away from Cade's house and made sure to be extra good around my own. My secret was safe, that is until about Christmas when mom saw Mrs C shopping for gifts and suggested to her that she get me Baby Ruth's for Christmas and told her the whole story. When mom got home, she mentioned talking to Mrs C, who wanted to know if I enjoyed my Baby Ruth's? Mom had that look in her eyes that said buster, you are in the dog house. Then, inexplicably, she winked and laughed. A stay of execution. By then I had taken the 5 off my sneakers, gone back to white laces and decided I would retire from trick or treating, after all, I would be 13 next year. Aside from that, I had learned a valuable lesson about greed and over-indulgance.

Until I went off to college, Mrs C and I had many a laugh over the Halloween debacle. Nearly 70, I still have a special place in my heart for her and how she handled the incident. I also can't look at a Baby Ruth without thinking of those innocent days when candy was big, people were kinder, and seemingly more generous.

Happy Halloween everybody!

WHAT TO EXPECT HALLOWEEN WEEKEND

This year, all you ghosts and goblins will be treated to a ghoulishly cool Halloween weekend with a few showers, with maybe even a few snowflakes mixed in. It's all generated by the passage of by a cold core upper air disturbance that dives southeast into the mean trough carved out over the eastern U.S. Below, you can see lobes of vorticity rotating around the closed circulation near Dubuque late Friday night. These spokes of energy have the capacity to produce scattered showers.

Additionally, the coldest air of the year so far will drop 850 temperatures (a mile up) to -5 Degrees C.

The chilly air will drive clouds and instability Friday and Saturday, especially in the afternoon and evening hours. Between the passing vorticity and steep lapse rates due to the cold air aloft, scattered showers are also expected. A few of these Friday night or Saturday (when the coldest air is overhead) may be able to mix down some snowflakes despite surface temperatures well above freezing in the mid to upper 30s.

Any precipitation is expected to be scattered and light, coming in short bursts. Most areas will only see .05 of an inch or less. While a few showers are possible late Friday or Friday evening for trick or treating, they should be very spotty and may not produce much more than sprinkles. The best chances will be late Saturday morning into the evening, when the cold core is directly on top of us. Here's what models are showing for rain totals Friday through Saturday night.

The EURO

The HRRR

The NAM 3K

The GFS

The HRRR even shows some trace amounts of snow near and north of HWY 20 Friday night or Saturday.

Both Halloween day and Saturday will be breezy and raw. Friday highs of 50 to 55 are expected, but by 6:00 pm trick or treaters can expect readings of 44 north to 49 south and falling. Winds chills will be several degrees colder. Dress warm spooks.

Saturday with a low overcast and occasional showers scattered around it should be very raw. Highs will not get out of the low to mid 40s in most areas. It will be a serious reminder that the hot breath you feel on your neck is winter.

After lows in the low to mid 30s Saturday night, the upper air low will clear the area, allowing temperatures to moderate from the 40s of Saturday to the low to mid 50s Sunday.

Early next week, the storm track turns zonal, confining the storm track to the Canadian border. Mild Pacific air will flood the central U.S. with above normal temperatures in the upper 50s to 60s. Moisture will be sparse, and what weak systems that can graze the area are not likely to produce any meaningful rain. Indian summer will be here and after a cold start to the month, November temperatures will lose their bite the balance of next week.

Have a happy Halloween and roll weather...TS

Happy Halloween and roll weather...TS

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