The End of Summer is upon us. No, not Labor Day, the official end of summer, but Halloween, the day kids of all ages instinctively know to be the date that signals the arrival of autumn with winter fast upon its heels. Kids know that summer should go out with a bang, with a day filled with big laughs, lots of yelling, and maybe even a fright or two to carry them through those long, dreary winter nights. At the risk of sounding like an old codger sitting on the porch shouting, “Hey you kids, get off my lawn,” today’s Halloween vibe just ain’t like it used to be. Halloweens of more than half a century ago in my little town in Illinois were not confused with politics and political correctness. It was a night when tiny ghosts and goblins, spooks and spirits, fairies and firemen ran up to doors and waited for tricks or treats to land in their paper grocery sacks. Kids stayed close to home, except for short drives across town to scare relatives or...(Read Full Post)