Trick or Treat

The annual Beechwood School Halloween parade took place today. Jack was very excited to be Iron man this year. After the parade, the children headed out to the Deerfield section of town to trick or treat.

Mrs. Debby continued her tradition of transforming her garage into a vampire's den complete with smoking witches brew and coffin. This year Jack was able to gather enough courage to select a candy treat from the vampire, but passed on the haunted hayride through Watchung Reservation's deserted village.

One tradition that was not continued today was the annual Halloween display at the gates of Bruce Springsteen's Rumson estate. Instead, he posted a Halloween song on his website called "A Night With The Jersey Devil".

First Snowfall of 2008

With temperatures at Sunday's game in the 60's, I was most surprised to look out my office window in Florham Park today and see a mini-blizzard. By the end of the day, almost two inches were recorded, making it the 5th earliest snowstorm in New Jersey history, behind Oct. 19, 1972 six-tenths of an inch; Oct. 20, 1940, one-half inch; Oct 26, 1962 1 3/4 inches and Oct. 28, 1925, 1 inch.

World Series play in Philadelphia was suspended for the night, so Chrissy and I spent the evening organizing our winter gear and thinking ahead to this year's ski season.

Super Bowl III Reunion

On a beautiful, warm October Sunday, the Jets managed a come-from-behind 28-24 victory over the Chiefs. But today's game was all about Superbowl III, marking 40 years since the underdog 1968 Jets team defeated the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl and solidified the fate of the fledgling American Football League.

Members of the 1968-69 team were honored in an on-field ceremony culminating in a standing ovation for the Jets MVP, Joe Namath. Though I was just a child at the time, I distinctly remember the awe and admiration Broadway Joe inspired even as he was denounced for his wild, bachelor ways.

Today, at age 65 with two artificial knees, Joe, the incessant womanizer, continues to evoke the same reaction from fans, old and young alike.

Tiger Scouts

Jack's first Tiger Scout meeting was this week. He looked very serious in his new uniform.

Tiger Scouting is the first year of Cub Scouts, followed by Wolf, Bear and Webelos.

The scouts worked on their first badge, the Bobcat Badge. They recited the Cub Scout Motto, "Do Your Best" and the Tiger Cub Motto, "Search, Discover, Share" and they learned the Cub Scout promise: "To do my duty to God and my country, to help other people, and to obey the Law of the Pack".

Rocket Fishing

For his birthday, Jack asked for the Rocket Fishing Rod. Advertised as "one of the greatest fishing innovations ever!", the rod has a special fishing hook contained within a bobber which, at the push of a button, shoots out 30 feet and releases the hook only when it hits the water.

The rod sat in Jack's toy chest for several months before we finally got the nerve to try it out. After watching the instructional DVD, we packed a picnic lunch and headed for Surprise Lake in the Watchung Reservation. We set up camp by the dam, where, directions in hand, we inserted the bobber into the barrel, and pushed the button. Much to our disappointment, the reel did not release and the bobber became entangled in the line then shot free of the rod into the middle of the lake.

Con managed to rescue the bobber from the lake but the reel was hopelessly tangled so we finished up our lunch and headed on home. A quick e-mail to the manufacturer resulted in a replacement bobber and reel. We'll keep you posted on our next fishing expedition.

Apple Picking at Riamede

With the Jets on a bye this weekend, we had a family outing on Sunday to Riamede Farm in Chester, NJ. Riamede is peaceful, quiet olde-time farm where for the bargain price of $1 you can roam the 35 acres of orchards and pick your own apples.

Neither Con nor I had been apple picking before, so Jack instructed us on the correct technique for picking apples (never pluck - always a twisting motion), while we read up on the 34 different varieties of apples grown at Riamede.

This weekend, about twenty were ripe and ready for picking, and we left with two big bagfuls of green, golden and red apples. We spent the ride home naming all the different apple dishes we could create with our cache.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders - Making the Team!

In high school, the ultimate symbol of popularity was a spot on the Westfield Blue Devils varsity football cheerleading squad. Much to the chagrin of Grace and Phil, who as intellectuals renounced such foolishness, I longed for the right to wear the "W" sweater and blue pleated mini-skirt. My high school dream ended when I bolted from the tryouts in a terrified panic (but fueled the ambition for a successful career in corporate finance).

To this day, I continue to be fascinated with the world of cheerleading. So, I eagerly anticipate the new season of "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Making the Team" where one can experience the drama, excitement and disappointment of vying for the privilege to wear the most famous uniform in all of professional sports, the white and blue star-spangled outfits of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

I can't wait to see who makes this year's squad !