But there is something about the mere thought of Halloween that makes me think about costumes, and what I’ll wear this Oct. 31.

I wore many costumes that Momma made for Halloween, and also over the years for church, or school plays, and then later when I became an adult.

A couple of times I played an old woman on stage. At least one of those times the character I played was really large. So, Momma made me a body suit stuffed with something, and I wore it under my old lady dress. The only part of a play I can remember is that someone was supposed to ring a doorbell, and come on stage, but neither happened. That’s when I pretended to do a little dance, then finally said, “Oh, I think I hear a doorbell.”

Then in 1962–70s when I worked at the Press Association we had a Mardi Gras event during our summer convention. That’s when Momma made me a little girl outfit, complete with a pink polkadot pinafore.

We moved to Hennessey in 1978, then in 1980 Hennessey Celebration Inc. was started, and when Bill started his cowboy boots and hats collections.

Or, maybe he’d already started buying the boots when he realized while covering a school board meeting that he, and the lady doctor on that board, were the only ones not wearing boots.

That first Celebration was also when our Lioness Club started the Frontier Follies at the football field. It was during one of our skits that I became a little girl named, “Edith Ann.” If you’ve never heard of Lily Tomlin’s character then you probably never saw her perform on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In TV shows back in the 1980s.

I must have really liked her characters because I also remember playing her one-ringy-dingy telephone operator character (whose name I can’t remember) during another of our Follies.

The Lioness Club also sponsored haunted houses back then. My first one was when several of us were just pledging the club. I don’t remember us working on staging that one, but we must have helped. I do remember that all of the little children were too afraid to crawl through the haunted house, and lucky me was chosen to lead them. Too bad I’d worn my little girl costume with the short skirt, and no protection for my knees.

Our Lioness Club also put on a “Trashy Ladies” style show during another of the Pat Hennessey events. I think it was Jyneeta Casteel’s idea that each of us modeled dresses made from trash bags. Of course, Momma made mine. That show was the night when I became Patrick Hennessey’s twin sister, Patricia, I wore a red wig, and had a red beard.

I can’t remember what my dress looked like, but I remember Ada Shaw’s trashy lady dress. It was a beautiful white full-length wedding gown, complete with a veil.

Why can I remember stuff that happened 30 years ago, but not remember to buy candy for the library because there is always a crowd there on trick-or-treat night.

It’s also too bad I don’t have a new costume for Halloween. I guess I’ll just have to put on a black dress, and wear a pointy hat. Now where did I put my broom?