October

October is a great month. It means the best weather of the year in San Francisco. The summer fog is gone. The days are warm and clear and the nights crisp and cool. The month starts out hot but by Halloween, it’s cool.

There are always lots of activities scheduled all over the City for this long holiday weekend. In politically correct San Francisco the holiday is knows as Indigenous People’s Day. In North Beach, the traditionally Italian part of town, it’s still Columbus Day and there’s a good old fashioned parade on Sunday. There is a great Columbus Day Bazaar all weekend at Sts. Peter and Paul School in North Beach. The energy is amazing. The whole area is alive with activity. In addition it’s the culmination of the Navy’s Fleet Week, so the waterfront is abuzz with activity, and every year the Blue Angels perform on Saturday and Sunday.

Even the Blue Angels are controversial here. One supervisor tried to have them banned, but they didn't get anywhere. I admit it is a bit dangerous to have these fighter jets coming so close to the buildings downtown, but it is so exciting! The precision flying is awesome. You’re afraid to look and you can’t look away. And the noise is frightful. Thankfully, the ear splitting sound of fighter jets overhead is not something we have to hear every day. Rather than complain about it, though I’m just thankful I don’t live in a war zone where this noise would be the least frightening thing about the jets.

It’s hard for Maggie, though. She can’t see the jets and the noise freaks her out. We just have to wait it out. The practice runs started yesterday so we will hear the jets for four straight days. It only last about an hour each day and the noise is intermittent, not constant. She’ll be fine but it’s a bummer when it’s happening.

We are looking past this weekend to Halloween. Maggie has had some great costumes in the past few years. My husband has set the bar pretty high and we are still tying to figure out what to do for this year.

Last year’s race car was a huge hit. My brother brought Maggie a Ferrari scarf to cover her trake. That inspired the whole thing. The Dale Erhard suit from Goodwill was a huge find. That might have been a little too good, though. The kids at school were rushing Maggie around as fast as possible and the whole wheel chair went over. So we need something that won’t endanger her.

The Viking look a couple of years ago was also a big hit. Steve made the viking helmet out of a scary helmet and some goofy braids and the breast plate was aluminum foil over cardboard.

My personal favorite was when she dressed as a devil complete with flames on the side of the wheelchair and she went as "Hell on Wheels." (sorry, can't find that picture)

We need something that fits with a person

sitting down – and/or something that lends itself to good and easy decorations for the wheelchair. And it has to fit on the bus.

Ideas are welcome.