My day began with my accompanying Pete to the Mat-Su Borough Building where we distributed books. We were going to vote, but the line was too long for us to deal with. We are not, in this respect, very patient people. If he saw a familiar face, Pete might have hung out, but all were strangers.

So I will vote on Tuesday, election day, like I always do.

I did some distributing then returned to the former banquet room of the historic Eagle Hotel and assisted Leslie and Vera with getting ready for the day’s big event, Trick or Treat Street. There was not a whole lot for us to do, we rearranged the room and set out the books yesterday.

The Palmer Chamber of Commerce had because of so-so weather decided to cancel the planned event -- this news was met with disbelief on the part of Leslie and Vera who said the weather was not that bad and besides these were Alaskan kids. So we did not change our plans.

We were joined by Calley who put on a dragon suit, and Ashton, another volunteer, and by approximately six Colony High School Students, and by Halley who is the Kid’s Kupboard coordinator, and by Linda Jo Kleppervich, a former teacher who was dressed up as the queen bee. “Bee a Reader.”

Alys and Linda Jo - Bee a Reader

Later, Pete and then Michah appeared. They were supposed to be at Mat-Su College where Hall-O-Ween was to take place, but because of bad weather there was a power outage, so they joined us all at the hotel.

One minute it was very quiet and we all were just standing around talking. Then the next minute families with children in costumes burst in the door. They were followed by other parents with kids. In minutes the place was packed and remained packed 4-7 p.m. In fact, there was a line down the street.

Imagine it, a line on a windy, cold, and rainy night – parents and children coming to get books. Just three years ago I was walking down the street and I saw children in costumes walking around. I went to the corner with two chairs and two boxes of books. And I passed out books. I remember that day I’d gotten in trouble for refusing to put banned book literature on the Kaladi Brothers bookcases.

Last year was much like this year. We invited the readers into the former banquet room. This year though, they knew where we were. Plus, we were on the Chamber list.

We all sorted ourselves out, all of us volunteers – and I spent most of my time at the table, suggesting children and parents take specific books. The best costume was a threesome – one parent dressed as ketchup, another dressed as mustard, and their child dressed as a hamburger.

Will I do this again next year? Maybe.