Raven dressed up as Chucky and I was the usual witch. Or bitch, if you were to ask Jeff.

Melbourne came as a villain you initially despise but end up forgiving, with her tantrum of cold and rain that went on the whole morning and much of the afternoon before clearing up at 4PM just in time for trick or treat, redeeming her dramatic self with the timeliness of her sunshine.

This year marks Raven’s first time trick-or-treating. But instead of walking around the streets and the neighbourhood looking for decorated houses hoping to get lucky because not everyone here in Australia celebrates Halloween, we went straight in for the kill: I plotted the participating locations listed on my local Facebook Community Group on Google Map and drove directly to where the lollies were.

Well, Judi drove with whatever was left in her field of vision that wasn’t blocked by her wig. I navigated. With moderate difficulty because for the life of me, I didn’t know how to add stops on the app to make for a seamless journey that would take us to the 19 pinned streets and/or courts around Endeavour Hills.

Judi, being older than me, didn’t know how to either so we decided to just wing it. One stop at a time. And every time, she wrestled with her cape and her wig just to get out the door. With her sunnies on, I told her she looked like an 80’s rock star.

I reckon the kids went to about twenty or so houses in total. Some streets, we got lucky when two or three houses were handing out lollies as well. That made it even more fun for them as they got to walk up and down the street like a proper trick-or-treating instead of hopping in and out of the car.

I look at Raven in her costume and I realise that she is still a kid. It tugs at my heart knowing that in a few years’ time, that won’t be the case anymore. She’ll be all grown up and Halloween will hit differently then.

Life’s bittersweet trick or treat for parents and grandparents alike.

*Raven at 10 years old