Pay-Wall Free Article on Halloween from the NY Times

Yarilo concert at Orpheum Annex 31 October 

This 83-year old has been learns stuff every day because of a long gone friend, Mark Budgen. Over 28 years ago I used to buy the NYTimes every once in a while at a store on Granville and Broadway. Budgen told me, “You know you can subscribe to it and that the Globe and Mail will deliver it to your door?”

That began and adventure into learning that I shared with my Rosemary with breakfast in bed until she died five years ago. Now I have an almost lonely breakfast in bed (not quite lonely as I have the company of my cats Niño and Niña).

While my yearly subscription is somewhere near $1700, there is one singular prize to being daily subscribed. Every month I am able to send up to 10 gift pay-wall free links. Unfortunately I cannot put these links into social media but I can email, WhatsApp and Messenger them. One link in one email I can send to as many people I want.

Today’s NYTimes had a lovely two-page on a Halloween themed show at the Metropolitan. As I looked at the illustrations, my idea of what Halloween means to me ran through my mind. Most involve noisy door knocks which always made me go crazy. Luckily my patient Rosemary was always the one who opened the door and handed out the candy.

Because Rosemary and I lived in Mexico City between 1967 to 1975, my memories of El Día de los Muertos are much more pleasant. I miss the pan de muertos that were sold in all bakeries. For years I tried (successfully) to take photographs of my two granddaughters in gruesome death situations with that Mexican theme.

This Halloween I have decided to not be home. I am attending a Yarilo concert at the Orpheum Annex.