Closing in on Normal

Things are pretty close to a form of normal over here at the Dunne-Hosey Estates on Norwood Avenue. Almost all tree limbs and branches have been cleaned up from the front, back and side yards and piled in front of the house, the basement is dry, our house and cars are undamaged, my mother, Sheila, is back home in Depew after spending Saturday through early Tuesday night here (she had lost power but has everything back now) and Val has finally received her IVIG treatment.
But one of the other signs that things are not as bad as they were is one of the touches that makes our part of the Elmwood Village a true neighborhood. Tony, the retiree who lives across the street from us with his wife and one of his daughters, is one of the nicest and friendliest persons on our block, and someone who enjoys and celebrates all holidays. He had started to put up his Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations when the freak storm hit last Thursday.
With his side of the street out of power for several days (we luckily never lost power) and the street lights on our lawn right-of-way and on that of the house on a diagonal across Norwood out since early Friday, things have been very dark. But as I walked from the kitchen to the living room a few hours ago, I noticed the large, orange pumpkin and ghost on Tony's porch and the Pilgrim family, turkey and another ghost on his fence illuminated by a light.
Some people may find this a bit unnecessary, especially those either still without power or those who lost it for several days, but Tony has no mean bones in his body, and does it for the joy he brings all of us in the neighborhood, especially the children who drag their parents onto his porch and lawn to look at the displays.
Now, if I could just get a haircut and lose the extra gray hair ...