As your boils and ghouls carve your jack-o-lanterns this week, heres a little Penny story to keep you warm at night...and perhaps keep you up at night.

I have read that jack-o-lanterns were originally used to ward off wandering spirits.  The pumpkins at the doorsteps  scared spirits away from the house.  I've never heard a modern claim to the jack-o-lantern's power, but after what we experienced one autumn, I have to say there must be something to it.

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In keeping with the Halloween tradition, we carved a jack-o-lantern and placed it in our den window.  When Dad awoke the next morning, the pumpkin was rotated so that it faced inward.  Dad just turned the pumpkin back and went about his business.  He was curious about it, but didn't say anything to us.

That night Dad went to bed later than the rest of us.  Before going to bed, though, he checked on the pumpkin, which was still in the proper position.  However, when Dad woke up the next morning, the jack-o-lantern was again facing inward. 

Dad was even more curious, but was still slightly dismissive.  He rotated the jack-o-lantern back into place and again said nothing to anyone.  Dad again made sure he was the last  one in bed and that the jack-o-lantern was facing outward again.

Dad awoke the third morning to find the jack-o-lantern had been moved to the other side of the room during the night.  At that point Dad realized that Penny didn't like that pumpkin in that particular window, so we moved it and had no more problems with it.

For what it's worth, Derek always said he believed Penny lived in our room but wandered the property at night.  He always felt that Penny left the house through the den (opposite corner of the house from our bedroom).  If this was indeed true, then perhaps the jack-o-lantern in the den window did offend Penny.