TRYING MY PATIENCE!

Dodge is killing me with its By-Laws!

In the summer I got hit with one of these great laws!

Beware of the weeds and grasses that are over 3” high…the by-law says “cut or we will cut at YOUR expense”! This was the warning that I got!

Due to my heart problems and kids that were over taxed with my other work they had to do for me…it kept getting put off. The day the warning hit, PoD and I closed shop and spent the day making my place live able [town standards]. That cost me a day! Then to rub more salt in the wound I got to watch the weeds grow across the street from me! Where was their warning!

I didn’t even see anyone hired from the town doing it for them! They never did clean it up!

GRRRRR

Next problem…

I WAS an avid recycle-your-garbage-kind-of-person but not anymore! I still recycle the massive amount of paper that I go through but anything else…I do it if I feel like it!

Why you ask?

I have to thank the imaginative town person who thought it would be fun to climb metal steps [slippery when wet] while holding a large bag of stuff [filled to over flowing…can’t waste a bag] and then try to maneuver the stuff into a “Mail Slot” [5”x 24”] without dropping the crap down the gaping hole right below the slippery steps [that your balancing on]! Then add some more fun with your grand kids helping and then you have to keep an eye on them too!

GRRRRR

Now its winter!

Town By-Law states that I have to keep my sidewalks clear because it’s the downtown by-law! Also we are asked NOT to shovel the snow out onto the road way…guess it makes it too hard for the Grader! I have a driveway on one side and on the other side I have an alleyway. I can’t shove snow into either areas…but I still have to make it disappear!

I have heart problems!

I should not be shoveling snow but I like to for the work out…so I take care!

I started early this morning [6:30 am] while the snow was still light, fluffy and no foot prints [makes it harder].

I even made it disappear without shoveling it out into the streets! I was quite proud of the effort and my heart felt good!

Then the Town Tractor came out [7:30 am] and proceeded to remove the snow from downtown and place it in a working lot.

That wasn’t my problem…mine was the removal of snow in front of my place!

Where is the By-Law that states that they can’t push the snow from the streets onto the sidewalk!

My NICE AND CLEAN sidewalk!

My customer’s [few that I have] had to climb over a snow mound to get to my step and then brought all that snow into my place! I waited to see it they would clear some of it but NO…I had to go out and shovel it off myself!

This made my heart pound!

This snow was packed by the tractor tires!

So much for the hour that I spent shoveling this morning!

I hope the Grader Guy can read lips!

Thankfully I have a real nice neighbor that owns a Bobcat…because he finished for me!

GRRRRR

Hit me with another by-law and they will feel the "Wrath of QoH"!

THE WIERDNESS IN MY LIFE –no I’m not crazy…I think?

One of the many stories that will make you say….what?

My Premonitions:

The first one that I remember is the death of my Mother when I was 10!

She was to have a heart operation and was to be admitted the morning that she died.

She had arranged for us kids to be looked after while she was to be in there. I was not aware at the time of why she was going into the hospital…just that she had to be in there and that she was real tired. My biggest anger at the time was that my brothers got to sleep out in a tent at the neighbor’s house while my sister and I had to stay at our grand parent's place.

I’ve always hated it there and I was not happy about it and would have rather stayed with my brothers. Top it all off we had to sleep in their creepy basement!

Yes, I had a nightmare, but it wasn’t about the creepy basement, it was about my mom dying!

I’m not too clear on details but the whole time of the dream she was dying and I could hear someone crying! I awoke in the morning with a feeling of dread and even mentioned the dream to my grandmother. She brushed it aside saying that I was worrying about the operation and that all was well. I didn’t know about any operation…I thought my mom was going there for a rest because she was tired!

Shortly after that the phone rang…it was my dad! I remember seeing my grandmother’s face go all white and she looked at me with this weird look.

We rushed over to our house and I was the first one out of the car and into the house before anyone could move.

I’ll never forget what I saw…my dad crying and kneeling beside my mom who was lying on their bed. She looked like she was asleep but I knew without being told that she was dead!

My nightmare had come true!

My grandmother never looked at me the same after that and I felt that I made her uncomfortable!

Things were never the same for me after that!

Stay tuned for my next segment of the “Weirdness of QoH”

THE WIERDNESS IN MY LIFE –no I’m not crazy…I think?

One of the many stories that will make you say….what?

My Cat:

The first cat I remember was the one my step-mom allowed to live in our house. I was a teenager at the time [living in “Edmonchuck”] and this cat slept with me and even had her kittens on my bed [my delight…step-mom’s horror]. She was all black and her main trait being that she was part Siamese. She was obviously not a pure breed but she had all of their markings. From the top of her head to the crook in her tail…she was a Siamese cat that was all black! Normally Siamese cats have bad tempers and rule their world with their evil attitudes [I think Wilma’s cat is part Siamese inside!] but this cat didn’t. She was nice to all but real nosy and would get herself into problems…that eventually did her in. She was good at being a comfort to those whom she loved and one of them was my younger sister “Buttons”. If she wasn’t with me she was with my sister! She did a lot of comforting! We also had a dog that would sleep with the cat and would try to help nurse her kittens. Between the both of them we had lots of kittens and puppies and both helped each other nurse the others. It was real cute!

Time went by and I moved to Ogopogo Lake where my “partner-in-crime” came home one night with a cute little BLACK kitten. She was part Siamese! I wasn’t there to pick her out but my partner said that she was very attached to the dog who was mothering her at the time and even the dog didn’t want to let her go! Strange as it may sound to you this cat reminded me so much of my first cat that it was spooky…which her name became! I called her that even before I felt that way about her! She had all of my first cat’s traits! She even looked like her! This cat stayed with us as we moved from place to place and through it all she was always a comfort to me and the kids when we were sick or upset. She lived with us for 18 years and it was one of the hardest things to do was to watch her die. Stupid me was against putting her down and wanted her to go naturally. Never again…nature is too cruel! It took her along time to die…I promised her then to do better by her if she same back to us…and far as I’m concerned…she did!

The day my granddaughter was born so was my cat [that I still have]! I had phoned “Buttons” to tell her of my granddaughter’s birth and she informed me that her Siamese cat had just given birth also! I found this to be a strange comment until later when I saw the kittens.

My son and I were returning from a family reunion and planned on stopping at my sister’s farm, on the way back, for the excess produce that she had for us. She was down in her garden getting the stuff when we saw two little Siamese kittens heading for her. One stopped, looked at us and started towards us, the other one, we must have scared because it ran away and hid! My son picked up the kitten and she settled herself into him like she knew him! This amazed my sister as she was the only one that could hold either of them. She asked me what produce I wanted and I told her that I wanted the two kittens! She was over run with cats so that wasn’t a problem with her. So we came home with two Siamese kittens. I figured there would be problems traveling two hrs with farm cats but both slept on my son’s lap all of the way home. Buttons had called them “Eanie” and “Meanie”! We kept “Eanie” as “Meanie” was aptly named! My neighbor took “Meanie” and they called her “Cruella DeVille”!

From the moment “Eanie” entered the house she acted like she was home! When she was put down she headed straight for the basement where the other litter box had been kept and meowed like she had to go! She was an outside cat so she should have not known about litter boxes! It had been 2 yrs since we had a cat in the house [I never wanted one after “Spooky” died] so there couldn’t have been a lingering smell and if there was how could she have smelled it from another floor. The other kitten just searched around in the immediate area for somewhere to go and did!

This kitten did everything that “Spooky” did and reminded me so much of her that I called her “Suki”! close enough sounding to spooky which she was!

She is 9 right now and I hope she lives as long as she did before…I firmly believe that she’s a re-incarnated creature!

She always knows when I’m ill! When I was having heart problems she would sit on my chest right where my heart is and purr real loud. This would calm me and the pain would ease up! She hates when I cough but sticks it out until I’m better.

She’s also a very social cat and needs to know everything that goes on. I won’t be able to trust her outside as she’s too nosy and would get into everything!

I have two cats.

They are both different in personality!

The other one should have been called “Thunder” instead of “Thumber”! “Thumber” is also a “fraidy cat”. I believe it’s her nature! She’s a “Polydactyl Main Coon Cat”…she has 6 toes on all 4 paws. She is a big cat! She’s also “Suki’s” great great grand daughter! Both cats are “Heinz 57’s” but look like they are pure breeds.

“Main Coon Cats” have distinct characteristics: tails as long as their back [usually fuzzy like a raccoon], their hind legs are longer than the front legs, they have tuffs of hair between their toes and in their ears and are usually a one man’s cat. You have to bond with them when they are kittens! These cats were built for use on ships…their many toes made their paws like hands and they can climb skinny poles [masts].

But she could care less if I was sick…she’s just not interested! She has her cuddle moments but that’s all! As for being ”Thunder”…that’s how she runs…very heavy for a cat!

And NO I don’t think she is re-incarnated!

And talking about amazing cats…there is “Maxie”!

I firmly believe “Maxie” saved PoD’s and JD’s life! So I will be “Maxie’s” defender [no matter what he does] for ever!!

This is a story for PoD to relate…if she ever Blogs again!

Orbing out QoH

Sorry I haven't been on the site...I've been sick with a head cold.

Must of picked up the bug at festival...seeing as I was feeling so run down from the haunt. I guess it was just a matter of time!

Been pretty busy trying to catch up with back orders. PoD and I managed to get quite a few completed. One thing with being late...customers pick up their stuff right away...maybe I'll get paid sooner!

Designing right now is difficult with my head feeling like I'm still wearing a hat from festival! Thoughts are running around in thick fog, my nose is sore from blowing it and I'm tired of sounding like a fog horn. Customers think I'm a guy when I answer the phone!

Yesterday I quit trying to work [10:30 am...up at 5:00] and had to lay down...I was so dizzy! A lot of the orders had to have borders put on them and the rapid eye movement made me feel ill. PoD wasn't feeling up to snuff either and she made it til 2:00. So we closed shop for the rest of the day!

That didn't keep the phone from ringing! It wouldn't have been so bad if it was work related but all of them were soliciting!

Signs stop them at the door [sometimes] but not by phone. Yes I have an answering machine...but it doesn't stop the phone from ringing! Getting any solid sleep was out of the question! It was a day from hell!

Yesterday PoD had to contend with a "religious" person pushing their religion!
I sure wished that it had been me that she had to deal with instead of PoD. Pod was brought up to respect her elders and the one that was sent to "save" us was OLD!

She couldn't believe it! Now they're making the old ones go door to door! We've seen them use their children as ploys but now their elders aren't safe either...or maybe she's got some repenting to do...who knows!

Me and religion have issues! If you ever want to have a good discussion on religion...I'm ready!

If I have to nail any belief down I would classify myself as neo-pagan!

No written book!

Maybe it's part of my native heritage [stony Cree & Eskimo] that guides me...who knows?

My life has changed for the "weirder" [if that's such a word] since I've moved to Dodge [2002] and I will be relating how later.

Rapid eye movement is killing me again!

Got to Orb out...QoH

Oops....Sorry "Trail Boss"...I forgot that I'm still doing volunteer stuff...Dodge's Nature Trail! My calendar told me that I've a meeting to go to on Wed. Meetings once a month is no great sweat and I can't let that other super person down by not attending. It's not like we have to go out and pull weeds right now...it's blizzarding out as I type! See you there...Trail Boss!

Yeah!!!!

It's finally over!

No I'm not talking about Halloween...or the haunt...it's my other volunteer work that I do that finishes out the year.

One-Act Festival!

During the haunt time PoD and I were also involved with community theater. She was acting/back stage helper and I was set designer/builder/stage manager/prompter. This play was written by 3 of our troup and so it was more important to all of us to see that it succeeded!

This year it was being held in Slow Stream, Nov. 10-12.

I was really looking forward to the time there as the hotel/motel has a pool and hot tub!

I took full advantage of any time that I had to spend time in that tub!

PoD and I motored down to Slow Stream with Wilma in her "Rocket" vehicle.

Wilma really knows how to "Rocket" around in that thing and the haunt frights don't compare to the ride through "Slow Stream" to get to the plays in time!

Generally, the first ride to the place where the performances are being held, I keep my eyes open to make sure that I know how to get back...as I am usually the designated driver!

Not this time! If we were going to crash I didn't want to see it coming!

Being late wasn't a fault of ours as we were promised a shuttle bus from the hotel to the performances! As usual it was the excuse of they thought someone was handling it and it wasn't. That happened a lot that weekend!

We got there in plenty of time and we saw some good and bad plays! I judge plays by whether I stay awake or not! I did some dozing this weekend!

All of these festivals had themes and this years was "Hats of to the Theater". After the performances they have a green room, that is also open to the public to attend, where all the performers/crews relax and have fun. This is the part I like the most...because we usually dance and I LOVE dancing! In this green room every night it has a theme. Thursday...cowpoke hat, Friday...fancy hat and Saturday...crazy hat.

I'm not too crazy about western wear and my cowboy hat had a hatband consisting of purple and black feather boas with the tails extending down my back...just had to make it not look too much like a cowboy hat! Saturday I gussied up a black top hat with a red bead shawl and same feather boas. Sunday was a crazy cap hat with a stuffed spider on top...this of course was sitting on the purple boa with tails. It was really wild to see all of the creations! Of the crazy hats I liked all of the blinking ones!

Pod and I were fortunate to get some shopping/swimming time in where as poor Wilma still had to spend some boring time with meetings [subbed for our groups rep] and had to miss out again on relax or fun time!

Not fair to Wilma...she is definitely tired of organizing our troup!

I am an Indian and not a "Chief"...so I will not be putting my hand up for that position. So seeing as no one else is...this group might end! Sorry to see that happen but OTHERS have to step up to the plate and be counted!

I worried a lot about the tree that I had made for this play and hoped that it would still be okay after the exposure to the elements while it waited for play time. It was fine! A little on the soft side but not too bad...it still stood! A few broken branches but other wise it was okay!

Our rehearsal went well and we we set!

PoD said that she wasn't nervous and that was great as I would be up chucking by now! As it was I was the nervous one!

The haunt took a lot of my mental time and the brain was tired! I spent a vast amount of time worrying that I wasn't quite prepared! Thanks to "Funny Guy" [Betty's hubby], who should have had the title Stage Manager instead of me, all of props were where they belonged! Thanks GUY! Your the greatest!

Final Results:

Honorable Mention for Stage Production [stage manager, set design/layout, lights, sound, costume/make-up]
Honorable Mention for Director
Honorable Mention for Best Actor [Funny Guy]
Runner Up [2nd] for Best Play

I say we did GOOD!

The weather was okay although the wind was quite nippy at times while we were there. The highway that runs past the hotel had an accident on it Friday morning. PoD and I had just missed seeing happen. It made me worry about the others from our group that had yet to come. All was well!

Trip home was un eventful!

GOOD TO BE HOME!

Orbing out QoH

Part Eight: Nov. 1…Take Down Night

Wilma emailed “All” that this was the night to come out and help remove the haunt! All that had to be done was the upstairs courtroom and the dressing/rest room!

Thankfully PoD and I had done the basement Monday because all that showed up was Wilma [as usual] and “Badge” [who had to drive 17 miles to get town]! THANKS GUYS!!?

So with only PoD, the Minions “AJ” & “JD”, Wilma, Badge and me…we removed the “haunt” from the rooms and packed all vehicles with the stuff that had to go to my place. Badge and PoD handled the huge trees down the long flight of stairs and into the cold night. Two trucks and one van were loaded to the maximum and we were even lucky to have room for ourselves!

Wilma vacuumed the whole courtroom [back breaking job] and we replaced the tables, chairs and coffee trolley when she was done.

The Minions had the task of taking the Indian Crosses and other crosses to the basement for storage in the Custodial Quarters. PoD, Badge and me, took the potted bushes to the storage area. This meant climbing back up to the upper floor [30 steps] multiply this by 4 add heat and it’s a great workout! I decided to brave the Quarters alone, staying to put the bushes in an area where they won’t be in the way too much.

During the haunt it wasn’t creepy down there but being down there alone after it was over…it became creepy again!

I was sure happy to be finished with the basement!

At the ending on Saturday night, I was walking down the upper hallway when the ladies toilet flushed [it is NOT an automatic flushing toilet] as I approached the room. Expecting someone to be in there [the door was open] I called out warning of my approach. Looking in I found the room empty! I’ve heard the toilets flushing before in the building but not right in front of me!

We finally left the building, locking it and made a convoy of three vehicles to my place…PoD and I bringing up the rear to pick up anything that might’ve fell off!

Making a line we quickly unloaded my crap and I waved farewell to my crew as they drove out of sight…wishing all a pleasant goodnight!

I carried all my crap to the back building and there it will sit until I need something out of it!

Final thoughts on the Haunt:

DEFINITELY NOT DOING IT EVER AGAIN IN THE COURT HOUSE BY OURSELVES!!!

Not sure if better advertising would have helped.

Would suggest doing in the summer when the heat is not on and it doesn’t have to be Halloween related.

That’s all for now on the haunt! Sorry it took so long but I do have another life!

Thanks all of you [5] for hanging in there!

Orbing out QoH

Part Seven:

We were able to finish up early and we had to remove the stuff that was exposed to the public so that the town could open for business the next morning.

While we were doing this Wilma presented Pod and me with a present from the workers for all the hard work that we had done…orange ”Crying Towels”!

I had mentioned earlier, in a blog, that I needed a “Crying Towel” for all the whining that I was doing. Mine was embroidered with the words “Queen of Halloween” on it and PoD’s was “Princess of Darkness”.

Thanks Guys!! These towels are HUGE!! I can do lots of crying! I LOVE IT!!

The part PoD and I like the best is…”Take Down”!

“Take Down” means…all can go into boxes and not to worry about putting it away [at home] until later!

The shop is closed to the public on Mondays but we still work that day. I can’t relax until things are done and that part completed…so we spent 3 hrs taking down all that was in “Mine Shaft #1 & #2 and moved what was staying into the “Custodial Quarters”. We left the walls up in this area for whatever the future brings and packed the “Mine Shaft Beams”, wood, tarps and the potted bushes along the walkways inside, leaving room for the town workers to access the electrical panel.

We had to move the “Thin Tree”, stump, fire ring and fake fire to the town’s community hall for the “One-Act Play” that they were starring in. The “Thin Tree” still had to have its branches/leaves attached to their main branches. This involves vines wrapped around coat hanger wire that were embedded into the main branch. Lots off hot glue to hold them there [burnt fingers] and paint to hide the glue. Ta…da….instant tree! Add a couple of altered xmas trees and ta…da…Saskatchewan prairie forest! The play is about camping.

If I haven’t mentioned it before…I am the Set Designer/Builder and Stage Manager [been pretty absent lately and it really should be “Clark’s” second title and me as assistant] for our entry in the One Act Festival being held in Slow Currant this weekend. I am really looking forward to that time [after our part is done that is] and it will be my only holiday for the year.

Part Six:

This was the time for me to build up the hype and make the next crowd afraid to enter…or at least apprehensive!

I like this time!

I have converted many a non-believer into believing or at least wondering about what’s in the courthouse!

All it takes is mentioning the “Paranormal Group” that has filmed the place and that they are trying to get “Dodge” on TV. The show is called “Beyond” and they think that it just might happen!

During all of this time the ghosts have left PoD and me alone! Aside from seeing the ghostly cat chasing its tail and the feeling that you’re being watched…all has been pretty quiet!

During the “haunt” I was able to take some pictures and got some “Orbs” on them. I wasn’t able to take too many photos as the camera has a tendency to quit working while I am operating it. That’s when I usually hand the camera over to PoD and she is able to take the rest. This time she was stuck working the entrance and so I wasn’t able to get any photos at that time! What I did get showed that the “Orbs” weren’t too plentiful and that there were not as many as there were in past years!

Not sure why?

When the paranormal group is here they find that they have camera problems also and that it’s not just me! We’ve had a camera shut it’s self off during a séance and then find out that nothing is wrong with it and that it works just fine. This happened right after PoD felt something blowing on her hand!

I was able to get a few shots of “moving” Orbs and PoD captured some strange orange “things/shapes” in the courtroom! I will be posting photos when I’m able to figure out how to do it! Stay tuned for edits to this part of the blog!

Part Five:

Sunday: snowing lightly and still not too cold.

106 go through haunt…worst ever turn out! Re-confirming my choice in not doing this again!

I spent most of my day trying to catch up on my designing work that has to be done in order that I may continue with my crazy life. While I worked I was running last night’s events and some of the victim’s comments as they went through the dark, through my mind. A lot had come a second time and were going to be coming back again tonight. That’s when I had the brilliant idea to change up the pathway of the haunt in the courtroom!

I was a good idea and it worked out real well…but we should have started it earlier and we ran out of time.

I’ve been doing art work on PoD’s arms [her idea] every night with permanent felt pens and it looked like they were tattooed on. She’s been getting quite a few comments on how good and how realistic that it looked! Every night she’s had to scrub if off [so it wouldn’t get all over her sheets] so her skin was getting pretty sore. Thankfully the design was still legible and I was able to zap in on in record time!

Don’t know why I rushed! Our beginning rush lasted all of 15 minutes…then just became stragglers! I guess we were so desperate for “Victims” that they started letting in underage kids.

One Mother came with her pre-school daughter and used her as a poking stick and would jab her kid into the scary stuff first, thus protecting herself! She pushed this scared kid right into me, actually hitting me in the stomach with her, then pushed this kid in front of her while they continued through the haunt! Can we say what…? I definitely gave her a piece of my mind…but it didn't change anything as she continued with the kid held tight in front of her?

Another great parent, this time a Dad, showed up with 3 girls [10, 11 & 12] to go through. All was fine for about 1 minute into the haunt when the girls became scared! So scared that they were all crying and the girls DID NOT want to continue! They had just finished one area, the courtroom and had 3 more areas to go through... scarier than what they just went through! This was at the basement door and all they wanted to do was just to exit there and NOT continue! Dad had other ideas and was trying to force them to continue…you know…suck it up!

My decision was final…the girls got to go back into the lit area [front foyer] and DAD had to continue through the haunt by HIMSELF! I had to take the girls back to the foyer so I was unable to see how he did…I just hope he was scared himself! I know I would not want to do the walk alone!

I wasn’t able to visit much with the workers during break time as the admission table was still letting in stragglers and they had to be babysat while waiting for the haunt to start. PoD needed this time to have her smoke and have her break from the crowd [what crowd ?] and all of their questions.

Part Four:

Saturday: another nice night, a little colder, with no snow.

176 go through haunt! More dismal turnout!

My brother “Tank” [a childhood nickname], my sister-in-law “Sew Lady”, great nephew “Evil Boy” [16] and great niece “Bad Fairy” [14] arrived from Devon, AB to help us in the haunt. They were amazed to see that we had no snow [from the border to here] as they came from a lot. And yes…they brought it with them, although it wasn’t until late evening when it finally arrived!

They were anxious to see the building that I had been talking about and we went to view it first. They wanted to make the walk-through in the day light as my sister-in-law doesn’t like scary stuff.

That evening their jobs were:

“Tank & Evil Boy” to man the Mine Shaft #1…the “White Spider Lair”:

In this place my brother manned the “White Spider”.

This was a huge 3’ x 3’spider that I had made to sit on a skateboard. The operator sat on a chair and ran the spider back and forth with his foot pushing the skateboard. The area was dimly lit by red LED lights and the “Victims” could only see the spider. If they saw the operator, all they would see was a person dressed to look like a dummy with a scary mask. “Tank” also had a few other areas that he could scare from and he even sounded like a snake at times…which I heard later from some victim that she thought it was special sound effect that made her worry that a snake would drop down and scare her…thanks “Tank” for the extra scares!

“Evil Boy” was another one of those “Evil Midgets” that scared quite a few “Victims”! He helped his grandfather in the Spider Mine and helped scare at the entrance and down the “Mine Shaft #2. The “Evil Minions, AJ & JD, were unable to be there that night so he took over their jobs. He wore all black with a glow-in-the-dark mask and held a big plastic machete. He popped out from all places and he added his own screams along with theirs. Thanks “Evil Boy” for a job well done!

“Sew Lady” was stairwell guard #1 and who also provided the haunt workers with 3 different types of yummy chicken wings and a really sweet dessert. All enjoyed the food…thanks “Sew Lady”!

When she came she had planned on not working the haunt and wanted just to be cook/bottle washer. We have no kitchen and our resting/dressing room was in the Judge’s Chambers and they were right next to the start of the haunt so….I talked her into being the stairwell security and it was a better lit area. We had to have the lights off in the Judge’s Chamber because it would shine under the door and would be seen by the victims going through the courtroom.

She scared quite a few people and even gave PoD a good startle when she wasn’t expecting her to be there! Thanks “Sew Lady” for the goodies and good job scarring all…hope you enjoyed it!

“Bad Fairy” was the main floor security and she sat in a basket type chair. She was so tiny and the wings that she wore made her look like a big phony bat until you got closer. Then you saw that it had long black hair that covered its face…real creepy…kind of like “Samara” off of the movie “The Ring”! Sometimes she moved and sometimes not…she sure made a lot scream! Thanks “Bad Fairy” for being so creepy!

A BIG THANK YOU to my family for coming all that way to help in our last production! Thanks guys!

A REAL BIG THANK YOU TO WILMA!

Not only did she help with the décor…she was the one who was instrumental in getting us “Workers” to work the haunt and I heard that she could be very persuasive! We would have all died of thirst if it wasn’t for her remembering to bring water, ice and we even had food/goodies! Thanks girl…you’re the greatest!

So all ran smoothly and we were out of there by 11:00 pm.

I did notice that the courthouse was starting to cool off and wasn’t so hot anymore.

Part Three: Mine Shaft #3

When the plastic wall was thrown back at the doorway of “Mine Shaft #3 you were greeted by another security guard who bid you welcome and to enter into this new area.

“Mine Shaft #3” was made to cover all of your fears! Dark with little lighting…hallways that are tight and confining…a “Maze” that had dead ends…filled with scary people!

This is what they had to go through…

From the entrance you had to make a right and go down a long tight hallway [normal size hallway divided in half] to a dim gold flashing light. This got you to the back bedroom [where someone was supposed to have hung himself] and you found yourself in a room that was a “Jail Cell”. The bars of the cell were covered in webs/spiders and a bed helped make the corner of the cell. The victims had to go left into the open cell area and cross the room to get out. This meant walking in front of the chair in the corner. A “Prisoner” dummy had 3 places to be in to distract the “Victim” while his “live” roommate would scare them! These guys spent all day Saturday thinking of ways to make the “Dummy” move and they were FANTASTIC…thanks guys!

After making through that scare you exited the same doorway and went back down that same hallway…but on the other side. This led you to the next 2 doorways which had someone standing [or not] waiting to scare you and then follow you down the hallway. This really bothered some people…having a creature following them! This created the distraction of the next area which was dimly lit by blue lights.

Coming out of this narrow hallway, on their right, the victim was met by another “Prisoner” dummy sitting in the “Electric Chair”. I sat in this position very often and would act “Electrocuted” when they walked by. This would distract them and they would be off guard for the “Mad Creature” crawling out from the hiding spaces we created. The screaming and dancing was hilarious! The “Mad Creature” had to be real careful about the “kicking out reaction” the victims did as he flung aside the tarp that housed him. He would also follow them and force them to enter the next tight area…the “Maze”.

This was a dark walk that had a dim blue light that the victim could walk forward to. They had to traverse a couple of dark turns until they came into a semi-lit area that had a “Monster” standing in the corner [dead end] as you came around. This scared many as their view was obstructed by hanging strips of plastic.

Entering this spot they had to go to the left to exit…only to find that they entered into a dead end. A “Live” person was usually standing there! I was scared myself when I tried using this spot sometimes and found someone already standing there!

This happened to me more than I’d like it to happen....as I don’t like being scared either!

The real exit was hidden by the other opening and this always caused some confusion! All found it eventually…mostly in a panic!

The “Victims” exited down a long tight dark hallway where they were scared again by the “Mad Creature” who made them hurry out of there! At the doorway they were met again by the security guard and told to exit down the long hallway to get out. This was semi lit at the end and partially covered by plastic that kept others from entering that way.

As they left the hallway they were scared again by someone standing there to tell them that their nightmare was over and to leave the building.

Ascending the stairs they were met by security to make sure they left and to confiscate any stolen souvenirs…which did happen!

That’s how the “Haunt” worked each night! The only difference being new workers meant new scares!

Dodge is a hockey town!

Tonight was their first exhibition game and could have been part of the reason of the poor turn out!

What it did give us was...Drunks!
During the games half time, the drunks decided to go to the Haunt instead of seeing the rest of the boring game!

NOTE: BAN DRUNKS FROM THE HAUNT!

You can’t scare drunks!

Everything to them at that moment is funny…or they can get REAL NASTY!

They fall down and can pull down the walls in their drunkenness! The group that went through tonight…one of the guys fell and a retractable blade knife fell out of his pocket onto the floor. His main concern was finding that knife so he would have his “protection” with him?

I never thought that I’d have to worry about removing weapons at the door!!

REAL SCARY!!

There wasn’t too much gathering time after it was over, as all were anxious to get out of the heat and get home to bed and dream of the next day’s haunt!

Part Two: The Lost Coal Mine

The whole basement area was made to be like a coal mine and it was the darkest and scariest of the whole haunt! Many did not want to continue!

The “Victims” were met by another security guard who directed them into “Mineshaft #1 [old Dentist’s office].This one was infested with spiders and LOTS of webbing!

They would enter the mine shaft area and the door would close behind them with a bang! Blue light lit the first area and you have to walk bent to avoid the icky webs. Turning right you came to an open area where the BIG WHITE SPIDER lived and it would rush forward looking like it was going to attack your legs!

This caused a LOT of “dancing and screaming” from the victims!

After “dancing” some, you made a left through another doorway into the next room and another right down a short cob webbed shaft, then left and left again into another partition where you saw “Spiderman” stuck on a big cobweb. This was a dead end here and you have to backup and go right down another webbed shaft. At the end of this shaft hung a life size cocoon which semi-blocked the pathway. It was very hard for some people to go forward and go around this object but all did not want to go back the way they came.

The night that my brother worked the haunt he said that he had to finally reach out, exposing his just his arm, to move it aside so that they would continue. This made them scream even louder. He also said that by the end of the evening he was getting deafer and deafer from all of the screaming!

This part ended that section and the “Victims” next part was the long hallway leading to the Custodial Quarters [“Mine Shaft #3]. This hallway I called “Mine Shaft #2”.

PoD and I divided the hallway into 2 sections. The left side was wider and was littered with black mounds that were supposed to represent big rocks. Victims wound their way down the dark hallway with only a faint red glow, at the far end, to barely show the way. They had to go around these “rocks” and a sometimes there would be a surprise waiting for them! At the end of this hallway we made it look like it dead ended and they became confused and figured that they had to go back. That’s when the security guard to “Mineshaft #3” would throw open the plastic wall, scarring them, and bid them to enter!

This is where the Minions, AJ & JD, did their scares.

They were FANTASTIC!

I thought I knew all there was to scare!

That’s when I found out that some people are afraid of Midgets! [?]

I overheard some saying that they were afraid of all of the small creatures and hoped that they were children and not Midgets [?]. Can you say what…?

We had 4 kids working the haunt. My grandchildren, great niece and nephew! All are “Haunters-in-Training”! In my family, my brother and I are the only Halloween nuts and go all out in décor and doing yard haunts. So our children have to live through this and in the end become “Haunter’s” themselves [hopefully]…thus “Haunters-in-Training”.

These kids did great! I sure wished I’d had their energy!

I showed the kids what to do and told them to do whatever they could to get a scare without touching anyone and to watch out for the “hit” area. This is the area that scared people strike out automatically! They flail their arms and even kick out…it can be very challenging to avoid them when they do. I was hit 6 times during the haunt ]never very good at dodging]! Neither of the kids got hit at all! Their speed and agility was definitely better than mine. Both kids, the nights that they “haunted”, were well looked after by “Funny Lady”, who wore cool make-up and costume, and she made sure no one got hurt….thanks “Funny Lady”! Her partner “Conman” kept telling everyone to watch out for the “Evil Midgets” in the Mine Shaft. Great Job “Conman”…got everyone worried about midgets…LOL!

Happy Halloween! 357 days left til Halloween! 12 days after the Haunt!

That’s how long it’s taken me to recover and want to blog about it!

For all my wonderful faithful fans [all 5 of you] thank you for your patience!

FINALLY IT’S OVER!! The Haunt… and the take down!

Very dismal turn out for the haunt!

Total scared is 467!

For those of you out there wanting to make a haunt, here’s a layout of how it went, then decide for yourself if it would be worth it or not!

Part One:

Friday: A nice night and no snow!

There were 185 victims that went through the haunt and screams were heard everywhere throughout the building!

I worried a lot about the line-up problems that never happened!

The “Victims” that did come can’t complain about the long wait in line!

Although, seeing people excited and rushing just to see my ideas and having them, wanting us to scare them, was very gratifying for me anyways!

I love all that came to experience my creation… no matter what the count!

I KNOW they had fun…I sure did!

Wilma and I womanned [manned] the front door admission table and we started the hype build as they were about to enter!

With program in hand, they mounted the dimly lit staircase, leading up to the started of the haunt.

There they were met by PoD and the Minions, AJ & JD.

PoD controlled the pace of the haunt by using the Prairieland Player’s walkie-talkies. She was able to keep in contact with the other security areas and with all the screaming going on found it hard to hear a lot. She had this position every night and all ran smoothly

Great job PoD!!

All “Victims” were asked to sign the guest book and were told how the haunt worked and reminded of the rules/warnings before they entered.

There were pictures hung on the display screen for them to view, with the help of a lantern, that showed our evidence of “something” in the courthouse and in the rooms they were about to enter.

More hype building!

The upstairs woman’s washroom’s light switch was taped in the “off” position and anyone needing to use the facility had to use a kid’s cheap lantern to light their way. The longer the lantern stayed on, the dimmer the light got…very effective! We also only had a unisex bathroom as the men’s room was out of order.

We had the heat shut off and some windows open but it was still hot in there and as the evening lengthened it got hotter…must have been all the bodies together?

The Victims entered the haunt and had to traverse a dark 15’long tunnel I called the “Time Warp Tunnel”. This was filled with hanging bats and plastic strips. Then they emerged into a dark spooky forest atmosphere, filled with creepy Indian forms, Crosses, an Indian scaffold, “Creepy Hollow:”, “Creepy Stump”, Mounds and a “Tent Town” Tent.

All had lots and lots of cob webbing!

This room was very dimly lit and they had to follow a path that was outlined with glow-in-the-dark pebbles. When we took our break we would have to put the main lights on and re-charge the pebbles. The “victims” were so busy looking down that they were able to be caught off guard and were easy to scare.

Finishing the walk through with a climb up, then down [the Judge’s bench], then out the courtroom door, the “Victims” were then met by the stairwell guard #1. Who would pop out from the Judge’s Chamber hallway, scaring them and would point the way down to the next level.

There they were scared again by the main floor stairwell guard who directed them to go down to the basement haunt. Which we called the “Lost Coal Mine”