Sunday, October 31, 2010

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!






Thumber keeping watch...decorations don't faze her.

She plays with NONE of it! Weird cat! Great because I can use anything, dangle it and have lots...she shows no interest and all are untouched!

This is what the office sort of looked like in the beginning...




It changed often because decor turned into costume...photos later on costumes





The usual clutter...





More photos to come...




I lost the battery charger to my camera so I can't take photos until I do. Until then, my Ex had loaned us his camera for the Halloween dances, so I have to wait for him to get the camera from PoD so he can send me the info.




And the fact that I am too F---ing tired to type anymore...






Your going to have to wait like I do!.....



;}






HAPPY HALLOWEEN
TO ALL MY

CAN'T GET RID OF THIS BLACK LINE?


HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

TO ALL MY COMMENTING FANS!





......and you lurkers too

Saturday, October 30, 2010

SHOCKTOBER...

Was the name of the town-south-of-here's haunt.


I told you we [PoD, her daughter AJ, and son, JD] were going Thursday night and I haven't had time to write about it until now.


For people like me who are hard to scare, it was boring, but have to give it 100 percent, for visuals and acting! I wanted to stop and stare at everything and was too distracted by the decor/acting to be scared. Granted, it would have been hard for anyone, really, to scare me...;)!

JD [11] gave it a ho-hum also! He can be scared by some scary shows so it's not that he's immune like me and his mom. It wasn't dark enough to be scary...that would have got him! AJ became a clinger the whole time [to her mom] during their walk thru [we were split] and she would classify it as scary!

So it really depends on what level of scare you can handle. One should never judge the haunt until going thru it!


I think they did a FANTASTIC job for putting it all together by themselves [poor ego...;{]!


A group who held true to their word!

:)


All I did was loan them the stuff [did not make any money off them] to make it and gave them written instructions, they did all the rest!



Best yet...we never had to work it either!



I would have enjoyed it no matter how it was, bad or poor! Scary would have been the plus!

What didn't go so well was MY experience in there!


Did have some problems in it that had to be addressed later to the director of this event. Some safety issues and workers touching and getting in your face!


I have sight and balance issues lately, thus depend on help.

They had a huge amount of leaves to walk through [long walk too] right from the start and those can be sooooo slippery! I might as well have been walking on ice or wet floors! I went with my grandson and he was too excited to hang with his granny [why would I have needed help anyways]...I was being too slow! Plus visibility was great for him...not dark enough. For poor sighted me it became a challenge!


That put me in a not too good of a mood right there!


They had a fantastic doll room! The best was this doll sized person sitting at a little tea table sipping tea. She moved like she was robotic...really cool and quite creepy! Only boring after awhile because that's all that she did. I wanted her to stand up and lunge towards my grandson...that would have scared the crap out of him, maybe even me, if she had done it quick enough!


They had a great distraction down a hallway but again...not dark enough to be scary.

They depended on a lot of jump out and yell boo crap?


They had a gore scene that was like a bad "c" grade movie with "Chainsaw Dude" who got right into my face, trying to get me to move...his breath was creepy tho! That helped :{


Too close...almost touched me!


What might be a mistake was the "Exorcist Room"! Not a good idea to mess with religion in a haunt...unless you WANT to have that type [religious], mean-mouthing you later? That's not my complaint! The room was well done, had great distraction. My complaint was the idiot [dressed like a priest] that jumped out right next to me [she had to have been able to see me] poked me with her book [bible?] and spit in my face as she yelled about hell and damnation?


So far...almost fell, almost hit by chainsaw dude, now being hit [not hard, was a poke] and spit in the face [plus more bad breath]...


Can you imagine my mood at that point...


Next add some strobe lights AND MUD RUTS ON THE FLOOR [kids thought they were rice crispies] to the mood...


Which now is ticked off, dizzy, off balance and wanting to hurl...


NO HARD WALLS TO HANG ON TO...it's semi dark and I can't see or concentrate to navigate further!


NO JD....he's not scared enough to stay close! He knows gramma is a strong person so why should he worry...to him, I'm a pro in the dark!


So it is a befuddled and ticked off me that arrives too late to see what's happened at the next stop [also the ending], which was the cemetery scene!

So I waited for them to repeat their performance.


Remember...they can see me and when I arrived, so all should have known that I wanted to see what it was!


Their "Frankenstein" had decided that I had outstayed my welcome and it was time for me to go! So he shines his flashlight in my eyes, that doesn't move me [I'm busy looking at the scenery and what might happen], so he grabs me with both hands, TIGHTLY and physically turns me away from the scene and gives me a slight push forward!

Doesn't say a word, like "please keep moving or don't hold up the line"...nothing!



Remember my temper gauge...0 to boiling point in .0001 secs


IT'S TRUE!


All I said was....
"REMEMBER...TOUCH NOTHING AND NOTHING WILL TOUCH YOU"...LOUDLY!


He did apologize right away but you know how I feel about apologies! Too late!


The ending was a long walk back to the start not knowing where one was supposed to go.


Directions like..."see the black figure wayyyyyy over there...go that way", to poor sighted me?




How did it go for us, our comments:


PoD..."It was okay"
AJ..."That was scary!"
JD..."Gramma's was better!"
Me..."Hope they learn from their mistakes if they do it again, but "Excellence" for their first try"!

Up next is the Family dance last night...

Thursday, October 28, 2010

ADD HOAR FROST TO HALLOWEEN DECOR...

Wished my camera was of better quality because the hoar frost made the webbing look real cool.and kind of creepy like this morning.

Kind of an eerie orange glow.

This could be my entry to Blue's color thingy...Pumpkin Orange...;}


PoD said she found it to be cool and soft when she touched it.

It felt odd to me.

I love the look of it!



 Speaking of "Orbs"...;}


Notice the big orb on the left side window, by the spider lights [I forgot to blow it up]...


Different shot, but orb in same place but a little higher?

No...it's not dirt on my lens, or it should be in all the shots








Back to the decor thingy...


I like that hoar frost look in the webbing, so I'm going to use that artificial snow stuff to copy that look. Would work good in the indoor haunts.






The hoar frost did in the poor sunflowers who were struggling to live...



It was too sad to take pictures of the poor frozen sweet peas...;(








On the Halloween side...






WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK THE HAUNT TONIGHT!!!!!




YIPEE!




We are FINALLY going to enjoy a haunt put on by someone else!

Will be kind of weird to see all my stuff being used by someone else and how they will utilize it.










IS IT TIME TO GO YET.........:}
ANOTHER SCARY SHOT...
 22 years ago

Who would of thought 2 decorations would lead to what I own today?

Lost the clown suit but still have the glasses and feet, which you will see in my "Mother Nature's" outfit...
The leaves [socks] are the new addition along with PoD doing my toenails...;}

That makes this costume part 22 yrs old!

I crafted them out of 2 foam throw pillows and glue gun... they are still like new!

I store them in a sealed plastic bag when I'm not using them.

My secret to long life with masks and such is keep them in air tight containers! This includes costumes.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR




Man, winter hit like a frozen witch's t--




Stupid saying, but oh. so. true!




We went from summer like conditions to this...
Looks odd with the sunflower trying to get into this wintry picture! Poor sweet peas finally froze! That full moon sure changed this place for the BAD!


The above photo shows how windy it was and it was still snowing too...




So the presence of "Orbs" was nice to see...but where are the others? The other motes?
Notice the difference in shapes and densities...


This is what rain, snow or dust motes looks like...

There are two different orbital shapes near the bottom of the above photo that might be "Orbs" too. They do show differences in densities.

The above shot was taken when the snow/rain first started and all of my other ones where just as bad for catching the rain/snow motes. So it was strange seeing the few orbs when there should have been many?

Anyways....

Tuesday was "Gaming Day" around here! Video type that is!


Not me...can't stand playing them but my kids/grand kids are hooked!


All "gaming" people knew that a new game was hitting the stores yesterday and many had lost sleep [my kids....a 33 & 29 yr old] over it...;{?


And yes we went out in that cold blustery day to buy their copies. Actually, they were "limited" additions and "collector's" items...so I was told...;)

My son said he would have gone even if visibility was next to nil...?


And yes, they were the first ones to get their's...;)


I went along cause I needed cat food and more Halloween treats [mine seem to disappearing]?


Needless to say...it was a quiet day other wise.


I worked!


PoD had worked on her day off, just to cover this event. She was also lucky that her hubby was home to see to the kids...;)

I just shake my head.

Kind of like they do about my decorating obsession...;}




Anyways...




Here's some cute carvings...not done by me [I don't do "real" pumpkins]

ONLY 4 MORE DAYS.....OOOOOOO



Monday, October 25, 2010

MONDAY MUSINGS...


What would I have to bitch about if it weren't for the sticky fingered souls around here....?


Before....


After...

Yup......they just had to have the hat

Must have needed it for their costume...

Hope they like my last name written all over it in black felt pen!
Can't see it in the dark but can in the light...;)



Did screw it down...



Guess I didn't use enough screws



Sing-a-long-with-me...

IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN......

Sunday, October 24, 2010

HOROSCOPES......Good or bad?




When we were at the Paranormal Symposium this year, I picked up this neat book written by Stella Hyde. One must remember that this is HER opinion on what she has interpreted these zodiacs to be...
She does offer a warning on the back...

"Before you buy, look at the title on the cover. What does it say? Darkside. That means you are going to be reading some wince-making stuff about yourself. There are no jolly Brightside platitudes, because there is enough of that kind of thing in the world and every silver lining must have its cloud. You have been warned; anybody who is but a fragile blossom on life's maelstrom had better put the book down now!"


How could I resist...;}





Being a fan of the zodiac I thought I'd like to see the darkside of my symbol [Aquarius] and maybe the others that I know.


I have found that what was in there, about my sign, fits me to a T...sad to say  ;(




I have listed on the left side of my blog, the good parts about me, so you lurkers could have an idea on my personality.




Now let's see if I am brave enough to admit to my darkside...




Firstly, depending on which chart you read, I am supposed to be on the cusp. I am either an Aquarian or Pisces? I chose the Aquarian one because I find it represents me the most.




This is the introductory statement about my sign:


Aquarius is a masculine, fixed Air sign ruled by Uranus. It is the eleventh sign on the zodiac wheel, directly opposite Leo, and is named for the constellation Aquarius [the water carrier], which looks down its nose and takes notes behind the Sun at this time of year.
On the dark side, this makes you a chilly, detached, eccentric loner, with perverse voyeuristic habits and a shard of ice in your heart.




Ain't that a kick in the old ego!




But so F-ing true!




I will agree to all except the " shard of ice in my heart"




Although PoD made comment about the truthfulness of the "ice shard"...which hurt




But do have to admit to her reasoning's....which is, that I don't like to be played the fool. ever!




When wronged, I CAN'T forgive!




It would make it easier to accept their transgressions against me if I felt they were offering sincere apologies. But find that the apologizer usually only does it to ease their conscience, not to make me feel better!


 Don't care for the "perverse voyeurism" part [it reads nasty] but do enjoy people watching and can be quite catty about it?




Again, don't care for the "chilly" part, but do acknowledge that my aloof attitude can be conceived as being such. My aloof look stems from my lack of social skills, shyness and the fact that I have a stuttering problem that has to be controlled at all times. Which are long pauses with me trying to speak...so generally I don't. I try to avoid confrontations unless pushed into it...then watch out!


Guess that makes me "chilly"?



Flip the page and it lists my annoying habits...




Punctuality: "You refuse to follow anyone else's agenda, so never turn up on time, or even on day. People blame it on your legendary but suspect absentmindedness, but you know it's your way of controlling the situation."
I disagree....I hated being late or miss an event!


Toothpaste: "You don't use toothpaste, mostly because you've usually lost the tube [last seen as a bookmark], but clean your teeth at the lab with the hand held sonar gun. They glow a bit in the dark, but it's a good look."
Have to agree...if can't find I would "Ma Giver" something....;}


Temper Gauge: "0 degree to boiling point in .0001 sec. since you don't suffer fools gladly, but like to give people a chance to defend themselves. No red-faced shouting [not logical], just cool insults and deletion of offender from your database."
Dead right on this one!


If that wasn't bad enough I was hit with "personality - aloof, arrogant, alien"


And of course it just had to expound on that subject too...let's just say it was again sadly true?






Ego is now fading badly...



Bitch Rating....A--



Fav Deadly Sin...Sloth because I can be a bit lanquid and maybe Pride...it does explain which again I had to agree...;(




But then flip the page and now I can blame it all on my ruling planet....






Uranus!






Now I know why I suffer from IBS...;{






IT'S ALL MY ANUS'S FAULT!






NOW YOU KNOW WHY I CAN BE SUCH AN ASS!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

FRICKIN MISSED IT!


LAST NIGHT WAS THE FULL MOON!


PoD and I were quibbling over when it was going to be. My calender said tonight...but what did that really mean?


So I checked...


For the northern hemisphere, last night’s moon was the full Hunter’s Moon. In the southern hemisphere, it was the second full moon of spring.
The full moon reached the crest of its full phase today (Saturday, October 23) at 1:36 Universal Time. For the Central Time zone in the U.S., that was 8:36 p.m. yesterday, on Friday, October 22.
Tonight’s moon is past full. It is actually a waning moon. However, no matter where you live worldwide, it will be a full-looking waning gibbous moon – not a full moon – that will be rising over your east-northeast horizon this Saturday evening. As a rule of thumb, the moon rises approximately 50 minutes later daily.
However, it is early autumn in the northern hemisphere now, and at this time of year, that rule is broken for the several nights following the full moon. If you reside far enough north of the equator, in fact, you may even see tonight’s waning moon rising before sunset. At Fairbanks, Alaska, for instance, the waning moon will rise before sunset for the next several days.
Our charts are designed for temperate latitudes in North America. Look at the position of yesterday’s full Hunter’s Moon 24 hours ago. (Look at East on the sky chart.) Now note the waning gibbous moon on today’s chart. After 24 hours, the moon has swung almost sideways (instead of downward), so that is why the waning moon rises sooner after sunset in autumn than at other seasons.
Last night, the full Hunter’s Moon shone all night long last night. However, watch again tonight, as the waning gibbous moon repeats the performance, lighting up the nighttime from dusk until dawn!



Hope you understood that.....;}




Why is it important to me?






I had plans on remaking my broom with this year's bountiful harvest of wheat stalks taken from Superb [where we used to live] land. My other one bit the dust a few years ago and I have always wanted to replace mine, as I miss my vehicle of choice....




;)






Must leave you with this scary sight...

No.......not the Space Cat or Space Devil
[PoD & QoH many, many, many moons ago and that many pounds lighter]



NO DECORATIONS IN THE BACKGROUND!






This was one of my "Repressed" periods!






The decor snuck in once the first kid flew the coop!






Speaking of decor...




Need a fast idea to make little "Ghosties" and all you have are those annoying tampons left around...





Or maybe get gruesome...


I LIKE TO BE HELPFUL...;}

Friday, October 22, 2010

STILL IN THE DARK AGES!

You'd think with all of the advancement we have with technology that we would be open to other avenues...such as the Paranormal


But we still have the "Doubting Tomas" to deal with here?


A favorite saying [I'll probably screw it up]...;}




For those who BELIEVE...no proof is necessary
For the SKEPTIC...no proof is possible!




This hold so true with the old ways of thinking in this town!


I have mentioned many times that this town is celebrating it's 100th birthday next year and has been on a drive to make it look pretty and hopefully generate interest in others to want to live here. Contest for changing the town logo [big needless expense] was held...not sure how that went? Letters went out, urging us to come up with new ideas...anything to draw interest. Not only for housing possibilities but for tourist attractions too!




My big idea was to use the fact that Dodge has this big, beautiful Court House and have advertised that it is "Haunted" [on web site] to do it some good, maybe not for living there, but for the tourist part?


What better gimmick than the haunted one!


How many other places in Saskatchewan is known to be haunted?


We even got PROOF by way of technology...not hearsay


We got PROOF because we allowed the paranormal groups come in to document the place! Different ones so there would be no bias opinions!




BUT NO MORE!




Powers to be in the town systems has decided that they can no longer allow access to them, due to what  reason I am still unsure of?


This is how it went...




A paranormal group wishing to book filming time [research] has been refused access to the building...seems forever? It's not just them...all of them!


Maybe I read it wrong....?




Good Afternoon QoH,


In 2009 the Town of Dodge established the following policy regarding use and rental of the Court House for meetings:
1. That the upstairs gallery and Council Chambers is not available regarding rental for meeting, effective immediately.
2. That the Council Chambers shall ONLY be utilized by Town appointed Committees and Chamber of Commerce.
3. All committees meetings shall be booked in advance, according to availability on a first come first serve bases, with the Town Administration Staff.


Unfortunately, since then the Museum has been added to the facility and we are continuing to complete the necessary renovations of the Court House. With the number of artifacts that are on display and the art display that are out - concerns have been made regarding the safety of the displays. With the number of concerns it was it makes it very difficult for us to continue to grant access to all paranormal groups. It is unfortunate; however; we must insure that we maintain the safety of the display's on site and can complete the necessary renovations to the Court House.


We hope that you will understand.


Town Administrator






Do you think I understood?








NOPE


This is my reply....




Dear Town Council:


This is in reply to your email to me Oct. 12.


I am quite amazed at your decision to NOT let the paranormal groups do more research on your "Haunted Court House"?


Why are you advertising on your web site that it is a haunted building then?


What proof do you have, to prove that fact, to be able to make that statement?


Hearsay and town gossip is not proof!


The proof you needed was obtained by two different paranormal groups! This proof was captured on video and by sound! Hours and hours and hours or recording/editing by people who are willing to VOLUNTEER their LEISURE time to do this! Yes, it's for their benefit too, but how can you complain when your proof was obtained for FREE! When I say benefit, I mean this is important research on a touchy subject for them and just because one doesn't believe doesn't mean it doesn't exist!


You doubt their honesty by not allowing access?


First of all, my daughter and I had offered up our LEISURE time for FREE, and did so, just to monitor such a thing and to keep it from happening! Not to mention our reputations in being associated with this medium! So in doing so, we have built up a relationship with both of these groups and can now vouch for both of them


For another fact, they are bonded! One even works for the RCMP!


We had offered up our services to keep track of this then and still do, for FREE! This will mean us staying with them while they are in the building over night, if need be and believe me that is NO easy feat for EITHER OF US!


The problem you ran into was what we had warned about all along...letting just any group in and be UNSUPERVISED! No one ever contacted us [we left cards] when these other groups did their thing? From reports, some weren't good! We monitor just exactly what's going on in there, while it is happening and by what the group does/stand for. There will be NO satanic rituals or evil doings and such, as mentioned by the religious factor of the nay Sayers in this town while we are there!


Unless you doubt our honesty? After all we are NOT bonded!


Do you monitor free roaming groups/people while they tour the gallery and museum? If you have camera, do they cover all angles? Are they guided tours?


If not guided, what assurance do you have that things don't go missing then...just because they sign a book? Do they provide credentials when they do? Seems to me you have more proof of stuff missing after a REGISTERED group leaves then strangers off the street!


Some deem that a Gallery and Museum will be big attractions to a town? How many are going to travel to Dodge for just that thing?


How many MORE might, if they were PROVEN to be REALLY, REALLY HAUNTED!


You might say you have enough proof right now...but really, how much is enough? Wouldn't LOTS more, draw more attention? Can you imagine the media attention! One group is now affiliated with T.A.P.S from the USA, which documents just such a thing. Even "Creepy Canada" has shown some future interest when I contacted them six years ago...all I had to do was get back to them!


The "Calling Lakes Paranormal Group" from Ft.Qu'Apple has submitted what they have captured so far on the DVD call "Haunted - The Dodge Court House". This shows video proof of a "Ghostly Child" like figure stepping into view, in the doorway of the men jail cell room! This group also has their own web site in which the town gets FREE advertising of your "haunted" court house.


Also the Ghost Hunters from Saskatoon has proof on their website too! More FREE advertising!


Why do more research now?


It is a documented fact that construction in these old buildings raises not only the dust, but much more! They need to be re-documented. Also one is not guaranteed to capture something every time! It takes HOURS of recording plus HOURS of editing with sometimes NO results! That's a lost weekend to them!


Plus we have our celebration coming up next year and why not add "Paranormal Tours" to the agenda? I have spoken with one of the groups and they would be willing to come here to do something for FREE or for maybe travel/lodgings in the court house/some food? My daughter and I would be willing to organize this and be with them if need be?


Why aren't there year round haunted tours? We did the M/N reunion one year...you could charge for this sort of entertainment, making money off of them? People would rather be entertained by the spooky than the normal boring museum/gallery stuff! Proven fact..look at the attendance book!


Unless you are an artsy person you will not go somewhere to visit a SMALL town exhibit just to see who or what, but they will if the place hosting it is PROVEN to be haunted!


Some may not want their stuff associated with being "haunted" but fail to realize that it's not their stuff that is haunted...just the place! And if you are able to draw any kind of crowd with this kind of means, why wouldn't you want ALL to see it there, whether it be haunted or not?


"Paranormal Fanatics" can be antique/art collectors too! They might recognize some ancient relic on a ghostly shot and just have to find their way here?


You say you want a gimmick or selling factor to have this town recognized by, yet you pass up the biggest one of them all...the "Haunted Court House"?


Who else has such a beautiful building like this, that is still standing in Saskatchewan, let alone one that is PROVEN [recorded] to be haunted?


Are we not entering a new age and are supposed to be forging into a new future?


Let's change the narrow thinking that goes along with the unknown!


Let us be FREE THINKERS and take a fresh look at what they MIGHT prove to us all! It might be a risky venture, but one you have already started for yourselves by advertising on the web!


So, that is why I am amazed that you would turn down such a great attention getter for Dodge.


QoH




I sent that out on the 13th

Not sure if anything will come of it....


Seems to me I made mention of this such a thing happening....




The religious factor was not mentioned in the letter. That was from personal conversation with the driving force behind this rejection.


Also renovation work isn't happening every weekend either!




All who enters takes the risk of any damages and they know that and everything has been replaced exactly as it had been found...so that's not it either...



Wake Up Dodge!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

IT'S GAUDY DAY!
....from National Days list [see velvis]

They were thinking of me when they thought of that day...;}

As I have often pointed out, I love "shiny" things and must add colorful too, only most will label this combination as GAUDY...;)

Then gaudy I am!
 

Speaking of gaudy...

My newest addition to my Halloween decor outside was hit by spiders yesterday!


BIG ONES!


What does one do when they have a dream about putting dead tree branches in the ground
and covering them with phony webbing crap....

Why, do it of course!

No....I didn't sleep walk...;}

Wished I had....

Soon as it was daylight out enough and hopefully too early for most people to be out and about...;} I went hunting for dead fall [creepy looking] branches in the trees by the old CPR Station. Was lots in the bushes, only hard to get out without breaking them into a million pieces [they were really dry]!

It was as frustrating as the game "pick-up-sticks" is!

Managed to get 2 out in fairly good shape! Did a butt plant once, while trying to retrieve the main walk one...happy no one saw me waving my legs in the air! Nothing got hurt but my dignity....;}

Then I had to drag them home....up hill! The trees were light enough, just big and bulky, plus I wanted to get them home without shattering them worse!

I have a tendency to forget that I am 59+ and no longer a spring chicken with energy to spare!

I was friggin' worn out by the time I got back to the house!

It was a lot easier in my dream!

There was a LOT more of them in my dream too...

TG, I only dragged back two, as they took some more effort to get them into the ground!

It was easier putting them into the ground in the dream too!

Did think about using cat litter to cement them into the ground once...;} [No, I didn't]

Got them in the ground, added lights and webbing...spiders to come later, if they survive vandalism!

All while it was BITCHIN' COLD out! Winter like winds!

That part wasn't in my dream either!

So....

I figured if they make it through those winds yesterday then they should be able to make it til Halloween...IF they don't get destroyed by those who just "HAVE TO" do that sort of thing.

Here's my "twilight" display so far...
There is purple lights in the corner web above...


Did you know there is only 14 days til the 31st....I'd say Halloween but "Those With Children" have decided that it's too hard to dress their kids up TWICE?

There is a family costume/dance planned for Friday night and the school kid's party will be the same day. So they want their little "monsters" to get the "Trick of Treat" over with too?


Can you imagine it....


School party starts at lunch....games and lots of goodies
Trick-or-Treating right after school lets out....running around, more goodies
Family Dance....more excitement, more goodies,


Can we say....buzz city! Sugar rushes.....wound-up, crying kids?



HOW ABOUT SICK KIDS?





Saturday will be the adult dance....




Maybe it's for the hang-over ones the next day?




So I guess that just leaves us with the Tricksters on Halloween Night......




This should be interesting.....






Got to get back to My Gaudy Day.....




Making my two costumes for these two events. For the family dance, I am going as "Grandmother Nature" and for the adult dance, I will be "The QUEEN of Halloween" [pun intended]...;)


Pictures will follow soon...

Thursday, October 14, 2010

WHAT AM I DOING FOR HALLOWEEN....YOU ASK?


Believe it or not, my Halloween began in June!


I was approached by the Theatrical Club from the big town south of us whether I was interested in helping them host a "Haunted House" in the old Zeller's store at the mall!


Seems my reputation as a "Scare Master" has spread further than here...






And I said YES....of course! [there goes that ego thing again...;}]






BUT.........with restrictions this time...:)






I offered to loan them the use of my stuff and help them out with what I have learnt so far.... but NO major construction, like wall building!


Happily they wanted to do all of it themselves! :)


The first stuff to leave was my 4 binders of Halloween Ideas and other haunts I've done....these are 3" thick binders!




That still didn't scare them...;)



That was their first warning of what they were getting themselves into....









So, in June, I had to dig out my Halloween stuff and figure out what I had so I could figure out what size of vehicle it would take to get it there....plus list them! Man was I happy that I had made a list of my stuff already when I did that "Haunted Museum" in Devon [AB] 08'. All I had to do was update it!


Sounds short?


It wasn't! It was also HOT AND MUGGY where I had stored it! whine, whine, whine



But I DID get it done...only to have HALLOWEEN stuck in my brain from that point on....;}




Cute decorations snuck out early...




I even beat the vendors in getting the decor up faster....:)




Anyways...


They were going to need two trucks with 8' boxes or a big grain truck!




Not all of it was mine!


My brother "Tank" and "SewLady" gifted me [they say dumped] with their collection [half a truck load]. Seems their children have decided not to "DO" that sort of thing? My grand kids drool over mine...:) Their loss....not really because I have kept a list and when they come to their senses I can gift it back.




I did whip up a big prop for their new venture because they had an actress who wanted to do a scare....the "Well" from the movie the "Ring"...

Turned out not too bad...looks scarier in the dark


All of my "haunt" stuff left here at the end of August....

 Should have taken a picture of the happy moment...;)


The last I saw of it was the unloading at the site.




Talk about HUGE space to fill....they had lots to cover!




Turned out, it was to be downsized quite a bit from the original plan...which was to cover the whole building.
Which ends up to be a good thing!



Fast forward [finally] to last night...



Up until now, the only thing extra that I have done, besides the other previously mentioned stuff, was to write a 5 page instruction manual on building and running a Haunt. I called it "Haunt Making Tips - 101"...;}



Which nobody has read....from what I saw when we got there?



Pod, JD and I toured their "haunt" set-up and were impressed by some of what they have done so far, but has left us wondering how they are going to pull it off?


They have lots of people...at least a dozen and not much is done? Our haunts [3 yrs] was mostly just her and I doing the set-up [3 floors] and decor. In Devon, there was just 6 of us with one week to do it.


One of the main points that I stressed the most about was SET UP THE WALLS BEFORE YOUR DO THE DECOR!!!!!


We got to see a LOT of decor and little of the walkway!


We had hung back so we could view it alone without anyone explaining anything and all we got to see was chaos!  Hopefully it's because they haven't really gotten together much and they will find their rhythm soon?  


When first walking through their doorway one was faced with a huge open space [main sales floor area] with LOTS of pillars. A huge 10' x 10' covered over Greek gazebo looking thing, is the first thing we saw...this had 2 steps. Steps are hard to manage in the semi darkness especially to people like me who's eyes are getting bad. It has nothing to hold onto to step up with? Hopefully they will go around it?


After that...not sure? We went to where we saw light coming from....a door leading into a small hallway with two room to your left. One was fully decorated with none of the items that I own...I won't say what...yet. Not sure if they plan for anyone to go into the room or not or it just might be just a visual one before the scare? The next one wasn't set up yet but we knew what it was anyways. The hallway elbows and continues down to the next open area with a couple of more rooms. The hallway is a "black light walk" and they had taken the time to cover the walls/ceiling all black...hopefully the tape holds when it gets hot in there.


Then we see semi decorated areas with few some walls. One was a hard wall made out of black plastic cardboard...big expense! Maybe they got a deal? Wasn't needed from what I had seen done so far. We were impressed with the Spider Lair! Very cool and well done! Wasn't too impressed with seeing all of my rubber bugs/creepy crawlies in areas where they could be stepped on? My items sheet list was 8 pages long and had "return in same condition" written on it! We kicked them out of they way and reminded them later, on not putting things in harms way.


After that things were chaos!

They did find two guys to hang the black plastic that they had for the walls. Tank can attest to how hard that was with all the wiring that we had to do for theirs [Devon].

Try doing it without wires or guide wires?

[I can hear you laughing T]

How about doing it while they turn the lights off and on? ;}


Yup the designers were testing their lighting areas while these poor guys were trying to see what they were doing....on top of 10' ladders!

?




Haven't a clue how they are going to finish the end of the haunt?




One of our reasons for going was to let them know, in person, that we weren't going to be available to help with the actual haunt on the 29 & 30th but will on the 28th, their opening date...due to our town finally getting their asses act together and are having dances those nights. One family and one adult...yahoo! This will be our first family fun together without haunts/illness getting in the way [fingers crossed]!


And to pick up costumes, etc.




Was not impressed when I saw how my stuff was being treated! Don't know how anyone could find anything in that mess in the back? If it was the back?




We got what we needed and quickly left them to their chaos!




I know their director wasn't too happy with our decision to not be there those nights but was graceful to our faces....hopefully after we left too? I feel their worst night will be the first night anyways and they ARE going to need us for the timing for sure with the crowd. Our town alone won't make it those nights either and odds are they will on the opening.

I can foresee a phone call a couple of days before start up [hope they prove me wrong].








This  is one haunt I AM HAPPY I AM OUT OF!!!!!







FINGERS CROSSED!

Monday, October 11, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


To those whom this applies to that is and for those who want it too.....;)



 Sweet Peas are giving thanks too....for all the unseasonal sunshine and warmth!


We gave our thanks yesterday with a big meal... which we all rolled away from, only to have it worked off later...when it got dark?


Guests were: PoD's In-Laws and their family; 2 teenagers & 10 dogs, a friend who is camping [working the rigs] in her front yard, my Ex and me. Sadly my son and son-in-law are away working and were only given the holiday day off and are a 4 hr drive away, so had to miss our get together...;(


Happily all the [12-PoD has 2] dogs got to stay outside and all the cats [4] stayed upstairs, the 2 birds were kept in a closed bedroom....so my allergies were okay until the dogs had to come in because it was getting dark out.


But then that was the time we decided to do the rest of the things we all like to do [except the brother-in-law, 12 dogs, 4 cats, Ex and oil guy, who had to go to work] which is........visiting the cemetery at night!






Yup......were nuts!






9:00 found us out walking through Dodge's Cemetery!


It was beautiful out there....so quiet and peaceful




Until we landed...


This was our company's second attempt to do this [last year was too wet] and it was a promise to the kids that had to be kept. This was their request to experience ghost hunting in a grave yard and what better way for us to show young adults how to respect this sacred place while doing so.


These kids have been taught from an early age to respect the spirit world and the darkness doesn't scare them as badly as it does some. These guys were watching the "Saw" series when I got there...it's a show that I hate myself....too gory and sick for my taste. I prefer scare! But that's how immune they have become to the phony. Yes, we do keep an eye on whether they are out torchering animals or not. These In-law kids live in a zoo like world. At their home is still an Iguana, Guinea pig, 5 cats and 2 yard dogs. No worry there or here in my grand kid's zoo...;}


I am not scared in a cemetery just very aware that they can be somewhat eerie and dangerous to those who are susceptible to suggestions of "possession"....;) We are there to teach the kids how NOT to be that way, by facing it properly and by showing them the right way to respect the dead. Doing this in the daylight is just not the same! Sensing spirits in the daylight is not the same as it is in the dark! Your eyes rob you of your true senses in the light, whereas you are robbed of your sight in the dark and have to rely on your feelings instead.




A graveyard is where I give my thanks the most!




I am very happy that all of us were ABOVE the ground and continue to wish to do so!






But I digress...as usual



Small writing needed closer inspection....


Anybody wondering when the hand is going to come out of the grave.....;}






Took the usual shots and got the usual dust motes..

Only to have this sort of weirdness

Then lightened it...

See when areas are blown up...
I find this odd....look how it lights up his face



And these colored ones...?

I know the majority of these are dust motes but not sure why there are red ones?





Pretty sure this one is an Orb!



Of course I just had to have my "spooky" moment!

I was standing on the roadway taking photos of the group [20 ft away] as they moved towards another spot, when I sensed that there was someone standing next to me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the dark shape of the in-law's son and turned to speak to him......only to find no one standing there! 


Immediate hair-standing-on-whole-body-moment, when I realized that he wasn't standing next to me!

No. One. Was!


I was definitely. positively. certain. that there was something standing next to me! The dark outline was sooooo distinct, even if it was in my perfreal vision!


The feeling stayed even when I quickly rejoined them!

I stayed up with the group after that until I felt it's presence go. It wasn't a bad feeling...just didn't want to experience it again while I was alone! I joked about it so the kids wouldn't feel scared because I wasn't really afraid of it.... just very uneasy feeling it?




There was oddities with how the dead is being treated too, that we wondered about?

Like what was up with this plot...

Two seperate headstones for same grave, neither one damaged and right beside it a mound of dirt overgrown with grass and weeds? The rest of the cemetery is neatly groomed...why not this spot? The parents obviously loved the 2yr old child enough to give him 2 grave stones yet not tidy the spot next to it for at least a few inches along the side of it? Even if was a fresh grave...why not the upkeep? Look at all the stuff around the stones!



There was nice stone benches all over the place to sit on but creeped everyone out? Creepy enough not to sit on any of them!

I felt most were occupied already......oooooo

;}


Nothing there....just creepy. They are much nicer in the daylight!



We noticed another new thing they are trying here....they are laying down pavement looking plots. This one here is very cool looking and love the differnt shaped stone and metal surrounding. No more maintinance just as long as it doesn't sink into the ground, which it shouldn't with it's wide base....see below
This is a shot of one they were just setting up. Was kind of neat to see this kind of change. Will be an expensive one I bet!


Then one has to run into this kind of thing....child size, no name....next to no one


Very sad...;(



But  leaves us with the grim reality....





THERE IS SOMETHING TO GIVE THANKS FOR!


We were able to get back in the cars and drive back home!





Hope the spirits of Dodge Cemetery enjoyed their entertainment on Thanksgiving Eve!


We did.....did you?