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”

Happy Halloween! 3 days left til Halloween! Day 2 of the Haunt!

YaHoo!!!

It WORKED!

My vision came true...the haunt was a HIT!!

Was it all worth it? Yes and No. More Yes than No.

The expected crowd [by me only] never happened. Thank You to the hockey game that just had to happen that night! This town is a real hockey town! Oh, by the way...it's hockey draft night tonight...being held by a local club as a fund raiser! Oh well...

Hopefully there will be a better haunt attendance tonight!

But the approx 185 people that did go through last night...none were disappointed!

I made sure to periodically ask the ones stand outside, talking about what just happened to them, whether they enjoyed it or not and what was their favorite moments. The usual reaction was everyone talking at once and hard to understand with all their excitement! Very gratify for my ego!

All loved it! Everywhere!

The day started out pretty hectic. I managed to get 5 creatures made before PoD arrived and the busy moving started. We managed to get everything together and make my 11:00 appointment.

The final step to making my hair WHITE!

Yup...that was my stupid moment! Most people don't take the words "lighten up" literally! So why did I?

I felt it was time to do something drastic and maybe fun! Well I did the drastic...and we'll see about the fun!

Sure got a lot of good stares! I bet they thought it was a wig...sure feels like one. I have to get used to the stiff feeling dying your hair makes it feel like. You know...one step down from straw!

What's done is done!

Getting back to the haunt:
Our group Pod, the minions and me, finally got our act together [dressed] and got to the haunt to set-up the lights and sound. Wilma was busy moving in the water, coolers and food [yummy stuff that she prepared...especially the cookies] and looking as frazzled as we felt.

A BIG THANK YOU TO WILMA for all the work that she did on making this haunt run. Without her there would have been NO WORKERS! No workers mean No Scares! A DULL HAUNT! So... THANK YOU...WILMA! YOUR THE GREATEST!

FINALLY STARTING TIME! We started at 7:04 and the final group that went through was at 10:00.

Not bad...3 hours!

Not bad...if it hadn't of been so HOT in there! Opening windows helped some and they did shut off the heat. But when you get that many bodies together it gets hotter and hotter! Need more fans!

It didn't help that I was doing a lot of running around during that time...getting my scares in where I could. My job was to trouble shoot areas that needed extra scares and make sure things stayed together. Only one wall fell exposing an unimportant area so it didn't need repairing. Did a lot of stair climbing and my heart felt great!

PoD manned [womanned] the start of the haunt, which also controls the speed and timing. She did a great job! I spelled her off for a bit and I found it very hard to do! She's got to communicate to the other levels on what's going on...did I mention that I hate headphones! With so many excited people, waiting to go through, makes hearing on phones near impossible! Good job PoD!

The minions stayed with PoD until I found a place where they could be safe in the haunt and that's where they learned how to scare...properly!

They had a blast!

They were in an area where Conman and Funny Lady [who came in costume/make-up...which looked great!] could see to their safety. Conman actual started calling them the "Evil Midgets"!

One lady was so upset by the fact that we might have midgets in there? She wanted him to confirm that they were just children? Can we say what...!

One of the "Evil Midgets...JD, has a gas problem and we always have tell him to not let-go in enclosed areas [public]...just because he's so deadly!

I was able to enjoy a comment made by a "Victim" and had a hard time to keep from laughing out loud! What happened was...

A young group had just passed JD and he stayed very still. So they thought he was just another "dummy"! They had to stop and wait for another group, that were emerging from where they had to go to next, when one of them pointed to JD and said "there's a rotten smell coming from that "dummy" over there! Ewwww....!

I had to leave! Way to go JD!!

AJ had fun screaming along with the "Victims"!

I taught them to scream just like they have just been scared themselves and that it would make others scream with them and it worked. Both kids found their own places and made up their own scares...moving around lots! I only wished I'd put them in sooner! I asked both of them later in the car ride home if they had fun or not. Both had a blast and both were very ready for bed! AJ did say that her throat was a little sore from screaming but didn't mind. Way to GO KIDS...LOVE YA!!

I don't think we have to worry about counseling...they're TRUE HAUNTERS! Good genes!

Thank You Conman and Funny Lady for watching out for our "Evil Midgets"! Adult sometimes strike out when their scared and they hit hard! Accidents happen so...thank you for watching over them! "Evil Midgets" can get pretty excited!

Every area that I visited was well manned and screams were heard all over the building...even outside [windows open]!

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE WORKERS!! A DULL HAUNT WITHOUT YOU!

One of my brothers [Tank] is attending to night and will be helping to man the haunt! Him, his wife "SewLady" and some of grandkids are coming with him and they are driving all the way from Devon [AB] to do this!
He's being trying to get to come and see this crazy thing that I do but halloween always fell on a week day.

I've asked Mother Nature to help out and make their journey safe! So far so good!

They will be arriving around noon sometime and will take in the haunt in the daylight and do yard decor touring [little that they are] while here. Him and his family always put on a fantastic yard display [we're the only halloween weirdos in the family] and are the hit of Devon. This year he said will be they're last and they plan on moving their haunt stuff to the museum and run it there...great idea!

So today will be mainly checking haunt, replacing batteries and making repairs....so see you at the haunt!

Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 4 days left til spooky day. IT'S HERE!! FINALLY!!!!

HAUNT DAY!

NO! I'M NOT READY....never really expected to be! I'm known for decorating right up until curtain time!

I managed to sleep in until 4:49 am this morning. I awoke actually feel like I have some energy...don't know where that came from?

Did something drastic to myself yesterday and went to bed feeling pretty stupid about it!
I won't say what it is until the final results are in...the finishing steps are today at 11:00! Too late to turn back now! I don't like it right now and hopefully not regret my decision later...PoD keeps telling me to lighten up and live a little!

This morning I am creating creatures to man the haunt.
The wire frames have been standing waiting to be dressed in their outfits. I built these frames earlier in the year and was waiting to make them into "Mud Creatures" when I got the time, which never happened. So now they will just be dressed and not made permanent like "Creepy Hollow" is. I'll do that in my spare time [?] later.
I've already made 6 and they are waiting in position to do their jobs and I have to put together 5 more together this morning. Hopefully I will have time to make more...LOL?

The only things left to do today is: make & put creatures in their places, print-out & pin past photos to display screen at entrance, set up signing table with guest book/pens, set-up admission table, figure out how to make a waiting line for the customers, see that the pop/water machine is full and if there is more stock, open windows, bring and position fans, check all lights/cords, check out taped walls to make sure they are still up...put up if down, test out sound [has a tendency not to work in the courtroom...must be the ghosts], bring coolers for ice/water for the workers, paint glow-in-dark directional arrows on walls in mine shaft #3 [custodial quarters]

...I'm sure I forgot something?

....Why am I wasting time talking to you guys...

Times awasting....!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 5 days til Halloween! Haunt starts tomorrow night!!
Final found the "who cares any more" attitude!
Maybe because I'm not feeling too perky right now. Hopefully it's just because I am pretty tired and this old [as PoD keeps reminding me] body doesn't need any more exercise! Can't imagine having to look after children like PoD has to right now! Thankfully she's young [as I keep reminding her] and should have more stamina than me. We only have some touch-ups left and checking of taped walls [which 2 had to be repaired last night] as the heat softens the glue on tape.
Definitely dragging butt right now!
If I haven't said it enough...THANK YOU...POD!!
To all you out there...if it wasn't for her help this haunt wouldn't of happened!!
She might be a pain at times but then who isn't! LOVE YAH GIRL!!
Where's that crying towel!

My attitude has now changed to "wanting to REALLY SCARE SOMEONE...or MANY" right now!

I think we did a FANTASTIC job of setting up the haunt... if I do say so myself!

Last night we did lights, sound and MORE decorating.
Wilma showed up with hubby, Puffy Kracker, and with his [10 yr] knowledge of running the heating unit in the courthouse, managed to shut off [with town's permission] SOME of the radiators and open some windows. It released some heat but not a lot! It will still be hot in there as some rooms do not have windows that open [basement] and there is no circulation of air in there. Thank You Puffy! Thank you again to Wilma for being there again...AJ is sure happier when she's there as I'm sure she's tired of us and our attitudes lately!
MANY BIG THANK YOU'S to the Minions....their legs did a lot of traveling for us [up and downstairs] and their bravery in traversing the scary courthouse together was amazing. As long as the kids had their little lanterns they were brave! Wilma thinks they may need counseling later....LOL! I asked them if they would rather stay home and they said that they would rather be helping us and they do enjoy scaring people, as JD was trying to do to everyone all night.
The heat really did a number one me last night and hopefully I'll be able to work the haunt.
My job is to see that things run smoothly, trouble shoot, taken photos and get some scares in while I'm doing this. This is the part I LOVE! Believe me...it's a lot of fun seeing how people react when their scared. Everyone's different! I LOVE hearing grown men scream in fright!
Isn't it amazing how much fun someone has at the expense of others and they pay to have it done to them....sick huh! I CAN HARDLY WAIT!!!
Got to get some work done...times awasting!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! Counting today there is exactly 3 days left to finish the haunt!!! I'm not even thinking of Halloween!
You know...I whine about not getting help and when I finally do...I forget to tell you who they are and even to thank them.
Believe me...I AM THANKFUL FOR ANY HELP THAT I CAN GET!!
Saturday PoD and I had help from; Wilma [a regular...although a little quiet?], Conman & Funny Lady, Walking-Trail Boss & Tallman. A quiet Wilma was the smart one and opened as many windows as possible [will be doing that for the haunt if they don't shut the HEAT OFF!!] and that made it a LITTLE better.
You know...many hands make work go faster and you get a lot done!
Although, we did have a slow beginning when I wondered if we would ever get past "Arch Building 101"[needed for the "Time Warp Tunnel"]! I have to admit, these flimsy arches are challenging at the best of times, they warp and twist as your building them and you have to get the ends right. They do provide a picture on how they are built...but who looks at directions? Had a few good laughs at the groups abilities! The group finally completed the arch building and we set them up for the tunnel layout.
We managed to set-up the haunt layout, add the forest, cob webbbed the trees and bushes.
Sounds easy but it all takes time and involved a lot of running up and down stairs.
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THAT CAME AND HELPED!
Yesterday PoD and I worked on the courtroom and hallway entrance [where PoD & Hairgirl are working the haunt] decor. This is a visual area and the other years never decorated very much. PoD did a smashing GOOD JOB! LOOKS GOOD!
It is REALLY HOT in the hallway...there is no window to open and the heat register on the stair is working overtime!!! It was NEVER this HOT! It only takes 1 minute in that heat and all you want to do is leave and go home and fall asleep! That's how exhausting it's been! We haven't been drinking enough water and have been using coffee to keep us going and it's working it's vicious circle. We've finally smartened up and added cold water!
Doing as much as we could...both feeling ill...went home. I had a refreshing nap!
Got up, ate supper and decided that the tree and stump were ready to be painted black [first coat] and got into it. Phone rang [which always happens when your messy with paint]...forgot about play practice! Called PoD...told her and decided to stay home and finish my paint job on the tree and stump that are supposed to be ready for the play. By the time I was done [10:30 pm] the paint fumes were making me sick so I went off to bed with a sick headache.
So I am up this morning at 4:16 am and touched up the tree and stump with paint. Did some designing on outstanding sign work and did up some more estimates for other work.
No rest for the wicked....would like to remember what it is like to be wicked....LOL!
We will be working on the courthouse AGAIN today [nights are busy] and MAYBE be finished the haunt. Creatures can be added continually!
Times...awasting!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! All I can say is....times awasting!
Spent 6 hrs yesterday morning making scary creatures. Only one creature is remade with some changes in how it's displayed. Made a goofy one and some real creepy ones!
PoD picked me up at 6:30 pm and we had to load up the Jeep. We had so much to haul that I had to leave one behind and the DVD player. I had planned to use it to play the new Haunt sounds. It would have been a great time as we were decorating at night with no one in the building. So we had to scrap that idea for that night.
It's still HOT IN THERE!!!
It saps any energy that you might have! We spent last night working on finishing up the custodial quarters and placed one of my NEW creatures. Add some lighting...cob webbing...done. Man that sounds easy....add heat....not so easy anymore!
My son showed up to take the walk through...as he will not be able to make the haunt nights. He was very impressed and found that he felt lost and confused in the basement walk. It was good having a fresh set of eyes to point out some trouble spots and some new ideas on scares. He's not into decorating and didn't stay to help! He did help on moving day! He's more the manual labor type than the artsy/fartsy type [his words].
Wilma showed up! Yeah....another 2 hands! THANKS FOR HELPING WILMA....YOUR THE GREATEST!!!
Her job was to learn how to do "Duct Tape Tearing 101". Kid catches on FAST!
In one of the rooms, we had to move a cabinet, that we had screwed down to the floor in the last haunt.
NEVER USE SQUARE HEAD SCREWS!!!
I can only blame the idiot [me] for having them around! Not to mention that they were 2" screws! Sure made sure that sucker wasn't moving!!
PoD managed to get one side free but was having trouble with the other side. We have no light bulb in that room [where and when it went who knows] so it meant unscrewing it in the dark. The only set of lights around was this blue LED set. I bought them for their low visibility quality and the light they gave was so minimal that you had to hold the bulb close to the screw to see the screw and near impossible to see the hole. The screws weren't rounded in the head [yet] and that wasn't the problem. The problem was the angle of the screws wasn't right and in poor visibility impossible to get out. It moved some but not enough to get through the extra inches that we used to buried it into the floor.
PoD decided brutal force was the only answer and Wilma and I had to get out of her way! Battle between cabinet and PoD began...needless to say PoD got her way! In short time we finished off what we had to do in that room.

Cob Webbing 101:
All bagged webbing are not created equally! Remember to look on bag to see whether is states "Chunky" pieces or one long piece. When you want to used webbing for large areas and need to stretch in over that space...don't use "Chunky"!

Well "Chunky" was all that I had brought down to that area so we made it work! It just takes more time.
All decorating has to be done in the dark...which Wilma does not like! To make the haunt scary in the dark you have to decorate in the dark!
Off the topic a bit...PoD got our first scream of the haunt!
She was working on a project downstairs and heard Wilma talking to "Tall Guy". Wilma was explaining how creepy the wall moved when you walked down the hallway. PoD happened to be hidden on the other side and decided to show them how it worked.
You could hear Wilma's scream all the way up to the second floor where we were working in the courtroom.
Way to Go PoD! Nice set of lungs Wilma. The courthouse has a great hollow sound and small noises can easily be heard. Thanks for the tryout Wilma!!
Back the the topic: last night
We managed to finish the basement [PoD and I had touched up the main mine shaft and front hallway earlier] two rooms and need to work a bit on the other part of the hallway. Other than that, aside from adding creatures, the basement is done!
Today we will be working in there early [9:30 am] during the day [shop closed Mondays] and hope to get a lot done. So see you there...hopeful thinking!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 8 days til Halloween! 4....yes 4 days left til the haunt!!!
Haven't got time to blog...been creating monsters and got to get my crap together for tonight's journey into madness! Haunt decorating [yes no building....well maybe a little] starts between 7:00-7:30 ish. See you there...be prepared to work in the dark!
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SHOWED UP YESTERDAY! JOB WELL DONE!!!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 10 days left! 6 til haunt!
What a nice surprise I had when I blogged on this morning [4:12 am] and found that my blog yesterday DID go through! When I posted it, it took a l-o-n-g time and ended up telling me that there were no files! So I spent all day yesterday cursing the hours that I lost when I could have been working....or doing something else! Oh well!
Yesterday was moving day for Creepy Hollow & Creepy Stump and they arrived safely! It had started to snow lightly and we had to get them inside before they got too wet [they haven't got their protective coating on yet]. Thankfully the courthouse and my building have double doors and the stairs to the upper floor where the courtroom is, was wide! PoD and I had help from my son and ex-son-in-law loading these monsters. They're heavy and awkward but they managed to get them upstairs without any disasters!
Wilma also showed up and we used her's and PoD's vehicles to move some more of my stuff to the haunt.
It was a real nice workout in the HEAT! It's hard climbing stairs with junk in your hands but doing it in the HEAT was unbearable!
Anyways...that job was done! Thanks guys and Wilma for all your help!!
My son was going into the city...both PoD and I needing a break, plus I need to get work supplies and the shop is waiting for other supplies to continue [which are all back ordered], so we decided to make it a family/work outing. Minions were being looked after by their father, so off we went. We knew that we had to be back for play practice and figured that it would be no problem.
Did I tell you that I hate the City!! What a RAT RACE! The stores were packed like it was xmas time! Lots of RUDE PEOPLE!!
I managed to get all that I needed [and some that I didn't] and we found that line-ups at check outs long and tedious! Plus 3 people who shop separately tend to lose each other a lot! So long check out lines, lost shoppers and horrible traffic made us late getting out of the city and we still hadn't eaten! We did stop for food! So we were unable to make play practice!
The break was good for both of us! It's been hard burning the candle from both ends! So we got some much needed rest and got in some retail therapy!
So today is the big push day...hopefully with some much needed help we can get the majority of it done! 9:30 am is starting time! If you plan on helping out dress lightly....ie: tank top/shorts! Remember it's murderously hot in there. Hopefully we can turn off some of the downstairs radiators [temporarily] for the haunt or the crowd will be crabby during haunt time!
So times awasting got to get some work done....see some of you at the haunt [HOPEFULLY].
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 11 days left til Halloween 7 left for the haunt!
Everything that I wrote that I was planning on doing for the haunt yesterday.....didn't happen!!
Female minion "AJ" is sick! She has been coughing lately and it's getting worse! PoD had to take her to the doc and now she has to go the hospital 3 times a day to sit for 10-15 mins breathing in good stuff. Through all of this she's worried that she might have to miss working in the haunt! Everyone should have this little girl's attitude....all she ever wants to do is help people out!
I give thanks daily for my family....to me they're the best! Loveya guys!
Been trying to get out to the old farmyard to pick up the long poles that I had put a side to use for future haunts. There were quite a few and this year we needed them for one of my ideas. PoD and I first tried to hook up my utility trailer to the Jeep. This meant removing hitch attachment from PoD's van and putting it on the Jeep. Sounds easy! NOT!
First...I no longer have the proper tools to do the job [he got the tools...which I am slowly building up again]! Was able to find the right socket size...had to search for a ratch end, then needed to find another to hold the other side of the nut still! PoD ended up using a tire iron!
So repeating the phrase "righty...tighty...lefty...loosie"[magic formula for women] she tried getting it off! Yup! Stuck tight! It didn't help that both of us have tired arm muscles!
So with time running out I had to scrap the idea of going out there!
Then Wilma showed up....she had been talking with PoD. She has a truck! Trip is back on!
It's a 15-20 minute drive [thankfully it's on pavement] and the road has some construction issues....putting it mildly! We get out there and find the poles are gone!
It's been 2 years since I've been back there and they were in such a place that they weren't very visable. So who took them and why is a mystery that will probably never be solved!
Wasted trip!!! Sorry Wilma! Although we had a nice visit out there and back!
That haunt idea just went out the window! That was a big item that was going to take up a lot a space [which the courtroom has lots of] and was part of the story line!
Hmmmm....got to think of something else....Wilma has a few good ideas!
Maybe we need more trees!
I've already exceeded my amount [8] for a Saskatchewan landscape any more and I'd be classified as a forest!
So no work got done today on the haunt!
Then Wilma hit me with another bomb...no volunteer firemen! They are all too busy! Nice to know now! I had spoken to a fireman earilier in the month and it was a go with them....?
In 2002 the haunt was only in the basement and I didn't need too many.
In 2003 the haunt covered 10 rooms and I needed at least 40 people to man it. I could have done with less but my rule is never to have anyone left alone...in the dark...in that place! So it meant doubling up or even having 3 in a room.
This year the haunt spans 6 areas and we've cut it the man power back to minimum 15 workers needed per night. I know of maybe 6 people!
Pressure Thermometer is Rising!!!
I can see myself running along behind people trying to scare them! That'll work?
I can hardly wait til my "who cares anymore" attitude to fall into place!
SO....
My forcast about today's work is.....hopefully....Creepy Hollow & Creepy Stump get to the court house SAFELY!!! IN ONE PIECE AND WITH NOT TOO MUCH DAMAGE!!
Other than that....hopefully....we will get some more decorating done downstairs.
So no more babbling....got to get my act together [got up late -6:10]....need more coffee!!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 12 days left til HH! 8 days left til the haunt starts!!!
Couldn't blog yesterday or even work on the computer...it must of needed a holiday because it was running real SLOW. I gave it a break and didn't start it up again until the late afternoon and it now works fine!
PoD and I worked on the haunt in the morning as I had other things planned for the evening and couldn't make it at night.
Man! It is HOT in there!!! They finally got the heat on...no the roof is not fixed nor is the chimney operational!
They re-routed the furnace pipes to go up half the building [outside] and it now vents against the side of the building and not extended up to clear the building. Can this be a possible fire hazard? This is major heat!! They can't regulate the thermostat and it stays hot!
This building is being heated by water pipes with the radiators that help heat the marble floors. These have to get real hot in order that they can heat above as well as the basement. The office workers in there are so hot that they have to open the windows to cool it off....can we say WTF?
Thankfully the majority of the haunt that had to be built was mostly done and we had only the main hallway in the basement and courtroom left.
PoD and I put up the long corridor that runs the full length of the hallway and the heat made us go outside a lot for fresh COLD air!
Building walls for the haunt means that you do a lot of "stair climbing exercises"! Which means carrying awkward stuff up and down all the flights of stairs in the place...it has LOTS of stairs [3 floors]! Then we climb up and down the ladder/chair hanging stuff and this means stretching outwardly to the maximum to tape something in place. Great workout for the feet and legs!
Then they added the SAUNA!
We went from freezing our butts off to dying from the heat! Great for our health! NOT!
But we stuck in there and got it hung up!
So all that's left for the basement is spook up the custodial quarters and clear out remaining junk left in the hallway and spook it up!
Monday night [or was it Tuesday?] we got some help!
Wilma and Hairgirl showed up! Before they got there PoD was working on the hallway with boy minion [JD] and I was working with girl minion [AJ] in the "Lost Mine" [old dentist room] doorway. These two have been the BEST help! Both are very excited about being able to work in the haunt the nights that it's open.
So Wilma went with AJ and they both learned how to "Cob Web" a haunt and they had a great time with webbing that sticks to everything but where you want it and hanging bats and spiders. They did a GREAT JOB...it's sure going to annoy those who hate spider webs!! Job well done! PoD, JD and Hairgirl worked on clearing the hallway and start the set up for the haunt walk. Both PoD and Hairgirl harmed their backs lifting and moving the garbage that was stored in the hallway but managed to make up a great walkway and hidden scares. Job well done! PoD had some great ideas!
I lent a hand between the two areas and finished the doorway off.
We had a bunch of huge crosses/Indian scarecrow that had to go from the basement to the upper floor Judge's Chamber to be stored there for when we do the courtroom. PoD, Hairgirl and JD made the two trips and were exhausted, whereas JD made two more trips ALONE and wasn't even breathing hard from the exertion. Oh....to have all that youthful energy!!
BIG THANK YOU's to Wilma and Hairgirl [who's not even a player or fireman] for helping out... we got LOTS done!
It ended up that I couldn't go out last night as I fell asleep watching TV and woke up long enough for me to go to bed. So again I am up early [4:25 am] and will be getting to work as soon as I stop babbling on here.
So on the agenda for today is back to the courthouse decorating until 3:00, open shop til 6:00 pm and play practice at 7:00 til 9:00, hopefully to get some rest! Until then...
Orbing out ...QoH

BLOG UP-DATE!
Decorating at the courthouse is off for tonight....something else came up and we did the decorating earlier today [10:00 - 2:30]!
This is why I can't phone anyone! We have to juggle the time with our lives [what little there is of it] and my shop. We aren't open Mondays [to the public] and normally use that day to try to catch up. So today we decorated instead of working for me. Although PoD did take homework home to help with what we missed to day.
Also the minions didn't have to put up with our crabbing today!!!
This also gives me time to catch up on haunt decor.
Times a wasting...need a nap [was up at 4:28 am]...what do you expect...I'm OLD [especially today]!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 15 days left til HH day! 11 days left for the haunt!!
We finally had some help with the set-up of the haunt!
A person can always count on Wilma to show up! She did let me know that if I wanted help all I had to do was phone around and tell people when I'm doing it!
I don't have time to even call my sister and let her know that I'm still alive let alone phone people and listen to why they can't make it!
Everyone who logs on here to read this knows we are working on the haunt and if they haven't read it here they have spoken to me on the street and all know what we are up to, after all this is a small town! I never phoned her, when I was supposed, to to let her know when we were do it that day but she amazingly found us anyways! Those extra hands helped so much and helped ease the tension that PoD and I have been going through these last few days!
We're tired...all parts of our bodies is screaming at the exertion that we've put ourselves through! Great work-out though!
The Minions are bored and tired of being yelled at [although we've tried to keep that at a minimum] and want to just run wild in that place. They have been great through all of this and still keep their spirits up! Sure wish I had their energy!!
With Wilma's help we got another part of the haunt path completed! She also had some great ideas to help with scares and such....Thanks Wilma!!
Pod had another great idea that will cut down on anymore building downstairs and help change the long hallway between both rooms. So we will be putting that together tonight starting at 7:00 hopefully we will complete it in 2 or 3 hours. To all of you out there....this is your phone call!!
Meanwhile in my spare time I have been making stuff for the haunt and the one-act play. I have 2 trees and a stump that are partially completed [drying time needed between applications] and finally finished my furry white spider and her babies...they sure look good in the dark great for the phobic! Still have the dynamite crates to finish, darkening the dynamite sticks and wrap spider cocoons...these I do while listening to TV in the evening.
I'm even dreaming this darn haunt! So you can say that my waking and now sleeping moments are on the haunt! It's amazing how we are managing to keep the business going also.? Forget about cleaning house! It's the lowest on my list of to-do!
Anyways....the spirits in this place are active again. This morning both of my cats are acting crazy! "Freaky Cat" was running around like something was chasing her and the other one is meowing like she has caught a mouse and wants me to see it....when I look nothing is there! Both are not acting like they normally do every morning! The place feels really electric right now! Not creepy! Sometimes in the early morning hours it sounds like someone/thing is slamming doors upstairs...I have checked these times and all doors are as I left them. I have gotten used to the noise and it doesn't bother me any more. I have taken pictures of this place and do have some orbs but not too many. PoD doesn't like this place too much and it does creep her out to be alone for too long. She doesn't like the slamming door sounds! When I am upstairs the sounds come from the downstairs! Weird!
Got to do some designing work...will blog when I find some more time.
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 20 days to go! Only 16 days til the Haunt!!
Haven't been back to the courthouse since the last time. We figured we'd take a break from going there as we're both exhausted!
I couldn't rest so I spent my resting [?] time making items to put in the one of the visuals.
Plus I had to rig up something to act as a grate for my phony fire pit as the normal sized ones wouldn't fit over the phony fire that I put together. The grate will be holding the coffee pot that will be used in the play and the pot will be full of liquid...wouldn't that look good...whooshing all over the stage at the Festival!
Finally I came up with an idea that would be feasible...my campfire grate with 4 metal shelving brackets wired to it. The brackets were grey, so I painted them black to make them look like they've been in a fire. It worked!
I will be mudding my two tree frames, that I built awhile ago, this morning as it's nice and quiet at this hour [3:12 am -couldn't sleep...my right knee/leg is busy forecasting the weather!!] and the phone won't be ringing!!
PoD went to play practice last night and the minions and I spent some time together. I had on display, all of my gross specimens. You know...the pickled baby, severed hand, alien in a jar, etc. So the kids had fun looking at them along with the other stuff that I show.
For those of you out there...I collect all sorts of Halloween stuff and display it in my shop. Friends of mine [yes...I have friends!] even buy/find weird stuff for me. My shop is paradise for a child...and for that one that's still in me!
I had added to my collection this year; a new full monster mask/hood, half mask, two new hands/gloves [for the minions to wear] and four goblets for my tableware.
Both minions have it all planned out what they will be wearing for years to come!
This year, since they'll be with us nightly at the haunt, they'll get to change their outfits for 3 nights if they want.
Not to worry that they will be exposed to the "horrors" those nights as they will have already seen the props/walk and know that they aren't real! They've been helping us build it! Besides...PoD NEVER goes anywhere that's DARK! Her spot in the haunt is at the haunt's entrance in the LIGHT! My spot...is anywhere I can get a scare in and traveling all over taking photos. Maybe a minion might want to follow with me?
For all my helpers [?]...we will be working in the courthouse tonight starting at 7:oo pm and we will be in the basement. All welcome...even those without talent...LOL!
Have to get to work...times awasting!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 22 days left til Halloween! 18 left for the Haunt!
PoD and I spent 3 hrs Sunday covering the yucky walls. These walls are the worst! The walls in the jail shows you exactly what material they used to build the basement with. It's a mess...the foundation is crumbling away!! The front of the building is the worst! Probably from watering the flowerbeds close to the building! It's gonna take a big pile of money to repair that beautiful building! No way heritage money is gonna keep that building standing! What a shame!
I digress!
It may seem like we're spending short hours in there working on the haunt. But you try spending those hours going up and down the ladder, ripping off strips of tape and watch for attacking spiders. Not to mention constantly looking over our shoulders for that unseen thing that was bother both of us. It wasn't too bad...just nerve wrecking! PoD was more jumpier than ever because we were working in the Custodial Quarters. The long hallway that leads to the quarters is creepy also! We have to traverse that hallway to working in there. That means walking by the doorways that creep us out! The lights don't come on until you reach the end and the security light automatically comes on. Until then your in the semi dark! CREEPY!
I did see something!
I was up on the ladder and PoD was standing on the floor facing me.
Earlier we had been in the living room and she swore that she could hear noises is the other room [kitchen], rustling noises like something was in the tarps that we had spread out on the floor. I laughed it off saying that it was probably the tarps settling. The only noise I could hear was the noise of the tarp that we were handling at that moment. She was sure that she heard something!
Anyways...I was up there and had just reached for the piece of tape that she was holding out for me when I noticed this movement out of the corner of my eye.
I looked up and for a split second saw what looked like a cat chasing it's tail in play! Then it was gone! It was light orangy colored! PoD heard me gasp and I told her I just thought I had seen a ghost! Not a good thing to say to PoD!
Thankfully we were near being done because it was time to go! Speedily we moved all the lumber down to the area where we will need it next and packed up and got out of there before anything else appeared! The whole time we were there both of us had felt a presence that wasn't too nice and was making us nervous. Hopefully it happened because we were both tired!
Won't be working in the courthouse Monday...need a break! I have lots of other stuff that needs catching up on...like backed-up designing and estimating! Forget about cleaning...don't have time! I'm lucky that I manage to get some clothes washed!
PoD and I have both decided that this will be our last year that we will be doing the haunt!
Seriously!
We need to find the same life that everyone else is enjoying!
Maybe I'll go see how other people enjoy Halloween because mine sucks right now...the fun has gone with exhaustion taking it's place!
So to all you out there....enjoy this one cause it WILL be our last for the courthouse! If I have Halloween it will be in my new place!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 23 days left til Halloween! 19 days left til the haunt starts!
Yesterday PoD and I went back to working on the haunted house. We finished putting up the beams for the "Lost Mine", which is in the old Dentist's Office, and covered them to darken the walk.It sounds short and easy but was more work than you think!
We are using old rough boards, salvaged from the pallets that my aluminum comes on, to anchor our mine beams. This means that they have to be hauled from my place to the courthouse and then unloaded and taken downstairs. By the time that's done our hands, arms and back is killing us both. Plus my right knee has decided to keep warning me about this cooler weather!
Designing the layout of the walk was harder!
Forgot about the floor outlets for the Dentist Chairs! These would be real neat tripping items...so we have to adjust the walk to work around them. PoD had a great idea about anchoring the beams without having to screw them into the floor and help make the tunnels look more like mine shafts.
The last two haunts, we had discovered the multiple uses of clear hockey tape to hang decor without ruining walls. Until it got too hot in there and the glue didn't stand up to the heat! Had to retape every night!
This year I discovered the multiple uses of Duct tape!
Also that there is many types of duct tape that don't stay stuck to anything...including itself! Wasted two rolls...this stuff isn't cheap! Not to mention all of the work that went into where it was used! I'm still redoing some of my wire work and thus lost some precious hours! Finally found some good stuff and it's the second main ingredient used in the haunt! Move over Red Green...cause Red Orange is in town...LOL!
Until they turn the heat on! They are now working on the huge gaping hole in roof and redoing the chimney! Finally!
Then I'll remember how much I hated the sticky goo left behind when the tape has been on too long! Right now we are working in an unheated building! It hasn't been too bad until your reminded how cold the cement floor is when you have to sit on it too long! It's gonna take some major heating to get that place warm right now! Won't worry about it til the time comes!
We were getting pretty close to being done when we finally had some help show up. PoD's buddy wasn't too busy at her store so she came to offer her help. Didn't take long to put her to work! Soon her hands hurt like ours! Try ripping off pieces of duct tape that is stuck tight to itself and sticks tight to your dry fingers...after awhile your fingers feel like there missing skin!
Finally we were done the walk set-up and decided to test out the walk without lights! It's works! It's creepy right now and we haven't even set-up the scares and visuals!
One down and three to go!
To all you out there...we will be working there from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Yes...we get to miss Thanksgiving!
Can't give any thanks til we're done this!
See you there?
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 25 days left til Witching Hour! 21 days left til the haunt!
Feeling like a witch right now!!
As usual the closer it gets to the haunted courthouse time all of my "supposedly helpers" become spirits before their time. You know...disappear!
It's amazing how full their lives are and I have nothing going on in mine! I love how people think it's a great idea to have this event just as long as someone else does it! But you know...I knew that was going to happen! I did hope that I would be wrong!
This will be the third time for the haunt...maybe it's 3rd strike your out!
I don't mind doing the set-up with just PoD & the Minions because when you have too many people helping [what's that?] you have to be in too many places at once. But when workers for the "running of the haunt" can't find the time to help or that it puts such a strain on their lives makes me wonder why is it that I do this?
I love Halloween! That's all there is to it! Yes...I do know that not everyone is into it like I am and I don't expect them to understand my passion!
But...
It is the one time that you can be what ever you want and be devilish without hurting anyone! Halloween is like a big movie set....nothing should be real! Everyone talks about their inner child and this is the one time when we learn to laugh at ourselves and at others without causing hurt feelings!
I observed the workers during the other two haunts and they had a blast and when it was over they could hardly wait til next year's haunt! Until the next year comes about and it starts all over again! Empty promises!
I don't know why people think that I have a magic wand and with one wave...Poof and it's all done.
I'm still looking for that wand!!!
But...
I made a promise to do this thing and I will keep my promise no matter how much it takes out of me! There will be a Haunted Courthouse!
Lastly....I know I can count on my family to be there!
Time to get back on my broom and fly off to find that wand!
Orbing out....QoH

Happy Halloween! 26 days til Halloween! 22 days til the haunt!
Missed blogging for a few days...ran into the demon program that eats stories and lost all that I had typed. So I had a mental tantrum and refused to blog!
But I'm back trying again!
Last night found us back in the courthouse again. With cleaning all done we were able to start to set up the layout and had to haul some of the stuff for building it. This is the part that takes the longest. It always looks good on paper but it never fails accustoming always have to be made...And I also have a tendency to change my mind a lot...LOL.
Didn't get a lot done but what we did do helped with deciding where the walk goes. Hopefully we'll get more done this weekend. Haven't been in the place long enough to sense any ghosts and nothing has been bugging us. That's okay with us!
PoD and I had a weird moment as we were moving these metal cabinets into the outer room to get it out of our way. We had used it to help hold up the tarped walls so it was immovable until we took it apart. The reason I mention this is that the first time we had been with the paranormal group they had asked us to stay overnight with them in the courthouse. I couldn't sleep and was creeped out by the place. Around 5:00 a.m. I heard this rumbling noise right below us [the dentist's office] that sounded like a Semi or something big was going by the building or something heavy was being dragged across the floor. This noise was loud enough to wake up PoD and the others...so thankfully I wasn't the only one that heard it. No one was downstairs!
So as PoD and I were dragging this cabinet to the room where we were going to store it, it made this same noise as the one that we heard that morning. Chills went up and down my spine and goose bumps stood up on my arms as I recognized that same sound! I look at PoD and she had that questioning look in her eyes also. Both of us had the same thought! This is the same noise that we heard that morning. But there was no way that cabinet would have moved...we had made it immovable and was in the same position that we had left it! Creepy!
Woke up this morning [3:15 am] to the sound of a door slamming loudly in my place! The cats were acting freaked out especially the oldest one. The other one is freaked out all of the time but even more so! I laid there listening for something else watching the cat's reactions. They were very alert but not scared! After a minute or two they settled down and no other noise was heard. Needless to say I was wide awake after that!
I'm used to hearing strange noises in this place. PoD and I find that it starts around the beginning of fall and gets more active around the middle of Nov. These occurrences don't scare me, although I hate the slamming of door sound waking me up and this isn't the first time that it has happened.
We hadn't lived in this building too long [son, ex and me] when one morning my son came into the livingroom where we were having coffee. He had this worried look on his face and told us about this strange thing that he woke up to find beside is bed.
His room is really dark and he always keeps a lamp on a fold-up stool with-in reach beside his bed. This time, he said, the lamp wasn't there when he reached for it and got up to fumble around for it, thinking that he might have knocked it off while sleeping. He said he stumbled over the stool, which lay in pieces all around, the lamp extended to the length of it's cord and still plugged in!
I thought he was kidding until he brought us the stool -in pieces! I checked it out and the boards had been ripped apart not unscrewed. This is a well made stool and the guy who made it had glued and screwed the pieces together so there was no possible way this could have happened! The screws looked like they were ripped out of their holes and one board has a huge gouge across it. Even if you took two young guys and they both held it to rip it apart you couldn't do it and not make more damage! Even smashing it against the wall would have created more damage. Also he had no one over and it had been a quiet evening...no noises. I still have the stool and it is still in pieces and it's here for anyone else to figure it out. My son swears that he did nothing and I believe him and he still brings it up occasionally and still has that same questioning look.
His room is located in the space that they built when the previous owners joined the two buildings together to make it one store. His room is in the upper level and below him is a big storage room. PoD and I both don't like this area. The two buildings are okay but the joining space is creepy!
That's just one of the creepy stories I have to tell of this place! I will relate more later.
Got to get to work! Need more coffee!!!
Orbing out...QoH

Happy Halloween! 29 days to go
25 left til haunting hour!
Didn't work at the courthouse Sunday and won't today either. Working on other volunteer project tonight! We are doing a one-act play for Theatre Festival that's happening in Swift Current, Nov. 9-11. I'm Stage Manager/Set Designer/Builder and I've been making decor for the set, scene is in a forest and they are supposed to be camping. Just so happens that I am using the forest theme in my haunt so I can use the props for both gigs.
I've just recently discovered "Monster Mud" [not my name for it but well named!]! If your a kid at heart and loved playing in mud [you know....yummy mud pies!] then you'll love this stuff. I use rubber gloves, as the stuff dries the skin out, and still get the same gooey effect without the skin damage. PoD can't stand paper mache' and so helping with the mudding was out of the question but the minions love the stuff. It's trying to get most of the stuff on the creature and not all on them...although, I did wonder what it would be like if I let them harden....just kidding!
One of my goals for retirement [what's that?] was to keep my hands active by taking up sculpting. I did a bit of it in school and really loved it but it takes up a lot of time and energy, never pursuing it. That was in clay!
My first prop is for Halloween and is the main character in the haunt. "Creepy Hollow" is the name I gave him because he's hollow and looks creepy! He's a tree that stands 7' tall with a root base of 3' x 6'. I even gave him his own set of wheels...he's too heavy to carry for any length of time. Thankfully I have double doors in my place and so does the courthouse! He's constructed out of tenplast [plastic cardboard] and shaped with chicken wire. Then I gave him a cloth coat soaked in monster mud, sculpting it to look like bark. Giving him 3 coats of paint and attached some creepy critters, I now have a huge tree that I will display later in my store year round...that should scare the little kiddies!
Thankfully he won't be going into the play just his other buddies who are a LOT smaller and lighter! Another sculpture is a ring of stones that looks like a campfire site. I need a phony fire for both events. I started the base layout for the stump/stool and will be getting it ready for mudding later. I spent most yesterday putting chicken wire over my "Tomato Plant Holder People" [you know...the wire shapes that hold the tomato plants up] and will be adding them to the mudding assembly line. I take two of these plant holders and duct tape them together to make body shapes, add chicken wire, foam head form and then cover it all in cloth soaked with mud.
My hands are pretty sore this morning, bending wire not only causes scratches and cuts but the stuff that's in/on the wire makes your hands steely colored and very dry. I don't like to use skin conditions as they make my hands feel greasy and I can't have that in my line of work!
Most of my day today will be work related and I am still playing catch-up from sick times.
I guess no time for the wicked [although it would be nice to have the time to be wicked!] and I have to get to designing and doing up estimates. My work/designing time starts around 5 or 6:00 am and the rest from opening time til closing will be for applying.
Gotta go make more coffee!
Orbing out....QoH

Happy Halloween...only 30 days left til Halloween
26 days left til Haunt starts!!!
I had a surprise visit from my brother and sister-in-law today, from Devon, AB. It was really good to see them again as I rarely go anywhere except to the hospital lately. Feeling lots better and Halloween always perks up my spirits....pun intended.
Their whole family gets together at Halloween [in Devon] and put up a big yard display. They go all out like I do and they are quite a popular place to experience. This year they said was going to be their last yard decor set-up and the next year plan on moving it into the town's museum. I only wished that I could have made it to see theirs before the close down, pics never do things justice.
So we spent the short time that they were here exchanging trade secrets. They hope to make the 5 hr drive here the haunt weekend, just to experience our haunt and get ideas how to run theirs next year. Hopefully the weather co-operates! I know for sure both of them will be helping to scare others after their walk through!
Sadly I had to wave good-bye and wait for PoD & the Minions to pick me up so we could finish cleaning the basement area of the haunt.
Armed with coffee & water we arrived at the Court House. I was feeling a little edgy about being in there on a Saturday night but felt lots better when the key turned easily in the lock and the door opened like the place was happy to see us. Good omen!
PoD wasn't too happy to see that the door to the Custodian Quarters was closed and she was sure that we had left it open. I'm pretty sure we did also! It was empty inside so no reason to close the door or even lock it...which I do when I have my stuff in it. Later I had to retrieve the dust pan from the custodial kitchen and found nothing had changed. It's possible that someone had needed to get in the room next door to the quarters and push the door shut. No one works in the building on the weekend and the basement looks like it hasn't been cleaned in a looooong time! So who knows?
When I left the rooms I left the door open!
During all this time it was just me and the minions as PoD went home to get her drill/tool kit [she's a Jill also]. When she got back we got busy removing the old haunt walls [tarps] that weren't needed. I had forgotten that one of the tarps was really huge and we had to drag it out into the hallway to fold it. PoD grabbed one end and headed out into the hallway with it. Suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks, turning to me she said in a nervous voice "please tell me that you opened that door [custodial]"! I could have led her along by saying no but knew that she'd be out of there in a flash...with both kids dangling from each arm, feet not touching the ground....and me...well, I'd be on my own!
See her scared look and nervousness about having her back to the scary door I asked her if she wanted to trade places and she lost no time in switching with me. I do have to admit to being nervous myself about having my back to that dark open space and with the tarp being so long I had to back up very close to that doorway. We folded it pretty quick! Me acting brave outwardly but quaking inside! Controlling the urge to run is hard!
The rooms that we were cleaning were the old Dentist office...with LOTS of spiders. FAST spiders! I'm not as phobic about them as my daughter is but I'm not crazy about them either! The only good spider is a plastic spider....which by the way freaked out my granddaughter and in turn, brings it in and freaks out PoD! Why she would think her daughter would be carrying one is beyond me as the kid's just as phobic about them!
The hardest thing that night was getting the 3 dentist chairs down the hallway into a back room that were not using in the haunt. With lots of grunts and groans we wrangled them into the room.
These rooms were revised awhile back to house the dentist office and the walls should be in not too bad of shape? Wrong...they are crumbling to the point of wall turning to sand! We had to sweep up a mound of it! Also one of the windows had been busted in with part of a brick....probably from the chimney [that was ripped out by some idiot...but we won't get into that right now!]. Like to catch the creeps that like to bust windows and make them put in new ones!!!
We decided to call it an early evening and clean-up had only taken 1.5 hrs.
The only other place to clean in the basement is the hallway and it's overloaded right now with paper towel dispensers and chairs. This part doesn't have to be done until the last and the town needs to get at their vaults and other rooms. So the next step is the haunt walls in the Custodian Quarters and set-ups for creatures.
Next jaunt to the courthouse will be Tuesday, Oct. 3
Orbing out...QoH