A Halloween Medley

Hey y'all and welcome to another Wednesday Medley!
Today's questions are all about Halloween and things that go bump in the night.
If you want to join in, just go over to Terri, our friend from Florida's blog, copy the questions
and then answer them on your blog.

So these days, I really don't give Halloween much of a thought.
The day comes and goes and that's about it since there are no children here to enjoy it anymore.
Back in the day, Jim and I were known to dress up and party with the best of them.

 

 

Also, back in the day, when Halloween night was nothing but innocent fun, it was the highlight of fall and my childhood memories. In those days, no one in my circle of influence considered Halloween even remotely close to being demonic. The only people that I knew that weren't allowed to celebrate it were a couple of kids in my elementary school that were of a certain religion. I felt so sorry for them as they stood back away from the crowd during our annual Halloween costume parade with their sad little faces, unable to participate in the festivities. I remember how all of the classes would gather outside on those cool autumn days and parade around the neighborhood where the school was located. We also were given bags from our teachers and went trick-or-treating around to all of the classrooms. It was nothing but a good-spirited fun time when we got lots of candy...nothing more, nothing less.

At home the fun continued as my siblings and I would come up with ideas for our costumes and Mom and Dad would get ready for the beggars...because at my house, it was "Beggar's Night"...we didn't call it trick-or-treat. Anyway, the whole family got involved in the fun and because bad things didn't really happen much back then, there was no age limit imposed for the beggars. Most of my siblings who were of course all older than me got dressed up and walked the neighborhood just for the fun of it even though I doubt they were all begging for candy. Who knows...maybe they were! The costumes that we wore were usually made up of old clothes borrowed from Dad or someone, ranging from hobos to strange looking women and everything in between. I do remember getting a new, store-bought costume every now and then.

source

One in particular was a Heckle and Jeckle costume. Anyone remember those cartoons? Actually, I don't know if my costume was Heckle or Jeckle...since there were two of them. 😖 Then there were those awful, scary, monstrous looking rubber masks...false faces...as Mom would call them. To this very day, I have a vivid memory of the chest of drawers where my brothers stored those horrid things. If the drawer was open the little slightest bit, I wouldn't even walk by it thinking that one of them jump out and grab me!

When I think of the Halloweens of yesteryear, I remember bowls filled with candy, apples, and homemade popcorn balls and cookies...remember those days? Some homes that we would go to even gave out cups of apple cider! Then somewhere along the line, the world started going crazy. Some very mean and hurtful people started to do such terrible things like putting razor blades in apples, and slipping drugs or who knows what else into candy and other treats. I think that I was a young mother with small children of my own when all that scary stuff started happening.

 

And here they are...my two many moons ago.

 

These days, with no young children or grands close by, Halloween comes and goes just like any other day. I haven't decorated for it in years and also the trick-or-treaters have all but stopped...last year was the first year that we had zero. Not too many parents want to drive their kids into a subdivision where the homes are on 1-2 acre lots, have long driveways and shrouded by tall trees. There are many local neighborhoods with large houses with small yards, all very well lit. Those neighborhoods are trick-or-treater's dream. 

So finally, here are this weeks questions...

1. You’re in a horror movie. Are you the final person left, the first to die, the comic relief, the skeptic, the smart one, or the killer?

I am not in to horror movies at all. If I ever found myself in one, it would only be in a dream and mostly likely, I would provide the comic relief.

2. While watching scary movies, are you the person who yells at the characters, the person with their eyes covered the whole time or the person who falls asleep?

As I said, I am not a fan of horror movies but if I found myself in this position, I would be the one covering my eyes. You just can't un-see some things.

3. If you were dared to spend the night in a “haunted house”, would you do it?

There may have been a time when I was way younger that I may have been tempted to but these days, the only spirit that care to be anywhere close to is the Holy Spirit. 👻

4. Favorite horror monster or villain?

Again, no real favorite here but back in my teen years, Barnabas Collins from the show "Dark Shadows" may have made the list.

5. Favorite horror or Halloween-themed song?

How many Halloween songs are there, anyway? The first one I thought of was "The Monster Mash"...then I found the one I learned in elementary school. Sound familiar?



6. Tell us something random about your week.

Nothing much going on here this week but I am looking forward to Saturday when we turn back the clocks...I turn mine back on Saturday afternoon since I know there's no way I will sleep that extra hour anyway. 😏

 

Until next time...

Falling Back on the Hodgepodge

Happy first day of November!

Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend and I always look forward to it...

...I know, most people think I'm nuts (and they just may be right).

When I leave to go home from work it's nearly dark

and when I go to work in the morning, the sun is blinding me!

So why do I like it?
First of all, I really like having that extra hour on Saturday evening.
We turn our clocks back after supper and it's just enough to trick my mind into thinking
that I am actually gaining an hour...I never use it for sleeping purposes.
You see, I seem to have this built-in alarm that doesn't allow me to slumber more,
just because the clock says I can.
Most weekday evenings I'm just ready to get home and stay there.

The thought of coming home, gettin' in my jammies and all cozied in on a cold evening

is just one of those simple pleasure I enjoy this time of year!

So let's get on with the Hodgepodge, shall we?

It's where Joyce asks the tough questions and we answer them on our blogs.
But you already knew that, didn't you?

1. What does/did Halloween look like at your house this year? Did you decorate? Pick pumpkins? Carve pumpkins? Expect trick or treaters? Wear a costume to a party or event? Make a costume? Feel glad you didn't have to come up with a costume? Cook a Halloween themed treat? Eat all the leftover candy?

It's actually Halloween night as I sit here writing this post and this is what it looks like: The house is quiet, Oscar is lying next to me on the couch while Tasha is asleep on the love seat. Jim is working (as usual), I didn't carve a pumpkin this year and we have had zero trick-or-treaters so far. I bought a bag of Reese's Cups just in case. Each year the number goes down...so if last year was zero, we will have less than that this year. I do not decorate for Halloween and haven't since my kids were little. I will occasionally dress up (a little) but nothing too garish.

This was shortly after Jim and I were married at a party we attended. I'm the one in the deputy's uniform...in case you didn't recognize me.

And this was last year at the PT clinic, shortly before election day. I was "Ms. Patriotic" and the bright blue eye shadow is about as scary as it gets! I remember how much more fun Halloween used to be when I was a kid...we usually made our costumes from some old clothes and anything we could find but I do remember when I had a Casper the Friendly Ghost costume...oh yeah, and Heckle and Jeckle, remember them? Actually, I dress my dogs up more than I dress up myself.

This year. no costume for me and no Halloween treats were made and few were eaten. They came passing out candy at work today and after eating a few pieces, I felt sick. I can't eat too much sugar these days and that's a GOOD thing!

2. What are you waiting for? Elaborate

I guess I could say that I am waiting on many things but as the world grows more and more chaotic, I find myself wondering and waiting for everything to settle down a bit. I don't have a lot of confidence that it will happen but we can still hope and pray. I'm afraid I might be waiting until Jesus returns.

3. Do you wish you were friendlier, braver, more creative, more athletic, or something else? Explain.

Sometimes, yes to all of the above but I don't spend a lot of time dwelling on it. There is always room for improvement and the "something else" would most definitely be SKINNIER...and that, my friends, needs NO explanation. 😕

4. When it comes time to paint are you a do-it-yourselfer or do you hire someone? What was the last paint job completed at your house? What room most needs painting now? How do you feel about wallpaper?

I have always been a do-it-yourselfer. The last paint project that I completely finished would be my kitchen cabinets. Here is a photo from my post about it.

I was going to paint the hallway BEFORE we got the new floors last winter but one thing led to another and I knew there would be more painting to be done later so I just stopped. You see, I need a deadline and now I have one...well, kinda. By putting the house on the market hopefully in the spring, all of my unfinished projects shall finally be complete. So after the hallway is finally finished, I will start painting all of the doors and baseboards. And anyone who knows me at all knows that I still love my wallpaper...not everywhere...just here and there....like in the bathroom...

...the bedroom

...and inside of my hutches...

...and of course, my back splash in the kitchen which is textured wallpaper spray painted "tin".

5. What is one specific thing you felt gratitude for in the month of October?

I specifically am very thankful for the cooler temps that October brought (finally!) and as of the end of last week, water in the well in Tennessee! You just can't move forward without it.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

It is now 9:00 PM on Halloween. Not. One. Trick-or-treater. It looks like I'll be needing to get rid if that bag of Reese's Cups. Any takers??

Enjoy the rest of your week!