Halloween Season 2018 - Ghost Stories

For a number of years I've loved reading ghost stories during the Halloween season. Sometimes I like to read outside with a cigar if the weather is pleasant enough. Other times, if a bit too cold to be outdoors,  it's just as wonderful being cozy inside cuddled up on the couch with a spooky book.

I picked up a collection of M.R. James ghost stories last year at Garrison Keillor's book store in St. Paul. I reread a few this year including Lost Hearts about a young orphaned boy who goes to live with his creepy elderly cousin at an English estate and learns of tragic past events which occurred there. Another by James which I quite enjoyed is The Mezzotint about an engraving with quite a story behind it. Or shall I say in it.

Halloween 2018 - Until Next Year...

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Pretty fun Halloween overall. I wasn't sure I was going to even pass out candy this year until the last hour of the school day today. I'm glad I did. I've enjoyed fall and Halloween this year just as much as I always do. The sight of pumpkins on doorsteps and neighbors' Halloween yard displays, the smell of taste of pumpkin flavored everything, the dried leaves and wood fires outside always bring me right back to when I was a kid and it makes me think of many fond Halloween memories. So, until next year...

Halloween 2018 - Werewolves

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

While passing out candy I had She Wolf of London playing on DVD. After that was over I put in The Wolfman with Lon Chaney Jr. I had the sound down on the TV as the movies were just for atmosphere. My Halloween mix was playing as background music and I was listening to Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon. The lyrics about Lon Chaney and Lon Chaney Jr. were playing just as Lon Chaney Jr. himself was turning into the wolf man on the television. Funny coincidence. 

Halloween 2018 - Charisse

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Charisse's Jack-O-Lanterns.

I texted Mike's wife, Charisse, earlier in the evening after making my first cocktail around 4:45. She's a huge fan of Halloween and I wanted to see what she was up to. She texted that she was doing "Spooktacular!" She continued, "I've started drinking is that bad? Mike is teaching until 7:00. I need my drinking partner. Shay and Colbie are home so I'm not drinking alone, right?" I texted back that yes, of course, that Shay and Colbie counted and that I was just hangin' with my boys:

Texted this photo to Mike:

Halloween 2018 - Pumpkin Pie

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

I ran out of candy around 7:30 p.m. so I quickly shut down the porch and came in to close the blinds. Dale made dinner and we watched 30 Rock on Netflix. Pumpkin pie for dessert.

Halloween 2018 - A Magical Evening

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Neighbor's pumpkin. Quite well done if you ask me.

I continued to pass out candy while Dale made dinner. At one point I called him out to the porch to peek outside. It was a gorgeous fall evening and the temperature perfect for trick or treating. It was a magical and peaceful scene as we watched the kids moving up and down the sidewalks and crossing in the middle of the street.

Halloween 2018 - Trick or Treaters

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

More kids started showing up as it got a little darker. I had the best time passing out candy. The kids were so polite and almost always said "thank you." One little guy, I swear it had to be his first Halloween, came running up the front walk saying 'trick or treat' over and over. I bent over a bit to position myself to put some candy in his bag but before I could do that he thrust his hand into the candy bowl and pulled out his own large handful. I looked up at his dad who was about 6 feet behind him who said, "Sorry, he's pretty new at this." I had to laugh.

Halloween 2018 - Where Is Everyone?

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Kids started showing up around 5:30/5:45 or so which seemed a little late considering in other years the real tiny tots show up earlier than that. Maybe I'm just remembering it all wrong considering we haven't passed out treats in a few years.

Halloween 2018 - Tchotchke Display

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Didn't have much time over the past few days to get any Halloween tchotchkes out so I set up what you see in these photos. I'd say it's only about a third to a half of what I have.

Halloween 2018 - Halloween Playlist

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

For some reason the Halloween playlist I have on iTunes on my computer and on my iPod won't transfer to my phone so I had to set it up again. I added only a couple new songs this year including Ghostbusters and Rave from the Grave.

Halloween 2018 - Pumpkins and October Light

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

By 4:45 p.m. there were still no trick or treaters so I set the pumpkins outside. Gorgeous day for kids to be out collecting candy. It's sunny and about 50 degrees.

Halloween 2018 - Costumes (Or Lack Thereof)

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Toyed with some photoshopped "costumes" on my phone. 

This is what I ultimately wore to pass out candy: 

Very practical. Black leather baseball cap, track jacket, black velvet like dinner jacket.

Halloween 2018 - Candy and Gin

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Hightailed it home right after school to pick up treats at Walgreens for all the kids. Next stop - Ken and Norm's for some gin for me.

Halloween Season 2018: Bigfoot

I met Bigfoot in the skyway this past Sunday!

Halloween Season 2018: Psycho Suzi's

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Back to Psycho Suzi's after a meeting at the union hall. They're all decked out for Halloween.

Halloween Season 2018: Ghostbusters

Friday, October 19, 2018

Heard the Ghostbusters song recently. It put a bee in my bonnet to see the movie again. I don't think I'd seen it in 30 years and Dale said he'd never seen it before, at least not all the way through. We found it online and dove into a bunch of 80s nostalgia.

I remember seeing it with my dear friend Heidi shortly after it was released in 1984. We both loved it. The whole thing went on to be quite a phenomenon with a couple animated series and a sequel in its wake. 

Dale and I were not surprised but still got a kick out of how much younger all the actors looked (of course 34 years WILL make a difference). The biggest nod to 80s fashion was the costume of the character Gozer who looked just like a 1984 version of Sheena Easton only with red eyes.

What with having seen Beetlejuice recently it looks like this Halloween season is shaping up to be one of spooky 80s movie nostalgia.

What's next? Gremlins? Maybe, although that one pairs nicely with Christmas too. 

Note: Dale still hasn't seen the movie all the way through due to his propensity to fall asleep while watching TV. 

Halloween Season 2018: Psycho Suzi's

Friday, October 18, 2018

Suzi's back yard.

Halloween Season 2018: Psycho Suzi's

Friday, October 19, 2018

Shown above are the tiki mugs I picked up at Suzi's. The first three photos show just one mug which has three different masks on it. 

Halloween Season 2018: Psycho Suzi's

Friday, October 19, 2018

After our walk to the river we headed back inside to stop by the gift shop. Of course they had a mess of new mugs and I picked a couple up (not that I needed them and not pictured above). 

Halloween Season 2018: Psycho Suzi's

Friday, October 19, 2018

Psycho Suzi’s overlooks the Mississippi River and has a “dock” behind it although there is no actual structure that extends into the water for boats to pull up to. However, I have seen people pull up in kayaks and beach them there. The water is pretty high right now compared to when Dale and I were there this past August.