Halloween 2020 - Wind, Falling Leaves, and Charlie Brown

Saturday, October 31, 2020

I'm thinking the awesome wind we're experiencing will take down what's left of the leaves. 

By the way, I can't find my DVD of A Charlie Brown Halloween and it's not being run on network tv for whatever the reason; it's only available for stream which costs. 

Halloween 2020 - Dr. Who

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Used the above item for the mystery bag activity my class played for morning meeting the other day. I had a naming contest for it and only one kid submitted an entry: Dr. Who. It was the automatic winner. Conkins, my EA, asked the student if he had ever seen the tv show of the same name. He said he never heard of it. 

Halloween 2020 - Happy Halloween

 Saturday, October 31, 2020

Halloween 2020 - Candy Corn

 Saturday, October 31, 2020

A little Halloween humor. Dale and I recently discussed our dislike of candy corn. Did you know it dates all the way back to the 1880s? Any time I’ve ever eaten any it tastes like that’s how old it is. 

Halloween 2020 - Whistling Wind

Saturday, October 31, 2020

I fell asleep a few different times during The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Over the course of the movie the temperature dropped and the wind really kicked in. We had some 50 mile per hour gusts which we could hear whistling from inside the house. It really added some atmosphere to the evening. 

Halloween 2020 - Dinner and a Movie

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Easy dinner of chicken thighs. Oh Ho cake from Kowalski's for dessert. 

During dinner we watched The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. One of my favorites. I think it's the quintessential movie romance between a living person and a dead one. 

 

Halloween 2020 - Lunch

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Got together with my friend Noel earlier today. We had lunch at Red Rabbit over on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. We sat outside as we're avoiding indoor dining due to the pandemic. It was 54 degrees and, with the sun out, that felt pleasant with a medium weight jacket on. However, about halfway through lunch it decided to cloud up and we realized what a difference the sun was making. Oh well, it wasn't horribly cold. Not sure how much longer we're going to be able to do our Saturday lunches. 

Halloween 2020 - The Haunting

Saturday, October 31, 2020

After The Wolfman was over Turner Classic Movies broadcast The Haunting from 1963 which I'd never seen before. I saw the 1999 remake when it came out and I found it to be rather stupid. 

The original however turned out to be quite good. Adapted from the 1959 book The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, this film stars Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn. 

Dr. Markway, played by Richard Johnson invites subjects, played by Julie Harris and Claire Bloom, whom he believes to have experienced the paranormal to stay in a house where he believes supernatural events occur. The owner of the house only agrees to let him conduct the investigation if he will allow her nephew to participate. 

Once they're all there and settled in some severe spookiness ensues. Severe. Seriously severe. 

Halloween 2020 - No Candy for You

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Although I don't always pass out candy on Halloween I always enjoy it when I do. I decided against it this year due to the pandemic. A few houses on the block were set up to receive trick-or-treaters but not nearly as many as usual. 

At around 5 o'clock Dale and I noticed a few kids in costumes out and about so we decided to draw the shades and begin cocktail hour. 

Halloween 2020 - More Orville

Saturday, October 31, 2020

I really had a lot of fun with this costume. 

The real Orville posted this photo on Instagram.

And this one.

This too. Not sure what the Sponge Bob this is all about. 

Halloween 2020 - Going Full Orville

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Well, pulled an Orville Peck costume together. His mask along with a cowboy hat are what's definitive in his look so I felt I had some leeway with the rest of the look. A red t-shirt, leather vest, blue jeans and cycle boots worked just fine. Special thanks to my former colleague Bonnie for the mask. 

Halloween 2020 - Full Moon/Blue Moon

Saturday, October 31, 2020

 

Today marks the first full moon on Halloween since 1944. According to NASA the next one won't happen until 2039. 

The Harvest Moon, which usually appears in September occurred on October 1 this year. The Harvest Moon is the moon that appears closest to the autumnal equinox and the moon that appeared on on September 2 occurred to early for that to be the case. 

Today's full moon, called the Hunter's Moon, is most often an October occurrence and refers to when game was traditionally fattened and preparations for winter began.

 

This afternoon Dale and I caught a good chunk of The Wolf Man with Lon Chaney Jr. on Turner Classic Movies. How appropriate for today. 

Halloween 2020 - Cocktails

Friday, October 30, 2020

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Took a nice walk in some lovely October weather.

Home in time for happy hour at 5. I made the rum concoction I created.

Cheers. Tomorrow is the big day. 

Halloween Approacheth 2020 - Trick or Treat

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Maybe not too far from reality.

Halloween Approacheth 2020

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Halloween approacheth and so does the full moon. This shot perfectly captures a nighttime October sky. I snapped upon returning home from an evening walk with Athena. 

Halloween Approacheth 2020 - Orville Mask

Monday, October 26, 2020

On October 2 I posted a picture of myself wearing the above cowboy hat on Facebook with the following: 

“Every morning I hold a synchronous meeting with my class from 9:00 - 9:30. We do a formal greeting, sharing, activities and announcements. Yesterday I told the kids I would be declaring today as hat day. They were into it and we had a ton of fun. I wore this cowboy hat which I got about 5 or 6 years ago for a Halloween costume. Maybe I’ll keep it out for this Halloween and go as Orville Peck. Now where to get one of those masks like his?”

Well, Bonnie, an old colleague who’s now retired, saw the post and offered to make the mask! She messaged me today that it was ready and said she’d bring it over. I think it turned out remarkably well. 

Halloween Approacheth 2020 - Settin' Stuff Out

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Black cats and more. 

Gourds and more.

Halloween Approacheth 2020 - Pumpkin Pie

Saturday, October 24, 2020

Decided to have a little pumpkin pie with my whipped cream. 

Halloween Approacheth 2020 - Hangin' with Mike

Friday, October 23, 2020

Mike and I hung out tonight. Haven’t seen him since August so it was nice to catch up. We talked a lot of politics; mostly regarding my school district and the way they are handling the possibility of returning to in-person learning but presidential as well. 

We discussed socializing during pandemic especially as we enter the winter months. He invited me into his bubble which I thought was sweet. 

Halloween Approacheth 2020 - Snowstorm

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Snowstorm today. We got about 8 inches when it was all said and done. I do not remember getting snow in October that’s accumulated since the Halloween Blizzard of 1991. For that one I think we got about 28 inches although that was a two day storm. 

It was weird seeing leaves still on the trees with snow on them next to flocked trees with no leaves. 

Halloween Approacheth 2020 - Cigar, Cocktail Hour, and a Nice Big Dinner

MEA weekend. Dale and I were supposed to go to Madeline Island but decided not to. Mostly because Dale's workload this past week was much higher than expected but also somewhat due to the wind advisories for tonight and tomorrow. We didn't want to risk the possibility of getting stranded on the Island. 

We stopped by South Lyndale Liquors to pick up some wine for Dale but also some rum, falernum, curaçao, and orgeat for my polynesian cocktail. We also stopped by Kowalski's to pick up dinner makings.

After shopping Dale had an important phone call with Maggie. I lit up a cigar in the yard.

After Dale's phone call he brought Athena out to join me. She's such good company. As I've said a million times before, life's just better with a dog. Especially THIS dog. 

Music during my cigar session included some Orville Peck but also It's Monster Surfing Time by the Deadly Ones. This one is full of freaky shrieks to accompany the classic surf music. Perfect for this time of year. 

When I was done with my stogie Dale and I came inside for cocktails. I made my standard tiki cocktail which includes light rum, dark rum, curaçao, falernum, orgeat, and club soda. I used the tiki mug I got for free from the liquor store for buying a bottle of Plantation rum. I love this mug. It fits perfectly in my hand and feels good to hold.

Movie for the night was Murder at the Gallop. We've been on a Margaret Rutherford/Miss Marple bender lately. We watched Murder, She Said last week and Murder Ahoy a week or so before that. 

Pumpkin pie for dessert. We only picked up half a pie at Kowalski's but there's still enough for tomorrow!

Evening walk with Athena.

Great day.