Halloween Approacheth 2023 - Movies and Cigars

 Sunday, October 29, 2023

Yesterday we went to Julie and Regina's place for dinner. Julie picked out a movie called The Menu. It was a comedy/horror film and, boy, what a combo hat makes. The humor is quite dark but it's what keeps it all from being more disturbing than it already is. 

Cigar time this afternoon. Sat outside and smoked a smaller cigar. It was in the 30s, humid, and really quite raw so I don't think I would have lasted as long with a bigger stogie. I've been spoiled by the nice weather we've been having.  

Halloween Approacheth 2023 - Sunday of MEA Weekend: Cigar Time

 Sunday, October 22, 2023

Dale and I went to The Howe for brunch today. We then took a drive along the Mississippi to take in the fall colors. They were beautiful and I can't believe the changes just in the past week. 

                        

Cigar this afternoon. Perfect day for it. Dale joined me outside for a bit. 

MEA weekend went fast. It always does. 

Halloween Approacheth 2023 - Saturday of MEA Weekend: The Monkey's Paw

 Saturday, October 21, 2023

Re-read The Monkey's Paw today. This is one of my favorite horror short stories. Written by W. W. Jacobs it appeared in Harper's Monthly back in 1902. It's a classic 3-wishes tale in which the wishes go horribly awry and bring much pain and suffering. 

I first read this tale about 20 years ago. It was part of a book I bought titled The Little Big Book of Chills and Thrills which contains a number of other well written horror and ghost stories. 

Halloween Approacheth 2023 - Friday of MEA Weekend: Robot Monster

Friday, October 20, 2023

A few years ago at the Blue Moon Dine In Theater at the Minnesota State Fair Dale and I caught the end of a movie titled Robot Monster. My memory about it was jogged when a posting of the film turned up on Instagram. I looked it up online and discovered it's been billed as the 2nd worst movie in the world next to Plan 9 from Outer Space. 

Ro-Man

Dale and I watched it tonight for the hell of it and I really don't see how Plan 9 could be any worse (never seen it). Despite the low-budget quality the film was financially successful. 

The plot involves a race of space beings called Ro-Men who wipe out the human race, or so they think. There were a few survivors so the job needs to be finished. 

The male lead was played by George Nader who was a close friend and confidant of Rock Hudson.

Ealier today Dale and I went to The Howe for lunch. Dale got the tuna poke bowl and a beer. I started with a maple Old Fashioned. For food I got the wild rice pot pie which was savory and delicious. Very fall-like. 

Halloween Approacheth 2023 - Thursday of MEA Weekend: Cigars & More

 Thursday, October 19, 2023

Short school week but a grueling one none-the-less. It's starting to feel much more fall-like as compared to the beginning of the month which was pretty summery. 

Rained this morning but it was done by early afternoon. I just wiped down a lawn chair and lit up. 

 

Made a Canadian Old Fashioned out of Jack Daniels. It paired nicely with the Oliva I smoked. 

Went to the next door neighbor's house when I finished. They're out of town for the weekend so I fed the fish and tried to visit with the cat but he was no where to be found. There are signs they're getting ready for Halloween.

I'm sure the kids are getting excited. 

Halloween Approacheth 2023 - Thursday of MEA Weekend: Treats & More

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Conferences at school yesterday. A colleague brought donuts and I tried a pumpkin one. It was yummy. 

Ms. Kellie, my teaching partner, brought me what she callled a moon pie. Didn't look like the moon pies I've seen before but it sure was delicious; dense and cake-like and slightly pumpkiny tasting. 

Fall colors have become more noticeable even in the last few days. Many trees still haven't started to turn yet, however. 

Found this picture on Instagram recently. I remember a neighbor used to have one just like it in their yard and my beloved dog Sophie got freaked out by it.

October 2023 - The Phantom of the Opera and More

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Been feeling poorly lately so I'm pretty much on the couch to recuperate this weekend.  Saw a picture recently on Instagram that showed Lon Chaney with the frightening and iconic makeup job that was done for the 1925 silent film of The Phantom of the Opera. I found the movie on Prime and decided to watch it. It was 90 minutes long and I don't think I've ever sat through a full length silent movie before. I've seen clips of them and maybe a few shorts. The exaggerated facial expressions and body movements of the actors make more sense in a full length format. They look more silly in isolation especially when compared to what we're used to seeing on the screen now. 

I sat outside for a bit on this beautiful fall day.  

Dale and I decided that the leaves are probably about two weeks behind in terms of turning and falling. We're just beginning to notice some fall colors. 

Earlier in the season we founnd a pumpkin vine growing in one of our overgrown gardens. I pulled it up today and found a cute little pumpkin at the end of it. The orange bowl (above) next to the pumpkin was left outside after having been used as a cigar ashtray a few days ago. The water in it shows how much rain we got at the end of this past week. Much needed. 

Also, found a Halloween song by Kate Pierson of the B-52s which was released this past Friday (the 13th). Added it to my Halloween Playlist Vol. 2. 

October 2023 - Change In the Weather

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Quite a bit cooler this weekend compared to last so it's actually starting to feel like October. Smoked a cigar yesterday, an Oliva and paired it with a pre-made Old Fashioned cocktail. High was in the 50s so it was perfect leather jacket weather. 

Every year for the past 8 years or so Seth has illustrated about 3 classic ghost stories and releases them before the Christmas holiday season. 

I pick up and read all of them every year but there was one I didn't get to last season titled The Corner Shop by Lady Asquith.

I began but didn't finish it today. It's quite good. 

Finished my cigar and Dale called me in for dinner. We had a shrimp and pasta dish.

Finished the ghost story today. It was very good. The teaser on the back of the book says, "Peter Wood enters a charming antiques shop owned by two young women one stormy evening. But after he returrns a second time to a strange old man and a far gloomier atmosphere, and leaves with an unusual jade frog, Peter soon discovers that his purchase is worth more than he paid."

Chicken pot pie for dinner. It was delicious.

Pumpkin cake roll with cream cheese frosting from Lunds for dessert.

That was delicious too. It's beginning to feel like fall. 

October 2023 - October Begins

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Hard to believe October has begun.

However the signs of the season are beginning to appear. 

On Friday I told the kids at school that when we come back after the weekend it will be October. As soon as I said it at least five of them squealed, "Halloweeeeeeeeeen!" I made it very clear to them that Halloween is still one WHOLE month away.

Another reason to find it hard to believe it's October is the temperature. I've heard the thermometer hit 91 today and it was really humid. In fact, the Twin Cities Marathon was cancelled due to the extreme conditions.

I sat outside in the shade with a cigar. I thought it was pleasant but I wouldn't have wanted to run in it one block let alone a marathon. 

Listened to Orville while siting with my cigar in the back yard. Speaking of, I should probably come up with a different costume this year.