Organized

From This

To this! 

Ignore the incomplete zombie in the first pic. There was a disorganized workbench in the background that has been bugging me for a few years now. Some pegboard and hooks and I am ready to start on Halloween 2013. After I get lights on the Christmas tree first.....

Skullman 1979

Happy Thanksgiving! Was at the folks house tonight and decided to go thru old photo albums looking for childhood Halloween pics. This was one of my favorite costumes. I thought an Army jacket could go with almost any theme. And this was the coolest mask I ever had at the time.                                  

So this Halloween we had a great turnout again. Lots of trick or treaters, the exact numbers I do not know, but we ran out of candy. I think its because of living in a large community with many subdivisions. So the kids go from neighborhood to neighborhood and rack up the candy. There is even a neighborhood up in the front thats gated and folks give out cans of soda and the large candies. You know, the large box of Dots, M&M's you buy at the movie theatre, that kind. I thought it was a myth at first but our girls always come back with proof. Our hood has lots of young families with kids under or around 8 to 10 years old. So my haunts are usually pretty tame. Sure I have the corpses and skeletons but I try to go for creepy instead of screaming and chasing kids in terror like some neighbors. Parents always thank me while they hangout in the driveway while their kids will run thru the haunt several times. I just walked around the driveway with the caldron of candy and directed the entrance to the haunted house. My wife hung out with me when she wasn't busy helping the girls get their last minute costumes together and shuttleing them to the big candy hood. 

     So my so-called theme again was pirates (shocking!) and I was tired of trying to scramble props in the driveway Halloween morning every year. Since there are shelves lining both sides of the garage, I could attach cardboard to make a cave facade with niches the skeletons can be in. I knew it wasn't  gonna look like Lord of the Rings but more like a George Melies' movie set. However it turned out I had more fun this year than the previous years because I took my time, stayed relaxed, and let go of my perfectionist expectations. Plus, I was trying not to spend too much money. Now afterwards, I just have to gradually turn my garage back to normal (meaning parking the cars in at night- HOA rules). The wife suggested I keep the black visqueen up all year to which I responded "Whaaaaaaaaat?" Don't know about that. She is a real trooper for putting up with this little hobby of mine and I truly appreciate her support! The real focus now it posting all the pics this year and practicing blogging. Yes, I am a caveman when it comes to computers. I ask everyone to be patient with me while I learn how to use all the bells and whistles and improve this blog.