Here come the Frumpkins, Lumpkins, and long legged Pumpkins
running real fast, up the drive

And the Dumpkins and Stumpkins and even the Krumpkins,
keeping All Hallow's alive...................

Thanks to Danni of Whimsical Cottage for The Countdown to Halloween,
Magaly of Pagan Culture for All Hallow's Grim,
Lynn of The Witch Blog for letting me post there,
and Anne of Frosted Petunias for the Witch's Tea.

Otherwise I might have just sat around and waited for the long legged Pumpkins to arrive.

Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain my lovelies.

Warning...pictures are graphic

ZOMBIES

And I have never been a follower of the cult adventures of such. But just because I actually said, "I don't believe in Zombies" to Shel and the kids....we'll see what I found on my front porch today.

I love me some trailer trash pink flamingoes as front yard decorations. I used to only have them in the backyard when I thought I would be judged for my decor choices. You know, just in case HGTV was driving down my street and the uncouth and just plain wrong police jump out of a van and issue me a yard deco violation. But then I realized, I wasn't afraid of a little negative press and moved them out front. Especially, in light of the fact that I am the only old person on the block who gives a holiday big one anyway. And to me flamingoes fill in when there aren't any major cultural and community doings to celebrate.

But this sight was just a jaw dropper. I never expected that I would see this. Poor little fella never had a chance. And the other two....well, I'm just appalled....

Now I'm gonna have to warn the yard gnomes to be on alert, damn shame.

And so they put on a show at Wendy's.....

I cracked up when Sweet Man, Ry and GK got back from getting Frostys. The three of them are so funny and cute together. They always have adventures of the maximum variety when they terrorize the citizens of Burque.

When GK was little it was Peter Pan and Wendy that they adventured. Acting out the parts, using the voices, pretending and loving the play.

Now with Ry it is Batman, Batboy and if she gets included, GK is Battygirl. Serves her right for being such a brat sometimes during the pretending, but that's just my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

This is how it was related to me by the Three Caballeros (Disney style)...... They drove up to Wendy's drive up window and were going to order when the voice in the box said, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience but the customer in front of you has ordered a devastatingly big order and it will be a bit before we can get to you". To which my three said no problem.......and proceeded to play. Batboy and Battygirl then asked what devastatingly meant and Batman explained that it was very big and that the staff inside were going to have to hustle to get it ready for the van in front of them. "Oh well" was the response from the batty children. "let's play".

I gather from them that Riddler was the villian du jour and that he had taken over the shopping center which was in view of the Batmobile. They were trying to work out what would be the best Bat device to use to get rid of the Riddler and his dastardly crew because the bad guys had done some "devastatingly huge harm" according to Ry to the buildings and shoppers. "Let's use a nuclear device to get rid of them", said Battygirl. From the voice in the box, "I don't think that you need to go nuclear but you can order now".

At which the younger occupants of the car squealed with delight and they drove forward to the pickup window. The male and female at the window and my nincompoops all laughed at the fact that the entire Wendy's enjoyed an interlude with the Badmobile crew and their pretending skills and talent. I guess imagining does pay off after all, as if we didn't know that, huh?

The kids came home beaming with their new status as floorshow entertainers at Wendy's. Sweet Man was kinda tickled too. See what I have to work with here?????? What a joy.

I have a lovely friend.........

who shares the most marvelous and wonderous gifties with me. I must have fooled her into thinking I deserved these bits because she sent me loads and many.

Thought you might like to see all the sweets I received from a very sweet Celia at Oberon's Wood. She is a fabulous miniature maker and here are some proof of that pudding, I'd say. Tiny candies of all kinds, cakes, pumpkins, cauldron of cider, bags for the treats to go in.......so the grands and I are working on a Sweet Shop in a box. Shelves, a table for the selling, customers and the proprietress herself, who hails from a certain Sorceress Hollow deep in the Oberon Wood. We will certainly re-show these lovely pressies when we finish our tableau.

And here is the lovely and warped GK hugging her latest love......an heirloom pumpkin of a weight of 40 lbs. My insane daughter took the kids to the flea market and brought home two of these monsters.....I think we are going to have to start feeding them or the dog and cat may be in danger of being eaten by the gi-flippin-normous orange orbs of punkin love.

And for those of you who were interested.....I finished my drapes....yay for me.

And then I caught my breath.............

Another story from long, long ago.

I was only 19 and not all that savvy in the ways of the world. I sat between Frenchie and Bill in the front seat of my used '59 Studebaker. The car was a hulk on wheels. Looked like a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings, except it was baby blue. I bought the car with the money I saved up working at the bakery and paid a whole, big $50.00 to my cousin Pete for the "cast iron cutie", so aptly named because whatever I bumped into was always the loser and the car had nary a dent. I felt safe driving that car.

We were going to get a friend from the train station. This kid was a bit of a "hooligan" and had always caused some hate and discontent to arise wherever he went. He married my best friend the day after we graduated from high school and was coming home on leave from an 18 month tour of Vietnam. He was a communications specialist in a forward unit and had been wounded. That was why he had come home. My girlfriend couldn't get off work in time to pick him up so that is why we were heading downtown.

As usual Frenchie had made us late by talking to my folks. He loved to "irk" my Dad and just kept on and on until Bill threatened to break his neck if he didn't shut up and let us get to the train station. Frenchie and Bill were friendly rivals when it came to my attentions and I just let that play out because I really couldn't make up my mind which one I liked more. They both were cute, funny and loved to dance. What else could a 19 year old girl want in a boyfriend or two?

If it hadn't been Halloween night, we wouldn't have been in such a rush. We wanted to get through doing our "good deed" and get to the club on the Air Force Base before we missed any of the fun. Bill drove like a mad man. I think I remember him running a couple of lights even. By the time we got to the station, we were at least 30 minutes late. Looked up and down the patio outside the building but didn't see our friend. Went inside and still no friend. We decided to go around the ends of the building. Frenchie and I went north and Bill went south. Still no friend. By this time, I'm thinking we've really messed up and missed him. He probably started walking towards the Heights and home. But which way would he have gone?

We called to Bill. No answer. Walked to the southern most part of the building and no one. Frenchie then said we should go to the car and wait. I didn't much care for that idea. It was dark in the parking lot and my car was only one of 4 parked there. But reluctantly, we headed in that direction.

We got about two thirds of the way to the car, when out of nowhere, I saw this flash of clothing, and motion to the left of me. Frenchie screamed something and I saw the glint of metal just as someone grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth. I was dumbstruck. All I could think to do was to fall to the ground. In doing so, I pulled the would be assailant to the pavement with me. I jumped to my feet and began to run as fast as I could.

Then I heard laughter coming from behind me. I stopped, turned around and there were the three idiots with big ole grins on their faces, guffawing and almost rolling on the ground with earth shaking laughter. I feigned laughter too as I strolled back to the car, all the while feeling like I was going to kill one or all three of them.

Instead, I calmly got into the car, started the engine and left the three idiots standing in the parking lot. I know they thought I would turn around and come and get them. They tricked me and now it was my treat. And then I caught my breath......

Bill never did have a good grasp of just how mad he made me that night or how scared I had been. Frenchie laughed about it for years and when we would talk, he always brought up the night I left his sorry butt at the train station. Our friend had a good visit with his wife, once he got her to come and get him. The last I heard they were living in California on an avocado farm.

Halloween night, when I was nineteen.

Witches of Halloween Day 15, my very special Halloween Memory

Special thanks to Lyn of Witch's Blog for this wonderful opportunity.

I am a dyed in the wool, Halloween-aholic, solitary witch and a Trick or Treat ophile. I do know that my love of the end days of October began as a child and I have not in all these decades since missed a single opportunity to "over do" it in the name of a true believer in the Magick of Halloween.

I also know that some folks in the pagan world don't think that the spiritual and holiday at this time of year have any place together. You have that right to believe that. Why would I argue? But I am sure that there is plenty of room for both...especially in my mind, heart and belief system. Having said that I would like to share the most memorable Halloween of my 1950's childhood.

Marilyn's mother had hand drawn the invitations to the party. She wanted everything to be perfect for us. I could hardly wait. It was only going to be the girls from the Bluebird group coming together for this party so we didn't have to worry about those rat fink boys messing it up. They all had cooties, pinched and hit and just begged to be kicked. I of course always accomodated them with a good aimed kick from my saddle oxford clad feet. Boys were icky except for Marilyn's older brother who looked like Ricky Nelson and was dreamy.

My Mother worked very hard on my costume. I insisted I did not want one of those ugly costumes from Woolworth. I had tried one the year before and the plastic mask with the metal brads holding the elastic cord had cut my cheek and I couldn't see where I was going. Besides, I don't think I even looked like the witch from Snow White with that apron looking dress on. So Mom said if I wasn't going to make it easy on her, then she got to pick what I was to be. And she decided I was to be a gypsy.

So we looked through my sister's hand me downs and found a ruffled white blouse, three sizes to big for me but Mom began to take it in and we made plans to go to Woolworth on Saturday to get some material for the scarf and skirt for my gypsy costume. She was going to let me wear some of her jewelry and I was so pleased and very honored that I was old enough for her to trust me with her things. After all I was 7 and a big girl now.

The day of the party I couldn't sit still. It was better than Christmas. We were going to have a sit down supper and Marilyn had told us some of the wonderful things we were to have. Hamburgers, chips and ice cream sundaes. Her Mom had ordered some real Hamburger buns from the cafe on Central and they were probably going to be better than the ones I tried last month when we went shopping for my new school shoes. Anyway Marilyn had also told us how the box of decorations had come in the mail. Cats, witches, skeletons and streamers for miles and nuts cups with candy and matching plates and napkins. Her Mom had even decorated the chairs. I had never been to a party like that. Well, none of us had.

I am here to tell you that on that evening when I walked in Marilyn's house I was in awe, practically dumbstruck. It was like a Halloween Palace in her playroom. Candles lit everywhere. Bowls of candy and nuts. Her Mom had decorated the middle of the ceiling with wonders of black and orange and the streamers tented the ceiling. The table sat under the bower made by the decorations and we had miniature hamburgers and hotdogs...perfect little bundles of kid size joy. She had even bought some real potato chips from the cafe. And Marilyn had not exaggerated, even if the covered chairs scratched and crinkled with every move everything matched and was perfect. The games we played even came from the Dennison company and were fabulous.

We went through a haunted house where we had to touch terrible, scary and icky things. And Marlilyn's older brother scared us by grabbing us as we started out of the haunted house. He was so dreamy and he touched me. Then we tried to take bites out of apples on a string. Passed an orange tucked under our chin from girl to girl not using our hands in a relay game. We laughed so much our cheeks hurt. Then we had our fortunes told by a real fortune teller. (At least I thought she was until I saw her one day in the drug store behind the counter selling makeup.) I found out I was going to have 5 children and that I would be an actress and go to Hollywood and Rin Tin Tin would be my next door neighbor. Wow, imagine that.

When my Mom came to pick me up, I told her I was never going to forget what that night felt like. It was the best night of my life. And I swore that I was always going to remember the magick that Marilyn's Mom had made for us forever.

Well, I must say that I must have cursed myself really good that night, because I have never lost the exhileration and tummy tickling sense of wonder and awe at Halloween. I always feel wonderfully delighted by the scary, the fun, the wonder, the "what if's" that Halloween presents. I have always kept the holiday as magickally as I could. I believe that kids deserve to have the wonder and awe of something special at Halloween. So for lo these many moons, I have, whenever possible, given kids within my sphere of influence a treat for a trick.......Happy Halloween lovelies.

All Hallow's Grim....my entry

Thank you to dear Magaly for the opportunity to write about something slight dark, slightly shivery, slightly gross...............

From my desk, I have a view of the entire area. It is beautiful here and the people I get to visit with, are few and far between, but a pleasure none the less. I only see them if there is a complaint. Usually crows or moles but sometimes they come and want me to help them find someone and I get to pull out the old records which are housed in the delicious old leather bound books. The ones that have the smell of age, lineage, proper place, long gone time.

On this particular Hallow's eve, the sun has already begun it's decent over the fence to the west of my building. I watch as the cars go by, in a hurry to get nowhere in particular but speeding none the less. I see the people stroll by, pick up their pace and avert their eyes as they make the two block journey past the well manicured lawns. The evergreens sticking out like sore thumbs on a landscape of deciduous trees now plucked bare by the cold air that calls winter to come and take over the job of autumn. I am lost in thought when there is a slight knocking. At first I am taken off guard. When I turn, I expect to see a face at the reception window. But there is no one there. I get up from behind my desk and approach the window. Still I see no one there. It must be one of the tenants needing attention. They do that sometimes in the late afternoons.

I lock the office and proceed down the hallway, thinking I will find the inquirer waiting in the breezeway. Still I see no one. But I do hear Mr. Tellman calling my name. He is the little man who resides down the first corridor on the right. He is on the bottom floor for easy access for the many visitors he used to have. I say used to, because since his wife moved in, well, the visits have stopped for obvious reasons. And the bright decorations at the entrance are fading slightly as well. They used to be changed for every season, but spring is still the theme displayed and it isn't from this year but last. Poor old dear, he is insistent about my visiting him, But I let him know that I must attend someone else just now but that I will be back later, before I go home for the day.

I walk to the back of the building, looking down each hallway still finding no one looking back at me. I get to the back door and there are some of the other workers in the complex. I call to Eddie and ask if he has seen anyone milling about. He kinda laughs and says, "well yeah, Mrs. Tarnn was in". I laugh to think think of Mrs. Tarn and her thick makeup and tight dresses and of course the boyfriends. Most of them wait outside for her as she makes her visit to her husband. I guess so he wouldn't know that she had come with another man. She kisses him tenderly, leaving a bright red lipstick stain with every visit. It's hell to get off but Mr. Tarn really doesn't seem to have a problem with it.

The boys and Eddie are helping to move a resident from the east building to a location on the southwest corner of the large new complex. This resident had to settle for an outside location until the management company finished the new construction. That makes it about 18 months. So this guys making a move to a much nicer part of the complex. I can't remember his name and that really bothers me. I pride myself on knowing all the residents by name.

I join the others to see how they are doing in the move, when I hear Eddie yell. Perfecto and Jose have taken the very unsteady and large load and tipped it. Just as I reach where they are, the guy comes busting out of the box and starts rolling down the hill on which we are all standing. I should say parts of this guy....he is so badly decomposed that he makes a squishy, wet sound as the pieces speed down the hill to flop into a pile of ....... guy.

"Well that's just great!!" Eddie screams at the top of his lungs. "I knew it was gonna be a crap idea to move Mr. Flop on Halloween night".

I have to admit. I couldn't stop laughing except to retch from the odor of Mr. Flop....it was everywhere and so was he. Good thing he didn't have any visitors to help him make the move from one crypt to another. I can't imagine how they may have taken his exit. As a matter of fact, all these years later. I still get the heebie jeebies, when I think of having seen that sight on Halloween night when I worked at the mausoleum on the hill in the cemetery.

True and grim.

You wanna know how I know I am a Boobie?

Cuz it's October and October is Boobie month....that is go get your booies' squashed month. So do it already. Mammogram for those who perfer the modest term.

And I also was awarded a prize......a booby prize, by the wonderfully talented and generous Stacy at Magic Love Crow.....the sweetie one and the Off With Their Heads one.....are both fabulous and I am so glad that I got to be a winner in one of Stacy's giveaways. Yay.

Hey, how 'bout you?????

Alrighty then..........how 'bout you?

How's things? How's tricks? How ya doin'?

I am fabulous going on obnoxious, thanks for askin'. And quite frankly it scares the bean juice right out of me. Not so you would notice (haha) I ride on a roller coaster of emotion, mood, impulse, mania, whatever you want to label it. And right now, I'm good to go.

I have; autumn being here, the rain having washed away my blues, a new "old" book I am reading and being the black dog or watch beetle to someone else's life to thank for the upswing in my feelings.

All these years of suffering from depression has left me with an arsenal of excuses and reasons why I suffer so. It also has armed me for battling windmills, bogies and things that go bump in the night. If you don't have depression then Halledamnlujah for you and I mean that sincerely. I am always thrilled to meet someone who is level without medication. Actually shocked would be more like it but happy for them not the less. I gave up on medication about 5 years ago and have ridden the up and down train ever since with frequent stops at the "out of the way" (time outs) stations so that I could handle life and not be arrested for murder.

All of this is really coming to a point, I promise. And here it is.........I do understand that these ups and downs are lessons for this Olde Bagg. I have learned some really hard ones about myself but until recently, I always beat myself up for not being able to "correct" my own behavior to suit the world, the society, people on the edges of my life. And let's face it, you know I am a crusty old broad with character flaws like every one else. I can honestly and whole heartedly say, I know I will ride a downward train again because that is the nature of the beast, but I will not belittle myself in the process. I have new crazy mad skills, new ways of viewing the world and better equipment to hold fast on the tow rope.

But I just needed to let you know......right now I'm okay. How 'bout you?

"Hey, It's Okay.............Tuesday".

I'm linking up with Amber from Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock at a Time for her "Hey, It's Okay Tuesday!"

Found this fun thing and thought I would give er a try. The premise is It's Okay for feel the way you do about stuff in life, and this is a chance to vent or declare......officially that is.

Not that I ever have an opinion about anything.....tee hee. I promise to keep in check and share my truth....no one elses, nor do I think you have to agree. To each his/her own.

- to wonder why life isn't fair

- to hope that my Grands have learned the above being pretty, smart or rich, that Nice Matters and to wonder why more folks just can't play nice.

- to be angry by other people getting all up in parents business about raising their kids. There was a letter to the editor about how terrible it was for parents to allow their kids to be off school and at the Ballon Fiesta. Has she never heard of home schooling, or parents right to choose or the very best reason I can think of.....because it is down right fantastic and interesting.

- to wonder why we as a society just keep taking and taking the drivel that is shoveled down our throats by politicians, corporations, the media and thinking it is the "truth" whatever that is.

- to tilt my head to the side when I see the unkind things that we do to each other in the name of politics, religion and life choice. Ain't we learned anything, ya'll?

Hey, I may have to do this again.

Victorian architecture of Las Vegas, NM or how I changed my attitude......

At Olde Baggs, I reported that we had gone to northern NM to clear our brains. I have so many photos of great vintage fascades that I thought I would bring them here to share with you at Ye Olde Crone's. After all who better to appreciate a good old front than an old crone, right????? tee hee

These pictures came with a price. I had to listen to Mr. Oblivious, former known as Sweet Man squeal like a girl because I had him stop along the way to take the photos.....what's a little oncoming or honking traffic when you're getting blog fodder. I mean come on....one must chose one's priorities for art's sake....but that isn't how Mr. O saw it. Well, good naturedly but still. We had a great time annoying people for the money shot.

Sorry about the yield sign. This too is a message for life, wink wink

I must make a personal observation here, nothing like a week's vacation to clear your attitude calendar and readjust your responses. We had become like two cats in a sack, what with all the stress of life and having time and being able to scrap and fuss and make up.........well let's just say that Mr. O and I are in a much better place with each other and I am so very thankful.

So the moral of this story is go check out some old fronts and pull some down....it's a good thing.