January 23, 2017

Planning & thoughts.....

Planning for 2017 actually began during ToTing 2016!  I watched the kids' reactions and what caught their attention the most.  Then I thought about how I could change things around and make the cemetery better.  

So far, the only thing I want to ADD to the cemetery is one of the full-sized skeleton horses from ome Depot. 
So they better carry them again, dammit!  I have $$! 
 This is my planning notebook.  Yes, I know it says "romantic" and stuff on it, but pfft.   This is where I jot down what I'm thinking of so far.  Of course this is always subject to change.

Right now I mainly have 2 pages written about rearrangement, a couple ideas about lighting (which is always an issue) and behind the scenes stuff.  Pretty much the usual concerns every year. 

I don't think I'm going to try an actual theme again next year.  I did the masquerade ball, but unless I get the couples to turn.....it didn't really scream "dancing".  But I'm OK with the generic cemetery.  I move things around enough to keep it from getting old.
   idea
I actually just had an idea!!!   
~scribbles wildly in notebook~
to be divulged later!

So until then, Chuck is hanging out in the house.  He took off his elf costume (because that's pretty weird!) and I found a couple shirts at the Salvation Army for him, but I learned that a boys 2T is too big for a 3 foot skeleton! 
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But he's OK with it.  

Have you started planning yet?

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January 07, 2017

Road Trip part 7 - the return trip

Ugh - time to head home but Chuck's still sleepy. 
He didn't get to eat at Cracker Barrel on this trip. 

blink, blink
Did I really just see a sign for a town called Possum Grape?  
Yes.  yes, I did.
Moving right along. 
Tired of sitting!
Hallelujah - finding Jesus in Effingham, IL
Indiana! Finally, we get to stop for the night. In Terra Haute.
Ah man, Chuck's taken his pants off already (not like he wears any!) 
who can he find who will deliver food?
Jimmy Johns to the rescue!
Some early morning prank calls....
then back on the road!
The Nestle Quik bunny!
Pendleton, IN
Of course we stop at Love's truck stops! 
The best thing we've seen all day!  Only 3 more hours to home from this point. 
Aahhhh! We're in the neighborhood!
Home Sweet Home!
Uh oh.  Chuck can't be blamed for this! 
I can narrow it down to a possible 2 of 3 cats who would be the culprit. 
And one I suspect more than the kitten, surprisingly. 
Maddie!

Thanks for tagging along on Chuck's journey!  
I'm sure he will be making more appearances throughout the rest of the winter.  
He's not going back out in the garage with the rest of the skeletons (not easy to get to that corner right now!) so he'll be available to play with. 

I should mention some of the reactions I got to carrying Chuck around Hot Springs!   While on the Promenade, a woman actually came up and asked what the story was with him.  Kudos to her for figuring out there was a story involved!  Another woman with a herd of kids on Bathhouse Row called out to me and asked if they could see my elf - surprise! But her husband grew up not to far from where we live now.  Another family just stopped and stared.  Randy said it was hilarious, because I was so nonchalantly carrying him under my arm as I looked for photo ops!  The cashier at the Mountain Tower also asked and may even have checked out his hashtag (#skeletonroadtrip) on Instagram!  And the security guard at Garvan Gardens seemed suspicious and asked WHY I might be carrying a skeleton around with me.  

My story was simply "This is Chuck & he's Road-trippin'!  We travelled here from Michigan and I'm documenting his trip on Instagram".  Most people were pretty entertained and the rest probably thought I was a nut-case! 
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January 06, 2017

Road Trip part 6 - seeing the lights

We went to Garvan Woodland Gardens to see their Christmas lights.  Very pretty!
That was some seriously intense blue!
We walked thru a lighted grape arbor. 
Is that a yeti I see???
Ahh, a nice 'stove' in the workshop!
Chuck feels right at home!
(looks like Mr. Hanky the Christmas Poo!)
Kissing up to Santa for next year!
Warning up with a real stove this time!
Hopping a ride with security on the way back to the car!

See what else went on tomorrow!
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