#CountdownToHalloween2024 - trials & errors

Sometimes, things don't always go as planned.  

For the last couple years, I've been miffed that the step-in fence posts I've been using to stand my skeletons up are too short.  They literally come just to the lower back of the 5' skeletons and some of them have really arched backs, so they really leaned backwards when I put the zip ties on.  So I was on a quest to find taller fence posts.  I like the step in kind because if you want or need to move the skeletons, it just pulls up out of the ground and move it wherever easily.

So last January, I was travelling across the state to a conference and happened to notice there is actually a Rural King store in Michigan!  OK, so there's actually 2, but the other is less than a mile from the Indiana border.  But anyway - that tidbit of info stayed in my mind until April when I was shopping.  

Rural King carries 63" fence posts!

And they arrived at my house from the store in less than 24 hours!

Totally worth the $20 shipping, considering the box was taller than I am. 

Chuck for scale.

I was really happy that I was able to find long ones.

But I was mildly concerned that they were a lot more flimsy than the 4' ones.  

And I was correct to be concerned!  

So now I'm back where I started from.  I only ordered 7 posts, so even if I ziptie 2 together, I'll only be able to make 3 stand up.  If it even works! 

I might have to go with the PVC / rebar route.  It's not as easy to move them around, but it's do-able. 

Then next!

Last October I won an ebay auction for these guys. 

Wouldn't you know that they arrived ~ after ~ Halloween?  

So they've been hanging out in the garage since then

.  

Since they were faded & the eyes kinds of wonky, I decided to spray paint them. 

and of course - after I sprayed the black and was taping them off - it dawned on me that they had teeth!  And you know - whites of eyes!

Doh!

So I painted the white areas with acrylic paint and the last thing I need to do it give them a nice clear coat to seal all that in. 

I think they look pretty cute!

I probably would have left the orange alone and only did the black areas if I planned on lighting them.  But they're destined to stand on each side of the cemetery sign, so interior lights would either drown out the sign, or the light on the sign would drown out the pumpkin lights.