Double Digits!

First of all - GOOD NEWS!  

Tractor Supply put most of their stuff on sale!  Not ON Sale as in $$ off, but as in available to purchase!

Saw this on IG a couple days ago...

"Halloween hits different in a farmhouse"

LOL!!!

I also noticed the deer skeleton isn't listed anymore.....

I already expected to spend an embarrassing amount of money here, once I saw all the skeletons - but I didn't spend as much as I thought I would!  I also got a whopping 5% off for being a "Hometown Hero" - that's their military "discount" altho on certain days they kick it up to 10%.  And also free shipping since I'll be picking everything up at the local store - that saved a ton of $ right there. 

I couldn't resist these hand towels!  

I've already gotten the text that these are ready to be picked up, but everything else is due on Monday 7/28 so I'll just wait to get everything at once. 

Now onto the skeletons! 

Decided on only one goose.  I have 2 smaller ones from Michael's already. 

I am having feelings about only getting one, kinda wish I'd gotten two.

It's hard to tell scale, but this is the bigger of the possums.  

Only got one of those, too

However - I got 5 baby possums!

I know they show 4 here, but if the last one doesn't fit, I'll figure something out.   I'm not sure just how they have them attached, but I always have zipties around so I'll make it work.

Lastly is the racoon babies!  I got 3 of them because why not?  

I thought about getting another "big" one, but I already have 2 from Michael's and one from Oriental Trading.  And destiny spoke when I went to put it in my cart and it said it wasn't available for pickup OR delivery at this time.  So no more big racoons for me! 

I'll be in Ohio this weekend and as usual, I was looking thru Find A Grave to find some cemeteries to explore.  I found 2 of the coolest little cemeteries!  One has only 30 burials, stone walls, all sorts of cool ambiance.  Noted as being the oldest cemetery in the county.  The other has 56 burials.

But then I see notes that they're both on private property and to get permission first.  

From WHO???  HOW???  WHERE???  

The one appears to be in the woods behind a church, so other than it being Sunday morning when I plan to visit, I don't think that one would be difficult to get permission.  But the other is most definitely on private property.  So I'm not too sure about that one. 

I sent a message to the peeps at Find A Grave, asking how to find out this info. They suggested contacting the county historical society.  OK.  While I was looking for the historical society info, I came across the website for the county recorder (which I get the impression is the Ohio version of the county clerk) Noted, especially after seeing detailed plat maps of veteran's graves at these cemeteries!  The historical society had no idea other than go knock on doors.  Ummm, no thanks!  They also suggested contacting the genealogy department at the local library.  Also noted.  But I opted to contact the county recorder   He sent me a little bit of the backstory on the one behind the church and suggested contacting the church and then basically going to knock on the door for the other.  Ugh.  Anyway, I'm waiting to hear back from the church peoples.  

I also looked up the person on FindAGrave who has taken a lot of the photos at these cemeteries.  His bio says he's doing a lot of family genealogy in the county and since he's been to where I want to go - I messaged him, too!  Fingers crossed. 

Oooo another thing I'm slightly miffed about (not really) I've mentioned before that I volunteer on a search & rescue team (yes - we look for missing people).  Anyway, we to do ton of training and basically jump on any courses that become available to us.   We just found out that 2 very important courses are being offered this fall - one all day on October 25 and the other the whole weekend of November 7-9.  This is besides Halloween Camp that usually happens the first weekend in October. 

That's squeezing into my Halloween time!!  

Dammit.

GASP - Code Orange at TSC!

 ...too bad you can't actually order anything yet.   Booooo!

But I have a shopping list going!  

I'm biased that I like my HD horse better - this one's neck is too short. 

That being said, not for $599.99!!!

At least you know it's head probably won't flop back & forth like the HD one does. 

Super cool and substantial in size!

Also $599.99

96" high x 36" wide x 95" long

MINE!!!!

at 17" long x 6.25" high - that's worth the $19.99

Load me up!

They're little but I'm game to pay $4.99 for several. 

Also will be MINE!  

I have a couple I got from Michael's 2 or 3 years ago and was disappointed in how little those are. 

This one is a realistic 27" high x 17" wide x 16" long.

$69.99

I'm on the fence about this one.  I have 2 from Michael's and 1 from I think HalloweenCostumes.com

Do I need any more?  Meh

10" high x 20"long x 6.75" wide

$24.99

Cute!

6.5" high x 4" wide x 6" long

$12.99

I signed up to get notified when they're available to actually purchase. 

Halfway to Halloween!!

Happy Half-o-ween!  

It's funny how different people have different ideas of what the halfway point is.  

Half of 365 is 182.5.  Today is 182 days - so close enough! 

I made up a "perpetual calendar" so I can always see right at a glance how many days to go.

 Moving on! 

I ordered a few things a while back, and the Spouse would put the boxes in the garage.  So, by the time I got home from work, I'd forgotten about them!   So, they stacked up and I got to open them all at once.  Now we're all caught up. 

First - I didn't think I needed any more skeletons (HA!!)

but I was poking around HalloweenCostumes.com and happened to see a 6' Frankenstein's monster skeleton on clearance!  

Regularly $90, on sale for $40, plus 15% off and some rewards?  Couldn't pass him up! 

Hey there!

My only issue is that his head is loose and spins around very easily. I'll have to fix that somehow.

And I don't even remember seeing IRL all the colors on the skull, but they're clearly there.  The picture on the website showed them much brighter. 

Next was this guy from Michael's. 

Had a $10 voucher that I needed to use and an online sale. 

He's 5' tall with the stake, so fairly substantial. 

Lastly - a couple years ago I got a white wooden cross from the dollar store.  You know, the kind you see on the side of the road, etc?   I wanted to get a couple more to add to the cemetery, to spruce up the look some.  Do you think I've been able to find any???   I looked at a couple different dollar stores last year, concentrating especially on the weeks leading up to Memorial Day and nothing.  

Then I searched & searched online and couldn't find any for less than $20!!

I don't know if I was using the wrong search words or what, but suddenly I found them for $7 at Walmart.   I grabbed them up in case they disappeared again!

I actually really like the sunflower one.  

I got 2 of each flower design.

I had planned to put them back in the box for storage, but 

Hurricane Grandson happened. 

**********************************

Thoughts to ponder..... 

Halloween is on a Friday this year.

Normally, the Spouse and I both take November 1 off work so we can take the cemetery down, move everything to the back yard and get the yard cleaned up.  Then we can put everything away at our leisure.

Do we continue that trend?  Or do we leave the cemetery up for the weekend and take Monday off work?  Not that we need any excuse to take time off work, but it would be easier because the Spawn and grandkids will be at daycare / school. 

OOooooooo - speaking of.....the grandson will be starting kindergarten this fall!  I wonder if his school will be having a Halloween party & costume parade?  Is that still a thing?  I sure hope so!  He'll be going to the same elementary school that his mom (aka the Spawn) attended, and I went to all of her's.  Can't wait to find out!

**********************************

I thought this was kind of funny.  I volunteer on a search & rescue team and each week our K9s train at different parks around the county.   This was found in a pavilion.  Somehow, I don't think this is the variety of human remains they were searching for! 

Since they all know about Chuck, 

I immediately commented back that all of my skeletons were accounted for!

**********************************

OH!  and let's acknowledge that May is also Cemetery Appreciation Month! 

 

Doing a quick Google search, it looks like Iowa is the only state that actually acknowledges it - good for them!  Iowa legislators created the State Association for the Preservation of Iowa Cemeteries in 1996 and their governor signed the proclamation.    Rhode Island also has an Advisory Commission on Historical Cemeteries... and apparently the town of Warwick gives you the opportunity to go on a cemetery scavenger hunt...????  That would be AWESEOME!!!! 

I wrote a post back in 2021 about the Seven Historical Cemeteries in the town where I live.  

Maybe it's time to revisit them? 

I found a nice post from the NecroTourist listing 30 ways to celebrate. 

So get out there and appreciate!! 

Almost time for the Countdown!

I just signed up over at the Countdown to Halloween blog for this year's bloghop!

I always love to check out all the other "Cryptkeepers" because there are always a variety of topics to read. 

Oh, and signups for the Secret Reaper are happening over on the Halloween Forum, too!

Anywhooo.  

Watch out for scary monsters!

 Actually - the bay (brown) horse is named Ghost!

They were mooching treats from me. 

So I have a dilemma. 

After I went & ordered the raccoon from Oriental Trading (right) - I learned that Michael's (left) also carries them this year!  I like the Michael's one a lot more, even if it is gray.  I'm on the fence about keeping the OT one. It doesn't really look like a raccoon, and I don't even think painting the trail rings would help. 

I need to decide soon!

I really like the hand sanitizer holder from Bath & Body Works.  The eyes flash green & purple, too. 

I also like the car fragrance thingy but my car doesn't like it!  It's barely holding onto this vent.  The vents in the middle of the dashboard are vertical so it won't hold and I can't hang him from the visor because his arms & legs dangle! 

In case you don't know - CVS has awesome earrings!

And they have some H'ween ones out!

Snacks, too!

The Spouse & I went to Tractor Supply to get my hen & donkey!

I might have to go back & get the rooster, too.  

But first I'll see if they send me a birthday coupon.  

Can you believe this nonsense???

I've seen more since I took these a week ago, too. 

This astounds me!  This tree never changes color this early!  

I am usually still raking leaves off my maples at Thanskgiving! 

Compared to October 23, 2023 and every other year.

The burning bush is blushing!

I got this cute little blowmold from Big Lots.

The only issue is that he's battery operated so he won't get to spend all of October out in the Mosh Pit with everyone else. 

I bought him online since the BL website said the closest one available in store was about 1/2 hour drive to the east of us. Of course the one right in town didn't show any.  But the kids in the store told me that the BL website is not accurate at all.  It said they had 2, which is why I hurried and bought online, but they had 4 on the shelf, plus mine they were holding.  So the closer one probably did have them.  Oh well.  I also took the opportunity to go into Lowe's which was right next door to get the plywood & screws I needed for a project. 

This is the inspiration picture I took last year when we went to Tillson St.  I like to go there during the day just for this reason!  It helps to direct spot / floor lights and also blocks them visually from the road.  I usually hide mine behind a headstone, but this will give me more options to put the spot/floodlights. 

I'll make a post about that for the Countdown.  

The Spawn and I were just talking about the cemetery this weekend.  The big project this year is sealing & repainting most of the headstones!  There's a couple that need updates, too. 

We'll have to get those out soon!  87 days - time is getting short! 

Almost double digits!

Hidey-ho, friends & neighbors!

Have I just never noticed that people consider July 5 the beginning of Halloween season?  I sure saw a lot of memes & stuff on the socials saying so.  I don't remember seeing anything about it in the past! 

But that's OK.  It can be!

I also saw that Target released their H'ween stuff online yesterday. 

I always have to check out the skeletons, no matter what store I'm checking out. 

OMG

A PENGUIN!

I wish it was bigger than 10.5 inches, but that didn't stop me from ordering.  

More than one. 

3

The Spouse likes Penguins so that's my justification. 

I also got this guy.  

He's only 24 inches so he can be a friend for the rainbow one from last year 

(who is currently hanging off a planter at work)

I wish they had less-mean looking faces.  I might have to add eyebrows. 

Target also has otters!  

It's really cute, but I passed on it. 

Let's compare the chickens & goats from Target (seen below on the left) and Joann's (on the right)

Not gonna lie.  I like the chicken. 

The goat seems a bit wonky to me.  I'm not sure what it is. Maybe I need to see it in person. 

But then since I was on the Joann's site (for research purposes) I looked at their skeletons, too. 

Between their 40% off "sale" and another 25% online only coupon.....

Chuck is getting yet another new friend!  

This one is a 3' tall one.  I like his happy face!  I'll be going to pick him up after work today. 

I think I need intervention!