October the Seventeenth: Party Time #Blogtober2021

Many of the old Halloween postcards emphasized fun and laughter rather than scary times. Here are some pictures showing jolly events. As I'm writing this the Hallmark channel is advertising Christmas movies. I only like one holiday at a time. I know the stores have had December decorations out for awhile. It doesn't make sense to me that we start decorating earlier and earlier, but the time is going by much more quickly than it ever did before. A conundrum for sure.

 

Thank you for your replies to my last post. Sometimes writing this blog feels like a party of one!

Wishing everybody a joyous and jolly Halloween!

 

October the 16th: Halfway There #Blogtober2021

 

I have passed the Halfway mark. And today I am feeling very discouraged about this whole blogging thing. I have actually had a blog since 2005, and my reader base feels like it's gotten smaller. Truthfully I haven't been very consistent or very prolific about it, but somehow it seems like it should be going somewhere after all these years. I am enjoying this challenge because I love October, and it does give me a lot of subjects to write about. I am not very competitive though in many areas, but I wonder why I don't reach more people. Most of my readers find my blog through Facebook.  At this point, I just feel like there is a magic instruction book that I should have read, that tells me the secrets of blogging, and facebook, and instagram. I am interested in anything that works except making a TicToc video. No singing. No dancing. No eating anything gross.

I'm curious to know what most readers like when they use Facebook or read blogs. Is it keeping in touch with family and friends? Do people enjoy seeing pictures of friends the most? Or is it keeping track of your own schedules and documenting the activities you are involved with? Do you belong to lots of groups? I like the decorating and craft groups and that people have so many ideas of things to do. Do you like to read blogs or are they outdated?  I enjoy hearing about old friends that I probably would never see if we didn't have social media. I stay away from almost everything political and sometimes snooze people for a while. Sometimes it all gets to be too much information.

I would really like to know what readers think. If you could take a moment to comment it would be so appreciated. Happy Halfway to Halloween.

October the fifteenth: Back to the Theatre #blogtober2021

 Tonight was my first visit to the Civic Center in nineteen months. My friend and I have had season tickets for the musicals for several years. We just saw "The Band's Visit" which was originally scheduled for May, 2020. Things were a little different than they used to be. Masks were required. We also had to bring our vaccination card and a photo i.d.  The world is a different place, but if we do what we can to keep ourselves and others safe, then I am all for it.

 It wasn't my favorite, but it was good. It was a story that took place in one day after an orchestra from Egypt was stranded in the wrong town in Israel. They were supposed to be on their way to play at the Arabic Embassy but ended up in a very small town, and stayed with several families in the town. It didn't tell full stories, but gave little glimpses of the lives of the people. Everyone was very talented, with beautiful voices. I found it a little hard to understand. Sometimes they were speaking more than one language, but that was the point; it wasn't always easy to communicate. And not really any dancing. I like dancing, and stories that fall together perfectly, and happy endings.  This one was a glimpse into a day. It was probably more realistic than the happy ending stories.

There was a lot of music, all Egyptian and Arabic based. I was reminded of my wild and reckless youth as a belly dancer. I decided to take lessons for my fiftieth birthday present to myself. I actually belonged to a dance troup from 2000 to 2010, and had a lot of fun with them. I didn't perform much, because I get terrible stage fright, and I am a pretty awful dancer, but I practiced with them every week and went to the parties. They are still around, and I try to see them when I can. This is not a picture of me.                                                     

                                                                               

October the Fourteenth: Bits and Bobs, and Bats #Blogtober2021

 Bats are probably my least ever favorite Halloween decoration. But, I do have to admit this one is kind of cute. I found the picture at papertreyink . I'm not sure if there is a pattern.

I do have a long list of reasons for my bat aversion. And now I will share them with the world. One of my first memories is waking up to a bat flying about the room. I was very young, about three. We lived in a duplex house and my bed was a couch in the front room. 

As a  teen, I loved to scare myself with a good vampire book or movie. I'm surprised I didn't wear a string of garlic around my neck as protection. I did have a little cross necklace, just in case.

                                                                           

Several years later, I was a young mother living in a big old house. One night I went to bed early with a headache. Once again, I woke up to a whooshing sound of a bat flying around and swooping over my head. Screaming, I finally ran for the door. My husband was on the other side, holding it shut. He said I shouldn't let the bat escape or we'd never find him. After some more murderous screams on my part, he came in and managed to trap the bat between the window and the screen. And then he went to bed and FELL ASLEEP!!!!!! I'm not sure if I ever forgave him. I sat up all night watching the bat.

I had a few more instances both in our house, and in the two museum houses I've worked in. I once gave a tour while watching a bat on a curtain.

My craziest bat story was in the middle of the night. I was in the bathroom, indisposed, when a bat appeared flying over my head. From a seated position, I managed to grab a towel, throw it up in the air, trap the little creature, bringing it to the floor. I put a wastebasket over it, locked the door, and told my husband in the morning. Essentially, I gave him another chance to be my hero. We found out that our bats had come in through a very small opening in the bathroom light fixture. Luckily, they weren't living in the house.

My most recent batty adventure was a few years ago. I was watching my three young grandchildren, and had just gotten everyone upstairs to bed. They live in an old Victorian house. Several rooms on the main floor connect in a circle and there is an open stairway to the bedrooms upstairs. Suddenly, a bat appeared, and I knew I had to keep it away from the kids. I closed the door to the dining room, so it could travel around the four rooms. I was so worried it would go upstairs. My plan was to call my daughter, and get them home, but, of all times, I had forgotten my phone. Plan B was to get him outside. I knew from past experiences that a fan at the door will help them to find the way out. I didn't have a fan, so I thought that opening the door would be the next best thing. So for nearly an hour, I stood at the dining room door, and watched him as he flew in a circle from the front room, parlour, another room, and enclosed front porch over and over again. When he was on the far side of his journey I ran to open the door and then back again.  He flew in the same path, and didn't venture up the stairs. I watched him and knew I wasn't able to fall apart and scream.  Finally, I got him outside. When my Meg and Jack got back home, every single light in the house was on, and I was upstairs guarding the kids, who had peacefully slept through it all.

And yes, I do know that bats are good for the environment, and that they eat mosquitoes, and yet........                                                                 

 

October the Thirteenth: Books and Quotes #Blogtober2021

 This is one of my favorite pieces of furniture. Supposedly, it was originally in the library at Iowa State University. I'm not sure that is true, but it could have been. The top part has holes for rods to hold periodicals, but I don't usually use them. Most of the time, I have seasonal books on the top shelf. The second shelf slants, and there are several dividers. It had to be in storage when I lived at the frat house, and it was one of the first things I brought here when I moved. I have most of my furniture now. It's amazing how much I missed it when I didn't have it. Our house is much more crowded than I'd like. We are still trying to decide what stays and what goes. And where it will go. And what would we replace it with? I am living with a lot of furniture that isn't what I would ever choose. And he is probably thinking the same about some of the quirky pieces that I have brought in . We are making it work...sort of.

This was going to be about books. Yesterday the newest Alice Hoffman book came out. I pre-ordered it, so I was able to start reading it today. It is the fourth and final book about the fictional Owens family. I already wrote about this a few days ago. The movie, "Practical Magic" was based on one of the books. I'm afraid I was pretty useless today. I spent most of it lost in a book. I love her writing. When I read her books, I find myself going back and reading sentences again, just because they are so wonderfully written. 

"Life was like a book, Jet thought, but one you would never finish. You would never know how people would wind up; the good often suffered and the wicked prospered and there was no explanation for the way in which fate was meted out as there was in a novel. Fiction made sense of the world."  The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman

 I have another favorite book quote. This one is from Elizabeth Goudge's book, " A City of Bells":

"In my experience when people once begin to read they go on. They begin because they think they ought to and they go on because they must. Yes. They find it widens life. We're all greedy for life, you know, and our short span of existence  can't give us all that we hunger for, the time is too short and our capacity not large enough. But in books we experience all life vicariously"

Well, that is all for Day 13. I am going to bed early tonight. With a Book.

October the Twelfth: Oh, Happy Day #blogtober2021

                                                                             

     Today is our second anniversary. It was a pretty quiet day since John is still recovering from his surgery. I was surprised by a dozen beautiful roses.  

We have a wonderful, magical love story. I think it is probably made better because we are only young at heart. When we got married, he was seventy-five and I was seventy. Such babies! John and I first knew each other many years ago when our children were young. We belonged to the same parish, and our kids went to school together. We saw each other  at school functions, parties, and ball games. We were part of the same group of friends. My first husband Jim had also attended grade school with John and his wife, Candy.   We have a long history.

Fast forward many years. We both had long, happy marriages. But as life happens, things don't always turn out the way we think they should. We both lost our spouses, and we both lost an adult son. I worked at a funeral home, and it seemed that we were both running into one another at family funerals, and funerals for friends. We were Facebook friends. He left comments that he enjoyed reading my blog. I guess the way to my heart was through funerals and Facebook. One day, out of the blue, I got an instant message, asking if I would go to dinner with him. One year from our first date he asked me to marry him. He says that I said "Are you serious?" Twice. Actually, I was worried that he had fallen. He was walking across the room, and all of a sudden he was on one knee, proposing. Old People Romance.

We got married the next October. Originally we thought we would wait longer to give everyone time to get used to the idea. And then we remembered this is an old people love story. We had a perfect, low key wedding in a beautiful house. Everything was lovely. And now we are living happily ever after.

                                                                                    

                          

                                                                                

                                                                                       

Sweet Yet Sinister: October the Eleventh #Blogtober2021

              

       Halloween decorating gets more elaborate every year and starts earlier, doesn't it? I'm afraid I haven't done as much as I thought I would. This definitely isn't the year for my A-game. I'm sure I must still have things in boxes somewhere in storage. "Sweet, Yet Sinister" is the title on an altered book I made years ago. I guess that could also include my Halloween decorating style. I don't like things that are gruesome, but I don't want it to be too cutesy either. I am partial to witches and pumpkins. I don't really like bats, and skeletons, ghosts, and snakes.  And I think pumpkin heads on figures are creepy.    This year I guess I am mostly into vintage vignettes. I have groups of  holiday things setting about, but not all through the house.                                                          

My centerpieces often include a mirror or tray glued to a candle holder for height. This was last year, but includes acorns, vintage photos, candles, and a darling old book about children's parties. Leaves and little pumpkin lights completed this picture. I might do this again!

Here's the library with a Halloween bunting. My seasonal children's books are on display too. Whoops, no picture. Good thing I've got all month to revisit the scene.

A very small tree. It lights up.  And of course , we need a little cemetery scene. One says "Gone at Last"  And another says "I'll be back".  Quirky, and just a little bit sinister.

 An update on John. It's been two weeks since the surgery, and he is feeling a little better every day. At this point, he still wishes he had just lived with the rotary cuff pain instead. Probably four more weeks with the sling and then physical therapy. Tomorrow is our second anniversary, and I think I'll keep him.

October the Tenth: Books #Blogtober2021

 

"Just because your bookshelves are full doesn't mean you need to stop buying books. It just means you need more bookshelves." This is probably one of my main philosophies of life. I love books. I love having them, shopping for them and reading them. I love decorating with them. What's not good about a small stack of vintage orange and black books as a base for a witch or pumpkin for Halloween.? Bookstores have always been my happy place. They calm me down immediately when I walk into one. I love second hand bookstores the most. And independent book stores. And big chains. Libraries will do in a pitch. At one time I started to plan a pilgrimage to bookstores around the country, and maybe the world. That is still on my "bucket list".

Today I went to one of the Midwest's biggest book sales. It is held every year at our state fairgrounds. This year it celebrated its' sixtieth year. I have been buying books there for more than fifty years. When I got married (the first time), we had very little furniture when we began housekeeping. But we made sure there were bookshelves. I bought a lot of our first books at the sale. As the years progressed we kept adding shelves and bookcases to every room of our second house. We even turned one room into a library. When we moved to a small bungalow, I counted the books we had accumulated. I had over 3,000. It turned into a major downsizing project. I donated and sold many of them, but then we started again. 

For several years I worked in an historic house at Living History Farms Museum. During that time I collected many 19th century books about home life, cooking, crafting, sewing and decorating. I still love those books even though I'm not living in 1875 anymore. 

I've written many times about my love for England. And one of the reasons is that there are books everywhere. The stores often use books to decorate. The quaint little hotels in villages have masses of old books setting around. The pubs have shelves of books. 

                                                                        

I don't buy as many books as I used to. Now I keep most fiction on an e-reader because it doesn't use up space. I would still rather read a "real" book. John's a reader, too, so I moved into this house which already had a lot of books. We both still have boxes of books. I am looking for new places to put them. And weeding them out. More of his than of mine, I'm afraid. But I am trying to be generous. And I have a room as a library again. 

You may be wondering why I would even want to go to a book sale at this point. I like to make things with books. Some book lovers may be shuddering right now. There are many who think books are sacred. I don't. Well, except for the ones that I already own. But I can handle buying one to specifically cut apart, or alter, or use for other decorating. So that's what I do. 

                                                                           

October the Ninth: Pumpkins Now and Then #Blogtober2021

 I remember when jack-o-lanterns were basically one color and style. Real and orange and carved with a kitchen knife. For some, removing the "guts" was the best part. For others, the more squeamish, it was the worst. I saved a lot of pumpkin seeds, but I don't think I ever actually followed through and roasted them. In case you would like to, here's a recipe:       Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

This will be continued another day. I got a little too close to my deadline tonight, but I can say a lot more about pumpkins!

October the Eighth: Ghoulies, Ghosties, and True Love: A Victorian Halloween

Halloween has been a favorite holiday for many centuries. . It was a time to celebrate the harvest, acknowledge the past, and to look forward to the future. During Victorian times, Halloween was a night for tricks and surprises. It was also a night for fortune telling and romance. 

Many local customs were brought to the United States by the Irish and Scottish immigrants in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. One of these involved jack-o-lanterns, which were originally carved from Irish turnips. Other ancient superstitions were adapted to courtship rituals and games.  The Victorians, who were great romantics, enjoyed the folklore of the holiday. They revived a lot of the ancient customs. 

Halloween was known by many names. One was Mischief Night. This was the time when boys would often do tricks such as putting wagons and out houses on roofs, exchanging gates and signs, and covering doorknobs with molasses. The general merrymaking was considered mostly harmless. According to our local paper (Iowa State Leader, November 2, 1874) "Halloween brought with it the usual frolics of degenerate youngsters at the city." It was followed by a list of the usual frolics.

Halloween became a perfect time for parties.  While the boys were out playing pranks, the girls were staying at home, dreaming of their own true love. And planning parties in the dark, mysterious, and slightly scary atmosphere. Props would be needed for the popular party games. Charms would be hidden in cakes and breads, and in apples. Apples and nuts were used in many of the games, because of their association with harvest time. Finding a coin or ring in the refreshments was alway lucky. A coin represented wealth. A ring signified an upcoming wedding. If you found a button, you would stay unmarried.

Other popular games were played with walnuts. The shells were hallowed out and made into candles and set afloat. Each boat was given a name and set afloat in pairs. If they stayed together and floated peacefully, it was a good omen. If they crashed into the side, or sunk, not so good. Nuts could also be roasted by the fire. If the nuts blazed quickly, then the romance would be blazing too. Slowly smoldering, and turning to ashes showed a long and happy relationship. If they popped and moved away from each other, there wasn't much hope!

Many games were played with apples. Peeling an apple and throwing the peel over your shoulder would tell everyone who your true love would be, according to the initial that it formed. After eating a red apple, a girl could save two seeds. If she named the seeds after two gentlemen, she should put one on each cheek and wait for them to fall. She should get rid of the first, and marry the man who represents the second.

Sometimes apples were hidden in various rooms of a house, and couples would be sent to look for them. There were so many rules about proper behavior and being chaperoned, that young sweethearts often got very creative about ways to be together.

This holiday has gone through many changes since its' beginnings as a harvest festival. Through the years it has evolved from mischievous children begging for soul cakes, to little beggars asking for treats and threatening tricks.  A modern Halloween focuses on thrills and chills, and scary movies. And let's not forget the romance!

                                                                               

 

October the Seventh: Pinterest Fail?

 

I'm not sure if this looks like a pumpkin or not. I do know that there are about six million little pieces of fabric in it, and at this point, I am thoroughly tired of it. It does look a little more pumpkin shaped in the photo, than it does in the real world, so I guess it's a keeper.

This is a metal wreath form that I bought at the Dollar Tree. They really have some fantastic Halloween decorations there. It has become quite the popular place recently. They sell out quickly. I have read on several internet sites, stories of mad crafting women fighting to procure them. I happened to walk into our local store shortly after a delivery or I wouldn't have walked out with anything. At this point in my crafting life I am really trying to use what I have. There are lots of little bits and bobs in this pumpkin, including pieces of ribbons, trim, fabric, tulle, yarn, and jute. 

                                              

October the Sixth: Party Time #blogtober2021

 

When I was growing up, Halloween was a big, exciting holiday. I think it was probably the golden age of parties and trick or treating. I lived in a rural neighborhood without streetlamps or sidewalks, but we still managed to fill our paper grocery sacks with treats. And when I say treats, I am talking about the old fashioned goodies. I remember homemade popcorn balls, caramel apples, cookies, and full sized candy bars. This changed a lot by the time I was raising my children. There was a time when hospitals were doing screenings of treats and the rule was to throw away anything that wasn't safely packaged. By then, most kids only went to houses of people they knew. Now, I think there are lots of prescheduled events, such as Trunk or Treat in school parking lots. Kids still go trick or treating in some areas though. My last house was in a neighborhood with good lighting, wide streets, and sidewalks. We were told before Beggars Night that people came from all over town. So the first year, I was prepared with lots of candy. My mom and husband were back-ups and we all sat on our porch on a beautiful evening and listened to silly jokes. But by the end of the evening, I was raiding my kitchen for fruit and granola bars and just trying not to have to turn our lights out early. I kept a tally, and we actually had over 500 visitors our first night. It stayed the same for all six years I lived there. After I moved, it was back to only a few. I had a lot of leftover candy to eat. In our area , the trick or treaters still tell jokes, but I understand that isn't so popular as it used to be.

Our childhood costumes were pretty elaborate sometimes, but always homemade. Even as a child, I was usually a gypsy. One year I was a princess, wearing my aunt's old high school formal. It was pink and sparkly, and I got to wear my pony tail down and curly. I felt so glamourous. I was also wearing my winter coat and snow boots. Weather in our area can be pretty unpredictable! Another year my two friends and I went as the Three Stooges. I was Moe, and we had a little comedy routine. Sometimes we had to work for those caramel apples! 

When my own children were growing up, they were usually pirates, gypsies, ghost brides, or bums with coffee ground beards. Creative costuming was not a strong point with me. I think maybe because I was involved with Christmas craft shows at that time, and was busy making things to sell for the next holiday.  Sometimes we purchased a costume, but not often. We went to several Halloween parties for grown ups back in the days when we had couple friends, but I usually stuck to my basic costume. We had friends who were really a lot more creative. I remember a party when John was Kermit the Frog, and his wife was Miss Piggy. She was really a genius with Halloween. Once again, I was a gypsy.

I picked this photo because of the children bobbing for apples. We used to actually do this at parties! I can't even imagine it now, but we all thought it was a lot of fun at the time. This little walk down Memory Lane was interesting, but now I am feeling rather old. Until tomorrow  #blogtober2021

October the Fifth--In Sickness and in Health

 It's been a week since John had rotator cuff surgery. It's been a long week for both of us. I did have an idea about what it would be like-thanks to a couple of conversations with friends, and, of course, Google. I don't think John did. They told us that it would be six weeks of doing almost nothing except for some arm exercises. They said six weeks, but I'm sure John thought that meant about 3 days. He is ready to be recuperated and is so done with it.

Before I start my story, I need to say that he is a very good patient. He apologizes every time he needs to ask for help. And he hardly ever whines, whimpers, or complains. I understand it is a painful recovery, so I wouldn't blame him if wasn't quite so well behaved. Although he is a great patient, I'm not so sure that I am a great caretaker. I certainly have a new respect for people who find themselves in this situation for long periods of time.

Surgery was first scheduled to be early in September. Knowing how I feel about schedules, it wasn't really a surprise when it was changed. We thought he would be recovered enough for our anniversary trip October 12, but we realize now that isn't going to happen until later. Hopefully, it will still be fall when we are able to travel.

We left the hospital with a lot more equipment than we started with. They have a wonderful little machine with an electric ice pack now that he uses several times a day. It must weigh about fifty pounds, and has a long hose, and cord, and three buttons to turn it on. I don't know how many times I've nearly tripped over it. He also has a very complicated sling to keep his arm and shoulder immobile. He needs to wear it all the time, except for showers and the arm exercises.

We came home, and he got settled into the recliner, and just kept feeling worse and worse. He had quite a bit of anesthetic and his kidneys didn't want to work, and then he started having chest pains. So off we went to the emergency room. We were there for five hours, most of the time waiting. His EKG was fine, so that was a relief. When it was time to install (?) a catheter, I thought the nurse would have me leave or at least get out of the way. Instead, she said," Here, hold this sheet." And after a few days of carrying the bag, and helping him dress, and especially trying not to step on the tubes, I am feeling like we have a very intimate relationship. John and I have been married for just two years. We are both very private people. In fact, neither of us can understand the need for two bathroom sinks. (We watch a lot of home improvement television). We fervently believe that two people never need to be in a bathroom at the same time. Naturally, some of these beliefs have had to change recently.

Before we set up housekeeping together, we had both been alone for several years, and we have become very independent. And maybe we are a little bit set in our ways! We are both used to doing things on our own, and John usually fixes his own breakfast, and does his own laundry, and many other chores. I know, I'm a lucky woman. I haven't done much cooking for a long time, so that has been an adjustment. And obviously, we have very different ways of doing things. I am keeping busy trying to do things the way he likes, since he is my patient. I was pretty proud of my over-easy eggs this morning. I am usually an egg scrambler if I cook them at all. I like coffee for breakfast. Just coffee.

This past week has reminded me a lot of those years when I had toddlers at home. Sometimes, it felt like everything I try to do is interrupted by a need or a want. And naptime is a necessity that doesn't come a minute too soon.

Actually John is doing better now and he approved this message. I am grateful every day that we found one another. My worst problem currently is making sure that he follows the rules and doesn't try to do too much. I came home this morning just in time to stop him from getting into his truck and driving to the bank! He definitely is not ready to drive yet, even though he thought it was a good idea. Every day is a new adventure!