no tricks, just treats for me!

"Oh, did you go out gathering candy?"

LOL! Not hardly! But I did go see "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile" with Carolyn! She's texted me twice about it and I knew she didn't want to see it by herself, plus I knew none of the other amigas were going to watch it. And I am so glad to have seen it again!

"Because of Javier Bardem channeling Raul Julia?"

Well, partly, but not just that. I got a hit of Raul as Gomez Addams on Friday and that should hold me for a while. AARP's MFG gave me "The Addams Family" that evening and I gloried in every sword fight and every dance and every mischievous grin! Hard to believe he was gone just three years later.

"Yes, I know. That 1991 movie sure was fun, though, with Christopher Lloyd there as Fester. Yep, definitely a winner!"

And so was this one about Lyle, the singing crocodile with stage fright! I can definitely say that now that I've seen the entire movie. I had missed about fifteen minutes of it the first time, so I'm glad I got to see the beginning. So glad Carolyn wanted to go! And she agreed about Javier's resemblance to Raul, so that was good, too.

"Did y'all go off to eat afterward?"

No, she had eaten beforehand and I had a hotdog with the movie. AMC really has great hotdogs! And they're only about $3, which is what I'm used to at the ball parks. So, after the movie, I headed out to take care of citizen business!

"Citizen business? What's that?"

Voting, silly! I had tried to early vote a week of two ago, when early voting first started, but the lines were crazy long. But today? I waltzed right in, completed the process, and was back out to my car in less than fifteen minutes! At 4 o'clock in the afternoon! I had expected a line, but there was only one person in front of me and things were moving right along. What a special treat to have that responsibility taken care of so easily!

"Responsibility? Oh, wait, I remember what you say: "If you want the right to complain about the government, you have a responsibility to vote". Right?"

Jolly well right!

"Thought so. How was the Buffy episode? You have kids interrupting it?"

The show was great!!! And I didn't have a single trick-or-treater come by, but that's been the case for about ten years. I didn't even buy candy for it, 'cause I've learned not to. Anyway, back to the show! It was actually titled "Once More, With Feeling" and it was one I'd missed from Comet TV's revival of the series. Good to have seen it! Not just for singing and dancing, but also because it filled in some gaps for me. Like, since when did Spike and Buffy become lovers? And, like, when, if ever, did the others find out they'd screwed up and taken Buffy out of Heaven, not Hell? And, like, how Tara figured out that Willow had cast a spell on her to win an argument about Willow's overuse of witchcraft?

"Hey, nice shot of Spike laying one on Buffy!"

Thanks! That was right at the end of the episode! I tell you, James Marsters was the most talented one in the bunch when it came to singing and dancing! He stole every scene he was in, more so than usual, and really reminded me of why I had such a crush on him. RAWR. I really ought to locate that photo of me with the guy who looked just like him at Dragon*Con 2008. Oh, yeah!

"Okay, okay, stop drooling over that young man..."

Actually, he's close to my age! He's 60, so whatever age I was when I first started watching it, he was just four years my junior. So, totally age appropriate for me!

"Yeah, yeah. Fine. Did you ever treat yourself to that $1 movie reward?"

No, I did not. I was going to, but then I found out that Savannah VOICE Festival had their 2020 "All Hallow's Night of Streams" on youTube, so I put on the speaker and cranked it up! What great fun to see it again!!! I hope that will be an annual event!

"Well, I'm so happy you had such a good day!"

And I'm happy to have had an even better night! Say g'night, dearie!

"G'night, dearie!"

remember pop-up videos?

Well, I do, and I didn't like them.

I especially didn't care for that aggravating noise every time one appeared.

You know what sound I'm talking about, right?

That "mmmpppp" from throwing your lips apart while exhaling.

It's the same noise type that kids use to drive their parents crazy on long car trips.

Ack.

This morning, I was hearing that noise repeatedly while I read.

Seriously.

There I was, in the sunroom, enjoying my weekday groove of reading an article or two while I had brunch or breakfast, whatever I was calling that first meal.

Today, it was brunch, as it was pasta with cheddar cheese.

The AARP Magazine for October/November was the meal's companion.

So, scene set.

Today's selection was the piece on Adam Sandler and I enjoyed reading about the 56-year-old actor-comedian-writer-director...

and all was well with that first page...

until I flipped over to the next one...

and that's when the noise started.

Not from outside...

not from elsewhere in the house...

nope!

It emanated from the text right in front of me.

For reasons that escape me, the author had decided to sprinkle superscript numbers throughout the next two pages of the interview, with colorful bubbles of extraneous text offset in the margins.

I can only assume he felt the need to add these tidbits and could not otherwise have worked them into his writing.

Every time one of those superscript numbers appeared, I swear I heard that pop-up sound.

Every... single... time.

In all, there were ten of those asides disturbing the peace of my sunny groove.

Ack.

Glad to have that article done!

Now, as xfinity has granted me another $1 Movie Night, I think I'll opt for "The Wedding Singer", as I really like Billy Idol in that one.

But that will be after "Buffy: The Musical" episode at 7 PM tonight!

What a Halloween treat!

As for now, off I go into the glorious warmth of this week of Indian summer!

Hallelujah!!!

taking care of fire safety

I didn't know that fire extinguishers have an expiration date.

Did you?

I didn't know that smoke detectors lose their sensitivity to smoke after ten years.

Did you?

When I checked the ones in my house, they were all out of date.

I'm glad I attended the talk given by Robin Riebel earlier this month.

Thanks, Home Depot!

That talk lit a fire under me to remedy the safety situation I have here at home!

(Good to have a little pun of a joke, n'est-ce pas?)

Last month, Home Depot had sent a coupon for $15 off, and tomorrow is the last day to use it.

Better (almost) late than never!

That coupon made the cost of the two fire extinguishers 50% off.

Why did I buy the twinpack instead of just one?

There was only a five-dollar difference, so it was worthwhile to have an extra.

And those smoke detectors?

Less than $7 each, which was less than half the cost of the others there.

They even have batteries included!

One is for the hall outside my bedroom, one for the kitchen, and one for the living room.

That should have me pretty well covered.

Now, let me go get busy with that!

(smile!)

dood is a parkway speed limit!

"He's a what??"

He's a parkway speed limit!!! He's 55 now!

"Oh, I get it. A little joke."

But of course! Here, he's reading the funny card I gave him of songs for folks 'his age'. He was even singing the titles... and I joined in!

"What about Laura? She doesn't sing?"

I think she was enjoying watching us! "Knock, knock, knocking on the bathroom door"! "My achy breaky hip"! "I wear my bifocals at night"! "1-900 is the loneliest number"! "Hey, you, get off of my lawn"! 

"Yeah, that last one wasn't on the list."

I know, but I can't remember what the last word was for that Rolling Stones spoof.

"I see. So they're back from his birthday cruise?"

They are! And they had a really good time, for the most part. They certainly enjoyed the being out at sea at night! So many stars! And the sunsets and sunrises over open water were just lovely!

"And did they get to any shows onboard?"

Most def! They both had a blast at the concert-style show last night! Lots of rock and roll songs... including some listed on his birthday card!

"What about Nassau? How did they like it?"

They loved the clear blue of the water and the sugary sand, for sure. Tony said the beach was only for Carnival passengers and was full of people! Like I said, they loved the beach part of the shore excursion. But they hadn't liked the locals with their hands out at the port. Good thing they were forewarned about them, and told not to touch anything offered or they would be expected to buy it. I'm glad I never had that happen on any of the cruises I went on, but I had heard that Bahamas and Jamaica were terrible about that.

"Well, I'm glad they're safely home again and had a good time. I bet the dog was glad to see them!"

Oh, Dane most definitely was! He hardly wanted to leave their side! And told them about my trick for getting him to eat his vitamins. I make sure to put the two chewables on my breakfast plate, then toss them to him as if they were 'people food'! He gobbles them up and thinks he's had a treat!

"Very good! I'm sure they were delighted about that!"

They were! Anything that gets him to take them without wrestling them into his mouth. That had been quite discouraging for them. Anyway, I'm home again and need to get some things done, so... toodle oo!

"Sure 'nough. Off you go!"

Film Festival For Pet Sitting

One of the best things about pet sitting Dane and Frosty?

Access to television channels I don't normally get to watch.

This time, the channel for my nights was Great American Christmas.

Seriously!!!

There's something about cool nights that starts me seeking out holiday films and, for this week at Tony and Laura's house, I had two every night!

Well, I would have if I'd caught on sooner that there would be such to watch at 8 PM and 10 PM each night on GAC.

As it was, I caught nine of them over the six nights I have been here.

Pretty good!

So now, may I present to you: FF4PS!

 

Mrs. Miracle (2009) - A single man (James Van Der Beek) hires a nanny (Doris Roberts) for his 6-year-old twin boys.

How could I resist this one with the mom from "Everybody Loves Raymond"? This was the first one I caught in its entirety and pretty much set the theme for me! She was like a Mary Poppins for the holiday... adorable!

 

Destined at Christmas (2022) - Kim and Theo meet in the midst of Black Friday shopping madness.
This was one I'd like to see again! He was a widower with a daughter and not much for celebrating Christmas; she was all about family traditions at that time of year and told him all the events she went to... but they parted without last names or phone numbers. So what's a fellow to do but try to find her at those events? Very fun flick!

A Kindhearted Christmas (2021) - Jaime tries to anonymously give gifts to those in need while pursuing a new romance.

She's a widow with a bit of money, so she becomes the "secret Santa" for her town, mostly working on those wishes for the whole community. She's humble, though, and tries to keep her good deeds off the TV, even though she's dating the news reporter.

Merry Kissmas (2015) - A magical kiss in an elevator leaves a woman torn between two men at Christmastime.

Hmmm... stay with the dance director movie star that treats her like his assistant instead of his fiance, or go for the baker she met under the mistletoe?

Joy for Christmas (2021) - Holly must convince pro athlete Jack Kane to be the public face of the annual Christmas toy drive.

I definitely liked this one, as the guy was a retired baseball pitcher, but I would have liked it more if a bit of baseball had been thrown in... and, yes, that pun was intended!

The two don't really have any chemistry, but the story of trying to save the annual toy drive is a good one.

Royally Wrapped for Christmas (2021) - While interviewing for a job with the royal family of Veronia, Lindsay falls in love with a prince.

And the prince finds out a big family secret: he's not the first in his family for fall for non-royalty! Lindsay is one of three new faces hired from the States to help with the annual charity fundraiser and she's a bit star-struck with him from the get-go.

Call Me Mrs. Miracle (2010) - A new employee (Doris Roberts) saves a department store in trouble during the Christmas season.

How very nice to see another one with Mrs. Merkle! Such a little matchmaker she is, too, as well as determined to have the elderly store owner find holiday joy again! Plus, I liked the emphasis on classic toys instead of electronic gadgets. Imagination is a good thing!

Angel Falls Christmas (2021) - A devoted doctor with little time for the Christmas spirit is in desperate need of an intervention.
Especially after she and her boyfriend break up... and in earshot of the angel on the Christmas tree in the restaurant! Before they had even a day apart, two angels in mortal form set out to bring them back together. Pretty adorable film! And I'd definitely watch it again! So good to see a man in an apron making cookies!

 

A Christmas Star (2021) - An astronomer predicts that a new meteor shower will appear over a tiny town.
I really liked this one! Not only was it a well-written rom-com, but it was chock full of science! Specifically, it was physics-based, with lots of talk about telescopes and star systems and just what a meteor shower is. Very nice! Best of all, for me, a woman scientist? The astronomer was a woman!!! And she inspired a little girl to work on her math so she could be a scientist someday, too! How very nice to have it be the last one seen tonight!

And so, there you have it.

My brother and his wife return sometime tomorrow morning, so I'll be gone after that.

Maybe they'll want to go somewhere else soon!

Oh, and get this: his vacation time was used up, so he took the week off without pay.

How about that???

Good for him, I say!

Life is short.

When your wife wants to give you a cruise for your birthday, you should definitely take the time off to be there with her.

Good for him!

those physics nerds made me a winner!!!

Not just any winner, either.

I'm a National Runner-Up of The Big Bang Theory "Black Adam" Sweepstakes!!!

Honestly!

How 'bout that!?

Big Top Entertainment sent the notification to my email early this morning!

And just what did that say?

"Congratulations, you are a winner of THE BIG BANG THEORY “BLACK ADAM” Sweepstakes!   You have won the below;

    Two (2) Fandango Movie Passes

To receive your Fandango Movie Passes, just follow these simple steps:

    Visit Fandango at Fandango.com/Promo/WBPublicityBlackAdam or via the Fandango mobile app.
    Select your date, theater, time, and ticket quantity for Black Adam.
    Sign in or create your free Fandango VIP account (or enter your email address for guest checkout).
    Click “Promo Code,” enter the code below and click “Apply”.
    Complete your purchase and decide how you want to pick up your ticket.

Terms and Conditions: Fandango Promotional Code (“Code”) is good towards two movie tickets ($15 each ticket, up to $30 total ticket and convenience fee value) to see Black Adam at Fandango partner theaters in the US. Code is void if not redeemed by 12/31/2022 or when Black Adam is no longer in theaters, whichever comes first. Only valid for purchase of movie tickets made at Fandango.com or via the Fandango app and cannot be redeemed directly at any theater box office. If lost or stolen, cannot be replaced. No cash value, except as required by law. Void where prohibited. Not valid with any other offer. One-time use only. Not for resale; void if sold or exchanged. If cost of movie ticket with Fandango’s convenience fee included is more than maximum value of the Code, then user must pay the difference. Any price difference between movie ticket purchased and maximum value of the Code will not be refunded. Fandango Loyalty Solutions, LLC is not a sponsor or co-sponsor of this promotion. The redemption of the Code is subject to Fandango’s Terms and Policies at www.fandango.com/terms-and-policies.

Enjoy BLACK ADAM and keep watching THE BIG BANG THEORY five nights a week!

Thank you,

Warner Bros. Television Marketing &

Big Top Marketing & Promotions"

Seriously, I am so excited to have won anything!

I think I only managed to have one entry during the three week period.

I guess it just proves the old adage: You can't win if you don't play.

Also, "All it takes is one entry."

Guess I proved that one right!

Now, to whom do I gift these two tickets?

After all, I can see the movie again for free* with my A*List.

I'm thinking I'll give them to Alyssa and Leila as part of their birthday gift.

Can you believe they'll be eight on Sunday???

My, time scoots right along, doesn't it?

(smile!)

squeak squeak! squeaksqueaksueak!

What a difference from the last time I pet sat!

Sure, the dog refused to eat his dinner on Sunday night, because he'd rather pout and go hungry than acknowledge my presence.

But, by Monday morning, he'd had enough of acting like a spoiled three-year-old.

Hooray!

Not only did he eat all his dinner that night, but he even tried to play with me!

He fetched over a soft toy for me to toss for him and we played with that a while.

Tuesday morning, half of its stuffing was all over the dining room.

Nope! Done with that one and into the trash with it!

What to play with next???

The slithery, squeaking, snake!!!

Hey, I didn't choose it, he did.

I thought that was pretty amazing, as it was made of some kind of material that didn't let him bite into it very well.

That meant I won all the tug of war battles!

Then I'd toss it and he'd run and snatch it up, shaking his head with it, and bring it back to me for another go!

I didn't even care that it got a bit slobbery.

I'd grab it up and squeeze its squeakers... and it had three of them!

I'd even make the little squeaky noise to get Dane to get it!

Yep, pet sitting is definitely more fun this time around!

still confused about medicare

This afternoon, I attended a three-hour online seminar from AARP on Medicare.

"How To Get More Out Of Your Medicare and Social Security Benefits" was the title, with the first segment being the keynote address from someone at hermoney.com.

That seemed to focus on Social Security.

I've already been through that hurdle, but listened in to see if there might be some areas that I was unaware of in my research on the matter.

No, not really.

 

The second segment had a group of sessions to choose from.

Fortunately, I'd taken the background questionaire before the seminar and it steered me directly to "Medicare 101: The A, B, C, And D of Medicare".

Okay, good things to know!

For instance, Medicare Part A is the one I've paid into all these years and so there is no premium to be paid for it.

That's nice!

It covers 80% of every hospitalization and extended-stay facilities.

That would leave 20% for me to pay?

That does not include long-term care, only short-term.

That sounds scary, compared to my Veteran Health Insurance.

It didn't get better with the other parts of Medicare, either.

Medicare Part B covers doctor visits and, unlike Part A, there'll be a premium.

Great.

Medicare Part D is all about prescriptions and it will have a premium, too.

Then there's Medicare Part C, which is also called Medicare Advantage, and it's a composite of Parts A and B and may even include Part D, as well as vision and dental.

Seriously?

This sounds like something a bunch of lawyers concocted.

But it gets even worse.

If I have not chosen my policy by my birth month, Social Security will AUTOMATICALLY enroll me into a plan for Parts A and B and will DEDUCT THE PREMIUM from my monthly Social Security check.

Say what???

That certainly got my attention.

So, I asked a question.

"When I enroll in Medicare Part A, is it mandatory that I also enroll in Part B?"

Jessica of SHIP answered:

"You don't have to immediately enroll in Part B if you plan to continue working. However you would need to be sure your coverage is considered credible under Medicare."

Well, there's two reasons that answer wasn't helpful for me.

First, I'm not working and have not been working since August of 2017 when I retired.

Second, just what was meant by "credible"?

So I put forth another query.

"Is Veterans Health Insurance regarded as credible health insurance? Would I need to enroll in Part B if I already have VHI?" 

This time it was Sonia who answered and she sent me to the section in the Medicare Resource Guide, as well as a link to that source for future reference.

"When you are 65, there is a seven-month window when you are eligible for premium-free Part A. If you are eligible for Part A, you must get Part B to continue receiving Tricare benefits. If you have VA health care benefits, sign up for Parts A and B within those seven months so you'll have coverage for non-VA doctors and hospitals."

Wait a minute, wait a minute!

Does that mean the MISSION Act fails to pertain to me once I reach 65 years of age?

Just how, exactly, does all of this work???

Sigh.

I sure hope I get a better grasp of it all by the time February rolls around.

That will be the start of my seven-month window for enrollment.

Now, I'm walking back up the street to see a dog and get some comfort.

WNS will now continue after its brief break...

Why did it have a two-week hiatus?

I have no idea... but it was back tonight!

And the Wednesday Night Suppers will continue for another three weeks, too!

Hooray!

Tonight, I feasted upon Chicken Marsala, for perhaps the first time in years!

Plus, there was wild rice, Italian green beans, a pumpernickel roll, a DIY side salad, and... three pieces of spice cake!

Sure, only one piece is on my plate, but I went back for a second.

Then, because I raved so about its moistness, Pam got herself a slice, too, and brought back the last for me!

Yep, yep, yep!

Which Pam might that be?

Pam Parker!

She was behind me to check in, then she rushed through the food line to make sure she grabbed seats for her and Walt at my table!

(smile!)

Sure did make me feel special!

(smile!)

And we had something different to go along with our dinner: trivia!

We didn't play, as it made use of smart phones, but we did participate by trying to answer the questions during our chatter.

One of the Old Testament questions was about who built the ark.

Noah, of course!

How appropriate, as I was again tending my brother's critters while he's on vacation!

Thenceforth, for questions I didn't know, I'd say, "Noah!"

It became a little inside joke between me and Pam, with her giving a little laugh every time I said that name.

Even Walt liked it!

Hooray!

(smile!)

After our fun, it was back I went to la casa de mi hermano to feed Dane and Frosty.

I'd stopped by briefly to let the dog out, but now it was their supper time.

I try to keep them on schedule with that, at least.

Frosty wanted to come in for a scratch behind the ears...

and Dane took that as his cue to lick the ear closest to him.

At first, the cat seemed to like it, but then his ears flattened and his tail started twitching, so I put an end to it.

The kitteh was ready to go back outside after that!

(smile!)

And me?

Well, I finished my AMC A*List yesterday, so I was good to stay in.

I meant to take a photo of the trio I'd completed, but I forgot, so you'll just have to imagine the movie posters.

(smile!)

The first was "Ticket To Paradise", but I already told you that.

(smile!)

On Monday, mis tres amigas invited me to join them for that same flick, but I opted for "Home Coming", based on events in 2015.

In spoken Chinese, it was a tale of heroism by two ordinary diplomats, tasked by the Chinese government with leading a group of citizens out of a war-torn area.

Were they armed, with a military brigade at their beck and call?

Nope!

Their only bargaining chip for safe passage was that they were Chinese citizens.

It reminded me of my adventures in Central America, when the US Navy told me and my (first) husband that all we needed for travel through all those borders was our military ID and our travel orders.

No passport?

Well, actually, as it turned out, that was the one thing that we did need, but did not have.

Good thing we had some money to pave our way along!

But that's why we lived on peanut butter sandwiches for the last few days of our journey.

I could sympathize with these folks, especially when the last of their money was gone.

Good movie!

And the third movie was from the DC Universe: "Black Adam".

Let me just say that this was one of the best roles The Rock has done!

He was rather subdued in it, a heroic figure that wasn't a hero and knew it.

Lots of action, lots of mythology, and lots of people who got the story wrong.

I look forward to seeing it again, actually.

And that's a good thing, as AMC is trotting out lots of horror flicks right now.

I hope some kid flicks come back!

Now, time almost for the first of my two Christmas movies to begin!

That's certainly one of the perks of petsitting: TV channels I don't get at my house.

Dane has even learned to listen for the music cue from "Futurama" to let him know I will soon be going to bed.

Yeah, he's smarter than he looks!

(smile!)

time for my middle brother to get out of the box

I brought the subject up yesterday, while riding back from Ellabell with Smitty and Mary.

It's really been weighing on my mind for a while, but I kept pushing it back.

Then, on Friday, Jeff let me know that Angela Kopek had died.

She's the mom of Stephanie and Christopher and she has had Multiple Schlerosis since before I ever knew her, so that's been for more than thirty years.

She was 62, almost 63.

I checked on fb and Chris said the Celebration of Life for her was scheduled for Saturday, though she had passed in September.

I already had another of those events to attend though.

Danny Lewis, high school friend, lost his brother and his nephew almost two years apart from each other.

Kenny had died in July of 2020, with his son, Jason, dying this past July.

The Celebration of Life for the 73-year-old father and 45-year-old son was held Saturday morning at Asbury Memorial Church.

Kenny had been a SeaBee in the Navy, so I had talked to someone at the reception about the CB I'd known (Chuck) in Panama.

Jason had been a poet with Down Syndrome, and so I talked to someone else about the film I'd seen recently about a play-writing woman with that medical condition.

I talked a long time with Claudette, too.

She'd asked me if I missed teaching.

So we had a conversation about students and teaching and grading papers and about running an office and dealing with people and paperwork.

Then a woman came up and talked about Kenny, having recognized him from his yearbook photo, and we determined that he must have been a junior when she knew him at Jenkins High School.

Then I'd gone to Greenwich Cemetery.

I'd felt the need for that visit.

Actually, once I arrived and sat for a moment of quiet reflection, I realized that I'd been summoned.

The area around Mama and Frank's graves must have been mowed recently.

Now, it looked trashed.

So I fetched a bag from the car and spent about thirty minutes picking up bits of shredded American flag, bits of shredded red and white flowers, bits of shredded sparkly bits from a pinwheel.

I even found a brand-new spray of pale blue flowers, still with the tag on them.

Those I took with me to Jean Marie's site.

Right place, right time.

I still felt a bit mopey, but better.

Then, yesterday, the God On Broadway service had turned out to be all about grief.

The sermon was based on the play "Dog Sees God", with familiar Peanuts characters transformed from pre-middle school age to troubled teens.

Charlie Brown is now CB and his best friend, Linus, is now a stoned hippie, disconnected from the world and from his big sister, Lucy, now in prison.

Plus, Snoopy has died, making CB wonder if dogs go to heaven.

It really was quite sad for me, given the timing.

I had tried to get perked up, though, for the BYOP in Ellabell, and mostly succeeded.

Then, Smitty had said something about Ronnie's life insurance, and that started me up about the need to have his cremains out of my house.

So, now, I am to set a date, and whoever makes it, makes it.

I am to decide where his ashes are to scattered and to notify all of the location.

I'm thinking of the bluff at Greenwich.

I think it would be best to keep family together.

I know how much Ronnie loved Mama.

Me, too.

35th BYOP for the Jenkins!

I'm not saying I've been going for over three decades, I'm just saying that Robin and Harry have been holding these pumpkin-carving fests for that long.

Amazing!!!

This is most definitely a family affair, with everyone pretty well knowing everyone else.

Here we all are - that's me, far left, standing, in that fuchsia sweater I've had for years.

My brother Smitty is right beside me, with Mary trying to hide behind him.

The Jenkins' daughters, Brandi and Shelley, are there, of course, as well as lots of folks from this neighborhood that grew up together.

That's pretty nice!

And just how many kids are there this year?

25

And how many pumpkins?

29

I think that's got to be a record for their BYOPs!

As always, there was plenty of food!

Almost everyone had brought a dish to share, naturally.

I had bean salad, Smitty had smoked wings, and Mary made 

orange Rice Krispies Treats!

Harry grilled hotdogs and made his famous chili - not too hot, 

and great on the hotdogs.

I saw Smitty do that so I made sure to follow his lead.

Oh, yeah!

This shed has really worked well as a gathering site for everyone 

to mingle and hobnob while they fix plates loaded with goodies!

Then, out in the yard were at least seven tables for folks to sit 

and socialize once the carving was all done and the pumpkin 

innards had been taken away.

 

I think their chickens are getting the seeds - that will be a treat for them, too!

I made sure I mingled and hobnobbed, too.

Visits were made to every table of carvers, with interest expressed at those busy hands and earnest faces... especially for the kids!

My favorite pumpkins were this one with the prominent, bright white, buckteeth and its cousin.

They reminded me of the time I dressed as a buck-toothed vampire for one of the Halloween parties at Monica's A-frame. 

Definitely good times!

My favorite yard decoration in years past has been the vulture skeleton, usually out on the hay bales with the pumpkins.

I had to ask Robin where it was hiding this year...

and it was up in a tree!

No wonder I missed it.

(smile!)

But I sure didn't miss this guy!

I called him "Rest In Pieces" and Robin had a good laugh about that pun!

Her grandson, Asher, was responsible for that masterpiece.

Remember him?

He's the one who was so into chemistry at their 2019 BYOP, even having me do demonstrations with all the science from SERMACS!

Good kid!

And now, I'm at Tony and Laura's, pet sitting with Dane and Frosty, as Tony goes on his first cruise.

Good for Laura for getting him out into the world!

(smile!)

happy 5oth anniversary, National Marine Sanctuaries!

That was my greeting inside the cards I sent to fourteen young relatives.

That's six great-nieces, five great-nephews, two nephews, and one niece.

If I had more cards, I would have mailed off even more, as I have seven others that missed out this time.

And just what was the spark that lit this fire to share the occasion with these children in my life?

Well, believe it or not, it's because of something the US Post Office has done.

Here's what I wrote in the cards.

 

"Happy 50th anniversary of the National Marine Sanctuaries!

In honor of the occasion, the US Post Office has issued 16 new stamps. The stamp on your envelope was taken at the sanctuary that this card honors. Be sure to read about it on the back of the card!" 

Nice, right?

And I can hear the question: "If there were 16 stamps, why not send 16 cards?"

Well, let me tell you why.

I didn't have sixteen of them.

The package of cards that I bought at the 2011 Ocean Film Festival only contained cards for the National Marine Sanctuaries that existed at the time.

The total count is now 17, as of 2021's addition of the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast NMS.

Some of the older ones have been expanded and had slight name changes, but they're still there, protecting delicate ecosystems and marine life.

So, how about a roll call of those 14 on the cards?

Oh, yes, let's!

 

The first-ever was the Monitor NMS, established in 1975, just three years after the US Congress passed the Marine Protection, Research, Sanctuaries, and Research Act. That went to Smitty's granddaughter, Caitlyn, along with the 2nd stamp in the 4th row of the pane of 16. That stamp has a sand tiger shark in Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Greg McFall, NOAA)

The Channel Islands NMS, the first in the Pacific Ocean and off the California coast, was established in 1980. Tony's youngest grandson, Gilberto, aka Bert, was sent that one, along with stamp 1 of the 4th row, with sea lions in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Jeff Harris, NOAA)

1981 saw the establishment of two marine sanctuaries!

The first of those was the Gray's Reef NMS, right off the Georgia coast! Ronnie's younger twin granddaughter, Leila, will receive that, as well as stamp 4 of row 3, Atlantic sea nettles in Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Michael Durham)

[I specifically chose that card for her, as an inside joke, because the photographer has the same first name as her dad, Ronnie's son.]

The Greater Farallones NMS, once called the Gulf of the Farallones NMS, was on the West Coast, later that year. Smitty's grandson, Kobe, will receive that one, along with stamp 2 of row 2, depicting The Farallon Islands in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Norbert Wu)

[I specifically chose that card for him because the photographer is Asian American, like him, so it will be inspirational.]

 

There followed a gap of time until 1986 when the fifth such place, the NMS of American Samoa, (soon to be relabeled as the Fagatelle Bay NMS) was established in the Pacific Ocean. My youngest niece, Aubree, daughter of my half-brother Matthew, will have that in the mail, with stamp 3 of row 4 with the Rose Atoll in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. (Photo by: Wendy Cover, NOAA)

[I specifically chose that card for her because the photo on this stamp was taken by a woman, so it will be inspirational.]

 

Cordell Bank NMS, making the third one on the California coast, was established in 1989. Sebastien, aka Sebi, Tony's older grandson from his daughter, will get this one, including the stamp 3 of row 3, featuring the swirling mass of a school of young rockfish in the reef in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Joseph Hoyt, NOAA)

[There's a nice story behind that stamp photo!]

 

Florida Keys NMS came along in 1990, making a seventh safe haven for marine life. Conner, the younger son of half-brother Michael, gets this one, with stamp 1 of row 1, featuring the toothy grin of a Porcupinefish, a type of Balloonfish, in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Daryl Duda)

[I specifically chose this card for Conner because of the funny story behind the photo!]

 

A stellar year for Earth's oceans was 1992, the 30th anniversary of the act that created the  National Marine Sanctuary system, with four new ones established.

The Flower Garden Banks NMS was the first of the quartet, in January, protecting an area off the Texas coast in the Gulf of Mexico. This goes to Christian Jr., aka CJ, the stepson of my brother Ronnie's daughter, Christina. The envelope has stamp 1 of row 3, a Queen angelfish in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: G.P. Schmahl)

[There's a nice story behind that photo George took, too.]

September 1992 saw the establishment of Monterey Bay NMS, the fourth and final of those located off California in the Pacific Ocean. That goes to Miyah, the soon-to-be-adopted older daughter of Christina. Stamp 2 of row 3 adorns her envelope of a playful sea otter in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Norbert Wu)

[I specifically chose this card for the littlest girl because of that otter on the stamp!]

October 1992 welcomed Stellwagen Bank NMS to Massachusetts Bay, in the Atlantic Ocean. Tony's oldest grandson, Dylan, will get this one, with stamp 3 of row 1, presenting a breaching humpback whale in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Elliott Hazen, NOAA)

[I chose this one for the football player because of the right whale on the card!]

Then, in November, came the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS to our 50th state. That one goes to Carissa, sister of Dylan, and Tony's older granddaughter from his son, Damon. Stamp 4 of row 2 is on her envelope, showing a Hawaiian monk seal in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Ed Lyman, NOAA)

[Her card was chosen for her because of the whale on it, like her brother's.]

[There is also a nice story behind the stamp, right here.] 

1994 saw the creation of the twelfth haven, Olympic Coast NMS, off the coast of the state of Washington. Alyssa, the slightly older of Ronnie's twin granddaughters, will receive this card and the photo of Sea stacks in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary captured on stamp 4 of row 1. (Photo by: Matt McIntosh, NOAA/National Marine Sanctuary Foundation)

[I specifically chose this card for her because the photographer has the same first name as her PopPop!]

[There's also a nice story about rain not stopping that photo!]

Eight years later, in 2000, Thunder Bay NMS was established on Lake Huron of the Great Lakes, the one that puts the "H" in "HOMES".  Miss Chloe, the younger soon-to-be-adopted daughter of Christina, will get this one, with stamp 4 of row 4, showcasing an icy shoreline in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo by: Kate Thompson, NOAA)

[Notice that this stamp's photo was also taken by a woman, so it will be inspirational. Plus the woman tells a nice story about her photo!]

 

It would be 2006 before another haven - the fourteenth - was established, though it was not a sanctuary. Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is northwest of Hawai'i. My nephew, Merritt, the older son of half-brother Michael, is getting that one with the email joke on it, as he will appreciate it most! A pair of red-footed boobies at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, stamp 2 of row 1, graces his envelope and is sure to make him laugh!  (Photo by: Mark Sullivan)

 

The Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, established in 2009, is located near the NMS of American Samoa. Stamp 3 of row 4 has a nice photo of coral there.

Mallows Bay NMS, in the Potomac River, was established in 2019. There's even a stamp on the panel for it, stamp 1 of row 2, of a sunset there, as well as a story, too.

Then, as mentioned earlier, last year saw the addition of Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast NMS, another Great Lakes site, this one in Lake Michigan. (And this was too recent to have been included in the panel of 16 stamps.)

 

Seventeen havens for non-human life, all told.

All established for the sake of future generations, not quite three generations ago.

All established by our government, for the good of the world.

i thank You, God.

byop, and i helped!

Hey, that's a riff on those old "Shake and Bake" 'mercials!

And for those who got that, it'll be our inside joke!

I know this chica would have totally understood!

Dawn came running up to greet me, so super excited!!!

She knew I would figure out her costume!

So, let's see... a rubber chicken... on a cord... atop a blue shirt...

chicken cord on blue!

Perfect pun for someone in the food industry!!!

Then there was The Koz himself!

He even stopped what he was doing to pose for me!

And just what was it my arrival interrupted?

Chris was fueling up the fog machine by the front porch!

He had one on both sides of that structure, too, to add extra fright to those dangling ghouls that I'd put batteries in!

Bwah ha ha!!!

I even took a time-out to sit on that porch later.

What a different perspective!

From behind that curtain of jerking, moaning, characters, I had a great view of the front yard!

More danglers from the trees, lots of creepie crawlies on the ground...

and that 12-foot tall skeleton holding the flag pole!

That was great!

Plus, I got to watch those watching all of that... bonus!

Of course, all of that was after munching out!

This was only my first plateful of the evening and it was loaded!

Orange and black pasta in the shape of pumpkins, mummified tiny hotdogs, 'spider' Ritz crackers, orange and black tortilla chips to eat with a hummus creature with green olive eyes...

Bwah ha ha!!

Dessert?

Did someone say 'dessert'?

This table as positively groaning from its heavy load!!!

Graveyard cake! Witches' warts! Monster scabs! Ghost poop!

And so much more, lovingly made for little hands to take home!

Big hands were welcome to take, too...

and so I did!

Before I left, I grabbed the last of the scarecrows assembled by Gina and Bunny and Susan at our session earlier!

I got a package of the 'monster scabs', too (cinnamon toast crunch cereal) and a few peanut butter kisses!

Plus, Allison gave me a ghost pop her kids made!

That's right near the top of my tree!

(smile!)

So, thanks, Bunny, for inviting me along for the Oscar party once upon a time years ago and introducing me to Dawn!

So glad you and Steve were there tonight!

And many, many thanks to the host and hostess with the mostest!

So good to chow down on ribs with Chris, the man whose "wife is psycHOTic"!

Bwah ha ha ha ha!

I know you missed out on those ribs at the last BYOP, three long years ago, so I'm delighted you made time to get them early!

And would you look at this photo?

I ended up with a Two-Headed Koz when I thought I only saw one!

What a special treat from the Universe!

And what a special treat for all there!

From the giant spider on the roof to the giant skeleton in the front yard...

from the pirates pissing yellow and puking black in their blue sea to the crazed clowns from outer space...

from the black flamingos with fanged beaks to the spinning, speaking, headless Lady Macbeth twirling in the living room...

from the howling circus din to the relatively quiet oasis on the back porch...

there truly was something to delight everyone!

And what was there for me?

Besides Lady Macbeth with her candle, bemoaning her fate?

Besides the pirates and the pasta and the ribs?

Besides the many pumpkins carved so magnificently and the blowing up after the judging?

Besides getting to hang out with folks I knew and the chance to help others, like Martha and Tom, to get maximum enjoyment from the festivities?

Well, I had wondered what had become of my favorite three zombies, as they were not in their usual place near the porch... but I found them guarding the driveway!

Bwah ha ha!!!

(smile!)

boomers in motion!

Seriously, that's what the Meetup group is called!

I knew Jackie was using that name on fb, too, but had not realized she's branched out.

I totally get it.

The group that Karen had started years back has pretty well dispersed, what with interference from the pandemic and folks moving off to be closer to grandkids.

Anyway, I was bouncing around on fb earlier and she noticed I was on... and she messaged me about her group!

"We're going to see "Ticket To Paradise" at 3 PM on Shawnee. Please join us!"

So, of course I did!

It was her and two others, Leigh Anne and Brenda.

At least, I think that was their names.

(smile!)

We had the screening room all to ourselves so we took over the place!

(smile!)

Well, we took over the third row, alternating seats so we had plenty of room.

You know: sitting like fellows tend to sit at the cinema.

That way, we had plenty of room for purses and shawls and whatnots.

(smile!)

Fun flick, too, with George Clooney being so marvelous in a comedy role!

Julie Roberts was great, too, and they worked well off each other.

Plus, I loved the guy's dad... very funny, full of jokes!

I'm so glad I just happened to be on fb!

Right place, right time!

Thanks, Jackie!

Now, to call Tony back.

I'm petsitting their dog and cat and he wants to make sure my food favorites are stocked in the refrigerator and freezer. 

Hooray!

(smile!)

"a-t-b" does not spell bat

Yes, it does, you're just not looking at it right.

"I know your goal this week was to see three movies whose titles would spell "bat". That's not what happened, did it?"

The three movies chosen DID spell bat! It just doesn't look like they do, that's all.

"Oh, really? I've heard of 'new math', but not 'new spelling'. And, no, I'm not considering those words that folks deliberately misspell, like "phat" or stuff like that."

Here's why the spelling doesn't look right. The first "b" is invisible.

"You must be kidding."

Nope! LOL! Amazing how often that word has been popping up of late! I even heard it in the movie i saw this afternoon!

"Yeah. You're not helping."

My apologies, dearie, but the misspelling is not my fault. The first "b" is for "Bros", which I saw for the second time on Monday. However, it didn't show up on my A*List because the new person running the register must have put my phone number in wrong. After several tries, the manager - Tom, the one with the dreamy eyes - went ahead and comped my ticket so I wouldn't miss the movie. Very nice of him!

"And so you went ahead and counted it for this week?"

Well, you know, I tried to get the error corrected. I really did want that "b" movie in the first slot of my weekly three. When I went on Tuesday to the other AMC to see the "a" movie, I had the Monday receipt and ticket with me, so they could maybe input the data and catch up my A*List. The new manager - Kevin, a fairly friendly fellow - looked at what I had, then explained that I would have to go to the other AMC cinema to get it straightened out, as they were the ones that had issued the receipt.

"But that would have led to "Bros" being the second movie on the resultant list, not the first, so that wasn't really want you wanted, was it?"

Nope! That's okay, though. I realized that with that snafu I was essentially getting four movies for free from AMC this week. Winner, winner!

"And so, with the 'a' being "Amsterdam", you decided to stay with your original scheme?"

Yep! So that meant the third movie needed to start with "t". I opted for "Top Gun: Maverick", as this is its final week in town. And guess who I ran into there?

"Your tres amigas?"

Indeed, plus a fourth. Sean and Tom had guessed I wanted a ticket for that movie, "the same that we just sold to the other ladies". Glad they gave me a heads up! I waltzed on in there like I had been invited to tag along, waving at them as I entered!

"Hahahaha!! Bet they were surprised!"

They hid it well. And after the movie, they were sure to invite me to dinner with them.

"Well, that was good! I know it's been a while since you saw Brenda."

I didn't see her this time, actually! She had sat on the top row in the screening room, well away from Barbara and Carolyn - together on the second row - and Sandy - on the third row. She booked it out of the cinema and didn't go to Bowtie Barbeque with us, so it was just us four for the meal. I opted for the skillet cornbread and side of collard greens. So good!

"Glad to hear it! I know you've been craving cornbread."

I really have, and that was quite good. I just wish I'd doubled down on the greens!

"I hear you, g'friend! So nice to have someone else do the cooking!"

Indeed. And that movie yesterday finished up my Halloween word: b-a-t. And those movies are all going away today, as is "Bullet Train". That's why I let it be my "extra" free movie. Just a coincidence that it started with a "b"! And, as I was the only one there, I snapped a pic of the MINT man while I was there! Shhh! Don't tell anyone! LOL!

"You and your photographs. (smile!)"

That's right! Got to keep it real, not a dream!

"I hear you loud and clear. Halloween can be full of tricksters, what with folks wearing costumes. Looks like maybe "Psych" was set at this time of year?"

Nope! They were at a little western town, set up for tourists, like Calico was, that place I went to while stationed in San Diego. There was even a few women working in a bordello, there in that old gold-mining town and also in the old gold-mining town in "Psych". Shawn is dressed as the sheriff and Gus is playing a blacksmith. That's got to be an inside joke!

"That would be my guess! Now, what's up with the weather pic?"

Mother Nature is gearing up to be singing my song!

"LOL!"

No, that would be LA-A-A-AH!!!

"I hear you! Warmer is definitely better! Those cold nights really..."

Yes, they do! I know it's just been a three-day snap, but I'm not ready for that. So glad I have that heated mattress pad and mink blanket!

i thank You, God, for warmer nights ahead!

"Amen!!!"