Happy Halloween

Just hanging out here handing out candy. Love looking at all the cute costumes. Some little boy dressed as a fireman just told me "Have a happy Valentine's Day!"

Please kids-come and get this candy before I eat it!!!

Hope everyone is having a fun Halloween!

A Spooky Story

Here's a little ghostly tale about a place where I once lived....

I guess I was in my early 20's and my friend Marilyn and I were looking for an apartment to share. She really had her heart set on living in this one older complex that her sister had once rented an apartment in, and put us on the waiting list. I really wasn't exactly in love with the place; I think it had been built in the 1920's or earlier and it looked like something straight out of West Side Story. You know, those ancient brick buildings with the metal fire escapes outside. But it was in a really nice area and we were thrilled when we got the call from the landlord telling us there was a two bedroom available.

The rent was also surprisingly cheap for that neighborhood. And soon we would find out why.

Seems this apartment came with an extra roommate. And I use the word "she" because often there would be the heavy scent of some kind of old fashioned perfume drifting around the apartment. When we had friends over, "she" would briefly pay a visit to everyone in the room and they would catch a whiff of the perfume and ask us "What is THAT? And Marilyn and I would just laugh and say "That's our other roommate".

"She" seemed particularly fond of our gentlemen callers, but some of them were not really too fond of her. Some never called again after they "met" her. In fact one pointed out to me this strange looking symbol that had been nailed to our apartment door long ago. He told me it meant the apartment had once been blessed by a Rabbi and that someone had probably died in there.

Once "she" borrowed a pair of my earrings. I had them in my hand and they fell out and disappeared into the carpet. I combed the area with my fingers and they were nowhere to be found. However, they turned up a few months later in that exact spot. Those earrings had belonged to my late grandmother, so I'm thinking that maybe "she" was also of that era and wanted to wear them to a ghostly costume party.

Anyway, "she" really wasn't that much of a bother. Often the channels on our television would change by themselves and there was that strong perfume smell, but other than that "she" was pretty harmless. Until one night I came home and noticed that all the burners on our stove were lit. Perhaps "she" was expecting company and preparing a ghostly feast for them. That did scare me a bit and I told her so, and it didn't happen again.

I did move out shortly afterwards, mostly because Marilyn and I weren't getting along too well anymore. It was kind of a Felix and Oscar type situation. Guess which one I was.

Marilyn still lives in that apartment with her two children. She loves that place and I seriously doubt if she'll ever leave. In fact when the time comes, she will probably haunt it as well. And it is a two bedroom, so there's enough room. However, I think Marilyn's favorite Shalimar perfume will clash with "hers". They're going to have to work that one out.

More Of Him Monday

Diana at Sunshine On My Shoulders is the hostess of More Of Him Monday. Please visit Diana's blog to read hers and other's encouraging posts.

This is mostly about my hubby, Carlos and something he did last week. He and his buddies are avid fishermen and spend much of their free time at the nearby waterfront. He really doesn't bring much fish home, but he does bring home a lot of stories and one of them really warmed my heart.

Seems he was approached by a couple of women who asked him if he had any extra fish he could give them because their husbands had not been paid that week and they had no money to buy food to feed their families. So Carlos gave them all the fish he had caught and spread the word to all the other people who were there fishing. Well soon these women had plenty of fish to take home thanks to the generosity of all the fishermen. The next day, these women returned to tell everyone how thankful their families were for the fish and all the meals it would be providing for them.

The kindness of strangers really made a difference in the lives of these women and their families.
I'm proud of Carlos, for he could have easily told those women "no".
But instead he chose to listen to His voice and help someone less fortunate.

A Halloween Quiz

What Your Halloween Habits Say About You

You're a friendly person, but not the life of the party. You like making someone else's day - and you'll dress up if you think of a really fun costume. Sneaky and devious, people should really watch out for you. You are usually underestimated and forgotten. Your inner child is open minded, playful, and adventurous. You truly fear the dark side of humanity. You are a true misanthrope. You're prone to be quite emotional and over dramatic. Deep down, you enjoy being scared out of your mind... even if you don't admit it. You are unique, expressive, and a trendsetter. Your ideal Halloween costume is over the top and one of a kind.

What's Your Halloween Personality?

Show And Tell

Kelli at There is No Place Like Home is hosting Show and Tell Friday. If you have something you would like to show, please visit Kelli's blog and leave a link to your post.

My show and tell this Friday are these two pumpkins I painted. I recently found a book with lots of vintage Halloween images and I thought some of them would look cute on pumpkins. When I was younger, my Dad would take us pumpkin picking and then we would bring our pumpkins home and paint them. It's been a long, long time since I've done that. In fact usually my pumpkins get eaten by squirrels, so I think these faces may be scaring them away!

This friendly guy sits on the porch next to the front door:



And this Halloween kitty sits on the other side of the door:



I may paint a few more this weekend if I do some more pumpkin picking.

Thank you for looking at my show and tell and thank you Kelli for hosting.

Time's Running Out.....

Only one more week till Halloween! My friend sent me these pictures. Thinking of dressing up your pet next Wednesday? Well here's a few ideas to inspire you:

You can always go with a traditional spooky look:



My cat would NEVER go for this:



How about something "fresh and fruity:



And who could resist this handsome knight:



Of course, any Star Wars character is always a winner:





And if you're on a tight budget, you can always make do with these creative homemade costumes:




(I think I saw those last two robbing a local pet shop recently)

More of Him Monday

Diana at Sunshine On My Shoulders is hosting More of Him Monday. Please visit her blog if you would like to share something or read others' inspirational posts.

I really miss having joy in my life. It does come and go, but I just don't have that zest for life that I once had.

I know He is here with me and I do trust in Him. But there's a lot of uncertainty about what the future holds for me right now, and I really don't like this feeling.

But I know that unlike myself, God sees the big picture and has a plan for me, so I am excited about that.

I listen to Him in my heart and He tells me to be patient and not to worry.

I know He wants me to be happy here.

And He really has blessed me in so many ways and that's what I need to focus on.

And be thankful for.

Show and Tell

Kelli at There is No Place Like Home is hosting Show And Tell Friday. If you would like to join the fun, please visit Kelli's blog and leave a link to your post.

My Show and Tell for this Friday are these two vintage American Cookery magazines my father gave to me. He knows I like vintage kitchen items, so when he goes garage "sailing" he's always on the lookout for goodies for me.

This one is from May 1926:



And this one is from October 1932:



Each magazine has recipes, homemaking tips, articles, and lots of great old time ads like these:



Here's a sample menu from the October issue on what to serve on "Witches' Night":

Moosemeat or venison steaks, or roast duck
Prune and apple puree with candied carrot rings
Grilled sliced oranges
Wild rice balls
Witches' hash
Barberry Jelly
Hazel nut and cinnamon buns
Witches'salad
Witches' brew
Doughnuts and cider

Dinner starts at eight-don't be late! You don't want to eat cold moosemeat!

Thank you for looking at my show and tell and thank you Kelli for hosting.

More of Him Monday

Diana at Sunshine on My Shoulders is hosting More of Him Monday. Be sure to visit her blog and read other's uplifting posts.



I need more of Him in my life. More of Him and less of eating and sitting on my butt (which I'm doing right now). Today I went to the doctor. And the news is not pretty. I really let myself go. So the next few months will be full of tests (YIKES!), more doctor appointments and other fun stuff. And I need to lose weight. More than just a few pounds. Not an easy thing to do this time of year.

I need Him to guide me and to give me the strength to make much needed changes in my lifestyle. And the willpower to stick with it.

The More of Him and less of me diet plan. There's a lot of work to be done here. So why am I still sitting here? Time to get moving!

Where's George?

Ever get one one of these Where's George? dollar bills? Well I was holding one hostage for about two weeks because I wasn't quite sure where I should release "George". I thought about bringing him to New York, but then another idea hit me. Since my dad and I usually make a trip to the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania in the fall, why not cross the Delaware River with "George", just like the real President Washington did many years ago.

I had wanted to use the bill to pay the toll at the bridge. It's funny how in New Jersey they let you in for free, but you have to pay to leave! Anyway, "George" managed to hide himself from me, so I ended up using another bill, since I was holding up the line at the toll booth.

So it was time for plan "B". Some lucky waitress at this diner in the Poconos is now the proud caretaker of "George". He was part of her tip.



Then Dad and I went to this nearby flea market to look at antiques and other "treasures". Notice that man walking the dog? He's wearing a "NY Mets World Series Champions" jacket. Now that's what I call an antique!



We then went to a few antique marketplaces where I found a few interesting things. You may see them some day soon on "Show and Tell Friday"!

It was just a bit too early to see the area in its autumn finery. Soon this mountain will be a pretty patchwork of fall colors.



I would really love to move to this area someday. It's much more laid back than where I presently live. And quieter. And cleaner. And less expensive. Sounds like a no-brainer to me!

Show and Tell Friday

Kelli at There Is No Place Like Home is hosting a "Show and Tell Friday". If you would like to join the fun, please visit Kelli's blog and leave a link to your post.

My Show and Tell for this Friday are these pieces of vintage costume jewelry:




The two necklaces were given to my father years ago by an elderly neighbor of his for repairing her furnace. He really didn't want to take them, but she insisted. He then gave them to me. I really don't know much about them, but I think they may be from the 1920's.

The enameled pin in the middle of the necklace with the blue stones is something that I picked up at an antique flea market in London many years ago. I confess that I really don't know much about that piece either, but I liked it because of all the colors. And it looks like my flash landed dead center in it! One day I'm going to learn to take better pictures!

Thank you for looking at my Show and and thank you Kelli for hosting.

P.S.-Have a great vacation!

Baseball Withdrawl

Well, looks like the season is over for my NY Yankees. Now I'm trying to remember just what I did in my spare time before baseball season. Wait a minute-I believe I'm doing it right now-blogging!

Feels kind of funny not seeing my boys of summer after watching them several times a week for the past six months or so. And I was hoping to add some upgrades to my Yankee wardrobe. Like a new World Series T-shirt and cap. On the other hand, I bet there are some major markdowns on all things Yankee at my local sporting goods stores. Have to check that out.

We are getting some thunder storms here-kind of unusual for October. So I'm going to say goodnight and hope everyone has a great week.

More of Him Monday

Diana at Sunshine On My Shoulders is hosting More Of Him Monday. Why not visit her blog and check out her's and others' uplifting posts.

Overheard at Target this morning:

Wife to husband (as he rushes past her with shopping cart): "Where are you going?"

Husband: "I'm going straight to hell because I'm a non-believer. That has to be the biggest racket in the world-believing in God."

What the?????? I turned to catch a glimpse of the husband, a 70 something, owlish looking kind of fellow. Probably was not too thrilled to be spending this beautiful October morning shopping with the wife at Target; not really a "guy" kind of store. I should know for I had asked Carlos if he wanted to join me, but he declined my invitation and headed off to Home Depot instead.

But this man's words got me thinking-what would the world be like without this "racket"? What if nobody believed in God? No religion, churches, marriages, possibly no family unit. Would there be laws? Would there even be a USA? Didn't the colonists originally come here for religious freedom? Imagine no holidays; no Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving (who would we thank?).

Would there be love?

Would there be any good at all in this world?

How empty my life would be without Him!

I feel sorry for this man, for he is truly missing out on a lot. If I wasn't such a timid person, I would have said something like this to him: "Sir, you may not believe in God, but He believes in you and loves you anyway. I hope that someday you will invite Him into your life."

So instead I said a little prayer for him.

Nope this man doesn't know it, but someone was praying for him in the aisles of Target this morning. Maybe that's why God put me in the path of his shopping cart.
So he got an added "bonus" along with that 40 lb. bag of dog food I saw him heave into his cart.

God and I, what a "racket" we have going!

Yankees Update...

New York Yankees-8
Cleveland Indians-4

Looks like the playoffs AND hot dog sales will continue here for at least one more night:



LET'S GO YANKEES!!!

Safe Autumn Lights

I remember when I was in elementary about a hundred years ago that October was fire safety month. And these battery operated tea lights are a safe alternative to the real thing, especially in a home where there are children and pets (and grown-ups who tend to nod out very easily :o). Found a pack of 6 at Walgreens for $5 which really isn't so bad since I've seen single lights priced at a $1.50 or higher. They even flicker and look a lot like the real thing. They fooled Carlos. And they seem to last for quite a while. Have not had one "burn" out yet.

Here they are in one of my wall sconces. I've always been a bit leery of using the real thing here:



And they look really cool inside a paper lantern. I would NEVER use a regular tealight here:



I bought these lanterns at Le Gourmet Chef yesterday. A pack of three of these vintage-y looking lanterns was less than $3.00. I like vintage holiday decorations, but the real McCoy is often very pricey.
If I ever get around to carving a pumpkin, I'm going to put one of these tealights inside. A safe alternative to the real thing. And I'm sure the local squirrels will thank me when they go munching on my pumpkin!

And now my cat "Jeter" would like to comment:

"Just what is going on with those NY Yankees??? The Bronx Bombers have really bombed in the playoffs so far. I'm so embarrassed right now that I was named after their shortstop. I'm thinking of changing my name to "Rockie". Just look at my face in this photo-does it look like I'm kidding?"



"If you lose tonight, I'm going to bury my Daddy's Yankee cap in the litter box."


Well said, my dear kitty-cat! Let's go Yankees!!!

More of Him Monday

Diana at "Sunshine On My Shoulders" is hosting a wonderful new feature: More of Him Monday Be sure to visit Diana's blog to read her's and others' inspiring posts.

It seems that every Sunday afternoon I get depressed because the weekend is almost over and I must return to work in the morning. It's not that I dislike my job; its the "garbage" that I must deal with every day. You know-the gossiping, the back-stabbing, the complaining, the unfairness, etc. That kind of garbage. There has been a lot of it lately. And it has been affecting me both mentally and physically.
So yesterday afternoon I prayed to Jesus: "Lord, I'm not sure how much longer I can put up with this "garbage" at work so I'm giving this one to you. I need your wisdom on how to deal with this "garbage".

Shortly afterwards, I got on the computer to check out some blogs and I heard that "click" which meant that I'd just received an email. It was from my sister and I would like to share a part of it with you:

Beware of Garbage Trucks
by David J. Pollay

How often do you let other people's nonsense change
your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss,
or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the
Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your
heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly
she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson.
I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab.
Here's what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded,
and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.
And I mean, he was friendly.
So, I said, "Why did you just do that?
This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

And this is when my taxi driver told me what I
now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

Many people are like garbage trucks.
They run around full of garbage, full of frustration,
full of anger, and full of disappointment.
As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it.
And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.
When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.

You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.
You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck."
I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me?
And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people:

at work, at home, on the streets?
It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."

I began to see garbage trucks.
Like in the movie " The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People."

Well, now "I see Garbage Trucks."
I see the load they're carrying.
I see them coming to drop it off.
And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing;
I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

So I thought how strange it was to receive this email after that little chat I had with God less than an hour earlier. Surely this couldn't have come from Him through cyberspace.
I walked into the bathroom to clean the cat's litter box and noticed that Carlos had hung a small cross from the knob of the medicine cabinet. The late afternoon sun was shining through a small opening in the blinds directly on that cross and it was glowing!-I guess I had my answer.
No-it's not exactly scripture. Seems God chose to speak to me in my native New Jersey tongue (we do say "garbage" kind of funny), in a way in which I could clearly understand His message.
And His message stayed with me all day at work today. I truly had a wonderful day, despite all the craziness around me. I even sent that email to some of my co-workers.
Yes, this garbage dump is officially closed!