Look for something new coming soon

I'm trudging away at learning Unity and waiting to hear back about a job. I don't want to jinx it, so no more words about that.

Besides, you're here for the Halloween fun, right? Great. Let's jump in.

Little, little Timmy's step dad would set up a train set for Christmas. He had houses, trees, I think there might have been a small tunnel. I remember being fixated with the houses. There was serenity in watching that train circle around the peaceful village. I remember one of my dogs, either Scruffy or Taz, would bark and bark at the train - when we'd take it off the track and put it on the floor, it was as if we released a live cobra. My puppy would lunge at it and retreat, lunge and retreat, growling and snapping at the inert object.

I've always wanted to set up a Halloween train set like that. I'd have a nice big, Victorian house.

In one of the rooms, there would be a creepy village scene. Walls of rock form miniature mountains, atop which stands a castle. Below is a swamp, replete with phosphorescent balls of light and a fog. Jack-o-lanterns would dot the scene. And of course monsters.

At Valley View Farms, a nursery near here, there is a Halloween display like that set up every year. It's set up just before they open their Halloween display. For about ten years now, shit, probably twenty, that display has been a highlight. Visiting the full display, which isn't yet set up, with its miniature walk through haunted house, that's always marked the beginning of the Halloween season for me.

I'm not sure when the full display is set up, they need to clear a large area for pumpkins and that area's not close to being cleared yet. Until then, here's a peak at the train-less display they set up at the front of their store.

I tried to get a good shot of the display, creep up from between the two trees in the foreground, but the girls behind the register were wondering why such an old man was smiling and snapping pictures of the display. All shots but that one were blurry. Let's investigate.

First off, who buries people by a mailbox?  Poor Al and Ben. But I guess it's fitting seeing as the community is called "the Boneyard".

I'd live there. At least you'd be able to keep an eye on the Grim Reaper. Look at him up there! He's like Batman, watching over the community. I bet it's almost as dangerous to break a law there as it is in Texas.

Grim must live in the sarcophagus just behind him. The one with the eerie green light emanating from within. Seeing as how there's a dark cave in town and a mill named "Haunted Rails Elevator", I'm assuming the majority of the town is underground. That makes sense, as most of the residents are buried.

The manor at the top of the hill either has a moon prop or the actual moon is supported by that house. Simply astronomical. I wonder what that Quasimodo looking giant is doing up there, lurching about. At first glance I thought he was the owner of the residence. Then I noticed proportions. Not only wouldn't he fit in the door, but look at the tower window. If that's a room up there, poor Quasi would be in the fetal position. If he could be squeezed up into that room. No, I think he's the owner's personal security. The owners must not know about Bat-Reaper.

After leaving Valley View, I swung by Baskin and Robins. I remember as a kid wondering if Baskin was related to Batman, because he was associated with a Robin also. The name still gives me pause.

This had more calories than everything I ate yesterday combined. Much like a house that props up the moon, it was astronomical. That's peanut butter cups on whipped cream with peanut butter and hot fudge sauce over peanut butter cup ice cream. Whatever you're thinking right now, however you may be imagining the sweet, sugary, peanut buttery and chocolatey goodness tasting, it tasted better than that. It was $5, which is insane considering how I'm tightening my belt, but I splurged.

That sign could be about my life right now. Today was the first day I've been out of the apartment for days. Amid my errands, I stopped by Target. Target hosts the second season opener of Halloween. Their displays are the best of any large brick and mortar store I've seen. They have fun, creative cut outs and always sell something worth buying. I looked through a Halloween catalog the other day. They were selling bats for something around $80. Unimpressive paper bats. The kind they sell to rich stupid people who hate their money.

 Hats for little kids and a long, empty isle. I close my eyes and can just imagine what'll fill those shelves. Floating heads under lit with ghoulish lights. Tentacles wiggling wildly out of boxes.

I decided to allot myself $5 to blow a day. Every penny I spent today was delicious. Had I those pennies back and didn't spend it on that treat, I'd have bought these stickers. I don't know what I'd do with them, probably send them to my girlfriend. However, I didn't. Instead, I snapped this picture.

I like all sorts of Halloween themes. Scary, creepy, mysterious, fun, you name it. I think a true lover of Halloween must accept it in all its forms; maybe even $80 bats.

These stickers make me happy. The jack-o-lantern is smiling. The cat's in a good mood. Even the decapitated head is grinning. Frankenstein's Monster looks confused and, well, can you get a mood from blood-shot eyes? I'm going to assume the eyes are happy. All that joy on one sheet of stickers.

There's a wonderful season on the horizon.