My son and I cannot figure out how Art the Clown earned 

a top spot next to all of the great horror icons after just two
(in our opinion) not very good movies. Technically
four movies but the first two are

insignificant.

It is an insult to Jason, Michael and Freddy.
(Great colors on that shirt though.)

And I don't mean to be repetitive (so soon),
but I found a bigger display of pig's legs at
another Spirit Halloween and...

...it is bringing back sweet, sweet memories!

Hey look! It's Hanging Head Billy Butcherson from
the movie Hocus Pocus (which I have never seen).

Rock and roll hairstyle, bud!


And Now

~ The DARK side of HALLOWEEN ~
You can't look away.

There were two (I would say 18 to 22 year old) hooligans

moseying around this Spirit Halloween just looking to create

problems. Fortunately they were not around too long, but long

enough to knock over the Sitting Scarecrow display and just

leave it in a heap on the floor while walking away laughing.

Don't be a hooligan.

Here she is... The Widow!

I didn't really get a picture of it, but this lady

just out of nowhere bends her neck until it

cracks! I mean it really CRACKS. #shocking

She is 5 foot 8 inches of PAIN and she is at

Spirit Halloween.

Her backstory is pretty horrific (from the Spirit website):

"Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman! When she

caught her cheating husband with her sister on October 30,

it gave a whole new definition to mischief night. Let's just

say dragging two bodies from the bedroom to the local lake

can put a crick in anyone’s neck – that plus tripping on the

roots of a Cyprus tree and tumbling down the muddy hill and

breaking your neck."

I reckon I'd look just as upset as Mr. Stitched Faces if
my head was hanging cheek to hock with a a pig's
bloody leg. And speaking of a pig's bloody leg,
I think this is the first time I have ever

seen them at Spirit Halloween.

We are in on the ground floor,
boys and ghouls!
#exciting

Every Halloween and all year long since 2007
Spirit Halloween accepts donations for a program
they created in an effort to make hospital stays
less scary for children and their parents.

We again made our donations to the
Spirit of Children and in turn received
a silicone wristband.

#SpiritOfChildren

If I were a mask buying person, this Frankenstein's

Monster full latex mask would be the one that I would
buy. I used to have a FM mask that was pretty good

and it was a lot of fun to wear. Everybody would

always want to put it on and attempt to be scary.


!! WEDNESDAY FUN DAY BONUS PHOTOS !!

And of course once again our little rat skeleton friend
and the Annual Jack O'Lantern adorn the living
room television screen. When the family gathers
'round, the spirit is nigh.

This is something that is very cool. We at The Ranch have been

waiting for this type of item to be released and it is finally starting to

happen. A skull with digital eyes. Or maybe not digital, but that's what

I am going to call it. It operates on three AA batteries.

This guy was not on our 2023 Crawl. I found him at Walmart during

my normal weekly shopping. I didn't buy him though as he is $18.98

and my pocketbook is thin this week. But it is really neat knowing that

this stuff is starting to come out.

Jeepers creepers!

SPOOKTOBER continues!

Look who is greeting us as we walk
through the front door of our first Spirit
Halloween store. It is a "Martian Warrior"
from the movie Mars Attacks.

This movie was pretty funny.

Martians: "We come in peace."

Earthlings: "Welcome, friends!"

Martians: BAM! BAM! BAM!
The Martians annihilate EVERBODY

with their death rays.

The Earthlings fell for it a bunch of times.
They just kept thinking, "Well, this time
they must mean it."

Hilarious.

The sounds the Martians
make are REALLY annoying:
 "ACK! ACK ACK! AAAACK!"

We at The Ranch have been waiting a year for this day and it

is finally here! Our Annual Halloween Crawl for the year 2023!

This is the day that my son and I visit stores that are set up

for just about our favorite holiday. We top it off with a stop

for dinner and lively conversation about the day's events.

This first post for Spooktober will show all of the places

we visited during the Crawl.

We have our itinerary printed out

and our Spirit Halloween coupons are at hand!
We're burnin' daylight! Let's move!

Our first necessary stop was for a tank of gas. Now we are
completely broke and are heading back home.

Just kidding (mostly).

Tank is full and we head on out!

Out first stop is not Halloween related, but we are in the

neighborhood so I am stopping at Boot Barn to see if by

chance they will have the belt I need. No luck.

(This is an older photo I am using for a stand in as I did

not get a picture during the Crawl.)

Here it is Ladies and Gentlemen, the first Halloween

store of our Crawl! Halloween Express! Great store.

Uh-oh. Back to another boot Barn to see about the belt.

Aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnd... no luck. I may have to order it.

Moving right along...

A very quick stop at World Market as we are in the
neighborhood (saving gas don't ya know). I need
to stock up on incense. Got what I needed in a
flash and we now have our....

...eyes set on the first Spirit Halloween Store of the Crawl!
YES!

Eureka! Another Spirit Halloween store.

We are cookin' now.

Next on the Halloween Crawl itinerary and a customary
visit is to the Indian Store. As I have said before, this is
a must stop for us when ever we are in this part of town.

We spend easily more than an hour in each store and
we are getting a little worn, but we have to hit up Party
City's Halloween section. We weren't sorry either as they
had one or two really cool things.
Hello Leatherface!

At this point our dogs were barking and it was time to
wind down with a dinner and as I wrote, some conversation
about the day's events. It is always nice and tonight
we decided to eat at a Subway sandwich shop.

I had an oven roasted turkey with green peppers,
onions, olives, pickles and mustard.
It was very good.

I topped off my sandwich with a Fanta orange soda.

Dinner brought our Crawl to an end for this year. We headed
home a little after 7 PM with our goodies (to be posted!)
and our memories. I will be posting the pictures I took on

this Crawl throughout the month of Spooktober.
Fun City!

Huzzah and BOO my friends!

I really like the design of this Disneyland Matterhorn

patch. I cannot remember how long ago I bought this.

But I will tell you ONE thing, it was way before Disney

became the out of control monster that it is today.

I stopped by Dollar Tree today (where everything is now

$1.25) and found this fun little Happy Halloween picture.

MOST years when October 1st rolls around I like to put

a few Halloween decorations around the house. My

pumpkin, a rat skeleton and the like.

Sometimes things are just what you make of them and
the decorations kind of get the spirit going.
And I like this picture.

When I left the store I discovered that the
picture I bought had a little tear in the spooky
bat so I did something that in years past
I would have just let slide: I went
back in and exchanged it.

I know, it was only $1.25...
But I was right there.
So...

This is the note I had attached to my computer monitor
when I quit smoking twenty years ago today. Today is
my Twenty Year Quit Smoking Anniversary.

I know I keep saying it, and I will say it again: this
affirmation was one of THEE most important aids
to me during that time. It is SO true
and it got me through.

Today I don't have any desire to smoke.
Nothing, Nada. None.

I am beyond thankful for this.

And again, I will always support those
who choose to smoke cigarettes.

Once again! For fun!

And historical purposes!

Gasoline prices. Late September 2023.

I don't do this often but I needed a little pick-me-up

at work. So on my break I threw caution to the wind

and bought a TWIX bar out of the machine.

It was... SO good.

~ Random Around the Ranch Photo of the Day ~

One day not too long ago, my car and I were stuck
in a ditch (that was fun) and while I was waiting for
somebody to tow me out I took this picture
of a boulder along our road.

REENLIST
(I don't do a lot of license plates but
some just scream to be seen.)

Look who parked next to us while we were on our

annual Halloween Crawl. Maybe we will meet

up in Target and become besties!

#taylorswift

My son and I did our Annual Halloween Crawl

for 2023. We had a great time and I can't wait for

SPOOKTOBER to roll around so that I can post
some pictures I took during our adventure.
What a fantastic and pretty long day.

And yes, as usual I did indeed make a 2023 Halloween

Crawl purchase. I can't wait to show that as well.
SPOOKTOBER is just around the corner.
Only 41 nights until the big day.

I had my wee little heart set on something yum-yum-yummy
and ice cold to drink today but we had no sun tea prepared.
Dang-nabbit. So I set my sights on some Hawaiian Punch!
THAT works. And when I make a glass of Hawaiian
Punch I don't mess around. Deeee-LISH and
this should last a while... maybe.

This was made from sugar free
singles-to-go.

You know what?
I just realized that I posted almost the exact same
thing about Hawaiian Punch on Friday, February
2nd of 2018. So to make up for it here is a
picture of James Munroe.

Oh, and just in case, here are

some Hormel tamales.

On Saturday, January 21st of this year I had posted that I bought

these 4.875 inch Crescent Mini Pliers at Home Depot for my
birthday. I have kept these in my bag or purse since then and I like
having them so much that I decided I needed an upgrade.

Meet the upgrade!

KNIPEX (pronounced however you feel like pronouncing it)
Tools Cobra 5 inch Water Pump Pliers. I have had my eyes

on these for quite some time. I would say that at three times
the price (that's why it took so long for me to buy them)
of the Crescent Mini Pliers, the Knipex are three times
more likely than the Crescent to successfully
complete any job.

These pliers have major gripping capacity and the jaws
lock into place. I am really looking forward to having
these pliers on me when I need them.

And last but TOTALLY not least...

Last night was the third and final night of the

Cars Three Night Film Festival at Borden Cinema.
I had never seen parts 2 and 3. I loved 'em! These
were three rockin' movie nights I will tell you what!

Life is a Highway!

Look how many copies of the movie Deadheading are
left on the shelf at Walmart after months and months.

Word might be getting around about this movie.

$14.96.

Man, take it from me how angry you'd be if you paid $14.96, took
it home and watched it only to find out just how bad
THIS MOVIE SUCKS.

Never, never, never, EVER buy this movie. NEVER. I have this

movie on my Movie Collection page listed under MOVIES THAT

SUCK, because this movie SUCKS.

This has been a Public Service Announcement.

P.S. I didn't pay $14.96. I bought the DVD at
Dollar Tree ($1.25) a while back. I STILL feel
like I was ripped off.

Back Jack for President!

Third party?

The Fast Food Party!

The Good Old FFP!

GOFFP!

!!! UPLIFTING WEDNESDAY BONUS PHOTO !!!

Ghost Pepper plant progress. Kind of gangly looking,

but it does have leaves on it. And it is getting pretty big
but I cannot put it outdoors or any other place here on
El Rancho as I am just not set up to do so right now.

It would be eaten or destroyed.

!!! BONUS BONUS HUZZAH BONUS PHOTO !!!

I did prune the Ghost Pepper plant and there is

some new growth happening. This has the
potential to become slightly exciting.