Tag Archives: holiday

I’ve not gone out for Halloween in 2 years.

Last year, I had a terrible yucka-cold.

the year before, I had Newton, who was only 3ish weeks old, and needed constant supervision. (feeding every few hours, and keeping him warm and loved… I was by his side 24/7 in those days.

This year… I think I can pull it off. I have no idea what to dress as, though. the last year I dressed up, I went out with a crew, as the scarecrow (albeit overstuffed) from the wizard of oz. Nicole as the witch, Heather as Dorothy… we took kids trick or treating, then went to see a free concert of Lenny Kravitz and a few other really great performers… I’d like to take Stephen & Elisabeth out for T&T this year, or Kev’s nephew and nieces.

Mallah & BrainThings I’ve been –

Scarecrow
The Ape from the Murders in the Rue Morgue
A Grand Inquisitor
Concept Design – The Hunt (head of a stag, huntsmans uniform)
The Green Man
Ghost
Pirate (eyepatch, yes! hookhand or pegleg, no!)
Little John (as part of a Robin Hood Theme)
Psychadelic Man (The *last* Time you’ll see me in an orange unitard with tie dyed cape and boxer shorts over the front)
Flaming Carrot (superhero with a carrot head the top of which which burned a jet of flame, wore swim fins and traveled by a nuclear powered super-pogo)
Monsuir Mallah & The Brain. (monkey suit for me, with bandolier and red beret… I pushed a tanked brain in a baby carriage)

pointless waste of time….. :)

Spooktacular Cinnamon Halloween Cookies
Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup non-sweetened butter
1 pound fresh cinnamon
2 turkey necks
12 oz. Ground beef
3 tsp. Sugar

These wonderful treats take a little bit of effort, but the smiles you see when you hurl them at strangers are more than worth it.

First, combine your flour, vanilla, butter and bees wax in a large bowl. Mix until it is the consistency of chilled nitrobenzenamine.

Next, remove golf-ball sized clumps of the dough, and shape it into fun Halloween shapes. Since this is your first time, try something simple, like witches. You’ll need some basic sculpting tools to get the shape right (like I said, it takes a little work!).

A toothbrush can be used to capture the exact texture of the witch’s hair. A toothpick or a needle can be used for finer details, like the thread holes on her coat buttons, and the wart on her tiny little nose. Be sure to shape the face into a scowling expression, and add fun little details, like minute scratches around her neck where perhaps some witch hunters tried to hang her once. To get accurate details, you can go to your local library and research witches. An excellent reference is D. B. Cumming’s “Witchcraft and Legend: Separating the myth from fact in American folklore” by Waldorf Press, published 1995 with a forward by Sandra Bernhardt.

After six or seven hours, you should have your first witch cookie ready for baking. Repeat this step with the remaining four dozen cookies.

As a side note, as you get better at making your fun cookie shapes, you can try more complex ones, such as a little cookie dough skeletons that actually laugh and threaten to consume your soul. I’ve been doing this for a while, so now my cookies are shaped as abstract ideas. This year my cookies are going to be shaped like trepidation.

Now that you have your little army of witches, take an ordinary rolling pin, cover it in flower, and flatten them all out. They should be a nice round cookie shape, about 1/4 inch in diameter.

Sprinkle on your cinnamon, until it is a layer about 1/2 inch thick. Grease a cookie sheet and give it to a friend for safe keeping.

Bake your cookies for 12 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve them while they’re warm, if possible, and watch the sugar-induced happiness come alive!

Keep practicing, and you’ll be ready for the coming October holiday!

Happy Halloween!

Memorial Day

Taking a shard of time to remember, honor and thank all the good people who came before. I don’t mean honoring war, but those that died in those conflicts and wars. I’m sort of extending the idea to all those that helped make the world a better place, or fought in the war of life, too. I’m very thankful that I’m of a generation that didn’t have to fight a war for freedom, owed largely in part by the generation immediately before…for that I’m thankful.

Regarding a moment of remembrance – http://www.remember.gov/

Take a Moment to Remember those Americans who gave their lives in service to their country

This Memorial Day, please pause with Americans at home and abroad to honor the men and women who died so that we might enjoy the gift of freedom. Let us never forget their sacrifice.

At 3:00 p.m., simply stop what you are doing and think for one minute about those who died for your freedom. If you are driving, turn on your vehicle’s headlights.

As you participate in the National Moment of Remembrance, you are helping reclaim Memorial Day for the noble purpose for which it was established—to honor those who died in service to our Nation. Join with the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance in honoring those who have died and their families. It is a minute of reflection that everyone can spare.

One Minute
Memorial Day
Monday, May 28, 2001
3:00 p.m. (local time)

Lost Souls

Against the voting public, I went to see lost souls, on the logic that the others will be around longer, and therefore more accessible in the future. I’m glad that we went… it was quite well done, frightening, and well done. Lots of twists and turns, a few plot holes, but a nice scary ride. Also Picked up pumpkins for next weekend’s gourd-carving… now I have a week to decide what sort of face/design to put on Ol’ Jack.

Robb’s is a very cool shape, sort of a “muppet Bert” slightly tapered cone, with a neat haircut-swirly stem on top. Mine’s a more classic rusty-orange, and round. I opted out of picking up two…Also went to best buy, and decided against buying crimson skies or the AOE2 update… I’m doing ok in the games department…. besides, it gives folks stuff to get me for Xmas and B-day. 🙂

Got to shop for the rest of my costume tomorrow, but aside from that, the day is free…

I am so glad that I have the day off, and thanks to all you folks that fought the good fight wherever and whenever you did so. I’m spending the day in, and plannig on enjoynig my rights by gettin pizza and watching the tube with kitty by my side. 🙂 Hope you guys are having a great day too!