Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

Still decorating by New Year's! Lol. I can relate. I still haven't put up my tree, although I should be able to do that tomorrow. I've been working on my yard display and wrapping gifts, and today I made my first of four loaves of cranberry orange bread. There's a Christmas cookie party on Christmas ...

I forgot to answer your questiom about my older son. Yes, he's flying in on Sunday and will be here through early January. He's still on an academic schedule, and sometimes he works remotely, too.

That's a remarkable thing to have, that bust. Are you musical, Andy? How come that statue to be in your possession?

HH, I know about the sinking of Christmas trees in lakes because my cousin used to live in a lakehouse on Lake Hamilton (Hot Springs, Arkansas), and that's what he and his neighbors ...

If I ever get my nerve up, I'll let you know how it went.

Lol! That's some hat, Andy!

That's an amazing saga about your tree, HH. I'm so glad your girls are enjoying it. If I were you I'd leave it up through Jan 6 (Epiphany, end of the Twelve Days). It's very doable if you keep it watered. And you can either mulch or compost it afterward. Perhaps your ...

One of my CA cousins made a point to visit her a couple of years back, when my cousin was touring the Blues Trail in the Delta. My half sister was very open to her, I think, so she'd probably be ok with seeing me, too. The trouble is on my side. I remember her asking for a particularly striking ...

I think thete might have been a story about that. Perhaps my daughter would remember it. I always thought it was hysterical that Mandy was so much more terrifying than the Grim Reaper.

You, too! I hope your girls are happy with their real tree.

Your Aunt Millie does sound like a treasure. What a blessing she's been in all your lives.

My mother told me stories that probably shaped my view of my half-siblings. My mother struggled with fertility issues fir 12 years before I was born, and during that time I think my father's first family was ...

Oh, wow, I didn't know that. I'd better investigate. My daughter would love to have Billy and Mandy.

Well, nobody can know what will matter 100 years from now. Sometimes family stories inspire fine novels. The novel Cold Mountain, for example, which I think is a very fine one (c 1997), was based on a family story the author heard about an uncle several generations back.

I think learning about ...

I showed this picture to my daughter just now, who immediately asked, " Why is Mrs Claus a vampire?" She said that woman spells her name "Mrs Claws" and told me that you need to watch the animated special "Billy and Mandy Save Christmas."

If you are unfamilar with the series Billy and Mandy, which ...

I do it alone. I started it because my kids weren't asking me the questions I'd asked my mother, and I knew it was likely that they'd want to know this stuff someday when I'm no longer around to tell them. Also, around the year 2000, there were a lot of deaths in my family. Most of the older ...

I don't doubt it. Sometimes I'll cue up a song I really want to hear on YouTube. But most of the time I'm in the car when I'm listening.

I'm with you about avoiding killing bugs as much as possible. I know I can kill them, but I can't give them.life. Of course, I do eat meat, which means I'm complicit in the killing of animals. If I had to kill them myself I know I'd become a vegetarian. But I do eat what others have slaughtered ...