Paul Murray

Happy Halloween!

Well, the day is finally upon us, and I have to say....I'M READY! This is my favorite time of year, not only Halloween, but Thanksgiving and Christmas too. Joe and I have been working on the front yard all week, and it's finally done, so here is what we have created for the little goblins...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love Tim Burton!

And so yesterday we went to LACMA (L.A. Country Museum of Art) to see the Tim Burton art exhibit. Well, years ago I got invited to the opening of an exhibit of his photography, and he was there, along with several big names from his movies. I got to meet him and got an autograph that night. I think he is a genius, and his artwork is amazing. Here we are at the "mouth" of the exhibit!

 

Well, thanks for stoping in to visit! Have a Scary Halloween, and may all your nightmares come true!

 

 

Sleepy Hollow, New York

I've always loved the story of Sleepy Hollow, as well as the Tim Burton movie. A couple years ago, I Googled Sleepy Hollow, to see if there was such a place in real life. To my amazement, I found out it not only real, but just a short ride North of New York City, nestled along the Hudson River, in the Historic Hudson Valley. A year later we were in NYC, and I made sure we took a day trip to see it.

The day was rainy, perfect for visiting a place that holds so many stories & ghosts.

Since we were only there for the day, (we took the train up), we had to pick and choose what was most important to see. Naturally, we stared with the cemetery (1849), and the Old Dutch Church.

 

 

We walked around in the rain, and I'm sure we were the only ones in the entire cemetery. It was spooky at times, but also beautiful with all the old graves, tombstones, and mausoleums. We even found Washington Irving's grave (the white tombstone), author of Sleepy Hollow. We also found graves with the names Van Tassel & Van Winkle, characters in the book.

 

This is a famous Manor that is in Sleepy Hollow, and is basically still a working farm today. Since it's aimed at tourists, the workers there dress in period costumes and show visitors how things were done. I remembering buying ground cornmeal that was ground on an old wooden grinder that was powered by a water wheel. Pretty cool stuff.

 

 

There is nothing better than New York in October.

 

Another thing we saw was the wooden bridge from the story. Although it's no longer a covered bridge, and it has a cement road covering it, it was kind exciting to see. We where told that on Halloween the city fills with people and visitors, and how the town holds several haunts including one where the Headless Horseman rides through town scaring people. Sounds like my kind of fun.

 

So, If you ever get the chance to visit this sleepy little town along the Hudson, you should...I'm sure you'll loose your head! We headed back to the city at the end of the day, But I hope to make it back there someday....hopefully on a cold & dark Halloween night.

 

Happy Haunting!

 

 

Milowillowmax

 

A little something about my pets...

 

Milo...I had a dachshund when I was a kid, named Cocoa, who was cocoa color. In my teens we got two more, a Mother and Son, Heidi & Charlie. And now we have Milo who is a rescue. Trouble...yes! Food beggar.....YES! Lovable....yes! Look at his face. PS- Milo stands for "My Low Dog".

 

Willow...She is sweet and fickle. Aloof...yes she is. It's funny, when I call her, she will sometimes look my way, then shine me on. She does come lay with me at night sometimes, and scratch her head on my whiskers. She's a funny girl.

 

Max....is a sweet heart! Our oldest dog, who was also a rescue, now deaf (and we think) going a little blind. The sweetest and most gentle dog I've ever know. Max is everyone's favorite and we love him so much!

 

Later Taters!

 

My Favorite Time Of Year

I'm a sucker for Fall.

 

There's something in the air that sooths my soul and puts my head in a different space. The colors of the turning trees, pumpkins sitting on front porches, and the idea of cinnamon in warm pancakes, all help make this season special. I also love Halloween, which everyone seems to know about me. I love the way children use their imaginations to dream themselves as princesses, superheros, ghouls and monsters. Joe & I are often asked out to do something fun for Halloween, but we always stay home and hand out candy. We also give out GOOD candy!

 

So, here are just a few pictures of our very "pared down" Halloween. 

 

 

One Halloween, when I was a kid of about 6, my folks went out for the evening. My sister took us out to Trick-or-Treat, and when we got home, we started handing out candy. Awhile later, we ran out of candy, and my sister made me open the door every time the bell rang, and tell the other kids that we didn't have candy! I was mortified! Scarred! To this day we buy so much candy, we have it for weeks afterward.

*This was last year, and that is my dining table.

OCTOBER 31, 1974....

Age 10. Halloween fell on a Thursday...the same night as The Sonny & Cher Show. I was such a fan of the show, that I had to decide, which was more important, a bag full of candy, or seeing Cher. Candy.....Cher. Candy....Cher. Well, I gave up the great Halloween dream of Trick-or Treating, and stayed home to watch the show. Now, you just use the DVR...no dilemma. This seems like it was just yesterday, but I'll never forget it.

 

I'll show you our front yard, which is a haunted pumpkin patch next time. Until then, enjoy the season!

 

 

Tall Tales From Kansas

My friend (and sister) Mary Ann Moss, has a sister, Carol, who now has her own blog. I'm sure the MAM put her up to it, just like she did me. Anyway, you might want to check it out. She is a hoot and she lives in Kansas! Who knew? Check it out HERE.

 

 

 

This morning in Los Angeles:

 

A bicycle I saw on the side of the street today:

 

Please visit Sister Carol's blog!

 

 

Snap Shots From Home

Thanks for stopping by.

 

I wanted to show you a few things from around the house...

 

KITCHEN: Cups & Bowls

 

DINING ROOM: Drapes & Glass Star

 

KITCHEN: Old Wooden Clock

 

DINING ROOM: Knitting Needles & Tin Bank

 

LIVING ROOM: Rusty Cross

 

HALLWAY: Mask & Block Houses

 

LIVING ROOM: Projector & Print

 

CRAFT ROOM: Fun Friends

 

DINING ROOM: Lamp Baubles & Italian plate

 

DINING ROOM: ROSARIES & STATUES

 

BATH ROOM: Mirror & Fabric Stamps

 

HALLWAY: Vintage Tin Paint Sets

 

BATHROOM DOOR: Wire & fabric

 

KITCHEN: Fondue Forks & Corn-on-the-Cobb Holders

 

BEDROOM: Ceramic Skulls & Pens

 

Thanks for stopping by today, I've really enjoyed showing you around.

 

 

 

 

A Thank You!

Thank you all...for your beautiful words of support. As an update (quickly), my Mom went into the hospital today. They found she has pneumonia and and a urinary track infection, along with low blood pressure, and high heart rate. Wow....what an over achiever she is!

It was very touch and go for awhile, and they thought she might crash, but she's a tough bird and made it through. She is in ICU for a few days, but she's on her way to recovery and....she's clear headed and acting normal, which make me happy as apple pie.

 

 So, thank you all again!

 

Chunky book happened, and it was just what the doctor ordered! Nothing like a few hours outside, eating wonderful food, having yummy cocktails, an amazing desert and getting to catch up with friends! To my Chunky Book friends......I LOVE YOU ALL! 

 

Okay, here is me and Willow, my kitty cat. She does love her Papa, and tries every night to sleep with me. I like this picture of us together!

Sweet Dreams everyone.

 

My Cracking Point...

As you slip down the bannister of life,

may the splinters never point your way.

-Found in a forturn cookie

 

I sometime wonder how far one might sink before hitting their breaking point.

Today, I think I have reached mine, and although I feel a little better now, I sat and cried most of the morning. This chemo thing with my Mother, has finally "tipped my over and poured me out"...as the saying goes. For months now, I do what is expected of a dutiful son. I take her to doctors, feed her, give her water, change undies, help to the potty,....I do it all, and because I love her, and for no other reason. Well today, maybe because of the chemo, side effects, or pain medication she is on, she laid there and told me that I "hurt her". She was very insistent aand ver unclear as to how., I got up, left the room, and broke down. It wasn't until later when she started talking about how I was going to win the Nobel Peace Prize next year, because I discovered the 8% difference (in something) that nobody else could figure out....and get this, I have to go to the moon to get my award, and that I was to keep it a secret, or someone would steal my idea! Now....that is quite a story. I asked her if she felt weird....."no" was her answer. She has spent most the talking weird and telling stories. 

I asked her awhile later about hurting my feelings, and her said, "Oh no...you're my angel, oh honey!" She felt bad, and said she would never do that, (which I know), but I just felt badly, since I take great care of her. Basically, the day has been a roller coaster for me. When she comes off this high I hope things feel a little normal again...maybe LESS pain killers.

I wasn't sure if I should write these personal things here, but I figured, what the hell....it's my blog, and I'll cry if I want to! Thank God we are hosting our Chunky Book group here today, in the back yard.

 

The Back Yard.

We have been redoing that back yard for the past two weeks...here is what we have  done!

 

I wanted you to see my new $30. garage sale table! 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for listening to my troubles....  :)

 

Long Before Cell Phones & Gameboy's...

...kids played with toys. They also played outside. I often miss those days, where you could sit and play outside for hours, using your imagination. I have spent the last 15 years replacing a lot of my childhood toys that somehow were lost along the road we call life. Here are some of my very favorites...

How can you not love Fisher Price Little People? I think I love them as much today as I did as a kid. They just make me smile, even now.

 

These are little wooden toys from Germany. These remind me of Yosemite, mostly because that is where I played with these. We kept them in our trailer, and for two weeks every summer, I would build towns, farms and zoo's. These are mine from childhood. Sweet innocent toys, with no batteries.

 

My favorite bear toy, from Yosemite. I picked this toy out every year at the park. I bet I had three or four as a kid.

 

Now, I was a child OBSESSED with bowling, and every Christmas & Birthday, all I would ask for is a bowling set. I bet I had 20 different sets growing up.

 

My ventriloquist doll. I loved him, and don't think I ever gave him a name. My Grandma Loretta used to sew clothes for him. This in not my original, but I like him just the same. Actually, he's kinda creepy now....!

 

Click Clacks....what more can you say? Classic kids toys. Remember they started taking them away, because several had shattered and kids were loosing their eyes? Personally, I think parents made that up to stop all the noise they made!

 

Wham-O's Magic Window! I got mine in 1972, to keep me busy on the airplane when we wee moving to Anchorage, Alaska. I loved it then, as I still do today. I only wish the sand moved like it used to.

 

Big Jim (in the middle) and friends. I did have the larger G.I.Joe's, but I liked Big Jim better. Look at how cute he is, and you can just imagine WHY I liked these toys so much! Hubba-hubba!

 

Auto Bingo! We traveled a lot when I was a kid. This was an early form of "Let's keep the kids busy in the car" game.

 

 

A "Classic American Toy", View-master! Used to keep me occupied for hours! I bet I've collected 8 old viewers, and have just a few of the packets to wheels. I remember having a big box full as a kid. There must have been 400 packs in it. In those days they were .15 each, and we got several each Christmas, now they sell for $15. to $100. each! I could retire if I still had that box!

 

Well, that was fun for me. I wonder what some of your favorite toys were.