Grab Your Depends and Buckle Up

If there's one thing Californians take seriously it's going all out on Halloween.  I remember visiting around this time of year when I was just out of high school - what stood out in my mind were homes decorated more for Halloween than our homes in Canada were at Christmas.  It's a big deal down here!

Confession:  I'm not much of a Halloween-er (more of a Halloween-ie, I guess).  I've got a few strings of pumpkin lights and purple bats, and I give out yummy candy, but the dressing up and/or getting scared part is something we've never gotten into.  My idea of fun on Halloween is mowing down the candies and going to get some contraband a pumpkin spice doughnut at Krispy Kreme.  So while we were on our way to do just that last evening, we happened to drive by a house in my neighborhood that goes off every year.  This family decorates for weeks leading up to the big day and while I've visited during the day, have not gone by their house at night...until this year.  Prepare yourself for a picture frenzy.  It was too good to pass up.

On Thursday we took a walk by and noticed some of the following:

Seems normal enough - a few preparations under way.

Upon closer examination, maybe more than a few...

especially 'Thriller' blasting out from the backyard. And an entire haunted house built onto the front.
No jokes!

We were greeted by this locked gate, 
and the owner encouraged us to come back to see the finished result.

But there was the issue of the coffin...uhm, may-be not.

But as we headed up the street last night, curiosity got the better of me.

Check out the crowd - there was a VIP line and everything!
At least 200 people were in 2 separate lines and it wasn't even 7pm.

By the time we parked the car and came around front ghouls had come out of a crypt in the yard, 
and taken to the street doing a dance routine to 'Thriller'!!

Suddenly the yard was looking a lit-tle more spooky than before.

mmmmkay?!?   
Those poor suckers going in..within seconds all you heard was bloodcurdling shrieks. 
I was standing on the side of the yard when I heard a noise behind me.

OH HELL NO!  I scurried off to the side SO fast!! 

And barely missed being clipped on the ankle by the bagged body he 
was dragging behind him.  AHHHHHH!

He just continued slinking along down the sidewalk through the crowd
while little trick-or-treaters screamed and cried their heads off. 

Apparently something got caught in his throat along the way
(That kid's scarred for life.  You know I'm right.)

I had barely finished wiping the sweat from my brow when looky looky who 
set his sights on me AGAIN?!?

I swear it could smell the fear!  Our camera is too slow at night or the Chef

would have captured it literally sniffing the air as it got closer and closer to me!!  SICK!

~~SHUDDER~~ 

There were so many people waiting in line to get into the mausoleum part that the owners build on every year especially for Halloween.  We were there for over an hour and the line barely moved because they could only take three people at a time and all three, regardless of age, came out pale faced and shaking with hoarse voices from all their screaming - that we very clearly heard outside.  Even though one of the staff kept coming over and offering me a single space I was all, "uh, no thank you".  Being one on one with the ghoul was more than enough for me thank you very much. {wuss}

I hope you had a safe and fun Halloween weekend - Happy Monday!  Any fun stuff like this in your neighborhoods?

Before you go - check out Lisa's blog In Dramatic Fashion!! She did a Style Snapshot that had me articulate my fashion inspirations, aspirations and some things in between.  Thanks so much Lisa - it was great fun!