JSS: Strange Halloween-- No Decorating for Halloween--Where's the Halloween Candy?-- Injun Summer

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  STRANGE HALLOWEEN--  Well, last Saturday was  one strange Halloween for us.  For the first time ever, we didn't hand out candy to the lil' Trick or Treaters.  Too bad, as we always enjoy the really young ones out on their first spree.  They are so cute.  We were home, but all lights in the front of the house were out.  We still got a few knocks.  Felt guilty, but these times as they say.

2.  NO DECORATING FOR HALLOWEEN--  This was also the first time I didn't decorate.  We usually have lighted pumpkins in every window inside as well as about a thousand mostly orange miniature lights outside.  You might say we went dark.

3.  WHERE'S THE HALLOWEEN CANDY?--  I noticed that there was quite a bit less candy for sale at places before Halloween and then, the day after, when I usually do some stocking up, some stores didn't even have any candy on sale.

4.  INJUN SUMMER--  Well, since Tuesday, November 3, we have been having very warm weather for this time of the year.  We have been to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg and sitting outside every day since then.  Very warm while sun is out, but when it starts going down, you see everyone  heading out to their vehicles to get more clothing.  Man, it gets downright cold.

--RoadDog

About Those 4th of July Lights-- Part 2: Showing My Patriotism

I went down to the basement junk room (not to be confused with my study or deejay junk rooms). After a bit of looking (Well, I sort of knew where the lights were, besides being in a box with the words 4th of July printed on it).

I also found two other red, white and blue rope strands and two US flag lights. I put up one Italian red, white and blue string around the gazebo banisters (which will remain up for the summer). I also put a rope light in the gazebo and placed the twenty small light bulb strand in it.

Then, in the front, I did my Halloween and Christmas light displays with chasing and function strands on both sides of the sidewalk. Then the other strands around them.

All-in-all, it looked very 4thish. Even better, no one else in the neighborhood had 4th of July lights.

I Felt So Special. Still Got to get A Life!!  --RoadDog

About Those 4th of July Lights-- Part 1: Making My Own Light Strands

Liz brought up the question why I didn't put up 4th of July lights like I do for Halloween and Christmas a couple weeks ago. That got me to thinking that about eight years ago, I had taken some red, white and blue C-7 and Italian light sets and painstakenly removed bulbs to make red, white and blue light strands.

I still say I've got to get a life. And, just like when you mess with regulat Christmas light strands, you haven't lived until you remove 2/3 of the lights and often have to pull the Italian light bulb out of its socket holder and replace it to fit a different light strand.

The C-7s weren't too bad, just a process of unxrewing bulbs and screwing them into other strands. I even had two strands of chasing and 8-function lights.

More Fun Than You Can Believe. --RoadDog

JSS: Desk Lamp Woes-- No Photo-Enforced Ticket?-- No "Monster U"

JSS--  Just Some Stuff


1.  DESK LAMP WOES--  Without a doubt, my desk lamps are trying my patience big-time right now.  First, a week ago, the lamp on the computer desk in the basement where I write these blogs, went out.  After all sorts of fun getting the bulb out (not your standard bulb) I found out that no place around here sells it.  I took out my old deejay lamp and now the knob at the top of it almost requires pliers to turn.

Then, the lamp on the table in the sunroom went out.  It is a halogen lamp and again, all sorts of fun getting the bulb out.  I did find replacement bulbs at Menard's and it was a good thing I got two bulbs as one didn't work.  The whole process of getting the bulb in was even more fun as it was another one of those how-in-the-world do you get it in ones.


2.  NO PHOTO-ENFORCED TICKET?--  Last Wednesday, that lousy photo-enforced stoplight going southbound on US-12 and Il-134, almost, well, I hope almost, got me.  It is a bad one as you come up over a hill when you get near it and have no idea how long the green light has been on.  Well, today, it caught me in never-never land when it turned yellow.  I could come to a stop with screeching tires and perhaps a rear-ender from the guy behind me, or proceed through.

I proceeded through, knowing that my fate might be $100.  No ticket in the mail as of yesterday.


3.  NO "MONSTER U"--  Monday, with all the rain falling and threatening, I decided the time was perfect to see the new animated movie "Monster U."  I admit it, I really love these new animated kids movies and some say that at 62 I'm too old.  Well, so be it. 

Anyway, drove to McHenry, battling a myriad of stop lights (none photo-enforced) to the McHenry theater and got there in time for the 12:30 showing as did what must have been every 4-10  year-old kid in town.  I'll see it another day.

So went to the Vinyl Frontier nearby and bought some used CDs.  Another passion for me, mom-and-pop record stores and flipping through CDs and albums.

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog


IF CATS PERFORMED "CATS":  Performers would find the sand in the lobby ashtrays and, well, you know.

Now, Here Are Some Folks Who REALLY Decorate

The December 16th American Profile Magazine had an article by Marta W. Aldrich about some REALLY DECORATED HOUSES with some really beautiful pictures.

Glenn and Christina Barber of Spring Hill, Tn, put up 35,000 lights on their home topped by an eight-foot lighted cross. "It's all about the kids. I love the look on their faces," said Glenn. He has become an amateur electrician and starts mapping out the next year's lighting in April, then spend a full month preparing for the Thanksgiving lighting. He uses more than a hundred extension cords and six circuit breakers.

He's happy to do all this despite the $300 jump in his December electric bill.

The article then goes on to say that outdoor lighting really came into vogue in the 1950s. Over the last 50 years, the displays have steadily grown, especially with the introduction of inexpensive lights. Today, some are even computer controlled.

Chuck Smith, an electrical engineer in Franklin, Tn., had massive lighting displays at his home for thirty years. At its peak, he had 130,000 miniature lights connected by seven miles of wire controlled by a computer and nearly 400 circuits.

Unfortunately, he had to stop in 2003 after traffic in his neighborhood got to be too big of a problem. He now puts up his display at a local shopping center.

He has a website devoted to people who light up their homes http://www.planetchristmas.com/ . If you like majorly-decorated Christmas houses, you've got to check out this site.

The article closes with two other big-time decorators. Anthony Volpe who put up 90,000 lights last year in Monroe, NY.

In Scottsdale, Az, Michael Anderson has 35,000 lights synchronized to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, "The Chipmunk Song" and eight other Christmas songs.

"Let it glow!" by Marta W. Aldrich.

Now These Are Some People with Big Christmas Hearts. --RoadDog

The RoadDog's Guide to Outdoor Christmas Decorating

I've been able to cut decorating down considerably from the early days.

I keep the lights, garland, and wreaths in specific labeled boxes. This makes it easy to get the lights out.

I usually start with the deck and sunroom. White icicle lights go up along the eaves. Then I drape green pine bough garland all along the deck and place two strings of white lights run along the garland. Then two strings of C9 multi-colored lights run straight across. A lighted wreath hangs in the middle. Red bows provide color for the daylight.

I also decorate the gazebo with green garland and red bows along the side. I run white swag lights along the garland. I trim in red and green miniature lights. Inside the gazebo, I have a cascading lights.

The front has two small wreaths by the garage, a huge lighted green wreath between the bedroom windows. This has an eight-way lighting system set on continuous for different lighting. The brick pillars are wrapped in green garland and lighted. A green pine garland also is around the doorway. All of these are also lighted and have red bows as well.

Then I have lights in the bushes all the way across the front. I have multi-blinking lights in the crab apple trees at either end.

There is color from the garland and red bows during the day, and then the lights for the color at night.

I figure that I put up about 4000 lights, probably down from 10,000 at one time.

Even if I do say so, it looks good, and is by far the most decorated house on Pine at night and one of the top ones in the subdivision.

So, let's bring on Chevy Chase and Tim the Toolman.

Gettin' the Christmas Spirit. --RoadDog

Bah Humbug Here on Pine Street

I don't know exactly what happened to the Christmas spirit here on my street, or at least what happened to the outside decorations. At one time, just about every house was ablaze from one end to another as well as all over the yards.

This especially applied to my neighbor Juan who moved in the year after us. That first year, I held my own with him decorating. It got to be sort of like Home Improvement's Tim Taylor and his competition. But, by the second Christmas season, he buried me. I surrendered and let him have the decorating crown for the block and was content to be second best.

However, the last three years he has put less and less up. And this year I see nothing.

My neighbor Dan across the street also had lights all over as well as reindeer and a sled on his roof. But, Not No More. He has a Christmas tree in the window, but that's it.

Perhaps, it is advancing age. I notice that ladder climbing isn't as easy anymore. Maybe, it's the increased electric rates? Maybe the spirit just isn't there anymore?

Anyway, old Pine just isn't as colorful anymore. However, the next street over to the south, Elm, is a Christmas wonderland.

My Stocking Hat is Off to Elm, No Longer a Nightmare. --RoadDog