...Halloween fall back

Boo! It is grey and macabre here in Chester County, PA this morning. My black cat went outside and gave a nice cry to the still sleeping neighborhood. Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 a.m. tomorrow morning as today would not have made much of a difference. Daylight saving time is the practice of advancing clocks so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in autumn. Modern DST was first proposed in 1895 by George Vernon Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist, one who apparently suffered from insomnia and was a sadist. On a more positive note, Daylight Savings Time allows night owls to enjoy some extra time at Halloween parties or for the kids to enjoy an “extra” hour of sleep after a long night of trick-or-treating.This one-hour fallback on the clock lasts until March 14, 2010, when clocks are scheduled to jump ahead an hour. But let's get back to the macabre. On this day in 1926 magician Harry Houdini died of gangrene and peritonitis that developed after his appendix ruptured.In 1993, 25 people were killed during a Ghana-Ivory Coast soccer match, in 1963 a leaking propane gas tank exploded, killing 64 people at "Holiday on Ice" in Indiana, in 1960 a cyclone hit the Gulf of Bengal killing about 10,000 people and in 1918 the Spanish flu-virus killed 21,000 people in the U.S. In reality tho', the name is actually a shortened version of "All Hallows' Even," the eve of All Hallows' Day. "Hallow" is an Old English word for "holy person," and All Hallows' Day is simply another name for All Saints' Day, the day Catholics commemorate all the saints. At some point, people began referring to All Hallows' Even as "Hallowe'en" and then simply "Halloween." Have a great day, an even better night and enjoy this Halloween. You never know if it's going to be your last! Bahahahaha! Today's photo is a severed arm that has been sewn back on. Pleasant dreams!
"It's as much fun to scare as to be scared." Vincent Price

...war of the words

Hello. Tonight is Mischief Night here in the United States, a tradition in Canada also. This is a night when the custom is for preteens and teenagers to take a degree of license to play pranks and do mischief to their neighbours. The most common date for mischief night is October 30, the day before Halloween. The event has spread to England, Scotland and Ireland. I find it rude to prank people but did stop by the local supermarket to stock up in paper towels and eggs. Some rather harmless pranks include:
Knocking and tapping on doors and windows
Dabbing objects with whitewash (simply mix flat ceiling paint and water)
Smearing syrup on doorknobs (Karo is best; thick and stays where you smear it)
Tying together adjacent door handles ( use a box knot)
Removing gates from their hinges and depositing them elsewhere
Throwing toilet paper/paper towels at people's homes (paper towels are better when soaked) Throwing eggs at windows
Favorite songs of the time are 'Bette Davis Eyes','Devil Woman','Thriller' and 'Witchy Woman'. A business associate came in wearing the most hideous mask yesterday and it almost stopped my heart. I looked again and was mistaken. There was no mask. Many people were scared almost as much as I was on this day in 1938. Orson Welles broadcast his radio play of H. G. Wells's "The War of the Worlds", causing anxiety and chaos in some of the audience in the United States. See what words can do? Sticks and stones can break your bones, words can do far more emotional damage. I am picking up those custom pillows this evening for a patient and tasteful client. I'd wrap them in paper towels and hurl them at her front door but that may not be a very good idea at this point. Have fun tonight, be careful and watch what you say!
"Chaos is the score upon which reality is written." Henry Miller

JimClarey@msn.com

...outcast

Halloween is fast approaching so beware! All kinds of odd, scary things are out there and some don't even don masks. Speaking of masks, Matthew McNelly and Joey Miller of Iowa were arrested last weekend for attempted burglary in "disguise" using Sharpie markers to mask their identities. I watched a movie last evening that was similar to the classic 'Carrie' and very well done. It involved the blonde beauty prom queen coming from a wealthy family and the outcast brunette from less than stellar beginnings. Cliche to say the least, but it was a decent, mindless escape. The brunette did get even in the end, try as she might to remain decent but a gal's got to do what a gal's got to do. On this day in 1390 they had the first trial for Witchcraft in Paris, leading to the death of three people. I could not find the names but my guess is Samantha, Serena and Endora may have been the chosen few. The cord finally arrived for three toss pillows yesterday. I could have built a house in less time but...Chester County is changing rapidly as the leaves turn to amber, red and gold. Have fun today and try not to be a witch.

"Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute." Josh Billings

...Rainy Days and Wednesdays

Hello from a drenched Chester County. We had to walk this morning but all towel dried to keep the beasty flu away. If that indeed helps. Last evening while writing 'Thank You' cards, and blessedly for me I had quite a few to write, an ad for Carpenters 40/40 came on. It brought me back *cough* a few decades and the feeling was magical. They could have used more attractive video clips of Karen who I had met on several occasions and was much more beautiful in person, but it's really all about the music. 40 years later the brother and sister are selling big numbers. What a legacy for Karen and a pot of proverbial gold for Richard. The Roman Shade installation has been postponed again and that may be a good thing. My drapery steamer stopped working this past week and I ordered a new one. Built in obsolescence maybe? Binge drinkers may be interested in knowing that, on this day in 1885 the first porcelain toilet was built. Joan Rivers bought one in Harvest Gold. My Living Room is now stripped of the Brunschwig & Fils concrete block wallpaper that I have loved for over a decade but it is far too daring to leave up to a prospective home buyer so I opted for vapor blue walls. I finished painting late Monday and the boys all have touches of said color on their coats. Speaking of blue, does continual rainfall make you feel that way? Do 'Rainy Days and Mondays' always get you down? I hope not. The line that she sings, 'sometimes I'd like to quit, nothing ever seems to fit' is eerily ironic but she is one amazing vocalist. If you are in the mood, click on this link and listen to Karen Carpenter, in her early 20's, singing this tune. It is as soulful and timeless as it gets. Have a great day, celebrate the porcelain toilet and take time to listen to the music.

"The image we have would be impossible for Mickey Mouse to maintain. We're just... normal people." Karen Carpenter