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Saturday was a mess. It was cold, it was dreary and there was intermittent rain. Which makes for crabby haunt builders.

On the other hand, Vi(olet)'s bf came and stayed and Julian was here to help as well. So all was not a total loss. We got the garage all cleared and moved all the props we could into it. Julian put up half the walls and will be here tomorrow to do the rest of them. He's promised to help me build Mr. Renfield before the party as well. What did I do to deserve such a great guy?!

Sunday was beautiful. We got sent out to pick up the pumpkins and the cornstalks at the local farm here. Unfortunately they didn't have the stalks and Julian & I ended up driving through the countryside looking for farm stands. Truthfully, it didn't take much suggesting to get me to go for a ride in the country - the trees are absolutely breath-taking! That really cold frost in the 20's made for beautiful vivid leaves.

We finally found a farmer with corn stalks. Mum likes the stalks to still have corn on them so that the squirrels and chipmunks and jays will get something to eat without upsetting the little birds at the feeders. We have two feeders and we get tons of those little sparrow / spunzies / wren kind of birds. I once counted 45 of the things on and around Mum's fairy garden where the feeders are. That's quite a flock when startled. And she gets mourning doves, cardinals, goldfinches and blue jays in abundance. We even get hummingbirds at the hummingbird feeder.

Anyway, we found cornstalks finally. And pumpkins that were really nice, so we had to get a couple more. And squash. I make a MEAN butternut squash soup - it's savoury, not sweet like most people make. Oh, and we bought some cider and apples. I'll have to make some apple dumplings or a pie ... I'm the designated baker in the family. It was a nice afternoon with just me n' Julian in the van out in the rural areas on a gorgeous day.

While we were gone, a few more props were finished. Vi had babysitting to do so she wasn't here, which means her bf Hank wasn't here either. Storm went off to fighter practice with friends, which left Thorn with the 'rents, working on things. Thorn is slow; developmentally challenged. He and Rose are twins. Yeah I know - Mum's idea. Anyway, Rose was born, no problems, but Thorn, he got tangled or something and didn't have oxygen to the brain for long enough to handicap him. I don't think he'll ever be on his own alone.

Anyway, it was a good weekend. We have loads of stuff to do yet, but somehow I'll get all my orders done, finish my costumes and do all the other stuff I have to get finished by Friday and still have time to help with set up Saturday. That's when all the big things go out in the yard and the stuff that could get stolen. Mum's worked hard on a couple projects (the moaning buried pirate treasure thief for one) and it would be bad if any of them 'walked away' during the run. One of our neighbours had her "witch house' trashed a couple years ago - she really put up a nice haunt - and we've been leery ever since.

Okay, time to start getting ready.
~Lily