Frog on the Pumpkin

some days more than other days.  This last Saturday was one of those "like" days. I was helping out our local haunt (hee) Wine:30 with a charity auction of the local children's services division.  They had received donations from lots of business in the town, restaurants, hairdressers, dentists, and....Dark Horse Comics. For those of you that don't know Dark Horse Comics owns Things From Another World (among other things) a chain of comic and specialty stores.  They carry all kinds of cool stuff.  So whenever they donate....you get the coolest stuff!! So not only did I spend three evenings (up very late) but most of the day Saturday helping with all the back end stuff (bid sheets, bid paddles, etc.) and donating lots of items including two sets of Tiffany wine glasses, both in the boxes and both in blue bags :) They were the hit of the auction...oh, I am getting distracted again. Anyway....this really does sorta get Halloween related, I promise. I also pu...

readers.  When I was in Land's End* (Cornwall - I know you know that, but some of the Americans might need a bit of clarification) :D .....when I was at the hotel/bar there I saw these cute little brown birds that look like they were speckled.  I have never seen a bird that almost looked like it was spotted. I tried to grab a picture but they kept flying away by the time I got my camera. It appears that the hotel had an aviary for them - so not sure if they are native or part of someones collection. I have looked through my bird books and online and I have not seen a picture of them.  Does anyone know what they are?  They are about the size of a UK Robin (the robins in the US (at least the west coast) are larger.) And I cannot remember the color of the beak....too distracted by the spots! And, yes, although we did have at least one beverage in the bar.....I know I saw them.....really I did :D *Yes, I was being a "tourist" and visiting the Doctor W...

at the tombstones in the West Kilbride Cemetery. In this one (below)you can see the coast and the isle of Aran in the background.  (I forgot to ask, and I suppose I could look it up....but is that island technically Scotland or Ireland?) Anyway, back to......you will notice some lovely detail in these tombstones.....just beautiful. This particular cemetery seemed to have a lot of damaged tombstones....since that abandoned warehouse was only a few yards away, you would think that would be enough entertainment for the local vandals.  Maybe not.  Or maybe the tombstones were not designed or built well, since I lot of the damaged tombstones look like they have been that way for a while.  Or it could just look that way. Not sure how long it takes to grow moss like that on a tombstone in the UK :) Oh, or maybe the zombies are knocking them over when they are crawling out of the ground looking for brains!  I like that answer....yeah, that is what it...

That is me on the beach (with a few friends) trying to make friends with the local fauna.  We had great weather while in the Scotland...mostly.  The snow started right after we left.  But as you can see here it was bright and sunny on the beach in West Kilbride.  There was even a mute swan floating out on the ocean. I did not see another swan in sight....and since this is a mute swan and they mate for life, I am hoping his partner is just resting on the beach somewhere and he is not out there all alone :(

and friend lately.  So I put out a general apology to everyone.  But mostly to my Hauntcast friends.  I have been very late is posting something about the new subscription announcement that happened while I was away.  To me, $12 is more than worth it and while I know I do not speak for everyone, I say that I completely understand the decision, at some point in your life you have to put value on your time. It is the one thing that any of us has to barter with...it is how we make money, how we enjoy our life.  Your time has value, my time has value......and surely all the wonderful people that create the Hauntcast podcast's time has value....at least a $1 a podcast.....but like I said.  Just speaking for myself. I already signed up for my subscription, and while I was at it picked up an extra one to give away here on the blog to say "Merry Christmas" (or what every greeting for the season works best for you) and give one away. I do understand that mon...

what kind of insane person design something like a remote control tarantula?  Really is that necessary?!  Seriously.....what is wrong with you.... It started cause I saw one Christmas shopping and since I had lost my phone (again) I did not have my camera on be so I could blog.  No worries I thought I will Google it and I am sure I will find it. Yes, I did, I wish I had not. Much to my horror, there is not just one "it". Would you believe that there are about 5 or 6 different kinds of remote control spiders on the market?!?! What the f....... This cannot be real, why?!?!?  One remote control spider was surely enough for the universe to handle. This is truly a waste of resources on so many levels. ......not to mention that it is frickin' scary as hell!! First because they exist and second.....that means that there is a possibility that someone, who does not value their life, might get me one as a gift thinking it is funny! Oh, gawd that would ...

Well, actually, I have many problems.  But we are going to focus on one particular one today. :D I love visiting graveyards....it is a good thing that husband drives most of the time because I would stop at every graveyard I saw. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed when we chose Law Castle over Darsie Castle....I coincided because we had already stayed at Dairse, and was not near as elegant as Law...but Dairsie has one VERY important draw for me.  It has a deconcrated church and graveyard about 30 steps away.  It is actually as awesome as it sounds. Now, West Kibride, where Castle Law is located (about 30 minutes SW of Glasgow) did have a much larger cemetery....but it was not on the grounds.....but like I said before....I could complain....but I was staying in a castle.  And although it was a bit cold it was clear and bright most of the time we were there so a walk to the cemetery was not an issue. On the way back from visiting the beach we decided ...