If No One Came To The Monster Mash

Happy Halloween, everyone. What are you plans tonight? You’re not planning to go trick or treating are you? ArE YOU?? Perhaps you should check this list first:

You're Too Old For Trick Or Treating If...

- you get winded from knocking on the door.

- you lose your balance and fall over when someone drops a candy bar in your bag.

- people say, "Great Keith Richards mask!" and you're not wearing a mask.

- you're the only super hero in the neighborhood with a walker.

- you have a bag full of restraining orders by the end of the night.

Looks like you’ll be staying home tonight, huh? Aw, now you feel bad. Here, have a mini cupcake. I made a whole bunch of them to send to school with my daughter today.

mom nom nom...

Now that you’re feeling much better, I have a another treat for you! You know the 1962 “Monster Mash” novelty song by Bobby “Boris” Pickett? The one that was released that year just before Halloween and has been a perennial favourite ever since?

Well, what would happen if no one came to the monster mash? Find out in the hilarious parody tune below. If you’re going to watch only one video today, make it this one...



Wishing you all a spooktacular weekend!

You’re Probably Around My Age If...

...you ever had one of these in your home.

Ah, the rotary phone. A relic from a bygone era...

It’s possible that some of you (the young‘uns) have never used or even seen one of these in real life. But those of us who are at least fourty (and perhaps a teeny tiny bit older) are very familiar with it. And the patience you developed waiting for the dial to return to the original position before being able to dial the next number. Oh, the memories this phone brings back.

Here’s a video from even before my time that will make you smile.



The rotary phone might be obsolete, but one thing’s for sure: it was built like a tank.

Did you ever have one of these in your home?

Question Of The Day

What one rule do you try to live by?

This is my younger daughter:

This is my wonderfully eccentric child.

She is artistically and musically-inclined, sports an unusual hairstyle, dresses like a hipster and has a few piercings, one of them on her nose. And she does all this with my blessing.

Recently she stated that she is very surprised that I’m okay with these ‘unique’ and odd choices to which I replied “Why wouldn’t I be? You get good grades, you don’t drink alcohol or do drugs, you’re responsible and focused, you’ve never been in trouble at school or with the law, and you’re a happy and well rounded young girl. And I’m going to moan over what colour or style your hair is, and about the few piercings you have?”

Which brings me to the one rule that I try to live by:
Don’t sweat the small stuff. 

(Incidentally, I love the look my daughter has chosen. She is not afraid to stand apart from the crowd and express herself. I've tried to raise my girls to walk to the beat of their own drum, and it seems like this 17-year-old is doing just that.)

What one rule do you try to live by?

Bikes and Sights: The Joseph Dominik Sensory Garden

“Cyclers see considerable more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens.

A good bicycle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to.”

- Dr. K. K. Doty -

We rode our bikes throughout the summer, covered a lot of ground in a relatively short period of time, and discovered interesting places and hidden spaces here, there and everywhere.

Like this gem that is a real treat for the senses...

This memorial garden is dedicated to the past president and former board member of Ongwanada; a non-profit organization that offers a wide range of individualized services and community support to hundreds of people with developmental disabilities and their families in Kingston and Eastern Ontario.

The first of its kind in my lovely city, the Joseph Dominik Sensory Garden is a therapeutic garden dedicated to sensory rich stimuli.

A variety of textures and shapes for fingers to explore.

Brightly coloured flowers to please the eye.

Herbs and edible plants to stimulate the taste buds.

Fragrant herbs and sweet-smelling blooms to tickle the nose.

Horticultural therapy is recognized as a practical and viable treatment, and individuals with physical and developmental disabilities benefit from such a well designed and peaceful setting.

This stone area can be filled with water for an interesting change to the environment.

And this remarkably soul-soothing, stress-relieving, mind-clearing and spirit-renewing garden is open to everyone, free of charge.

The Joseph Dominik Sensory Garden is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, and we will visit it again and again.

Do you have anything like this in your area?

Chuckles and Chortles

Happy Monday, blogging friends. Did you all have a nice weekend? I certainly hope so. And if you didn’t, I hope the week ahead proves better. Our weather wasn’t very nice and we mostly stayed put. But we did spend some time outside in the garden tidying up and putting things away. It’s sad to see all the beautiful flowers coming to an end, but such is the cycle of the seasons. In any case, both the garden and I can use the break and return refreshed, fully energized and enthusiastic about a new season in the spring.

Now, let’s get to the funny stuff, shall we? Today it’s all about Halloween, which is just around the corner...

Wishing you all a beautiful day!

You’re Probably Around My Age If...

...costumes like these were around for Halloween when you were a kid:

Remember Mr. T's famous line: "I don't hate him but...I pity the fool"?

Did David Hasselhoff  who played Michael Knight on this show really not have a neck?

I don't think anyone wanted to be John Travolta this badly!

And you’re probably around my age if you wore, or someone you know wore one of these face masks:

Who wouldn't want to look like a creepy and angry princess?

I remember this one very well.

Creepy clowns are always around...from generation to generation.

What the heck...??

Oh no...no no no...you just can't do this to Wonder Woman!

Costumes were pretty weird when I was a kid, but they were even weirder before they were mass-produced. Take a look...if you dare...



Wishing you all a spooktacular weekend!

Hometown Memories: The Pervert On The Bus

My adolescent years consisted mostly of good times. A few bad. And the occasional downright creepy. And one of those creepy moments happened on a city bus that my mother and I boarded on our way to wherever it is we were going so many years ago. The bus was very crowded that day, and we were packed in like sardines in a can. This is pretty typical in a big city, especially during rush hour.

Right behind me there stood a man reaching over to hold onto the same pole I was. Whenever the bus stopped abruptly, he’d bump into me, and when new passengers boarded, he’d lean in closer. At first, I didn't think anything of it; there was hardly any breathing room, after all, and I figured he was just making room for people to get by.

But I was wrong.

I boarded a bus on this corner countless times.

His breathing grew heavy at one point, and the next time he bumped me, he moaned in my ear and rubbed up against me. Shocked, disgusted and outraged, I did what my teenage self thought was the best thing to do:

I stomped the high heel I was wearing right down on his foot with furious force and ground it in...back and forth...back and forth. End of moaning, heavy breathing and inappropriate rubbing. He let out a whimper of pain and quietly slithered away.

High heels make for great self defense weapons. Which this creep learned that day.

Has anything like this ever happened to you?

If a creepy guy rubs up against you, stomp on his instep to cause maximum pain.

Question Of The Day

What would you cure the world of if you could?

One of the biggest enemies of humanity:

Yes, discrimination is a worldwide disease that needs to be cured. And until such time, peace and goodwill that we pay lip service to every December will not prevail.

What would you cure the world of if you could?

Worldwide Photo Walk

“Photography for me is a passion, a mixture of science and art that creates magic.”

- Scott MacQuarrie -

On Saturday, October 11, the Worldwide Photo Walk took place; a annual social event where photographers of all skill levels gather in their local area for a two hour photo shoot. Hundreds of cities and towns, and thousands of people around the globe participate each year. It's free and it's fun, and this time around I decided to join in on this one-day global event.

I’d like to share a few photos that I took around my beautiful city that Saturday morning.

If you enjoy taking photos, consider joining in on the fun next year in your own area. It doesn't matter what kind of camera you use, or what skill level you are. All you need is passion and enthusiasm for photography.

Have a beautiful Tuesday!

Chuckles and Chortles

Happy Monday, everyone. How was your weekend? Ours was half bleh and half wonderful. Most of the week has been miserable. So with a cold but wonderfully sunny day finally showing up yesterday, we headed out to enjoy it and take images. But the autuman splendour is just about done. There was more of this than anything else:

Well, at least we got out. Then we all went for supper to a restaurant near our place. It was busy and the service was ve-e-e-ry slow. A couple of booths down there was a woman sipping a glass of wine as she waited for her food. She finished the wine. No food. Then most of her glass of water. Still no food. Her meal finally arrived when the lemon in her glass of water began disintegrating. And she ate without a drink. Without the glass of wine that she probably planned on enjoying with her meal.  This made me sad for some reason. *sigh*

First world problems...

Anyhow, let’s get to the funny stuff...

Wishing you all a fabulous day!