In the meantime we are still getting ready for Halloween! We were out late last night attending a Dracula play. This play was unique since it took place outside and around the ruins of an old all girls school in Ellicott City-The Patapsco Female Institute. Back in the 1800s, the school was quite world renowned for its education for girls only. When girls were not allowed to play sports or participate in classes in science or math, they were playing basketball and studying biology from a book written by one of their own instructors. Girls traveled from Europe to attend school here in Ellicott City, and they even had an Indian Princess (yes like cowboys and indians) attend the school. Now all that is left of the building are the walls and window frames and fireplaces. I know a little about the place since I have taken my girl scouts to several historical programs offered there. So we also have a few groups, including a Shakespeare theater group that uses the space to put on plays outside. The Dracula play was a lot of fun since it was held at night around the building with dim lighting, smoke machines and even a few special effects like flying bats! Scott was invited to attend with our friends and their boys, and I decided Tom and I should join him. Before the play we grabbed a quick dinner together in Olde Ellicott City. Tom was not terribly impressed with the walk around play effect since he said some of the scenes were hard to see with the large number of people and limited seating. Guess I am lucky being short because I was always in the front! But they must be doing something right since all the shows are sold out every weekend until Halloween.
Allison even managed to enjoy a Halloween outing as her University provided a day trip on Coach buses to her favorite amusement park, 6 Flags near DC on Saturday. I had taken Scott and his friend there for the Fright Fest a few weeks ago and Scott had a great time. I knew Allison would enjoy it too. And she did. It has been a bit cold here but at least no rain.
And on Saturday night we went over to enjoy a Halloween party at our fellow Michigan neighbors. This is the first year Tom and I did not host the Halloween party. This was a smaller group of neighbors. The neighbor's party was supposed to be on Labor Day weekend, but everyone has been so busy, this was the only time they could host a get together. Of course we had tons of food and I was asked to bring the entertainment! I am getting a bad reputation for myself. I was not going to haul over my easel and pad of paper for Halloween pictionary like I usually do, so instead I looked up some games on the internet and decided on the $10,000 Pyramid, where the teams had to guess words associated with Halloween like "Scary Movies made into Sequels" or "Things you find in Dracula's castle". I also found a picture game where guests had to figure out the titles to scary movies just using the picture clues and a Scary Movie guessing game with scary movie quotes. So I kept the group entertained(including the kids). They love to play too. And everyone had a great time and earned a big chocolate bar for playing. So even though I did not host the party, I still spent the day preparing food and games to take. At least I didn't have to do massive housecleaning and decorating too!
Now the neighbors want Tom and I to host another beer tasting party and a Progressive White Elephant
Christmas party! Even Tom wanted to know if I'd like a 50th birthday party here at the house with the neighbors and I said 'No Way'! Even though he offered to do the house cleaning and grocery shopping and meal prep/cooking, I am sure I would have to get involved somehow. I think that is too much work just to turn 50!
Speaking of 50, I scheduled my upcoming yearly exam and I am trying my 3rd Blood Pressure medication. I just can't seem to find a medication that likes me. I have had blurred vision and dizziness from the last two medications that I tried that really interferes with my driving and working. Not to mention that I always feel like I have to eat since I am dizzy all the time and nauseous. So it has not done my weight or ability to exercise any good either. I sure hope this medication works better for me. Turning 50 has not been fun for me.
I am also trying to get prepared for an upcoming boy scout trip with Scott's troop in Nov for rappelling and zipline. Don't think I am going to do those activities, but I need to help with meal prep for adults as Tom signed us up. I am also in charge of the money and paperwork and reservations. Again, thanks Tom for volunteering me. Scott and Tom were also busy selling Boy Scout popcorn this weekend. And in order to stay active in the troop, Tom and I have to complete online ongoing training which we did this weekend. It's tough being a Boy Scout! Speaking of tough, I also signed up Scott to earn a religious medal. His program starts next weekend. Just to keep things interesting, I also signed Scott and I up for a Boy Scout sleepover trip in December on the New Jersey Battleship in Camden New Jersey. Apparently it was the most decorated naval ship in the fleet. And much bigger than the Coast Guard ship that we slept on last year! Now I just have to tell the neighbors that I am busy that weekend and we will have to reschedule the Christmas Progressive party. Not enough time!
Right now we are just trying to get through Halloween week. When we returned from our visit to Salisbury we discovered an old broken down car in front of our house-no tags. Tom believed it belonged to our neighbor's son down the street who apparently had just returned from Alaska where he was working on repairing fishing boats like you see in the tv show "Deadliest Catch". It pays well but according to their son was a terrible life(mostly spent all his free time drinking). So he came back to go to automotive school after a previous stint in the army(skipped college). And he took his '67 Chevelle out for a test drive on the weekend and it broke down in front of our house. But he did not know how to repair it, and he did not bother to figure out how to get it back down the street and up their long driveway where it started. And he did not bother to call or leave a note or email. After a week of me harrassing his mom to move the car, Tom finally had to go out and see if he could help get it started or at least tow it. What frustrated me is that they did not want to spend the money to have it towed, or taken to a garage to have it repaired or that they never even figured out how to get it back to their house on their own. Tom used his tow rope and his own car to pull it back to their house. And the son is studying automotive repair. Tom was happy to help. I was just happy the car was moved. It just added to the bliss of having our neighbor's van permanently parked across the street from our driveway which is only used to take their two german shephards to the dog park on the weekends. Their other two cars are parked in the garage and no extra room on their driveway. Plus there is our next door neighbor whose son's truck is usually parked blocking our mailbox while he travels to Africa, but that is another story. People are interesting.
Overall we have very nice neighbors. Our friend and neighbor, Gloria was supposed to take a traveling nurse manager job to Sacramento CA but with the furloughs and govt. shutdown she could not get a license quick enough. So instead they are sending her to Pennsylvania. I think she will prefer that with the holidays coming up since she can travel much easier to Baltimore from PA then from CA. She was only going to visit at the holidays from CA. I think their kids are disappointed though as they were planning a visit out there at Christmas break.
By the way, we are planning a trip to Florida at Christmas break since the kids are going to be off school for so long and I will finally have vacation hours to spend. I just realized Scott had a full week of school without any days off! However, he did participate in the fund raiser at school, Run for Education on Weds. They had a beautiful day to be outside walking/running for an hour for each grade and the school made double what they expected in fund raising. So thanks to all that contributed! The money goes directly to the school for supply purchases like the Ipads for the 8th graders that they are getting next month. And the staff was so excited to see how many people from all around the country contributed. Again, thank you for your generosity. Scott even earned himself an out of uniform day and crazy hat day for the event.
So I am going to carve my pumpkin and put up a few more spiderwebs before I go watch the Mt Hebron High School girls compete in a regional Field Hockey tournament this afternoon. Allison finished up her Field Hockey Club season at Salisbury by playing goalie for the last two games(won both!). Way to go Allison. They may also go to the Club playoffs. She also is enjoying her Floor Hockey experience( and making it through midterms!).
Here are some Halloween photos. Scott carved Sonic the Hedgehog from Nintendo(looks very good with a red light at night), and a few shots from the Patapsco Female Institute ruins where we saw the Dracula play. Tom and Scott and the neighbor boys on the front steps as well as one of the scenes from the play. Kathleen
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