Tag Archives: Elliott Ghoul

Ghoulish Memories on Monstrous Monday

I had a problematic weekend, and the upcoming week doesn’t look much better.  And here I sit drinking hot coffee to make matters worse.

“Follow me! To the Graveyard!”

I quick threw in a picture to lighten things up. “Follow me!  To the Graveyard!” followed by an evil laugh is one of the things my Elliott Ghoul likes to say.  My late, dearly missed husband Steve and I picked up Elliott at a garage sale many years ago.  We used to put him in the attic November through September, then Steve used to at least turn him off when it wasn’t the season.  I leave him on year round, just for the sake of hearing a voice other than my own once in a while.

Where was I?  I just spent a ridiculous amount of time looking for a picture of Elliot Ghoul in my Media Library.  He stands in my dining room window, for the amusement of any passers-by who might notice.  He went off once behind me while I was on a video appointment with a VA doctor on the dining-room-table-top (long-time readers may remember it used to be a laptop).  The doctor asked what it was.

“Oh, that’s just my ghoul,” I was happy to explain.

And there’s my late sweetie-pie.

I add a picture of my late husband at a Halloween party, because it seems to fit the mood of today’s post.  I have 400 words of another post saved.  I started it yesterday, realized I did not know where I was going with it but knew it ought to go somewhere.  Will I finish it today?  Or ever?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my Monday.

 

Before Dinner Lame

It looks like I have made it to another Lame Post Friday.  It only remains to be seen (does that sound like I am looking at a dead body?  Asking for a friend) whether or not I can finish the post ON Friday.  Friends are picking me up for dinner in less than an hour.  I usually do not take so long to make a blog post, especially a lame one such as I contemplate making this evening.

Watching for my friends?

This picture did not turn out as nicely as I had hoped.  It is my Elliott Ghoul and Godzilla looking out the window.  I caught sight of them as I came down the stairs one day and thought Godzilla looked so cute, I had to take a picture.  Full disclosure:  It is not actually Godzilla.  It is just some dinosaur that I think my late husband Steve or I won in a claw machine some time ago.  However, since I like to make him dance around while I sing the Blue Oyster Cult song that goes, “History shows again and again how nature points up the folly of me-en… Go, go, Godzilla!” I feel free to call him Godzilla.

A cool guy pouring good booze.

And here is a unused photo from a tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY, of which I have a few.  I really meant to write about this one, because it was stuff from a New York State distillery.  Perhaps I still can, but not today.  For one reason, I have to make sure I have time to get ready to go and watch for my friends.  I really can’t count on Elliott and Godzilla to let me know when they are here.

However, I see I am approaching 300 words, which is very nice for a Lame Post Friday post.  If only I could think of a clever headline, my life would be perfect!

Oh well, I guess nothing is perfect.

 

Still Lame After All These Years

Full disclosure:  I am making my blog post now only because I want my breakfast to settle in my stomach before I take a walk.  Otherwise, I might have done a Pedestrian Post with Pictures.  Perhaps another day.  The point is, I have nothing in particular to say or even to make a blog post about. Yes, I am still posting lame (and that gave me an idea for a title, at least).

Must up my decorating game.

A picture always make a post a little brighter.  This is from December 2021, before my life started to fall apart.  Oh, who am I kidding?  My life has always been a shambles, but we used to do a better job of decorating for Christmas.  I am particularly fond of the ghost with the Santa hat.  He has a practical function, which is to add light to the living room.  Right now he is sporting on of my rhinestone tiaras.

I love my Elliott Ghoul.

Here is another Halloween/Christmas mash-up.  The ghoul still stands in my window, keeping my company when I turn off the dining room lights or make a loud noise.  I especially like the reflection of Santa in this picture.  I brought that Santa inside Halloween night and mean to return him to the porch when I take down the pumpkin lights and put up some multi-colored ones I found (preview of coming attractions).

It looks a little like the ghost of Santa, no?

Here is Santa from the front.  I purchased Santa Claus the first year we lived in this house, from a nearby big box store which needs no plug from Mohawk Valley Girl.  I remember walking home with him tucked under one arm, feeling inordinately pleased with myself.

As I gear up to celebrate the first Christmas without my Steve in over 30 years, I remind myself to find joy, and to try to bring joy to others.  Perhaps my silly blog brings, not joy exactly (I shall not flatter myself), but a little smile.  Thank you for tuning in.

 

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  I continue my plan of early morning posts although this morning it is over an hour later than yesterday.  I took the day off because of a doctor’s appointment.  I won’t say much about that, because, you know, HIPAA (however you spell that) (is it spelling when it is an acronym?  Oh well, you know what I mean).

I typed that much (pecked one letter at a time with the stylus, I add, catering to my overdeveloped sense of accuracy) on my Tablet, curled up on the couch, waiting for my coffee to perk.  Now I am sitting up at the dining room table like a respectable writer, ten finger typing and feeling SO HAPPY for my coffee.

My cup is appropriate to the day, yes?

I have a number of things I must get done today, but one essential is to get at least one light on my front porch for the trick or treaters.  I normally have a porch nicely decorated with colored lights, sometimes appropriate for the season, but as with many aspects of life, I have dropped the proverbial ball (I have not done this in a while, but in the past I have mentioned, if you add the “the proverbial” to a cliche, it turns it into a self-deprecating cultural reference) (or do I flatter myself?)

Witchy says “Happy Halloween!”

I threw in a picture before I got bogged down in parenthetical comments or worse.  Witchy is still on my porch but not currently plugged in.  I unplugged her when my Dad was here and needed to plug in his compressor to pump up my tire.  Since most of the light strings that were also plugged in were burnt out, I just threw the extension cords into the house, figuring I would fix it later.  Obviously I did not specify how much later.

A Merry Halloween!

Santa is also still on my porch but out of costume.  Perhaps I can fix that today as well.

It may seem silly to light and decorate my porch the day of Halloween, but I think the trick or treaters will appreciate it.  I usually get quite a few.  Additionally, if I put up green lights as I intend to, I will only have to add some red for Christmas in a few weeks (hopefully before Christmas Eve).  I will un-costume Santa and put an angel costume on Witchy.  I think I will have to make her a new halo, though.

Preview of Coming Attractions.

I couldn’t find a picture of Angel Witchy, so a picture of Elliott Ghoul in a Santa Hat will have to do.

 

Not Wrist, Walk

OK, so, yesterday’s nonsense was a late Saturday blog post, and now I am trying for a late Sunday post.  For anybody who is keeping track.  At least I will not make it a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I do not have much time for swooning around in the morning.

The screen read a different temperature yesterday.

I took a walk yesterday so thought to share a previously taken picture of something I walked by.  I was actually on the same side of the street as this church yesterday.  I even had my phone with me but was not inspired to use it.  That is OK, I think; my Media Library is pretty crowded anyways.  I wonder if I could find any other pictures of anything I walked by.  Hmmm…. where DID I walk yesterday?  I am so forgetful at my age.

I am fascinated by the old gravestones.

Ah yes, once again I walked by my beloved Herkimer Historic Four Corners.  I was on the same side of the street as this church, and as usual, admired the old stones in the graveyard.

Another of my favorite places.

I was across the street from the 1834 Jail, a place near and dear to my heart.  I add the picture, because this post is a little short on substance, so I will make it long on pictures.

You can just about see all four buildings in this shot.

 

I did not walk this far down Main Street but felt it fair to include a picture of all four corners.

My dear Elliott Ghoul.

I guess this is not a very good picture, but back home I was greeted by Elliott Ghoul, who permanently resides in my dining room window.  Only us older folks get the play on words of his name.  I also have a Harold Ghoul, but do not have a picture.  I must share one sometime (preview of coming attractions).

 

Of Cows and Monsters

What, is it going to be Late Post Week?  I made Sunday’s post on Monday, now I’m making Monday’s post on Tuesday.  What the hell, me?  Never mind the recriminations, let’s make with the monsters!

Sweet!

OK, these are not monsters.  It is a photo from Cabot Creamery Co-operative, one of my Facebook Likes. They share a lot of sweet pictures of cows.  This showed up in my  On This Day yesterday.  I shared it on my News feed then downloaded it, thinking I would use it to soften my blog post about my crappy Sunday.  Then I went a different way, and you know me:  Waste Not Want Not!

Graphic depiction of me trying to rise above my problems.

Here is a bona fide monster, one of my own Halloween decorations.  I say it is a graphic depiction of me, but I will never be that skinny, even if I do go back on the South Beach Diet.

“Follow me! To the graveyard! Ah ha ha ha ha!”

This pleasant fellow, Elliott Ghoul by name, stands in my window all year long.  In previous years, my husband Steven would turn him off after the spooky season, but this year he is still entertaining me by going off at loud noises or when headlights go by just right.

So this is my Monday blog post.  I don’t know if my Monstrous Monday Posts are getting old, but I still enjoy them.  Regular readers know I often find comfort in the macabre.  I hope your Monday was swell and your Tuesday is even better.

 

Elliott Ghoul, Can You Help Me Now?

I guess it was not a massively Monstrous Monday.  Yet I am making a Monstrous Monday Post, because I ain’t got much else.  Also, I want to read the book I just got out of Basloe Library in Herkimer, NY:  The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum (and yes, autocorrect,  I meant “Poisoner’s” not “Prisoner’s”).

Is it just me, or does he look a little jolly?

Here is a shot I have always liked from The Screaming Skull.”  I believe I wrote a blog post about it, but I am too lazy to try to track it down to link back to it.

I should try to get a shot with his eyes bright red.

Here is a non-movie monster, our own Elliott Ghoul.  He says things like, “Follow me… to the graveyard!  Ah ha ha ha ha!”  I appreciate anybody who says, “Ah ha ha ha ha!”  It is what I say when I accomplish a task or find sonething I have been searching for.

Oh crap!  I just accidentally hit Publish!  I hope nobody reads this before I finish it and hit Update.

A closer but more blurry shot.

Elliott stays in our window all year long.  Last year, my husband, Steven turned him off so he stopped saying things.  I was delighted when he turned him back on in October.

I see I am over 200 words.  That is good news for me, because I want to hit Update.  And read that book!

 

 

Can You Picture Me Taking a Walk?

I was too tired yesterday to make even a Tired Tuesday post.  I did, in fact, type in one sentence:  “I am SO TIRED!!!”  I did not save it so do not know why I feel compelled to re-type it in and share it now, but that’s me for you.  I went for a walk this morning but am not sure it will make a good Pedestrian Post, due to my inability to take good pictures.  However, I shall try.

I turned on the dining room light to put on my sneakers and left it on, because I was wondering how well our ghoul, Elliott Ghoul, looked from the street.  Elliott Ghoul is one of the Halloween decorations we keep up year round.  I like to keep his sound on too, but Steven turned it off, because Elliott kept waking him up when he takes a nap on the couch.  Outside, I observed that Elliott does show to passersby, although he can be blocked by Frankentree.

He looks even more spooky when he’s all blurry!

I tried to take a picture from the sidewalk.  First I zoomed in, which I can sometimes do.  Other times, I think I am zooming but instead I change it to selfie mode.  I hate it when that happens!

You can see one of Frankentree’s branches on the left.

I zoomed back out to show part of the porch, then started on my walk.  I usually walk the same way in the morning:  to the spring on Lou Amber Drive.  It is good for me, because I carry a bottle of water and drink it while I walk to the spring, then I re-fill it and continue to sip. It makes for more hydration than I usually get first thing in the morning.

The only exciting thing that happened on this morning’s walk was when I encountered a skunk on Church Street, as I headed home with my spring water.  Yikes!  I was luckily a couple of houses away when I saw what was clearly NOT a cat or bunny.  I quickly crossed the street then wondered if I dared keep walking in that direction, which was still toward the animal.  I took a few hesitant steps.  He (or she) turned and walked up a lawn towards a house.  Phew!  I did not take a picture.

However, on a walk last month, I took a picture of the full moon that I will now share.  It was not a fully successful picture, which is one reason I have not shared it thus far.  I had a thought of using it in a Pedestrian Post with the title, “No Moon Shot,”  but I could not get my act together to the extent of writing said post (what a surprise: me not have my act together!  Say it ain’t so!).

I guess it isn’t so bad. Or do I flatter myself?

Pedestrian Posts with Pictures are clearly more successful when I take my walks in full daylight.  I will attempt another of those in the future. For now the important thing is, I have made a blog post.  At least, it is important to me.  Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

Better Lame Than Never

I am pretty sure I used this title (too lazy to go back and look). I don’t even have a good excuse for not making my Lame Post Friday post on Friday. And I don’t have much to say now, either. But let’s see what I can come up with.

Our year round ghoul.

I put in a picture of Elliott Ghoul, because he said something as I typed in the previous paragraph. We put him in the window one Halloween, and I enjoyed him so much, I insisted he stay. We added the hat for Christmas, and you can see the reflection of Santa Claus on the window. Santa is still out there, but I think the hat is gone (again, too lazy to check).

Today promises to be a frigid cold day with wind chill and everything. Steven vows not to leave the house. It does not bode well for Mohawk Valley Adventures. Oh dear, will I be reduced to cleaning the house? SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

Pretty!

Feeling blank of anything to say, I sought another picture. I settled on the crocuses, because many of us are longing for spring. However, I try not to wish too hard for what patience will bring me. I am a big believer in trying to enjoy Right Now. I am not always successful at it, but I think it would be a good idea if I was.

Will I enjoy today? I certainly intend to. I hope to write a blog post about it. My Saturday Post on Saturday? A little suspense adds interest to my day.

Sometimes Monsters Help

I do not know why I feel so tired. I have accomplished very little today, and even less in the area of writing. I know, the only thing to do is to pick up a pen and write. Or a stylus and start picking out one letter at a time. So this is my Wrist to Forehead Sunday Post.

“Follow me! To the Graveyard!”

I throw in a picture to pep things up. I love this shot of Elliott Ghoul. The reflection makes it look like he is holding a Santa Claus doll. My Christmas decorations stay up till at least January 6th. I would really like to have a fabulous 12th Night party, but this is clearly not the year for that.

Another favorite ghoul.

I loves me some Svengoolie. We watched a DVR’d episode earlier. I got some knitting done.

December 2019.

This post is becoming a little disjointed, but I guess I have kind of a spooky Christmas theme going on. Above is our skeleton Bonita, in last year’s Christmas outfit. In the background you can see Santa Claus and Darling Duck.

I am strongly tempted to grow my hair out.

One more Christmas monster picture. I wonder if I can blame today’s post on my Post-Christmas Letdown. Hmmm…. sounds like a lame-ass excuse to me. All I can do is hit Publish and hope for the best. As always, thank you for tuning in.