3143 Hallowe'en goodies

Friday, October 29, 2010

"If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm."
-- Vince Lombardi --

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A Mensa friend (the one I call The Hippie) was asked what non-gory horror movie scared him the most. He answered that "the only horror movie that's ever truly scared me was 'The Exorcist', which wasn't really gory--gruesome makeup and lots of vomit, but I've been to parties like that."

Cracked me up.

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I had asked for suggestions for non-sugar Halloween treats, and got several.

I really like the balloon one! A definite treat for little ones, and a bust for the too-old teens who shouldn't be out panhandling anyway. Love it. I could fill the porch roof with balloons, so it's festive, too. But right now I don't have the time to locate a helium tank, get it, fill balloons, tie on strings, etc., so I'll put that idea away for next year.

The little bags of pretzels and/or popcorn is nice. Parents would probably approve, too. By chance, I found cases of 24 bags of pretzels, popcorn, corn chips, and cheese puffs, at the A&P on special sale for only $3.xx each case. I bought three cases, so for less than $12 I've got 72 kids covered, and if nobody comes, I can eventually eat it myself - there's not much in a bag, perfect snack size. They'll keep....

Thanks for coming through, ladies.

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Daughter and I measured the new living room and figured out the wall area. I took the numbers to Home Depot, and the guy at the paint counter said two gallons would do it, two coats. So yesterday I painted the longest unbroken wall, one coat, and I've already used 1/4 of the paint. Either our numbers are wrong, or I'm putting it on too thick.

I haven't pained a wall in literally decades. Latex paint has changed since the last time I used it!

I remember when latex paint was new on the market. My parents first used it in the house in Ottawa, in about 1955. It was very weird. It was more like a gel than a liquid. When you tried to pour it out of the can, it wanted to all come out in one glop, like Silly Putty. You had to kind of cut off what you wanted. Spreading it with a roller was more like pushing it around on the wall and leaving a trail of paint. My father gave up and thinned it, and used a sprayer. We were digging paint out of our noses for days.

The stuff gradually got more liquid. The last time I painted a wall, about 1983, it was much easier to handle. Liquid. Nice. Thin, but easy to work with and covered well. I painted brilliant red and navy blue walls peach pink, and two coats covered it.

This stuff I used yesterday (Glidden) is very thick again. The roller was very heavy, even though I tried not to carry too much on the roller. And it dried MUCH too quickly. It was drying in the tray, and I was getting little glops of thickening paint on the roller that I had to flick off the wall with my fingernails.

I didn't get any bubbles in the paint or on the wall, but as it dried, it was like it contracted, leaving patches here and there where, if you looked very carefully, the original white base showed through, little pinpoint specks. But the coverage is good enough that I think a very thin second coat will do.

I'm tempted to thin it for the next wall, and see how that goes. Even if it just delays the drying a bit, that will help.

I also gave up on trying to find someone to mow the lawn. No Hairless Hunks there, I guess. So I bought a (mulching) lawn mower and did it myself. The grass was so long and so thick I had to use the highest setting, and move very slowly. I'll have to do it again in a few days, set lower. Luckily, it's a very small yard.

I'm hoping to take Jasper with me when I go to the new house tomorrow. If I can catch him. It's like he can read my mind. Disappears when he knows I want to put him in the carrier.
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