When do you start hankering for Halloween?

[vrb8919]

It depends, but a lot of times I start thinking more about Halloween in the mid to late summer, usually around July or so. I keep waiting to see when they will finally get the Halloween decorations in at the stores.
When visiting family in New York in August, I literally made a bee line to the Halloween stuff at Big Lots. XD

I'm about the same way. Sometimes during early summer though (June or so), I keep thinking to myself that some stores that I go in will already have some Halloween or fall decor out. Wishful thinking, I know.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I like all the seasons except for Winter, but I start getting excited for Hallowen around the end of August. The Summer has a lot of fun to offer me. Motorcycle rides, trips to the Illinois Rail Way Museum, 4th of July fire works, and this Summer I am going to be retired so I'll have plenty of time.

Mike

[NeverMore]

I don't know if it's the approaching summer, or the return of the longer days, but I'm starting to got the urge to start watching spooky movies again.

[Andybev01]

Is Spooky aware of this?

[Pumpkin_Man]

I watch horror films year round, but just more of them in October. There are some films, that are an october tradition so I wait until then to screen those. The classic monster films like "Frankenstein," "Dracula" and "The Wolfman" are all standare Halloween traditions, as are more modern flicks such as the "Halloween" movies, the "Dark Shadows" movies such as "House of Dark Shadows" and "Night of Dark Shadows." "The Blair Witch Project" is an October 'must,' and last but by no means least, "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown."

Mike

[witchy]

Is Spooky aware of this?

[Kolchak]

Summer time should be girl ghosts and witches and female vampires putting on their skimpy bikinis and having a little warm weather/daylight fun. See? This allows us to enjoy Halloween ALL year long!

[Pumpkin_Man]

Not a bad ideal Kolchak, but I sort of prefer my foxy ladies to be alive and warm.

I will be screening a lot of horror films and tv shows this Summer after sun down, but during the day time I am going to be lighting off fireworks, riding my bike and making a few trips wo the warren dunes in Michigan. I will have plenty of time, too as I will be retired. I will also be doing a job search so I can suppliment my pension, but I figure if it takes me 3 months to get a full time job, and I don't care what kind of a job it is as long as it's full time with overtime oportunities, I will have a Summer Vacation, and hopefully start working again in September. That way I'll have two paychecks comming in, and a chance to build up a 2nd pension for when I'm a really old duffer.

Mike

[MauEvig]

Halloween would be nice to think about, but right now I'm so tired of winter, I wish it was Spring already. I'd be happy for pink and purple blossoms, spring time flowers, pastel colors, and the birds singing. I already got a nice little bird house and bird feeder and will put out the Humming bird feeder later.
Right now I'm hankering for Easter, Fourth of July, Back Yard Barbecues and warm weather, and maybe some more festivals, along with the zoo.
I don't want to rush life away. I want to take it slow and enjoy all the good days. I'm almost 30, and will be 29 this July. But I think my 30's will be some great years in my life. I just have a good feeling about it. If I think about Halloween now then next thing I know it'll be Winter again right afterwards.
But if I JUST so happen to see something in a yard sale or at a festival during the summer that involves something Halloween related, I might just have to add it to my collection and it might jump start the ghoul spirit in me. XD

Not to rain on your parade Kolchak, but won't the vampire ladies turn to dust during the warm summer sunny days?

[Pumpkin_Man]

That's exactly my take on it. I am so tired of having to shovel out 40 tons of snow just to I can drive my car to the local store for a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. I have a MAJOR hankering the 4th of July, fireworks, and a nice fat Prim Rib roast to barbecue this May, which I am going to do on my very first day of retirement, which is May 30th.

I am also having a bit of a hankering for my St. Pats party which I am waiting until the 29th to have so to have the least chance of another snow emergency. The family really loves that party.

Mike

[MauEvig]

The most I'll probably do for St Patty's is dress in green, and maybe get a Reuben Sandwich. If I feel really ambitious I might go for a whole corn beef brisket...but I'm not sure yet. Might just keep it simple. I've got a teeny tiny bit of irish in my family, but I'm not entirely sure. I'm just a mix of all kinds of things.

Today's weather wasn't too bad. It's chilly out for sure, but at least the sun's shining and the birds are out. Can you see the bird in the picture? It's there, my camera will only zoom in so far though:

http://s636.photobucket.com/user/MauEvi ... 9.jpg.html

During this time of the year, that's more than enough to ask for I think. I even sat outside for a bit today, at least the chair out there is warm from the sun. I can see why outdoor cats sit on Garbage can lids now lol. I think that chair might be the warmest thing out there right now. I think winter is starting to lose the battle. I honestly wish we didn't have to have all those last minute storms and we could just go right into Spring. If we could go into Spring as early as January, that would be awesome, but that won't happen. November and December I don't mind dealing with snow for the holidays, but after that, bring on the warm weather and sunshine. Still I can't complain too much. It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be today.

Congrats on retiring by the way Pumpkin Man. I hope that I can get a retirement fund started. Since I can't find a job right now with 401K I might just stuff some money into a savings account. Hopefully the economy will pick up in the future though, but it's always a good idea to be prepared. I just applied for another job at the famous Hotel, so I'm really hoping that I'll get in there. Even if it's just Housekeeping it'd be better than nothing, but I would really prefer office work.

I usually try to make sure that I have supplies already in the house if it snows really bad, that way I don't have to try and get out. Sure the local grocery store isn't that far away, but it's still a good 15 minute drive, and that's on a good day. On a snowy day, you'd have to drive like a snail. (And I don't mean the snail from Turbo either.)

I wouldn't mind going for some New York Strip steaks myself, but I usually like to keep things simple and go for Hot Dogs and Burgers. Even if we don't do much for 4th of July, hopefully we'll get to go to the Festival in New York, and they have a great Fireworks display there for a small town. With the Parade, Fireworks, venders, townwide yard sales, and then on Sunday they have a car show and the fire department has a chicken BBQ, even if you missed out on the fourth going to that Festival more than makes up for it.

[johnsoneliza52]

We have a good sized Irish community here in Phoenix. I used to be on the St Patricks Day parade committee for years, and worked the Irish Festival every year..fun, fun fun..
I, too, wanted to have a party this year, but I am stuck working all day on Saturday, and Monday both, so unless I pull it together for Sunday, it isn't happening! And even then, it would have to be a midday party (where is the fun in that?) as I have to get up about 2:30AM on Monday to go to work. I am so over being a grown up

[Pumpkin_Man]

MauEvig, as much as I love barbecue, some times there's just no substitute for a Chicago style steamed hot dog, and there's a restaurant in Joliet who does the all pefect steam Chicago style dog. For the 4th of July, I am going to be busy having fun with fireworks, so I'll probably just grill up some burgers, though. I like to top a grilled burger with raw onion, horse raddish sauce, and dijon mustard.

Weather wise, it is supposed to get up to 53 today, but then drop back down to 28, which is tolerable all though it's below freezing. They say we could get a dusting of snow, but no major accumulations.

I am from a very large Irish family, which is why St. Patty's day is so important to us, and I really love to celebrate it with a vengence. I usualy have the party on the weekend closest to the 17th of March, but I decided to wait for the last weekend of March instead, because I just don't know what weather conditions will be like. My Christmas tree trimming party last december had to be canceled because we got hit with 6 inches of snow. Then I was going to cater a News Party at my brothers house, and that got cancelled because of snow and various members of the family caught the flu. I am hoping that I won't be stymied on my St. Pat's party, however.

Mike

[Kolchak]

My God Girl! You're ONLY going to be 29???

I'd give anything to be 29 again!

In a few years the next stop on my Terror Express is 60!!!

It seems like last week was when I turned 30! My mind says YES! My body says Whoa! Slow Down!!

You bet your 30s will be a great time. You're still young enough to enjoy stuff from both a physical AND emotional point of view!

I don't have to worry about my vampire girls turning to dust, because I only let them get into the indoor heated pool

[MauEvig]

johnsoneliza52 I think there were more Irish folks in the area where I used to live than here, but I could be wrong about that. They had a parade and such as well, but I've never had anything like a St Patty's day party. Being a grown up can suck sometimes, there's more freedom, but freedom isn't free. It's loaded with responsibilities. I know what you mean when it comes to schedules, mine is all over the place. I have next weekend off though, and next weekend is opening weekend at the zoo. Whoo hoo! Hopefully it'll be warm enough to sit at our favorite spot between the cougars and the tigers and eat our lunch.


Pumpkin Man, the most we've ever done for St Patty's family and dinner wise was have a corned beef and cabbage dinner. My step dad would have it every year, but it was usually just me, mom and my step dad.
I think my grandma would have corned beef too.
I always liked making any left overs into Reuben sandwiches. I did get a Shamrock shake today at Mcdonalds, that's kind of a St Patty's day tradition for me to get one every year. If I wait until the actual day they might run out. We might go to Arby's and get a Reuben. Getting a Reuben has become my own little tradition for St Patty's day along with wearing green. It kind of snuck up on me though and it was too cold to decorate for it, but last year I put up some shamrock window clings. After we move to the big house I might do more for it next year if I feel up to it and weather permits. We do have some pretty awesome ideas for Halloween though.
I can totally respect that if you want to revere St Patty's day as an important holiday to get together with family and friends. I guess I always just saw it as "green day" and in a more secular fashion, though I never got into the big drinking scene like some people would do. The town I used to live in, there's a small city/town nearby, I'm not sure if it's considered a town or a city because it's too big to really be a town but too small to be a city, and they have a St Patty's day parade yearly. I only saw the aftermath of it when I used to work at the Smoke shop.
A chicago hot dog does sound pretty good, and I may try those toppings on a burger. I'm always looking to try different things.

I understand what you mean Kolchak. I haven't got to the big 6-0 yet, but considering how fast my twenties have been going, I imagine it won't be long before I get there. The first 30 have been going fast enough, how much faster will the next 30 go? That's why I want to be prepared and get a retirement going. If I can't get a job with 401K I'm going to have to start a savings account or stuff money somewhere and pretend it doesn't exist until I'm retirement age. I met a few older ladies when I worked at Walmart who worked there because they either had no retirement, or didn't have enough. That scares me, because at least by the time I'm 65 I want to relax and enjoy life without having to work.
I am trying to look at my thirties in a more positive light. To be honest, my teen years were depressing, and my 20's were rocky at best, but my boyfriend has helped me get through them and continues to help me now.