We're confirmed. We will be doing our photos on Sunday September 27th. We'll be taking them at our photographer's grandfather's house in Northampton. He has an old little shop attached to his house and he and his wife collect antique objects such as shaving equipment and cooking implements. He's booking over an hour for us.

We're bringing a CD player and will be playing the soundtrack for fun and for mood. The only thing is now that we're with a real professional photographer we won't be walking out with a print. It'll take a few days for him to edit and process them. :( That's alright. We'll hopefully have them by blot that Saturday. I've sure that at least one copy of the family picture is antiqued. I'll have to request it though I have a feeling Matt's already on it.

We chose the 27th knowing Greg would be at Wilfire the week after. He'll be missing the blot. He has to shave for the pictures and he doesn't want anyone to see him (lest he be put on Vingolf probation again!). He'll be fully grown in for the Halloween party and won't shave for the party. The wig and the chops will be enough. :)

I'm getting excited!! Now I just have to teach Greg to waltz so we can do some action shots.

Oh, and now I have to crush the heart and soul of the Sadie's employee who wanted so desperately to do our photos. It's gonna suck when I cancel the appointment.

Incidentally, now I have to formally begin thinking about next years photos. I think we might go with literary characters. I know Greg's interested in Sherlock Holmes (he was a beekeeper after all), I want to do the White Witch of Narnia and it would be easy for Maddie to either do Coraline formally or Madeline the little French girl. Not sure about Meghan. She'll come up with a goodie I'm sure.

I got a new book. It's called Extreme Pumpkins. I have found this year's lawn decoration.

( Click if you dare )

A la Tim Burton...

( Down By the Sea...By the Beautiful Sea... )

Well, almost. I just have a few adjustments but that won't happen until the day of the photos.

I took a long, wavy brown wig that I've had for a few years and went to town. :) That's one less thing I have to actually buy. Recycle! Recycle! Recycle! I think this is the wig from when I went as an elf many, many years ago. Anyway, I like it better now.

( Did you come here for a pie, sir? )

Maddie made Halloween very easy on me. She wants to be Coraline. One yellow slicker, one pair of yellow rainboots, a blue wig and a pair of blue jeans.

Badda Bing!

How cool is this???

http://www.casketfurniture.com/casket_furniture.php


I must have the casket shelving unit. I am sooooo lucky that my husband is a part time hobby woodworker. Ooooooohhhhhhhh hooooooooonnnneeeeeeyyyyyyyy...

hehe

I have posted pictures in a long time. I'll group them together.

Let me start with one above the cut. I got my engagement ring back. We were going to do the "two hand" formal photo since Greg's ring is all sparkly with goodness but I can't figure out when we'll do it. Sooooo.....here's mine!! That's my original diamond cleaned and put in a new setting. The diamond is "embraced" by a separate ring that has the two marquis cut sapphires and two small round cut diamonds. The two rings are soldered together to form one band. The band under is my newly rodiumed and polished wedding band. Greg's band was rodiumed and polished as well. They are quite spiffy. I'm simply in love. I didn't want to "upgrade" my diamond which is what is usually done after so many anniversaries. I wanted to keep the original one and enhance it some way.



Under the cut you'll see:

Vingolf's Odin Blot

Awesome carved pumpkins from Greg's work

Random very adorable cat pictures (which incidentally I need good LOL captions from all of you)

Maddie's family dinner birthday

Some "parent watch day" pictures from dance class.

( Random stuff pictures )

I offer you a Poe reading. My favorite poem of all times evah.

1843
THE CONQUEROR WORM
by Edgar Allan Poe

Lo! 'tis a gala night
Within the lonesome latter years!
An angel throng, bewinged, bedight
In veils, and drowned in tears,
Sit in a theatre, to see
A play of hopes and fears,
While the orchestra breathes fitfully
The music of the spheres.

Mimes, in the form of God on high,
Mutter and mumble low,
And hither and thither fly-
Mere puppets they, who come and go
At bidding of vast formless things
That shift the scenery to and fro,
Flapping from out their Condor wings
Invisible Woe!

That motley drama- oh, be sure
It shall not be forgot!
With its Phantom chased for evermore,
By a crowd that seize it not,
Through a circle that ever returneth in
To the self-same spot,
And much of Madness, and more of Sin,
And Horror the soul of the plot.

But see, amid the mimic rout
A crawling shape intrude!
A blood-red thing that writhes from out
The scenic solitude!
It writhes!- it writhes!- with mortal pangs
The mimes become its food,
And seraphs sob at vermin fangs
In human gore imbued.

Out- out are the lights- out all!
And, over each quivering form,
The curtain, a funeral pall,
Comes down with the rush of a storm,
While the angels, all pallid and wan,
Uprising, unveiling, affirm
That the play is the tragedy, "Man,"
And its hero the Conqueror Worm.

-THE END-
.

Another year has come and gone. I feel like the sad skeletons from Danse Macabre after the cock crows. Head down, shuffling back into the grave until next Halloween. ::sigh::

Since this is the culmination of my year, I was entirely too stressed about the weather. I usually have no provisions for housing 50 people inside my house if it's pouring. In the last eight years we've had a bit of drizzle once and some cold but that was it. This year the forecast was ominous and I had to figure out what to do. Lo and behold, colmunson to the rescue!!! He had a massive canvas 13'x20' merchants tent. Between that and the tarping I both borrowed and bought (for the purpose of screening in the porches) I figured we were set. Only probably was the entertainment would suffer. Can't spin in the rain and wind. ::sigh again::

Miraculously the rain stopped. It just stopped at 8PM (when the party started). It was a bit soggy but between the propane tent heater, the candles and both fires outside I think everyone stayed dry and toasty. We had several spinning sessions throughout the night as well. I didn't have as many kids activities that I wanted. Due to my obsession concerning the rain, the fact that you can't do most activities in the rain, and my preoccupation with getting tenting up it suffered greatly. For this I am sorry.

The costumes were incredible. It seems they get better and better every single year. I have to pat myself on the back for the ones I made. The brides were awesome. Rainbow Brite was ridiculously cute and I was pleased with my hobbit dress. There was much food and VERY much mead and wine. We have about eight full bottles left over (and there were about another seven drunk!). Much mead flowed freely and I hope no one left sober or hungry (except for DD of course).

Just about everyone came. I was pleasantly surprised to see fuzzy1313! I was just at the point where I thought he didn't like us. :( Greg had to shave for his "costume" so Fuzzy, Jesse and Christine put him on Vingolf probationary status. No beard, no kindred. ;) Fortunately he'll probably be reinstated before the next blot. He was quite uncomfortable without it. erichp also shaved for his costume so he and Greg felt depressed together. The things these guys will do for halloween. Warms the cockles of my heart. Charlie Manson and Sarah Palin won the adult costume contest. The Prophecy Angel (which he had become known as) and Lizzie Bride won the teen costume contest.

The firespinning was awesometastic (my spellcheck didn't like that). Jason (who now has an LJ: gypsy_jay13 awed everyone with his fire eating, spinning, and whip skills. Big John made his firespinning public performance debut to the delight of the guests. At one point we had Greg, John and Jason spinning at once. Happy day!

OK, enough chattering. Here are the pictures. I hope you enjoy them! Under the cut are some of the videos. I have no idea why Greg's first spin is sideways. My mother taped it and said she had the camera the right way (and she did...I saw). I think she might have the settings wrong. Anyone who knows how to right this should let me know. Until then, shut up, stop laughing and tilt your head, damn it! This is the first time he did any contact moves!

Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12225740@N03/sets/72157608401603761/

( Halloween Party Videos )
Christine, Melissa, and Jason spent the night and we headed out for brunch after we all woke up. We went together in Jason's purple hearse (Bella). It was fun climbing in the back and freaking out the Sunday afternoon old biddy church goers stopping by a diner for lunch. Hehehe

Onto schoolwork, laundry, clean up and all things boring.

Post script: GO PHILLIES! GO EAGLES! What a great weekend.

It is quite possible that I could O.D. on Chiller TV.

Nothing to do + Bored + Husband at a blot + kids in bed + Housework done + Horrible, cheesy horror movies/shows on = mind numbing addiction.

Who the hel doesn't love Christopher Walken!

October Saturday Quotes:

"I don't believe in evil, I believe only in horror. In nature there is no evil, only an abundance of horror: the plagues and the blights and the ants and the maggots."

Isak Dinesen

This I believe in... I believe in death. I believe in disease. I believe in injustice and inhumanity, torture and anger and hate... I believe in murder. I believe in pain. I believe in cruelty and infidelity. I believe in slime and stink and every crawling, putrid thing... every possible ugliness and corruption, you son of a bitch. I believe... in you.

Dt. Kinderman

It was quick and easy. Togas are pretty simple to wear. I'm not really happy with the quality of these pictures, actually. When you go smaller they pixilate. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Also, the individual shots of Maddie are not on the disk. Not happy. No sir, not happy at all. I have a call in tomorrow. Hopefully they still have proofs or I'll be pissed.

Anyway, please click on each picture if you want to see the close up.

(  I begin to sing of Demeter, the holy goddess with the beautiful hair...I will tell of Dionysus, the son of glorious Semele, how he appeared on a jutting headland by the shore of the fruitless sea...Eris whose wrath is relentless, she is the sister and companion of murderous Ares...Now the gods at the side of Zeus were sitting in council over the golden floor, and among them the goddess Hebe (Youth) poured them nectar as wine )

The Raven narrated by Christopher Walken



You know, pretty soon I'm going to OD on Halloween stuff.

Internetz bad for me.

OK, who wants on. This will be for all things Halloween...including preparations and costuming.

Just comment and I'll add you.

All pictures are always under cuts and the posts will be marked as filtered.

First post will probably be in the next few days. Sweeney Todd has been put off until next year so there won't be a costume "theme" this year for the get together although there will be handmade costumes of course. The family pics will be the Greek Gods costumes from last year.

Fuck The Mummy for next year's Halloween costumes.

We're doing Sweeney Todd a la Burton.

That is all.

EDIT: OK, that is not all. All those who want to be on the new costume filter for this year raise your hands! (Or just comment to be added to the new filter.) I'll have probably the same amount of posts as last year (which weren't that many).

It's a little on the long side (10 minutes) but well worth it. The illustrations are simply divine. Hail to the genius of Tim Burton.

What can I say? It was a freakin' awesome party! Everyone who came had fantastic costumes. The contest was really close (well, exept for the "adult male" catagory...see pictures to understand). Everyone helped with wine and food and the spread was awesome. The food was delicious. I'm pretty sure the kids (both big and small) had a blast. The pinata was a hit (at least for some...quite a few missed completely!) The high point of the night was eretik who showed off her skill for her first public firespinning performance. As I told her, when she was done there wasn't a man there (married or single) that hadn't seriously considered trying to take her home with them! HA! She was so worried and nervous but it was the most awesome thing. The neighbor teenaged geeks were making Indian hooting sounds when the drumming started...that is until eretik started the show. Then they were quite quiet as they sat on their porch and watched. Hehe. Included for your entertainment is a small video of the show. The mead and wine flowed freely and the last guests left well after 3AM. The weather finally cooperated this year! Seven years of parties and it's always raining, freezing, and/or windy as hel. This year no wind, no rain and it was about 55 degrees all night. The fire was toasty and the friends were warm. Thanks to everyone for making this year another sucess!

( 23 PICTURES OF THE MADNESS and a VIDEO )

After toil and tears, here they are. For the most part I'm pleased. What I don't like I'm hoping the digital wizard asarotte will be able to fix.

( Bless the Maker and all His Water; Bless the coming and going of Him; May His passing cleanse the world. May He keep the world for his people. )

Tomorrow is costume photograph day. Eek. I've been toiling away at these things for several months. Now they get put all together. I think what I like the most about them is their simplicity which I think captures the essence of the Fremen. I didn't have a 10 million dollar budget that allowed these things to be all Sci-fi-like. I had simple fabrics, simple decorations, and simple ideas. I'm hoping that they appear primitive; tribal. It's going to be the details that make them come I alive, I think. We had to figure out what to do with Greg's water rings. I wanted to put them across his chest attached to his leather brace. Greg rejected it saying that to show off water rings in that fashion would be to flaunt wealth, something a Fremen wouldn't do. So we adjusted the plan. The water rings are along his waist belt, but almost hidden from view. You might get a glimpse of them, but they won't be the focal point of his costume. Tomorrow I'll draw on his facial tattoos, plait his beard, and sew the water rings into Meghan's hair. We had plaits put in her hair and she's going to crimp what's hanging long. She'll carry a tea service because that is what a good Fremen woman would do. Maddie and I will be under Hajibs so you won't see our hair at all (that's two less heads I have to worry about...phew).

The costumes for the Halloween party are just about finished. Just have to get Greg's helmet and leg armor. He'll work on his shield this week. I found great little plastic snakies for my hair (whoo hoo!). I think next year for the family pics we're just going to do an homage to Homer and go with these costumes. Atalanta, a Spartan warrior, Medusa and a tiny little Hebe. Mucho easy so I won't go insane right about this time next year.

I'm tired. I've got tons of reading for classes. I actually slept today. I had to get up at 6 to gas up the car before taking Meghan to early bird class. Came home, got the baby up, dressed her, took her to school, came home and collapsed...for three hours. Unusual but very necessary. I usually come home and do school work, meet with professors, get tutored, whatever. Today I crawled back into bed and went to sleep the minute I came home.

Got reading to do. I'm done for the night.

Went to my algebra tutoring session this morning after dropping the girls off at school. My professor is awesome. He really loves math. He noticed that all my wrong answers (and there weren't that many) were due to one issue. That's a good thing. When you are screwing up one step it's fixable. When you're screwing up 5 different steps in each problem it's going to take a lot of time to figure out what's going on. So he thinks I'm do OK. I'm going to finish my reviews and my practice tests and then go in for the big first test. Thank the gods I don't suffer from test anxiety. Math anxiety? Yes, but I won't get stressed out when I get to the testing center.

Spent the rest of the morning working on the Halloween costumes. We're going to have two seperate costumes: one for the pictures and one for the party. The Dune costumes are just too complicated for a party. I convinced Meghan to do Athena for the party. Gotta find a stuffed owl. Greg refused to do Leonidas but has agreed to be a Greek soldier (something about refusing to wear leather underwear with a leather codpiece ::shrugs:: I think he would have looked hot. hehe). He's going to make Meg and his shields some time in the next few weeks. We'll be taking our picture early because Greg wants to shave off his beard like there's no tomorrow. It's itchy.

So there seems to be a drop in hunters. I gotta push Greg to start hunting. He wants to but hasn't had the time to get equipment and learn how.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/09/03/fewer.hunters.ap/index.html

Hmmm. I think that's it. I'm going to write a few article responses for Child Development and then off to get Maddie.

I've started cutting and sewing. The first pictures of Maddie's Alia costume should be up this coming week. I've made some new friends on LJ and wanted to give them the opportunity to go on the Dune Costume filter if they want. Some of you have no choice (unless you scream, kick and call me names) because I'll need your opinion and suggestions on my designs (xvfui, that means you Dune buddy).

My family does their portraits in costume every year. We usually pick a theme (last year was Alice in Wonderland). This year is Dune. If you want to be on the special filter where I talk about the costumes as I make them and show pictures, comment and I'll add you. If you are already in from the formal post I made about a month ago, you can ignore this post completely.

That is all.