Halloween Decorations

I love all Halloween decorations, especially ones that move. My favorite one is an inflatable cauldron with a witch’s legs sticking out and kicking back and forth!

Another one is a giant inflatable haunted tree. Shaking and glowing, the tree extends its branch-claws to reach out and grab you.

A third creative design is a witch riding a bike … with black-purple-orange spoked wheels spinning in the wind. 

Even a decoration that doesn’t actually move – a red-eyed black horse pulling a haunted carriage driven by white masked ghoul – suggests a scary ride you wouldn’t want to take!

I also enjoy Halloween decorations that don’t move. In contrast to their animated counterparts, some “still” decorations seem a bit lazy. I saw a huge inflatable black cat, for example, flopped on its stomach with its legs sticking out to the side. Most menacing inflatable cat decorations are poised to pounce, not to nap. And what about ghosts sitting in chairs? How does a ghost even sit in a chair -- wouldn’t it just fall through? Finally, the skeletons lying down on ground – not posed like they are climbing out of graves – crack me up. They look like they’re taking a snooze. But how are skeletons tired? Aren't they dead?  

On the other hand, when I see a scarecrow sitting in a chair I understand why – after all, it stands all day and night watching over a field. The scarecrow who seems to need a break the most is the one I’ve seen napping in a hammock.

This Won't Make You Want a Flu Shot ...

During my weekly grocery trip to socialize shop at Giant, I overheard a customer at the flu shot clinic gently rib the pharmacist, “It’s probably not a good idea to give out pens with the word ‘hearse’ on them to fill out flu shot forms.”

The pharmacist sheepishly smiled. “Oops – I didn’t realize the pen said ‘hearse’. Do you want another one?”

The customer replied good-naturedly, “Nah, it’s okay. I assume I won’t need one because of the shot.”

I wondered if the customer meant a pen or a hearse!

I also saw many people pushing carts with PILES of green Harris Teeter bags! Perhaps they all encountered the same HT representative at Olney Community Night that I did and like me, they couldn’t say no.

If an Alien Landed at Olney Community Night …

… it would think we are all exercise fanatics. I’ve often heard Olney residents joke that our town has too many restaurants and banks. However, at last week’s Community Night I counted 3 dance studios (Berrend Dance Center, Dancin’ 4 Ever, Studio of Ballet Arts); 3 yoga studios (Aspen Hill Body & Brain Yoga, Open Heart Healing, Yin Yang Yoga & Fitness); 3 martial arts schools (Kang’s Black Belt Academy, Master Method Karate, Scott Teague’s Academy of Martial Arts); 3 gyms (Curves, Gold’s Gym, The Little Gym); 1 golf course (Blue Mash); a fundraiser that requires walking/running (Relay for Life) and even a tutoring center that sounds like it teaches numbers through exercise (Mathnasium of Olney). If the alien said that our town likes physical activity, I proudly agree that Olney is indeed a vibrant and active community.

And if the alien thought that we are a bit high maintenance (with places like Hand+Stone Massage and Facial Spa, Luxuria Salon & Spa; Spa and Massage Envy), I would say that we deserve pampering after working out. If the alien thought perhaps we were overdoing ourselves (and needed places like Integrated Sport, Spine & Rehab, Life Chiropractic and Moss Chiropractic), I would admit okay, maybe a little.

I would emphasize to the alien that at least we burn off the food we eat at our numerous restaurants.  Most importantly, we have plenty of banks to get money to pay for all of our exercising, pampering, rehabbing of sports injuries, and dining.

Peace Walks - The Sounds of Olney

I’ve heard that people who have lost their vision develop a refined sense of hearing and those who have lost their hearing develop a refined sense of sight. For those of us who are lucky to have our vision and our hearing, it can be hard to do both simultaneously.

Recently, I have been venturing out from walking around my block to seeking out more interesting nature paths in and around Olney. So far, I have enjoyed the UndergroundRailroad Trail accessible from Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park in Sandy Spring and the Quaker Meeting House trail also in Sandy Spring (both intersect at the historic fresh-water spring that gave the community its name). I've also hiked in Lake Needwood, particularly the path from the boathouse.

Beyond the beautiful scenery, I have been trying to pay attention to nature's sounds. This video that captures the sound of the rustling trees at Lake Needwood, and this video that records the sound of rippling waves at a Hampton Beach in New Hampshire (okay, that was nowhere near Olney but I happened to be there last weekend).

I look forward to many more Peace Walks and capturing more sounds.

 

What's on the Bag?

As I noted in an earlier post "Social Giant", I usually shop at Giant but occasionally visit one of the other three grocery stores in town. One of those establishments, Harris Teeter, hosted a table by the exhibit hall entrance at last week’s Olney Community Night.  As I shuffled behind the crowd entering the exhibit hall, I couldn’t help but pause in front of the table. Despite trying to avoid any eye contact, I couldn’t pass the table quickly or stealthily enough.

"Would you like one?" the Harris Teeter representative greeted me, holding out a green Harris Teeter cloth bag. I hesitated and -- as silly as this may sound -- panicked mildly. I thought, 'Augh! I seldom shop at Harris Teeter! I don't want to appear disloyal while shopping at Giant!'

Not wanting to be ungracious, I smiled and accepted the bag quietly. When I returned home, I gave the Harris Teeter bag to my husband to stash in his car. I figure 1) he rarely grocery shops and 2) even if he does and visits Giant, he’ll look like the traitor, not me!

Does anyone else ever worry about shopping in one store while carrying a cloth bag emblazoned with another store's name?

The Voice

While driving around town, I frequently spot familiar faces and want to stick my head out of the car to shout "Hi (insert person's name)!" If I'm on a neighborhood side street, I sometimes even stop to catch up. On the more heavily traveled roads, however, my good intentions can go awry.

One afternoon while coasting down Morningwood Drive, I saw a friend who had been ill. Delighted that she was out and about, I called "Hi (name)!" Unfortunately, I travel faster on Morningwood Drive than I do on a neighborhood side street. By the time she heard my voice and looked up, I was gone. In the rear view mirror I saw her searching for a disembodied voice. Luckily I was able to make a legal U-turn, drive back to her house, stop for a minute and greet her properly.

I wasn't so lucky on Bowie Mill Road. One morning I spotted another friend fetching the newspaper at the end of her driveway. Again, I yelled, "Hi (name)!" but since I was on Bowie Mill Road during rush hour, I couldn't slow down … unless I wanted to cause a multi-car pileup. All I could do was drive on and watch my friend in my rear view mirror look up, searching the air above, behind and all around her for the source of the mysterious voice.

When I got home, I called her. Ring, ring... "Hi, this is Daphne. Sorry - that was me just a few minutes ago that shouted hello. I wanted to say hi but then realized I couldn't slow down in that traffic." 

My friend laughed, "I was wondering who was calling me! My daughter? My neighbor? The wind? Thanks for calling and letting me know I'm not crazy and hearing voices!"