Halloween and Out Houses, Have You Ever Heard?

First off today let me say a big "Happy Halloween".  How many of you are going trick or treating tonight?  How many are passing out candy to the little goblins?  Or how many are staying home with the lights turned off and pretending we aren't home?  I fall into that last category and am staying in tonight, pretending I am not here and turning out all the lights.  I am like any other college student out there, broke, no money, Nada to buy candy with.  Oh I will buy some for the grand kids but that's it.  I wish I could enjoy the night as in years past.  Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays.  I am a big kid myself and loved dressing up in costume and taking out the kids or treating the kids.

What do Halloween and Out Houses have in common you're asking?  Here in Mountain View, Arkansas (folk music capital) we celebrate the two together.  The last weekend of October we have the Annual Bean Fest and Out House Races.  Naturally being the last weekend always falls on or near Halloween.  Tourists come from miles and miles and from states and states away to enjoy the music, out house races, craft booths and the huge kettles of beans cooked out on the square around our courthouse.  The cooking starts early and ends with everyone who wants a bowl, and some cornbread, lined up for serving around noon.  I have only stood in line once myself to taste the beans, after standing there for about one hour, finally getting to the front of the line, as the Gods would have it, they ran out as it was my turn.   I've never tasted the beans cooked on the square.  Imagine the jokes the locals tell about Bean Fest.  :)  Yes, if you heard a big explosion over the weekend, don't stress yourself getting to safety, it was just the tourists in Mountain View and all the flatulence, blowing up the town. 

I decided to play tourist (I've not gone in years to this annual event) this weekend and go and attend.  Still no beans for me, but I did watch the racing.  The out houses were decorated so cute and sassy.  If out houses can be sassy.  Most had the two themes running together, Halloween and out house moons.  I video taped the majority of the racing because a dear friend's daughter was driving one of the out houses.  I had every single intention of showing that race here today.  Unfortunately the Gods were against me, again.  Not a single video was worth watching.  I love my digi camera, but the glare from the sun made it to where that's all you seen.  One big bright light with the sounds of laughter in the back ground.  I did manage (or remember) to take a couple of pictures before the start of the races, showing the crowds that had came.  Here's a couple of them.

 For me the highlight of going is seeing all the wonderful vendors and their wares that come from miles around.  Let me just say that this year I was extremely disappointed.  Shocked, I think may have been more the word to use.   Granted it has been probably 5-6 years since I last went, but the vendors were down in number, significantly.  Where once we had vendors lined up around the whole court square, taking up space in the B&B's around the square, lined up all the way down the side streets, this year there may have been ten booths.  Yes, 10 booths.  It was terrible.  Not sure if it's the economy or if it coincides with some other big festival or what, but come back vendors, please come back.  I also noticed that the crowds and traffic were nothing like they used to be.  The locals (me included) would do all of our shopping or visiting during the week so as to avoid town all weekend long.  A sleepy town like ours and the thousands that show up make for unhappy locals when driving.  Not a problem this year at all.  And for once they had traffic control.  LOL.  What a joke that was, since there was no traffic to need controlling.

After perusing the booths (which took all of an hour) I ended up buying nothing.  Again let me remind you, broke college student.  I did however find many home made soaps, bath salts and body scrubs I would loved to have had.  As well as hand made copper jewelry and more.  One man's booth or should I say crafts, were very unusual.  Had I not been broke I do believe I would have purchased something from him.  He had taken field rocks (in all sizes) and put them together with copper tubing and shaped out little ET looking creatures for your garden or lawn.  They were very unique and eye catching.

I actually did have a good time however despite the very few booths.  I enjoyed a blooming onion (which should bloom money since it cost $7) and a large cup of sweet southern iced tea.   All in all it felt good to get out and pretend to be a tourist this weekend.  I hope you had a wonderful weekend as well, along with a spooky fun night planned tonight.  Until next time...........

Sunday Serenity

Sundays are a day in which I spend with God and family.  So in honor of my Sundays as well as yours, I am following in the footsteps of TSAnnie from The Tombstone Chronicler and posting something that's serene.  I've chosen a poem by Maya Angelou entitled Phenomenal Woman.  Coincidentally I had chosen this poem to do a report on for my English Comp class as well.  I had never heard of this poem until I was researching one that touched my soul.  This was it!

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me. 

Changes

Along with the second phase of my life came many many changes.  Almost all of them has been for the best.  The only one that hasn't been for the best really, was my marriage.  But that's another story for another day.  I just don't want to get all teary eyed on this Saturday morning.  Changes however do happen.  Life is full of them and will continue to be that way, forever.  It's all in how you "roll" with these changes that help make you who you are.  I am a optimist about most everything.  Naturally I'm normal and do have pessimistic days.

Very Old House

Little Trailer in the Woods

Some of the changes in the last year have included moving from a large old house built in the 1930's to moving into a single wide, small, one bedroom trailer.    Was I sad about this?  I can honestly say, no.  I hated that old house with a passion that came from deep inside.  I love small, cozy things My Little Trailer in the Woods included.  Since I am the only one living here, it suits me perfectly.  I've never been one to hang onto things and hate clutter with a passion, so small just works.  Other changes about me was my decorating style.  While I used to be all shabby chic, pink, roses and doilies, I have gone to the total and complete opposite.  I have changed to dorm room chic, modern style.  I never thought this would happen!  I was a pink roses person for as long as I can remember.  Then one day while out looking for new furniture and accessories it just hit me.  I want a whole other style.  Things started catching my eyes that never did before.  Bright, bold colors drew me in.  Yes, black is still my basic color but instead of my clothes being all black, my house has took that color over.  Except that my house is not completely black (lord I am not dead), that is just the main color with bold accents.

Here's the main furniture pieces in my living room.

What a drastic change huh?  I love my new living room.  Gone are the dust catching doilies, all the foofoo pink, and the roses.  Now, this doesn't mean I am not feminine any more, it just means I've changed.  I am loving this new life of mine.

Getting to Know Me

Good morning to everyone.  I figured this first post should give you a little insight into me and what I will be blogging about in the future.  So let's go:

I am a single, mid lifer who is attending college for the first time in years.  Yup, you read that right, 49 year old college student.  (Contain your excitement please).  I like to think of it as the second phase of my life (not the second chapter, as lord knows I am on chapter 20 if that's the case).

College thus far has been a real eye opener for me.  I love it!  I was sorta scared about being my age and going back.  I was worried about what the "younger" people would think about it.  Stupid I know, for me to have thought that way.  No one gave a crap about it, except me.  LOL.   I started out taking 6 classes and have dropped to 5.  Sociology was for the birds, and I sincerely hope the teacher of the class gets shit on by one of those birds.  *smile*  He and I never seen "eye to eye", he however did see "boobs to boobs".  Oh well enough of that.  I am taking, Keyboarding (which is a complete waste of my precious time), English Comp 1 (brings out the writer in me), Fundamentals of Math (read dummy on that subject), College Success (forced upon class), and Medical Terminology (lurve it).  I am excited about graduating with an Associates Degree in Health Information Management.  Just a fancy name for Medical Billing, Coding and Transcription.  Don't you just love those fancy names?  Makes you feel even more important in life.

Let's see what else you might want to know about me.  As said I am single (thanks to the man I thought I would be spending the rest of my life with), he just up and decided he no longer loved me.  So I up and decided I no longer wanted to live with him.  Middle age problem, me thinks, but at this point I don't care anymore.  Although granted I miss the cuddling, and the sex (that goes without saying).  More the cuddling than the sex people.  Someday my prince will come.  (Preferably in a new car and not on a horse, or one that climbs through my window and I'm a prostitute).  Of yes, if you know a good man send him HERE.

I am blessed to have two wonderful children.  One child (my son) lives directly behind me, who has given me three grand children.   My other child is a daughter who lives away from me, who works full time and attends college.  She has given me no grand children.  (And she better not rush into giving me another grand child.)

I also have my faithful companion in life (probably the only one that will be worth a crap), my precious little Hopeless.  She's a full blooded Pomeranian that I rescued from the animal shelter shortly after moving here.   I can always count on her to snuggle with me.

I live in what I refer to as "My Little Trailer in the Woods".  My little trailer sits on three wooded acres and has lots of wildlife.  Deer mostly, squirrels as well.  My car is a "deer radar" as I've now managed to wipe out a total of 4, yes 4, deer with it.  My poor front passenger side has a taped together headlight.  I gave up trying to keep it fixed and in one piece.  It was getting costly for me.

Well............this is it about my life right now.  Wouldn't want to bore you to death right off the bat.  I do hope you hang around and share your life with me, explore how college is for us mid lifers, and hear some tales of the grands.  Watch my second phase grow and thrive as I attempt the Life That I Love.