And They Just Kept on Coming....

Oh. My. Gosh.

I was already running behind due to the rain and/or wind for 3 days running this week, not to mention the handyman (who was also here 3 days this week!), so the last 48 hours I've been trying to play massive catch-up.  The canopy tent went up Thurs. afternoon, despite a beginning wind, and the walls went up on Friday.  This morning my little neighbor and I hung black sheets inside the tent, put out the casket, mummy parts, and skeleton groundbreaker, and assembled the firepit for tonight's party.

Then I came in and damp mopped the floors, threw one of the cake mixes for Kitty Litter cake into the oven, sent Jack to the ABC store, picked up what I could and threw white sheets over everything else, and grabbed a shower.  The party was to start at 5. It was 6pm before anyone came, and then a couple more families came.  All of a sudden the doorbell started ringing off the wall.

Trick-or-Treaters were out in full force tonight.  I have to confess, I was taken completely by surprise.  I thought we might have a dozen or so due to Hallowe'en falling on a Sunday night, here in the upper edge of the Bible Belt, but I was not prepared for the influx we had tonight.  At one point the kids were lined up down my steps, my sidewalk and into my driveway!  There were at least 30 of them. I have never had this many kids at one time in all the years I've been giving out candy. I don't think most of them live in this neighborhood, even.  There were only 2-3 I recognized.

I think what happened is, downtown Hendersonville had their "festival" on Main Street tonight, (with a headless horsemand and carriage, no less) and  when it was over, about 7pm or so, some neighborhood native said, " I know--let's go out to ______; there's a Hallowe'en nut lives in that place." It was a darned parade!

And the thing is, the yard haunt isn't finished yet!  I didn't get the dry ice into the casket, I haven't carved the first jack o'lantern, there are still more ghosts and creepies to put up, I haven't even tested the fogger, the witch jars aren't ready to hang, and the cobwebs are still in the bags. And the tent is dark. My light sources weren't even in there and neither was I.    But you know, as I went out there to show my next door neighbors more of the almost-finished product, I didn't see a single thing vandalized or even missing. I really appreciate everyone respecting our property.

Poor Tandi is on sensory overload.  There were 3 kiddos in the house, including a 2-year-old, who could crawl under the table where Tandi was trying to take refuge, and at one point he even crawled into her crate.  Between that and the almost constant ring of the doorbell , she was freaking out, despite the doggy Prozac I gave her this afternoon. There was no safe place for her, so she finally lost it and snapped at the little boy.  At that point, I put her in the crate and pulled the sheet down.  The poor baby needed a break, and I didn't want her to hurt anyone.  Next year, she'll spend party time at the boarder's place.  This was the whole point in putting up the tent--to re-route all the ToTs away from the doorbell so she wouldn't go psycho on me.  Who knew there would be so many tonight?

Tomorrow I will need to make another run to the grocery store for more candy, as I have about 1/3 left, and will be putting out the last of the props.  I have to say, even for an amateur, they look pretty good--especially in the dark.  If I weren't so doggone tired I'd go take pictures now, while it's quiet. 

So another pictureless post for now.  Crystal Dragonfly, if you're reading this, I have to tell you the casket is a hit! Thanks for passing it (and more) on to me via Craigslist.