The Eve of All Hallow's Eve

I got up at the usual 7:30 this morning, in time for breakfast and WOGL's American Top 40 re-run. I poked my head out to see what the weather was like...and ducked back in to grab a heavier jacket. It was sunny, windy, and cold, probably in the upper 40s-lower 50s. Perfect weather for a spooky weekend.

Did the usual Saturday farm-market/yard sale run this morning. I'm on my last few weeks for my Saturday errands. The Collingswood Farm Market ends the weekend before Thanksgiving, and I usually see the last of the yard sales around Veteran's Day weekend. (Sometimes even earlier if it gets really cold by then.)

There were only a few yard sales today. I saw one in Oaklyn and a bunch in Collingswood. I didn't get anything in Collingswood, but I did find a rather nice fall wreath in the shape of a bow in Oaklyn I bought to replace the cheap dollar-store broom I was using as a fall wreath. I pulled some of the decorations off the broom to use for other fall displays and tossed the wreath. The new wreath is a vine bow with lovely fake fall leaves and flowers in the center. Looks far more elegant than the broom.

I did better at the Farm Market. It was surprisingly busy for a weekend with a lot going on. Corn and peppers are gone, but there's plenty of other things. I bought apples, mushrooms, eggplants, fresh cheddar cheese from the dairy booth, and bananas and pears from the wholesalers. (And I forgot what I was there for, which was spinach. Sigh. I'll just get the bagged spinach from the Acme.)

I rode around for a while longer after leaving the farm market, but there weren't any other good yard sales around. I was home by 11. I had things to do, anyway. I ran The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters while putting everything away and eating leftover chili for lunch. After lunch and the movie, I made my bed, vacuumed the apartment, and aired out the rag rug in my bedroom.

Miss Ellie and I were going to do more pruning this weekend, but we finally decided that with everything going on today and tomorrow, we were better off waiting for Monday to resume outside chores. I went for a walk instead and watched cartoons until it was time to round up my costume and go to work.

I'm being Velma from the many versions of Scooby Doo for work today and tomorrow. It's an easy costume. I already own an orange sweater and a brown skirt, have brown hair, and wear glasses. I bought brown strap shoes from the thrift shop, a magnifying glass from Target, and a stuffed Scooby Doo from a yard sale. I did try to get my hair to lay straight, but I don't have hairspray and didn't want to do a lot of messing around.

Work was crazy-busy when I got in, just dying when I left. Even with the Phillies out of the World Series and the Eagles having a bye week, there's still a lot going on this weekend, up to and including getting close to the beginning of the month. It was generally fun...with the exception of the one incident where a woman slipped and hurt herself after falling in a puddle of soda. I'd just announced that they needed to clean up that after a customer told me about it. They must not have gotten there fast enough.

A lot of people dressed up for work today, especially older employees who get Sundays off. Two cashiers were pirates. Another wore a thick orange feather boa that shed all over the store. One head manager was a gypsy with a huge curly red wig. A guy in the deli wore army fatigues. A college girl who works as a scan checker went as in old lady in a shapeless dress and a wig with huge can rollers.

After I finished, I changed into pants (I wasn't going to ride home in 40-degree weather in a knee-length skirt) and rode over to the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center for dinner. My first thought was Fat Jack's Barbecue...but when I arrived, they were dark. Their sign was lit, but no one was inside and the lights in their store weren't on. There was a sign on their door that more-or-less said Coca-Cola wanted their machines as soon as they opened. They were closed when I went over there last Friday as well.

I wonder what's going on? Sudden bankruptcy? Wouldn't surprise me. They're pretty expensive, especially compared to the intense competition in the Audubon Crossings mall area. In the shopping center complex alone, there's four fast-food joints (including the Subway in the Wal-Mart), one sit-down chain restaurant, one burgers-only chain restaurant, a pizzeria, one regular buffet, and a Chinese buffet that's supposed to open soon. Not to mention the Acme sells some "fast" food. There's also a diner, another pizzeria, and a roadside beef and pork place within two or three blocks of Audubon Crossings. As good as their food was, they may have been lucky to last as long as they did.

I ended up having a quick slice of broccoli and tomato pizza and a Diet Coke at Tu Se Bella's instead. They were busy, but I was able to get a seat in front. After that, I just went straight home. It was too cold and blustery to hang out for much longer!

For those of you who will be concentrating on trick-or-treaters and parties this weekend, I hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween!