HALLOWWEEEEN!!!  We so love this time of year.  The decorations, the trips around the neighborhood, the wonderful costumes, and, a favorite of mine, the scares!  I guess that's why I love roller coasters and other thrill rides so much.  I just love the idea of being put in a scarey situation where I feel I am still safe.  Awesome!  

Then there's our decorations for the big night.  The whole family pitches in to get setup.  Last year we had five animatronics... wonder how many we'll have this year.  Our front yard has two approaches to the candy:  the Fright Path and the Fraidy Path (yeah... I know it's not a real word, but it works). 

For the young ones not interested in being scared, they have the shortest route to the candy.  They're greeted by a couple of friends or family members to look at the kid-friendlier decorations.  And of course, they get candy. 

Then there's the Fright Path... our pride and joy!  As I mentioned above, we have some animatronics (these are the talking, moving life-size statues) that we pepper down our winding walk to the front door.  Scattered among them are real people in costume.  Graves and headstones show where others have fallen.  And up ahead is the most frightening situation... filled with darkness.  The scariest scene of all.  Will you make it to the prize in the doorway?  Will you want to by the time you get there?  One thing's for sure...  after getting there, you'll be ready to leave.  Don't mind the human figures standing between you and your exit... they're probably just animatronics... or are they?

Don't worry.  It's all in good fun.  We do our best to temper our scare to the level in which the young boys and girls can handle.  We turn it up a notch for the teenagers that decide to come through.  So you kids that want to get a scare, probably best not to come through with really young ones right in front or behind you.  Our favorites are the adults of course... They take a special kind of approach to scare.  But it is just classic when you get it!  Still, we really do our best to make sure that our visitor stays safe.

So if you'd like to come by, we're located in Windmill Park.  The Homeowners Association is having a contest for the decorations in the neighborhood, so hopefully it will be a site to see.  Our cul de sac does a nice job overall.  It's all in the spirit of fun and neighborlyness (real word?).  As a matter of fact, our neighbor has a family friend that comes to hang out in the circle for the evening... dressed as Michael Myers (the movie Halloween) and never out of character.  What a treat it is when he comes over and starts following trick-or-treaters around (only those that can handle it).  Great fun!

Hope to see you around!  Just watch out... you may not even know I'm there. 

Mike