Day 38: Yuletide on John Street Part Two

We have a LOT of Christmas decorations.

 For eleven months of the year they were stored in the crawlspace under the house; this box was ready for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008. (And maybe 2009. I can't make out 2006 and 2007 for sure, but I would assume the box came out those years too.)

 No, this elf did not come out of that box. He was contorted among some stuffed animals.

As was this dirty Santa... Here he's a bit worried about the lack of snow on the ground.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

My mother used to string these Santa lights above the balcony.

I believe this box of ornaments, with the Sav-On price tag intact, were inherited from my grandmother. Fifty-nine cents for a dozen!

American made too!

Our dog and two cats had to share a stocking. (That is my writing. Note the correct punctuation!)

In this shot you can see the light-up eight-point star that also was plugged in on our balcony.

This is a Christmas card holder that was hung across the mantelpiece.

My nephew Luke has a taste.




One of the many advent calendars that we reused every year. Pictures only.. No chocolate!

 Who remembers Glass-wax? We would decorate the picture window and the sliding glass doors each year.

My mother did a Christmas letter (in rhyme, with photos) each year, but sometimes sent "regular" cards to local folk who didn't require the personal news. Here's a snazzy assortment.

I bought these Christmas plates for my mother a few years ago. Last Christmas I made these lime cookies (cut into the shape of houses) in London (though not in Limehouse) and brought a few back.

I have acquired quite a selection of wrapping paraphernalia over the years.  Available and ready to wrap your packages in 2015!

Day 37: Pool Party Pics Part Two

I believe this one is from 1981, when Mikey and Kevin were both in my band. I wonder what they were talking about.

July 1982: Here is one of the signs that hung in the back yard when we moved into the house. This is the back corner of the yard and I am standing with Christina while Mike Livingston looks on in the background... (Just what is he up to?!) I got the Yoruba shirt at an African fair. Later that year Stuart Green gave me a Teach Yourself Yoruba book for Christmas. I never did.

 Back to the summer of 1981 for the rest. I believe I was sent this photo by Michael Uhlenkott, but if I'm wrong, please let me know! David Wiley arrives.

Twinkletoes Kevin and Geza X (I think!); photo from M.U.

 Michael, P.J. and Regina; another one from M.U.

 Michael U., David Wiley, Mikey Borens; photo from M.U.

Another sent to me by Michael. Look at these young things!

Day 36: Halloween on John Street

My parents never decorated the house for Halloween apart from my mother carving the odd pumpkin, which would usually be smashed during the night. (I never understood that, nor, especially, TPing someone's house - what a waste!) But in recent years, the Halloween displays of other people in this neighborhood have become extreme - way bypassing the now tasteful and subdued Christmas displays. There are sound and light shows at timed intervals, whole front yards turned into graveyards (one had a tombstone with Sid Vicious displaying the incorrect year), a veritable miniature Knott's Scary Farm.

Well, for the first time in decades I was going to be home on Halloween, here in the family house. I went to the 99 Cent store for something else, something which they no longer carried, as about eight aisles were given over to Halloween stuff. There was even a sale on, so the 99 cent stuff was actually 49 and 79 cents, so I loaded up my basket. And this was the result.

The front door has not always been painted white, but I believe that the bead curtain was in place when we moved in in 1972. Those 1970s earth tones are the right shade for autumn and Halloween.

Purple seems to be the new Halloween color, along with orange and black. This purple glitter pumpkin sits happily atop the rusty oil drum, formerly filled with moths.

Tarantulas don't spin webs, but then again they also don't have green rhinestones on their legs.

 This one has managed to attract a moth, even without a web!

 A real spider incorporates the glitter skull trim into its web, and enjoys the juices of a moth.

The porch light has always been a haven for spiders. My father would leave them the specimens he did not want.

These mini pumpkins were on sale at Trader Joe's. A couple of them are still turning to mulch outside in a planter. I think one was eaten by a raccoon.

99 Cent Store fun.

Porky the Stork dons cobwebs and a witch's hat.

Dig those tiny glitter pumpkins!

Day 35: My Mom's Costume Cupboard Part Two

More photos from my niece and nephew's fashion show, digging into my mom's costume collection.

Luke

Annabelle

Drake