Candlelight & Cannonballs! (MANY MARDI GRAS MASK PICS!) Dec. 2012- Start Pg.235/#3524

[WDWJonasGirl]

Originally Posted by Sherry E

Thank you, Kaitlin! When I visited the Halloween Round-Up the other day, there were only a few carved pumpkins on display because it was just the first day of the Halloween season. By the time you get to DLR this weekend, the Round-Up should be full of carved character pumpkins! The carvers are constantly carving new pumpkins every day, to replace the ones that go bad. Be sure to take lots of photos for us!

I will do my best.

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by kaoden39

Well, my problems were finally solved. First my dryer broke 2 weeks ago and then my washer died on Sunday night. We had to buy a new dryer but we got "lucky" with the second one because I had my grandpa's in my storage. But the plumbing going out to the washer got jacked up so until tonight because of massive overtime that Scotty has been working it wasn't fixed until tonight.

What a pain! At least it was all taken care of, finally. I would have been annoyed and stressing over that situation, I'm sure.

I live in a building with maybe 30-ish apartments or so (give or take a few - I can't seem to quite count out 30 apartments, but they tell me that's how many there are?). In some of the apartments, there is more than one tenant so who knows how many people actually live in the building? We only have one tiny, tiny laundry room - and when I say tiny, I mean there is no room to fold your clothes or set them down anywhere, and if you are in there with even one other person you are cramped and invading each other's personal space - with 2 washing machines and 2 dryers. That's right - 2 washing machines and 2 dryers in a tiny, tiny laundry room for 30-ish apartments and many tenants. That's it. These machines cost a fortune, too. So, as you can imagine, when something breaks down or goes haywire with plumbing, the tenants are in an uproar. As it is, I have to try to creep down to the laundry room at times when no one else should be there - like super early in the morning - and I still run into other people!

Originally Posted by kaoden39

What amazing artist they have in Disneyland. I love there pumpkin carvings.

Michele -

The pumpkins really are amazing. You have to have strong, steady hands to do that kind of artwork, too. By now, the number of carved pieces they have on display has probably quadrupled from what it was when I was there one week ago. I'm sure they've got an extra carver on duty now. And in another week or two, some of the pumpkins from my photos last week will probably no longer be there. Supposedly, some of them only have a 2-week shelf life, while others can last a month, or maybe even the entire season. In any case, the pumpkins they have on display change all through the season so there is always something new to see!

Originally Posted by WDWJonasGirl

I will do my best.

Kaitlin - I look forward to whatever photos you come up with this weekend!!







Michele and Kaitlin -

I have to thank you guys for still being here! It is sooooo hard for me to post updates from this PC because it gives me so much trouble, especially when working in Photobucket. I can't post the really big photos anymore because my PC will literally lock up and not load the pages when the photos are too big (I have that problem in my own TR, and with other folks' TR's when their photos are too big - the pages will not load for me and I have to reboot), but even working with the smaller sizes and copying IMG codes gives me endless problems. If anyone saw exactly what I was dealing with, they would wonder why I was even bothering and how I had not taken a sledgehammer to this PC yet.

So I am glad to know you guys are out here. I'd hate to think I am struggling with this stupid PC and Photobucket only to have no one following along! I have posted 8 installments - 7 of which have lots of photos - and am just about to post installment #9.....but most folks disappeared long ago! Everyone else abandoned me!!


So thank you guys for being here!


Okay, Part 9 comin' right up with more from the Halloween Round-Up!!

[kaoden39]

Originally Posted by Sherry E

What a pain! At least it was all taken care of, finally. I would have been annoyed and stressing over that situation, I'm sure.

I live in a building with maybe 30-ish apartments or so (give or take a few - I can't seem to quite count out 30 apartments, but they tell me that's how many there are?). In some of the apartments, there is more than one tenant so who knows how many people actually live in the building? We only have one tiny, tiny laundry room - and when I say tiny, I mean there is no room to fold your clothes or set them down anywhere, and if you are in there with even one other person you are cramped and invading each other's personal space - with 2 washing machines and 2 dryers. That's right - 2 washing machines and 2 dryers in a tiny, tiny laundry room for 30-ish apartments and many tenants. That's it. These machines cost a fortune, too. So, as you can imagine, when something breaks down or goes haywire with plumbing, the tenants are in an uproar. As it is, I have to try to creep down to the laundry room at times when no one else should be there - like super early in the morning - and I still run into other people!



Michele -

The pumpkins really are amazing. You have to have strong, steady hands to do that kind of artwork, too. By now, the number of carved pieces they have on display has probably quadrupled from what it was when I was there one week ago. I'm sure they've got an extra carver on duty now. And in another week or two, some of the pumpkins from my photos last week will probably no longer be there. Supposedly, some of them only have a 2-week shelf life, while others can last a month, or maybe even the entire season. In any case, the pumpkins they have on display change all through the season so there is always something new to see!






Kaitlin - look forward to whatever photos you come up with this weekend!!







Michele and Kaitlin -

I have to thank you guys for still being here! It is sooooo hard for me to post updates from this PC because it gives me so much trouble, especially when working in Photobucket. I can't post the really big photos anymore because my PC will literally lock up and not load the pages when the photos are too big (I have that problem in my own TR, and with other folks' TR's when their photos are too big - the pages will not load for me and I have to reboot), but even working with the smaller sizes and copying IMG codes gives me endless problems. If anyone saw exactly what I was dealing with, they would wonder why I was even bothering and how I had not taken a sledgehammer to this PC yet.

So I am glad to know you guys are out here. I'd hate to think I am struggling with this stupid PC and Photobucket only to have no one following along! I have posted 8 installments - 7 of which have lots of photos - and am just about to post installment #9.....but most folks disappeared long ago! Everyone else abandoned me!!


So thank you guys for being here!


Okay, Part 9 comin' right up with more from the Halloween Round-Up!!

That is a crazy small laundry room. I know how expensive going to the laundromat can be so I can just imagine. I took 3 loads of laundry on Wednesday during the morning and it was $9 to wash three loads. $3 for the card and $2 a load. Highway robbery.


I have heard that if you use a petroleum jelly on the pumpkins it extends their life span and I bet that they do that. I know how hard it is to carve pumpkins and hate it.

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by kaoden39

That is a crazy small laundry room. I know how expensive going to the laundromat can be so I can just imagine. I took 3 loads of laundry on Wednesday during the morning and it was $9 to wash three loads. $3 for the card and $2 a load. Highway robbery.


I have heard that if you use a petroleum jelly on the pumpkins it extends their life span and I bet that they do that. I know how hard it is to carve pumpkins and hate it.

Yikes! $9 for 3 loads! It is definitely highway robbery with these washing machines and dryers.

Well, sure enough, after I posted earlier and was just getting ready to post installment #9, my PC locked up and I had to reboot...again. And when I finally got back onto the DIS, things were moving very slooooooooooooowly. I am just now, right this minute, able to even get into my TR to reply. I think 80% of the issue is with my PC...but the other 20% is the trouble we all have on the DIS from time to time, where everything is taking forever to load.


So I am going to try one more time to get installment #9 up before I lose my temper and my sanity all at once.

[kaoden39]

If it helps the Dis is loading really slow for me today.

[Sherry E]

The Return of the Masked Mouse and His Diabolical Twin - September 16, 2011 - Part 9

Hello, everyone (and I am talking to the 2 of you who are out there, following along)!

I must say that we are now entering the time of year that is my favorite - the Autumn and Winter months. I am not a Summer person. Good riddance to Summer.

I love it all - I love, October, November and December. I love the colored fallen leaves in piles on the ground. I love the crisp chill in the air. I love the blustery days. I love Halloween. I love the scary Halloween-related specials on TV (particularly on the Travel Channel). I love to see people in their costumes. I used to love handing out tons of candy (when I lived in a place where kids could knock at the door).

I love the Halloween and Christmas shows on the Food Network. I love the holiday season and all the Rankin-Bass clay puppet specials that await me on the ABC Family Channel. I love Dickens carolers and Santa. I love the colors of both Fall and Winter. I love the smells and tastes of the last few months of the year - gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, peppermint, etc. I love to see bright candy corn and candy canes. I love beautiful lights and trees. I love to see elaborate Halloween or Christmas displays on neighborhood lawns. I could go on...

While I am not a huge Thanksgiving person, since Turkey Day falls right in between my 2 favorite holidays of the year I will accept it!

Yes, I was a big Easter person as a kid, and Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day are fun too - but Halloween and Christmas are definitely my favorites!

So I could not be happier that Fall begins today, because that means my favorite holidays are coming up!






So, when I left off a couple of days ago, I was moseying around the charmingly rustic Halloween Round-Up, admiring the intricately carved character pumpkins and studying the details in the Scare-Dy-Crow Shack (which also doubles as Santa's cabin during the holiday season).

More from the Round-Up and the Scare-Dy-Crow Shack.

































































Little Pocahontas is so cute, isn't she?

Okay...my PC made it through Part 9!!!! Yay!!! Can it last through Part 10? Tune in and see, because I have more coming up from the Round-Up and other assorted window displays and things.

[kaoden39]

I love the scarecrows. A few years back I made one for a contest. I had a blast making him. They were supposed to be a "classic" scarecrow so I made his face out of burlap like they did way back when and I stitched a face on him. I stuffed him with hay. I didn't do the fancy set up that a lot of people did so I got an honorable mention. The people that had elaborate set ups won.


I think that Pocahontas is adorable. I love the petting zoo. When we went in 2007 my kids had a blast back there with the baby goats.

[Sherry E]

The Return of the Masked Mouse and His Diabolical Twin - September 16, 2011 - Part 10



Pocahontas was just going about her business. I felt bad for her because she was separated from the other animals - so she had no one to interact or play with. She was all by herself in a corner of the Round-Up, in kind of a small pen area. I'm sure DLR takes good care of her, but I wish she could hang out with her barnyard friends.

At this point it was time to move on from the Round-Up. It's not that I couldn't have stayed there, taking more photos. It was more a matter of timing - the fact that I had to move on to New Orleans Square and back to Main Street for more window displays before it was time to meet back up with Liza/funatdisney at 4 p.m. I didn't want to use up all of my time at the Round-Up. I felt like I got some decent Round-Up pictures - which was more than I had gotten on any of my previous Halloween DLR trips. If I had more days in the park, I could have stretched it out a bit more.


Anyway, coming up in Part 11, I head off to see what I can dig up in New Orleans Square (hint: not as much as I dug up at the Round-Up!).....

Oh, and in case you were wondering, eventually I will explain the "Diabolical Twin" part of this Trip Report Title! I don't want to leave you in suspense!

[tksbaskets]

Pocahontas is adorable! I love the Roundup pictures you got.

[kaoden39]

I love the round up pictures and I cannot wait to hear about the diabolical twin.

[Sherry E]

The Return of the Masked Mouse and His Diabolical Twin - September 16, 2011 - Part 11

Making my way into New Orleans Square, I stopped to examine some Halloween-ish merchandise.

Love the Franken-Mickey ears!



















Kind of an unintentional (or intentional??) Hidden Mickey in the center of the ironwork...can you see it?





I love the pitcher of 'tea' (sweet tea, I suppose?) on the balcony!














These next pieces of merchandise really have nothing to do with Halloween Time, but I just thought the patterns were cool or interesting!


This is a t-shirt...






Some purses/bags...










Another shirt of some kind...







New Orleans Square is so beautiful at any time of year...










These kids walked right into the frame when I was about to get a clear shot of Jack Skellington. I wanted to wait for people to leave so I could get one quick 'solo Jack' picture, but it was not to be. Jack was chatting up a storm, too. He is a very gabby skeleton.










Love the pumpkin tree!





I love these mugs! I don't know if you can see them clearly - and they were on the shelf closest to the floor, so even when I crouched down I couldn't get an eye-level shot - but they have Autumn silhouettes on them, with falling leaves and silhouettes of Mickey, Minnie, etc. I have actually seen a photo of the whole set of these mugs - I believe there might be 4 of them total - and they all have the silhouettes and things to symbolize the season or holiday. I don't know if you can tell but there is a Christmas mug like this too, over to the left.














This is a Nightmare Before Christmas wreath of some kind...

Coming up in Part 12, I finally make it back to Main Street!! The sewing machine is coming up, deej!!

[ddwlms]

Originally Posted by Sherry E

Hello, everyone (and I am talking to the 2 of you who are out there, following along)!

Hey, just so you know, you actually have more then 2 followers. Some of us just tend to lurke, quietly enjoying your narratives.

[WDWJonasGirl]

Originally Posted by Sherry E

Kaitlin - look forward to whatever photos you come up with this weekend!!







Michele and Kaitlin -

I have to thank you guys for still being here! It is sooooo hard for me to post updates from this PC because it gives me so much trouble, especially when working in Photobucket. I can't post the really big photos anymore because my PC will literally lock up and not load the pages when the photos are too big (I have that problem in my own TR, and with other folks' TR's when their photos are too big - the pages will not load for me and I have to reboot), but even working with the smaller sizes and copying IMG codes gives me endless problems. If anyone saw exactly what I was dealing with, they would wonder why I was even bothering and how I had not taken a sledgehammer to this PC yet.

So I am glad to know you guys are out here. I'd hate to think I am struggling with this stupid PC and Photobucket only to have no one following along! I have posted 8 installments - 7 of which have lots of photos - and am just about to post installment #9.....but most folks disappeared long ago! Everyone else abandoned me!!


So thank you guys for being here!


Okay, Part 9 comin' right up with more from the Halloween Round-Up!!

No problem Sherry.

[kaoden39]

I love that pink shirt. Dina thought about getting it for herself in February. I have never noticed that tea before. I am going to need to look for it next time I go.



New Orleans Square is as beautiful as always.

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by kaoden39

I love the scarecrows. A few years back I made one for a contest. I had a blast making him. They were supposed to be a "classic" scarecrow so I made his face out of burlap like they did way back when and I stitched a face on him. I stuffed him with hay. I didn't do the fancy set up that a lot of people did so I got an honorable mention. The people that had elaborate set ups won.


I think that Pocahontas is adorable. I love the petting zoo. When we went in 2007 my kids had a blast back there with the baby goats.

Michele -

Making a scarecrow sounds like fun! I've never made a scarecrow, nor have I carved any super-elaborate pumpkins (just your basic jack-o-lanterns that everyone learns in Pumpkin Carving 101!), but you're right - the scarecrows are great, too. When you throw a scarecrow into any kind of Halloween display, it not only adds a kind of 'farmhouse' feel but they can also be rather creepy at times, which suits the mood.

If only I lived in a place where it was possible to go nuts with exterior decorating - and if I had the money to do it - I would probably go all out with Halloween and Christmas displays. I used to just love love love handing out candy to kids on Halloween - even if the kids suspiciously looked like they were 18 years old. I would gets tons of candy and just put gobs of it in their bags (much to the annoyance of their parents). And when I moved to a security building, that killed any chance of trick or treaters stopping by. They only go to the houses/apartments that have front doors which are accessible to anyone. They don't go to security buildings.

The baby goats at the Round-Up are so sweet. Sometimes they wear Halloween neck scarves, but the ones I saw last Friday were not wearing any yet. Maybe as the season wears on the baby goats will get into the Halloween spirit too!

Originally Posted by tksbaskets

Pocahontas is adorable! I love the Roundup pictures you got.

TK!

You're back! I thought you had disappeared from this TR. You vanished right after I had gone on TSMM with the 10-minute wait! I posted a bunch of installments and I kept thinking, "What happened to TK? She wanted photos and chatting! Where is she?"

Pocahontas was so sweet, but I just wish she had a little playmate at the Round-Up. She seemed lonely and isolated from the other critters. She wasn't even right next to the baby goats. She was kind of across the walkway from them, at quite a distance.

Originally Posted by kaoden39

I love the round up pictures and I cannot wait to hear about the diabolical twin.

Michele -

Thank you. I wish I could say the "diabolical twin" reference sprouted from some amusing anecdote, like the Evil Chair/Peppermint Cone of Death references did. There was no funny story this time. It was more just an observation I made which made me think of the "diabolical twin" thing. But I will explain that soon!

Originally Posted by ddwlms

Hey, just so you know, you actually have more then 2 followers. Some of us just tend to lurke, quietly enjoying your narratives.

ddwlms -

Yay! A lurker emerged from the mist!! I am so glad you spoke up and let me know you were there. I know what you mean about lurking - I've done it myself here and there. Sometimes you just don't feel like speaking up or typing. You just want to read. We all do that and feel that way. I can understand that. Actually, I have said before that I think there are many, many more lurkers for most trip reports than there are people who post. The majority of people would rather lurk on most trip reports.

Thank you so much for speaking up, though! I do like to hear from lurkers when they decide to post!

Originally Posted by WDWJonasGirl

No problem Sherry.

Kaitlin - Have a great time tomorrow at DLR!

Originally Posted by kaoden39

I love that pink shirt. Dina thought about getting it for herself in February. I have never noticed that tea before. I am going to need to look for it next time I go.

New Orleans Square is as beautiful as always.

Michele -

It is a pretty cute design on the shirt. I'm not even sure why that pink shirt caught my attention. It was a dark shop, tucked away in New Orleans Square, and I was not looking for shirts. I'm not even sure what I was looking for when I stepped in that shop. Lord knows there are a million pieces of merchandise with mouse ears or variations of mouse ears on them, so I think we all become jaded after a while and tend to not really notice a lot of them. I guess I mainly tend to notice the things that are especially unique now, and that image on the pink shirt was kind of an interesting spin on a familiar 'mouse ears' idea.

I have never noticed that tea sitting on the table on the balcony before, either! Then again, during the holidays (which is normally when I would be at DLR) the balconies in NOS are decorated with beads and ornaments and things, so those probably obscure the pitcher of tea. That's probably why I have never seen it. It's been hidden behind all kinds of Mardi Gras-esque holiday decor. This was one of the first times in a long while when I have walked through that section of NOS and it wasn't decked out for the holidays.



I've got some good window display stuff coming up fairly soon...and, finally, the return of deejdigsdis' favorite sewing machine display (which I kept thinking was a different sewing machine display, in a different window, but, really, it wasn't...).