Friday, October 20, 2006

More Halloween Madness


Pap brought this frightening fellow home to add to our seasonal decorations yesterday. In quite unpirate like fashion, he dances when you activate the motion detector. He also sings - Super Freak and Slow Ride. He's about my height (5'5").

Typical of Pap, he snuck home before Princess and I yesterday and had the pirate set up by the front door. I was startled, but being as immersed in Halloween nonsense as I am, quickly recovered and went about my business. Princess, on the other hand, may never recover. This morning I noticed she has the poor guy turned face to the wall.

He needs a suitable Pirate name. Any suggestions?

We've lived in this house for 15 years. About 10 years ago we got new neighbors across the street who happen to be Jehovah Witnesses. Nice people, we say hello if we're all outside, but that's about it. They pretty much consider us heathenish and keep their distance. Every Halloween when the house of perpetural remodeling is decked out in it's spooky finest and every Christmas when the house turns into candyland central, the folks across the street make their social statement. They gather on their porch with their JW friends, all facing my house and pray for us.

I make every attempt to be a good neighbor. I really try not to offend anyone or to put anything offensive outside my house (I save that stuff for inside...kidding). But our descent into Halloween creepy versus the Halloween cute I used to do can be attributed to these neighbors. The rebellious teenager in me just really can't help needling them. It's shameful, but I lived here first.

16 comments:

the not so "new" mom on the blog said...

Hello, If I had walked into that scary looking thing, I probably would have shat myself!!! Sorry I have not been around too often - I am going to link you then I can't forget about you! lol

Kat Campbell said...

Always nice to see ya New Mom, yup, he's scary when you aren't expecting him.

The Rev. Dr. Kate said...

I can only imagine what it is like having JW's for neighbors. Can you hear what they are praying for you? I'll have to confess that I enjoy the puzzled look on their faces when they show up on my doorstep and I say, "Thank you, but I am an episcopal priest and I have my own set of beliefs." The last time, though, one of them said to me, "But are you going to know when Christ returns to the earth?" God forgive me, but my response was, "Of course. It will be a major media event and I am sure CNN will broadcast it in real time." It did end the conversation. They left muttering - they were either praying for me or uttering an anathema!

Stacy said...

I admit I'd probably do the same thing with the decorating. Here you are worrying about not offending the neighbors and they're gathering their friends to publically pray for your heathen soul. Some might find that a wee bit offensive.

I'm a big Pirates of the Caribbean fan, so how about Capt. Jack? Or getting into the "spirit" of things, Capt. Morgan?

I am truly sorry for that last awful pun. Feel free to have your neighbors pray for me.

Kat Campbell said...

LOL, Good answer, Dr. Kate, to the JWs. I'm all for live and let live, unfortunately they don't feel the same.

I'm a little worried the Pirate is going to make the little one's cry too, Janet, but I don't want to discourage Pap, he doesn't usually play with us.

LMAO Stacy! Captain Morgan!

Catch said...

If I had walked in and seen that thing standing there I know I would have screamed!!!! Have a great weekend!!!!! Maybe have a little cuppa coffee with the neighbors! Invite them over and let them get a load of Mr Pegleg!!!! lol.

Anonymous said...

Walking into that unexpectedly and I would have screamed too ~ if it had started dancing OMG I don't know what would have happened! I think I would chain him up and call him "Davey Jones" ~ or give him to your neighbours! lol

FRIDAY'S CHILD said...

I don't blame princess for being shocked. I would too. It would have scared the hell out of me.
Thanks for stopping by.

Annie said...

Funny and perfect jab to the neighbors-without-a-sense-of-humor.

Anonymous said...

Kat, this is the first time I've been here. You've got a great blog! Nice writing style and good topic choice.

I'll be back....

Linda said...

Love your neighbors, I would feel a bit rebelious, also. I'll never understand the need that some people have to pray for those they feel are wrong. I always thought that we were not supposed to judge others. I think not celebrating holidays, even secular ones, is very strange, but that is just me.

I love the pirate guy! I think I have seen him in the stores. My daughter loves those things that dance and play music.

Sunflower Optimism said...

Kat, reminds me of my neighbor across the street in my previous house. She was an Evangelical AND a dental hygienist. So instead of candy, on Halloween. she would give out little pamphlets from church with children's puzzles - of course, all the answers had to do with "Jesus loves you." None of the kids ever wanted to go there, but we made them because she was a nice neighbor and it would have hurt her feelings if they didn't. But we had to bribe those kids BIG time. Don't tell her!

As for the JH - they gave up on me. I could always outtalk them ;-)

Love the Pirate! Pap done good :-)

Dave said...

Ha tis me ole mate Capn Jack a sittin there. Now Jack was killed a tevern brawl over Lusty Lil and no body was very found. Tis the first time that Jack has seen the light of day for 300 years.

Kat Campbell said...

Catch - you have a great weekend too!

bobciz - if you get bogged down in the "real" meaning of Halloween you suck all the fun out of it. This is a holiday for "pretend", it's the one time a year you can be anyone you want to and the fella's in white coats can't do anything about it.

Sandy - We're just glad Princess didn't attach the poor guy with her backpack.

Friday - That's just what Halloween's for isn't it? Thanks for visiting!

Annie - don't encourage my bad behavior, there's no telling what grotesque thing I'll put on the porch next.

Mike - Welcome! Thank you for coming by.

Sunflower - you're kidding! That's just creepy. You lived across the street from Carrie's mother... I'm so glad you escaped.

Yahoo, Dave, you've given him a name and a story!



Linda - I don't mind that they pray for me, but such a public spectacle is more like picketing my house in protest than a sincere plea for my soul.

Anonymous said...

Look at nmotb busting out the past tense of "shit"! THAT'S not something you stumble across every day! Good for you!

How about naming the poor lost soul "Jehovah"?

I don't know your neighbors, but most JW's I've met are no more offensive that most Christians. And a fair amount more respectful of a person's beliefs than most Mormons or Catholics. I say live and let live. There's no reason your neighbor should belong to your belief system, any more than you to theirs. But you can still be nice to them. Try baking them some banana bread and being polite. Be the bigger man... so to speak.

Did I miss "Talk Like A Pirate Day" again this year? Damn it! It slips by me every year!

Kat Campbell said...

two buy - "Most" of any group of people are decent, nice, people. I get along with these neighbors, we will never be "friends", but we're neighborly, we exchange small talk when we meet on the street, I've sent plant samples over to them, they've shared cucumbers with me. But I take offense to anybody judging me, and this offends me most because we are friendly to each other.