New Halloween in Stores

New Halloween merchandise in stores is displayed full force this year.  I found some adorable stuff on the shelves recently.

But.  I found it in August.  And.  Um.  No, I’m not talking about Halloween in August.  So I waited until September to post what I’ve found.

And.  It’s good this year!

The past few years picking has been slim on store shelves for any holiday merchandise.  Both World Market and Home Depot have cute new items that are very tempting.

World Market

WM has literally rows of Halloween décor.  Wreaths and food and bones and skulls and other spooky stuff.

The vampire wine and the cake molds were among my favorites.

Home Depot

Hub visits HD almost daily.  It’s like his job.  Recently we needed something while we were out so I stopped in with him.

And their Halloween section is spectacular!  They have all sorts of outdoor creatures that light up and talk and move.

One horrid ghoul billed as Predator of the Night has a 12.5’ wing span.  For a small price of $350 you can scare the living daylights out of your neighbors.  What do you think?

I may not even decorate for Halloween this year, but I sure do get a kick out the holiday.

What I’m Eating

Costco has the Amylu andouille chicken sausage on special this month.  I’m not a fan of just snarfing down a whole sausage, but I love grilled and charred pieces for an appetizer or paired with corn on the cob and a tossed salad.

Andouille is just spicy enough normal people can eat it and interesting enough for me.

What I’m Reading

Suffering from withdrawal after reading the last Orphan X book, I came across the very first book Gregg Hurwitz wrote, The Tower.  Let me say I did finish it, but I am not recommending it.  Jade Marlow, the so-called protagonist, is no Evan Smoak.  He’s boring and way too sociopathic.  Nothing redeeming at all.  Now, being a fan of Evan and, say Dexter, I have no problem with a noble sociopath, but you have to stand on some high ground.

Oh, well, back to waiting for the new Orphan book.

The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante was another disappointment for me.  I am a fan of Ferrante, but this one left me shaking my head.  It’s undoubtedly well written, but I had no affinity for any of the characters or the setting.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads because of the writing but I wouldn’t suggest it for a good time.

On audio I listened to The Room of White Fire by T. Jefferson Parker.  As I was listening, I thought, “Hmm, this sounds familiar.”  Sure enough, I had read it a couple of years ago.  I liked it okay back then, but even less now. 

Wow, I am really on a roll.  But another favorite author of mine, Dennis Lehane, turned out Small Mercies and I didn’t like it!  It’s about race relations in Boston in the 1970s and school busing.  Very preachy.  Ugh.

Okay, enough.  I’ll try to recommend some more enjoyable reads next post.

Wrap Up

Are you enjoying September so far?  We have had some lovely cooler mornings and I’ve enjoyed coffee on the patio this week.  Along with opening the windows before the sun comes up and letting fresh air in the house!

Have a wonderful weekend and let me know if you’re doing anything special.