This takes a while (it's 10+ minutes) but is well worth it.

Quote by Mendalla
Got a dinette set to build but otherwise just a routine weekend.

Hot tip: When you order a cheap dinette set off Amazon, don't assume the instructions are correct. Both the table and chairs had me ready to hulk out until I abandoned the instructions and did things based on logic from the problems I was having.

Oh well, that's behind me now. Just listening to some music and vegging online.

I see the magic words "butterscotch marshmallow" up there. A couple those should go nice with my afternoon Buddha's Blend.

I think my TV is pretty good with external hard drives. Just plug it in and wheeeee. Haven't plugged my external into it in a while, though. Don't have many downloaded movies. It otherwise sucks as a Smart TV and I ended up getting a Chromecast anyhow. One of these days I shall give in and get a new one that's got better software and 4K resolution.

Nice weekend ahead here where I am. Sunny and low double digits (Celsius). Got a dinette set to build but otherwise just a routine weekend. Have an idea for the Golden Orchid Press comp mentioned in another thread so may take a swing at that.

Coffee is brewed and there's Cream of Earl Grey in the pot with lots of other delicious teas of all colours available. Hot chocolate, too, with a never-ending supply of mini marshmallows.

Quote by Ping
Katheryn Bigalow?

Bigelow is an interesting director and her career has had quite a trajectory. I'm a huge fan of Near Dark, the modern-day vampire western that was her debut. Bit of a B-movie feel to the plot but with main feature quality directing and acting. Not sure if she was involved with Cameron yet at that point, but Lance Henrikson and Bill Paxton, who had both been in Terminator and Aliens, were in it so the connection might have been there.

Quiet in here today. Putting on a pot of coffee and the kettle in case anyone shows up. Maybe the smell of fresh java will draw them in.

And just think, all that beauty because the sun has the hiccups. 😊 (Okay, that's not quite the scientific explanation, but it's not a bad image for it really).

Of course the real fun begins when we get a "belch". Read up on the Carrington Event and then apply that to our modern, heavily electrified world. Quebec had a chunk of their grid taken out by a flare once. (eighties?).

Quote by redwriter

Hi Everyone, Just back from a first drive since my cataract op last week. Driving okay, at least I can see ALL of the road now. But, by hell, the wind's turned chill today. Could I beg a good hot chocolate, please?

Good to hear you got fixed up. I am in an 8 month waiting list just to see an opthalmologist but have another option I am pursuing. Fortunately, it's only one eye and not too bad yet.

Lots of hot chocolate but go easy on the marshmallows or Sara might hunt you down.😨

Glad you and your boy got to see the aurora, Ping. I have not seen one in decades. Had a nice show at the cottage one summer when I was a teenager. Been too cloudy and we are a bit too far South for this latest event it seems.

I remember the first time the Jays took the Series. Last time I was really interested in baseball. Ironically, they beat the Braves😇.

(ducks)

I haven't been to the German side of the Alps. Just Switzerland and the Italian side. That looks lovely, though.

Quote by Welshdreamer42

I think it would be really interesting to submit a summer tale to this call, don’t you? 😉

Christmas ghost stories are a mood rather than specifically about Christmas. I am pretty sure some of M. R. James Ghost Stories of an Antiquary, which they cite as an example, are set at other times of the year (and, by the way, is possibly the best single author collection of ghost/horror stories ever published).

And a good morning to y'all. First snow here, though just a light one. Too f-ing early but whatever. Stokes fireplace

Coffee is brewing, kettle is on. Teapot has Earl Grey hot and ready. Hot chocolate and marshmallows stand ready.

Quote by DenimAngel
Sandworm cookies ?

Cookies that look like this:

Quote by CuriousAnnie

Quote by Mendalla

Not just any ghost story, but a Christmas ghost story. I love this genre, stories told by the fire on a winter's night making you shiver from more than just the drafty windows. Might give it a whirl myself

But if its Christmas why would there be a winter's fire? Christmas is all about heat and humidity, July is the time for winter ghost stories 😇

Don't rub it in.🙄 We just got our first snow here. Just a dusting that will melt by noon, but a sign of things to come. Maybe if your country reopens by then, I should come spend Christmas with you.😈

But, yeah, I guess Christmas ghost stories are a Northern hemisphere thing.

Quote by CuriousAnnie
Himself decided to celebrate his first Halloween by sleeping through the night for the first time.

Mine was a Spring baby and his first time sleeping through was Mother's Day. But, yeah, as Ping and Verbs said, treasure these moments. Mine now lives 6 hours away with his partner and we mostly see them via .

Not just any ghost story, but a Christmas ghost story. I love this genre, stories told by the fire on a winter's night making you shiver from more than just the drafty windows. Might give it a whirl myself

Quote by Ping
Do the Braves’ fans still do the tomahawk chop?

Actually, there was a picture doing the rounds recently of Trump doing it at one of the games. But, hey, Trump...

Good evening. I no longer have candy stashes to raid. Fortunately, there always the Inspirations Cookie jars.😊

Quote by Violet_the_Verbose

PLUG: The Wonderful World of Wally Weasel

Sixteen!! Sorry I didn't get to read it yet. Will try today.

Hello! Nice to see you and Josh again.

Coffee is on, tea is in the pot (Cream of Earl Grey), kettle is boiling for other hot beverages. I put out a bowl of undistributed Halloween goodies, free for the taking.

No action around here that I saw any sign of. Between continued concern about kids and COVID (Canada has not approved the children's vaccine yet) and the general aging of this neighborhood, it was not to be this year.

Let's dance...

I have PM'd Molly about it, BTW.

I have been trying to watch the 1977 Count Dracula on Prime but it's 4:3 ratio and looks terrible on my screen. This version stars Louis Jourdan as Dracula and Frank Finlay as Van Helsing and was a favorite of mine when it first came out. Have not watched it in years. Fairly faithful to the novel but, as always with Dracula adaptations, has some odd changes, e.g. Lucy and Mina are sisters instead of best friends and it is suggested Lucy is into Jonathan and is jealous of Mina's relationship with him.

Time for coffee, tea, and whatever else will help with Halloween hangovers. Tea is Red Rose steeped extra strong and coffee is a caffeine rich dark roast.

SciShow is one of my fave YouTube channels and yesterday's video was about bears. Thought James might benefit from its wisdom.😉

Classic (love Universal and Hammer films)

Vampire or werewolf?

Wow, usually the comp stays open until the next day. Must have ended at midnight today instead of end of today.

Quote by Ping
Is there another way to see a list of the comp stories?

Go to the home page, scroll down past the home page stories to Categories and there is a "Competitions" option. Click/tap that and Spooky Tales is first on the list.

Rhubarb crumble, hands down.

Horror movie or horror novel?

Quote by AnnaMayZing

I am celebrating the publication of my 200th story on Stories Space! 🤸‍♀️😎😁

Now that is something to celebrate.🍷😀

Congratulations!

I walk quietly through this space, haunted by spooky stories.

Yay, number fourteen!

https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/after-the-curtain-fell