The AMAZING Mrs. Debbie and her outdoor-ART! (An update on the 'OTHER artist in the family'!)

 

Just so no one out there thinks the 'ol Loydster is the ONLY one who has 'brain-storms' and has all the creative thoughts and schemes-- in the 'Loyd & Debbie-combo'!--- Just a little graphic I put together, to show how my FAVORITE-girl-in-the-whole-wide-WORLD-- lets HER mind go 'into over-drive'! She truly has the GIFT of 'outdoor creativity'! Keep scrollin' & readin' to see just HOW creative this little lady can be!

It's been a few years now, (close to at least SIX, in fact!) since I've had a chance to put up a post, that focuses on the number ONE lady in my life and her passion for all things green, colorful, and growing! Her talent for putting in and arranging those wonderful splashes of color around the outside of our home-- that make it REALLY feel like, well--- HOME! I figure it's HIGH time I return to that subject, and throw some praise and appreciation her way, once again!

Mostly due to our odd-ball living situation, (whether we were going to just continue to rent, or FINALLY be able to actually PURCHASE a home, for one thing!) the past 4-plus years or so-- she hasn't really been able to focus on doing what she's ALWAYS loved doing-- that is, put in flower beds & plant arrangements around the outside of the house, as well as a small veggie garden. (out back, of course!)

Now that the whole 'where-we're-gonna-be-living' / home-purchase thingy-thang's all been settled --for a little while now---she finally decided that THIS was gonna be the spring and summer that she would once more take the SERIOUS plunge into doing some 'botanical-sprucing-up' of the outside, around the 'Cozy-Cottage' and 'Micro-Ranch'!

One of the things that's ALWAYS amazed me about Debbie-- once she starts a gardening or yard-fix-up-project, there's NO stopping her! She's like a little five-foot-four-inch, HIGH-horse-powered DYNAMO! What she's accomplished in just PART of this ONE season, would've taken some folks YEARS to get done!

I think that's just about enough of my blabbering-on for an introduction! Let's now get to the photographic PROOF of just WHAT this little lady of mine can do-- with some yard tools, plants and potting soil! Of course, I'll do a bit of 'slipping-in-of-GOOFY-GEEKY commentary' along the way here and there! (It just would NOT be MY blog, if I didn't do THAT!!)---

Right next to the steps going up to our porch, is this WAY-nifty set-up! There's also an old dryer 'barrel' under the plant-life to the right! That's one of my wifey's 'creative-gifts' too. Utilizing 'found objects' to really add some visual 'jazz' to her plant and flower displays!

An over-all look at the flower-bed / plant-set-up at the left-front of the 'Cozy-Cottage'. Deb put in a major amount of work and effort, into getting this area flat and level! Check out how even and EXTRA-straight everything is!

A mix of planted items, along with a few things in various-sized pots and buckets-- keeps this 'garden spot' from being ANY kind of boring!

The blooms on some of these plants almost look FAKE, they're SO colorful--don't they???

It takes a SERIOUS commitment (not to mention all of the DAILY up-keep and maintenance!) to keep all of this plant-life vital and growing! Deb doesn't hesitate to jump into ALL of that with BOTH feet! Once she starts in on a project like this, it's 110-percent for her, ALL-the-way!

Another spot, with a mix of just the RIGHT amount of green and beautiful colors!

I'll just let these next few pics do 'all the talking' for me!

This is the area around the base of the old giant elm tree in our front yard. Once again, Deb's utilized old wash-tubs and other 'found' stuff, to keep the viewer's eyes moving, all around this spot!

A vintage 'little red wagon,' under a couple of the potted items! Truthfully--- something I wouldn't have EVER thought of doing! Like I keep saying--- the 'ol Loydster isn't the ONLY 'creative-thinker' in this marriage of ours!

 Now that we've checked-out the sights around the front of the 'Ferrell-abode', let's have a peek at the goings-on around back, shall we?---

One segment of Deb's veggie-garden! Some KING-sized peppers, and other kinds of 'stuff that's good for you' thrives and grows healthy and strong back here, up against the property's fence-line!

This is just a SMALL part of 'the crop', from the tomato plants that my wife has put in this year! Needless to say, we'll soon have more tomatoes than the two of us can eat! (Don't get me wrong-- I absolutely LOVE tomatoes! Believe me-- I'll be gobbling-up a good amount of these babies!)

Yet another project that Deb's been working away on! Believe it or not-- these natural sandstone slabs, were buried just under the surface, in various areas-- around our front yard! Dozens and dozens of them! Deb's been gradually digging them all up, to utilize as a 'natural floor surface' in a little 'patio-area' she's been wanting to set up in our back yard. 
As things progress on THAT effort, you can count on an update in a (hopefully) near-future post!

                                                                                   

One more thing, before I finish-off this here post! I just want to say how VERY glad I am, to see my SPECIAL little lady diving off into what she loves so VERY much!  It's something I've missed. Witnessing that creative-energy flow from her, into all of the BEAUTIFUL plants, flowers, and other 'growing things'-- that she's once again working on surrounding our little house and property with!

 

You are truly my NUMBER ONE blessing, wife-o-mine! It's been GREAT seeing you be able to do what I know you LOVE to do so much! It also has added those previously mentioned 'splashes of color', that make this little 'micro-ranch' of ours, feel like a HOME! Loved you then, love you now, will love you ALWAYS, my FOREVER sweetie!

                              See you NEXT time around gang! 'Til then-- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY!!

Loyd's BONUS video-clip(s)!! --- # 52!! --- MORE classic 'Vette commercials!

 

God BLESS whoever the classic-car-GEEKS are, who just keep loading these kinds of things onto YouTube! Being a HUGE fan of the original, FRONT-ENGINE, rear-wheel drive-version of  Chevy's 2-seater-- I just about do a little 'nerd-happy-dance' whenever I stumble across little video-TREASURES like these old TV spots!----

Hopefully-- 'life-permitting', of COURSE-- I'll be putting up a FULL-length, complete post NEXT month! 'Til then-- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY gang!

Thoughts on my top-two-FAVE 'Bat-flicks'!

 

My fandom for the 'Caped Crusader' crosses over into a LOT of different kinds of media-- and a HOST of film and animated versions too! This time around though, I want to JUST focus on my top two favorite film versions of the character. AND-- why one version has actually recently took over the 'number ONE' spot from the other! It's STILL a pretty CLOSE race between the two though!

It's pretty much understood, if you visit my teensy-weensy little corner of the 'net here, on ANY kind of regular basis-- that I'm a life-long 'Bat-fanatic'! What I haven't really discussed much, is my top two favorite 'live action' adaptations of the character. 

Oh, I've talked about them a bit here and there-- including referencing them in an episode of the '...Ramblings' pod-cast a while back! But... now is as good a time as any (and just WHEN would it NOT be a good time, for me to rattle-on about my ALL-time FAVORITE fictional character?!?) to share some 'Loydster-brain-droppings' about these two movies!

First--- and this is only PARTLY because it premiered in theaters on my BIRTHDAY (which is in just a matter of days, by the way!--June 23rd!), oh-my-goodness!---36 YEARS AGO!--- Some thoughts and memories on the 1989 block-buster / MEGA-hit 'Bat-flick'!---

Like most ALL other 'Bat-geek-a-zoids' across the land way-back then--- I'd had my doubts about the casting of Michael Keaton in the lead role, as well as the choice of 'Mr. ODD-BALL-movie-guy', Tim Burton as the director! But-- Warner Brothers movie-execs were VERY smart! They put out TWO  things, that pretty much changed my mind! (This was in the days before there was an internet, remember!)

The first was an image. It was pretty much EVERYWHERE, around January of that year. but I didn't catch a glimpse of it, until visiting a local comics shop! Then, I started seeing it on seemingly about every other magazine cover around!---

 

Almost the instant that I saw this publicity shot of Mr. Keaton in full-on 'ALL-BLACK-Bat-suit-BADNESS'--- my worries about the movie being a GOOF-BALL-fest... pretty much evaporated! Even all these years later, the 'COOLNESS-factor-dial' still cranks (on a scale of 1-to-10!) to 12!

 

The second REALLY shrewd / smart thing that WB did, was release THIS trailer! There wasn't even ANY music to go with the scenes featured yet-- and it STILL had my little 'Bat-fan-boy'-heart nearly SKIPPING a beat!---

Believe it or not-- The 'ol Loydster actually went and watched 2 different movies, that I didn't even CARE about--- JUST to watch the above trailer a couple of more times, after I'd seen it the first time! That shows you how excited I was about this movie!

Once the movie was actually just about to hit theaters, the equally-NIFTY spots-for-TV started showing up! Needless to say, by that point... I was nearly foaming-at-the-mouth! 

At that point in my 'Bat-fandom', I was REALLY into the 'darker-and-more-gritty' Bat-guy! Comics stories like Frank Miller's 'Dark Knight Returns' and the prequel story 'Batman: Year One', Alan Moore's 'The Killing Joke'-- were what I was major-DIGGING-on back then. So-- from what I could tell... that's the kind of 'Caped Crusader' that would be up on the big screen! TV spots like the one below pretty much confirmed my expectations!---

Once the movie was in theaters, I was (of COURSE) in one of the FIRST lines to see it! Did I enjoy it? Well... the fact that I saw it at least 3 TIMES during it's run that memorable summer of '89... AND snagged a copy of it as soon as it came out on home video in the early fall of that year--- shouts out fairly loud-and-clear-- I really, REALLY got a MAJOR jolt out of this film!

First, the positive things I remember (and STILL dig!) about the movie!--- The production design, the tone (darker... but not depressing!), the GADGETS, that oh-SO-WICKED Batmobile (STILL one of my all-time favorite versions of 'ol Batsy's rides!), the Bat-wing, Jack Nicholson's scenery-chewing (he was clearly having fun in the role!) as the Joker! AND-- well, I've already said up above how 'EXTREMELY-bad-motor-scooter' I thought (and STILL think!) the 'Bat-suit' was! (and IS!)

 

All the above elements made this movie feel like something MORE than just a movie. It was like an EVENT! Like a big, giant carnival-ride or roller coaster-- that not ONLY 'Bat-fanatics' were jumping onto (there were hundreds of thousands-- just like me-- who went to see it multiple times in it's first run!) ... but now, the rest of the 'general public' was getting into it...and saying: 'hey! This is something BIG, over-the-top, and special'! 

For the FIRST time that I could remember too, in my life up to that point-- it was ok... considered COOL even, to be an unashamed, out-in-the-open 'comics fan'! Especially a 'Bat-fan'! (Not that I tried to hide my fandom too much! I've always been pretty open and unashamed when it comes to what I'm all GEEKY about!)

Second, the negative things I remember about it (some of this is from hindsight, not to mention repeated viewings over the years!)--- The script and WEIRD plot-choices are the MAIN problems with this movie! It's painfully obvious, in a few spots toward the end in particular--- that they were making this film without a finished script! 

The whole idea of The Joker turning out to be the killer of Bruce Wayne's parents feels like LAZY writing to me! Alfred just letting Vicky Vale into the Batcave is ALSO wrong on SEVERAL levels (including, yes-- LAZY script-writing!)! Bruce to Alfred: 'YOU'RE FIRED"!!

 

Oh, and let's not forget The Joker (AFTER Bats has unloaded rocket-launchers and heavy machine-gun fire at him! TOTALLY out-of-character too!) shooting down the Bat-wing--- with an extremely LONG-barreled gun, that he pulls out of his PANTS! URRRRGH!!!

There's also a couple of places (in the opening scenes, as well as right near the end!) where there's some REALLY goofy, obviously 'hand-drawn' animation used, instead of (like was later done in 'Batman Returns'!) at least somewhat more convincing special effects shots --like maybe stop-motion or even miniature-effects / puppets utilized somehow!

 With all of it's 'lumpy' moments and imperfections though, 'Batman '89' is STILL a classic movie, at least in my mind. It was also PROOF-positive -- to BOTH Hollywood and the movie-going public-- that a serious-take on the character was not ONLY possible... it was also capable of producing BIG box-office! 

'Batman Returns', the Burton-directed-sequel that hit theaters in 1992-- didn't do much for me! Bats was even MORE ruthless and brutal in his combat with the bad guys (he TORCHES a couple with the Batmobile's afterburner, and even blows-up another thug with a roll-of-TNT-to-the-gut-- just in the opening sequence!)-- that I then knew for certain and for sure... talented as the team was that made it.... they just didn't seem to understand what a character like Batman is REALLY all about! He's NOT 'Dirty Harry' or (WORSE!)-- 'The Punisher'!

 

Fast-forward close to 16 years later. A couple more 'Bat-sequels' came and went. 'Batman Forever' (1995), while fun and better written and plotted than the first (OR second) film... isn't a classic by any stretch! It's production design was GREAT though, and Val Kilmer did a bang-up job in his one-and-ONLY time in the Bat-suit. 

'Batman and Robin' (1997)--- well... that one just left me with a SPLITTING-headache! Another 8 years would pass, before another 'Bat-film' would hit the theaters! But---oh WHAT a film it would turn out to be!---

By the time 'Batman Begins' finally hit the screen-- in MY mind... it was HIGH time that a well-done, well-written, 'respectful-to-the-character' Bat-film should be done! AND-- this one, as I would soon discover--- 'checked ALL the boxes'! Needless to say, after seeing the following trailer-- I was pretty STOKED!!---

Unfortunately, the movie came out at a time when things were fairly scrambled and hectic around the Ferrell-household! So, I didn't get a chance to see it on the big screen. As soon as it was available on home video though-- I practically left 'burning-tire-tracks' (like the Delorean in 'Back to the Future'!) all the way to the local video-rental-store-- so I could snag a copy to watch!

I was not ONLY happy after watching this movie-- I  was practically floating up in the clouds! Here was a Batman movie that not only told a GREAT story (the origin of the character, no less!)--- but it also seemed that it's creative team seemed to... FINALLY, at LONG LAST--- 'get' / understand the character! The Batman from the comics, and the 'live action' version of him-- FINALLY seemed to 'line up' with each other!

Bruce Wayne was not only portrayed as a guy with a STRONG 'moral code' against taking life-- but the reasons for his beliefs on this were shown, explored--and made sense! The start of his relationship with Jim Gordon (and the Gotham City Police Department) was also well thought-out and equally well-written. The bad guys' plot to destroy Gotham City, while REALLY pretty scary and truly evil-- wasn't overly dark or depressing! 

A point was even made (and I think this is important, folks!)-- that little kids were NOT afraid of Batman! One little boy, in fact--actually looks up to him as a 'symbol of HOPE'!  What do you know?-- A modern movie-- with a thread of hope and positive ideals running through it! It was an EPIC movie, in ALL the BEST aspects of that word!

Notice I didn't have any 'down-sides' or major disappointing things to point out--in my above thoughts about the movie? That's because... all the way up to the present day-- I can't really seem to think of ANYTHING that bugs me about it! The folks who produced it, pretty much hit the bulls-eye! At least for THIS particular 'Bat-fan'!

Not long after that first rental, I (of COURSE) snatched-up my own copy of this CLASSIC film! It's STILL a treasured part of my collection, all these years later (can you believe it? 20 YEARS ago---since it first hit movie screens!!)! One that my son, Wade and I refer to... as a 'keeper'! Defined as: a flick you'll simply ALWAYS have around... to watch and enjoy over and over again!

The sequels that followed-- 'The Dark Knight', and 'Dark Knight Rises'-- were disappointments to me! While there indeed were a number of NIFTY elements--including a number of VERY cool vehicles (the 'Bat-Pod', the 'Bat' hover-craft for just two!) and gadgets (Batman's EMP weapon!)! It seemed to me, Though a LOT of the same creative folks were involved--- the two sequels almost seemed to be produced by different people, with VERY different ideas of Batman's character, as well as the world he lived in! 

Just a couple of examples: The first movie seemed to have a lot more thought and effort put into the production design-- in particular, how Gotham city was almost another 'character' in that film! The other two flicks just seemed to have the attitude of-- 'Oh well--- let's just make Gotham look pretty much like Chicago or New York!' (In fact, a LARGE chunk of location shooting was done in 'the windy city'!)

Also-- the bad guys in the two follow-ups, Joker and Bane-- were basically just portrayed as 'terrorists' or thugs! I can watch any edition of the nightly national and world-news, if I want to see that sort of thing! Gotham City and Batman's world-- does NOT have to be just like the 'world outside of our window'!

Additionally-- Batman / Bruce Wayne seems-- in BOTH movies-- to be nearly as brutal and 'mean-natured', as the character was in the Burton movies! Like beating people up & causing injury--was the ONLY approach he now had--to get through to / get info from hoodlums and bad guys! The scene where Bats beats-up on and throws the Joker around the interrogation cell in 'Dark Knight'-- to me, was just BOTH unnerving and kinda disturbing! 

So, over the years, I've grown to feel... like 'Batman Begins' is pretty much a 'stand-alone' movie! That the other two in the so-called 'trilogy'--- are flicks that exist maybe in some weird 'alternate universe'! In other words--- I don't feel the 3 movies make any kind of 'trilogy' at ALL! The first movie, is pretty much the BEST and ONLY movie!-- in my mind at least! Just this 'ol Batman-geek-a-zoids opinion gang! Your mileage and opinions may vary!

The two MOST treasured Super Hero flicks in the Loydster's video-library! (Outside of the '78 Superman film!-- I've GOT to do a post on that, at SOME point!) 'Bats '89'-- for it's 'sentimental value' to me! 'Batman Begins', for it's being the ALL-time BEST (my opinion, of course!) 'live-action' portrayal of the character to date!

Last-but-NOT least!-- An extra thought or two, about the two actors who portrayed my fave-character in these, my favorite two Bat-movies--- Michael Keaton and Christian Bale. ---

Two of the BEST actors to ever put on 'Cape-and-Cowl'! Two VERY different men, with VERY different acting styles! BUT-- they BOTH managed to get most EVERYTHING about the character of Bruce Wayne / Batman RIGHT!

While they have differences in their individual acting styles, both of these fine actors seemed to come to the same conclusions about the character of Batman. What 'makes him tick' / motivates him! In numerous interviews, both of them have pretty much said, in no uncertain terms--- that Bats is NOT  a 'crazy' person, ANY kind of 'nut-job' or even schizophrenic! (What a NUMBER of even comic book writers have alleged about him over the years! WRONG-headed, to say the least!)

Both men have reached the conclusion, in their portrayals of the character-- that in order to KEEP from becoming a 'crazy' person... Batman HAS to do what he does! He also feels compelled / obligated / obsessed-- with PREVENTING the crime & tragedy that happened to HIM, from happening to ANYONE else! He's one of the MOST 'sane' people, in a CRAZY and MESSED-up environment / world! That's what I would call getting the 'Bat-guy' role nearly EXACTLY right! The producers of these two films, couldn't have picked ANYONE better! Again, just one 'ol Caped-Crusader-fan's opinion!

One last shout-out-- to a VERY important young man in MY life-- who, in fact-- INSPIRED this post!!-- My son, Mr. Wade Ferrell! Our recent re-watching of 'Batman Begins' together, as well as our extensive discussion during watching it (we PAUSED the DVD-- a LOT!)-- not ONLY reminded me  EXACTLY... of several of the reasons the movie is now pretty much my FAVORITE 'Bat-film', but it also showed me for SURE (though I've always kinda known it!)-- that my son is JUST as much of a sincere, HARD-CORE Bat-fanatic as his old man! Lots of love, appreciation, and BIG HUGS, bub!---

Father-and-son Bat-geek-a-zoids! I'm VERY tickled that the LOVE of my all-time favorite character has been passed on to the NEXT generation! Loved you then, love you now, will love you ALWAYS buddy! (and it's NOT just because of our mutual love of  the 'Bat-guy'!)

                                      See you NEXT time around, gang! 'til then-- stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY!

'Dr. Franken-Loyd' just KEEPS striking BACK!!-- The SAGA continues!

As  promised / threatened last time around gang--- here's yet ANOTHER installment, concerning the updating and 'jazzing-up' of some of my toy or scale model Bat-rides! Also like the cars featured last time, these 'Caped-Crusader-wheels' have been in my collection for a fairly LARGE chunk of time!

The projects featured this time, are really what I'm gonna consider the 'last' ones-- at least for now. Now that they're finished, I feel like pretty much ALL of the vehicles I wanted to 'freshen-up', have been taken care of.

Don't worry though, oh gentle faithful-few who read this here bloggy-woggy-thingy-thang-- there will ALWAYS be some kind of CRUNCHY-GEEKY-goodness featured here from month-to-month! It just won't be Batmobile-model-tinkering-- at least for a while!

I also want to mention again-- how AMAZING it is, that I've actually somehow carved-out the time to get these little 'update' projects DONE! The 'ol Loydster's working life alone, has been a real MEAT-GRINDER lately! There's also been the on-going working on improvements / tinkering on the 'cozy-cottage' & it's surrounding property!

Somehow, someway though--- I've scrounged-up a few spare moments here and there-- and managed to finish these things to the point where I'm pretty proud of how they've turned out!

But--- that's enough of me patting myself on the back! Onward with the showcasing of the 'model-Bat-ride-updates'!!! (Said again-- in my best 'Adam West-type' voice!)---
 

Apologies for the goofy 'before' pic (a cropped-down version of one from a previous post!)! But--- it was the only one I could dig up, to illustrate the state that the 'Keaton-Bat-ride' was in before I dived into sprucing it up! 
It was LONG ago (the FIRST time I did some customizing to it) painted with plain old 'flat black' primer, and that paint job was REALLY starting to look pretty TIRED & beat-up! There were also a couple of details on the car that I wanted to straighten out! (More on that below, natch!) 
Like a couple of the other earlier 'update' projects, I also took this one apart, to do a better job on the prep work and paint.

I should also mention-- this 'action-figure-scale' car (it's pretty BIG-- roughly a bit shy of maybe 1/12th scale!), is based on the 'Batman Returns' version of the 'Keaton / Burton' ride. (Circa 1992) So--- it originally came with a neat-o feature, where--by pushing a little button on top, the car's sides would 'pop-off', and it would become the 'Bat-missile' vehicle-- just like in the movie!

Well--- I had LONG ago cannibalized this thing for some of it's wheels (the ones from it's 'Bat-missile' segment anyway!), for another customizing-a-Batmobile project! So... for part of my 'updating' here, I simply super-glued the three segments of the car together. (I know --- collectors who think these things should STAY frozen in 'mint' / 'original' condition-- are probably screaming & jumping up and down as they read this post!)
I also super-glued it's wheels / tires in place, so it's 'wheel-centers' / Bat-Symbols would stay centered-up. (a little thing that's ALWAYS bugged me just a smidge!) So, it's almost more of a 'static display replica' of the '...Returns' Bat-ride, than the toy it originally was! ( I know.... MORE jumping up and down and screaming from the collectors out there! Oh well! MY toys, MY rules folks!!)

After disassembly, I carefully-- with the handy-dandy Dremel-tool-- cut-out openings into the 'bowl-shaped' in-take-type pieces just in front of the rear fenders. It had ALWAYS bugged me, that these parts looked NOTHING like the pieces on the real car! Again with super-glue, I placed some nylon-type material (actually from an old kiddie trampoline!) down into the new openings (later painted with 'gun-metal' acrylic, of COURSE!) on each side.
It's STILL not exactly like the 'movie car', but at least NOW-- those parts on the car LOOK like  'in-takes'! Then, after a bit of sanding, prepping and careful masking-- I shot this bad-boy with some semi-gloss black enamel

'Details' around various areas on the body of the car were painted with (again!) 'gun-metal' acrylic.

The little custom-'Keaton' Bat-figure, permanently glued into the driver's seat--- was left just as he was  from my earlier customizing effort on this car--- at least a DECADE-and-a-half ago! As SWEET as he originally turned out... WHY mess with something SO darn NIFTY! (I know... my shoulder's practically out of joint---from patting myself on the back again!!! Sorry gang!)

ANOTHER dorky 'before' pic, cropped from an image --from that SAME previously mentioned earlier post! BUT-- you get the idea here! The 'action-figure'-scaled 'New Batman Adventures' ride (from circa 1997 or so! VERY cool show too, by the way!)-- was ALSO in need of a bit of love! This one mainly needed (much like the '...Returns' ride above!) it's TIRED, scruffy-looking 'flat-black' paint-job ---switched over to a fresh, shiny coat of GLOSS black enamel!
This car also didn't need to be disassembled to do the prep and paint. Just a bit of rubbing with some 3M scotch-bright pads, some careful masking here and there--- and I was ready to start slinging the spray-paint at it!

As I was saying--- this ride just needed a NICE paint job, to really make it POP! I'm fairly proud of the SLICK 'real car'-type of gloss I was able to achieve with the Wally-World rattle-can-paint!

Looks like 'ol Bats and Alfred gave this Batmobile a SERIOUS waxing with a couple of 1-gallon-TUBS of  'Turtle Wax', doesn't it???

I dug up yet ANOTHER Batman action figure (from the 'New Adventures' line of figures, of COURSE!), that for some unknown reason-- I STILL had in a storage tote! So he can be posed next to his now SUPER-slick-and-SHINY Bat-ride, when it's returned back to the shelf! Note how I also changed the previously yellow headlights to a gold metallic color!

                                                                                         

      So, now pretty much ALL of the modifications / updates / general JAZZING-up on the various 'mini-Bat- vehicles' are finished (at least for now!)! I have yet ANOTHER group of items here in my little 'Man-Cave' that -- while they ALREADY made me smile before--- now that they're in tip-top shape-- they make that big 'ol GEEKY-grin I usually have when I enter 'The Secret Sanctum'... just a little BIGGER! And isn't that what having a 'Man-Cave' SHOULD be all about?

On to another area here at 'Ferrell-Central' that I've still been tinkering with!-- Although I'm also at kind of a good 'stopping point' with it too--- at least for the time being!-- I'm referring to the 'Man-Cave': Annex!

Mostly, I've been digging some additional items out of the remaining storage-totes-- the stuff I really didn't have room for in the 'Sanctum' / 'main-Man-Cave' in the house-- and figuring out 'display' ideas / areas for them in the little space I have in our storage building ('The Annex'!). It's been fun getting some of these additional things out, and finding spots for them!---

A bit of 'blank space' next to my paint and supply shelf, was PERFECT for some of the additional Captain America and Iron Man goodies that were otherwise piled into a storage-tote! I scrounged-up a little wooden shelf and covered it with a piece of plexiglass for a little display case for some of it. A display case originally for a 1/24 scale model car shows-off the other items below it!

That's another 8x10 frame, with yet more of my old 'Sunday-School-teaching-days' neck-ties hanging below all of that!

Another oddball-shaped display case houses some additional Iron Man Action figures, sitting atop (along with a framed 'Hot Wheels'-related image!) an appropriately decorated (with a HEALTHY-sized group of some of my old custom-made magnets--of COURSE!) old two-drawer file cabinet. The cabinet holds extra hardware (screws, fencing-wire, etc...) and other 'occasionally-necessary around the house & property' stuff! There's also been a few more magnets & stickers added to the side of my old toolbox to the right (just for extra grins & giggles!)!

My EVER-so generous and thoughtful wifey, Mrs. Debbie-- gave me this NEAT little 3-shelf bookcase! Not ONLY is it useful for displaying / storing those extra books and binders I couldn't find room for in the 'Sanctum, BUT-- I've also found homes for a number of nifty super hero and cartoon character-related items (that were--AGAIN-- stashed-away in dusty old storage-totes!)!! Also-- note my recently snagged 'Dad-jokes' sign, sitting proudly on the top-right of the bookcase!

    

Mrs. Debbie found this little metal-sign I recently snagged-- BOTH: funny, AND--pretty appropriate for a 'master-procrastinator' like me! I figured a spot near the toolbox --alongside where 'Captain Marvel' stands guard-- would be a GREAT place for it!

As I was saying above.... I think in the case of BOTH my little 'Man-Cave' AND the 'Annex--  I can take somewhat of a breather from doing anymore adding of additional stuff, or doing any kind of major tinkering on the items on display in either space for a while! it might just be the RIGHT time to just kick-back & enjoy BOTH of these 'Guy-Spaces' I've been blessed with! Just let them bring that previously-mentioned big 'ol GEEK-A-ZOID grin to my face with whatever's in them, for the foreseeable future at least!

See you NEXT time gang! 'Til then-- stay SAFE, SANE, and HAPPY!