When we got to the Graveyard today it was clear for about a half hour then the rain started. We stayed for about an hour and a half before Ernie told us we could leave. Justin, Bryan, and I left while Kevin, Jesse, and Chris stayed. I was told it was going to rain all day but it eventually stopped so we probably should have stayed. I'm sure Kevin worked on animatronics and Jesse probably worked on Mannequins.

more of the new area

Today we finished putting up the new area. In the morning Chris, Justin, Bryan, Ted, Kevin, and I made arches a couple arches for the new area. Clora and Ernie had a meeting to discuss the actors and things related to that. In the afternoon we set up the stuff we made in the morning.

The Picture from left to right: Justin, Bryan, Kevin, Ted, and Chris.

Back on construction

Today we started to put up the new area where the Tunnel of Light used to be. Justin, Kevin, Ted, Megal and I got most of it up by the time we left. Bryan worked on the coffin cubbies for this place. Jesse is still working on the Temple facade.

The picture is Ernie, Ted, and Justin making sure the walls are straight.

Attacked by bees

Today we worked on our own projects again. It wasn't an exciting day until many of us got attacked. We were going to get a drink in the park when I asked Kevin why the butler in Manor wasn't working. Kevin went to go check it and Justin, Bryan, Ted, Scott, Megal, and I all went with him. Keven started moving the desk next to the butler and he grabbed the coat rack that was on it. A huge swarm of bees flew out from in back of the desk and the cloth that was on top of it. Everyone ran out except me, I took a few steps farther into the first hallway in manor and stopped. I turned abound saw the bees chase everyone out of the front room. Kevin got stung twice and Justin once. Later Ted exposed the nest which is in the video. The nest was actually in a couple parts and the part on the desk was only about a third of it.

On our own

Today Kevin and I finally got back to work on our areas of the show. Kevin had started some animatronic work but I hadn't done any lighting or sound work until today. I started putting speakers and the low voltage boxes back in Catacombs. I then moved onto Dungeon where I did the same. Kevin worked on the Temple ball some more among other things.

Jesse worked on more temple facade and Chris drained the Temple pond in preparation to put the pool liner in. Everyone else worked on making panels and things for the area replacing the Tunnel of Light. The rain held off and didn't start until we were leaving.

Kevin can drive

Kevin usually drives the flatbed but today he wasn't doing so well. Among other things he hit he got a paint table stuck in the flatbed.

Today we worked on the last room. Bryan, Kevin, Justin, Ted, Roger, and I worked on building the stuff we need for it in the morning and we put it up in the afternoon. Jesse worked on the facade. Ernie did business stuff. Chris was there also but I'm not sure what he did.

Before the rain we cleaned up the area a bit. We are done with Temple for now. The whole house built up until just before the ball. Later when we are done fixing the ball and get some big things in the house we will finish the house to the Dungeon courtyard.

The picture is Bryan checking out the paint table thats stuck on the flatbed.

Temple Ball coming down

No not really. We are just fixing it to make it look more like part of the house.

We had a large crew today. Justin, Kevin, Roger, Ted, Scott, Ernie, Megal and I spent most of the day finishing two more rooms in Temple. Jesse worked on the new Temple facade and Bryan built some things for the facade. We stayed pretty late today since we didn't work yesterday because of the rain. I left at 7 and they were still working. ;p



Here is a video of Kevin playing with the ball

Temple continuing

The work on Temple continued today. Justin, Kevin, Ted, and I put up another room before lunch. Bryan and Chris worked on making panels and stuff for temple.

After lunch Justin, Kevin, and I continued putting more of Temple up. Bryan made more panels, Ernie and Ted painted some plywood the Temple base coat. Jesse spent most of the day looking for props in our storage areas.

The picture is of Justin on what we are calling the Sun room. We put up this room and part of the hallway after it today.

BTW happy birthday to me ;)

Half way finished with Temple walls

Today Bryan and Ernie worked on making panels Temple while for Justin, Roger, and I set them up. We are about half way done with the house now. Jesse worked on the waterfall. Later in the afternoon we heard thunder so we packed up to leave but it was about an hour before we got any real rain.

Sadder news today. The last baby bird has also died.

Next two Temple rooms

Kevin, Justin, and I continued work on Temple. We got two more rooms finished by the end of the day. Jesse worked on the waterfall and Kurtis helped him in the afternoon. Scott and Roger spent the morning painting some of the wood the green/brown color for Temple. Scott helped us with Temple in the afternoon when Roger left.

There was some good and bad news today. The sky was threatening rain all day but it didn't stop (most) of us. It actually hit at the perfect time right at noon. We went to lunch and by the time we were finished the rain had stopped. The rain did wash off the paint on a couple panels Scott and Roger were painting though.

The bad news was more sad. We found two of the baby birds on the ground under the nest. They both had died. :(


The picture is the waterfall in progress with Jesse and Kurtis painting it.

Temple house construction

Justin, Kevin, and I started working on the first section of Temple today. We unloaded the panels as we needed them and started making the hallways and rooms. We finished the first two rooms by the end of the day.

Jesse continued work on the waterfall. Ernie and Roger primed more plywood in the morning. Bryan and Megal worked on more arches and other things.
The top picture is Justin and Kevin working on the first room of Temple.

The lower picture is the three baby birds.

Paint

Yesterday we got a lot of w00d and someone needs to paint it all. We broke up into two teams. Kevin and I painted the base coat on plywood we are going to use in the new Temple while Justin, Chris, Scott and Roger (yes hes back) primed some of the new wood. We got over 60 sheets of plywood painted the base coat and 150 sheets primed.

Bryan and Megal (his first day ever working at the graveyard) worked on building new arches for Temple. Jesse worked on the waterfall all day and Kurtis helped him in the afternoon..In the afternoon Justin, Kevin, Scott, and I finished making some frames and put some plywood on the frames for the new Temple.

Before we left Justin, Kevin, Ernie, and I loaded the flatbed with all the Temple panels we made the last few days.


The uppper picture is Chris, Justin, Roger, and Scott priming the new plywood.

The lower picture is the color Jesse picked out for the base coat of the new Temple. You can see some of the plywood Kevin and I painted. In the back Bryan and Megal are building the arches. You can see three stacked between the plywood.

Wood, Wood, and more Wood

Justin and I started off the day by cutting a lot of 2x4s. They were all the ones we got out of the warehouse. When we were finished cutting most of them Bryan Justin, and Scott started to put together frames for the panels we need for the new Temple while I cut any wood they needed. Kevin drew up the plans neater then they were and Jesse continued work on the waterfall. Right after lunch we got a huge delivery of wood Ernie ordered a few days ago.

It was also Kurtis's first day back. He helped Jesse with the waterfall.

Temple planning

Ernie, Kevin, Jesse, Bryan, Justin and I came in on a Saturday to make a final plan for the layout of the new Temple. The plan has about 8 rooms which makes it much bigger than the old Temple.

The picture is Kevin, Justin, and Scott standing in the Temple area the Monday after we planed it.

Temple facade construction finished

Kevin, Justin and I spent most of the day finishing the Temple facade. Bryan cut wood for all of the doorways in the new Temple. Scott and Ted primed the stuff Bryan cut and Jesse worked on the rocks on the waterfall.

The picture is Justin and Jesse in in front of the Temple facade and near the waterfall.

Temple facade going up once again

Justin, Keven and I spent the day getting about half of the Temple facade up.

Kevin's brother Scott and his friend Ted worked for the first day today. They primed a bunch of plywood then Ernie had them organize 2x4s and plywood by size and label them.

Jesse spent the day working on the waterfall.

Temple facade on the move

This morning Bryan, Kevin, and I took down the Temple facade so we could transport it to the show. We had a small problem transporting it when the strap holding the facade dislogged and some of the pieces fell over on the truck but there was no damage.

Justin and Ernie went back and forth all day moving wood from our warehouse to Compounce. Its about a 25 min drive and they got stuck in traffic once.

Jesse worked on putting rocks on the wall for the waterfall.

Later in the afternoon Kevin, Jesse, and I put up all the panels for the Transformation room and surrounding hallway. Right before we left we unloaded all the Temple facade pieces off the flatbed.

The picture is four of us in the pickup when Jesse decided to get out of Chris's car and jump in. Left to right is Bryan, Jesse, me (James) and Kevin

Transformation room and waterfall

Justin, Bryan, and I made new panels for the Transformation room and the surrounding hallway. Jesse and Chris continued work on the waterfall.

The picture is Jesse testing the waterfall.

Getting a lot done

Today Jesse and Chris worked on a wall in front of the Temple facade. Kevin, Justin, and I worked on the Ballroom roof. In the afternoon Jesse, Kevin, and I took down the Transformation room and surrounding hallway. We are just replacing the panels so it will still look the same.


Also one of the birds hatched.

New Ballroom

We returned today to a flooded graveyard. After yesterdays rain there was water running down everywhere. The hole we dug in the Temple facade was full of water.

Jesse, Kevin and I put up the new Ballroom. We had half of it up before lunch and put the second half up after lunch.

The picture is Jesse in the new Ballroom.

Moved Vampire display box

Today Justin, Kevin, and I put up the panels for the small display we moved across the hall in Vampires. Chris and Jesse worked on the walls of the Temple facade area. It rained very hard again, some of the heaviest rain I've ever seen, so we had to rush and get into our cars.

Compounce display going back up

This morning we put our Compounce display back up in the park. You can see what it looks like when its complete in this older post http://thehauntedgraveyard.blogspot.com/2009/04/display-in-compounce.html



We also made some panels for the area leading up to the new Ballroom and after it. The rain came down hard right as we finished. In the picture are Bryan and Justin near the middle table, Kevin and Jesse at the back table, and Chris and Ernie at the near table.