OCTOBER 2018
IT’S TIME TO BRING THE ‘TRICK’ BACK TO ‘TRICK OR TREAT!’ 5 Halloween Pranks You Have to Try
the nozzle where the water comes out. By pouring red food coloring into the nozzle holes and the main water line, you can turn your loved one’s next bathing session into a fake bloodbath hoax unlike any other. Spooky Drink Not every trick has to be performed on your peers; you can also try pranking your kids. Try placing plastic bugs or eyeballs into ice molds. Once they’re frozen over, offer your kids an iced drink and watch as they take their first few gulps. Their reaction will make a memorable story you can tell for a lifetime. Scarecrow Stakeout You don’t need to have a cornfield to have a scarecrow — you can place one in your front yard. But you know what’s even better than a stuffed impersonator? A real live person waiting to jump out and scare oncoming trick-or-treaters. This prank is best played when there are multiple scarecrows out in the yard. This makes your candy-seeking visitors less likely to suspect one of the scarecrows is real. Once they start walking past you, wait till they are just within your peripheral vision, and then jump out and give them the scare of their lives. Creepy Crawlers If you’re one of the many Florida homes with a screen door, then this prank is for you. By attaching a plastic spider to a piece of string or fishing line, you can jerry-rig the opening of your screen door to drop down an eight-legged freak on your trick-or-treaters. Every ring of the doorbell will be better than must-see TV. These are just some of the fun pranks you can play this Halloween. Research your own, and maybe, with enough people having a little fun, we can bring the “trick” back to “trick or treat!”
The origin of “trick or treat” can be traced back several centuries. Pranksters would attempt to extract goods or candy from neighbors and members of the community, and in exchange for the “treats,” the suppliers would avoid being “tricked.” But in the last 50 years, the connotations of the phrase have changed, becoming focused more on good- natured fun. As this progression took place, “trick or treat” slowly lost its meaning. While baby boomers and earlier generations may fondly remember the “trick” portion of this holiday phrase, the “treat” portion has now taken over. If you ask anyone what the holiday is about today, you’ll likely hear a conversation about dressing up and asking for candy. Kids will map out their routes weeks ahead of time to maximize their candy collections. This shows that the “treat” aspect is very much alive, but few people now mention the “trick.” Pranks are not all dead, however. A few chosen keepers of the “trick” are keeping the tradition of Halloween escapades alive and are doing so in unique ways. Here are five of the best Halloween pranks you and your family can try this season. Caramel ‘Apple’ Everyone loves a good caramel apple. The crunch of the fruit, the sweetness of the candy, and the overwhelming feeling of fall are deeply associated with the fun of Halloween. But what if that fun treat took a surprise turn? Rather than covering a delicious Granny Smith apple in caramel, try using an onion. Top it off with all the fixings, and when your guests sink their teeth into it, make sure to have a camera ready. Rain Blood There’s nothing quite like a relaxing shower after a long day — that is, unless that shower suddenly becomes a scene from a horror movie. One prank you can play at home on your family members is to detach your shower head and uncover
1
(321) 277-4408
ServicePlusFla.com
THE MONSTERS SOME BELIEVE ARE REAL 3 of the Weirdest Cryptids in Pseudoscientific History
The Bunyip When European settlers began edging into the territory of Aboriginal Australians, they heard whispered, frightened tales of a man-eating “water spirit” that lived in the lakes and rivers of the area. Descriptions of the creature varied wildly. The monster was alternately described as an enormous starfish, an alligator-like creature with the head of an emu, or a massive bulldog-faced beast. But accounts held one thing in common: The monster claimed the lives of any who dared camp near its watery domain. The Loveland Frog One night, near Loveland, Ohio, a man reportedly beheld a trio of bipedal frog-people slapping their webbed feet along the side of the road. If that wasn’t enough, one even had a magic wand, which shot sparks as the man ran off. Apparently, not all mythical beasts are bloodthirsty monsters;
There are people who would have you believe that monsters live among us all year long. These individuals, referred to as cryptozoologists (or just “wishful thinkers” by their skeptics), believe a hidden animal kingdom exists just beyond the edge of mainstream biological science. Here are three of the weirdest, almost-certainly imaginary “cryptids” to ever capture the human imagination. The Jersey Devil According to legend, the 1.1 million-acre Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey are home to more than just birds and deer. The story goes that when one Jane Leeds gave birth to her 13th child, she was dismayed to add yet another kid to her responsibilities. She cried out, “Oh, let this one be the devil!” Shortly after the child was born, the boy was transmogrified into a twisted creature with the malformed head of a goat, leathery wings, and a thrashing, forked tail. After slicing the midwife with its ragged claws, the beast flew up the chimney and fled into the trees. Hundreds of years later, the beast is still said to creep the backwoods on its cloven hooves, glowering from the blackness with shining red eyes.
some are a little more Kermit than Cthulhu.
CLIENT of the MONTH! CONNIE NADROWSKI
NEW CLIENTS of the MONTH! TRENTON TUGGLE / WINTER SPRINGS, FL BETTY YODER / WINTER SPRINGS, FL MARIE CLARK / WINTER SPRINGS, FL These new clients became members of the “Service Plus Family” this past month. I’d like to welcome you and wish you all the best! Every month, we choose a Service Plus Client of the Month. It’s just our way of saying thanks and giving a little recognition to our good friends and clients who help support us! This month’s Client of the Month is Connie Nadrowski! Congratulations! Thank you Connie for referring us! You will receive two Regal Movie passes and a gift card to Cold Stone Creamery as our way of saying thank you! You can be a Client of the Month too! Watch for your name here in an upcoming month!
We are giving recognition to our new clients and our superb friends who are kind enough to refer their neighbors and relatives to us.
2 Published by The Newsletter Pro | TheNewsletterPro.com
CHAT US TODAY! One Feature You’ll Want to Use
comments like “Hey Jimmy! Call me when you get a minute,” we respond as quickly as we can — with a real person. Easy to Use If you want to use our chat service, it’s as easy as heading over to ServicePlusFla.com . In the bottom corner of your browser, you’ll see a red chat box that you can open. If you can’t find it, don’t fret. The window will automatically open for you after five seconds, so you’ll know exactly where it is. From there, all you need to do is type your message and hit send. Chat isn’t for everyone, and if you prefer to, don’t be afraid to call. We want to be there for you to answer any questions you might have. After all, you can’t be “#1 in Service” if no one can get ahold of you.
Did you know our website has a chat feature? We know that when your A/C goes out, you need as many ways to get ahold of us as you can. Whether you have the biggest emergency or the smallest question, you can reach us on our website by directly sending us a message. If you’re on the fence, here are two significant benefits that you’ll want to know. Personalized When you send a chat on our website, it doesn’t go to an automated computer bot who spews out a nonsensical response. It goes straight to our owner, Jimmy Cayton. We are notified of every chat that comes through so we can formulate a response that is authentic and real to your needs. From questions like “What services do you offer?” to
‘HEADLESS’ APPLES ON HORSEBACK
BRAIN WARM-UP
Ingredients
• 16 very thin slices of pancetta (or cured, unsmoked bacon) • 2 pink lady apples • 3 ounces manchego cheese, 1/4 inch thick • Toothpicks for skewering
Directions
1. Core apples and cut each into 8 wedges. Remove rind of manchego cheese and cut into 2-inch sticks. 2. Heat a grill pan or skillet to medium-high. 3. On a cutting board, lay pancetta or bacon slices flat and place an apple wedge and piece of cheese in the center of each. 4. Roll pancetta tightly and skewer with toothpick. 5. Grill until cheese is melted and pancetta or bacon is golden and crispy, about 5 minutes. 6. Drain excess grease on a paper towel and serve hot.
Inspired by Food & Wine magazine
3
(321) 277-4408
ServicePlusFla.com
910 Belle Ave., Suite 1148 Winter Springs, Florida 32708
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
(321) 277-4408
www.ServicePlusFla.com
inside
1
Bring the Tricks Back!
2
3 of the Weirdest Cryptids in Pseudoscientific History Our Awesome Clients!
3
Can’t Call? Chat Us Instead! ‘Headless’ Apples on Horseback
4
Forget the Haunted House — How About a Haunted Island?
THE MOST HAUNTED PLACE IN THE WORLD
The Horrors of Poveglia, Italy
When you think of spooky places, odds are good that the local version of a haunted house — perhaps with teenagers dressed up as chainsaw villains — comes to mind. You might even get someone to take you to the local penitentiary, where they’ll try to convince you that a draft is actually the movement of a tormented soul. After Oct. 31, though, that spooky atmosphere will fade away, and you’ll be left with just a fleeting memory of what you believed might be a haunted place. But there is one location on earth that is truly haunted year-round. The abandoned island of Poveglia, Italy, was the site of some of the worst horrors in human history. In 1348, the region surrounding Venice was struck with the bubonic plague, and the infected were sent to Poveglia to die. Once the plague had taken their lives, the victims’ bodies were stacked on pyres and burned. It’s said that 50 percent of the soil on the island is made up of the ash from these funeral rites. While the ash-ridden soil would deter many, it did not stop the locals from turning the island into a mental asylum in the 1800s. Shortly after the asylum opened, all its inhabitants reportedly lost their wits, making it impossible to tell
the doctors from the patients. The doctors on the island were rumored to have gone insane and begun performing questionable experiments on live subjects. Some patients died; others lost their minds. The island quickly claimed them all. Today, Poveglia is completely abandoned. Local fishermen are unwilling to cast their nets off its shores out of fear. They even report hearing chimes from the island’s church bell, but they still refuse to dock their ships. Locals decline to visit the island for fear of the curse that claimed the lives of so many. The very few who dare set foot on the island do not stay for long, claiming to feel a profound disturbance that overwhelms the soul. If you’re taken to a haunted house this Halloween, be thankful. Anyone can handle a quick scare from someone dressed up in a costume. No one has been able to handle the curse of Poveglia, and no one ever will.
4
Published by The Newsletter Pro | TheNewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs