Really? Already? SWEET!

I went to the grocery store this afternoon, on my way into work.
As you can see, it's a typical grocery store, nothing to distinguish it from any other in the Ozarks, though they do seem to have higher-than-normal prices on certain things, and an inordinate amount of goods related to Nascar (I refuse to write it all in caps).
But what's that to the right of center? That little, dimly lit alcove just southeast of the unlit '2' register sign? Can it be...?

YES! In August, no less. 75 days to go, and they're already finding a need to stock the candy! Sweet...

I cannot tell you how happy this makes me! I suppose I don't have to tell you... but on a typical 96 degree humid Ozarks afternoon, this little set up made me smile very bigly.
Even looking at it now, as I post this from my laptop, hanging out next to Kong on my back deck in a hot muggy evening with cicadas screeching like tiny invertebrate banshees, I can almost smell Fall. Sigh.

As I paced through the aisles picking up the things I mostly remembered to get (lists or not, I have a failing memory... now where was I?).
Oh, yes... turned an aisle and came across this added giggle of Hallowe'en joy:

I love that Hershey's still remembers its top-three-Hallowe'en-candymaker status responsibilities by placing this on their boxes:

I also love that I live in an age when one could say DUMDUMSHREKPOP!, and have it actually mean something to the business/retail world.

"DUMDUMSHREKPOP!"

"Of course, right this way, sir..."

Just more of Hallowe'en's magic.

I also found the bakery section gearing up:

They were out of doughnuts when I got there. I did not take them all then snap this picture.
I'm a little disturbed that they have the brass doughnut holes to actually signify their claim that their bakery items are naturally high energy 'help foods'.
Really? You don't mean just deep-fried fat loaded with sugar?
The day you go out and gather cakes, pies and doughnuts in the wild, I'll let you call it natural.
Help foods is a term that should apply to foods which benefit you, unless by 'help' they mean food that will help you to gain weight and tinker with diabetes.
But then I noticed the font is exactly like Charlie Brown comic strip writing, and then with all those Autumn leaves... I can't stay mad at you, grocery store.
A bit later I noticed some Fall items in the florist section:

Like the pumpkins and scarecrows adorning the bakery case, these ceramics are Fall, not Hallowe'en, per se. But they are signs of the approaching miracle.
Among them is a waving hand, and a camera hiding the head of Jabba the Hut. Damn florist has mirrors behind their shelving.

75 days to go, and I'm already seeing the signs.

Ah, Hallowe'en and retail. As more stores pop open the October goodies, I'll be bringing reports back here to the ol' S&P.

But for now,

DUMDUMSHREKPOP!