Giant Skeleton Lives Up To Its Family Name

BY CHERYL CONWAY STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - The Adams’ family in Budd Lake is living up to its name from the 1964 television show with some strange behavior. But anyone who knows the family appreciates their humor, especially their giant skeleton that adorns their front yard.

Skully the skeleton has been on the Adams’ family lawn since Halloween 2021. Most people take down their decorations after the holiday, but the Adams decided to make it a more permanent decoration to use in other holidays throughout the year.

“He has become the display for each holiday/birthday and his location has moved depending on his outfit,” describes Minerva Adams. He was recently dressed like a bunny for Easter with a big sign that said, “April Fools.”

“We got the skeleton for our front lawn a few years ago,” she says. “We were looking for something to add a little bit of Halloween spirit to our home, and we thought a skeleton would be the perfect way to do it.”

They bought the skeleton from Home Depot and he is a sight that can’t be missed.

“He is 11’11” but when he stands up straight, he’s 12’,” says Adams. They named him Skully. “Skully is a he, and he›s very friendly. He loves to wave to the neighbors, and he›s always up for a good game of hide-and-seek.

“We use Skully for all sorts of fun things,” she says. “We dress him up in different costumes for different holidays, and we even try to take him trick-or-treating with us on Halloween, but we have a hard time keeping up. He’s a big hit with the kids, and he always makes us laugh.”

Adams is married to Christian Adams, who grew up in Mt. Olive. They’ve lived in town as a family since August 2021 and have seven children: Analissa, 24; Mason, 11; Logan, 10; Lina, 8; Justin, 8; Elliana, 7; and Juliana, 4.

They seem to enjoy the humor.

“We thought it would be a fun way to add a little bit of personality to our home, and we’re so glad we did,” says Adams who works as a general manager of a global software/ tech company and coaches kids’ volleyball.

“We think a skeleton is a great Halloween decoration because it’s both spooky and funny,” she adds. “It’s a great way to get into the Halloween spirit, and it always makes people laugh. We’ve received a lot of positive reactions from people about the skeleton. People often stop by our house to take pictures with it.”

Neighbors and those who pass by can expect more decorations this fall and other initiatives at the Adams’ house.

“We like to decorate our front lawn every Halloween,” she says. “We hope to soon set up children’s art classes.”

While some may think the skeleton can be cooky and creepy, especially when it’s not Halloween, if it gets people laughing, Skully is there to stay.

“Humor is good for the soul because it helps us to relax and to see the lighter side of life,” says Adams. “It’s also good for the bones because it makes us laugh, which helps to keep our bones strong.

Feel free to follow Skully on Instagram @skullyadams or #skullyradams. “We will be working on his next outfit. Keep a look out.”

Did You Know?

AREA -Anything that takes a driver’s attention away from the road is considered a distraction. That includes adjusting the radio station, looking ahead at the route on a navigation system, reaching into the fast-food bag for a French fry, and an- swering a phone or responding to a text. Distractions can be visual (taking eyes off the road), manual (taking hands off the wheel), and cognitive (taking your mind off driving). Whether it is good for people or not, multitasking is now common- place. That means individuals are juggling two or more different tasks at one time, even while driving. This propensity to try to fit more into a day may seem like it is improving efficiency, but certain studies show that multitasking often means the focus and attention to detail supplied to tasks isn’t as great when doing two things at once as opposed to focusing on one task at a time. In terms of driving while distracted by something else, the consequences can be great. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says about 3,000 Americans die in crashes involving a distracted driver every year. Younger drivers, or those between the ages of 15 and 20, are more likely to become distracted drivers than other age groups. The Canadian Automobile Association says drivers who drive distracted are eight times more likely to be in a crash or near-crash event compared with non-distracted drivers. Transport Canada’s National Collision Database indicates distracted driving contributes to an estimated 21 percent of fatal collisions each year and around 27 percent of serious injury collisions. There is still work to be done to encourage drivers to be more attentive behind the wheel.