Of a few corrections to the previous post and thoughts~~~

Hello Darklings,

Once again I will be taking Mass Transit to work, my sister had to leave early and Doyle took a taxi to the airport, we will not have him for the weekend but it does mean that Coralline and I can do a closet clean out with her Mom, to be followed by shopping!   So I will be busy.

I made a few spelling corrections as well as syntax on my previous post.  One should not type things in "on the fly" but I have corrected them.

It is so cold this morning, fog has rolled in  as well as gray clouds overhead, so out comes my black trench coat and a sweater, in this Bay Area it pays to be able to layer on and peel off, because it can be below 60 with a breeze in San Francisco but well over 80 in Walnut Creek. Only a distance of 30 or so miles.

And speaking of Mass Transit, the count down has begun on the possiblity of a BART strike again, although they continue talking.   Frankly I've looked at the numbers and really all they have to do is split the difference,  but then each side wants what they want and the poor passengers have no say at all.

One passenger is trying to get a coalition up to contact the Governor to stop the strike and keep them at the bargaining table.... I don't think the idiot we have at the state capital will do that, he doesn't think that far ahead to realize how damaging this would be to the economy and how many people could lose their jobs if they can't get to work on time or even at all. 

Well at least at work we will have a plan and our director understands the situation and is very reasonable.

Now I must leave to go to work.  Heigh Ho my Darklings, Heigh Ho!

Later Darklings

Of reviewing the Black Dahlia Book & commenting on our Mass Transit systems~~

Hello Darklings,

Yes my Dark Lovelies I have the Morning off, my Boss said that I'm really only suppose to be working half time until September, and then another review on my health. 

Really I am amazed that my back is doing so well but then I'm careful to follow Doctor's orders.  But it seems that by being half time I'm more flexable for things here at work and can adjust my schdule as needed.  

The only concern is my retirement package, would that adversely affect it, not that I'm worried about income, over the years I've made very wise investments that can hold up to the fluxuations of the economy and the trust fund to maintain the house, so I'll look into that further.

And now to respond to Rebecca's question about the Black Dahlia Book "Fallen Angel" by Troy Taylor published by Whitechapel Press.

The man has done such an extensive and exhaustive investigation into everything revolving around the Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short), but its more than just her, it is also about the corruption of the police in 20's to 40's Los Angeles,  the influcence about the Mob, the cover up about the actions of famous persons, the blackmailing by a powerful newspaper in L.A. and lies, everyone told lies.  

Anything you've read about the Dahlia, toss that out of your head,  Taylor dug deep, very deep,  and for the content I am just blown away and yet so intrigued by it.  Darkness Noir with the Dahlia as the figurehead, the face to all of this.

Now here is the other thing, this is not a glossy pictures, hard back book, many of the pictures are photocopies, some very good, some not so good as if photocopies from newsprint, the crime scene photos, autopsy photos very graphic and disturbing.   The print is close printed and dense you cannot take this book in one sitting, no, this needs to be digested, its like a fact-packed filled dossier.

Why was it published this way?  To make it affordable to any and all crime Noir, film noir, Gothic Noir, History Noir buffs.   You can purchase it from Whitechapel press for $17.00 or a little cheaper if you order it from Barnes and Nobel,  there is shipping and handling----Whitechapel, for the $17 price has some autographed copies, mine is.

So Rebecca I suggest that you get a copy for yourself and a copy for your Library system.  The information in this book blasts the others all away.

By the way as a postscript  you can find the Black Dahlia's grave on Find a Grave, the poor dear is buried not in L.A. or in her old home town but in Oakland, Calif.  at Mountain View Cemetery.  

But getting to her grave is not easy; Mountain View is both flat and hilly,  and those graves that have people buried that had next to none or no family but could pay for a cheap plot are on a hillside that's hard to climb up to, difficult to stay at espeically if the grass is wet, dangerous if you should fall, just like the Dahlia.   

And why was she buried there?  Well it would have cost too much money to transport her, (and I suspect her body was cremated to facilitate easier transportation---if you travel by bus or train they don't object to cremains) and her Father who lived in Oakland had a spare single plot that he didn't want since he had remarried, so she was buried up her far away from the false glamour and glitz of Hollywood, but her grave faces south as if she's looking in that direction.

I should know---- I've visited her small, lonely grave.

And now on a different subject-----Rebecca you commented on finding interesting about our BART Strike (possible)and that where you live people either have to use their cars or a pecarious bus system --- I presume its because frequently the buses are not on time.

Here in the San Francisco-Oakland East Bay Area we are awashed in Mass Transit, but people cling to their cars like they are the Ring of Power from Toliken's Trilogy.   And unfortunately because of finacial cut backs and reduction of bus lines they have forced the people to go back to using cars instead of public transportation.

That in time may change.

The area is serviced by Airports, light rail, Trains, Mass transit systems, may of which are numerous and often overlapping.

Let's start with Airports---The largest and oldest in the area is San Francisco International  (SFO) and is a major international hub airport 2nd only to LAX (Los Angeles)  and is Hub to United and Virgin America airlines.  You may have heard about it in the news of the crash of a 777 Asiana airplane which is still under investigation.

Oakland International (OAK)  is the 2nd largest in the region and a hub for mostly low-cost domestic flights and is a base for Southwest airlines.  It's espeically popular for communter flights, my Doyle goes from OAK when he has to go to LA or San Diego or up north.

We have Mineta San Jose INT Ap (SJC which is a minor focus for Southwest and is popular with Silicon valley.

Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport (STS) is a minor one in Santa Rose and is served by one commercial airline, Horizon Air.  It's a fast way for those in wine country to get to their country homes away from the city, many people fly their own planes from a branch of OAK which is called Old Oakland Airport to STS

Now to Mass transit----We have BART a subway/communterrail serives that serves parts of the Bay area including S.F. Oakland, Berkely, Richmond, Fremont and Walnut Creek and has direct connections at SFO and an improved direct connection to OAK is currently being built, there is a shuttle from a BART station to OAK in operation at this time.  (the strike will temporarily discontinue that)

CALtrain is a commuter rail that connects San Jose and S.F.  and with a BART stop for the other side of the East Bay by way of the Millbrae Station

Amtrak--we have several Amtrak stations in the Bay Area that connects to major train lines up and down the coast, and going south, and back east, and has BART transfer stations at 2 points, the information on Amtraks site can tell you more.

ACE trains this is a rail service that serves commuters to and from the Central Valley to Silicon Valley and travels from Stockton to  Pleasanton, Fremont, Santa Clara and ends at San Jose, only runs during commute hours on weekdays.

Light Rail---this is becoming a popular mode of transportation and is slowing beginning to gain much interest in the Bay Area currently it's only in S.F. called Muni Metro, it does share a station with BART under Market Street, this runs on former street car lines.

San Francisco also has Historical Street Car lines, with vintage Street Cars, just riding the different ones can be fun but I recommend to do it between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or after the communte hours as they tend to be crowded.

The other light rail is VTA which serves San Jose, including Santa Clara, Sunny vale, Campbell and Mountain View.

There are other light rail systems being developed in Sacramento and eventually Los Angeles

BUS---  There are numerous and often overlapping bus transit agencies that service the area. 

On the East Bay side we have AC transit which serves Alameda and Contra Costa Counties,  This system provided limited  service to San Francico to the transfer area known as Transbay Terminal from there one has to use the S.F. system.

In San Francico it's called MUNI which is a combination of light rail, buses, as well as antique historical street cars and provides connections to other transit systems.

There are many other shuttle and transit bus systems far to numerous for me to mention but you can look them up on wikipedia under Transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Once you know the name of the System you can look up their schedules, destinations and cost from their web sites.

Because we are a Bay Area Water location much like Seattle or Vacouver we have Ferry Service provided by several Ferry systems, Golden Gate, Blue & Gold, Red& White.  the Hornblower system provides service to visit historic Alcatraz Island.

The Ferrys here are only people ferrys they do not transport cars like some other ferry systems.
There are also shuttle services both Medical, airport and private such as LINKS which serves a limited area.

There is also a system of Car Sharing which is slowly gaining some interest as well a system of "casual car pooling",  I have used  the later myself while waiting for a bus, but one needs to be discering, I do predict that "casual car pooling" will happen again if the strike happens, one takes a chance on that.

There is also taxi service all over, as well as a program in S.F. called "Ride Sharing" which the Taxi companies and Drivers are having a dispute about in S.F. the issue is safety as well as questions about how legal is this "Ride Sharing" program.
People who use public transportation will purchase a Clipper Card which is reloadable and is accepted by most but not all Bay Area transit agencies---those that do are AC transit, BART, Cal Train, Golden Gate Transit, Muni, SamTrans, and VTA.

The Bay Area possesses an extensive freeway and highway system which during communte hours on a very bad day can become a parking lot, but on the whole is manageable if one drives safely and vigilantly.

Again the wikipedia web site that I mentioned will list the major interstate and state hyway systems in this area.

If one wanted to one could literally travel the entire bay area without driving,  but in S.F. be careful taking a bus into the Chinatown area, the Geary, Market Street, Stockton and N Judah,  buses and light rail are always packed like sardines, so be careful of your purse, wallet and cell phone, be careful with them on any transit system.   And when school lets out or communte times again be prepared to be crushed, squeezed, pinched, bumped and bruised.  Don't wear flashy gold or silver jewerly, or anything to attract would be robbers and rudeness.  Be prepared for crazies, drunks, druggies and pan handlers.

Other than that it can be fun.

And now I must finish getting dressed for work and taking Mass Transit   ;)

Later Darklings

Of a restful but peculair weekend~~~

Hello Darklings,

I've been reading my Black Dahlia book, but I can only take it in in small amounts, so much to digest, and last night I didn't get much reading done because one of my co-workers called to vent her frustrations of Friday.

She wanted my advise or some suggestions as to what she and others can do about the last friday of the month when those Bicyclists take over the streets of San Francisco and prevent people from getting home.  It has a regular name (Critical Mass) but at work they call it Road Block Friday.

And with the possiblity of BART going on Strike by August 4th, that leaves that possiblity of transportation out.   I told her that this is something that will have to be brought up at the All Staff meeting.

One thing I did suggest to her was getting to work much earlier and leaving earlier to at least take the bus home or the Ferry, and just leave her car at home it just means not planning anything for that evening, perhaps have that as a Pizza night for the family or something.

There was the idea of maybe taking that day off and working on Saturday instead or doing a half day on Friday and half day on Saturday leaving the afternoons free.  Or coming in later and working later pass the time of the insanity of the bicyclists. 

Ordinarily if BART was not striking she would take BART and Bus to and from work, but with the BART strike that will not be possible.   I did tell her that at the all staff meeting we were going to look into what worked and what didn't during the 4 1/2 day strike and advised her to write those ideas down, and that if the Strike last more than a month (I don't think it will) that we still have to take into the  idea of the inconsideration and inconvience of Critical Mass and now would be a good time to address it, I know that our Director would welcome any ideas.

This last Friday was horriendous, not only was it Friday it was Critical Mass Friday, plus two games being played one in S.F. the other in Oakland, as well as two concerts in the Area and then as a topper, the Bridge (S.F. East Bay) was closed for two hours in both directions just at quitting time because of something that looks suspiciously like a bomb at an off ramp at Treasure Island. 

I was so glad I was not working that day.  Sis and Doyle were fortunate to avoid that mess as their work kept them on this side of the Bay, and Brian was working late.  But it was awful and painful to see on the news.

But today I took it easy,  just a little walk with Belladonna this morning, and a light breakfast, a few chores to be done.  Sis wanted me to go with her over to her house to look over that back porch.  Her contractor had suggested a few ideas and even sketched them out,  and she sketched some of her own but it was as if she has this idea but didn't know how to express it.

So here we are sitting on a couple of folding chairs and looking things over, some tall metal stakes were set up and string was tied to them to measure the area of how far the extention was going to go and then the much small outside deck beyound that.  But she had a feeling that what she had in mind for a view of the garden would be blocked and she was right.   I thought for a minute or two and said "Why a 2nd deck?  Why not a patio below the "lani" level,  I pointed out that at one end  closests to the driveway she could have a small deck to step out on and then steps to go down to it.   Considering the amount of sun it gets it would be wasteful to have another overhang, just have patio umbrella's that can be taken up or put out for shade as needed.

That way the major expanse of the view of the enclosed porch would not be impeded.  And with screens on the sliding floor to ceiling windows (in essence slide glass doors) one still could get fresh air and hear the birds.   She was estatic about the idea  But she still had a problem,  her driveway curves into the back yard and after the garden area is her garage so you have a beautiful garden and then a garage wall,  I said disguise it.  Make it a rock wall with plantings,  maybe a waterfall  but avoid bamboo, grows like a weed, I suggested a form of climbing jasmine for scent.  The gardener would know.

I said that the driveway could be hidden from the Lani with some of those buildings that she was thinking of that she saw at the County Fair espeically if she wanted to bring 1950's Hawaii into her back yard.  Some of the landscape designers that we saw at the Fair could be very helpful.

I told her that any repairs to that particular Garage wall could be done from the inside if she had metal posts to hold up the roof of the garage on that side.  And of course motion detector lights as well.

She was so happy that she is treating me to dinner tonight, and I'm looking forward to putting on a lovely dress and getting dressed up.  I'm ready to go, Sis is just making a couple of phone calls to confirm her clients appointments tomorrow,   Doyle was already getting together with a couple of his friends tonight so everything is nicely set.

Then tomorrow back to the grind stone, and a all-staff meeting.   Even at my age I'm still a "workin' gal".

Later Darklings

Of Vera West and the Black Dahlia~~~~

Hello Dear Darklings,  (update done later at 2:09 p.m. PDT)

I'm still at home, the new modum seems to be working fine, although I think I need to re-register on how I'll receive my billing.

Doyle is happy with it as it seems to help speed up his work as well.

Sis is over at her house talking to the contractor, about how she wants to extend the back porch, there are two doors that lead to it, one from the kitchen and one from the long Hall that devides the rooms when one goes in  there is a large foyer, on the right is an office with small library shelves, past that are wide stairs that lead upstairs, past that the large dinning room, next to it a Library and a maids or housekeepers room with its own bath.

Across the hall from front to back is a very large living room, followed by a smaller family palour, a small intimate dinning room, Pantry followed by a much smaller breakfast nook and nice size kitchen, with the hall separating both halves, and then a door at the end of the hall leading to the backporch.

Oddly there is a wide door under the first half of the stairs that lead to a set of stairs down into the basement which runs the full length of the house; at the bottom of these stairs to the right is the laundry room and comfortable space for a 50 gallon hot water heater (or larger depending on need).  

The contractor has already improved and upgraded much of the poorly installed and illegal wiring to meet and even exceed code.  One can see the water and gas pipes, my sister requested that the pipes be painted blue for water and red for gas with designations as to which is hot or cold water,  she wants the basement to be like a work room, light and bright but without any pretentions to it.

And she wants the back porch to become extended and enclosed with sliding glass doors and screens, and then a deck with an overhang beyond it so one can sit outside as well.

She has plans for the place, and wants to eliminate any kind of gloomy interior and no overwhelming wall paper either, color and light is her motto.   Right now Brian is staying in the downstairs housekeepers room, he is very happy with his job and would like to pay rent to my Sister, they will work out the details.

Last night Sis wanted to watch something mindless but enjoyable, so going through my vast collection of DVD's she pulled up "The Woman in Green" a Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes mystery, considering that I had only seen just the opening of it on GetTV the other day, I agreed.

While looking at the opening credits one name leaped out at me----Vera West----of course, a Universal film she would have done the leading ladies costumes.   I enjoyed watching the beautiful, blond Hillary Brooke in her clothing and wondering if I could have an evening dress designed like hers in a very dark green.   Afterwards instead of watching the news I decided to go to bed and read a bit.

I took with me the latest book I had ordered from Whitechapel Press by Troy Taylor about the Black Dahlia Murder titled "Fallen Angel" and while perusing it two names leaped out at me Dr. Frederick Neebaum and Capt. Donahoe, both were involved 6 months before with the Black Dahlia's death and then later that same year with Vera West's and both cases were "sweeped under the rug".

So this evening I am going to spend my time reading this book, it might provide more clues as to Vera West's death.

But to have Vera West and the Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short) die in the same year, in the same county (Los Angeles) their deaths looked over by the same heads of their respective departments and both of them never solved,  Darklings this is too much of a coincidence. 

If I manage to garner more information from this surprising source I will let you know if I update my "Vera West" page.

But now I need to attend to more mundane business.

Later Darklings

P.S. I just did a few minor updates like correcting Capt. Donahoe's last name as well as the authors and included the title of the book.  Darklings if you are into Gothic Noir Murder mysteries, do get this book, I must warn you there are some very graphic images of the body of Elizabeth Short, so make sure the kiddies don't see it.   I'm locking mine away from Coraline and her brothers, but then I might be being overly sensitive but still it is not wise.

Of getting better progress~~~~

Well Darklings,

It appears I am slowly improving, I called my Boss yesterday evening and he said for me just to finish the week out and get properly rested, I have so much sick leave that I built up over the years I might as well make use of it, he said.   Even with the time that I took off to recover from my auto accident.

Sometimes one does get lucky in having a boss or supervisor who is totally understanding, but you have to repay that with good work as well.

We talked about last night about the possible upcoming BART strike in August and again he's been talking with staff to see what worked and what didn't and asked for my input.   So on Monday there will be an all staff meeting to lay out what will be worked out and then the Friday before the Monday strike another all staff meeting to have everything in place.    Now if at the last minute the strike is averted it is suggested to at least on that Monday (August 4) to do the plan for that day and then go back to regular schedules on Tuesday with the exception of those who will work the evening to midnight shift, they will have Tuesday off as a bonus vacation day, and come to work Wednesday as per ususal.

Frankly I can see no other alternative. ***sigh*** there are going to be a lot of unhappy people during that time.

The wonton soup my sister purchased was delicious and she bought a lot of it so I could have some for lunch today.

Frankly except for a slight sniffles and an occasional cough I'm feeling much better, no fever, but still a little on the weak side.  I'm taking a cough medicine to keep the cough under control, frankly I'd prefer Bourbon but not before 6 p.m. although I could make an exception after 3 p.m.  We'll see.

Doyle came home early this morning from his assignment, but he will be up this afternoon, the new modum that was ordered arrived yesterday and he's going to install it this evening, I hope all will go well without a hitch, so if I don't post for a few days that is the reason why.

Yesterday evening in a fit of boredom, Sis and I channeled surf through our attenna stations and came across a new one on (locally) ch. 66.03  it's called GET TV.  Right now they are doing a preview run, no commericals and will be working fully starting in October.  They are showing Old Movies from the 30's 40's 50's and I think early 60's,  last night we caught "My Pal Trigger" with Roy Rodgers and Dale Evans, followed by "Africa Screams" with Abbott and Costello, this morning just for fun I checked on it and saw a film noir ending with Kirk Douglas and Barbra Stanwick from the late 1940's followed by the beginning of "The Woman in Green" (Sherlock Holmes) with Basil Rathbone.

Darklings I have no idea where this station is distributed in your areas (USA) but if you can find it (GETTV) on the attenna, save it---the web site currently is not telling what its showing but what they plan, and they may also have eventually commercials, but frankly who cares.  Right now I check on it on the hour and half hour to see what is playing if I'm so inclind to watch T.V. 

Well I am going to take a nice shower and wash my hair and have lunch to watch Perry Mason.

I know Darklings not so Gothic but one can always check out the Darklinks website to see what catches your fancy.   I might even feel up to perusing my "InStyle" magazine.

I am hoping that in the next week or so I can see Coraline I did promise to take her shopping for new clothes for School, well really after school, she has to wear a school uniform, its the deal I made with my Brother and Sister in law, since they have to spend a lot on the boys clothes.   This way they don't have to disapoint her, so we'll go through her closet see what fits and what doesn't, what is still nice and what is worn and what she likes and doesn't like.  Then take pictures of what she will keep so we can mix and match with what we'll buy.   I'm sure she'll need new shoes and pants and possibly tops as well,  My sister-in-law says she's grown a little taller in the last year so somethings Coraline can no longer wear, well this will be a good time to get new things.   I know I'm looking forward to it.

And now Shower and Lunch.

Later Darklings

Of feeling barely better~~~~

Hello Darklings,

I'm only feeling barely better but so weak,  Sis has placed stratigicly bottles of water for me to drink, "Keep hydrated she says", I'm so hydrated I keep running to the bathroom to flush my system out.

I want to be outside but everyone is worried that I'll become more ill, but the yard is warm right now, so I'll take a blanket and lie down on the hammock in the shade,  and I'll take a bottle of water with me too.  

We finished the soup last night except for some that I had at lunch, at least I'm not turning my nose away from it, it does taste good.

Sis is going to pickup Wor Won Ton at our favorite Chinese place.   Then we'll see how I fare tomorrow.

Dear Underground I'd love to watch old movies but for some reason I just do not find any to be palatable to my mind.   The only thing I'm enjoying now is "Perry Mason" while I'm having lunch.

However my Sister has Tivo'd this 10 week summer series called "Whodunit" so tonight I think she will play it for us to keep my mind excerised.  Not all of the episodes have played yet so I'll be able to catch up.  Sis knows that good murder mysteries always keep my mind sharp. 

But right now I just want to be outside,  I have found that Sis made some lavendar lemonade, so that will be refreshing.  Pooh!!  I'm so miserable that I can't even enjoy my "Instyle" magazine.  Not that everything they show I can wear, after all a person of 60 something cannot dress like an 18 year old, that would be silly.

And poor Belladonna is so bored, at least Marrisa's Mom comes by to check on me (at my Sister's request) and she takes her for a walk in the later afternoon, which reminds me I should call her so she'll know where to find me.

And Sis was hoping we could go and see "Red 2" she thought it would be funny to watch.  Maybe next week, right now the smell of popcorn might throw me off.

However I was pleased to see that Kate and William have a baby Boy, Prince George Alexander Louis, Prince of Cambridge,  I thought if it was a boy it would be named George---it would have pleased the Queen to know they were thinking of her Father George VI who held England together during WWII. 

And now Darklings a hammock is calling me.

Later Darklings

Of being sick with a Summer cold~~~

Oh Darklings,

I am so miserable right now.

Over the whole weekend I was feeling fine, but just a tiny bit "off my feed" so to speak.  I thought I was overtired as last week was rather hectic and I had been putting in more hours because of staff on vacation.

But last night I felt a serious chill all over my body and I broke out in a sweat.  Right now my temp is 100 but I'm taking asprine to lower it.  No body aches, just feeling miserable.  It might be a Summer cold.

So I didn't go into work today, called my Boss and he said take as much time as I need to get well.

So I slept, woke up, showered, slept some more, drank some tea and had toast, slept again and now I just had to get out of bed and walk a bit, so here I am.

Doyle is out of town again he called and was concerned but I told him there was nothing he could do,  Sis set up the crockpot when she saw how I was feeling, to make chicken soup with veggies (no tomatoes) just carrots, celery, peas, a little potato for a little thickening, an a touch of onion for flavor, it will be enough for two days.   Saltines tonight, maybe sweet french bread tomorrow night depending upon my stomach.

Camomile tea or peppermint tea with a touch of honey. 

Sis has called to check on me while she is meeting her clients.   The work on her house is coming along quite nicely,  this weekend she is going to be chosing paint colors and wall paper and she wants me involved, if I can right now I feel numb.

Dear Darklings when one gets older getting sick is a serious proposistion,  not to be ignored and monitored closely.  We are not 20 something and can bounce back.

Well I'm going back upstairs to sleep some more, but I'm going to set my CD player (it plays 5 cds) to play quiet music softly,  I have those that have music and bird, water sounds so I'll think I'm in the woods.  Poor little Belladonna she can't understand why Mommy is not taking her for her walk, just sending her outside into the small garden.

Well sometimes the body does say "you need to rest"  I just wish one didn't have to feel miserable as well.

Later Darklings

Of a Barbarian Waltz (thoughts)~~~~

Well Darklings,

The confrence calls went better than expected and finished sooner than planned.   I just wrote out my notes, but I'm going to review them in a minute or two to be sure I have everything and compare them with a co-worker.

Once that is done and I contact those that need to be contacted I'll be free to go home,  my Boss said that since I put in more hours of late over what was scheduled for, I can leave any time I want. 

So now I'm taking a breather,  and putting my head back together.  

All day I've had this waltz type tune running through my head, I even started waltzing to it when I went to the break room for my juice water.   David saw me doing that and started waltzing with me as I hummed the tune.   He liked it and asked me where I heard it and I said "Of all the strangest things but from an 'Ahnold' movie, "Connan the Barbarian'"   He said that a friend of his gave him a cd of the sound track a couple of years ago but he hadn't played it, now he was going to have to.

I asked him if it would be possible to make a burn of just the waltz and he said he would.  Frankly until that happens its the only way to get it out of my mind.

Doyle happened to be watching it last night, he said he wanted to watch something "mindless" well that is a good mindless movie.

But now back to my notes......and the waltz is still running in my head.

Later Darklings

Of a little update about Oakland and other things~~~

Hello Darklings,

This post will have to be short.

Things were quiet last night in Oakland from what I can tell, businessess are trying to fix up their smashed windows and graffitied walls.

Some of the criminals responsible for some of the acts of vandalism and assult are being charged, not one of them from Oakland I understand but from out of town.

I understand it's the same in Los Angeles.

If anyone wants to read about it just Bing, Google, or Yahoo it for the most recent updates.   Doyle wants Sis and I to go to the range and practice with our handguns, well I have to admit I need the practice, but I told him that all of this was in Downtown, but he wants us to be safe.   I won't argue with him, considering that he does at times have to go out of town and there have been times when I've been by my self here in the house.

But the feeling is that things will slow down for now,  but the possiblity of another BART strike is heating up again, the two side have been speaking but intermittently.   We'll know more by Aug 3.  If any of you are planning to visit San Francisco or the East Bay in August be prepared for more Hell.

And now people are in an uproar because Rolling Stone magazine has printed on their cover the picture of the surviving Boston Bomber, some places will not carry that particular issue,  I don't know the full particulars, but I feel that RS has made a big mistake, it's like its implying that they praise the Bombers Actions but until I read a copy of RS I really won't know.   It's one thing to have it in a small front box to indicate that there is an article inside but its another to plaster it completly on the front.   Maybe their sales are sagging.

The mornings this week have been grey and overcast, fog rolling over S.F.  but go over the Oakland hills and it climbs to the upper 80's and 90's Oh love our East Bay weather.

I have the morning off but I will need to get to work soon, some conference calls coming in at 12 noon.  I think I'll take the Ferry home and call for a cab if I miss the bus,  I'll see how it goes.

So far my back is doing fine with this work schedule,  I'll be talking to my boss more about it, I'm not hurting financially and even feel more relaxed, we'll have to see what can be worked out.

Must go, phone ringing.

Later Darklings

Of more Riots in Oakland~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Once again I'm posting from work, and dear David has purchased another Latte for me, sweet young man, he asked if I would be interested in going with him to the Paramont Theatre in August to see the 1954 Godzilla on the Big Screen, I said yes,  if all goes well in Oakland.

And speaking of Oakland, well the protesters were out again, this time shutting down the 880 freeway during the afternoon communte,  then they directed their attention back into downtown Oakland, more fires, more smashing and destruction, more hate graffitti, but this time more arrests.

Doyle and Sis are worried for me if I work a late day, but I feel that this will be over at the latest by next week, unless Occupy Oakland gets it into its head to prolong the situation.   Frankly enough is enough, this only hurts businesses and commerce and people trying to work.   It solves nothing, it changes nothing, it only creates a bigger divide.

One of the Jurors was on an interview program, they had to hide her face to protect her, but she said that all 6 of them agonized over all the evidence, at first 3 of them wanted to convict, but when all of them went over the evidence those 3 changed their minds,   it all came down to the last few seconds those moments when Zimmerman was in fear for his life, they all agreed that he had the right to use what ever means to save himself.  The "Stand Your Ground" law was invoked.  Those 6 jurors saw that, they cried, they prayed, they agonized over this decision.  And according to the law, according to the evidence "not guilty" was the only verdict to render.

Doyle could understand this, but he turned to me and said "Where was the Media about Justice for Johnathan Paul Foster, and Autum Pasquale, children 10 and 12 who were murdered, white children by sadly black perpatrators.   The Media is bias and disgusting, the Media only wants to foment riots and rage"  and Doyle was going on about it how the Media ignores the injustice and the greed and harm of Monsanto, Big Pharma, what is happening in Syria, and other huge events and focuses on the death of an actor, or the crash and burn of a singer, or the baby bump of a Royal.

I didn't stop him, because in his own way he was right.  So I let him get it out.

And once again we made our plans incase Oakland riots again tonight.   Not a good situation and one that will never solve or bring peace to anything.

I would prefer to post about lovely things, about silly things about things tottally different from what is happening, but I also feel an obligation to those who live outside of the Bay Area, outside of California and the United States who read my blog to understand what is also happening here. 

And if I only posted about lovely, silly, selfish things, one would think I'm shallow and self-centered, I don't think I am, but sometimes I feel as if I can no longer stand this world that has developed, and prefer to stay in my own little world but life is real, and I must face it as agonizing as it is.

Must go.

Later Darklings

Of riots in Oakland and responses to posts~~~~

Hello Darklings,

I'm posting from work, so it will have to be brief, although I'm on my coffee break, and that dear young man David has once again enticed me with a Hazelnut Moca Latte. 

First to respond to you Lucreitia and Underground,  the property is really very large, the house was built when owners could own nearly several acres of property, but we are down to two houses wide, but nearly the width of a half a block deep,  on the back side of the property we have a fence and then the blank wall of a  building nearly 1 and a half story tall  the trees pretty much hide the building.  My sister's property is a bit shorter, her's backs into another back yard,   in looking at the backs of all the properties that I can see from the uppermost window of the house, mine is the only one with a sort of commerical building, everything else is residential, and since my sister is on one side of me and there is more than enough space between my house and the neighbors house there is no interference at all, it is a wierd configuration.  Because from the front and across the street we are all residential with trees and a small park with a pond a block or so away.

Really a very hidden nook in this area, with such a peaceful feeling that one could not imagine it being in a large city.   The other day Marissia came to me with pictures she was so excited about,  it seems that down in the park that has some tall palm trees there is a nest of owls,  her father with a huge telephoto lens managed to capture them on film, and there is scat at the bottom of the trees showing that there is a nest up there.  Owls!!  How bizarre and how wonderful!

About the tarot readings, we'll see how that develops, I think it would be fun, about filming I'm not sure, some people are very private but we'll see how that comes about.

Now about the riots in Oakland.

I have not posted hardly anything about the Zimmerman-Martin trial, it seems to be a lighting rod among people of extreme opposite opinions.   On the outcome, based on evidence presented, the acquital verdit as rendered by a Jury of 6 Women seemed to be the only outcome.   Which many people object to, it gave an excuse for a group of protesters to smash, destroy and set fire to things.   According to some alternate news media reports it appeared to be from the more criminal element of Occupy Oakland, well they haven't been able to get much support of late considering their last riot.

Sis and I were unaware of this on Saturday as we didn't turn on the news until the evening, and had been playing classical music in her car during our errands, since there is no classical music station to be found in the Bay Area anymore, or as Doyle laments not even Country Western.  

Not until about 4:30 we received a cell phone call from Doyle warning us of what might happen, so we came home as soon as we could avoiding much of downtown Oakland to get home, amazing all the side routes we found.  I recorded Svengoolie (my wicked indulgence) so we'd watch the news and there they were smashing, setting fires, spray painting "Kill Pigz" on BART and Police cars.  It seems  they can't spell, don't they know the pural of pig is pigs with an s not a z.  It just emphazies stupidity.  

So Doyle drove me to the Ferry this morning and we saw the mess they left, he said since he has to be in S.F. he'll pick me up and bring me home, until we are sure that things have quieted down.

This does show a divide between people,  this is happening more and more, Doyle told me that since the Oscar Grant trial  more and more people are putting in more security systems and those that could afford to leave have sold their homes and moved out of Oakland, at least in those areas that have been hit,  Doyle told me that Montclair and Piedmont have been very attractive to the criminal element.

So he's going to "beef" up mine and Sis's security, including video camera's with very good night and day resolutions.   It is sad.

Now I must go, coffee break is over.

Later Darklings 

Of relaxing, taking care of things and updates~~~

Oh Darklings,

Today is such a lazy day,  I'm glad that we are finally having what passes for normal weather here in the Bay Area.   I was up early out of my "coffin" and enjoying my morning coffee and listening to the waking bird song as the sun creeped over the rise.   

Belladonna was being a lazy thing and didn't want to leave her warm snuggles,  so she settled next to Doyle and curled up warmly, she finally came down to do her bathroom duties with that grumpy look that dogs have when they just don't want to get up and do something.

Doyle unfortunately has to go to a meeting with several clients, many are becoming so security minded that he has been filling in to help with the over load. 

Sis decided to make something fattening---banana pancakes, I asked for only two as I know it will hold me to well past lunch time, and her caretaker houseguest, Brian came over to help out,  as I put another pot of coffee on and set the breakfast table.

Brian is happy he got a job and it pays very well, so he'll be talking with his ex-wife to make arrangements to start paying the child support again, I've met the lady, she is very nice, and in her own way very supportive of her ex-husband, she said that people have enough stress in their lives and when two people can be civilized and work together it makes things much easier.  Brian will continue to stay in Sis's house while the work is being done.

And progress has been made, the kitchen is finished, as well as the down stairs bathroom,  the foundation is sound and does not need work and thank goodess the re-wiring was done so no "ghostly feelings" in the place.   Sis is looking at the basement room and it it quiet large so part will be partioned for laundry, she sighed saying she'll have to buy a new washer and dryer.  So she's been making her list (and checking it twice).  Her contractor said it would be good to work on the roof and gutters right now before any more inside work is done, it has a third roof and needs replacing, so that is next.

I miss Coralline but she has been going to Summer School and then to an afternoon science camp, so has her brothers, but I'll be seeing her in August which I'm looking forward to.

My garden is coming along nicely, my gardener has cleared away all the brambles and such from the back part of the property and I can see the old pet cemetery quiet clearly now, the gardener even found old iron fence railings which I intend to put around the little cemetery and allow for some extra space for just in case,
more work is going to be done to the Greenhouse to finish it up.   I've fallen in love with the dark purple phalesopes(sp) orchids, but Sis thinks I should intersperse white ones as well, the little indoor stream has been completely found and my friends are finishing it up for me,  they said they'd like to hold their tarot  meetings at the Greenhouse, they feel the atmospher is becoming very magical.     Frankly I don't mind, I just need to know when, so I'm not surprised by a sudden influx of people well it's not many only 6 or so.

I've walked around the property today, checking the house and grounds and the small outer buildings making notes on what needs to be taken care of.  Like I said such a lazy day.

But it won't be for long,  Sis wants to go to several places to look for outdoor furniture for her place, I was puzzled but she said that now is a good time to buy things at sale prices, so we are going to Cost Plus and one other place, and several nurseries, she wants to see what would be good tropical type plants that would do well in our location besides "Birds of Paradise"  and my gardener will become her gardener as well, he doesn't mind---it's more business for him.

But still such a lazy day.

Oh and I found an amusing cartoon that sort of celebrates the event that happen 66 years ago in Rosewell, frankly I like the sentiment.

Later Darklings

Of Do You know what day this is?~~~~

Well Darklings,

Do you know what day this is?   This is the Day when those Pesky UFO's landed at Roswell, New Mexico and they have been an irritating thorn in the Military's side every since (Big Smile).

And if you look at my brief Bio that was also the year I first saw the light of day, such as it was.  And nothing has been normal since.    Well I never claimed I was really Normal, you know the old fashioned rose covered cottage with the white picket fence, working husband who likes to wear his slippers and smoke a pipe when he comes home from work,  talk to little Johnny and Sally about School, and Spot the dog brings the newspaper (slightly chewed)  to him,  while wifey makes a martini while dinner is finishing up as she is wearing a lovely day frock with pearls and high heels wearing full make up and her hair perfectly styled.

Oh please Mrs. Cleaver ~~~~  

No Darklings, Dad held down a hard working full time job, Mom sometimes worked part time as a nursing assistant, she was on call,  Grandma was quick to come to the house if Mom was called in so us children came home to a family member.  Later on that changed so she'd cover the lunch hour shift till the nurses changed shifts, and could be home with us kids.   Then finally Dad got a promotion and a raise and Mom retired, but she'd earn pocket money with sewing or babysitting espeically when we sibs were older, or helping out with an elderly person that needed care. 

But a Day frock and pearls???   As Grandma would say "Oh my Stars and Garters" and laugh.

When I was older and read about the Rosewell insident, I asked Dad about that, and he said "Who needs UFO's I have you children claiming there's a dead body in the back yard, yes a dead body of a mouse the cat killed."    Or the old, old house that looked so haunted, that we thought there were ghosts looking at us from an upstairs windown, only it was a very frail elderly lady whom time and life had passed by and Mom and Dad took to helping her out.  Then the house was fixed up and a family moved in after the old lady had passed away.

The only alien we were concerned about was the Man of Steel on T.V. who saved people, or a strange looking wooden puppet wearing a plaid shirt, jeans and cowboy boots and had freckles,   if after 1947 there were aliens one only had to watch the children's programing in the late 1940's and early to mid-50's to see strange aliens.

But Roswell is a defining moment.  And now I have to check to see how the stew in the crock pot is cooking and then I'm going to order some lipstick from Besame Cosmetics and balance my accounts.

Later Darklings

Of Tragedy at S.F.O. and old-fashioned things~~~

Dear Darklings,

I'm sure that many of the National and International News agencies are carrying this tragic story.

Flight 214 from South Korea, crashed yesterday afternoon at the San Francisco Airport.

The miracle is that only 2 people died, 2 teenage Chinese National girls who I believe were part of a group of 70 going to a Summer Camp here in the US.

There were 290 passengers and a crew of I believe 16 I'm not sure, the only thing is that there were 309 people total on board, 307 survived.   At last count 181 were injured with various types of injuries, at least 16 critically, but at this time they are expected to survive.

The bodies of the 2 girls were found outside the plane, which has us puzzeled.   It is described that the plane came in too low the pilot realized it gave it an increase in power but it was not enough to clear, the landing gear of the tail of the plane hit the rock wall that separates the run way from the bay,  and then the rest of the plane skidded and its jet enginges ripped off. 

The pilot at the last second managed to get word to the tower that replied that emergency personnel are on their way.  Police were tossing box cutters to the crew to help passengers get free of their seat belts, many passengers and the crew helped others remain calm even though there was fire, the airbags to slide to safety were deployed.

Doyle thinks that the 2 girls were sitting in the tail section of the plane and when it hit they were thrown out.  But that is only speculation.  Many flights are being rerouted to Oakland, San Jose Airports possibly Los Angeles as well. Any airport that has very long runways.

Yesterday evening as Sis and I were cleaning up from canning the fruits we were watching and listening to the news reports, it will be weeks before anything will be diffinet about this.  All we could do was pray for them and their friends and families.   Doyle told us that the Boeing 777 is a very "tough" plane and it might have been a good thing the pilot poured the power on to give the front end lift, it might have helped save many lives.

I know that I have many readers on my Blog who are from overseas, and this blog may help give them a quick overview of anything major happening in my area.  But Yahoo and Google News will have more information and updates.  So I'd have to refer you to those sources.

This event sort of deflated our day, one hates to be happy and enjoying things when such a tragedy takes place, it makes the events in our lives seem so trivial and silly.  Sis and I stayed up until late in the evening to discuss this, how we felt.   Doyle had put in a long day and said he was going to bed.

His comment was "This is in the best hands possible, all we can do is pray and if they need a blood drive or donations help out that way."   And really he is right, but still one cannot help but think that.  Sis said that if one goes on thinking that then we become too morbid in our minds to become effective in helping others, and even though we know Death is all around us, every minute of every day, we need to be able to see and understand that as tragic as it is we can only do what we can.  And she is so right, I know she was thinking that I was remembering what happened to me as a child, and every now and then she reminds me to carry on.

Yesterday morning we had an early start to our Day by going over to a friends house, she has been going through all her closets and her storage unit and what a treasure trove!!!  Hats, purses, clothing all from the 1940's and 50's and a few things from the early 60's (total Mad Men),  with several large mirrors and a wall mirror we tried on everything and made our selections, we bought over half of what she had,  but she'll have plenty to offer.   I found a number of hats that looked very good on me including a Shapirellie,  and the purses such a variety, it became hard to choose but I selected those that went well with my personal style,  but she had several suits that fit me just beautifully, one in Dark grey,  two in black, and one in a very dark green, then there was a black jacket with (I'm sorry to say but remember the suit is over 60 years old) a leopard print collar and cuffs, and it was just like new. 

Sis also found wonderful things as well and we were estatic with our finds, so over coffee and coffee cake we made our purchases.   Then our friend showed us her cosmetic purchases from Besame Cosmetics, such a deep purple lipstick almost like liquorish,  and the powder compact so sweet and totally retro.  I love Besame Cosmetics the colors are perfect for me.

Our friend said she had other things to go through but she was going to sell what she had left over first but she said she'd call us for first refusal.   That helped us with our Vintage fix for now.

When we got home and carefully put our things away we went to the Kitchen and started our canning project first with sterilizing the jars and lids and seals, we decided that with the apricots we'd wash and cut them in half removing the seed, cook them and put them up as halves, the cherries we removed the stems those were going to be worked on Sunday, once we got the apricots ready and the jars sterlized it was putting them in and carefully sealing them then allowing them to cool,  while that was happening we prepared the plums for Sundays project to make plum jam, we'd do that first and then we'd work on the cherries,  right now I'm taking a break and so is Sis, while Doyle is continuting to halve the cherries since the Plums are done, Dinner is going to be take out tonight, Doyle will get it while we clean up the kitchen. 

I preferr to make dinner as it's cheaper and healthier but with projects like this sometimes one has to do take out.  At least yesterday Doyle wrote out the labels and put them on when the jar were cool and has the rest of them ready. 

Sometimes doing old Fashioned things is very theraputic,  we forget the old ways so it becomes important to return to them just to remember how things use to be. 

Now I must go, we still have the cherries to finish. 

Later Darklings

Of a mini-update and what is BART?~~~~

Well Darklings I know, what two posts in one day?? 

For me unheard of, but from this morning there were some changes.  Our Great and Glorious Fearless Leader  aka the Boss called us outlying workers including Moi and said to not come in, we would be paid and no loss on any vacation time either.

It seems that the Air Conditioner System which also controls the heat has gone out again, some electronic device and it will take at least three days to fix as it has to be traced and more than one part may have to be fixed.

Well the system is old and there's been talk of replacing it, but they were hoping to wait until the Fall when the need for either a lot of heat or coolness isn't needed. 

Doyle has been doing most of his reports here at home and doesn't need to go into his office until Monday as well,  Sis's clients have taken a 4 day vacation with the 4th of July holiday and with this wonderful break in the weather everyone is enjoying the coolness.   Rumor has it that it was only 70 degrees in Vacaville.  But I'll know more when I watch the news tonight, and see what is happening in the rest of the world.

I've had a question put to me by one of my blog readers who is in Europe.  The question was "What is BART?"

Well first thing Darkling is it is not referring to Bart Simpson of the Simpson's program, although many people would have like to have done to BART like Homer does to his irritating smart-aleck son.

BART is an anagram for Bay Area Rapid Transit.    It is easily Googled to find out exactly what it is and does, it runs both underground like a subway and above ground like a train or type of Monorail, but it is not a monorail but elevated train type trackage, run by electricity so to not be completely confused with light rail although it does bare some resemblence.

If you go to the BART web site you can see the distance it runs,  from Richmond to Fremont, through Oakland, Berkely, Hayward, out to Pleasanton, Walnut Creek, Daley City and San Francisco and the S.F. airport.  It is extending lines to the Oakland Airport as well as other area's.

If one is visiting you can use BART in combination with S.F. muni, AC Transit, the ferries, the regular train system, to travel the Bay Area and Beyond with a little planning and money, unfortunately you need to have either cash or credit/debt cards  for cards or passes for each transportation system,  at this time there is not one card or pass that one can "load up" with cash to travel, but that may happen in the future.

There is light rail in Sacramento and San Jose and if one is interested in Rail transportation one could make an entire exploration of it.   But I suggest that you Google the local transportation systems here in the Bay Area if you're planning to visit.

Anyway Sis and I decided to play "hookey" today since she didn't have any clients, I don't have to go into work and Brian is house sitting and he's gotten into the habit of taking Belladonna for frequent walks in the late evening, (so much cooler) but I've found that he and Bella have nice long "talks" well he talks and she listens, she is such a good listener.

I needed to go to Bed Bath and Beyond for hangers and things for my closet and that was Sis's destination as well, so shopping we went, and it was a good thing, we both found garment bags and such for our winter clothes, and much needed moth repellent that smells of either cedar or lavendar.   But we took a side trip to TJ Max,  and I was surprised to see at least 4 or 5 jaguars,  3 Mercedes Benzs,  a number of high end Lexus and a few of the more expensive BMW's and (please no heart attacks) 2 Porches and a Ferrari.

It seems there was a serious interest in the more high end clothing that was availabe women were stacking their shopping carts like it was going out of style, but Sis and I were casual, until I spotted a pair of black high heeled Coach shoes, with the sweetest silver buckles.  They fitted perfectly like a dream cloud, and I had to have them, I'm sorry Darklings but Greed did loom in my eyes,  they were of a beautiful classic styling just right for an Elder Goth and they added 2 1/2 more inches to my 5 foot 7 inch hight,  and yes they were $99 dollars,  I had to have them Darklings, just had to.

So I put them in my shopping cart along with a serving platter to replace one that accidently broke through my carelessness,  I was greatful that the one that broke was not part of a set of my great-aunts but one that I brought when I moved in, so no emotional loss.  Sis found a nice light weight sweater perfect for a coolish evening out, although one of the women who drove a Jag and extremely skinny and had a turkey neck (yes Darklings I'm being catty) was seriously eye-balling our finds, I told Sis to keep an eye on our finds.

I was contimplating a metal colored tote bad by "Under the Sky" that had a gold skull out lined in gold pointed spikes but I felt it was too weapon like, I mean Darklings one could have done some serious pain with that bag if they swung it. 

Then I found it another treasure, Elizabeth Taylor's "Black Pearls" colongue (sp) grabbed that too,  in terms of clothing there really wasn't much that I was interested in but I found a ring in the jewerly department, one that I had seen in an "In Style" magazine several months ago and coveted,  it was gothic enough to make a statement on its own and very stylish  it was square enamel set in gold tone metal, with an amethyst square cut stone in the center and 4 red square cut garnet type stones at each corner.  Granted it is costume jewerly but one that makes a statement.  Yes Darklings I got that as well and old turkey neck was really ticked off,  well as our Daddy use to say "Ya snooze, ya loose".

Sis found a lovely pin of a coiled snake in gold tone, perfect for evening wear.   We looked at each other and sighed, "We need a vintage fashion fair to go to" she said, and I could only agree.

We made our purchases,  debated about dinner I mean did we want to go tacky or finesse,  we chose tacky and bought the 8 piece bucket dinner from Kentucy Fried chicken,  for some reason Doyle likes the Colesaw and gravy and bisquets and we knew 4 bisquets with Doyle would not be enough so we added 4 more to please him.

Right now Sis is setting it out and we are going to eat family style in the kitchen breakfast nook,  yes Darklings there are times when it pays to let one's hair down and we are doing it tonight. 

This weekend or at least on Sunday we are going to be putting up the plums for jam,  that temporary stove is going to get a work out this weekend.  But tomorrow morning we are going over to a friends house, seems she is going through her stuff that she has collected over the years and said to come on over for coffee and coffee cake and look over her vintage hat collection and see if there is anything we want to buy, she is giving us first refusal, what we don't want she'll sell to a collector, she said that she also has vintage purses and some clothing we may want to look at and see if we're interested----Interested,  I've never had such a wonderful offer!!!

She said it was time to clear things out, she has focused on some things that she really likes and will keep as they are her favorites but everything else is up for grabs.

Oh and that Family that had the estate sale a few weekends ago, we'll be meeting them the following weekend, it took them that long to recover from their previous sale. 

So with BART back to work, my Boss and I discussing what my next moves are and these wonderful finds, I couldn't be happier.  

And now Sis is saying the KFC is ready.

Later Darklings

Of BART going back to work!!!~~~~

Well Darklings-----Glory Hallelujah!!!!

The two sides of BART are putting the trains back to work by 3 p.m. today, the mediators said in the best interests and in view of negative public opinion against the Union and the damage being caused to the economy, it was best to get the trains running and continue the bargaining in the meantime.

The Union came back with they would continue to bargin for 30 days but if no deal is reached they will go back on strike.   I don't think that will happen because someone will step in at that point and the Union will get the worse of it.

I mean Darklings, when even a labor lawyer who is pro-labor says that the Unions are not working towards a resolution and are doing more harm than good, that is serious.   Why do you think that Twinkies and Hostess Cupcakes died--the union not working for the best for the workers so that all became un-employed because the company went belly up, and the union and employees were warned that would happen---Although Twinkies are coming back with a new company.

My car pool will continue doing what its been doing today and we'll go back to our regular routine next week.   But some of my car pool people are thinking of doing the car pool to get to the ferry and taking the ferry across, but if someone has to work late they will return either by Bus or (Heaven forbid!) BART.

I'm going to see my Doctor next week for an update on my back, I've had an occasional twinge but it might be because of the unusal work situation,  I did have a talk with my Boss on the possiblity of me working half time for a year but since I am in a supervisory position I didn't think that would be good because it is important to be able to be available during the work day.   But we'll try the half time situation for another month and re-evaluate.
I'm not worried, I'm of an age where my retirement would be good,  I could retire and still work hourly for them picking up the slack when someone is ill or on vacation or for some reason they are over whelmed.

All options to consider,  I still enjoy my work, but to ease up on the work load is a serious consideration. By September I'll know better.

And it looks like the heat wave is breaking, it was a slightly nippy 60 degrees outside with a comfortable 72 in the house, how it is inland I'm not sure, but there's talk of it being in the balmy mid-80's.

Must go,  Belladonna is barking at something in the back yard.

Later Darklings

Of Some changes but nothing new~~~~

Well Darklings,

The BART strike is still going on, people very frustrated, the infrostructure of temporary transportation pushed to its Maximum.

Things got a little hung up yesterday at the Golden Gate Bridge toll booth, a trucker from Canada attempted to go through the wrong lane and got.....STUCK!!!  

There is a wider taller lane for trucks but the driver was unfamilar with it and broke the front axel of his rig, it took a heavy duty tow truck to remove the entire rig,  there was back up but they managed to clear it.

But on the strike the Governor sent his top labor mediators along with a strongly worded letter to both parties and they are back at the table negotiating.   However the public is not pleased with the Unions to do this to the working public and also damaging the economy by 73 million dollars per day.

However several aquaintances that I know that use to use BART are taking the bus to the Oakland Ferry and discovered that it's really a relaxing way to get to and from work, except for the long lines to get on board and heaven help you if you miss your boat.   But they told me that except for really bad weather they will continue using the Ferry after the strike is over.

Today Doyle remarked to me that all the Ferry systems should use larger ferries like the old car ferries, not these hydrofoil jobs, it would carry much more people, I asked if they would have to modify the docks for them, he thought no considering the way they dock on the East Bay side perhaps on the S.F. side maybe but not East Bay.     Well maybe in the future.

Update on our dancing 51/50 (crazy person)  they police came by this morning at "oh please let me have my first cup of coffee"  and wanted more information on him, I couldn't tell them much but gave them information on his parents and the neighbor next to them who told me about him.   It seems he maybe kept longer than the 72 hour period.   Although one officer did ask me "Do they have horses around here?"  and we both smiled at each other knowing the joke.

The heat is beginning to retreat a bit, the coastal areas are at the mid-60's, where my house is its down to the Mid-to upper 70's although the house interior is still very stuffy and warm,  I've had to keep the front and back doors open (but front screen door locked) for air circulation, although the back door opens to the screened shady back porch which Belladonna it taking full advantage of.   I have a comfy bed for her as well as her water and dry food bowl out there.   She is recovering from the heat.

However the temps inland over on the other side of the hills is anywhere from upper 80's to just over 100, a huge difference of between 20 to 40 degrees just 30 miles inland from the coast.  The weather people consider this an unusual heat wave condition.  At the start of the heat wave my sister and I and now Doyle have been checking in on our elderly neighbor who baby sits Belladonna and she is doing very well,  her family lives out of town but they set up a cool spot for her for conditions like this with widnow air conditioning on the North side of her house,  it has a day bed, reclinder and small t.v. as well as a telephone extension, so when the heat wave started, she retreated there for the duration,  now I understand why Belladonna trotted so quickly to that room when I've left her to be watched by our neighbor a time or two during the heat wave.

I talked to my Boss yesterday evening before I left to come home and he suggested that next week I come in at 12 noon and work till 8 p.m. and he could bring me home, that way I'd be available to handle the confrence calls that would be coming in the afternoons next week,  it sounds reasonable, although he did agree that I was to only work half days, so after 4 I could rest in the staff lounge since there was a couch there that I could lie down on.  It sounds workable considering the unusual situation we're having.

Sis had to go early into San Rafel this morning to meet a client and decided to return via the Golden Gate Bridge it would be a reverse communte, she said it was strange and weird  because there was FOG totally shouding the towers, a misting fog, and hearing on the radio the weather predicting 100 degrees inland, and yet Fog coating the Golden Gate bridge.  And now she's heading back out again, she says she'll be so glad to have her house finished and then her clients can come to her, no more traveling around.

Brian is still camping is Sis's living room but the work on the kitchen and downstairs full bath is almost done, and he's received two call backs for 2nd interviews, they both sound promising.  For his sake I hope something comes from them.

My sleep routine is totally upside down, I managed to get some sleep last night but woke early again, however I did enjoy the cool morning overcast in the back yard with my cup of coffee, listening to lazy jays calling to one another, and seeing the birds taking morning baths in the bird baths that I have out, they dirted the water so much that I had to put in fresh several times.

But the bees and butterflies have not stirred one bit, although an amateur bee keeper in the neighborhood told me his hives are fine but it's been very hot for them, so they are seeking water, and he's been doing things to help them stay cool.

Also this morning another neighbor who has plum, apricot and cherry trees in her back yard has brought over laundry baskets of them, she is sharing her overwhelming bounty with everyone.   My Sis said "yay, apricot cobbler, apricots for canning and plum jam and cherry pies so they are now in the pantry which is cool and I anticipate a hot kitchen by this weekend.   Thank goodness we have canning jars, just need to buy new lids.   Sis still takes pleasure in old fashion things, so do I so I think I'll be helping her this weekend.   And come September there will be apples for apple pie, cobbler, apple sauce, I envision our pantry being very full.

4th of July is tomorrow but I think we'll stay home and just relax,  I have chicken marinating in the refrigerator and Baby Ray's bar-b-que sauce at the ready,  Doyle will do the honors to be King of the Grill and I have Belladonna's medication to keep her calm during the echoing sounds of the fireworks both tonight and tomorrow,  Doyle and Sis will watch her.

Nothing bizarre, strange or picular happening for now that would entertain an old Goth girl like me,  but I will be glad to get back into something that resembles our form of bizarre normalecy.   But it's just too hot.

Later Darklings   

Of The Strike is On and frustrated Chaos~~~~

Well Darklings,

The BART strike is on.   The union, according to current word, is refusing to return to the bargaining table, many BART riders are very angry with the BART union for not going back to the table.

AC Transit has not striked, both parties are negotiating even though the AC Transit employees do not have a contract, from the rumor I heard, it was better for AC Transit to keep going otherwise public opinion could also turn against them.

The Govenor (our great balding mentally challenged Govenor "Moonbeam") is staying out of this and not calling for a cooling down period.

Oakland City employees only did a one day strike,  good thing or there would have been a riot by the public, not that I saw much difference with Oakland City employees being on strike.

Transportation is overwhelmed although more buses have been put on, BART management have also implimented BART shuttle Buses's to get people to where they need to go, but its being overwhelmed as long lines of people waiting for an available shuttle are more than what is out there.

Car pools, casual car pooling are being done, the Ferries are packed,  Muni has stepped up to the breach in San Francisco. 

They say that BART does 400,000 trips a day, that means they move 40 million people or at least 1 person twice so make that 20 million people a weekday, now that is if BART trains carry 100 people per trip, but what if they carry say 200 or 300 people per trip, I mean there are times when its standing room only espeically during communte hours, so that means at least 40 to 60 million people per day  now if there were at least 2 people to a car that's removing 10 to 30 million cars off the road per day, not counting Football and Baseball games.  

But that is a lot of people and a lot of cars when you think about it.  So I say why can't an electric transportation service be available to move people to BART stations so the need for parking at a BART station is reduced.   When people started moving out to the subburbs, it added gas milliage, and away from transportation hubs and it also reduced land for farming and ranching,  so instead of electric individual cars, we should have those people movers, to move people to transportation hubs.

Oh fiddle-dee-dee its not Disneyland.  But one can dream.

Our car pool of 5 people went across the Bay Bridge at 4:30 p.m. with no problem but going East we saw was a different story, and no one but no one wants to be in a fender bender.  We worked till midnight which considering the heat was much better as it was less strain on our building air conditioning system,  we talked about this further and we'll continue to do it,  coming home was a breeze as well, but it does mean that our driver won't get into bed until 1 or 1:30 a.m. and we all chipped in for gas and parking, I mean $25.00 for All Day Parking because its a special event!!!?? Highway robbery I say!!!

Although, I may have to take the Ferry next week if AC Transit still is running, although both Doyle and my sister said they could drive me to the Ferry terminal while they were on their way,  because I need to be in during the day for some projects.  Oh well, but I'll contributed to the car pool anyway in advance, just for good will.

But when they dropped me off at home last night we were greeted with a very odd sight.   Our elderly neighbors crazy son was dancing in the middle of the street wearing nothing but a ball cap, tennis shoes and a smile, dancing and singing nonsense.   It seems that he was kept in last time for only a 72 hour observation got him on his meds and then discharged him back to his folks.

My co-workers think it was the heat, it didn't matter so I called the police and told them there was a naked 51-50 dancing in the street and the gay pride parade was Sunday,  the dispatcher asked if he was harming anything and I said no but he might scare the horses....the dispatcher asked if I was drinking and I said no, that it was a Dorothy Parker quote, but there are children on the block and he's so loud he might wake them, the neighborhood dogs (including Belladonna) were barking already.

The police showed up and danced him into their car, and he'll go back for another 72 hour observation.  ***sigh***

And speaking of Belladonna, she is doing much better now and is eating a little and drinking a lot, our temp has dropped to the upper 70's and we have a breeze but its hit 105 in the inland areas like Livermore and such,  it seems this high pressure which is causing the heat wave is going from Texas and upwards, to almost Washington State on the West Coast.

It's causing dry lighting strikes and wild fires we just heard yesterday that a wild fire had suddenly changed direction and overwhelmed 19 fire fighters killing them.  I heard that and cried, knowing what a horrible death that is.   Thank goodness Sis understood why I reacted that way.  No matter what, no matter how long ago that horror always remains.

Dear Under for tea, I appreciate what humid weather can do with mosquitos, I've been in Mississippi and Louiesanna a time or two, they grow to be monsters!!  And what they do to peachy and alabastar skin is a crime.   One time when my folks, siblings and I were camping we were having problems with misquitos,  there was another family at a near by camp site and the father came over with some bundles of dried sage, he said burn or smoke that in the fire it will keep the misquitos away, and he proceeded to take a bundle that was smoking and wafted the smoke all over the canvas tent,  and it worked!! 

I've used it a time or two on our screened in back porch for any bugs that managed to get in and never had a problem.

Well I better finish getting dressed, my car pool will be here in a half an hour.

Later Darklings

P.S.
Doyle right now is laying out on the portable hammock in the shade napping with Belladonna sleeping right with him.