Of This and That and quiet things~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well we had a deluge of rain this past few days, and now we are sort of drying out but more to come.

Mud slides, flooding, power outages, auto accidents all because of the rain.  But if it rains and then we have a period to dry out --- then repeat, etc.--- it might be manageable.    Although what has happened in Montecito is horribly tragic. 

Mr. Rodgers was a bit frustrated because of the rain, he likes his walks with the dogs but instead contented himself with helping Doyle check the attic for any possible leaks, although the roof is only 5 years old, but it pays to be on the safe side.

While up in the attic they came across some old portraits in their frames,  I think they are family members at least their names are written on the back with dates,  one is of an adorable baby girl, and the other of a dapper young man wearing a snap brim hat in an old style racing car called a “cut down”.

I’m pretty sure they are related, I have a book that my Great Aunt kept tracing family members so I may have some distant cousins I’m not aware of or they of me.  

Another thing they found was a hair wreath, with the names and dates of people when they were born and died, also contained in a glass enclosed frame,  so with the rains pouring down during the day, Mrs. Rodgers and I carefully cleaned the glass and dusted the frames and wrote down the names and dates.

The next thing is to figure out where to hang them,  I have wall space going up the stairs as well as the upstairs hall,  or some place in the formal parlor,  I do need to make careful decisions on that since we’ll be nailing into wall paper and once punched there’s no repair.

Poor Coralline and Christopher have come down with the flu even though they had the shots it is only 10% effective, they are completely miserable.  The twins however seem to be remarkably healthy, maybe all that outdoor soccer playing.  The best thing is to rest, drink fluids, and take Tynoldo.   I’ve been going to the school to get their assignments to help out their mother, but I don’t think they have the energy to do anything about it.   It’s frustrating to see them so helpless. But rest is the best medicine.

The one advantage  about rainy nights is that it’s  a perfect time to read good gothic novels,  I finish the Lady of Ashes book and am going to get the rest in that series, how it describes the fashion and work of being an Undertaker is a good addition to a good story.   But for now with my next rain storm I’m going to re-read “The Hound of the Baskervilles”  I think it would be perfect.

I really do like Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers, they love the style of the house and Doyle’s and my lifestyle, quiet, genteel, and a little quirky.   But they insist on doing what they can to help out, just a couple of days ago, Mr. Rodgers (with Doyle’s help) was in the attic and came across an old rocking chair, so he and Doyle took it to the garage and he began to restore it, it has a old needle point back and seat, Mrs. Rodgers has duplicated the pattern because the old one was falling apart, almost crumbling.

So besides walking the dogs he is working on restoring stuff, Mrs. Rodgers told me that it’s good therapy for him because he lost his work shop due to the fires up North.   Their Son is trying to get things done on their burnt out property but the rains are making things difficult.  But Mrs. Rodgers confessed that she and her husband would prefer to stay with me and Doyle and pay rent and something towards the utilities and food.

I spoke to Sis about this and she said it’s because the atmosphere of the house gives them much needed comfort and security, something they feel they may lose if they go back North, so it might be a good thing. 

So now more rains are coming just perfect for a Gothic mood,  but Sis and I are going to be going to the Film Noir Festival and I know that everything at home will be well in hand.

Later Darklings