Flu Shots and other miseries~~~~

Oh Darklings

yesterday after Fleet Week I was just miserable, miserable, achy miserable.


My doctor being pro-active insisted that I get a series of tests and shots, the tests were nothing, bone density, more blood and urine.

But what was making me miserable is that last week and this week---this week especially, my doctor insisted that I have shots,---Flu of course, but she also wanted me to have the Shingles vaccine and later the Tdap (Diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus).

I had the Shingles vaccine shoot last week, which made my arm a bit sore and bruisy but it passed after 3 days.

But the day before yesterday--- and yesterday I went in to have the Tdap and I wanted to have the flu shot next week, but the technician said that the Doctor didn’t want to waste any time or take a chance with my health.

So---POW!! First left shoulder, then right shoulder!!! I felt miserable Monday even had a headache which I could not shake, so I went home and slept it off. And I didn’t even get a lollypop---Pooh!!! I felt like pouting.

But Tuesday, TUESDAY both my shoulders were aching, it was painful to move them beyond doing just typing. And my joints were aching as well. The left shoulder especially. I’ve taken a pain pill for it but it didn’t seem to be working.

So I did what had to be done, but making dinner out of the question, Doyle was in the City and came by planning that we go home to my place together, I told him how I was feeling, since I wasn’t going to get off for 90 minutes he told me to wait until he got back and when he did he had a reusable tote bag containing Wor wonton soup and other delicacies from a good nearby Chinese take out. Easy to re-heat in the microwave he said.

And being the gallant Night Hawk that he is, he called a taxi that took us to the Ferry to the other side of the bay and from there another Taxi to my home, last night I was to be pampered---so much better than a Lollypop.

No glamour tonight he said and he bundled me into flannel pajama’s (they’re black with red trim) warm slippers (pink) and warm flannel blankets that are black with a white spider web pattern and curled up holding my mug of soup I drank it in my overstuffed chair in the warm, comfortable parlor with the red velvet patterned wall paper and the dark wood wainscoting, pictures of old family members looking down upon us without a thought to any impropriety of our situation.

Belladonna was curled up with me snuggled and warm, Doyle sitting at another chair with a wooden T.V. tray in front of him to hold his dinner and other wooden T.V. trays holding our dinner selections, him telling me about the progress of some cases without divulging any personal information about the clients, sounding like a radio mystery program, then he retrieved for me my laptop to post this to my blog.

Things were feeling so much better, in a few minutes I will have saved this to my flash drive and shut down the laptop and he will be Tivoing NCIS for us to watch later, for last night he read to me a short story or two of Sherlock Holmes---another gothic night hawk and I slowly became drowsy with the comfortable warmth that was spreading over me.


Addendum---Flash Drives and laptops are a plus~~~~

This morning I woke up to a gray and coolish morning, my right shoulder feeling better but the left still sore but this time the pain pill worked. Doyle had to stay on this side of the Bay today, so dropping off Belladonna at her sitter’s he whisked me in his car to the Ferry, to see me off. Now as the Ferry draws closer and closer to the city I type this on my laptop to down load the first chance I get.

Today will be much better, even though it is gray with a tentative promise of rain, which I welcome. I’ll be able to have everything taken care of before Friday as Doyle and I will go to the “Ghost Hunting” event in Columbia. I have no idea what the promise of the weekend will bring, but in any case I’m looking forward to it. One never knows what the next day will bring, and for any Elder/Elderly Goth the excitement of a new day makes life worth living.

Later Darklings

Fleet Week, Doyle and strange fun things

Well Darklings,



Here in my area we just had “Fleet Week”, this is where the Navy shows off all it’s Toys, but also to give an understand of what is involved in running a ship as well as historical interest.



The Blue Angels, that death defying Navy squadron shows aerial maneuvers where if any one of them was a millisecond off, would mean instant fiery death. And some people go bunging jumping, it’s nothing compared to what these fly boys do.



There were ships galore all around and people just in awe of what was demonstrated, and there were protestors as well, waving their banners---Sorry Darklings, I still am with the Theodore Roosevelt philosophy “Speak Softly but carry a DAMN BIG STICK”.



Of course any one is entitled to disagree with me and that is perfectly all right, but Darklings, I know how to shoot, only once did I ever have to use my Berretta, the Perp survived and is serving 20 to life.



Many years ago my Father insisted that I learn to shoot, and that one time, that very one time I was so glad I did learn. Otherwise Moi would not be posting this post.



Going to San Francisco in a car was out of the question; what with the America’s Cup practice races, Fleet Week, the Blue Grass event, and the Ball game, driving one’s own car would have been insane.



But I have a friend in the City that has the most wonderful view and we had ring side seats, enough to have our breaths taken away. And that was just Saturday.



Sunday I felt was important to relax and take care of things; I was restless and got up early, it’s easy to do grocery shopping early. Doyle had to go to the office to do some inquiries on a case which he is handing over to an operative out of state, so I just had to make a few purchases at our local Safeway grocery store.



I love shopping on a Sunday morning, hardly any crowds and I can dawdle a bit, but with Halloween coming up I had a pleasant surprise.



I saw two bottles of wine that had strange names, one was called “Stark Raving” and it was a Red, the other was called “Curious Beasts” also a red wine. But the price was cheap, $10 on one and $13 on the other. I called Doyle on my cell and told him what I found, he thought it was a “Hoot” and said that if it was really bad we could use it for cooking and save the bottles and pour a better vintage into them for Halloween.



It was passable but nothing great, but Darklings can you imagine the look on peoples faces when you ask “Would you like Stark Raving Red?” They’d think you’ve gone mad, or better yet, insane.



But there was other little treats, I found heavy duty plastic or melmac type plates with a vampire on it and the words “Just a nibble” I found it so exquisitely delicious, they are fine for dishwashers but not for microwaving, as well has heavy duty plastic glasses that say “Pick your Poison”. So perfect for Halloween.



Of course some people would say where do you have the space for all of that? I’m lucky in that my Great-Aunt’s house has what is called a Butler’s pantry---this is different from a “Food pantry”. Here all the serving pieces and better china and silverware is kept. But it also has storage for day to day dish wear as well as well as Seasonal things. So that is where it will be kept, but Doyle is suggesting that we may want to have it for daily common use, given our darkly inclined natures.



Some of you have asked me “Who is Doyle and how does he factor into your life?”



I met Doyle many, many years ago while I was in my 2nd year of college, I mentioned him but not by name in a much earlier post, where he met my Granny and learned from us what real evil and Satanists are, not that Granny or I were or are evil or even Satanists, but he, at the time was being a poser and Granny set him straight by meeting with a real Satanist (I know my family was and is a strange group of people).



This fortunate meeting set him on his course to become a police officer, where he eventually dealt with very strange cases dealing with drugs and homicide and bizarre things. I introduced him to his future wife and was Maid of Honor at their wedding, they were my friends for many years, having helped at times with emergency baby sitting duties and then helping through the trauma and grief of his wife’s final illness.



His children are grown and are involved in either police or forensic work and they have children of their own, and I am their unofficial “Auntie”.



Doyle does not live with me, he has his own apartment, several years after his wife’s death he was thinking of selling the family home but I suggested to him to consult with his children about this possible decision. End result is one of the children bought the house and many major family dinners and events are still being held there with the house bustling with the sound of children and young teen’s energy.



Doyle flits between my home and his apartment, depending if he needs either to serious concentrate on a case he’s working on or needs his space from time to time or when he wishes or wants to be around me if I so choose. He keeps several changes of clothing and some of his toiletries as needed are here.



But he is his own person as am I, however there have been times when we were so glad to have each other in our respective lives. One time at my old apartment some demented person had cut my phone lines, fortunately I had my cell phone, I called Doyle who advised I call the police, I could only surmise who would have done the deed but without any visual evidence it could not go any further, since my apartment was one of a half dozen in an old court, Doyle set up a surveillance camera that was carefully hidden but pointed at the phone lines, and we caught the person.



As I said he was demented, kept claiming that I was sending ultrasound waves to his apartment to scramble his brain, it was determined he was a danger to himself and others and was place in an institution for a period of time.



Fortunately I moved to my current home before he was recently released, the sad thing is his parents kept paying the rent on his studio apartment, so he had a place to go back to, and from what I’ve heard he’s targeted another person who has moved into my old place. I feel sorry for them.



Doyle helped me move and we keep tabs on each other. A sort of comfortable relationship, as one friend of ours has said I’m a little bit Goth and he’s a little bit Night Hawk.



Of course he can’t be with me all the time as he is now a private investigator, since he retired from the police department after 30 years, so I remain independent and very much my own person, which is what I prefer. But as my Father use to say, “its always nice to have someone watch your back.”



Later Darklings

The Blue Hour ~~~~l'heure bleue----Evening

Dear Darklings,


Some people consider this time to refer to both morning and evening but for me it has always been evening---that special quiet time for contemplation before taking on the full cloak of night.



I do not have many moments to enjoy the blue hour these last few years, but if Doyle is going to cook dinner he chases me out to enjoy a moment to myself at every opportunity.



I find my thoughts drifting back years ago when the Blue Hour would signal a different set of events for me, where I had to take notice of my surroundings for self-preservation, back when I worked nights, how I would watch the night come stealing on, covering the imperfections of the cityscape and under either starlight or moonlight render it enchanting as a night fairy land or as sinister as a noir film, as my public transportation took me further and further away from the safety of my home and into the darkness, and bit by bit I would see the denizens of the night slowly emerge out of their personal caves.



Drunks clinging to their bag hidden bottles, laughing, crying or fighting over the last drop of liquid warmth that will bring about some sort of oblivion to their inner torment, hanging around a liquor store in the hopes someone will buy them a large can of beer or better yet, cheap gut-burning whisky.



The homeless ones dragging their pitiful possessions in captured shopping carts, some talking to invisible companions or demons, circling those same carts like old west wagons against the elements, trying to be invisible to the cops or something worse, some perhaps fortunate enough to have a real companion or two for protection against those who would seek to harm them out of a perversely evil sense of “fun”.



Druggies and the drug dealers furtively making deals, debating the quality of goods or the price, the dealers their hands on hidden guns or knives if the mark doesn’t come up with the money, their partners in crime on the watch for “5-O” (cops), being prepared to scatter if “5-O” is spotted, not realizing that “5-O” is undercover making the buy and preparing to do the sting. If they are lucky to not be arrested that night to furtively duck into an abandoned building sitting among the debris of old chairs and urine soaked mattresses to drift off into their drugged filled Nirvana of dreams they will never achieve.



Streetwalkers wearing shorts and skimpy tops that show too much of their dubious wares, walking on impossibly high platform shoes that painfully cramp their feet, their eyes darting here and there looking for a prospective John, the pimps in their “flash cars”, dressed in their “flash clothes” watching their “goods”, the Johns’ slowly driving by looking for a prospective but cheap “date”.



Cops appearing out of no-where in pairs to apprehend or lending assistance or to tell drunks, druggies, street walkers and their pimps to move on, seeing them spinning a “perp” against their vehicle or wall while they put the ‘cuffs’ on them prior to taking them down to jail, the “perp” crying out police brutality while denying they’ve committed a crime that they were caught in the middle of committing. Sometimes two or more patrol vehicles stopping at the same coffee shop to grab a cup of coffee to stay awake, exchanging information on what they’ve seen and what to watch for.



Underage teenagers breaking curfew, looking to get into mischief thinking they’ll never die, stealing a car to go on a high speed joy ride, do drugs, get drunk, spray painting graffiti on property that is not their own, members of a gang seeking revenge, runaways hoping for a better life from a home that had none or running from parents they though were too strict only to discover that life on their own was a dangerous existence but too proud to call their parents for help, but going further and further into dangerous waters.



Pimps watching for the next new batch of “young meat” getting off of out of town buses at the bus station, to add to their “stable”.



Old men either going home or going to work, sitting at bus stops holding their metal lunch pails, their shoulders bent with the weight of their years of trying to make a living, staring with eyes that no longer see anything except the hopelessness of their lives, and at the ground that is covered with litter and debris that the street cleaners had overlooked, occasionally looking up to see if their bus is coming.



Old women sitting on their chairs next to their windows looking out at the narrow existence of their world, their arms resting on the window sills, trying to capture a bit of coolness or fresh air from their stifling, old cooked food smelling apartments, wondering where did their youth go.



Firemen fully rigged out riding the engines to a call for help to beat down the flaming red monsters that threatens to devour a home or a life, some of the men holding on to the back of the engine like cowboys on a dangerously tamed horse, EMT’s and their vehicles “flying” through the night with a precious life inside trying to sustain it and hopefully succeeding.



Musicians unloading their gear in preparation for their nightly gig and always keeping one man on watch to make sure nothing is stolen in a “5 finger discount” attempt, while people are lining up to get into an illegal dance club to dance their troubles away, unaware that where they are dancing may become a fiery death trap.



Lovers fighting; she swinging her purse at him or something heavier that will let him know she is serious, yelling at him words that can not be repeated in polite company, exposing his perfidy and crying in her heart-broken hysteria and him, trying to get away, calling her “unreasonable” and a few other choice words, because he went to bed with her best friend because her best friend was willing.



And other night people who shared the night shift as I did, doing good or evil or just trying to survive. I’d see them all as the Blue Hour turned into night becoming darker and my bus would take me further into this world.



I learned quickly how to become one with the night, how to protect myself, to find safe havens if needed, to avoid being accosted, I learned how to not give the appearance of becoming a victim, to project an energy that I was not to be tampered with.



Eventually I recognized the regulars, they would leave me alone, or in some cases protect me from those who didn’t know I had a legitimate job to go to. I learned to spot possible trouble makers, I discovered that by looking directly at them they realized their advantage of surprise was gone, I would frequently turn around to check the way I came, I never carried a purse, too much of a temptation, the only thing was a plastic bag with my night meal, eventually my brother created a cloth dispatch bag that had the symbol for dangerous bio waste for me to carry my food, and I was never tampered with.



I considered the rain at night an additional protection in the dark, and blessed it as it washed away the garbage, the smell of urine or of rotting things that one did not want to know.



In time it became a way of life for me, a night creature; that’s when I started wearing things like spider and scorpion pins, skulls and bats, the night became second nature to me, and I welcomed the blue hour to give me a brief bit of beauty even though it was a signal to the dangerous on-coming darkness.



These many years later with changes in my life, I still find that I am that night creature, but my surroundings have changed both from where I lived before as I started out in my adult life and metamorphosing in the changes in my work through various jobs, although I still take on protections, but the Blue Hour of my mature years is different now compared to then.



I see it in all its beauty discovering in my mature years, that it is like sunrise but in reverse. It is first herald by the honking of the Farallon Geese as they fly in ragged formation to their night nesting grounds, then I see the light slowly retreating back, back, growing darker and darker, the fingers of light shrink, diminish and curl away from the landscape, I watch the sky as it turns from its pale sky blue and slowly as if Night draws her cloak across the heavens, turns a darker and darker blue until it reaches a moment of perfection where time seems to be suspended.



It is then I see that deep dark “Maxfield Parrish blue” so hard to achieve in the mundane world, but nature shows it in all its magnificence. Down at the horizon, banded shades of gold, pinks and purples bleeding into that blue, it seems as if night is beginning to swallow me into its protective darkness.



I hear the final peepings of the birds, the occasional cawing of the crows marking territory and watch as they wing their way back to their nests to settle into sleep, as the stars come out opening their twinkling lights, revealing the constellations and the hidden stories they tell.



I hear various neighbors’ cars returning home, a voice calling out to someone waiting for them, the occasional squeal of happiness from a small child, a few pots and pans’ clanging as someone is preparing dinner.



If it’s warm enough I’ll hear the sounds of the night insects’ cicada and crickets, there is a pond or ditch somewhere nearby that tiny frogs would hide and croak their amphibian song and for a moment I forget I’m in the city but someplace else.



The cat that I will not claim shows up and meows tentatively for a bit of dinner which I give him, then he goes off in search of an unwary mouse, giving in to his primitive urges before settling into his hidden spot under the porch to sleep, Belladonna watches from a careful distance, but she gets her evening meal as well and wolfs it down quickly to make sure the cat will not steal any of it, then contentedly lays at my feet with eyes drowsily closed allowing her nose to capture the floating scents to send to her silent messages to her brain of the immediate world around her.



The Koi fish for my eventual pond in their temporary pool flip and splash catching an insect that flew too close to the water, an evening meal for their greedy little maws.



If the wind is just right I can hear the ships’ horns that are docked in deep water off the Bay, or in the estuary echoing a warning to all and sundry “I’m here, I’m here, beware, beware”, a cool breeze begins to lift and swirls around me as the Earth cools down.



That same wind also sends to me the sounds of the night train as it’s diesel horn blows warnings at the crossings, to let the unwary know of the behemoth bearing down on the metal rails, yet the train horn sounds like a lost and lonely voice, beckoning those lonely travelers to join its travels to places far away.



A neighbor’s night blooming jasmine sends its scent out into the night air to entice night flying insects to pollinate its blooms and gives forth a heady aroma that causes my head to loll back in repose in my chair.



Briefly my thoughts go back to my day, encased in a bubble and whatever troubled me I release it into the dark blueness of the oncoming night, it is done and what is done is done and cannot be undone, unless I’m seeking a remedy and it is at this time solutions are found in contemplating the oncoming stillness and silence that the Blue Hour brings. Once completed, I find my soul at peace, or it simply is at peace knowing that I am wrapped by the oncoming darkness and I take it on as a protective cloak.



Now I welcome the Blue Hour to contemplate, reflect, to blend in and be absorbed by it, clean now from all the despair I had to work with from before, now to unwind from the busyness of the day and to be truly me, to spread myself on the night wind and allow it to carry me to lands undreamed of.



Later Darklings

Vampires, Vampires, Vampires~~~

Vampires, vampires.




Yes Darklings I’m back on vampires again.



Why?



Well I read a very interesting news story from a few Sundays ago in my newspaper. It seems that the drummer for Metalica is a Horror film buff. He collects many interesting things from the horror films.



In one of the pictures taken of him with a portion of his collection, I was ‘startled’ to see that he had an oil portrait of Bela Lugosi painted around 1932 or 1933 after he filmed “Dracula”. I know that portrait to be genuine, because in an edition of Architural Digest some years ago, they showed the interiors of a number of film stars including Lugosi and it was in a room that had that portrait.



I discovered that in 2004 or 05 that it sold at auction for $80,000 dollars, I knew then it had to be the Metalica dummer that purchased it.



But why was it sold at auction unless many years before to settle the Lugosi estate it had to be sold and eventually that owner re-sold it.



Even Lugosi had several capes, of which one of them sold at auction, but it was many fans understanding that he was buried in his Dracula cape, unless it was the one from on of his revivals that he did.



Because the original Dracula cape was given to his son Bela G. Lugosi (aka Bela junior), and it was that one which sold at auction, however Lugosi was buried in the tux that he wore in the film.



At Lugosi’s funeral Vincent Price said that Peter Lorre suggested that they put a steak in Lugosi chest to make sure he was dead, so pervasive was the vampire character associated with the man.



In 2011 in April or May Lugosi’s mansion that he lived in, in the 1940’s, called “La Paloma” went up for sale, in decent shape although it needed some fixing up but from the photos in decent shape with fantastic views. It sold for $2. 25 million.



If Lugosi had lived just a few more years he would have hit a revival but fate was not quiet so kind. But his son as a lawyer found his niche in dealing with image copyright.



For some reason I find that very interesting and so appropriate.



And briefly touching on gardening again I also discovered a Day Lily to add to my garden called “Bela Lugosi” a deep purple with a yellow center, just perfect for the Goth decorations I’ve found ---more on that later.



Later Darklings

How do you pack for a trip

Hello Darklings,

Doyle and I are making our arrangements for our weekend trips that are coming up and I’ve had several of you ask “how does one pack for a trip?”




The reason behind this question is that lots of time it’s a last minute washing of clothes and hurried packing for most people, fully understandable if it’s a last minute un-expected trip.



Whereas some of you have said that I seemed to not have that problem. Darklings trust me I do, but I plan for it.



One thing that helps me is that I am only packing for myself; I do not have to make sure a husband has packed his shaving kit or a toothbrush, extra socks or underwear or that the children have enough changes of clothing and all their medicines that might be needed for scratches, ear aches and other sundry aliments that children develop. For me as a single person that is not my worry, but it is a worry for all you “married” Goths, which I understand and fully sympathize with.



But Darklings, I do not have that burden of responsibility. And Doyle is a “big boy” all grown up so he’s on his own.



Another thing is that I rarely take the airplane; I prefer to drive or take the train, and because of that preference I do not have to worry about my shampoo, toothpaste or nail scissors being confiscated. And train travel is so much more relaxing and glamorous, besides I can get by without washing my hair for 3 days, but I always book a room on the train because I cannot do without washing my body.



Except for the recent accident train travel is relatively safe, not like traveling by car.



Now keeping in mind that I am packing for either train, and auto and not airplane I can tell you how I pack for my trips.



Let us say you are packing for yourself, you are either driving or taking the train or a more mundane type of travel taking the Greyhound bus (how plebian but sometimes necessary). With the Bus you should limit yourself to one large bag and a good size tote.



Since I have plenty of room in my home and I know I’m not going to be having any party plans, I set up my suitcases in my dinning room---the major suit cases are open on the table with a heavy duty bath sheet (oversize bath towel) covering the table to prevent scratches from the suitcase hardware. Smaller cases are opened and set upon the chairs.



With all of the cases open it would be easy to see what is going where. And depending on the type of travel will also limit the number of suitcases as well. Remember Bus travel is fine but you also have bag limitations.



Next take a look at where you are going, what do you plan to do, what might you be doing as well as the weather conditions.



Now I was planning on a couple of glamorous things like the Moonlight Dinner Wine Train and I wanted an evening gown for that, so that went into my vintage Samsonite suitcase which is set up with folding racks to hold it almost crease free, I knew what shoes and under garments to go with it so that went into the same bag, I pack the shoes in a cloth drawstring bag to prevent the soles from soiling anything else, I also pushed my nylons that were in baggies to prevent snagging, into the toes to keep their shape, as a matter of fact if you look at how shoes come packaged at the shoe store packing tissue into the toes are a good way to keep your shoes in shape when you have them on a rack in your closet.



I also packed another evening gown for any other event along with its attendant undergarments, the same shoes worked for both gowns.



Next I factored the number of days I would be out of town, taking into account the day I would leave and the day I would be returning, so that would tell me how many under garments (bras, panties etc) I would need, I also factored one extra set in case of an emergency. I was not planning on doing any laundry while I was on vacation, and I did not know if the places I would be staying at had laundry facilities, if you are planning to be on the road for a while and want to pack light, then knowing if a place has a laundry is very important. But I’d still pack at least 8 changes of underwear for a one week trip.



Then I looked at the weather conditions, so combining the weather conditions, the types of things I would be doing, I was able to figure out what clothing I would need to pack and types of shoes.



Going with a neutral palate mostly black with gray in the clothing, it was easy to accessorize with gold, silver and red. I had a lovely red scarf that was very versatile and my wide brim straw black hat for day use. The jewelry I wore was costume which looked simple and classic and easy to replace, never take your good expensive jewelry, keep that locked in your safety deposit box at the bank while you’re gone and if you are doing something rugged do not wear any jewelry at all.



Another neutral palate is tan and brown with cream or white in clothing.



So a good pair of walking shoes for street walking, sturdy comfortable tennis shoes for rough adventures (my river cruise was one of them), my bedroom slippers (low heeled mules they’re called), for evening wear but not in an evening gown, a pair of black low heeled shoes, slip on shoes for pool wear (I found a darling pair at Wal-mart) several pairs of socks for tennis shoes, and the walking shoes, several pairs of inexpensive nylons (this is hosiery not panty house, you need a good garter belt for this) for the evening gowns and skirts, knee high socks to wear under the better slacks, bras, underpants, garter belt (I never wear panty hose); nightgown and robe, 3 pairs of slacks, 1 calf length skirt, 1 jeans (in black), 1 red shawl (light wool); 5 blouses in black (wash and wear always helps, two of them long sleeve for dressier evenings), 8 t-shirts in black with long sleeves, one gray sweater casual and one black sweater slightly formal, one bathing suit and cap (so hard to find), and a terry robe to wear over the wet suit to soak up water and a towel if you are at a place that does not offer pool towels. I used the terry robe mostly when I was in the outdoor Jacuzzi. I also had a set of lounge pajamas if I felt just laying around in my bedroom reading or watching television during the early evening.



All my night things for bed and lounging as well as my regular undergarments I put into one bag, my slacks, blouses, t-shirts and jeans and the two sweaters and shawl and scarf I put into another.



The items for my evening gowns I put into the same bag as the gowns plus my skirt.



My swim suit and robe, beach towel and pool shoes I put into another, you can include a simple drawstring bag to hold your glasses, sunscreen, and a book for the pool. If you can find a drawstring bag with a waterproof inner lining that helps for when you have to leave and your swimsuit is not dry, you can pack it in that bag and keep the dampness away, then when you arrive at your next destination or home take the damp things out to air dry or toss the bag with the damp swimsuit and towel into the trunk of the car, this will keep the interior of your suitcase dry.



My other shoes I put into another bag and each pair of shoes had their own draw string cloth bags to prevent them from rubbing against each other. You can roll up socks and stuff them into the shoes to help with their shape; nylons should be put into zip lock baggies to prevent them from snagging.



My cosmetics and such I put into another bag including my hot curlers and medicines for upset stomach, scratches, cuts, eye drops etc. I have a small jewelry bag that I put into the suit case that carried my evening gowns.



I also had three purses, one for my formal evening gown, one for evening but simple in style and one for day when I was shopping, wine tasting, seeing the sights or on the road. The two dressier purses were put into cloth draw string bags to protect them from damage and were placed in the Samsonite bag with the evening gowns.



Now if where I was going was experiencing cold weather and/or rain I would include a raincoat or trench coat, as well as a very warm coat and shoes for rain and an umbrella or rain hat although the rain hat is more versatile.



Now some people would say that is far too much but I was gone for almost two weeks on my first part of the trip and then a week for the second part. On the second part I didn’t need an evening gown and I could pair things down quite a bit.



But it was so nice to use my Granny’s Samsonite and my Diane Von Furstenberg luggage. Granny’s also included a cosmetic case which I put my curling iron into. Of course while in Lodi I did not take the Samsonite, but because I had purchased so many things I did buy a Jennifer Lopez weekender bag to hold all those things in one area, as a matter of fact it is wise to buy a collapsible duffel bag like at Wal-Mart to hold your purchases and souvenirs that way nothing gets lost, or use collapsible crates but I had them filled with larger purchases.



For used laundry I had a large mesh laundry bag which held everything except the nylons, the used ones I put into a labeled baggie then into the mesh laundry bag, the evening gowns of course were put back into their suitcase for careful dry cleaning.



A number of places offer irons and ironing boards, but some places don’t. I would call or check on line to see if they offer that and laundry services as well. But if you are driving and going some place that does not have that amenity, I recommend buying a small portable ironing board that can be set on a table and a light weight iron, not those travel irons, they are next to useless.



I have to say that it is nice to be able to stay in one place and from there go forth and look at all the sights there are to see, which, if I could have done that I would have, but I had to decide on the length of time of things and my finances.



But next time I will plan to stay at one place and settle in nicely there.



Since Doyle and I are going on several weekend trips, leaving Friday and coming back Sunday I will use only one bag and that will be the Jennifer Lopez weekender.



Packing for a weekend is different, again a bag for laundry, and again looking at what will you be doing and what is being offered at where you’re staying. Since the weather will be cool I’ll be packing one pair of jeans for day and one pair of black slacks for any fancy dinning, if we do that. However Doyle has suggested that I pack a 2nd pair of Jeans for just in case.



Simple fold up slippers and flannel pajama’s and a flannel robe, after all we are staying in a rough and tumble location, my walking shoes will double for dinning out when I wear my slacks, nothing overly fancy, warm long sleeve sweater tops, and a couple of tee shirt tops, a warm jacket for the ghost walk, and a heavy sweater for day. And 4 changes of underwear, and 4 pairs of socks. A warm scarf and a “boonie hat” for day to keep the sun out of my eyes. The boonie hat folds up and packs nicely, and sunglasses for daylight, always a plus to save one’s eyesight.



This selection may change if the weather remains very warm during the day although I do know in the hills it tends to get very cool.



But for any weekend you need to plan again on the events that you will be doing and the weather, your choices maybe different or similar.



If you are packing to get as much as possible into a small bag for a plane trip then rolling your clothing neatly is the best way to conserve space, stuffing socks and/or ties, or scarves into shoes help, but putting cosmetics into baggies help prevent spillage, some people suggest packing things such as underwear and shoes into large clear baggies, that way if you have to take things out of your bag at an airport things can be clearly seen, and things are not messy and minimum delay at the security check points. Some people have also suggested that if possible buy your hair shampoo, deodorant, nail clippers and toothpaste at your destination.



No matter what you do, you have to decide what you cannot live without when you travel, for some people it is a sleep mask or neck pillow. Because my skin is sensitive I have to have a fresh bar of Dove Soap for Sensitive skin and hypoallergenic hair shampoo, the same with deodorant, and a bottle of Aveno cream for my hands and feet. And gloves for day and night, for warmth and to protect my hands, I wear cheap cotton gloves, such as those used by photographers or archivists, at night after I put on my hand cream in the evening.



Gloves my Darklings are so important, to protect one’s delicate hands, I use them for gardening, cleaning, washing dishes, that way they never become dry and chapped.



For packing for a business trip will be completely different and I’ll cover that in another post.



The website Travellerspoint at www.travellerspoint.com/packing-tips.cfm offers an excellent series of ideas on packing for any length of trip.



Doyle would love for us to stay at either the Yosemite Lodge, the Wawona or the Ahwanee when we plan to go to Yosemite, but that won’t be for a couple of years, I think the Ahwanee would be very lovely to stay in while we take in the sights of the Valley. Dinner at the Ahwanee I would have to have either my better dresses or evening gowns, it depends on how I feel and what events we’ll be seeing.



But we’ll have to see how the Hanta virus is going to unfold. And unfortunately they do not allow dogs in the rooms but they do have kennels near the stables, but I would prefer to have Belladonna stay with my sitter or a very good boarding kennel.



For the Avenue of the Giants and Trees of Mystery, I’d have to find a nice place to stay while we tour all of that, as well. Plans to be thought of, places to consider, research to do.



Later Darklings.

Heat wave and retirement???

Oh Darklings,

We've had a "heat wave" that would take the curl out of curly hair and turn your straight hair into an oily mess.  A few temperature records were broken here and there,  and at least I still kept out my "hot weather" clothing for contingencies like this.

The house does not have air conditioning, in my location it is seldom needed, but if I was living over the hills or further north or south that would be a different situation.

But fans always work well, and eating lightly to avoid getting sick and drinking lots of water to remain hydrated always important. 

I've had people ask me "aren't you hot wearing black?"   Why no, I'm not, because the material is cooling and wicks away sweat.  And if you remember an earlier post it was determined that black can have a SPF rating of 50.  But I did wear my black straw hat to shield my face from the sun and sun glasses.

I took Belladonna to the doggie day care where they have air conditioning, each day and she went today as well.  So as long as there is heat, that will be the best place for her.

I'm taking a short break at this time, and thinking about things.

Doyle has suggested that I consider retirement, and if I still wanted to continue working then work part time.

It is tempting Darklings, but I have to "crunch" numbers and consider the cost of health care,  I'm going to talk to the powers that be and see what they say, because each business has their own policies.

But if I can do it, oh what plans I have.  But part of it is that I enjoy going to my job and although tiring I enjoy my work,  but if I can reduce hours it would be better and I can share supervisory duties and be on a consulting basis. 

Something to consider Darklings.

Later.

Nails, Nails and More Nails and "666 Park Avenue"

Darklings,

I just love the colors that come out this time of the year, one never knows what colors will develop that catches one’s eye or eyes as the case maybe.

I told you earlier that Estee Lauder has come out with a green nail polish called “Viper” that I find just tingly, she has also come out with other colors that I’ve purchased to expand my “Nail Wardrobe.”  

Yes Darklings, your nails need a wardrobe of colors, now granted I had said in a much earlier post,  that as an Elder/Elderly Goth one should shift to lighter almost flesh tone colors as one ages, but I’m going to do a caveat on that thought.

First as an Elder/Elderly Goth if you are in the Corporate business world then avoid the extreme colors such as Green, Blues and Yellows or Orange, even some dark purples or blacks, look then to the red colors that are the most complimentary for your hands and for being in the business world, no matter what, you do not want your potential customer to be turned off, especially if they are conservative.

But if you are retired, artistic or in a free-floating business then by all means have fun with your nail color, keeping in mind also the condition of your hands, which is also important.

If you take good care of your hands to keep them as free as possible from blemishes, then have fun with the new nail colors that are coming out.  It is only when your hands become so knotty and old should you switch over to lighter tones, but even I would stop and suggest purchasing fingerless lace gloves, so you can have the pleasure of wearing wild nail colors and covering up any blemishes to your hands.   This is especially good when you’re going out in the evenings.

It’s not until you reach a point where even you think that it’s silly or foolish to wear over the top nail color should you then consider rolling back to something more basic and toned down.

So until you come to that decision just be free my Darklings, be free.

With Estee Lauder her nail polish sells for $20.00 a bottle, and I just had to purchase “Viper”, “Bette Noir” a very dark blue, “Chaos”  a grey silver, “Dressed to Kill” a metallic brownish gold, and “Smashed” a deep purple.

But if you are on a budget, at $1.99, Wet and Wild has their Halloween colors out now with deadly names such as “Poison Ivy” a very deep green, “Deadly Dose” a gold metallic, “Toxic Apple” a deep purple, “Root of Evil” a medium to dark blue depending upon how many coats you apply, and “Lethal Injection” a slightly lighter purple.

What I like about those above 5 colors, besides the colors, is that the bottles have a very nice shape and you can turn the labels outward so anyone checking out your makeup will have a slight eye brow lifting moment when they read the names of the colors, something that I thoroughly enjoy.

And if you can find it on Amazon look for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Purple” and “Gray’s Anatomy” a silvery grey with floating highlights of injury green and purple bruise, these are also by Wet and Wild as a limited edition.

Spoiled, another budget nail brand, has come out with two green colors that I could not resist “Last Chance” so deep a green as to be almost black, and “San Francisco” a deep sparkly green for sparkly vampires. (more on sparkly vampires later)

Remille, a medium price polish at $5.00 a bottle came out with a deep blood red called “Lava Red” #400, that in some lights have a red brown color and in other lights a purple brown.

Sally Hansen has also come out with colors for Halloween and the Fall season, I’ve not been able to review the colors or make a note of their names, but be on the watch for them.

Of course Revlon has come out with non-sparkle or non-frosted nail colors going from yellow to blue to green, but for some reason they did not capture my interest, although I have an artistic friend who is experimenting with using the “flat” colors for painting, something that never occurred to me and certainly worth experimenting with for all you artistic types.

Here in the United States you can buy Spoiled, Wet and Wild and Revlon at either Walgreens or your CVS pharmacy stores or in your slightly better department stores such as J.C. Penny.  

Alright Darklings, I had a chance to watch the pilot episode of “666 Park Avenue”

I’m not going to say that it grabbed me right away, but I did have the fun of figuring out what might happen, for me it was a bit of a guessing game, as well as seeing how the plot will develop. Some of it seemed a bit predictable,  young, bright, upwardly mobile couple, looking for the breaks in the Big Apple, not believing their good fortune and then the doubts begin to creep in. 

Darklings you have to remember at my age I’ve not only read all the 36 basic plot devices I’ve also seen them and in some cases had to live them in real life.  Unless the writers come up with something of a real twist I can almost predict what will happen as the story goes along, so if the writers do not come up with some interesting new twists then it may lose my interest…..BUT…..

One thing for sure, it was very well done, my only major complaint in regards to production was that some of the sound when the actors were talking was a bit muffled, I’m not saying I have a hearing loss, because when it comes to anything on PBS or the other T.V. programs I hear them quiet well, including the lead actor’s voice in “Persons of Interest”.  It might have been how they recorded it or how it was transmitted.   I am going to write to ABC television and let them know.

The review for it was positive and I have to agree with it.  Excellent choice of actors for our villainous looking couple.

This series is loosely based on Gabriella Pierce’s novels, at least it gets its premise from them, and just as it is an on going soap opera mystery, it’s going to be interesting to see all the twists and turns in this little gothicly supernatural, dealing with souls program, if all goes well this could turn into a lovely little guilty pleasure, especially as a metaphor for how one will sell their soul to get ahead.  BUT only if the writers are inventive enough for my taste.

Just as with “Lost” if you are not going to be home then its best to record any episodes you might miss so you won’t miss the fun.   The Drake Apartment building is just as much an actor in this wickedly fun series, sort of like “Burnt Offerings” and “The Shining” with a mix of “Rosemary Baby” and “The Devil’s Advocate” and a tinge of “The Omen”, and although it won’t push the envelope like “American Horror Story” it will be fun to see how things develop and all the ‘inside puns’ which you as the viewer, will be in the know about.

I know I will continue to watch it, for now.

Later Darklings