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.