Of Another Heat Wave and County Fairs~~~~

Hello My Darklings,

We are having another heat wave,  the temperatures have been going from the upper 60's on the coast to 108 degrees inland,  very worrisome for the elderly and pets,  our temperatures have been hovering in the mid 80's here,  both Belladonna and Weinerdog are getting to be old hands at this, damp towels, fans, plenty of water and easy access to the shaded back porch if so desired.

We've been eating lightly, mostly salads, when it becomes this hot drinking water is far more important than food.  

The house does not have air conditioning we really don't need it here in the Bay Area but when it gets hot, it Get's HOT!!  So the fans are on all over the house.   It will cool down towards the weekend.

My brother and his family made an unusual decision, they wanted to see a lot different events happening at the County Fair including on the last day Demolition RV's, think of the Demolition Derby with oldest, scroungiest RV's that should no longer be on the road and you've got the idea.

But through out there were other things they wanted to see, but always best to go towards the later afternoon very early evening.  So what he did was pack his wife and kids into the RV he had made reservations at this RV park that is right next to the Fair Grounds some months ago, and that way it was no problem to go from the RV to the Fair and he got passes for the Fair for the entire time, Midway rides are extra. 

So with that the children could sleep in, they'd make breakfast there, their RV is air conditioned, and planning to see everything.  

Doyle and I managed to get there to see some of the things but it seems the children were interested in the Animals, and of course the rides,  fortunately I had my parasol and we packed lots of water.

Coralline loved the All Alaskan Pig Races,  and the petting zoo and this magician juggler pirate called Capt. Jack Spareribs,  he did Johnny Depp better than Johnny Depp, and she and Christopher were fascinated by the old time farming equipment, and the miniature train lay out, of course the twins wanted to do the rides, and see the reptiles, but with this extreme heat my brother had called me and said no one was going out until the shadows were long, mostly sleeping in. 

But I insisted on my once a year traditional frozen banana treat,  I had to have it.  An buying Fair Fudge, I remember how Mother insisted on buying the Fair Fudge, and Dad would watch the fellow demonstrate this fishing lure that acted like a fish underwater, and every time he bought a lure, and how we watched baby chicks hatch and brought home 3 of them, 2 newly hatched and an older bird that Dad said would act like a mother to them and did, except it wasn't a hen but a rooster.  And one of the other chicks was a rooster,  two roosters and one hen was not a good thing so a farmer that Dad knew took them in, said one of them was an exotic Silky, he had a hen for it, the other would replace his old rooster that died.  

Mom was worried that the neighbors would complain about the crowing at 6:30 in the morning, like clockwork.  The funny thing, the neighbors complained because we Did get rid of the roosters, those roosters became their alarm clocks.   Oh well, things were different then, now a days someone most likely would poison them or turn then into bar-be-que.   

Different times, pleasant memories.  And the Watkins people, Mom always bought their spices, I do as well, sometimes I put in a phone order when I run out of something.  Lovely memories.

The boys were telling me about the fireworks every night which we saw, the 4th of July is going to be very spectacular.

But it was a good thing we managed to go before the heat wave hit.   My brother calls every day to let us know they are fine, no sunburns, or heat prostration and it's a good work out with the RV and at least not too far away.

Of course he wants to plan on some weekend trips as well, but with all these wild fires he is concerned.  He's thinking of going north again seems both Christopher and Coralline want to see the Trees of Mystery, and may be Crater Lake in Oregon. 

I am so glad they are having fun, escaping from the worries of things. Both Doyle and I have been collecting Mail and Newspapers at their house, while we were at the Fair, Brian watched the dynamic duo for us.

"Crazy Son" has been very, Very quiet,  but as Doyle says "It's just the lull before the next Storm".  Well that will be for another time, should anything happen.

Now I'm just paying bills, and relaxing, 4th of July will be quiet for us, Doyle wants to bar-be-que, so tomorrow I'm buying chicken wings and baby back ribs, we have our lemonade dispensers but with the family at the Fair it will only be just us Doyle, Sis, Cousin Louise and her room mate, Brian and our elderly neighbor, just a small affair, and I'll have to give the nerve pills to the dogs so they will not be upset by any fireworks set off, we will keep a close eye on them, keep them indoors for safety sake.

And you my Darklings have a safe and sane 4th of July.

Later Darklings

Of Holiday weekends and Emergency Rooms~~~~~

I know My Darklings,

How do those two equate.

Give me a minute and I'll explain.

Right now I'm bleary eyed, and going to seek my bed for much needed and wanted rest.

First the 4th of July was good old-fashion fun, Sis and I had set up everything in our back yard for Bar-Be-Que and Doyle was getting the propane grill ready to make burnt offerings to the Holiday Gods.

My Brother and sister in-law took the children very early in the morning to find perfect spots to watch the parade that is just over the Estuary, but as usual some people seem to camp out spots the night before but they did manage to find a location.

I was told it takes  3 or more hours depending upon the length of the parade for it to complete its route.
I know when sis and I were driving to the Store the day before to get some more goodies already we saw along one section of the parade route, chairs and tables set up and even sections quadrate off saying "The So and So Family" and one or two very small tents set up I think some folks were going to sleep over night.

I could understand it for the Rose Parade but for this one???  Well it must be popular.

Afterwards they came to the house and the boys in the back were playing some sort of games, and we oldster's sat around talking and then putting the meat on the Barbie.

It was a nice fun and relaxing day.  Except for the evening when I had to turn on the sprinkler system in the front and Doyle turned on our roof sprinkler system to wet the roof, we moved everything in doors by 9 p.m. and the explosions started going off, at least on our block people were sane and didn't do anything.

Of course we were awake until 2 a.m. to make sure nothing caught fire, we heard of various injuries.  2 different young men were serious injured in San Jose, one lost both his hands and the other lost some fingers, both of them from holding the firecrackers too long.  I wish people would realize they ARE explosives and not toys.

And in another neighborhood some fool as Doyle calls them,  shoot off his gun taking pot shots at a power pole, it caused a power line to break and fell on that person and made him into a "sparkling personality"  needless to say he did not live long to enjoy his celebrity status and his brother was injured trying to get the power line off of him.  I don't think the survivors enjoyed their 4th of July.

I asked my brother about his house and he said his neighbors set up a neighborhood watch and he notified them he would not be home, even tho he set up his lights and such to give that appearance.

So to avoid the traffic my brother and family spent the night a my house which was fine, the house is made to be lived in and enjoyed.  But it was so quiet when they left.

Doyle looked a little peaked and I asked if he was O.K. and he said he was just more tired than usual.  Well I knew he had been putting in a long hard week and told him to rest.

Sunday was very quiet, I just got things prep for dinner after Sis and I came home from church, but Doyle just slept through the day.  Then he woke up feeling drastically feverish and severe chills, and he was tender around the "Crown Jewels" I said "That's it we're going to the ER!"

We got there around 7 in the evening.  And the ER was packed, a full house with weekend warriors, parents with children who had done stupid things and their parents both worried and glaring at their foolish child at the same time, elderly folks with worried family members, and police officers with their drunk or doped suspects needing treatment.

No, my Darklings,  Sunday evening coming off of a Holiday Weekend is never quiet.   And poor Doyle whose pain level went from 2 to 10 in the matter of less than an hour,  and it all seems so horribly slow even if it is triage.

They put him on a gurney, covered him with a blanket, took vitals, took samples, asked questions, all the while Doyle is shivering and in pain at the same time.  Finally they started giving him morphine which helped a bit but only lowered the pain level, then they started antibiotics, because his temperature was 103, after a half hour he started to sweat  and his temp remained around 100.6.

Then x-rays and sonograms, more blood samples, finally around 2 this morning they admitted him into the hospital, what it is we don't know, but I finally got to bed around 4 this morning.

Getting awaken at 7 a.m. because they were not sure of one of  the medications he takes so I have to shower, drink coffee,  drive over to the hospital without getting into an accident, give them the medication, checked on Doyle, he was sleepy but he had eaten breakfast, but mostly drinking a lot of water, he said he was not much good for conversation and was "off his feed" , a Doctor had seen him but Doyle had not heard what it is he has, they keep him on pain meds and antibiotics and he still was sweating.  The temp had fluctuated between 99 and 100.3.

I suspect he will be in the hospital for a few days maybe the whole week, so I made arrangements to take the week off and I called his office so another agent can cover Doyle's cases.

I slept on and off this afternoon, and I'm going back to bed for a few more hours sleep to get through this day.  And I'll check on Doyle this evening and see what it is that affected him.

So please my Darklings, keep good thoughts for Doyle for a quick recovery.   I have to say what a horrible way to end the 4th of July weekend.  I hope yours was much better.

Later Darklings

How Does one Celebrate the 4th of July??

How Does an Elder Goth Survive the 4th of July?


Now Darklings, that is a good question.

For the 4th of July is a time of up-beat celebration, and one would think an Elder Goth is on the gloomy side, well yes and no.
If you are a Perky Elder Goth, then the 4th of July is fun, fun, fun and all the things associated with it is not a problem at all.

But for some of us the 4th of July can be a solemn occasion, sort of a wake in a way.

I know one Elder Goth who did this, she and the family went to the parade and always cheered the military units and the surviving veterans, and they saluted the honor guards. They applauded the various floats, the mounted horse units, marching units and bands, but they did not cheer nor applaud any political figure or any political cause, they remained respectfully quiet. This was their policy.

They wanted the parade in their mind to be one of remembrance their motto is “Home of the Free, Because of the Brave.” And policital candidates or causes (except for saving wildlife, animals and historic things) has no place in the parade according to their mind set.

They even put out a sign in front of their house decorated with flags, making that same statement.

After the parade they had a pre-packed picnic lunch ready to go and went to the cemetery where their relatives are buried, they put flowers, cleaned the graves if it needed it, and made sure those family members who served had flags. At one of the family graves they had a picnic lunch and spiritually invited their deceased members, they shared with their children stories about various members of the family so that the children would always feel they were still a part of their lives.

They would then return home, and towards evening, would fire up the bar-b-queue for hamburgers, and hot dogs, nothing fancy, except that the drinks would be dark cherry, or the Crystal light Raspberry drinks, the salad would be made with dark leafed lettuce, the fruits would be black and red plums and other dark fruits that would be available, there would be corn on the cob, followed by a berry pie. The idea was to use dark foods to always remember the dead.

Now fireworks are illegal mostly if they are Arial type like bottle rockets, but ones like volcanoes which are always set on a non-flammable surface they could use. They’d set them off with prayers of remembrance.
Another Elder Goth did her 4th of July bar-b-que using only the dark blue bunting with stars, she had power drinks that were blueberry, and of course the Crystal light raspberry,

But her Bar-b-que would be at night, and she had an extra advantage, where her home is one can see the professional fireworks every year. So her place is very popular.
For myself I’m a sort of Perky, Dark Romantic Elder Goth on the 4th of July. I go to the Parade nearby, getting there early is important for a good seat, but after it is over, I seek a quiet place to meditate and contemplate, there is this wonderful Catholic cemetery I go to that has lovely grounds, A city of the dead really, I take a small portable lunch with me and my portable music that I have programmed to play Gothic Chants, mostly the music of Hildegard of Bern I play it softly while I’m there, on small speakers, Belladonna was with me though all of this. Then after a few hours it’s time for us to go home.
In the evening, I sit out on the front porch, eating my dinner and watching the home grown fire works all illegal and eventually the police would show up someone would get a citation, then after the police leave they’d do it again, Belladonna I wasn’t sure would like the fireworks so on the advice of the Vet I carefully medicated her, and she slept through everything.

I do that now since most of my family is either dead or scattered to the far ends of this Nation.
When I was a child it was a wonderful time of family gatherings, family members would talk of things of the past, all of which I have carefully preserved, I learned how to do short hand in high school so I could literally write down the stories, then when I transcribed them if there were parts that I did not understand I could call the family member or ask them next time I saw them for clarification.
So among the merriment I’d gather the stories before they were lost. Which really is a good idea for you younger Goths.

My family of siblings are glad that I have done that, although there are some gaps in the history but I’ve been slowly filling them in.

So for 4th of July, well I would use it as a Happy Day of Remembrance.

Later Darklings