Of "Hell Freezing Over"~~~~

Hello Darklings,

I'm quickly posting from work, I know, I shouldn't do this, but I'm on my coffee break, so there....and my sweet co-worker has brought me another cup of Hazelnut Latte with extra whip cream.  He is sweet.

Last night I was numbly watching the news, I'm afraid that the news appears to be repeating itself, with robberies, bycicle riders not riding the correct way and running into trucks, fires, murders, horrible traffic accidents all agony stores...I know Darklings it seems that I do not care, that I'm numb, but the truth is I do care, it is at times, sad, tragic, horrible and in the case of some people a totally stupid thing to do.  And it is LIFE, just like the psalm and the song says "To Everything There Is A Season".

But last night I heard it, I couldn't believe it, I laughed at it and said to myself "If I have an excuse to use it I will".

Well this morning I got my excuse----

Our Great and Glorius Fearless Leader, aka The Boss, was a little bit ticked off, he was asked by certain powers that be,  to look into something, which really is a part of his job but he hates to do it and tries to delegate it, if he can, but he said  in front of me, the other staffers and in a fit of pic to the representative from the Powers that be--- "I'll do that when Hell Freezes over!"

And I remarked  "Hell has frozen over, Dear Boss."   He looked at me as well as the other staffers and the Rep. and I continued   "Hell, Michigan that is,  said so on the news that Hell has been frozen over, showed pictures of it too."  And I smiled sweetly at him. 

He looked at me, and fortunately started to chuckle and surrendered. 

So now, thanks to the Polar Vortex that slipped down to our upper states, I can honestly say that I know the day that "Hell froze over."

Must go, I am at work.

Later Darklings

Of a Crazy End to 2013 and a Crazy Beginning to 2014~~~~

Well Darklings,

I don't know about you but I have a feeling that if this last week is any indication I feel that 2014 is going to be a crazy year, bizarre, unbelieveable, strange and well I don't have any more discriptive words come to mind at this time but I'll think of a few.

First on the Family front----nothing insane or crazy Thank Goodness!   We took Coralline home on New Year's Day after having a very nice breakfast after mass.  Traffic was very light, reminds me of what traffic was like back in the 1950's (yes Darklings I'm THAT old).

My brother was having New Year's dinner at his house, family and friends coming over, the games banished to the Garage, my sister-in-law's doing, she was going to have sanity in her home, while dinner was cooking, of course the men folk had to drift in and out because the garage is Not heated,  then the rule was when dinner is served all games are off and not put on afterwards, she even unplugged the portable T.V. sets and locked the garage, which meant that the men folk Had to make conversation and use their brains.

I Really Like my sister-in-law.  But it made the evening so very nice and people re-discovered the art of conversation, my Cousin Louise also came and it was good for her to re-connect to some of the family, Brian had been invited over to some friends house for the day and my Sister wouldn't be home until sometime Thursday morning.

But the house when Doyle and I returned home was a little quiet when we got in,  my brother and his family were going to visit and stay for a few days at a Aunt's house of my sister-in-law whom they hadn't seen in some time, and were up there in years, and the children start school next Monday. 

But the next Day Sis came home and immediately went to her old office to pack up her files and other more fragile things and move them to her home office,  I was at work all that day helping staff catch up on the back log and put in a very long day, Doyle was at his office as well also putting in a very long day and seeing about assignments,  so when I had a chance to call Sis I said "no cooking, we'll have our old stand by.."   (Yes Darklings---Chinese take out).

Sis had a chance to tell me what she'd had completed and asked if I could help today, of course I said yes, so today, early we were back at her office, the movers showed up and moved her office furniture to her house and got it settled in, it wasn't much and they were very efficent and it made better sense to have them handle it as we knew we couldn't do it and Brian and Doyle would be working. 

So now Sis's home office is set up, we're taking a break right now and then back to it to put her files and books and such in order and exactly where she wants them.  And on Monday she will be working from home, it took time and paper work to set it up but already I can see that she is much happier about it.  It is her own space, and designed the way she wants it.  Even I can see that it is a big improvement.

Brian is still going to be renting a room from her given that her house is almost as large as mine, she has enough space to have her children visit and it not be crowded.  I am very happy for her and she can still drop over anytime she wants, since I've given her a key to my home and she's given me a key to hers.   But she did need her own place and this is perfect.

Ahhh but about Crazy Endings and Crazy Beginnings----well Darklings I'm talking about UFO's, Twins and Skull's.

Just the day before New Year's people from all over California from Sacramento, Stockton, Auburn and as far South as the Hollywood Hills reported seeing possible UFO sighings of a formation of 6 objects flying in a triangular formation, hovering and then suddenly zooming off at a high rate of speed.  The FAA of course said that there was no unusual aircraft activity in those area's but people had captured video and cell phone shots of these unknown objects.

Then the day before in the Salinas Valley a photographer in an air plane spotted an unusual and intricate Crop Circle that seemed to spell out the numbers in binary code 192,  the farmer didn't have clue what was happening until he saw people with ladders near his field taking photo's,  two men had been driving near the field late at night and saw flashes of light over the field and took a video of it before the crop circle was discovered the next day.   After a day or two the farmer had enough and immediately harvest the crop to prevent damage and any injury by on lookers.

Twins were born only a few minutes apart but in different years,  the first baby a girl was born just a minute before midnight Dec. 31, 2013 and her sibling a brother was born a minute or so after midnight Jan. 1, 2014.   The parents say that each child will have a separate birthday party.   I think an astrologer is going to have fun with that.  And the sister can rightfully say "I'm older than you are..." nyaa, nyaaa. 

But the strangest was the discovery of a human skull in the Oakland Hills, just off of Grizzly Peak Blvd.   The skull was found sitting on a paper plate surrounded by beads (possibly Mardi Grah type beads).  The police had received a tip about the location of this bizarre find and found it to be where the tipster said it would be.  The skull is said to be old, but not Native American----there are here and there and espeically in the Gold Rush Country old abandon cemeteries it is possible that it could have come from there. 

Now this is the 2nd skull to turn up in over 6 months, the first one was found in a Oakland re-cycling center and nothing further has been found in regards to that earlier find, and now this.  Also over 6 months ago, some sort of voodoo ritual involving a pig or lamb's heart was found in a cemetery in Colma, pinned to the heart was a picture of a young couple---a curse?  Who knows.

All of this just tickles my dark gothic heart,  I think of Anton LaVey was still alive he'd find it most amusing.

I mentioned this to Sis and she has found it to be absolutely fasinating.  And tonight a new episode of "Dracula" will be on T.V.  I'm not sure how this show is going to develop but I'm also said that the last 3 episodes of "Sleepy Hollow" will be coming to end it's first season,  I find that the writers are having a lot of fun with early American history and old legends.  I must add "Sleepy Hollow" to my collection. 

And my Sister is calling me, she wants to have her office ready, so I think I'll call Doyle to pick up our old standby again.

Later Darklings and may you have an interesting 2014.

This is the crop circle that appeared just before Dec 31, 2013 in Salinas Valley.

Of Ice cicles and Jack Frost~~~

Yes Darklings!

Icecicles!!!  I thought that was something you'd find in the mountains in winter but there they were hanging from the back eaves of my back porch.

It seems there was some run off of sorts, and then we had a deep freeze and voila! Icecicles!  I had to wake Sis and Doyle to show them, and then I looked into the garden and there was deep frost over everything, like a frozen white blanket.

I have no idea if any of the plants, even the protected ones are damaged or killed by the frost, but there it was.

Poor Belladonna and Wiener Dog they did NOT want to go down to the patio and do their business,  we had to gently persuade them and then quickly warm up their paws, and we had their heavy coats on them too. 

But looking at the frost and everything I was reminded of that line from that song "...Jack Frost nipping at your nose..." 

So Sis and I were out in the back garden looking at things and then we looked up and saw a white frosting of frost on the roofs, almost like a very thin layer of snow that one would see in Christmas cards.  The front yard also had a coating of frost as well, in a strange way we were enjoying it, as cold as it is, it does feel like a Christmas should. 

Eventually the sun will melt it off and it's wetness will go (I hope) into the ground.  Doyle finally called us in to get warm with coffee and just as I was walking up the back stairs to the kitchen one of the ice ciles fell off with a serious sounding "thunk!"  Belladonna and Wiener Dog had to check it out, the looks on their faces..."What is this cold wet hard thing??  It smells strange.  Why are our humans so excited about it?"  Then Wiener Dog solved the matter by raising his back leg and marked it in his own male doggy way and Belladonna seemed to approve and they both trotted into the warm kitchen looking for their breakfast as far as they were concerned the situation was under control and food was on their collective mind.

Dogs and little children seem to know the situation best.

I have today off, which is good so I can make plans for the Christmas Party, we know what we are going to have, and the date is set, invites have been sent out with the suggestion of Victorian Dress. 

Mostly I'm just making sure everything that will be needed is in place and also to see if there is anything else that needs to be added.  I've made arrangements for my cleaning service to come in the day before for a quick brush up.

We are going to have Coralline again this weekend starting on Friday, my Brother and Sister-in-law are going to send the Boys over to my Sister-in-Laws mother's house so they can do the Christmas Shopping for the children's gifts.  Mine is already done, the advantage of being able to go to work and have good stores to shop in nearby, and mail order, although I had to hide them in the upstairs storage room with the door locked so they won't find it.

One thing I started years ago, but I also got permission from my Boss was to have packages delivered to where I work, that way it avoided the possible front porch theivery that has been happening especially lately.  It is something I do suggest to all you Darklings if you do mail order and to let the mail room know about it as well or whomever receives mail or materials from Fed Ex, UPS or DHL or other couriers.  It does save headaches and heartaches.

Christmas is both an exciting and quiet time of year, exciting if you are a child or a harrassed parent, and quiet if you live alone and family is far away.   It is what one makes of it, but it should never be a sad time.  I know a couple that are about my age, maybe just a little older.  They had no children, and each were only children themselves (that is their parents did not have other children),  they met, both sets of parents had passed away so they were alone, they both worked, have a nice modest house, but the Holidays when they were first married was hard on them until they resolved to not have the holidays be a lonely time for them.

They looked for seasonal events to enjoy which perked their spirits up, looked into things to do and eventually joined several organizations that were into historical and period events and preservation, they told me they had to look outside of themselves and their personal lives, to reach out, by doing that they found that the holidays did not have to be a lonely time.  But I asked them "What do you do on the actual Holiday?"  Meaning Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years.  

And they told me "We start the Day with the exception of 4th of July, with Church, we go to a service to help put us into the proper mood,  being Catholic we will do with Easter and Christmas several services,  There is a late night Easter vigil mass that we attend, and then the next day Easter Sunday we attend the daytime mass as well,  we know of several places that have breakfast, and we have already made reservations for Easter Dinner too, but the Missus also has desert waiting at home.  Depending upon the weather we go for a walk at one of the formal gardens and enjoy the blooms to revive our spirits.   And then in the evening with desert we'll watch a film that has religious meaning,  last time it was "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"  a fun film.

For 4th of July, that is picnic time, but we dash early to see a 4th of July parade, we have our chairs and such and coffee and donuts, and it can be chilly in the morning so a blanket,  then a picnic on the beach followed by a tour at one of the historic military sites or we may reverse that depending upon time.  Dinner is always out at one of the nicer places. 

Thanksgiving (he told me) well that is very speical, we decorate the house with little things for Fall and then we volunteer at one of the charitible Food Kitchens and help out,  as a matter of fact we do it on a regualr basis but on Thanksgiving we make sure we're there.  Then later we have our dinner and watch "Miracle on 34th Street".   The days following we go all out to decorate the outside for Christmas, our neighbors son helps us.

And during the Christmas season we'll over the the years we've come across various events to attend the organizations we're members of offer speical events, but on Christmas Eve we attend Midnight Mass and then the following Morning a morning Mass, and once again we volunteer at the Food Kitchen, we're never alone.  
There are little things we do, Toys for Tots, Dickens Faire, and then the October fests and Harvest Festivals, all kinds of little things. 

But New Years, we'll that is speical for us as well New Years Eve if there is a Dance on the USS Hornet we attend that in period attire, and welcome the new year in,  The following Day we go to morning Mass, we have breakfast out and we have made reservations for dinner, again depending upon the weather we see what might be open to see, sometimes its a speical event at a museum, or something.  But we alway keep ourselves busy and do things so we are always never alone, even helping out at charity events.  We're older now so we do have to pace ourselves but even though we don't have family or children, sometimes the world needs folks like us to just be there."

I was surprised by their sense of purpose but then I could see what it is that they are doing,  to never look inward but always outward.

Later Darklings 

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 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 an update and a guest~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well my temporary work arrangment is working out just fine.   I communte in and my boss drives me home.

At least I missed the "naked acrobat" at one of the BART stations,  frankly if he came up to me I would have wacked him where it would hurt the most with my cane.   But then would I have been booked for assualt or would it have been considered self - defence.   Well I'll never know since they have arrested him.  And he may get deported back to Columbia, maybe that is what he wanted to have happen, it would save him the cost of a plane ticket.

Doyle is still out on assignment and may not be back until next week, pooh!  But he does call and keeps me updated and he's doing fine.

Sis has finally had her house tented to be fumigated and her house guest is now my house guest, Brian is a very nice person and has offered to  offset the cost of utlities and food, so we've worked out a nice little arrangement.   Because I never know when Coralline is sleeping over, Brian will stay in the down stairs "maid's room" it has it's own bath so that works out very well. 

But I did warn Brian about the work still being finished in the kitchen, right now some cabinet fixing but the apartment stove is now in place where the vintage stove will be going, once I find the one I want.  Sorry Darklings, I just have not had the chance to shop for one.  Soon though, soon.

Brian didn't seem to mind, and once the fumigation process is over, Sis is going to first have the kitchen re-done and then the bathroom downstairs so Brian can move back.  But that will take a little time.

It seems I'm always having a house guest or family, which is fine, it helps the house come alive.  Although he was a little surprised about the cemetery in the back part of the property, I told him to not worry about it, those pets stay put.   And I had to keepy "kitty Kat" quiet so to not give him appoleplexy.  But he seems to be enjoying the "off-beatness" of the house.

He commented to me about the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard----I had not realized that there was a difference but it seems that a graveyard it always attached to a religious building or church, but a cemetery is simply a piece of land set aside for burials.   The yard is always next to the church and is of grave importance and a serious condition of life.   So person to be buried just outside of a Grave Yard was considered an un-redemmed sinner.  Hmmm and then there is Boot Hill, Columbariums, Tombs, Masoleums, Crypts, and other words to describe where one is buried,  now I understand that if there are people buried near their homes, such as a plantation that is considered both as a graveyard and a cemetery.

I can only tell you Darklings we had a wonderful discussion about this.

Later Darklings

 Gloria Holden's Cemetery marker.