Of Doing Jury Duty, speicality sodas and the drought~~~

Hello My Darklings,

Yes I know I haven't post for a while, BUT.....

Well what is more Elder Gothic than being on a Murder trial?   Being On a Murder Trial.

Oh I know Darklings bad pun.   But I am stuck doing Jury Duty and it is a murder trial.   I cannot talk about the case itself, but I can tell you it was 3 of the most excruciating days of jury selection I have ever gone through, and because I'm semi-retired I cannot claim hardship.

Well to be honest, this may be interesting to see unfold.  You know see how the lawyers do things, I mean Darklings it's totally different from "Perry Mason", "Boston Legal" or even "The Good Wife". 

One thing I'm grateful for is the chairs in the jury box are comfortable if they weren't I'd be screaming.  

And I'm glad we got off early today, the Judge had something to attend to, there is no trail tomorrow and the courtroom is air conditioned, yes Darklings we are now having a bit of a heat wave.

So Dinner is going to be light a spinach salad with shrimp (grilled),  lime sherbert for dessert, no wine, but a delightful specialty soda called "Portuguese Blend"  it's green in color, but lighter in flavor than 7-Up and it's made with cane sugar not corn sugar,  we had it after dinner last week, so Sis went and bought 6 bottles of it.  Doyle prefers the Root Beer called "Rat Bastard"  I told him we cannot serve a root beer with that name to the children when they come over to visit.  So we'll stick with "Dad's"

I know---- What??  The Elder Gothests is off of wine??  No Darklings I'm not, but once in a while in a playful mood we do like to try specialty soda's, and just see what they come up with.  And really with the heat, it's best to drink water with a hint of lemon in it for a sense of freshness. 

We did have about a week ago a very nice rain storm which did wonders for my water cisterns, so I'll be able to water the plants for a while without having to use the districts water system.  But because of this drought I've decided to not plant any new exotic plants in my garden, however to make up  for any sparseness, I've decided to increase the plantings of Lavender, Sage and Rosemary, these plants encourage the honey bees and humming birds and I've made sure that the moveable bird baths are in area's of shade for the birds, bees and humming bird feeders are in the shade for them as well.  

I've been happy to see a few Monarch Butterflies as well, which cheers me up a lot, at least the flowers on those plants are lavender and purple, may be not too dark but enough to keep things interesting.   And at least they can tolerate the weather conditions much better.  Towards the back in the Pet Cemetery area nasturtiums have sprouted, I did not plant any seeds so either the birds brought them over or something, I think they are rather pretty in their own wild way so I will leave them to grow, something as natural as that is fine.

Poor Belladonna and Wiener Dog are just to tuckered from the heat and have chosen to lay down on the kitchen floor near their water bowls, I have a fan rotating in here  to help cool them down.  But I'm going to ask Doyle when he comes home if he could up the fans from the storage room, we may not need them all the time but at least they will be available. 

I've advised my Sister in Law to buy fans as well and she has mostly for the bed rooms, she wants something more Victorian for down in the main rooms so I suggested she check out the Victorian Trading Company that is where I got mine.

I have no idea how long this murder trial is going to run, but my Boss is not exactly happy, because already several of the staff have summer vacations planned, I said ..."It is what it is..." and left it at that. 

And now I'm going to take a nap my Darklings, the heat is getting to me.

Later Darklings

Of dealing with difficulties and taking time off~~~~

Well My Darklings,

My plumbing problem is still not solved, my plumber had to go to the hospital, it seems it was more than what appeared to be the flu.....it was appendicitis.

Fortunately he got to the hospital before anything burst and they operated quickly, but he is out of commission for the next 4 to 6 weeks, and I wouldn't even ask him to do any hard work. 

So I have to make other plans,  poor man, he and his wife didn't need this set back, but she told me that they have savings to tied them over while he recovers, to make up any difference that her wages couldn't cover.  And he has good medical insurance.

I'm taking time off from work right now, my boss said that I had just reached the maximum hours that I could work, early because of my covering for those on vacation.  So I need to be off work for 4 weeks.

I'm not worried, I've been saving most of that extra money anyway and my investments will give me anything extra that I need, not that I need much.  I'm pretty much covered.

And it gives me a chance to take care of some things here at home, like make sure Doyle doesn't strain himself, and seeing to the garden. 

The drought has been difficult on my garden, I've avoided replanting any flowers, and I've been using the soaker hose on my plants as it hardly wastes any water, I'm lucky in that I have both rain cisterns and well water for the garden, but I have to be careful with the water table. 

I do have a bird bath so at least the birds can have water, although I've seen squirrels climb up and drink out of it. 

I am glad that I had the work done and paid for before this time off, that is a big help.

My ghostly artistic couple came over last night for drinks and a few munchies, good thing to have the freezer and micro-wave oven.  I try to be prepared.

They've been in New York exhibiting her paintings and selling quiet a few, she said that there is quite a community that is interested in her works.  I told them about Sis going to the Horror Camping event, and they loved the concept, she told me that concept is giving her idea's for some paintings, they've even attended a séance or two while in New York, she was hoping to get some idea's for that.

I asked if they went to Lily Dale which is a summer resort for Spiritualists, they said they had, having gone there for readings and spent a couple of days listening to lectures and walking around the area.

I'd like someday to go there, but I have to see how things go.

My ghostly couple are thinking of holding a séance in their home sometime in the near future they asked if they could put me and Sis on their guest list and being interested in the bizarre and occult I said yes. 

I'm so glad that we entertained outside as the humidity was horrible in the house, it made me wish I had gone ahead and had my contractor do the screening in of the back porch, but the plumbing comes first. 

I feel so flat today, like the life has been sort of wrung out of me, maybe the weather, maybe dealing with the problems of the house, maybe dealing with Doyle's problem and lining up his next appointments. 

I'd wish for something exciting but frankly I think after the last few weeks I've had enough excitement, so maybe this is a good thing.

And now the dogs are demanding their walkies, hmmm one never knows what one will encounter on a walk, that should provide some amusement.

Later Darklings

Of "Frizzel", Nail Polish, Clothing and flu shots for an Elder Goth~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well I could not believe it but we had "frizzel" on Saturday----O.K. so what is frizzel, well its less than drizzel but more than fog and with enough of it, it can cover the wind shield so you do have to use the wipers and at least cover your hair.

It helps clear the air and freshen everything, and it seems to keep the heat in the house, yet dampen bus benches so you better have a coat to cover your bottom.  Orchids and Redwoods love it.  And if you're in a cemetery it is very atmospheric.   But Weiner Dog and Belladonna do not like it, "oh yuck, wet stuff, no no mummy I's not take bath"  at least they act like that.

But I do love frizzel, except when I'm driving my car.  Oh well can't have everything.

I do wish though that we'd start having rain, not gully washers but rain to soak the ground, and fill the resevoirs, many are below 50 percent, and the entire state is on high fire watch, the hills should be green but instead they are dry and brown as if it were August.   Already there is a fire on one of the islands in the Sacramento Delta, and I pray we don't have a fire like that which occured near Yosemite.  The rain can come any time now.
I've been having fun with the Essie nail polish line,  they seem to come out with lovely colors, that one could almost paint with them, and such lovely names like "Power Clutch", "Chinchilly", "Sand Tropez" etc.

Now I did talk about nail polish for the Elder Goth and to avoid dark colors that make the hands look very old, I still believe in that premise, but sometimes one just had to have a fling and enjoy it.   I mean Darklings, why should the Baby Bats have all the fun.  So if you can wear a dark color and get away with it, then do it Darklings, just do it.

But I still reserve the opinon that at work, one must always present a very business-like appearance and not go too over the the top with a bright tropic blue or green, but save that for fun times, which means re-doing your nails Sunday Night or going over the bright color with a conservative dark color.  Unless you're wearing Gerainium, then have fun at work.

I was trying to make up my mind, last Sunday evening after the Frizzel had left us,  should I go with "Wet Cement", "Chinchilly", or something else, the reason behind that is now we are into winter---bleh! Winter!  And after all the holiday fun, but now it's winter---now if you're back east with all the snow I can understand the "Bleh!"  But here in California we are having days of 70 degree weather AND high fire Danger, Why?  Well Darklings if you've been following the weather reports, no RAIN, not a drop, all because of a High Ridge that won't move, we maybe into water rationing soon. 

But still it is winter, no special events, no holiday celebrations, except for Martin Luther King Day, but nothing to really "sparkle" darkly about.  So I've decided to wear nail polish of the dark tan or brown hue, but I still have to have some sparkle so I've gone with Essie's "Over the Knee" which is a browish copper with a bit of shimmer to it.  It's perfect for even a corporate environment and still have fun going out.

I was thinking about Revelon's "Stormy" but the minute my eyes saw "Over the Knee" well that was it.

On our "Frizzel" Day Sis and I went over our wardrobes,  our regular wardrobes, I leave the vintage things alone except to check for wear, tear and freshing and updating.

But we do the same with our regular wardrobes as well,  things to be mended, things that are outdated, if I haven't worn it in two years I'll never wear it,  what works well together what doesn't, and we weeded out a lot of things, some to be donated, and some we'll take to the consignment shop to see what sells, what doesn't sell will also be donated.

I've also done that with my costume jewerly (not the vintage stuff) and shoes and purses,  one thing I've discovered is that we seem to always fall back on certain classic favorites, so I was looking at the items that were just flash in a pan stuff or impulse buys that didn't work out.  We did it with clothing, shoes, purses, jewerely.

Doyle decided to hide down stairs with the dogs, he thought it was safer that way.  So after hours of trying on, and taking off, deciding, sorting, bagging,  Sis and I looked at each other and we laughed at how disheveled we were,  then we realized we had not prepared dinner.  HORRORS!!!  NO DINNER!!

We kicked around idea's until Brian came over to the house and announced he had coupon's for Papa Murphy's take and bake Pizza---Fresh made there, take home and bake and hot out of the oven here,  Doyle said "That's Dinner---Pizza and Beer!!"   Beer??   Oh well the men were paying for it, so we surrendered to Pizza and Beer, well after all Doyle had been stocking up on specialty ales and such, so why not.

And we ate family style in the kitchen with Belladonna and Weiner Dog begging for "Pizza Bones"  the rounded cooked edges of the pizza---but we had to be careful, no cheese or tomato sauce, didn't want upset doggie tummys.  

Afterwards Sis and I made plans to first take our consignments and donations next Saturday to the shops and then with lists in hand go clothing shopping---I said I wanted to see what Dress Barn had on hand,  I did see on line some lovely work dresses, but nothing above the knee please, anything skirts or hem lines above the knee is so inelegant, clunky and awkward, fine if you are 5 years old but not for anyone older, and even if you're a 20 something hemlines about the knee shows too much thigh fat, or nobby knee's,  even Mae West once said about short skirts that it was better to be wearing a long slinky evening gown because it hides a multitude of "shins".   And I have to agree.

I still say that Dress Barn's clothing focus on the upwardly mobil woman, espeically in the corporate world, that store has the best selection in an afordable range.  So it has always been my first go to clothing store, then I go to Macy's, Nordstrum, Neman-Marcus, Saks 5th Avenue.

But one thing an Elder Goth  must always do is maintain one's wardrobe, no tossing clothing on the floor, no, when one undresses, at least drap it over a chair until it can be hung up, check shoes and purses for scuffs and wear and fix them.   WHY?  Its so obvious Darklings---you are WORTH IT!

Now flu shots---well Sis did not get her flu shot, so Monday afternoon I took her to her medical clinic for the shot, she thought it was going to hurt, but she didn't feel the needle at all, her arm felt a little sore but it soon wore off by the next day, however within an hour she felt sleepy, and it was a good thing she did not have any clients, so picking up a double order of War Won Ton Soup I took her back home and put her to bed to sleep.   Doyle wasn't going to be home until very late, and Brian was visiting friends, so it was just us,  even I felt sleepy and napped for a while after picking up the dogs.

Now Darklings if you have not received your flu shot You Should get it,  just in our area alone there have been 19 deaths of all ages from the flu,  the H1N1 is back and its a killer, it is always important for Elder Goths to maintain their health, not only important but vitally essential.

But tonight Darklings, I am going to have fun watching "Criminal Minds".  Why?  Well Penny Garcia is going back to her hacking roots and oh my Dears I WANT to see her in her Corseted Goth Best, if the glance I saw is any indication,  she is going to be WOW!

Later Darklings