Of a Blood Moon~~~~

Hello Darklings,

This is going to be a short post, but I want to let you know that tonight's Full Moon will be a Blood Moon, that is possible that we will have a lunar eclipse.

Now the time for the West Coast will be between 2:15 to 3:45 a.m. that is very early Wednesday Morning,  from beginning to end. 

What time it will be for other parts of the country I'm not sure so check your local weather stations or the internet for your times.

I'm looking forward to it, and will set my clock.  Doyle thinks I'm a bit loony-toonie

But I would not be an Elder Goth if I didn't take this opportunity to see this unusual event.

I'd howl at it but I might scare the neighbors that  early in the morning. 

So if you can Darklings do take it in.

Later Darklings

Of Sleeping outside~~~~

Well Darklings,

I never did tell you about our sleeping outside.

As I said before the heat was so horrible and it made our bedrooms so uncomfortable that we ate dinner and watched T.V. outside on the screened porch, but even my sister said that her house was too uncomfortable to sleep in even with all the fans on. 

Doyle as practical as ever brought up the sleeping cots that I have just in case we have an overflow, (mostly my Brother's gang of 3 boys), so Sis and I slept on the cots and Doyle and Brian slept on air mattresses out on the back porch, we did have access to the bathroom off of the Kitchen, night lights are always a blessing.

Weiner and Bella decided to sleep with the men folk, I called Bella a little traitor but she just looked at me with a practical look like "If you think I'm going to sleep on that tiny thing and fall off, think again, lady." 

And without further adieu snuggled onto the blankets on the mattress,  and I have to say we all slept very soundly and with a certain amount of comfort.

We woke the next morning to the smell of coffee and bacon Doyle taking upon himself to cook breakfast, it felt like we were camping in a way.  And with that Sis and I reminisced about camping with our parents, and the time we were traveling and had a hard time finding a motel that had a vacancy sign.

We finally found one but it was still in the midst of renovations, but we were so tired and the gas station across the street had closed for the night, after all  it was nearly 9 p.m. and Dad said we were down to an 1/8 of a tank of gas,  I don't even remember where we were going to for the vacation, Oregon I think to visit distant relatives, but Dad had the camping gear but we couldn't even find a camp ground. 

So Mom said "Motel" and we started looking.   It was an old motel, with individual cabins, the owner was apologetic about everything but he did have a cabin with kitchen that had two double beds, so Dad and Mom had one bed, Sis and I had the other and my brothers slept on this couch that folded out into a bed.

There had been heavy rain an hour before and we found ants in the door way, the owner gave us a can of Bug Spray, again saying that with the work being done and the rain a lot of things were not up to par,  and he and his wife were kind enough to have dinner for us, it was Meat Loaf, but it was good, so good my Mom asked for the recipe, which flattered the owners wife, and they gave us coffee, sugar and milk for the next day so we could at least have coffee and milk and they said they'd cook breakfast for us.   Dad offered to pay, but they wouldn't have it, but Dad snuck $10.00 under their telephone.

The next day Mom was perking the coffee as we kids got cleaned up when all of a sudden we heard Mom yell,  and hopping out from the kitchen area was a frog!!!   Dad was laughing but got a used face cloth and captured the little thing and took it outside to release it in some bushes, the Motel Owner came running after hearing Mom scream and he and Dad laughed over the tiny frog as Dad put it under a nice damp bush.

The owner told us that there was a near by creek that had frogs and this one must have wandered in somehow.  Mom said she heard a sound under the sink and investigated only to be startled by the frog, our brothers wanted to keep it but Dad said it wasn't fair to the frog.

Afterwards we had a nice breakfast and Dad again snuck some money under the telephone, and then gassed up the car as Mom packed everything.  Thanking the owners again for their hospitality we continued on our way. 

It wasn't until about 3 years later, we were traveling again to visit our relatives in Oregon and Mom said let's stop at that Motel and stay overnight there,  well we were there but the Motel wasn't, instead we found old burnt out buildings and a sign saying that it was going to be demolished.

The gas station was there so we knew we were at the right place, so we pulled in and Dad asked if there was another place to stay remarking about the Motel across the street, the Attendant said there was and even called ahead to see if there was room and there was so Dad talked to the clerk on the phone for reservations.

Then Dad came out and asked about the Motel across the street and how we had stayed there 3 years before.

The attendant shook his head and said "it was a bad thing."   He explained that the owners were very nice people, had the place renovated and was doing good business, even paid for a billboard so people would know about it. 

The wife had a brother who wasn't,  as the attendant said "right in the head", he came to stay for a week, which was fine as it was in January a very slow time, and the owners were installing new mattresses, so the brother helped out with that.  But late one night they only had one "guest" in the cabin next to their office home, and he heard yelling and screaming, then it stopped, the guest didn't think too much about it, and went to the bathroom in his cabin, then he smelled gasoline, he became alarumed grabbed his suitcase and stuffed his change of clothes into it grabbed his keys and shoes and threw them into his car, just in case,  he was in his bathroom and was walking towards the office to complain about the gasoline smell, which he said smelled stronger outside, when suddenly the office exploded into flames.

According to the attendant, the guest jumped into his car and drove across the street to the phone booth that was there at the gas station and called the fire department.  As he was calling the fire department the other cabins exploded into flames one by one.   The attendant said he only lived a block away and heard sirens and saw the flames and came running to the gas station thinking it was on fire.

When he got there he saw the man in his bath robe and the police and fire fighters, they were hosing down the buildings and looking for the owners when between the burning cabins the "crazy brother" as he called him comes running out and was yelling that they were evil and burning in hell all was hell and poured gasoline on himself and ran into one of the cabins before anyone could stop him.

The next day the found the bodies of the owners in the office part, and that of the brother in the burnt out cabin that he ran into.  Piecing it together it seems that the brother had stabbed the husband and wife to death, and then burned the motel.   It was known that the brother was "off" always claiming that he was being followed or that his sister stole things from him, now a days it would be called paranoid schizophrenia.

The guest said that he heard a man's voice yelling that "you're poisoning me!" and "I'm not going back," and a lot of other things that he didn't hear very well.  The miracle was that the yelling woke him up and then smelling the gasoline warned him something was wrong,  it was found that one of the locks on the pumps was busted and there were about a dozen burnt gas cans found at the scene.

I remember Mom saying out loud, "they were such a nice couple," and the attendant agreed, they had helped a lot of folks.   The motel that we did stay in was nice and very modern, and had a café next door, but it wasn't the same Mom said.

I reminded Sis about those two trips and she remembered it as well the funny part about the frog and then the sad part what happened later.

Then she reminded me about the trailer that Dad borrowed from a friend that we went camping in, a real vintage piece,  but that is a story for another time.

You know Darklings, I haven't been back there for ages, after that last trip our Oregon relatives moved to Arizona, so we traveled in a different direction---as a matter of fact that was the one we had the travel trailer.  But that is for another time. 

Tonight not so hot but we'll have grilled shrimp salad for dinner tonight and again on the back porch, dinning al fresco, then "Gotham" and "Sleepy Hollow" followed by "Blacklist" as we record "Castle".

Later Darklings

Of the heat and sleeping outside~~~~

Yes My Darklings,

We are having another horrible hot day, although the weather man said it will cool off but last night was just unbearable inside.

The good thing is I did have my contractor/handyman (he does small jobs for me as well) screen in my back porch just like it was in an old photograph.  He had to have the screen door made from scratch but it was worth it. 

So Doyle suggest we eat out on the screen porch and it was so nice, on the side that the sun would come through I had bamboo blinds put up to cut the sun's glare, but we still had a fan rotate back and forth to move the air,  although it was a modern one on a pole I think I'll get an old fashion style one from Victorian trading company and put it on one of my old bamboo tables that we found up in the attic, there were from the early 1920's when spotted bamboo was used to make porch furniture, and they were curved into interesting design patterns, but it did feel good to be outside.

So Sis and Brian joined us and Doyle bought so much that we will have left overs for this evening, as well.

But it was so warm that we didn't want to go in, so Doyle and Brian set up a small T.V. with one of those portable antennas that you see advertised on T.V. and it worked pretty well, after all we were only pulling in ME-TV it was so much fun to watch the old Superman T.V. programs, Sis and I felt like kids again. 

George Reeves was such a handsome man, if he could have been cast as an agent for the FBI or some Detective program he would not have had the Superman curse, but then his personal life was a mess as I understand it.

I'll never forget how I learned that he committed suicide.

Our Folks were able to save up for a weeks vacation in Yosemite, we stayed in a cabin with bath in Camp Curry, they had a huge dinning hall, and you could order box lunches to pick up to eat at your cabin or take with you to picnic at one of the sites to see.  Mom kept the menus, with scenes of Yosemite on the front, Sis and I have a set each.

We were going to one of the stores for something and I  turned to see a newspaper rack.  It was either the San Francisco Chronicle or Examiner or the Los Angeles Times but I never forget the headline said "Superman Dead"  my jaw dropped open, then Sis turned and saw me staring at the news paper and she read it too, and ran to get Dad, he saw the paper and bought a copy.

Superman Dead??  How? Why?   We walked back to the cabin Mom holding my Brother's hand he wanted to go and play in the Merced River, our older brother was not with us for some reason, I know he stayed with Granny at her house because he had a part time job.

Dad read the paper very carefully on the porch of the cabin as we ate our lunches, then he put the paper down, I could see him carefully gathering his thoughts but finally he spoke.

He reminded us that everyone who appears on TV or in the movies or on stage or radio are all actors and actresses, they are playing pretend roles, and are in real life not the person in the movies.

Some play villains but are very nice people in real life, some do their best in the movies but sometimes are so unsure about themselves and things that it makes them depressed, for some they never work again in the movies and some get so sick in their mind they make decisions that if they were not sick they would never do.  And that was how Dad explained to us about how "Superman Died".   In the back ground our brother kept moaning that he wanted to play in the river and when could we go.

Then Dad said to us, "If Superman was a real person, who could do all those amazing things, do you think he'd want you to be sad?"  and we said No and Dad said "You're right he'd want you to be the best children in the world and to always do your best and here we are in the most beautiful place in the world, don't you think he'd want you to learn about the history of this place and to enjoy it?"  and we said Yes, so then Dad said "Then lets do that!"  and we did.

It wasn't until years later that I heard about what may have happened and the confusion surrounding George Reeves death.  A mystery, a very strange mystery.

But last night we enjoyed seeing our childhood played out, and tonight we will watch T.V. again but this time more modern Drama.  However I do have "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." on record, so I can watch it again,  we'll I did have a little crush on David McCallum. 

Now to heat up in the microwave and on the stove top our left overs and enjoy the evening on our screened in porch.

Later Darklings.

Of a new wine to taste and savor and the heat, the horrible heat~~~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well new to us, that is.

A few days ago Doyle did a little shopping for me and brought home a bottle of wine by the Ménage a Trois winery called "Midnight".

I wasn't sure if it would be wise to serve with dinner but Doyle said "Be adventurous" and I was not disappointed.

At first I thought it was Apothic Dark of which we have a number of bottles carefully stored, but it had a slightly different finish and just as pleasing as Apothic Dark.

To describe this wine I'd have to turn to this description:

It is crafted a blend of not three—but four—grapes! Merlot adds a plush, velvety texture, Cabernet Sauvignon offers elegance and power, Petite Sirah lends inky intensity and Petit Verdot imparts a deep violet color and concentrated fruit. To round out the flavors the wine is aged on French and American oak. The result is a wine that leaves an indelible impression. It’s mysterious and dark, soft and sensual.

And to describe it further:

A gorgeous garnet color in the glass, this luxurious blend wraps you up in a velvety embrace. Voluptuous blackberry and plush spiced plum flavors seduce your palate, while hints of mocha and exotic spice linger on your lips like a stolen kiss. Silky and smooth with a long, powerful finish, a most intense expression yet, a passionate blend bursting with dusky aromas, an extraordinarily deep color, and rich, ripe black fruit. Don’t be shy—turn out the lights and savor the pleasures of the dark.

Well Darklings I have to say that this wine did indeed deliver what it promises, but I do suggest to not drink it on a hot day or evening, but savor it during the cool days and nights, to get the full sensual feeling of the dark via this wine.

Needless to say, Doyle went back and purchased more of this wine to add to the cellar, I am so glad the cellar is just below ground level, not damp, on the North side of the house and manages to keep a cool even temperature of 55 degrees.

Of course the hardest thing is to transport it especially if we buy wine on hot days, well the best thing is coolers and insulated frozen ice packs, but with just enough protection to  avoid damaging the labels, really easy to protect.  

Of course storing his beer and ales is easy although in the same cellar, but we don't have to use slated racks, but temperature, and keeping it away from sunlight is the most important.

Winespotter dot com has an article about what is an idea situation or temperature to store your wines whether red or white.

I'm not a wine snob, I've had people serve me wine that cost them 40 or 50 dollars a bottle and to me it's just vinegar, so really it's not the cost but the taste and if you know what you like, then it doesn't have to be extremely expensive, just delicious.

And now the heat!!!

Well Darklings, we are having our Summer Heat wave, I checked the thermometer and it is 92 degrees in the shade.  Bella and Weiner have no desire to move anywhere and have planted themselves in front of the box fan their water bowls close at hand.

For Lunch I had a simple salad I just could not eat much, every fan is going in the house, and every window is open to allow for any air to come through but nothing is moving, I managed to nap a little and was able to do laundry down in the basement perhaps the coolest part of the house.

The bedrooms upstairs will be impossible, so I have fans going on up there to circulate air, I think I'll be sleeping in the nude tonight, it's the only way.  Doyle was going over some papers for his work, but he said he'll have to tackle it later this evening the heat is just too much to deal with it.

Sis has several clients coming over to her place so it would not be wise for me to go over.

And I refuse to cook dinner in this heat, Doyle suggested our favorite take out, so I'll call in an order in a few hours but now the heat is giving me a headache so the best thing is to lie down and take an aspirin and a cool compress to my head.

I hate to think about it but wouldn't it be awful after all this heat that it rains on Halloween?  Cool weather yes, rain no.

Later Darklings

What could be cooler than to dine and drink in a cave?

Of Halloween, the King Fire and your Halloween Costume~~~~

Good News Darklings!

This is according to the National Forest Service on the King Fire----

"The National Forest Service has begun reopening areas of the Sierra closed by the King fire, which has burned almost 100,000 acres west of Sacramento since September 13, according to the Sacramento Bee.
The fire is now 94 percent contained. A rainy four days aided firefighters in halting the spread of the fire, according to the Los Angeles Times. More than 2,000 firefighters and support personnel are still working on the fire, down from nearly 8,000. Fire officials now anticipate full containment by this weekend, according to a Cal Fire report issued on Tuesday."

Al was happy to hear about that and is going back with a friend of his to get a real proper survey of the damage, they're going up in his friends camper truck to stay a few days, Duke and Gabby will go with him, but he said he's going to make sure that they don't wander away, even though they do stay close to him, he is concerned and he'll check again to see if any dogs fitting their description are reported missing.  He says he wants to make a good faith effort.

Halloween is now only 29 days away, I can hardly wait.  We all had fun going to the Spirit Store there was just so much to choose from, that it made it very hard, but one thing I did like was this "Fire and Ice" effect done with a small LED rotating spot light, I thought that it would look good lighting up the Grim reaper, so I purchased 3 of them, sort of spread the effect around.

And then there was this lovely Victorian Haunted Telephone, I thought it would be perfect for inside the house on the front hall table, maybe even year round.  Who knows?  So I couldn't resist that.

I wasn't sure about pop-up werewolves, but there is the possibility.  And I had to get new table cloths,
but I was a bit underwhelmed by the severing plates, so I'll stick to what I have.  Although Sis did suggest that we check Target since I did get lucky last year. 

Coralline just was in Heaven, testing this devise and that devise and her Mom said to me "If I show this to the boys there will be no peace in the house!"  Coralline liked the Haunted Telephone as well.

So although I did buy a few things, this weekend Doyle, Brian and Myself will drag everything out and do a set up of the tombstones, and put marker flags for the other items, I don't want them to be too much out in the sun until a couple of days before Halloween, again depending upon the weather, but by having them on display in the basement (and I'm so glad I got it finished off) we can see if they need any work or need to be replaced. 

Coralline and her Mother have decided they will be Lily Munster and Wednesday Addams, My brother is going to be Herman Munster, I'll be dressed as Morticia and Doyle will be Gomez,  on the boys we're not sure, knowing how bouncy the twins can be, I suggested that they might want to be flying monkeys, but the twins rejected that, however the oldest said he'd like to be a werewolf (there wolf), and we thought O.K. then the twins can be zombies.   No one for Pugsly unfortunately.

Nor Grandpa or Uncle Fester, Brian wanted to be an Undertaker, why not I thought.  Sis is going to be the Wicked Witch of the West or East or whatever direction.

While Doyle and I were down in the basement (and it's good size it runs the entire length and width of the house)  we checked for things like pipe leaks and such, we have one section for Holiday storage and those holiday serving wear, the laundry room, and the wine and beer "cellar' or Apthocarium  but there is a large finished space as well, and it has of all things, a fire place, It's unused as a matter of fact the chimney of it connects to the fireplace in the family parlor as one flue,
I was very surprised about this when I first moved into my Great Aunts house, but was told that in some of the better houses they would have had some heating system to dry laundry on cold and rainy days. 

So I presume that back in the day before electric and gas dryers that is what it might have been used for since the area was in it's own way finished before I had it redone,  and as Doyle and I were checking things and taking a break he looked at it and said to me "You know you could install a gas fireplace fixture into it and we could make this area into a "haunted parlour",   after all you're giving me my man cave, why not something really specifically bizarre, with all the skull candelabra and such make real use of it."

And I said to him "And what so you and your friends could play poker or something?"  but he continued "Well you always want to do something really strange, in a way your like Sarah Winchester, always adding something new, why not?  At least think about it." 

Then he reminded me when we visited a friend of his who was into Victorian things and re-created Sherlock Holmes flat in the 2nd story of his Victorian Home, I remembered that house years ago,  wondering why Doyle's friend bought something that was a wreck, most of the interior had been gutted to make several horrible apartments, all the beautiful wood work torn out, the only thing that survived was a lovely stair case, but the interior of the house was gutted into a 1960's monstrosity, The good thing is the front door and the stain glass windows were preserved.  But his friend and his wife said that it had given them an opportunity to create from scratch.  And the position of the stair case was perfectly placed just like in the old Basil Rathbone movies, but with the slight upper bow window made for the front area on the 2nd floor perfect for the living area. 

Over the years we had seen it as a work in progress and then a few years ago we were invited to visit them when we were in the area and we did and what a transformation but the Sherlock Holmes living area was a marvel, based on a display done in England as well as the Jeremy Brett Series.

So I have Doyle's suggestion in the back burner of my mind for now.  There are possibilities, who knows?

And now Darklings----what will be your costume for Halloween? I have posted here a suggestion board.
So have fun!

Later Darklings

Of King Fire Update, Al and the Dogs~~~

Good Morning Darklings,

Well there is the beginning of good news on the King Fire in the El dorado National Forest near Pollock Pines.

It is now 74% contained, the rain and very cool weather gave the fire fighters a good fighting chance,  Al and Doyle went back today to get a proper survey of his property damage and to make sure no one looted anything.  Duke and Gabby went with them, they simply refuse to let Al out of their sight.

And Al decided he will keep the dogs, He said to me this morning "Those guys are up there in years, it's hard for an older dog to get adopted, I owe them a stable home or to at least be with me"  and he sheepishly admitted that they slept with him on the bed last night, I said not to worry, sheets and bedspreads are always washable.

So he told me that he has to plan on what it will take to get his home fixed up again, and to see about planting grasses  in the area to prevent mud slides, he said he can't live in the house yet, but is thinking of moving one of his more restored trailers there and attach the water and sewer line to it and use small propane tanks for cooking and heating. 

I said take your time, you are no intrusion and it would be good for Doyle to not feel outnumbered by the women folk, as I called it.

And speaking of women folk, my niece and sister in law will be here any minute and then we are going along with my sister to the Spirit Store, to ogle the new Halloween goodies.  And grab a bite to eat. 

Coralline told me she is excited about it.  Well even as a grown up so am I.

Later Darklings

Of Excited that halloween is coming!!! Saw Sleepy Hollow and oh the Fall season looks interesting on T.V.~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Yes!  Two posts in one day, have I gone insane???   No, I'm waiting for my ride to finish up his task, since I'm all done and ready to go, he's just finishing his notes, making sure they are correct.

And it doesn't hurt to hold back commuting home at rush hour, sometimes just waiting 30 minutes doesn't hurt.

Well I managed to get through some unfinished things and get them ready to go, I took a half hour break, and walked to the nearest CVS to get a bottle of my favorite drink with the "battery acid" taste, yes Darklings Dark cherry Coca Cola.  I don't indulge in it often but on such a humid muggy day it did feel good, I was looking for a Dr. Pepper but they were out.

And there I saw it!!!  I had to have them!!!!  I couldn't RESIST!!!!

So I bought them!!!!! 

Yes My Darklings a skeleton Cat and two skeleton birds, and a skeleton wolf's head that howls' when you touch the hidden tab.  They will go so well with my skeleton dog.

I called Doyle about my purchases and he asked me "Do they have a skeleton fish?  That would go well with the skeleton Cat"   Well that is something to think about.

And they had such delightful smaller indoor decorations, I could have easily gone overboard, but there is just only so much room in my ride's car, he's got 3 boxes of books cases from IKEA and it's pretty cramped as is. 

Oh Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!!!!!!  And no assembly required!

Oh for the Spirit Store to be open!!

I'm having a hard time waiting, there are times when I'm like that actress in the old Mervyn's commercial She's at the front door at 4 a.m. with her hands on the glass saying "Open! Open! Open!"

Sis and I are already planning what food we'll serve at our Halloween party, after all it will be on a FRIDAY!!!!

Are YOU prepared my Darklings?  

And Doyle told me that he and Al went to the grocery store to stock up on Angry Orchards Hard Cider varieties, Hmmmm I knew his beer stock was low, so I guess it's time for the Fall Flavors.

And it's time for me to stock up on some of my favorite wines. 

But I won't have to cook dinner tonight.

My Darklings did you watch the season opening of Sleepy Hollow, when I first saw the first few minutes I was puzzled and thought "did we miss something? Are the writer's cheating us?"  But no it was an illusion.  And just as exciting already.

We did see the premier of Gotham, already I spotted the Penguin and Poison Ivy, but it seems that its being told from the future Commissioner's Gordon's view point.   I love twists like that.

And I did enjoy the new NCIS: New Orleans  and Blacklist---I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation.  I did catch the premier of Big Bang and Scorpion we had to record them, so after we see the second episode of Mysteries of Laura we'll do a catch up. 

So many choices and such a conflict to record and even the Originals, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and Castle has not yet come out, this is going to be a very interesting Fall opener.   Football need not apply.

And now it's time to go,  my ride is ready, my boney animals are ready and I am ready.

Later Darklings