Of World Goth Day~~~~

Hello Dear Darklings,

Well with Coralline able to get around a bit with her walking boot and my brother finally buying a computer for the family to get everyone started, things are starting to begin to move to what passes for normal, but it will take time,  my brother still has to get a few more electronic things.

I was concerned that Coralline was unhappy that a couple of her Monster High Dolls were stolen that day but she is being philosophical about it, saying that they were one's she bought with her allowance and not one's given to her and she can replace them, especially her favorite "Draculaura",   the costume jewellery was another matter because they broke her jewellery box that was given by my mother before she died.   I took the box to a craftsman that I know and he beautifully repaired it so that you couldn't tell it was damaged, so I'm going to surprise her with it this coming weekend.  

Well I want to give all of you a “Heads Up!”   Next Monday is Goth Day aka World Goth Day on May 22, so time to start getting your Goth on.

Oh for some of you who ask what is “World Goth Day” well let me quote from the Days Of The Year website……

“History of Goth Day

(”It was so close to October that Halloween was knocking at his heart.”

~Barry Eysman, Candles for November)

The history of Goth Day stretches back in odd and meandering paths to history. Musically it can be traced back to 1967 when someone referred to the music of the Doors as “Gothic Rock.” This term was soon being bandied about, used to describe music like Velvet Underground’s “All Tomorrow’s Parties”, and Siouxsie and the Banshee’s described as one of “Goth Rocks Architects”.

But why “Gothic”? It’s an odd term considering that it originally referred to the Visigoths whose claim to fame was sacking Rome. So how did Goths become Goths? Well, we can trace the term back a bit further to 1764, where Horace Walpole wrote a story called “The Castle of Otranto”, granted the subtitled “A Gothic Story” during its second printing. So what is Gothic in this context? It describes a “pleasing sort of horror”, and was seen to be a natural extension of Romantic literature. This, of course, implies a sort of romance with the darker side of life, something that can be said to describe the little blossoms of gloom described at the beginning. 

Goth Day celebrates all these souls, and the part of them that celebrates the darkness within us all through music, art, and media.

How To Celebrate Goth Day

Goth Day is a great time to explore the question that plagues those who do not understand the Goth sub-culture. Who are they and what beauty do they find in the dark? Take some time to explore it on your own, research the history of Goth Culture and the songs, music, movies, and literature that are its hallmarks. You won’t be disappointed, and maybe the next time you see these dark souls, you’ll understand just a little of what they see.

We’ve all seen them, those strange characters that wander our city streets dressed as though they’re on their way to a funeral, or a punk rock show… Or quite possibly both. Their very presence exudes a sort of darkness, steeped in the love of all things morbid, and a seeming love affair with death. Their anthems come from the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Type O Negative, and Bauhaus, bands who seem to be able to perfectly encompass all the things strange. Goth Day encourages us to celebrate these fine fellows, and maybe take a dip into their world ourselves, after all, while the light is lovely, can it not also be blinding?”

The whole idea of being an elder Goth such as myself who is up there in years, is to understand and accept the macabre, to know that there is strangeness out there and that death is just a short dance away.

But it does not mean that we condone abuse, bullying, violence and those things that are morally and spiritually degrading or harmful to oneself, but to be able to balance both the light and the dark, to understand why people are the way they are, to look beyond the surface and know that within the depths of life there are things that are vicious in a way that elder goths like myself learned as a child what to watch for and protect ourselves from.

One of the most gothic lines I’ve ever read or heard came from the mouth of a seemly sweet old lady “It’s dangerous to believe what a person says.  I haven’t for years”  I’m quoting Agatha Christie’s Miss Jane Marple, and this character although fiction, is one of the most gothic and yet operates in the light, yet she knows the darkness.  My parents taught that phrase to my brothers, Sis and me years ago.   And over the years it has proven true time and time again.

But World Goth Day also leads into the 3 major Birthdays of 3 of our Titans of Horror Peter Cushing, Vincent Price and Christopher Lee.

Peter Cushing’s Birthday is May 26 and Vincent Price and Christopher Lee’s Birthdays  are May 27, and to honor those stalwarts of Horror and their Older companions Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr.  

I talked it over with family and friends and we've decided to celebrate by having a film fest, showing movies and having food and drink for a one week period, then on Saturday evening singing Happy Birthday with a black frosted cake made with chocolate and raspberry filling.

So we'll start the horror  film fest on Monday night Starting with Lugosi’s Dracula and the Cushing and Lee version of Dracula.

 Then on Tuesday night it will be Bela and Boris in The Black Cat and A Comedy of Terror with Boris, Vincent, Peter Lorre and Basil Rathbone.

 Wednesday It will be The Oblong Box with Vincent and Christopher and Scream and Scream again with Vincent, Christopher and Peter. 

Thursday it will be the Mummy with Boris and the Mummy with Christopher.

Friday is going to be an odd mixed bag starting with Mark of the Vampire, and the Return of the Vampire with Bela Lugosi, then to Dracula, Prince of Darkness (love that title) with Christopher Lee, and Frankenstein with Peter and Christopher.

 Saturday is going to be an all-day fest with The Invisible Ray, Frankenstein (Boris) Son of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man, and House of Frankenstein.

On Sunday to lighten the mood we will start with Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein, The Raven(1963) with Boris and Vincent, The House of Long Shadows and completely out of bounds finishing with Young Frankenstein.

It will be having a sort of open house for my family and friends to bring food and drink and it will start early to accommodate the length of the films and on Saturday and Sunday we’ll start it at 12 noon going well into the evening since it does lead into Memorial Weekend.

The whole idea is to comment on the films, the style, the performances, and also about our own inner darkness, although I know with the children who will come on the weekend it will be to watch movies and have fun.

Other folks might want to do it on the weekend with music by those groups mentioned above or do readings of Poe or other macabre authors.  Or do readings of articles that attempt to analyze the Goth sub-culture. 

In a way it would be a fun kick-off to the summer, a chance to do one last time to explore the darkness, before we plunge ourselves to the light of summer of beach parties and picnics,  of water slides and water balloon fights, of skimpy clothing and sun burn.    But in the night it can be of campfires and ghost stories about the Wendigo or the Ghost with one black eye and other things that go bump in the night.   In a way it’s like celebrating Halloween twice a year, or all year round.

If one looks one can find Gothic elements all around us, such as exploring cemeteries or old Ghost Towns,  photographing abandon buildings in black and white, the possibilities are endless you just have to use your imagination to explore that creative darkness.

So I will leave you dear darklings to your own planning.

Later Darklings

Of Mother's Day, and a walking boot~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well Mother's Day is tomorrow!  And to make it easy on everyone the Dad's and Uncles will be cooking (bar-be-queing) the Food,  We may have burnt offerings yet.

But for us ladies it is a treat, it's going to be at my brother's home because of Coralline's ankle, and because it's been so chilly and windy we'll be eating in-doors, picnic style, at least for the youngsters and those whose bones don't ache.

My sister-in-law has been doing a lot of hard work these last few months and it's not been easy, that's why I and Sis and Aunt Jane have been helping out. 

Yesterday Coralline was freed from her fiberglass cast and was given a walking boot, which is a whole new learning curve for her, as well as physical therapy exercises,  the twins Robbie and Ryan wanted to see the incision Coralline has and think although gross is also neat, so she is considered a sort of Goddess in their opinion.

She is just happy to be able to get around, her Mother told me she was so happy to finally be able to take a hot shower, granted she had to use a bath bench but she was singing.

I'm going to go with them today, the insurance check came in and the first thing to buy will be new computers for Chris and Coralline and a new printer (two of them) as well.

Chinese Dinner last night was fun and Coralline told me that she does want to be a journalist, where it will take her she doesn't know but that is what she wants to do for her career, be it travel, medical, food, investigative who knows, but the world is her oyster right now and I'm happy for her.

Must go, they are here.

Later Darklings

Of broken ankles and take care of Coralline~~~~

Hello Everyone,

This is going to be a short post, both Coralline's Mom, Coralline and myself are very tired.

I haven't been posting for a good long while because I've been helping out taking care of my niece.

It was the oddest accident.   Coralline and Her Mom were going grocery shopping, the twins were at a soccer game with their Uncle and Aunt, my Brother and Nephew Chris were going some where, but wen Coralline steped down onto the 2nd to last step of their front steps, she must have put her foot down wrong because (according to her mother) they heard a "snap!!" and Coralline was falling and screaming in  pain.  

I was not there and only found out about it later that day,  The paramedics took her to the ER with her parents and brother following in their car,  while they were with her, some vandals took advantage of the situation and got into their un-locked house (in their panic they forgot to lock it) and their computers, laptops, X-box and games and the T.V.'s were stolen, they mess up the place, some of Coralline's costume jewellery and several of her Monster High Dolls were stolen, when someone got suspicious and called the police,  unfortunately they got away with what they had.

It was very stressful.  

Poor Coralline had to have surgery and was in the hospital for several days,  while in the meantime my brother and sister-in-law had to contact the banks and credit card companies and everything.  

They had to work and Coralline had to remain at home in bed so I offered to take care of her, sometimes my sister would trade off with me or the other Aunt, but since I was not working anymore except to be on call, it fell to me, which I didn't mind.  In a way it was fun.

With out a computer or laptop and no Wi-Fi or T.V.  things were a bit frustrating for the child but she hand wrote her homework, and even wrote several articles for the School newspaper about what it is like to be injured and in a sense helpless.   Her school friends came by often to cheer her up which was good.

And finally today Coralline got a walking cast, and she has to do therapy as well, and her parents got the check from the insurance company to replace the stolen items,  so they are going shopping soon.

But it was a long day for everyone,  getting there early, removing the cast, x-rays, tests, evaluations, the walking cast, new equipment for home use.   I came home now for a few minutes and realized I had not been posting for ages, but things will slowly get back to "what passes for normal" bit by bit.

And I am going back to join them for dinner (Chinese) and watch as my brother installs the new T.V.'s and they plug in the new computers.  (we are easily entertained).

I do have a few odds and ends to make mention about.  But I will do that in another post.

Later Darklings

Of Rain and Film Noir~~~~

Hello Darklings,

I have been a naughty girl (well woman) by not posting so much, but with the damage the rains and winds have done I’ve been busy.

It’s been hard working on my garden, but I’m so glad that my orchid plants and my koi fish have been kept in the green house safe from all the cold and rain and debris, putting heavy chicken wire on the roof of the green house has protected the glass I’m happy to say. 

But I’ve had to put off doing work in the garden because we never know when the next rain storms will come, last night we had an unexpected heavy squall come down with torrents of water and wind.   I sat next to the window in the front parlor and watched as the rain came down in sheets being pushed along by the wind, water running down the steps of the front porch like a water fall, rolling down the driveways like rivers and the street gutters running fast and heavy with the run off.  In a dark Gothic way it was magnificent.

Fortunately no power outages, no trees falling over blocking roads in our area.  And having the fire crackling in the fire place made things feel cozy and comfortable, one would think that someone would be sitting at a small table reading tarot cards on such a wild, wet night.  

But no the dogs were snoozing in front of the fire in contentment, with Wiener dog snoring loudly, and Doyle in his comfy chair dozing and snoring in counter point, the Sunday paper collapsed like a blanket on his lap.   I decided to not turn on the T.V. and instead had a book in my hand to read, but watching the rain proved more fascinating for my night time viewing.

For the last few weeks I’ve been helping my sister until she can hire a good medical report secretary who can also do bookkeeping and maintain appointments for her.   She’s had a few candidates and one is very promising, just need to check out her references.  

Early yesterday evening Television was a bore, so I turned to some DVD’s that we had purchased, maybe I should use the Red Boxes but one never knows the quality of the discs that are distributed.  But I had to buy (a bit at a time) the American Horror Story Series,   but when one starts watching one has to be prepared for a marathon of watching you just can’t stop, you need to see the next “chapter”.   It takes all our strength to not stay up late watching only to wake in the morning exhausted. 

Well we (Sis and I ) started AHS: Coven,  We had seen AHS: Asylum last month, Sis wonders what goes on in the minds of the writers, she’d like to analyze them.  But in seeing Coven, if we ever can arrange it I’d love to go to New Orleans, but not during Mardi Gras that scene is too crazy.   And who knows what delightful little bizarre trinket one will find.   I understand the food is out of this world.  And I’d take in all the tours, even the ghost tours.  

I meant to talk about the S.F. Film Noir Festival that Sis and I attended in January,  once again we stayed at the lovely Hotel Rex and we dressed in our best late 1940’s to mid 1950’s clothing,  and once again we figuratively “drowned” ourselves in Film Noir,  this time with more foreign entries and including more modern entries, that in their own way surprised us, but I personally can’t help but feel that Film Noir should be more “black and white”  which is why in a way “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot”, “Blue Collar” and “Straight Time”  some what disappointed me.  But the others did not.

Gina Lollobrigida was beautiful in “Four Ways Out” and we had the classics such as “Criss-Cross”, “The Asphalt Jungle” and “Kansas City confidential” .

On days when there was no matinee we indulged in shopping and spa treatments and fine dining, but I think I’m going to have to go to the gym and work off a few pounds, not being able to walk the dogs because of the rain had me gain a few and it always is telling at the waist line. 

Rififi had me on the edge of my seat with the 30 minute not speaking portion, “Victoria”, a 2015 film from Germany, did show how Film Noir is developing in the 21^st century and although a fantastic film, I have to confess for this Elder Goth I prefer my Film Noir in Black and white and in the gritty times of the 40’s and 50’s.   Yet is was a good across the years selection, and I certain would suggest that you view these films as both vintage and contemporary and how we as a civilization have developed as well.

I have listed here the films that we saw:

CRISS CROSS 

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE 

KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL 

VIOLENT SATURDAY 

FOUR WAYS OUT / LA CITTÀ SI DIFENDE 

BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET / I SOLITI IGNOTI 

RIFIFI  / DU RIFIFI CHEZ LES HOMMES 

THE BIG RISK / CLASSE TOUS RISQUES 

THE KILLING 

CRUEL GUN STORY / KENJÛ ZANKOKU MONOGATARI 

THE LADYKILLERS 

THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN 

ONCE A THIEF 

THE SICILIAN CLAN / LE CLAN DES SICILIENS

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123  

THUNDERBOLT & LIGHTFOOT 

BLUE COLLAR 

STRAIGHT TIME 

CHARLEY VARRICK

THE BRINK'S JOB 

SEXY BEAST

THE AURA / EL AURA 

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD 

VICTORIA 

But for 10 lovely days Sis and I enjoyed ourselves, shopping, resting, pampering ourselves and even though it rained we had a great time.   And once again Doyle did not disappoint us.  He arranged once again to have us picked in in a classic 1950’s Cadillac complete with Chauffer (his friend who owns the car),  Sis and I came down into the lobby in our best 1940’s clothing paid the bill and had fun seeing a few folks that were there following us to our waiting vehicle, the looks on their faces was priceless.

We drove back across the Bay Bridge, across the section that echoes from the 1930’s and then through the tunnel (aka Time tunnel) across the new span built just a few years ago, the old workhorse bridge now completely gone, vanished, back to our homes and into the 21^st century and reality.

But we can dream a little and enjoy it a bit. 

Now the dogs are dressed in their warm coats, and Doyle in his heavy jacket and I am going to put on my very warm coat and we are going to take a much needed walk to work off those 5 pounds.

Later Darklings

Of Rain and Floods and hearts and wine~~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well I've been singing "Rain, rain, go away come again another day, another month, another year!"

I have not seen such disastrous conditions since 1997 and even then although bad it was not THIS bad.

Even San Jose near Coyote Creek is flooding and that is unheard of at least for the last 100 years.

The rain is doing a number on parts of my house, area's where I have been planning to be painted are now flaking off. 

Fortunately neither mine or my sister's basement have flooded which I am grateful for.  But conditions all over are bad,

We've had the lights go out several times and for hours at a time,  the good thing is that Doyle had an emergency generator installed so we could keep the freezer and the refrigerators running and if need be any water to be pumped out.

Previous damage has been repaired.  

But Darklings if I was a writer this would be perfect Gothic weather to write dark poems or prose to, even my sister has seen a serious up-tick among her patients who suffer from chronic depression.

She roped me in (well she asked me and I said yes) to help her with the reports as she was getting a bit overwhelmed and since I've done medical writing I understood what she wrote.  So I've been a bit busy.  That is why I have not been posting of late.

Valentine's Day was very sweet,  and I don't mean candy,  Doyle treated me to a spa day, facial, massage, mani-pedi,  dinner at our favorite restaurant, and enjoying a drive in my vintage Buick, he dressed like Humphrey Bogart, me dressed in my favorite evening clothes looking like a dark-haired Hillary Brooke from "the Woman in Green"  with the complicated up-sweep hair style.

Several people followed us outside as the parking attendant brought the Buick to the front door and held the passenger door open for me and held my hand to assist me in.  I loved the looks on their faces, they don't see that kind of Class anymore.  Of course the attendant knew us and the car, he insisted on parking it deliberately taking two spaces to avoid scratches.   I was concerned that someone would complain but I guess when they saw the car they gave it a pass because no one said anything. 

Eventually I'll get around to review the films that we saw at the Film Noir Festival.

But I wanted to say I'm fine.

Doyle and I tried a new wine (well new for us) recently, the 2015  Cline Cellars Cashmer Black Magic, on a score of 100 I'd give it an 88, some people would not be impressed by it but I found it to be very easy to drink, it has a nice smooth buttery feel in the mouth. Now it does have  a slight tart cherry note but  because it has some chocolate in there it softens it a bit. It's a  blend of Petite Sirah a Sirah, a Grenache and a Mourverde.  Some people would find it Fruity, smooth a very decent wine for $13.00 but I think if you shop around you could find it for less.

And Apolthic wine have their white wine out, which we will try later on. 

And now that we have a few days of sun, I have my handyman and my gardener making the most of it.

Later Darklings

Of auto theft and neighbors coming together~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well I was planning on doing a run down on the Film Noir Festival but things took an exciting turn for the worse.

Of late, well more like for the last 2 or 3 months there has been a plague of Auto Thefts, almost all of them Honda's,  they are prized for their interchangeable parts.

The other evening Doyle and I were relaxing, the dogs were snoozing and  we were watching our guilty pleasures of "Rosewood" and then "Sleepy Hollow"  when suddenly  just before 10 p.m. and the program finished we heard a loud Whump!!! Sound,  it started us, causing Belladonna and Wiener Dog to bark furiously.

Doyle looked out the window and at first didn’t see anything, then he saw that one of our neighbors across the street car had been side-swiped.   He put on his slippers and grabbed his flashlight  to check.

I followed after getting my slippers on and securing the dogs,  it seemed that the car plus several others that hit the neighbors car was down at part of the street were work being done so it was blocked off to through traffic, people were coming out of their houses,  it was a bit of a mess and people were wondering what happened,  Doyle told me to call 911, I went into the house since I didn't have my cellphone and I preferred using the land line and called giving as much information as I could.

I was told by the dispatcher to tell people to stay around the police were coming and they were going to need as much information as possible,  I said I could not tell if anyone was hurt but the police would determine that.    I went outside and told the folks that were close by to stay where they were the police were coming and they would need everyone’s statement.  

Suddenly it seemed as if one of the cars at the end of the block was revving up and people were backing away, I had started to go back to the house to get a coat it was cold, but as I was on the porch I saw three cars all sedans, speed up the block to the cross street, the last car nearly rear ended the one in front of it and they all took off,  Doyle yelled at me to call 911 again and tell them they headed west on the cross street, now it was hit and run but at least no one was hurt..

I called again  and the Dispatcher took my information wanted to know what color cars, confirmed my address and said if anyone is hurt to call back I said O.K.   Then I went out and said the police were still coming, but now it was discovered that there were a total of  4 cars involved, one that hit the neighbor’s car plus three others.

We began to suspect it was those thieves that had been doing vehicle thefts of Honda’s because all the cars involved were Honda’s , even one neighbor's car that had been stolen in December was a Honda.   We talked to the owner of the car that got hit, he and his male partner were just flabbergasted.   

We talked to another neighbor he said he called 911 as well, but from what I was informed by the dispatcher I had given more information.

The lady from down the block said that she saw the guy in the disabled car get out and she yelled at him are you all right but he got into another car, she said “You know you sort of get frozen, like what do you do?”   We could only agree with her, I mean what do you do.   Doyle was talking to a neighbor's wife and her sister,  and folks was talking to the neighbor whose car was hit , everyone was commiserating on what happened.  But what do you  do? 

My sister came out hearing the commotion, Brian was away visiting relatives and I filled her in, she said that she had been thinking of leaving her car parked on the street but something changed her mind, because her car would have been right were the street lamp was that was also hit, knocking the glass lamp off.

The police showed up and everyone including Doyle that saw something gave statements,  then one fellow a neighbor started picking up auto pieces on the street, and putting them next to the damaged SUV,   people started going into their homes and the poor guy is going to have to deal with his insurance company in the morning.   

Inside the house Doyle and I watched from the window  the left-over of this disruption in our quiet lives, the cops left except for one, we overheard about dusting for finger prints then the road side truck came to quickly remove the abandon damaged Honda,  pretty quick we thought. 

When we were all outside one of our neighbors and Doyle speculated that the crooks thought they could get to the main street  and then to the freeway and discovered they couldn’t, the first car slipped on the wet road hitting the neighbors care, since they didn’t know about the road blockage.

Our  neighbor told us that he’s so fed up with this State and our city now being now a sanctuary city that he and his girlfriend are moving to Idaho,  his daughter wants to go with them, since she’s 17 now she doesn’t have to do what is dictated by her Mom, our neighbor's ex-wife.    Doyle said if it wasn't for our Medical benefits situation we’d go as well, even another friend of mine is moving to Portland, Oregon and another to Seattle.   

Our neighbor said he was so pissed at what happened with the riots at the Berkeley Campus on Wednesday night, even his daughter told me she’d prefer to go to college in Idaho, there she knows she can think and speak freely.

And now after this latest debacle Friday night, I wish we could too,  at least if we could have a “gypsy wagon” and just move from place to place, California is becoming such a “Nanny State”.  

But now today Sis and I  have some grocery shopping to do, so if the rain holds off we should be fine, then when we get back I’ll pay some more bills and balance the check book so at least that part is what passes for normal.

Doyle is going to go to some friends house, retired cops and watch the Super Bowl game.

I know we are on a journey, both mental, physical, emotional and spiritual and as my Daddy use to say “Getting there is more than half the fun as long as you can avoid pot holes and flat tires”.

Which is true, we do have those “pot holes” of life experiences but we learn from the pot holes and we grow from it and expand our knowledge.   Today even with the grey weather is a day from finding out about things, about interacting with people, about discovering things and adding to our life experiences.

I know that certainly that was what happening last night, people discovering that it’s too easy to freeze when something happens,  sometimes feeling like they are helpless yet wanting to help.  

 But experiences can be fun as well,  the little joys we discover,  the main thing is to do one’s best to enjoy the journey,  it can even be with simple small observations of people, situations, objects, of anything. 

I know that even though in a way I felt helpless in that I could not give more information, although Doyle managed to get a license plate number from the odd car that was not a Honda,  I did what I humanly could, just as I know folks did what they humanly could and in that journey of experience we all learned something about ourselves and the world around us.

Our neighbor had his car towed to a repair shop the next day and will be dealing with the insurance company, his vehicle was pushed so hard it went up onto the sidewalk,  even he told me that he's glad no one in the neighborhood was hurt, we felt the same. 

And now Sis has come to get me and we are going to do some serious beginning of the month shopping.   I may pick up copies of vogue, elle, marie clair, vanity fair, I so need to look at something pretty.

Sis suggested we take a side trip to TJMax or to Macy's first, I'm all for that.

Later Darklings

Of Film Noir, Presidential Inaugurations and Dysfunctional Dolls~~~

Hello Darklings

I know What a combination!

Well my sister and I are leaving in a few minutes to go to the Hotel Rex and check in for our 9 day stay for the Film Noir Festival.

Our vintage bags are packed and ready to go,  Doyle has the Buick ready, yes it is going to get wet but he'll take care of that when he gets home.

Sis and I are looking forward to Spa Days,  shopping, the films, and just relaxing and enjoying ourselves.   The films are more modern but it would be interesting to see how they hold up to the ones from the 40's and 50's.  

We had a chance as we packed the last few things to watch the Pomp and Circumstance of this Presidential Inauguration but really----secretly---we wanted to see what Mrs. Trump would wear and both Sis and I yelled "Jackie Kennedy all the way!"  a classic style of outfit with matching gloves and shoes,  she also reflects the style of Prince Williams wife Catherine, simple, chic and classic, oh be still my Vintage Heart.

Of course how the presidency is going to go is another matter,  I'm not saying I'm for D.T. but seeing what she wore I think is a reflection of the hope of some folks.

Doyle promised to record what she'll be wearing at the Inaugural Ball. 

But have I given up my vintage Gothic heart to 1960's classic styles?   Not Quite.

A web site Dysfunctional Dolls, is a off shoot or maybe the parent company of Gothic Beauty Magazine and they sent me an e-mail saying that their make up is back for folks who are into Goth and Cosplay,  I had to check out their lipsticks and I have to say I was not disappointed, with colors like Blood stain Red, Cemetery Red, Bold Diabolical Red, and affordable as well as not animal tested, well I think I know what I'm going to order.

I know it sounds like I'm turning my back on Besame Cosmetics, but I'm not, just the other day my special order of it's Victory Red lipstick arrived with the special Victory pin, like what the ladies use to wear during World War II.

So in the space of a few days I have been treated to special discoveries which gladdens my heart.

About the repairs on my home, we were able to fix the protective glass panel in front of the stain glass window,  the basement window will be worked on when I return, and when we are past the worst of the storms I'll have the screens fixed on the back porch.

My gardener said that all the bulbs that had been planted have rotted because of so much heavy rain,  some may have survived but we won't know until early spring,  so it looks like I'll have to temporarily do annuals, which is fine.  

But now Doyle has told me that the bags are packed and do I have my film passport, so off we go to another time, another era.

Later Darklings