World AIDS Day - And The Beat Goes On

This is my post from last year on World AIDS day with a few changes. This will be the 20th World AIDS day, come Dec 1 2007. It seems fitting to deja vu a post on AIDS as more things seem to stay the same. As long as we moralize the disease and monetize the cure and treatment, this will never end. The only thing that might save us is if people of faith start acting like their Gods, rather than playing them.

December 1st is World AIDS day. As a Gen X'er I have pretty much grown up under the specter of this disease. No free love, or swinging, or love the one your with (or whoever keys you fish out of the bowl) for my peers and myself. I remember hearing about AIDS for the first time as "GRID." Dan Rather looked somber and they had one of the medical charts that shows a heart rate. The tie in on that was always a bit hazy for me, since the end all, be all, do all result of this disease seemed to be NO heart beat. I remember the gay bashing and the bigotry that came with it. I remember the hysteria over things like drinking fountains.

I remember Ryan White, I remember Rock Hudson, I remember Bobby Campbell. I remember the sick feeling I had watching people protesting with signs saying they were "dying of red tape." I remember being very proud of the people in Act Up for the Wall Street demonstrations. I remember a rather unpleasant dinner conversation with an uncle who worked for Burroughs Welcome.

And I remember the faces of the people I took care of who were dying of AIDS.

From 1989-1991 I worked in an inner city hospital on the medical floor as a CNA. The hospital was located in a trendy area popular with Gen X'ers, artists, young families with children looking for a more urban lifestyle, and the gay and lesbian community. It also had a large housebound geriatric population and a growing homeless population. I was 20 when I started working there. You could say it had a profound affect on me.

In 17 months, I saw faces from each of these groups die of AIDS. The drag queens, the artists, the elderly, and the children were all represented. I remember the grandmother who beat cancer but died a year later at 83 from the blood transfusions she received. I remember the street people who died. At times, we didn't even know their real names. I remember the hemophiliac kids who were still fighting the disease when I left. I remember the street kids - teenagers- and their combative attitudes when given their diagnosis. It seemed impossible to them that they were 16 and would probably die before they reached legal drinking age. Can you blame them?

I remember Tony, who's family would have nothing to do with him. In their minds, AIDS was gods punishments for gays. Tony was a sweetheart. He was a stylist. His last words to me were some heartfelt advice on my hair and it's complete lack of style. Had he been able to give me the "do" he had in mind, I am sure I would have conquered the world. We were the same age. He was 22 when he died. **Update - Kidlet just found me a picture of his quilt in the Names Project online. It has been nearly 20 years since he died and not enough has changed. But the numbers keep going up, and the tears keep falling, don't they?

I remember Ollie and his love of Haagen Daz blueberry and cream swirl ice cream. I remember his love of papaya. I remember nearly falling over when he came back to visit us before his final relapse. He was back from Hawaii with papayas in hand. He was gorgeous. The last time I saw him he weighed a bit over 90 pounds while standing over 6 feet tall. I could carry him like I did my daughter. When she was two.

I remember Robert and the amazing bead work he did despite the fact that AIDS left him blind. He made the most intricate Indian moccasins. I remember walking in the AIDS walk the year he died. It was dedicated to his memory.

Most of all I remember Neal. And his cigarettes and how he nearly burned his bed down trying to smoke one. I remember the bags of Hershey's kisses he'd have his SO bring me every time I was scheduled to work. I remember his love of clear high heel pumps with the goldfish in the heels. That man could make me laugh like no one else. I miss you, Neal.

I remember the 20+ funerals I attended. I remember holding the hands of men with no families present. I remember both comforting and being comforted by life partners when death finally came. I remember the kind woman who was volunteering at the Names Project who was there with a hug and a box of tissues when I found the quilts of three of my patients and burst into tears looking at the ordinary reminders of lives that were gone and people who were no more.

I remember when the AIDS death total finally exceeded that of the Vietnam War. Over 58,000 dead from the virus. That was then.

Today, AIDS has killed over 25 million people and there are over 33 million living with it. In developing nations people are dying for lack of medicines that cost less than the average candy bar. TWIX or death?

Our politicians are only as good as we make them be. Hold them accountable. If enough people stand up and demand they do something about AIDS and all the stupid poverty related deaths that could be avoided, they will. Remind them that it's not about charity, it's about justice.

The changes we need may not happen tomorrow, or next month, or next year. But if we keep making noise, they will happen, and maybe today's kids will not have to live in a world where a child dies every three seconds from AIDS and poverty. Make noise for these people. Make noise for my kid and her friends. Make noise for your kids or the children in your family.

Please visit One.org and sign the declaration.

HIV: Key Facts and Dates

1981 First documented case of AIDS (then referred to as GRID)
1982 AIDS first used as a term and is detected on five continents
1985 Rock Hudson first public figure to be known to have died of AIDS
1986 Needle exchanges first piloted in the UK
1987 Don’t Die of Ignorance campaign
1987 Photographs of Princess Diana holding the hand of an AIDS patient broadcast around the world
1987 First form of anti-retro viral treatment available (AZT) in the US
1987 National AIDS Trust founded
1987 First successful form of HIV ‘anti-body’ tests widely available in the UK
1988 First World AIDS Day held
1989 First HIV awareness materials targeted at gay men produced by Health Education Authority
1990 Mark Fowler diagnosed HIV positive on Eastenders
1991 Half of the 500,000 people living with HIV in the West had died
1991 Freddie Mercury died
1991 Red ribbon becomes the international symbol of HIV
1991 Princess Diana becomes patron of the National AIDS Trust
1991 Number of people infected with HIV worldwide reaches 10 million
1995 The film Philadelphia screened
1995 First combination therapy treatment available in the US dramatically improving the life chances of people living with HIV
1996 UNAIDS established
1999 90% of all people living with HIV are in the developing world
2001 Pharmaceutical companies abandon court case against South Africa’s Treatment Access Campaign, allowing generic production of anti-retrovirals for the first time
2002 Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria set up to increase funding to fight the world’s biggest killer diseases. As of 2007 Only 28% of people with AIDS in developing countries are getting the medicines they need

Today 33.2 million people with AIDS worldwide. 25 million have died. There are 12 million AIDS orphans.

After 20 months, (RED) Products have funnelled over 50 million dollars into the Global Fund. Shop Smart. Shop RED Smart.

Thursday Thirteen #33 - Pablo Picasso Was Never Called An Asshole

1. Rocky Horror Picture Show
Frank: Give yourself over to absolute pleasure. Swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh - erotic nightmares beyond any measure, and sensual daydreams to treasure forever. Can't you just see it? Don't dream it, be it.

2. Repo Man
Debbi: Duke, let's go do some crimes.
Duke: Yeah. Let's go get sushi and not pay.


3. Velvet Goldmine
Curt Wild: We set out to change the world... ended up just changing ourselves.
Arthur Stuart: What's wrong with that?
Curt Wild: Nothing, if you don't look at the world.

4. Army of Darkness
Ash: Ok you Primitive Screwheads, listen up! You see this? This... is my boomstick! The 12-gauge double-barreled Remington. S-Mart's top of the line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right, this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retails for about $109.95. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop smart. Shop S-Mart. You got that?



5. Trainspotting
Tommy: Doesn't it make you proud to be Scottish?
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: It's SHITE being Scottish! We're the lowest of the low. The scum of the fucking Earth! The most wretched miserable servile pathetic trash that was ever shat on civilization. Some people hate the English. I don't. They're just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonized by wankers. Can't even find a decent culture to get colonized by. We're ruled by effete assholes. It's a shite state of affairs to be in, Tommy, and all the fresh air in the world won't make any fucking difference!



6. Night of the Living Dead
Sheriff McClelland: Well, there's no problem. If you have a gun, shoot 'em in the head. That's a sure way to kill 'em. If you don't, get yourself a club or a torch. Beat 'em or burn 'em. They go up pretty easy.

7. Big Lebowski *the ENTIRE movie is one long classic quote. Coen Bros rule.
The Dude: [repeated line by The Dude and others] That rug really tied the room together.

Walter Sobchak: I told those fucks down at the league office a thousand times that I don't roll on Shabbos!
Donny: What's Shabbos?
Walter Sobchak: Saturday, Donny, is Shabbos, the Jewish day of rest. That means that I don't work, I don't get in a car, I don't fucking ride in a car, I don't pick up the phone, I don't turn on the oven, and I sure as shit [shouts]
Walter Sobchak: don't fucking roll! Shomer shabbos!
The Dude: Walter...
Walter Sobchak: Shomer fucking shabbos.
The Dude: Oh fuck it.

8. Raising Arizona
Parole Board chairman: They've got a name for people like you H.I. That name is called "recidivism."
Parole Board member: Repeat offender!
Parole Board chairman: Not a pretty name, is it H.I.?
H.I.: No, sir. That's one bonehead name, but that ain't me any more.
Parole Board chairman: You're not just telling us what we want to hear?
H.I.: No, sir, no way.
Parole Board member: 'Cause we just want to hear the truth.
H.I.: Well, then I guess I am telling you what you want to hear.
Parole Board chairman: Boy, didn't we just tell you not to do that?
H.I.: Yes, sir.
Parole Board chairman: Okay, then.

9. O Brother Where Art Thou?

Tommy Johnson: I had to be up at that there crossroads last midnight, to sell my soul to the devil. Ulysses Everett McGill: Well, ain't it a small world, spiritually speaking. Pete and Delmar just been baptized and saved. I guess I'm the only one that remains unaffiliated.

Ulysses Everett McGill: I don't want FOP Damn it, I'm a Dapper Dan Man!

10. Wild At Heart
Sailor: Did I ever tell ya that this here jacket represents a symbol of my individuality, and my belief in personal freedom?
Lula: About fifty thousand times.



11. Donnie Darko
Donnie: Why do you wear that stupid bunny suit?
Frank: Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?




12. Heathers
Veronica Sawyer: Dear Diary, my teen-angst bullshit now has a body count.



13. Nightmare Before Christmas
Jack Skellington: [singing] There's children throwing snowballs / instead of throwing heads / they're busy building toys / and absolutely no one's dead!

Wordless Wednesday 39 - How Long To Sing This Song

Wondering what this is about? Read the first comment!

Zu Zu's Petals

I just read that next Monday (Dec 3rd) on Inside the Actors Studio on Bravo the actor in question will be John Cusack. And I think I have made my Lloyd Dobler fixation clear in the past. As if that were not awesome enough, Dec 17th will have...Johnny Depp. Lord have mercy, Santa is bring the John's this year!

We saw What Would Jesus Buy? this weekend and it was awesome. Kidlet and I have decided to opt out of the commercial festivities this year. We are going to donate our present cash to Nothing But Nets. My parents are donating their present money to Smile Train the charity that funds Cleft Palate reconstruction surgeries in South America. We can buy and do buy CD's whenever we want to so why the need to spend spend spend just because the calendar says 12/25? Even if you don't buy into the whole Christianity bit, you can't deny that the message attributed to Jesus himself, that being peace, is a great one. It's not the Lord's fault his followers can be annoying ;)

So this year we are going to do a yummy dinner, enjoy the tree and the lights and watching It's A Wonderful Life and NOT have it be about what we "GOT" but more about what we have. Novel concept =)

The Mist...

...was awesome. Really truly a great old fashioned horror flick. It was a Lovecraftian/Twillight Zone meets Lord Of The Flies look at society as seen through the twisted vision of Stephen King.

AND THE ENDING! HOLY SHIT!!

Props to the director and screenwriter for re-working the ending. King loved it and I thought it took some serious cojones. Two thumbs up from Kidlet and I. Although we both may have issues sleeping tonight!

The Church Of Groovy Feel Good

What Would Jesus Buy?

Going to see The Mist tonight and the above tomorrow. Simply can not wait for WWJB. It has been called "ferociously satirical." That my friends is what I would pick if I had my choice for my epitaph.

And how was everyones Turkey Day? I actuall DID NOT WORK the Friday after Thanksgiving which is a first in about 7 years. Kidlet's dad was running late so I ended up on the couch with kidlet watching The Craft. Also watched Ocean's 13 which was MUCH better than Ocean's 12. Brad Pitt and George Clooney have such natural chemistry. They are just fun to watch. The fact that they are both gorgeous does not hurt either :P

Oh and to anyone interested, the Joe Strummer movie is available On Demand for those who have Comcast cable. 5.99 and worth every penny. Under the IFC in theaters listing. If you like The Clash, you'll dig the movie.

Wordless Wednesday 38 - Gettin' Crazy With The Cheese Whiz!

DEMENTIA

Got Monks?

Cause Burma doesn't. The number of monks missing after the protests is staggering. Wish you could help? You can courtesy of the following from Avaaz.org.


Boycott Chevron Gas and stop putting money into the pockets of the Burmese Junta. Click the link to be added to the email list going to the executives at Chevron/Texaco and Total Oil.

"Far from the headlines, the crisis in Burma continues--fueled, in part, by international oil corporations like Total Oil and Chevron/Texaco. These corporations don't just fund the junta; they lobby on its behalf in capital cities around the world. These are the same companies many of us fuel up with. That means our pressure as consumers has the power to force change—and it's our responsibility to act.

Will you pledge to join the global boycott of Chevron and Total? The boycott will last until the companies withdraw from Burma, or until the Burmese junta begins a genuine democratic transition and frees all political prisoners--including Aung San Suu Kyi. We'll deliver all the pledges and comments straight to the top management of Chevron and Total. You can see what brands to avoid in your country and take the pledge, at:

Boycott Chevron Gas


French oil giant Total (which also owns ELF and FINA) and U.S.-based Chevron (which also owns Texaco, Caltex an Unocal) have been operating the Yadana natural gas pipeline in southern Burma since the early '90s.The junta takes in an estimated $450 million a year from the Yadana project alone--and uses that money to maintain its brutal control, while most people in Burma live in dire poverty. To keep their profits flowing, Chevron and Total lobby hard in the U.S. and Europe against government measures to support a democratic transition in Burma.

For companies like this, it's all about the bottom line. We must show them that if they keep backing the Burmese dictatorship, they will lose their customers--by the tens of thousands, the hundreds of thousands, even by the millions.

With enough pressure in the pocket book, we could actually get these companies to switch sides--using their enormous leverage with the Burmese regime to push for the democratic reforms necessary to call off the boycott. It just requires more loss from the boycott than profit from the junta.

Could that happen? Yes--if we act together. That's why we're raising a call for an international boycott of Total and Chevron. The pledge: to refuse to buy fuel from any Total, Chevron, ELF, FINA, Texaco or Caltex station in our home countries and wherever we travel. The boycott will last until the Burmese junta begins a genuine democratic transition and frees all political prisoners--including Aung San Suu Kyi --or until these companies exit Burma completely.

To make sure our voice is heard, we'll deliver all the boycott pledges and comments straight to the senior corporate management of Chevron and Total Oil. You can add your name to the boycott pledge today, at:

Boycott Chevron Gas

We've all witnessed the rise of global corporations whose power crosses national boundaries. But today, Chevron and Total are going to witness the rise of something greater: global people power. Today, as consumers and world citizens, we stand up together to demand justice for the people of Burma – and our voices will be heard.


P.S. Chevron and Total often try to hide behind the argument that their presence benefits the Burmese population. But the call to target Chevron and Total comes directly from the people of Burma themselves:

"Total has become the main supporter of the Burmese military regime."

-- Aung San Suu Kyi
Nobel Peace Prize winner and last elected leader of Burma"

Alrighty, off my soapbox for today!

And I Thank You

Title today is a shout out to my mother who has wisely seen the need for pie pan LARGER than 9 inches for our Pecan Pie. We have too many people coming and I want my leftovers. Cause everyone voted for Pumpkin and Blackbottom pie except mom and I, but I just KNOW they will hog the pecan. I just feel it in my pecan lovin' bones.

I am loopy. Worked both days this weekend, and 11.5 hour days yesterday and today. And a 10 on tap for tomorrow. Turkey Day will be relaxing. Working a long one on Friday and Saturday. Sunday I am also working but only 4 hours. Trying to get November work out on time and get a jump on December so I can relax around the holidays. Plus the weekend out of town with kidlet on the 7/8.

Sunday I think kidlet and I are going to go see a movie at Cinema 21 again. That's where we saw the Strummer movie. We saw the previews for What Would Jesus Buy? and it looked frickin hysterical. It takes on one of my major pet peeves. The commercialization of Christmas and Americans worship of the almighty dollar in general. With a slight tweak of evangelicalism as well. How can that NOT appeal to me? I loathe shopping AND organized religion, so count me in. I love the fact that they use the Disney font on their site too. Quite amusing.

Not sure if any of my readers are signed up ONE.ORG members, but I got an email yesterday saying that our letter/email campaign to the International Monetary Fund asking them to keep their promise to forgive Liberia's debt worked. They even acknowledge the vast numbers of writers who put the pressure on them to keep their word. Liberia has been decimated by civil wars and the likes of Charles Taylor -with some help from that evangelical pig Pat Robertson. If you have seen Blood Diamond or Lord of War you have an idea. They finally have a chance to put their money into their people, rather than paying off the debts that ass Taylor and other petty dictators have racked up. With a large handful of European and American complicity, I might add. It's like our current "credit crisis." How could they not see this would happen? Give a 400k mortage to a McD worker with your super low cost ARM and what do you think will happen when the rates go up? Just another example of corporate greed.

Now if only the special tribunal in Sierra Leone would fry Charles and his equally repellant little son Chuckie. THAT would be something to be thankful for!

This Is The Day Your Life Will Surely Change

I am a slacker. I know. Sue me. I have just been so frickin busy with work and ...shock and awe....going out places! Holy shit, call the medics, Starr has been social. Well with my kidlet at least.

As I am sure you are all aware kidlet and I were champing at the bit waiting to see both Control and Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten. I know I have inflicted postage about it upon all you folks. Well last weekend, kidlet and I saw TWO movies! Seriously, I went something like 3 years without seeing more than 2 movies in a theater and this year I am rockin the multiplexes on a regular basis. See ladies, dump a guy and see more movies!

First up we saw Control on Friday the 9th after kidlet had her full physical (in which we confirmed she is indeed taller than her grandmother) and dinner out downtown. It was so very good. Sam Riley did an amazing job as Ian. I was impressed to see that the show was nearly sold out and there were, gasp, people under 30 there! Other than my rebel 12 year old of course. Very few dry eyes in the house as the credits rolled. What I liked most about it was that it gave you a 3 dimensional look at Ian outside the mythos surrounding his suicide.

Sunday we saw Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten at a little art house theater and actually sat up in the balcony, which was a first for kidlet. Again, just a great movie. If you dig The Clash, try to see this in a theater. It was a strong pro for the contention that they were indeed the only band that really mattered. Joe had a thing for bonfires at the end of his life, and Temple employed that for the interviews with people. They all sat around bonfires reminiscing about Joe. It was really great. Hard to believe he is gone.

Folks have asked for more info on the verbal assault on Mr.Principal Man. Basically, kidlets math teacher is a mess and routinely "loses" kidlets homework. Mind you, this is the child who tweaks and can't relax until her homework is done, has straight A's in every other class(including language arts and science where she has perfect scores. As in not a point missed all term) and is in the Talented and Gifted Program.

So now, her dad and I sign off on her assignments so that Teacher Twat can not say they were never done, and TT has to sign them when kidlet turns them in so she can not claim they wre not turned in. That said...the "missing" assignments that kidlet did twice and turned in back in October were not returned to her AGAIN.

At that point, I had a chat with Mr. Principal Man. Who tried to speak to me like I was his student, which in turn made me tell him to put down his whistle and clipboard and speak to me like an adult or we'd be doing this chat in the district superindents office. That shut his shortman overcompensating ass up right fast. It went downhill for him from there. I am totally unimpressed with the school district thus far. Kidlet is applying for an options school that stresses writing for next year and I so hope we make it. Lottery system though, so it is all chance.

Got Gabriel the new black kitty kat and he is so affectionate! Harley is sweet natured and loves people, but Gabe is bordering on stalker territory :P

Let's see, what else. Turkey Day is coming up, whoo hoo, with extra family which will be fun, cause I like this cousin. Kidlet's birthday is coming up and we are doing low key dinner and cake on her actual Birthday. The following weekend, the two of us are heading to the coast on Friday and staying two nights. Going to play at the beach and get massages at a day spa. That I am looking forward to!

In my recent slackerdom I was also tagged by Mo from Insides Mo's Mind for the 7 weird/random things about me. I have done the 6 and 8 things version so I am combining them and giving you all 14 things about me. If you want to play consider yourself tagged and let me know and I will link ya!

1. I have never seen The Sound of Music and I never will. I barfed a bit just typing that out.

2. I drink a lot of coffee. I mean a LOT of coffee. It is a wonder the Red Cross gets any blood out of me. I think they have to centrifuge out the espresso.

3. I have weird food rituals surrounding pancakes. I must have them after concerts and sex.

4. I read non fiction textbooks for fun. Actually I buy them not just read them.

5. I love football and action movies with much guns and violence. Jackie Chan is a bonus. They are going to take away my chick card real soon.

6. I drive to relieve stress or just for entertainment. Music loud, cold Coke, windows wide open. I love love love wind. I was a Lab in a previous life I am positive.

7. I never met my biological dad. Well at least that I can remember. Supposedly I am an interesting case study in nature vs nuture.

8. The first and last guys that I slept with were both Southern. They were also the only ones who were any good! Coincidence? Dunno!

9. I have a thing about supplying the dialogue to silent movies. Mind you it is not the ACTUAL dialogue. It is my own creation and usually wildly inappropriate (kinda like me!)

10. I can name all of the ruling Kings and Queen England from William the First (that bastard) all the way on up to QE2. I have a thing for history in general, English in particular. I buy textbooks for fun. See #4.

11. This one courtesy of my mom. I have a tendency to repeat a word over and over when I am excited or tired. It's not a stutter in that I say the entire word correctly. I just say it more than once! Of course that is a neurological thing that I can't be held responsible for as I pointed out to her. I also asked her if she poked the handicapped when she came across them :P

12. Also provided by mom, I have issues with lids and tops. Like for jars, toothpaste, etc etc. Apparently I don't like the put them on with any great consistency. Mom pondered the thought that perhaps I had a fear of enclosed spaces. It's one of those things that I am not very aware of, but looking at my desk, I see caps and lids and an open bottle of hand lotion. What can I say, Don't Fence Me In!

13. I have a thing for retaining bizarre, pointless, music trivia. Weird stuff like knowing all 4 members of Crue while never having owned a Crue album. Why do I know this?

What drives me nuts about it is that I always forget one or two minor things which I know but for some reason, refuse to retain. Here are the big two. I always forget 1 of the 5 bands that Eric Clapton has been in. Sometimes I space John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and other time I space out Blind Faith. But I ALWAYS forget one of them. Much like I ALWAYS space Vince Clarke's name when we get to talking about who left Depeche Mode and went to Yaz and the Erasure. I have actually woken up in the middle of the night and said "VINCE CLARKE" out loud after it has been driving on me.

14. This last I thought of right away while reading Tigg's. She writes that she still to this day sleeps with the covers tight around her neck to keep away zee vampires. A habit she picked up in childhood. I, on the other hand, used to wake up and be PISSED off that I was NOT made a vampire in my sleep. I blame this on reading Anne Rice at age 10. And yes, I am Gother Than Thou. (That's an in-joke for the black clothed contingent.)

Stretch Your Hands Across The Sea - Wordless Wednesday 38

Ok...maybe not totally Wordless ;)






Join RED
Shop Hallmark RED
Become ONE

I Do Believe In Spooks, I Do, I Do, I Do

Here's Johnny!

Or Starr. You miss me? Kidlet and I got back from our Halloween fest and had semi colds. Then I had drama with kidlets math teacher which led to having to verbally violate her principal. Which was fun. I owned his ass =)

Then work went nuts, then kidlet got a full on 2 day migraine (her first, poor kid) and we had doctors appointments. And multiple movies. Long story short...I been busy! And tired!

First up. Thornewood was FRICKIN AWESOME!



I totally recommend it if you are ever in the northwest. I worked 530-noon and then got kidlet and we headed out of town. The drive took a couple hours. When we got to Thornewood and were met at the door and and taken upstairs to The Blue Room



and told the tour would start around 7. The Blue Room has cast iron soaker tub that we fell in love with. Real people can actually stretch out in it as opposed to the modern Oompa Loompa sized tubes we have now.



I love that tub.

The website said "light refreshments" which turned out to be a three course dinner in the dining room which was just beyond gorgeous.



There were 11 of us taking the tour and we all had dinner together and got to know one another. It was very Agatha Christie. I was waiting for a body to appear in the library! After cheesecake and coffee we had the tour with Deanna the owner who shared their experiences in the house and the history.

The place really felt quite peaceful, with the exception of one room upstairs which to we felt had a heavy vibe. As for ghosts, oh that place so has them. First off, everyone who attempted to video record the grand stairway got lines running through their photos including ours. Then after midnight we recorded a huge white blur go whooshing down the stairs. Then we got video in the upstairs room I mentioned before. It shows a huge white cloud and what looks like a the shape of a man sitting in a chair and tracers running through it. Kidlet needs to upload it and I will post it. It was freaky, we were looking at the view finder and then the corner and back ...it was like seeing two different rooms. You can hear me say "What the hell?!?!"

Oh and Chester's ghost kept turning off our lights. 3 times. Al Gore approves!

All in all, it was so much fun.Oh and breakfast the next day was so tasty! If you can make it there...go!

Ok that is it for this evening, I am off to eat ice cream!

Dona Nobis Pacem 2007 - Wordless Wednesday 37