Dark Shadows Festival Banquet

Those of us who'd watched the Collinsports Players show milled out of the banquet room. Most of the hall had cleared; it was suppertime or at least time to get ready for it, a big break in the proceedings any way you looked at it. I headed back to the room, and was a bit surprised that I was the only one there. Okay, so maybe I was just the first one back. I was pretty sure everyone else in the room had at least something to do with the banquet festivities.

Time for the climax of the weekend. So I got all gussied up. Cleaned up good, took my time...changed into my smart duds. I'd borrowed a dark wine dressy pants-suit thing with an Indian motif from my sister (it was easy to pack). New shoes, to my annoyance, had a blemish straight out of the box (melted on the trip or something weird) but, not much to do for it, and who'd be looking anyway. Wore an Indian necklace and fixed up my hair, and ta da. Waited. Waited. Looked for weather news on the telly. Colored. Strange, no one else coming. Surely they wouldn't eat before the banquet, would they? Maybe. Anyway, plenty of time to kick back and listen to my stomach growl and feet whine.

Malia came in close to time when the banquet was to start. I think they had pushed the time back a little; late in getting things organized, so it still wasn't anything to rush about. Having nothing else to do, I went on to scout. Malia said she'd follow later. I still wondered what was going on, exactly. Sherlock is always curious.

I headed over to the hall and there was a line. I saw Julie there; she explained that it was a handicapped-folks line, essentially, and everyone else was supposed to wait outside somewhere. I wasn't in any rush to get in line or anything, I was just wandering around finding out what was what and people-watching. Julie bust a blister on her foot and was hobbling and said that warranted her spot. I could empathize, with my own flat feets hissing at me, but I just sat nearby and chatted. I gathered there'd been several changes in arrangements and organization, and sat back and observed things. The group in line was finally allowed in. One lady was rather hysterical since her friend had gone in already but had her ticket; another lady had some similar problem. Emotional group. I'd noted that all weekend. JF certainly stirs up peoples' passionate sides, and I've been to a great many conventions and celebrity events. Not too many of those have had people quite so emotional. Anyway I think everyone was allowed in, that I saw.

They started letting the outside folks in through the side, so I went in after the first group in the back, and edged toward the front. The whole room was back-to-back round tables. It was utterly amazing how many there were, and I wondered how on earth people would be able to move once they got settled. Front tables were taped off and numerous seats filled up fast. I saw no one but Julie that I knew, and she seemed to have a full table anyway. Flashing on my original prediction that I'd pay a mint to sit alone and eat 2000 miles from home, I sought out a place to sit. I wound up in the front-middle of the room, more-or-less; about as close to anything as I could get anyway. So I sat with a couple at table 33.

A few more sat, a teacher, a few kids.

We all admired the table settings and fidgeted awhile.

Attempts at some chitchat were made but it was

rather awkward for the most part,

and very hard to hear anyone for all the

people coming in.

So, much more observing.

I wasn't exactly in a good position to see the

stage-part of the room, though. This is what I saw.

Glasses of water, coffee cups, silverware, coffee stuff, a roll and pat of butter, linen napkins and a candle...each table had 11-13 chairs around it (apparently we were to eat with our chins, since a full table had no elbow room), and we estimated about 80-some tables in the room. PeoplePeoplePeople, and still people came in. My mind started reeling over logistics. The waitstaff began serving, and had a devil of a time doing it since they could not get through the areas where the tables had filled out. No aisles had been created for them, and there was much bumping and could-you-move-pleases, although they were impressive in getting the food out, considering the situation.

It was all very pretty, a fancy chicken dish and garlicky potatoes (can you have that in an event celebrating a vampire?), seems like there were some steamed greenbeans or something interesting, and it did start out with an intriguing little salad that had some ingredient that a lot of folks couldn't identify. Mostly the men refused to eat it, which I got a chuckle out of. I think it was a kind of mushroom. That one little roll, some wine I think, coffee, then a pretty slice of NY cheesecake. It all came rather fast once it came, and was tasty, and I was definitely stuffed all the same, to my surprise.

It occurred to me, in the given situation, Jonathan would almost have had to have eaten before the banquet...this was a little crazy. Which probably explained where the rest of the roomies went, etc. I wondered how he was going to be able to sign pictures, or even how they were going to handle that promised aspect of the event...the numbers versus the time seemed too staggering to me. Hopefully they'd all worked something out and I was seeing problems where there were none.

After eating and waiting,

I finally got out the camera

and started snapping a shot or two.

Turning around (which took some doing)

I could just see the stage.

There were a few things passed around as bonus extras, like calendars, I believe. When most people had eaten or at least been served, and da Man had arrived, tributes began. Dark Shadows Folk gave little speeches to honor Jonathan Frid.

Katherine Leigh Scott started things off, I think. I played more with my camera. Mostly just looking through it and fiddling with buttons, though. Telephoto in candlelight isn't really conducive to sharp shots, but some photographs turned out better than others.

Headshot of KLS. I'm jealous of the figure. Mrph. But then, I never had one to start with. (Well, I guess "sausage" is a shape, too.)

Then Marie Wallace added some nice things. Jonathan had quite a turn-out, indeed. Finally picked out someone else I could (somewhat) recognize, from my viewpoint. This is Mark, Jonathan's webmaster du jour. And finally they gave John a chance to respond to all that gushing. There was also a nifty video tribute and other bonuses. Enjoyed the video...

Before and after much of this, Jonathan was apparently back in a corner signing his fingers off. Table-groups were led one-by-one to line up over on the far left side of the stage area to get JF's autograph. Bobbi and others were herding people into the right spots as other things kept going. Here's a Dark Shadows person whose name and job I managed to miss (sorry!). But part of the kudos-giving gang for Jonathan.

Diana Millay was at a table nearby.

Door prizes were awarded. Fun was had. But our table was about one-third into the room and not near being called up for signings, and it was getting pretty late. I could see that either Jonathan was capable of far greater endurance than I would have dreamed, or that very soon a lot of people were going to be disappointed. This aspect was not planned out well. I could see DSF '93 coming back to haunt me, where I went through the entire con and didn't see JF, and waited in the autograph line for hours only to have him throw in the pen a few people before I got up to bat. So to speak.

But Bobbi came by and said "TABLE 33!" Our time to line up. Well, well, maybe I'd get to say howdy at the con after all. So we gathered our things and got into the autograph line to the side, getting ready for our minute with the big guy. We stood, and stood, and stood some more. I wished I hadn't taken my bookbag...had my drawing junk in it so it was heavy. Got around the corner and noted that most of the people I Did know had tables up here, including my roomies. Sigh. I chatted with one or two while in line. Waited some more. Memorabilia stuff was being auctioned off, I think, on stage. About at the point I could finally see JF, I noticed some bad signs; namely a tired nervousness, then a pause where JF called in his aides for a huddle, and then Jim heading towards the mike. Uh oh, this is it. I'm about 2-3 people from the autograph table...

And yep, Jim announced that sadly JF had to call it quits for the night. Dang. Not at all a surprise to me, though it did hit a lot of others unhappily. So, um, now what, we in line wondered...was he going to finish the line or announce something more or what? We waited around awkwardly. Then it came that if autographs were needed, he'd do them later and mail them back (arrangements would be made) or he'd try to do some more in the morning before heading back to Canada. That was it. We stood about a little more, if only because it was a bit difficult to back out until others did, and then most headed out the banquet room, in dribs and drabs.

I went back to the room, de-gussied myself (gee, all that dress-effort and no one saw) and began packing, organizing, figuring out what to do next, etc. I still didn't know where on earth my cooler was...it apparently did not manage to follow me back to the room at any point. But I made a number of trips to the car so I wouldn't have to do so much in the morning. I made one round back to the hall much later and ran into KLS just enough to say hi; both of us making a cursory check that things weren't left, I guess. I never did hear anything about the "flood" in San Antonio (even when I got back). Hmm. Eventually I showered and got comfy working a puzzle and others ambled in and at some point, we called it a night.

Lara Parker and the Collinsport Players

Lara Parker reprised her role as Angelique for the Collinsport Players' skit. It was all great fun, although I have to admit that I don't recall the exact details of the play, with half a year having gone by (I'm pulling this stuff all out of my head as I type) and perhaps with my being semi-mesmerized by the little loop-de-loop thingie-way Lara was wearing her necklace.

But as we say down south,

it was a hoot. (We owls say it too)

Angelique carried around a subtle (?)

bit of self-promotion [book].

Sophia noticed that the whole situation

seemed just a little bit weird... But of course Angie always has ways

of talking people into...whatever.

Witchy ways. Innocent ways.

Not-so-innocent ways.

Every-witch-ways.

Rose was bitten, and the rest had to work this all out... Barnabas and Angelique had a different

perspective on things, for some reason.... Finally there was some oddball solution...

And the cast took their bows and delighted applause.

The audience was then immediately hustled out to

make room for the upcoming banquet.

Ah, don'tchaknowit, the entertainment goes by too fast.

The Golden Girls Do Collinsport

When Jonathan finished, he and a fair portion of the audience left the ballroom, but it wasn't quite time to pack things in for the banquet yet. More of a time to rest up before the big event, or do last-minute shopping or autograph-hunting from the actresses and dealers in the hall. I finally could work my way back up to the front row VIP seats and sit down. Whump. Now what? I'd have probably left, too, but my feet held me prisoner for the moment.

I am certainly glad I stuck around, for the group calling themselves the Collinsport Players put on a marvelous little skit, crossing the somewhat disparate TV universes of the Golden Girls and Dark Shadows!

It started out with the traditional broken-down car problem/needing travel help, I think. At least I seem to remember it that way. I'd written a similar plot years ago in my head (the better versions being with Carl Kolchak [Night Stalker] winding up in Collinsport, with JF playing the mysterious auto mechanic duffer who drops hints his way; or at least having Mrs. Jessica Fletcher trip over a body somewhere...[Murder She Wrote]). Anyway, it gets things started. Well, except for the car.

All the actors did very well, but I think the fellow who portrayed Dorothy really hit the mark! He did a fabulous Bea Arthur...

Here are Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia (Ma), Collinsport Player-style. This is Willie, and of course Barnabas, working in some timely Johnny Depp-Barnabas jokes...

...Playing things up rather campily to the hilt...

Sophia and Dorothy meet Barnabas Collins. After a fashion, anyway. Barnabas permits them to spend the night at the Old House. Especially the naïve Rose Nyland... Barnabas enjoys striking dramatic or brooding poses, here and there. Everyone needs a hobby.

I think it's the cane...

And of course just when Barnabas has made his plans just so, guess who springs back in town at just the wrong time?!

Party!!

Hobbled back to the hotel room after disembarking from the Lyndhurst shuttle, got a drink, found some way (after a bit of searching) to recharge my camera battery without hampering anyone else's electrical needs, and sat a bit. Finished off any carrot or whatever I had; rather hungry but there was a party around the bend and who knows, maybe someone would want to go eat or something. But it looked like everyone had already gone out and done their thing, so to speak; no one else was around, the cooler was humming and full of food, so the party shopping was obviously done, etc. And I was pooped. I checked the TV as I rested. People kept saying San Antonio had been hit by flooding and a hurricane was brewing, so I kept checking the weather whenever I had the chance to see if I'd have to swim home. But I never did catch anything about south Texas. Seems like there's always a great lot of precipitation whenever I leave home. How does it know?

After determining I wasn't going to find out much at that moment, I eventually went off scouting. Looked like the hall stuff was revving up, so I went back to the room to get things to set up, and with Malia, I think, we started the Frid Market going. Once we hacked our way through the jungle to get there, that is...well, it wasn't too bad at that point, but later...throngs. See, the con was set up in a hallway in front of a ballroom. Standard enough for media cons. But after that the logic seemed to break down a bit. I'm sure there were reasons for things, but it certainly looked ill-planned and was the biggest complaint I heard for two days. The tables led up to the end of the hall, but there was nowhere to go when you got there; you had to double-back through the mobs of fans and shoppers, as the hall was kept closed for use by the celebrities and con workers to gain entry into the ballroom. Not too awful Friday, since things were still getting-going, but it was pretty bad on Saturday. That might have been acceptable except for the membership table...most cons have their tables out where they are as easily accessed as possible, so you can get your packet/tickets/badges and move on out with alacrity. In this case you'd think Registration would be the first peopled tables you'd see in the front end of the hall, or maybe they'd be a little separated out front before the dealers' area, or in the side hall, or even in reverse at the end of the hall, forcing everyone to give a passing look at the sales items. But it was kind of in the middle of things, and so people were very confused about where to line up to do what. You'd be in line thinking you were in pre-registration and find that you were in the line for a booksigning, or you'd want to buy a ticket and the person next to you thinks that's the place to get a photo of one of the ladies of Dark Shadows, etc. Anyway after I got my registration stuff I just did my best to avoid the whole thing. But I heard from everyone else about it!

So we set up at the farthest end of the hall at Frid's tables. Malia set up her video version of JF's bio on one side, we had the new "Fridiculousness" videos up in the middle, and I took the far end to sell a few leftover but relevant things, essentially serving as Frid's advertising. (Did I mention I do art? Drew up the DVD cover for JF? Guess you might need a connection or two there) I brought the Richard III painting I did of him to set up as a hook, as the natural thing for people to do in that spot was to walk up the hall and turn directly around and go back, preferably without actually going the to the full end of the hall. But the painting caught peoples' eyes and they'd turn and circle back, stare at it, mutter, ask questions, and wander back to Frid's table and start shopping. What astonished me was that people began taking pictures of it, posing with it, asking when it would be auctioned or for how much, etc. I hadn't thought of it in any serious sales terms, since I wanted to at least offer Jonathan the opportunity of seeing it first...not that I wouldn't have accepted a great offer, mind you...but the way things went (no one actually made any offer), I thought it was funny and started thinking of the painting as Surrogate Frid. (Sur Frid?)

Sales weren't bad, considering my own luck at such things these days. Not enough to run across the border with but a steady dribble. I entertained myself by finishing coloring bookmarks, which I'd give to any book-buyers. But no one bought a Dr. DNA book, or even looked remotely interested, or asked about them. I illustrated them and they contained a page with Barnabas in the background, and of course I informed anyone who'd listen...however, magnets and coloring books finally moved a bit. Selling Anything was fantastic. Tired of storing everything! LOL And I made myself be as social as I could manage, talking to anyone who looked puzzled enough (and suddenly becoming Surrogate Frid's agent). I manned the tables until it was time to close the hall down...missed JF's intro due to a time change or some miscommunication about it at the table, but I sold a few extra DVDs for him. I wasn't too worried about 'missing' stuff, since I'd already met the ladies at a previous Dark Shadows Festival or two. Marie Wallace had been very nice, Lara Parker had been ok but distracted, and Kathy Leigh Scott had been so alert to my presence that she'd signed my book with someone else's name. But I told her not to worry about it since after that I had the anecdote, heheh. I assumed I'd meet Jonathan at some point, at the party or after things or before things or at the least after the con back in Canada, so I didn't press that matter much either. I didn't want to get in the way of anyone dying to see their idols. It's a good rule. Never get in front of anyone dying, period.

At any rate, there was a lull time after packing up stuff and taking it back to the room. Got prettied up a little for the party, though that was to be a bit later, so there was some time to doodle or rest. At least no one requested help chopping edibles. Nancy was throwing this nice (private) welcome party for JF and some friends, and had been busy prepping for it and I suppose supporting JF in rehearsals or the like. She or someone did manage to let me in on what room the party would be happening. A useful plus. My sister claims I have "Ninja" powers because of my long history of being 'invisible.' An amazing capacity for being ignored or forgotten, even when in front of people or otherwise dreadfully obvious. I've had people try to walk or drive right through me...even when I'm with others they seem to make a beeline straight into me and then screech in alarm that I suddenly appeared out of the blue. People get mad at me for not telling them things like my winning stuff or being on TV or whatever, and don't believe me when I say it's because I didn't know myself--I'm literally the last to know (one art teacher was really mad about such a contest...the winning painting--for the Shriners, gee, another clown contest!--mine, was auctioned off for big bucks, for a high schooler, and was on the local news...how could I not tell her? IT WAS NEWS TO ME!). I've been locked in a bathroom at NBC for half an hour and my friends never even noticed (crawled out under the door), not invited to oodles of events simply because someone thought they told me/sent word/notified me of a meeting change but actually forgot...I have a huge collection of self-drawn replacement con name tags because 75% of the time mine is missing/lost/forgotten, even if I'm a guest! I enter places loudly and still manage to spook people--the ultimate example of "Oh did I startle you?", even if they spoke to me and saw me...somehow, they just, forget, lock me in places, make business appointments with me and totally forget about them, even an hour ahead (and more than once! ugh). Oh folks know I exist, and I've been recognized in unbelievable ways ("yeah, I was on the same bus with you to the College Bowl field trip meet that one weekend 24 years ago, how're ya doing?")...my friends said, upon not batting a lash about my showing up to visit one day after years living out-of-state, that they weren't surprised because I simply never changed. Personally I beg to differ, at least these last 10 years, but I do get a kick referring to the self-portrait hidden away in a closet...;-> .

Which is all a drawn-out (heheh) way to say I'm a loner, even in a crowd. Invisibility combined with shyness and an oversized round head and you get Charlie Brown. Or Charlene Brown. Something like that. I mean, otherwise why would I be typing this to who knows whom in the wee hours? LOL

Anyway, made it to Nancy's fête. Nice little spread left still on the sideboard, people milling about, most anything to sit on taken. In fact when I came in it looked more like a banquet. I looked around, but really didn't know anyone much. I brought the painting for JF and shoved it to the side behind the window curtain, bumped into Julie again, and we looked over the munchies. I got some ginger ale or something along those lines, and stood around. Stood over there. Stood over here. Wandered across the room and stood. Very adept at standing around. I talked when I could, of course. Mark, JF's webmaster, introduced himself, catching me off guard a bit, and I met a few folks I kindasorta knew a little. Mostly I practiced different stances. I would have liked to 'party-aid' and sat and done quickie drawings for people--brought stuff with me even, my ice-breaking default system--but there seemed to be a lack of sitting spots at the time. I held the walls up here and there instead.

Jonathan made an Entrance. He was immediately joined by Lara Parker, and the room suddenly tipped the scale from party to papparazzi event, everyone whipping out cameras and running up to the actors. I figured this was understandable, but wasn't quite what I'd expected. I got my camera out, but I stayed back, holding the wall at bay; plus didn't have my flash going (seemed a bit rude) so my shots tend to be blurry here. But tweaking with an art program does help somewhat! Here's Lara and John (and someone's head).

Well, lookee there, I got one in focus. I did step forward for a couple of snaps once the big rush was already lighting up things, lol. Lara and John, not moving quite as much...posing a bit.

Eventually I got a decent shot.

Then I ran back over to the wall, lest it fall down on everyone. So the occasional peek through the lens only netted the fuzziest, or artsiest, of captures.

John isn't the only one who needs glasses...

I have no idea what happened here...except that it was very, very movement-impaired and then blurred oddly. I don't think JF will want this one. Though I do have a Halloween-0-lantern (it's a carved canteloupe...really) that looks a lot like that... This one looks like I used a telephoto lens while still standing in Texas.

Anyway, after all the initial hubbub, oddly enough, it did not settle down into party-mode, exactly anyway. More of Jonathan's Dark Shadows co-actresses came by to wish him well; here's Marie Wallace, for instance.

Jonathan thanked everyone for all the fuss...

And then was pinned to a corner, to apparently hold court with the actresses and a few stalwarts who positioned themselves near Frid, perhaps with the aid of some super-glue. The others of us who were under the ridiculous impression that a party was going on, went to the other side of the room and...hung out.

You know who you are. (and hopefully don't mind these!)

With 2/3 of the room hovering around JF, and the rest of us hanging around trying to hear each other, there was plenty of time to look about. I decided the carpeting was actually one of the most eye appealing things at hand, and the design might even make nice computer wallpaper or something. At any rate it didn't move or blur. Trendsetter that I am, I wasn't the only one photographing the rug.

Noting Nancy's body language, I gathered this all wasn't quite what she had in mind, either. And apparently had a headache. Then I noticed that something wasn't right, but didn't see it immediately. Finally it hit me--my cooler was stuffed with beer and ICE. My heart fell...electronics and water do not mix. I'd said no ice, but as I feared, my invisibility had kicked in and this was not remembered, and no one saw the DO NOT USE ICE imprinted into the cooler's lid. I realized it was an accident, but was a little confused about it since someone had to unplug and turn off the cooler in order to get it to the party room, and therefore one would Think the matter would at least occur to ask about in wonderment. But I suppose I'm a little more curious and usually more observant than the average bear, so I didn't get too upset about it occuring. I was alarmed at what it might cost to replace, but I'm employed now so that's not too awful either...what I was torn about was whether to say anything to Nancy. I didn't want to add stress to the pile, and yet there might be hope to do something if I said something Now...though I wasn't sure what. So I debated a while and finally decided I'd better let her in on it, as gingerly as possible. She was very sorry and I said I knew it was an accident, but had to say Something. I guess I'm not sure why, since dumping it now was impractical...and then I learned there was a party after this one, requiring the drinks and stuff leftover. So I just felt rather dumb and helpless.

Soon, Jonathan was worn out by the table-camp internment and started making his way out, flushing another crowd of photohounds and worshippers suddenly towards the door. Guess that was it. I surmised that I wasn't getting to show him the painting this evening, much less chat. On the other hand, I was quite full of munchies and soda and no longer starving, lol.

So I thanked Nancy for the party and apologized for raining on her parade with the cooler deal. She said she'd pay for whatever, but I was rather at odds about the whole thing. Seems I couldn't do anything now because of the other party starting, so I just ignored it; obviously they were all handling that stuff--and I went to the room...wandered back out; people were meeting up to talk and drink, and I needed to find a girl who'd bought some stuff but left it on the table. Didn't particularly need alcohol, did need to do something, draw, work puzzles, talk, something...did find the girl in question (not too hard, since she was in Goth). But as no one seemed terribly interested in me and I couldn't hear anyone over others, I just went back to the room. Nancy had me do up a few 'signs' for the sales table and a couple of pages of Jonathan's massive scrapbooks, --he was sharing the latter out on his tables for his fans to see. We had to invade her car to get the (paper) supplies (and it had started raining) but we managed and I had a little something more to occupy me than trying to find Texas weather news in New York.

It was a very good idea and effort, anyway!

Finally we all turned in to rest up for the Really big day, which already seemed just a touch forboding....Nancy had to get up early for a lot of gofering, for one thing.

From Here to Eternity

After a little driving, I stopped for some gas, and noting a Hardee's next door (I know of none of these in San Antonio) I decided I was finally feeling a bit peckish (after 3-4 days of the MIA appetite) and went to see what they had. The patty melt deal sounded good so I ordered that, and waited about an hour before getting it. I was in no rush, was looking at maps, doing a puzzle and slurping my soda, and had quite a few "shows" to go with my dinner. Soap opera dramas abounded with the employees, it seemed, and I overheard a number of them (and why my meal was so late). And even after getting served, there was an interesting testing of wills between an ultra-thrifty customer with an expired (but unmarked specifically) coupon and the employees. The customer won but didn't make many friends...at any rate I was entertained, and kept down my supper. I drove on through Missouri, and although I would have liked a digital shot of the Memorial Arch in St. Louis, I wasn't in a position to stop easily to get it. And I reasoned that I'd probably be coming back home the same way, and either way, I had a million photos of the arch from previous trips anyway. It was fairly dark by the time I crossed the Mississippi.

Got some travel guide booklets at the Illinois welcome center, and chose to cut across lower Illinois this trip. There was a coupon or two that seemed worth checking into, and I wound up very very late, walking dead, in Effingham, Illinois. I got a 2nd floor room at what I thought would be a safe enough bet, Howard Johnson's. Apparently HoJo's have changed immensely since I was last in one (which, admittedly, was for ice cream in the '60's). It wasn't at all a pretty room (unless by pretty, pretty disgusting), but it had the basics, and I was thoroughly exhausted. Especially after carting in most of my stuff, cleaning up, sorting and ironing a bit, etc. But I appreciated the bed all the same. A breakfast came with the room, if you got to it early enough in the lobby. It wasn't too impressive either, but I snagged an apple and some caffeine, and did have a little fun with the one intriguing thing, a waffle iron. Can't say I'm much of a cook, but the result was edible. Then I hauled everything back into the car on a rainy morning, and went up Illinois and over through Indiana and Ohio. Hit some rest stops, but mostly just drove and listened to CDs.

I basically repeated the whole process, perhaps even later at night since I wasn't seeing the places I had expected, and got a room at an Econolodge in western Pennsylvania. The room was cheaper and marginally better than HoJo's. I didn't find many of the declared amenities, seems they were remodelling or something, but after a few passes I found a room with what must have been the continental breakfast. Though it was still early, really nothing was left but a few pieces of bread. So I had a bit of toast. A family came in and did their best to fill up their little girl, too. Well, I had some room coffee so I was ok, and went about the job of repacking and crossing Penn State. Which naturally took up most of the day.

By Wilkes-Barre I needed to seek out some gas. I wound up at a Wal-Mart (no matter where I go, I end up at Wal-Mart)...but I didn't see any Wal-Marts outside of Texas with gas stations. I had a card all ready for such events, but...mrph. Stretched my legs and drove about the area. Kept getting trapped into circling yuppie strips and little malls. Finally thought I'd get lunch at the KFC I saw, and went in, read the menu and waited for someone to take my order. Others came and waited. We all waited. And waited. There were employees milling about, but they all ignored (and very well, too) the front counter. One couple gave up in a huff, and after another ten minutes, I decided I didn't need chicken either. The first couple smiled at me as they'd circled around and were going out the lot by then. I went up to the corner and the McDonald's across the street caught my eye. Not for food, just eye candy.

It was so retro...hadn't seen one like that in a long time. The ambulance parked to the side made me laugh, and all the horizontal lines rather pleased me artistically. So I took a picture of that before leaving and getting some gas in some remote corner and returning to the highway.

On through Scranton, then to avoid the messy New Jersey/New York City area, I scrambled up north a little and entered New York State. Commemorated that event with a stop at a Scenic View pullover. Hudson River Valley farmland...or at least pretty close to it. Gas prices jumped, as I expected (I think the cheapest gas I got on the trip was about $2.46/gal., in Hot Springs, and the highest was $3.03/gal. in Tarrytown), and things in general (driving-wise) got more complicated. The water at rest stops was brown and didn't taste too nice, the way got more crowded and tolls and bridges kept popping up. But all in all I was very happy that I'd chosen this route. Once I was sure I'd read the maps right (for some reason I was having a lot of trouble, suddenly, seeing up close) and was on the right road, I enjoyed the scenery. Much of it (HI-9) was like HI-7 through Arkansas, all twisty and curvy but full of trees and little towns and farmlets.

By late afternoon I was following the Hudson down the state. I was amused at an intersection stop...just before it I saw a street sign saying "DeVry" and another touting "Pierson." Then I looked on the other side of me and saw a sign pointing to the Bridge that the notorious Headless Horseman was to have haunted, and then drove past the Sleepy Hollow cemetery. What had made me snicker about all that together was that I was driving to a Dark Shadows Festival celebrating the anniversary of the role of Barnabas Collins. Jim Pierson was the con chair, or at least a primary organizer of the event, and I'd just worked with him a little in getting Jonathan Frid's first DVD out. "DeVry" is a name variation for the surname "Frid" (the things you learn at a library), and of course, Sleepy Hollow, besides having its own haunted history, is Tarrytown, home of assorted bits and pieces of Dark Shadows film lore. And why I was there. I just didn't expect the streets there, side-by-side like that. But then Life is just one big visual pun-athon to me. ;-)

I arrived at the road that the Westchester Marriott was supposed to be on, but I'd expected it on the north side, to my left (so much for Yahoo) and it was on the south, to my right, and I either nearly missed it or I did and had to circle about...anyway I recall it was a little tricky getting in the right lot. Then I drove over to the right side and parked, caught my breath, pulled myself together a sec. Ta da, Thursday, I'm here. And almost alive. I think it was about 5pm, give or take an hour. Now what?

Judging from the clues, cars, etc., I figured I was in the right place, and went to the front desk and asked for Nancy K. She wasn't in but the hotel staff said I could check in, just show my credit and ID and promise firstborn and such. Uh, ok. Got a room key, wandered down the hall to find the matching door, et voilà, I'm here.

No one else was. But Stuff was. Nancy stuff. Fine. And I was pleased that I'd had the grand foresight of parking right next to the room. It was still a bit of a walk-around and the entries needed keys, but I hauled my junk in. Observed that Mr. Frid's car was nearby, so I guessed that explained a few other things. I melted onto a bed, planning to surprise whomever entered the room first with something along the lines that this hotel would let just anyone in...but it was some time before anyone came. I even explored a couple of halls, then went back, deciding I needed cold liquid and rest more than anything. Then people came and all I recall is hugging and yacking.

At some point I did have the presence of mind to recharge my camera and put a bigger memory card in for all the events coming up on the weekend. Apparently had a couple of test pix left on it...Here's Paddy again. For a big bundle of fluff, he certainly gets around. (I guess I could say the same thing about me, come to think of it).

We had a "pirate book" display at the library this summer (Sail Away with Books was the summer reading theme) so my Halloween candy bucket did a little double duty. Anyway I was seeing the difference between using the flash and not using the flash. Flash works better if you don't tweak the lighting in an art program later, definitely, LOL. Captain Archer there thinks so, anyway. >wink< Ok, that's it, 5:30am and I need sleep yet again (it's like Morpheus just follows me around!) so you'll just have to wait awhile for the Lyndhurst pictures...