Water Water Everywhere - RL

It's never a good sign when The Weather Channel sends a reporter to do stand up in your area. The remnants of Hurricane Ida crept through our area last week. Days of WIND and rain. What is "Heavy Rain Mist" anyway?

By Thursday the ground was already saturated, by Thursday evening sewers were full so rain water backed up onto streets, into driveways and parking lots. White caps in some streets. The underpasses were full (say 15' of standing water). Downtown was closed Thursday afternoon and Friday. Some felt Friday was just as bad. The rain started tapering off Friday and quit on Saturday. Sunday lovely blue skies.

During Hurricane Isabel (the only other really bad storm since I moved here) we lost power for 42 hours. We lost power Thursday as it was getting dark. Rob saw a BIG blue arc that filled the sky and we both heard the transformer POP several blocks away. It came back on Saturday 45 hours later. 155,0000 without electricity. We had one of the top five highest tides in recorded history for this region - 8' high tides (usual high storm tide is 3-1/2') with 52 mph winds and gust of 78 mph the waves were topping out at 15' !! Waves were breaking over the causeway deck leading up to the I-64 bridge between South Hampton Roads and North Hampton Roads. This is what I saw reported, it may have been worse. Trees, lines down, flooding of cars, businesses, homes.

Wind whipped the rain everywhere, our neighbors lost the siding under their eaves and there is a gaping hole a man could walk through to get into their attic from the outside! Our windows (all big) are two panes that slide side to side mounted in tracks similar to those for a shower door. Rain hit the windows on the east side, ran down into and under the tracks onto the sill and down the wall - all Thursday evening and well into the night. We went through every towel, hand towel and washcloth we have - rolling them into the tracks, catching the water moving onto the sill and mopping up the carpet when we weren't quick enough, ringing them out sometimes, putting in dry ones. It finally slacked off enough that Rob felt it could be left unattended and went to bed at 5am.

It was 50 something outdoors the temperature had dropped to 68 inside by the time the electricity came back on. That doesn't sound bad, but I get chilly easily, so I was wearing a kind-of-robe over my clothes with a big triangular angora shawl. My cat Boots, was cool, he spent every night beside my pillow, partly covered with a blanket!

We really did pretty well. We had candles, flashlights, lanterns. Rob went to the grocery early Thursday pm (no work for us - colleges and shop closed) and I made chili immediately, and put it in a crock pot to keep warm. We reheated it Friday in a chafing dish.

By Friday night my best view of the rain was lighted from the back by the street lights (they were on again). Blowing almost horizontal, it looked like clouds of heavy mist blowing over the roofs.

We read, wrote (sitting at computer desk next to a bowl with tea lights), and played monopoly - roomie folded first, I had the railroads, Rob had hotels on the expensive corner and won. Rob worked Friday. By Friday I was b o r e d. I'm not good at sitting around doing not much. It was a dull gray day, poor visibility even with the blinds and curtains open so I couldn't do any handwork (embroidery). I worked Saturday.

Now it's clean up time: everything in the fridge went into the trash. Besides the meat, so many good condiments and cheeses...sigh. And veggies, some had rotted. The freezer was cold but everything was defrosted....ouch. Now laundry and more laundry including an extra large load of towels, run the dishwasher, clean the carpet (tracked in mud), consulting on what everyone feels is important for the fridge, a long trip to the grocery later today.

My first pleasure was a lovely long shower, head to toe clean and body lotion..mmmm....heavenly warmth.

Update: One well thought out shopping list and $245 later, the fridge looks really really bare. But do we really need seven bottles of salad dressing? nooo?? and three different mustards?...yes.

My First Modeling/Posing? Gig !!

I am in a couple of general Role Play groups that were created by a friend for the purpose of letting the role play community at large know what is going on. Last night a request went out for a fae to pose with a new fae house.

I do like helping people out when I can. I responded and found myself standing on the platform...mmmm...deck of a little one room house

in a really HUGE tree!

Here I am asleep in the leaf bed. The tan is the roof below me. He requested something faeish - like TinkerBell but not her. I have Nicky Ree's fairy costume in green, with my Seven Selection's wings, he pronounced it perfect.

It was my first pose/modeling gig for someone I didn't know. He offered a copy of the house or lindens for payment. I received 100 L.

Fae Fest - Samhain

The fae and druids joined together to bring the Druidic Celebration for Samhain to the Kingdom of Erebos.

The announcement read thusly:
Come to the high meadow for two hours of dancing to rejoice in a bountiful harvest. Fae Fst will be followed by a Samhain Ritual to ensure that we will survive the harsh winter to come. The choreography and music throughout will be provided by Lady Emy and DJ Taliesin Silverstar. If fertility and wickerman pagan customs offend you, please plan to leave by 1pm SLT. Otherwise, plese join us at the bonfire.

Dancing during the Fae Fest portion of the event

Foxie beguiling Hawk with her long silky hair

Talie, Nicole, Emy, Alk, Casandra dance near the bonfire

Roberta and Casandra near the cornstalks from this year's harvest

Faun and Justine in the symbolic dance

The stag is placed atop the burning bier. Linwe handled the symbolic druidic ritual for Samhain very smoothly.

More pictures can be seen on the Chronicles of Erebos blog.

Essie invited me to post on the Chonicles of Erebos blog. So when I post there, I will note it here for anyone who is interested. I will still post role play here also. Sometimes the same event with a different slant.

The was a horse tourney on a calm evening in the medieval/fantasy kingdom of Erebos.

Linwe and Foxy are clashing in the foreground upon the high meadow. I was an airborne observer (it seemed safest)

A Little Retro - RL

This is a cute little owl fabric that I had to have for no good reason except it is unique and it appeals to me.

Normally I buy full groups that are new, replenish certain groups by buying the bolts that have sold out, or pick and chose from large groups. I buy single bolts that don't go with a themed group, only if they are novelty prints (cars, horses, ducks etc) that meet a need. Novelty fabrics are one of our specialties.

I just threw this one in willy nilly. My boss would have looked at me in alarm if she had been there and asked if I really needed/wanted that? She hasn't joined me for a buying session for ten months. I regret that; we work really well together. I have the next fabric rep scheduled for next Monday during a time she sometimes comes in...so if she wishes, she could be there. Debi is fun and I think they would be excellent friends if she lived locally.

Because it is not part of a group, when the bolt arrived at the shop I knew it would sit on the shelf virtually untouched unless I came up with a display. It is in the retro section so I found a pattern from that era. I am surprised the style appealed to me. It's very feminine. I am feminine, but I don't think I'm this feminine.


It is Butterick 4945 (bottom right) If the link doesn't work immediately, give it a few seconds. I believe it is from the 1950s. I modified it by placing a pipping between the two fabrics and shortening the bottom piece (twice) to 2-1/2" with hem to give it better balance between the two fabrics.

Me, being me, I didn't read the instructions. I almost never do. But then I usually draft my own patterns, so I am not used to having instructions to rely on. And this is super easy.

Extra long apron strings to tie your special male friend up with - hehe!

Happy Thursday - Musical Friends

Dance is my first love in SL. Dance and Friends are why I was still hanging around by the time I slipped into Role Play. I am often somewhere wearing the leather thin on the bottom of my dance shoes.

Emy is a good friend in RL and my best friend in SL. She is the only person I have introduced to SL. We are there for each other. A very talented choreographer for singles and couples dance events with an RL dance background. In my role as Queen of the Fae for the Kingdom of House Erebos, she holds the position of Court Choreographer. She really is my Lady-in-Waiting. She makes my life easier in many ways and has my best interests at heart. My SL would be much lonelier without her.

Tulsa I happened to meet at a Funky Feats dance. He has become a friend, Emy's little brother and a talented DJ. Above are before and after make-over pics. He had been in SL for two years when I gave him good pair of black shoes from Shiny Things for a Christmas gift earlier this year. The world should watch out! What this man can accomplish when he gets motivated is amazing! Extremely sauve and attractive...be still my heart! *smiles* Click on picture for a better view of his new look on the opening night of his weekly Party Funk gig at Linri's Palace.

Emy drug me to a Funky Feats dance well over two years ago and I am sooo glad she did! This choreographed dance group became my first home base in SL. A welcoming group that loves music, and loves to dance. They are an important part of my SL. LuLu, Hevy and myself amid a good turnout of Funkies surrounding us.

Hevy is the mainstay and heart of the Funky Feats. He was one of the original Funkies and kept the group going after the others lost interest. He is a gentle and considerate man, who is delighted to see each group member TP in to join a dance. I always thought a chorus line would have camaraderie and be fun and I was right! SL blissfully takes the long hours of rehearsal away.

However long hours are spent prior to choreographed events by the dance leaders in searching for new dances that fit different music styles, organizing them, and warming them up prior to the event.

Xavia is a bright spot in my day! She is enthusiastic and bubbly. I met her through Starting Point newcomers housing run and sponsored by my friend Tym and her husband Jerremy, two wonderful people. I invited her to a Funky Feats dance one evening when she was bored. She was immediately hooked on music and dancing in SL. She is a host for Bailers and is now DJ'ing for them on Friday nights. She is occasionally fae, hence this choice of pictures.

LuLu (gray globe over head) was the driving force that kept the Funkies going while Hevy was away from second life. It takes a lot of keyboard dancing to choreograph a two hour event and she lead dance after dance, undoubtedly wearing her dancing toes and fingers into numbness.

The way my blog operates, I can only upload five pictures. There are music friends that are not shown here that I also enjoy.

Changing Seasons - RL

I love living where the seasons change...the air is crisp or soft and warm, trees burst into new leaf or drop brightly colored crunchy leaves underfoot to shuffle through and kick into piles, even the sky is different with each new season.

The thing I dread about the change of seasons is changing out my closet....major bummer. There are clothes that cause me to automatically smile when I see them for the first time in several months. That's the up side.

Like most people, my closet is not large enough. This time of year I pull out everything I know I won't be wearing til spring - the camis, shorts, thin silk blouses, swim suits and cover ups.

Then I open the two big totes that hold seasonal clothing and place everything in the closet I know I will want to wear. Next comes paring down the transitional items (I always leave some in the closet) so that the bulkier winter sweaters fit. A must is the incredibly warm wool cable sweater in natural Lancastershire wool mom gave me. I probably won't wear it, but last year when the shop lost heat for several days it was a blessing.

I donate everything I haven't worn that I have no really good reason to keep. Nostalgia enters....how did I end up with a dress I wore in high school? My mom never tosses anything. It's an unusual eyelet in a pretty shade of blue. I think I'll offer it to a local theatre company. There's the green boxy tunic length top with bright yellow-gold embroidery (eeah) from India a friend gave me three years ago. mmm... And a soft yellow wool pencil skirt that fits like a dream, but yellow? I don't remember it at all..away it goes. And a longer bittersweet one. Pencil skirts that long and my job just don't cohabit comfortably; I've never worn straight skirts that weren't above the knee. Another mom one.

I love my mother, but we dont' really have the same taste and she's only happy if my tops are loose and my pants are almost falling off.

And an authentic U.S. Air Force flight suit! I don't why Rob (husband) thought I needed one. I only get to go up in private aircraft once or twice on a good year and I haven't been up in any military aircraft that has been used since WWII. I'm keeping it. I even look kind of sexy in it!!

All done. :D