The Dickens Fair

For the past few years we've made it to the Dickens Fair in SF regularly. This year G brought a few friends in celebration of her 13th birthday. That's right 13. I can't believe it either. 

G at the harp store.

Man, to be accepted by the tween set I apparently need to get myself a faux fur lined hood. 3 for 3. 

M & D

Getting a brief explanation. 

Oohhhh, M is so trendy - she's got white furry stuff on her hood.

Sleigh bells.

Calligraphy pens. Previously M tried out one of the glass dipping pens, she wrote G's name on the practice paper. Mere moments later G went to try she was quite surprised to see her name already written out in another hand. 

Clamouring at the fudge sample counter.

Be still my heart - the Adventurers Club....

Filled to burst with old dudes dresses as 19th century military leaders...amazing. They even introduced themselves for the benefit of observers of their tactical discussion. A charming young major came right over to talk to me, but I was way more interested in the dashing man below with the ropes and less in the details he wanted to share regarding the latest British loses in the south of Africa at the hands of the natives. The 'trying just a little to hard' accent makes it difficult not to laugh in one on one conversation.

The schedule of events at the Adventurers Club:

11:00 Contemplation

12:30 Writers Lectures

1:00 Military Hour

1:45 Hang Fire

2:30 Writers Lectures

3:00 Society for the Dissemination of Useful Information

3:30 Pre-Raphaelite Artist Salon

4:15 Bohemian Salon

5:00 Gothic Hour

5:30 Adventurers Club Social

6:05 Officer's Mess "Members Only"

My entire next visit will be scheduled around events at the Adventurers Club. I was very disappointed to miss the Society for the Dissemination of Useful Information because Queen Victoria showed up for a visit and we had to go.

The most ridiculous hat display ever beheld - I need to find out where to get one just like it. You know you want to wear that hat - just look how much fun she is having.

The inventor of the mechanical man! Adorable.

The mechanical man and his totally hot mustache.

The girls - buying a weeks supply of cinnamon almonds.

At the Dickens Fair it is possible (for a fee, of course) to send a telegram that will be delivered by one of several young hooligans roaming the streets screaming "Telegram for....". I told D that he should send one to G for her birthday. Minutes later J and I are standing outside a shop when a young man walks by yelling "Telegram for G S!" in his adorable fake accent. J and I follow in hot pursuit. The poor kid, he just can't find GS. 

J decides to give him some help and after we follow him the length of a section of the fair leads him to where G & her friends are standing. He walks by yelling G's name - it doesn't even register with her. Thankfully, this time, because the poor bloke forgot the rose that was supposed to accompany the telegram. D grabs him, gives a gentle reminder and indicates we will remain there and stall until he returns.

Fast forward - the girls have their almonds, we are milling around talking. Young chap walks by slowly yelling "Telegram for G S." He is inches from us. It does not register with G. Finally, because everyone has indicated to him who she is he just walks right up to her and asks "Are you GS?" She is rather stunned, and blushing takes the telegram and rose. 

In what will hopefully be their last year performing - the jugging brothers. First they both juggle. Then the little one juggles while climbing progressively higher on the older brother's shoulders. Last year it looked painful. This year the climbing structure brother looked about ready to die. Little brother isn't quite so little anymore. 

Little Red J and the creepy Rats of Nimh wolf.

Those are the tiniest little ankles I've ever seen. It's amazing she can support herself. 

Cinderella. In this version, Cinderella appears to have one really hairy arm (perhaps as a show of camaraderie with the mice?), and the fairy godmother looks more like sleeping beauty's witch. The single star on top of her hat does change the tone of her outfit to make her look inviting. She can keep her glass slipper and magic pumpkin.

Victorian gambling. Lost every last pence in my pockets. 

The Writers Lecture with Rudyard Kippling. He did a lovely recitation of Gunga Din, and The Ballad of  East and West. 

As always it was great fun. The fodder for mockery is endless. The christmas spirit is ripe. The cinnamon almonds are delicious. And I successfully avoided blowing my entire pay check at the antiquarian booksellers shop - an impressive feat. 

Thanksgiving

In S family tradition we headed to my paternal grandparent's home for Thanksgiving. For football, christmas movies, snacks and feasting. Family birthday's and anniversaries are close by, so those got thrown in for celebration as well. 

Ben was kind enough to let me pick him up so we could drive down together. We stopped at the beach (about 8 blocks from my grandparents place) for 5 min before joining everyone.

Q's holiday cheer, dipping a cinnamon stick (from a popuri mix) in cousin D's sparkling apple cider and sucking/chewing on it. Later when J attempted to exchange the cinnamon stick for a non-popuri one she freaked out, hers smelled like roses and tasted like dust - the new one, like a cinnamon stick.

J checks on lil'J while J check's D's iPhone

Meanwhile he escapes outside.

Q thought she was so sneaky, but everyone was watching her.

J freaks out "No, Q! That's my cake."

He was elated to get a piece. 

C lectures on the use of the abacus.

Berkeley/Oakland #2

The Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland is amazing. After sacrament meeting in the Berkeley ward D & I headed over to the cemetery, it was awesome - in the true overwhelmingly awe inspiring sense of the word. I could have lingered over almost all the headstones, crypts, and mausoleums. The cemetery was designed by the same gent who set up Central Park (I learned from the Sacramento Old City Cemetery ladies several weeks ago that CP was modeled after a cemetery, though my guess is that there probably a few bodies hidden away in CP, they're really not that different). Mountain View is beautifully situated on the edge of the Oakland hills. 

Strolling through the mall sized mausoleum. 

The stain glass is gorgeous. 

Book urn? - Yes please!

D and I evaluated almost every interment method, my spectrum went from book shaped urns to the Crocker vault. While walking down a poorly cleared stairway I slipped on some debris but sadly sustained no injury - settlement for one of the empty sides of the Crocker vault would have been nice. 

I love headstones that provide more than names and dates. Mine should probably say something about the value of education - and maybe warn that one masters degree should be enough. Here are two of my favorites that we happened upon. 

Sioux Indian War? Wow!

Since you can't really read it the paragraph says: 

"Born in Oakland, Fred wanted only to be treated like every other American. Defying the 1942 order for the internment of Japanese Americans, he stood strong against anti-Asian prejudice in the United States during World War II. He challenged our nation's conscience, reminding us that we must uphold the rights of our own citizens even as we fight tyranny in other lands. A true hero and civil rights activist, Fred was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 1998."

Great job Fred! He also has one of the loveliest views in the cemetery. 

This is not Fred's view, but still lovely. 

Great 1920's super-sized headstone for the Kraft's, Egyptian theme all the way. 

The Crocker vault.

How amazing is this lock - if you're going to build a mansion style crypt - might as well put your initial on the lock. Props to Mr. Merritt.

"Darling, how would you like to spend this sunny afternoon?"

"Hmmm, let's grab some beers and go cuddle on some graves."

Romantic, Kinky, Weird? Whatever it is it was entertaining. 

Love, love, love that one pair of socks are bright white and the other - completely dingy. 

There is so much to say abut this one.... Did you know the "Bishop of Africa"was buried in Oakland? How about the "The people who sat in darkness saw great light" quote? But what is that little plaque? 

Wait? United Methodist Historic Site No. 16? What are sites 1-15? I feel a pilgrimage coming on. 

Note: No mockery of Methodism is intended by the above comments, I'm sure Mr. Taylor was a great bishop and likely had limited say in the way he was memorialized on a stone deemed important enough to be the #16 historic site for his faith. 

Loving this angel at the gate...is she/he guarding getting into the crypt or getting out of it? It's got a quill in one hand and a book in the other, the Book of Life? Writing them in, checking them off? Or is it a sign your own name in the book kind of deal? "The Twombly's were here...."

And last but not least - The Hooker memorial. D & I paid tribute to all the lovely Hookers we've never known.

The 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month they give a guided tour...I feel another visit approaching. I'd like some more background info on the residents here. At the Old City Cemetery you can adopt a plot and do research about the people buried in it, Mountain View has got to have something similar, bet there are some amazing stories. D & I were there for hours and the history thirst was barely quenched.