Dark Shadows

When I was flipping stations the other day, (back's very much better now) I watched a few minutes of a ghost hunting thing taking place at Seaview Terrance in Newport, R.I.  I stopped to watch because they gave a brief history of the "house"...sure.... and that it was used as the Background shot of one of my favorite television shows of the late 60's and early 70s.   Dark Shadows.......

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The actual home, Seaview Terrace, began in Dupont Circle, in Washington D.C. in 1907 by Liquor millionaire, Edson Bradley.  In the 1920s, he had it taken apart, stone by stone and moved to Newport Rhode Island.  Can you imagine?   The move began in 1923 and took 5 years to complete.  54 rooms on three floors, moved.

Mrs Bradley, a music lover is supposed to still haunt the home and continues to play her piano in the music room.  If she loved that house enough to move it, I guess she loves it enough not to leave it either.

It became a school from 1951 -61 after being bought from the City of Newport (when the family lost it over back taxes) for $8000.   40,000 square feet.  $8,000.... I think that even  in 1950 dollars that has still got to be the steal of the decade.  As with the great plantations of the south, it's not the price of the building, it's the upkeep that is so expensive.

 In the later 60s it was called Burnham by the Sea, and was a school for girls.   Can you imagine?  That was during the time Dark Shadows was huge. It would be like going to school at Hogwarts today.

They do have a website.  http://www.seaviewterrace.org/index.html

It doesn't say anything about it being open so it may be a private home again.  I did see other sites where people have gone there, so Maybe now it's closed to the public.  It is just fun seeing a little piece of our past really exists.

I'm wondering if they will use it for the new movie too.  They almost have to for us oldsters that know what the house looked like.

Johnny Depp.....Barnabus Collins
Helea Bonham Carter.... Dr. Julia Hoffman
Elizabeth Collins Stoddard...Michelle Pfeiffer 

 

You can still see some of the out takes of scenes and bloopers on Youtube.  Of course it looks pretty cheesy now, but back then, I was hooked.

With the Twilight series so big, I think this one will draw some interest just based on the vampire thing.  For me though, I'm remembering that teen that rushed home to see what was going to happen next in Collinsport.

Ouch, I'm All Better Again

I managed to do something painful to my lower back just by bending over to get my pitcher of iced tea out of the fridge.  The minute I bent at the waist, I could feel my lower back yell.  I have never had that happen before.  It was very ouchy for about 3 days, this being the 4th, but is about 75% better today.  Thank goodness.  This is no time of year to be restricted anymore than the aches and pains of wrapping gifts on the floor or sitting too long at the computer generally get me.  I think I may have to rethink that floor thing.

 While I was stuck on the couch for those few days, I watched an Investigation Discovery program I had recorded.  It was simply called "GONE" about the disappearance of Aeryn Gillern, a 32 year old American gay man, living and working in Vienna, Austria.  His mother. a former police officer,  got a call from his boyfriend, saying that Aeryn had been missing for 4 days, I believe.   I do not know how to add this link  other than just by coping it here.  There is a Facebook page for him as well.

     http://www.aeryngillern.com/Aeryn_Gillern/Home.html

The lack of information furnished to this mother, the lack of respect to her as a former police officer, and the total uselessness of the American Embassy in a foreign country astounded me.  We believe, as Americans, that embassy is there to come to the rescue.  Not so.  They can't make the local police do anything.... and doing nothing is exactly what the Vienna police do.  This mother has yet to see the official police report after numerous inquiries.   Her loss is heartbreaking.  Aeryn was a wonderful son, a great employee and a good friend to many.  I hope this is not the end of the story.

Please indulge me a  moment to revel in the victory of a Michigan Football win over our nemesis Ohio State, in a rivalry that is simply called "The Game".  My husband is one of four brothers that grew up playing and loving football.  At one point there were 3 brothers playing on his high school team.  All during those years, his college years and afterwards he followed Michigan's Bo Schembechler's Wolverines. There were good years and a great year with Gary Moeller after Bo retired and then came the era of Rich Rodriquiz when Michigan football faltered and life on Saturdays was a little trying in our household.  We now have a new coach, Brady Hoke and a new attitude.  Michigan football now stands at 10 -2.  That 10th win was Saturday against Ohio, who had beat us 7 games in a row.  (8-1 in conference play,  with that one being Michigan State....dang it)   We had texts going across the country and even Twitter was alive with Michigan tweets.  So congrats to Michigan Football and hail to the Victors!

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I found an old photo, in an old metal frame, from the 1950's of my sister and I.  When I took the photo out I discovered this young woman behind it.  She was the picture that came with the frame.

In the bottom right corner is printed Marilyn Monroe - printed in the USA.  At the top corner is The Art Publishing Company and under that is Chicago, Ill.   I could not find anything on it.  So, Allie, this is for your new hot pink room.  She should feel very comfortable there.

Now I need to go see what all of you have been doing.