death and taxes

Yes, it's a paycheck from the National Funeral Directors Association. I worked on the design of a study guide to accompany an episode of Frontline (check your local listings), entitled The Undertaking. The episode should air in most areas this week. Death and taxes all in one handy envelope!

This afternoon the Cupcakes™ and Miss Bethany attended a tour of one of our local cemeteries, hosted by the local historical society. The Washington Avenue Cemetery isn't the oldest in Middletown, but it's pretty cool.







And we did have a tour guide, unlike the last time we walked through the grounds.







You can see some other images here, and since the headstones are all falling apart, I'll add any and all of my images to the set.

I don't have any pictures of my Halloween costume for you, but I know some were taken, so I'm sure they'll turn up.

Here they are now...

more things, more often

Hello, sports fans.

In case you didn't know, everyone in America is entitled to a free "Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco" from Taco Bell next Tuesday, because a base was stolen during the World Series.

In other news, the Cupcakes™ went to Rhinebeck, NY last weekend to attend the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, for the second year in a row. On the way there we saw good ol' Easter Island Head...



...and leaves...



...and then we got there...



...and there were pumpkins...



...and tortoises...



...and alpacas...



...and, of course, the sheeps...









There was naturally, the yarns, which I resisted, but also the steam engines, which I fascinated by...



...the rock chewer...



...WHOA! LOOK! VIDEO!!! [this is a test, this is only a test]



!!!ALSO MORE VIDEO!!! of strange lonely coughing steam engine...



...anyway, it was a perfect day for a mostly outdoor festival, fall in New England, and a fine time was had by all, despite what these knutty knitters might tell you about my disposition...



We had some apple crisp...



...and there were some new signs, just in case...



Words to live by. Touched Me? Wash Me!

Also, two "No Comment" photos, this...



...and especially THIS...



THANKYOUVERYMUCHGOODNIGHT!!!!

New lens

It's not that late, and I haven't been drinking any more than usual, but I really like looking at these pictures I just took.







...and just from messing with my 69¢ kaleidoscope from the Goodwill and my camera.



Those are all from this lamp.



There are an infinite number of other things, of course.





Including Mouse. In black & white.





And the livingroom. In black & white.





And my eye.





Spooky.

Treasures and Adventures

Guess what? There's still more old crap in our house!



Mrs. Cupcakes found this drafting set of compii up in her closet. German made, green velvet lined leather case, guessing it was 30s or 40s era.

One of my favorite details is that the snaps on the case have the initials of the manufacturer on them



E-D-C-O, for Eugene Dietzgen Company.



We had visitors from many lands (Montanna and North Carolina) over the past week. Mrs. Cupcakes' mom stopped in for a bit and we showed her around, and then this weekend Dean was here after being at a conference in Boston earlier in the week. We showed Dean around as well, and he persuaded us to go find Holy Land USA over in Waterbury. We knew it had been closed for quite some time, but that was what made him want to go as it would be his third visit to a closed Holy Land-themed park. Who knew there were so many? Dean knew. So we went. There he goes now!



It was fascinating and sad to see it in it's current state of collapse. And creepy-as-all-get-out.











You can read all about it here. The rest of my flickr set is here.