LaliReport

Part 1

Monday, August 13

I had asked Mike to call me at four my time to make sure I was up before the cab was to come after me that morning for the airport drive.

I didn't sleep at all so my clock said 4:01, but Mike said it was only five til four when I called him to let him know I was awake.

About four-thirty Sunny's mother called because she said that Sunny asked her to make sure I was awake as soon as she returned from taking Sunny to the airport.

The cab was supposed to come about five-fifteen, so at about four forty-five I began dragging my luggage to the door.

About ten after five, the cab driver called to let me know he was on his way.

I went to the door and just then he drove up.

Because the doors here are locked until seven, I put the luggage outside the door for him and then double-checked my purse to make sure I didn't leave anything behind.

Once my walker was folded up and put in the back seat and I was in the front seat, we took off.

I got to the airport at about five-thirty and the cab driver took all my luggage inside for me. He left it close to the check-in counter.

I went up and got my things checked in and I told them I'd use my walker to get to the plane....big mistake! I should have checked it all the way through with my luggage then and let them use a wheelchair for me. For all my flights going, I had to carry my purse, carry-on bag, walker and walker basket on my lap!

Once I was through security, I had to wait about an hour for my flight time.

I visited with a woman who was leaving St George for Oregon to visit family. We had a nice conversation.

Then finally, it was time to board.

I remember someone took my carry-on bag and handed it to the flight attendant while I struggled up the ramp to the plane. LOL!

The flight attendant stuck my carry-on under my seat and I asked for a seat belt extension as I have not lost all that much weight. LOL!

Then finally, I was on my way!

Reached LAX within an hour and a half and someone was waiting with a wheelchair for me.

But my connecting flight was with American Airlines, which was clear at the other end of the terminal....So the girl called for a handicap van and we had to wait for that.

The man who drove the handicap van was very friendly, a black man who told me he was from New York and said he and his girlfriend had been up really late the night before and both worked for the airlines and had to be at work early...at five in the morning. He said he was feeling old and I told him I'd be fifty-four next month. He laughed and said, "Honey, you have thirty years before you'll be old! I'm eighty-four."

We then had to wait for another wheelchair once we got to where American Airlines was and we visited some more. I gave him a tip for helping me out.

Then we had to get my boarding pass and go through security again.

Finally, we were headed for Chicago O'Hare...

A man across the aisle from me told me that it was his son who was sitting beside me and he wanted me to talk to him because he knew very little English.

The boy was probably about thirteen and he was tired, and I was tired and he liked to read and I liked to read and we didn't talk very much, but I feel he talked English fairly well. ;)

He told me he was Italian and he "speaks a leetle English", holding his fingers about a centimeter apart. LOL!

He was reading something with an Italian title...I was reading The Hobbit...I've been trying to finish it as I didn't absorb much of it while reading with Jill. We both dozed for awhile and then the movie on the airline was Shrek 3 and he got headphones for it, but I didn't get any, but I was able to see it and we both laughed at the frog who croaked at the beginning of the movie.

When we were over Chicago, I saw all the green and it made me homesick for Indiana...I get sick of red desert dirt sometimes. LOL!

As we were leaving the plane, I thanked the boy and his family for being so kind to me. His mother didn't speak English, but her husband interpreted what I said and she smiled at me and the man again thanked me for sitting with his son and attempting to talk to him. LOL!

Then I had to wait for awhile in Chicago before it was time to leave for Stewart airport where Diane and John were supposed to meet me.

Finally, after a little delay, we were off to Stewart.

I was sitting alone and could see the River below me and the lights as it was getting late by then. It's very beautiful up where Diane lives.

I got off the plane and had to wait for my walker so I could go up and get my baggage. Then one of the pilots found my walker for me and brought it to me and told me how to get to baggage claim.

I got off the elevator and started toward the baggage area and about fell over because there was Sunny! I had thought she'd go to bed and I wouldn't see her til morning! She started laughing right away and told me Diane was in the bathroom and John was waiting for us with the car.

Diane came out and we all had the joyous reunion before waiting for my luggage to get off the plane!

Diane and Sunny went to get my luggage and I sat down by another woman who began talking to me.

Then finally, my luggage was collected...sure glad they didn't lose it on my way to Diane's! Especially as my CD player was in one of them at the time.

Then we all went out to the car where John had pulled around for us to get in and John told me how great I looked. LOL!

We talked all the way to Diane's and I bet John was never so relieved as when Sunny and I got dropped off the next Monday morning! LOL!

When we got to Diane's, the dogs were taken out until I could get in as I have to go in the kitchen door while at her house as the front steps are steep with no railing.

There was a great reunion with Travis and Buddy....and I got to see Maggie, but she was too shy to come out of her little house that first night I was there.

I had had a granola bar for breakfast so that I could take my pills and then nothing else the rest of the day...so when I got to Diane's her spaghetti and meatballs and pork chop were a welcome repast.

Her Italian meatballs are huge, by the way! And delicious...but then all her cooking is the best....bless her Italian grandmother for teaching her how to cook! :D

Sunny was about to drop and I was tired and I wanted Buddy to sleep with me, but he's his mama's boy and wouldn't...I love him anyway!

I think, but can't remember...that Diane and I visited for awhile longer after Sunny went to the basement to go to bed.

I have more to share....Sorry I didn't get any fest pictures, but some doggy and guinea pig pictures to share soon.

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Part 2

Tuesday, August 14

The following morning I slept in a bit. I suppose it was about seven-thirty when I woke or eight.

I had gone to bed with the door opened and I heard chop, chop, chop when I woke, but no light was showing from the kitchen or dining room so I thought...what is that noise?!

It wasn't til I actually sat up that I realized the door was shut! John had shut it so the dogs wouldn't disturb me....and I so wanted to be woke up by cute beagles! LOL!

I went to the bathroom and then gathered up my pills to put on the dining room table so I wouldn't forget to take them with breakfast.

That's when I found out the chopping noise that woke me was Diane chopping the chicken she was making for dinner. ;)

Diane was getting ready to fix breakfast and asked how I wanted my eggs and did I want sausage. I told her an omelet with mozzarella cheese was fine and that's what I had with sausage and orange juice as well as some of the special drink from wal-mart she had told me about in White Grape. It was great!

Of course, two beagles don't realize they've already had breakfast, so while we were all eating breakfast, we had company.

I got a shower and I will never know how I managed that first morning getting in and out of the shower....but I did.

I gave Sunny and Diane their gifts I had for them and Diane gave me an owl bell that had belonged to her mother to give to my friend, Chris, who had colored my hair for me before I left.

I see from my notes that it must have been seven or so when I woke up because it was around eight when I showered after breakfast.

We visited and I got to play with Travis and Buddy...mostly rub their bellies..and then for lunch I had a little bit of watermelon because Diane was busy fixing her big dinner for us.

We watched some tv and had on Boomerang on the Cartoon Network and a bear was laughing making noises and his belly was rolling and growling and Sunny laughed and said, "There's Mike!"

(Sorry, Mike!)

I wanted to play my CD from Mike when it came, but my cd player wouldn't open, but John got it fixed by banging it on the counter.

Sunny was in her glory as she got to take out Travis and Buddy a lot while we were there.

For dinner that night we had Italian Fried Chicken, broccoli and mashed potatoes...all were delicious. Diane is a great cook, in case I hadn't mentioned it before. LOL!

Sunny had gone down to the basement to bed and I went arf arf at Travis, which set him off in a barking fit at me. LOL! Once Travis starts, he doesn't like to stop.

Buddy kept running into my walker, poor thing!

We all got to talk to Mike on the phone that night. We wanted him to know that the CD had come and also that the DVD he sent us had arrived.

Mike had written a wonderful note to us and Diane made copies so we could all keep it. Thanks, Mike!

I wrote that I was so tired, so I think we all went to bed early that night.

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Part 3

Wednesday, August 15

My sister's birthday and my brother-in-law's too and I didn't call either of them. I'm so bad! LOL!

Well, I thought I'd take a shower that morning by using a chair to get in and out of the tub, but what a scary situation and there was no way I was calling for help! LOL!

Diane made us French toast for breakfast...yummy!

Sunny was still trying to find sandals to wear for the festival and Diane and Sunny convinced me that the top I intended to wear with my Hawaiian dress didn't really match so off we went to Wal-mart to look for sandals for Sunny and a blouse for me.

Sunny shops like my sister. LOL!

She left her shoes with me and a pair she was trying on right in the middle of the aisle...I saw people going around them. LOL!

The shoes she wanted were cute and a size bigger than her normal size, but she said they would fit her mother when she was through with them and got them. (Later she had a blister because of them, but be elegant or die!)

She found a blouse for me. It was hard for me to get the riding cart down the narrow aisles and she found a 16/18 in French vanilla. And it only cost me five dollars. Plus I got a pack of extra gum, which I still have some of because I don't chew gum very often.

I couldn't believe I could get in a 16/18! I usually wear between a 1X and a 3X in clothes! And the blouse went great with my dress! You can see that in some of the pictures on Sunny's site.

Diane told us she was treating us to "real New York pizza" that night and John was going to be late that night so she and Sunny were going to go out and pick it up.

Poor Travis! As soon as he saw Mama and Sunny get in the car, he had to lay up in the bay window and watch every move!

I tried to get him to come to me, but no way. Buddy, however, stayed on the couch with me.

When Sunny and Diane returned, Travis went crazy! He ran to the kitchen and skidded to the side door barking happily.

Sunny likes mushrooms and I do too so Diane heated up a can of them for us to spoon over our pizzas. Oh! It was delicious.

I mentioned that we should watch the movie Mike sent our way, but they weren't interested and I still haven't seen it although I brought it home with me. However, I talked to our activity director today and she said we could watch it with the others who live here sometime...whenever I say, but I have to see what she has on the calendar before I decide.

We knew we had to be packed up for the festival and we made sure we did that the night before. I had to make sure I packed my cd and cd player to take with me.

When I first got the cd, I tried to play it, but my cd player wouldn't open and John had to bang it on the kitchen counter to open it. It works fine now! Thanks, John! A friend in need is a friend indeed! Of course, Mike told me it just needed to be banged a little to open it. LOL!

For lunch that day I had some of the leftover Italian Fried Chicken with help from two cute beagles! LOL! It was just as good cold!

Diane told me before I came she was going to turn me on to flavored seltzer water from Wal-mart, and she did and I am hooked...no calories and no sugar! Delicious stuff.

Knowing we had to get up early the next morning, we all went to bed early. Well, not quite as early as Sunny. LOL!

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Part 4

Thursday, August 16

I had eggs, sausage and toast for breakfast and we were going to head for the hotel and Sleepy Hollow soon.

John was having his day off so he was out mowing the lawn while we were doing some last-minute preparations to take off.

This was Elvis's anniversary and I saw Lisa Marie interviewed and couldn't get over how much she looks like him!

Diane got a GPS and she hadn't named her yet and on the way out of town, we came up with Christine as her name.

She got us to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery without too much backtracking.

What a great place to go! Wow!

They have a visitor's center, but not much there, but we each got a copy of the map.

We found Washington Irving's family plot and also his mausoleum, which Sunny took a picture of. I told Diane we ought to see how Sunny handled the cemetery at midnight, but it only stays open until 4:30.

I was just teasing because while at Diane's we watched Friday the Thirteenth the Series on Chiller and Sunny was so squeamish about it. I couldn't believe the way she was acting. LOL!

We got to go to where the Horseman's bridge was, but I didn't get out as I didn't think I'd be able to handle it very well with my walker. Of course, it was not the original Horseman's bridge, but when Diane and Sunny got back in the car, they were telling me how scary it was to be on it while a car went over it.

There's some great pics of Diane on it that Sunny took.

Then we were headed for the Hotel. Wow! Was it ever a nice one!

Of course, we wanted to turn left where there was no left turn! Seems this is a feature on many New York streets. LOL! With no left turns, it made us confused about where we needed to go and ended up going past the hotel two times before we were in the right place.

We checked in and asked someone at the desk for directions to a CVS and ended up at a Stop and Shop....but we were hungry by then.

We decided to stop at a Diner for lunch and this is when Sunny made me laugh so hard.

We were asking a man if he could find a place for my walker while we ordered and ate and Sunny kept calling my walker a "stroller". LOL! I even teased her once when she sat on the seat that I'd have to push the "baby" on my stroller!

We had a very good lunch and then headed back to the hotel so we were on the right side of the street now.

When we got to our room and they didn't have the roll away set up when we got there, but I was supposed to sleep on that.

I have to say here, that it was the most uncomfortable bed I ever slept on. I woke up with a backache every morning while we were there...sorry!

We went down to the lobby to see if there was anyone there we might know.

Judy wasn't supposed to arrive until later by cab.

We finally found Di (dlfoxy) and she, Sunny, and Diane all needed a smoke so we headed outside.

Later, I went to the public restroom and had a scare!

It was one of those self-flushing systems and I was pulling up my pants and it went off and made me jump and scream! I was so relieved there was no one else in there at the time. LOL!

I met many new people who gave me their email addys and one woman has no email, but gave me her phone number, so I'll have to find time and try to call her.

Later we were visiting in the lobby and Sunny came running in to tell me Judy had just arrived.

Before I saw Judy, though, I felt a hand on my shoulder and it was Lisa Perry who told me who she was and said she'd made it! She had been writing me the past year asking how she might handle going since she is disabled and I had convinced her she should get along fine.

Then she had barely walked away when there was Judy! She and I hugged and she told me about a bad experience she had just been through...

Then when we went up to our room...Judy was in with Diane and I and Sunny, Di and Mary Wasmer were going to be in another room down the hall from us....Judy gave me and Diane t-shirts she'd brought for us...Diane's was purple and mine was white and they were pictured with Judy's button creations...Mine was Collinwood with Be It Ever So Humble...there's No Place Like Home on it. Thanks again, Judy! I love it.

I believe we ate at The Tavern that evening, which is a little bar and grill in the Hotel. I don't remember very well since I didn't write that down.

They had some great water at the hotel...I think it had honeydew melon in it and Diane thinks there were cucumbers as well...

Nancy Kersey came up to me while Sunny and Diane were out for a smoke and I was supposed to be watching Diane's glass of wine for her.

Nancy laughed when I told her it was Diane's glass and she said, "Let's have some fun!" She told me to pretend I'd drunk the wine and lay back with my tongue hanging out...you had to see Nancy to get how funny it was.

I agreed, but I was laughing so hard....

Anyway, Nancy got an empty wine glass, put just a drop of Diane's wine in it and hid Diane's glass.

She told me when they were coming in and I fell back on the couch, closed my eyes and tried not to laugh while sticking my tongue out.

I heard Sunny say, "Where's your wine, Diane?! Hey, look at Lali!"

I opened my eyes laughing so hard!

Diane was staring at me.

Then Nancy brought out the glass of wine and Diane said, "Oh, you!"

I don't think they got over that the rest of the time I was in New York!

Judy was worn out from her flight and I think we went to bed fairly early that night.

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Part 5

Friday, August 17

I was the first one awake...as I mentioned, the rollaway gave me a backache and so I didn't sleep very late...about seven or seven-thirty. I took a shower, even though I felt light-headed. Got pretty much dressed in the dark as I didn't want to wake up Diane and Judy. Well, actually, I tried to go back to sleep for a bit since I'd thrown my nightgown on over my clean underwear.

Finally Judy and Diane started to come to life and get their showers and dress...so I dressed as well then.

I didn't know why I was so light-headed and queasy...maybe I was hungry, but luckily when Diane and Sunny went into Stop and Shop they'd got me some tylenol as well and I took that and then had to wait for breakfast to take the rest of my meds.

We decided to go to the diner we'd seen the day before for breakfast...the Eldorado...and a sweet little girl waited on us.

After breakfast, I was still a bit light-headed, which knowing we would be leaving for Lyndhurst soon, I didn't want to be!

We waited in line for the second tour bus to leave.

Sunny and Diane and Judy were watching out for me and told the bus driver that I would need a place near the front and room for my walker. He was very nice and Sunny and I rode together.

I was excited to see it, but knew I'd never make it all over the property as it is huge!

Lyndhurst is lovely inside and out and the inside could not be photographed.

The drawing room was in lovely blue patterns and shades....and then a room for Mike and me....the Library...with a grand piano and books...lots and lots of books and it was like two rooms in one. Then came Diane's favorite room the dining room! Crystal and silver and china galore on the table.

Those are the only rooms I could see because I could not use the stairs. I went out on the porch and found a chair I could wait for everyone on.

While I did, the man who received the tickets for the tours came over and talked to me. He had arthritis very bad he told me, but really enjoyed his job there meeting the fans and others who came by.

I met several of the fans I'd met the last two times I'd gone to fests and a couple of them stopped to talk to me.

Tracey Behn was one of these and she had gone onto the grounds and fell and showed me her knee which was all scraped up.

Tracey's been writing to me and told me it's all healed up now.

Thank goodness it wasn't too warm and I was finally feeling much better.

I could see Rose Cottage as I left the porch and went across the way to wait for our ride back to the hotel and visited with more people in line.

Diane, Judy, Di and Sunny made sure that I got back on the same ride with them and again Sunny and I rode together and she was laughing and talking with some men on the bus that were having to stand on the way back and we were laughing all the way back to the hotel. Our Silly Sunny really is silly! LOL!

It was time to get registered by the time we got back, but I ran up to our room to the bathroom, not wanting to get scared by the self-flushing toilet again. LOL!

As I got on the elevator a mother and father with their five year old son got on with me and yelled, "I saw Barnabas! I saw Barnabas!" He was a little black boy who was so cute and his parents told how Jonathan Frid had just arrived and was on the same floor they were.

It was time to get the strait jacket and bungie cord for Sunny already. LOL!

So I hurried down to get registered and was told that I could go up and wait for the others along the wall with some other disabled fans.

Richard Halpern came up to me and said, "Are you having fun, Lali? Is everyone treating you okay?"

I assured him that they were. LOL!

Finally, I was able to get in line and I was behind a guy named Jim, who was also disabled and we had talked for awhile while waiting.

The problem was...you couldn't just go up and register as we had last year and the year before....

First table was DVDs for sale and a few other items...and then the registration table and then the actresses who were already there for signing autographs and photographs. It was all roped off so once you were in line for registration you couldn't just go.

So I got out my wallet and first up was Lara Parker. I got her Angelique's Descent to have signed, had her sign my program, then got a picture of Angelique's portrait from parallel time for Bryan, a picture of Lara with a field of flowers for Mike and a picture of Angelique as a vampire with Barnabas' portrait for Jan (cnsgrammy...Libra sister #2). I told her I'd read The Salem Branch twice through and I had enjoyed it very much. And I gave her a copy of my card I'd sent with the baby Orangutan on it and she laughed when I gave it to her, reminding her how she'd applauded me when I had told her about my daily cards.

Then came Kathryn Leigh Scott and I got a picture of her for Jack...and she signed my program...and then Marie Wallace was up so I had her sign my program and a picture of Crazy Jenny, which I got for Carol (shefang).

Marie Wallace and I had been very friendly the past two fests and when she saw me, she smiled and said, "Ah, it's good to see you again." I told her how much I had enjoyed her book I'd read, too.

That's all the autographs I got then and for the rest of the fest since Betsy Durkin-Matthes and Diana Millay were not yet there.

Then the program was ready to start by that time and I went into the ballroom and Jim Pierson was coming up to announce the program as I sat down.

We did find some time for dinner because I have written down that Diane bought dinner at the Tavern for us. I was going to help pay, but she wouldn't let me. Thanks, Diane!

First up on the program was a Memorial for Craig Hamrick, who died this past year.

Marie Wallace spoke about him first and she said she knew him through Louis Edmonds. And Craig is the one who ran Marie's website for her at first until she'd learned to run it herself. He was also the one who helped end her memoirs and she said he was always patient, sweet and kind. She told that though he was so ill at the end, he never complained and kept right on working. And during his illness he'd written five books.

Lara Parker said that he had designed her website for her and he had a passion for life. She said he never acted like there was anything wrong with him and he had helped Nancy Barrett with her Cabaret act. She also said he was smart and well-educated.

Then Kathryn Leigh Scott spoke about him briefly.

Then it was time for the actresses to speak about Dark Shadows and themselves.

And they showed a video clip of KLS and she told that she was 106 pounds dripping wet at the time. LOL! She also told us she had recently lost her mother and she'd died a licensed driver at age 93. She told that she'd worked with Johnny Depp on 21 Jump Street and she was so pleased that he was working on a new Dark Shadows movie.

Marie Wallace then spoke and told she had no favorite character, but that she loved Jenny and that when she was playing the part, the song she sang was an old English lullaby. When she joined the cast of Somerset, she got a call from Dan Curtis to do another DS character, but it was too late as she'd already accepted the job and signed the contract.

Lara Parker shared some of her DS experiences as well, but I'm afraid my notes are kind of skimpy there. Too bad because of the actresses who go to the festivals, I have to admit she's my very favorite.

Then it was time for me to go to a party Nancy Kersey had invited us to and it was for the Collinsport Players and Jonathan Frid!

I was very proud of Sunny as she behaved herself very well while there.

I was sitting alone against the wall on my walker seat and was content to sit back and watch, but suddenly, Sunny and Nancy were making sure I had a chair in the middle of the room.

I got to see KLS jump into Mr. Frid's lap and then Lara Parker threaten her from behind. LOL!

I felt sorry for Jonathan Frid though with all the flashes going off while pictures were taken. I am sure he was very tired.

Sunny kept me supplied with something to drink while I was there.

When it was about over, I left and went down, hoping to catch the showings of House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows.

I got to watch quite a bit because it was obvious they had not started on time with HoDS....but when Jeff was about to meet up with Professor Stokes, I was exhausted and went up to our room, found myself alone and went to bed, but it was already about one in the morning then.

I think I remember Judy coming in, but not Diane. I think she had a rehearsal for the skit again.

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Part 6

Saturday, August 18

We all were sleeping in this morning....Judy, Diane and I, but again, I was the first one up around eight. I showered and threw back on my gown and tried to go back to sleep for a bit.

When we were all up and getting dressed, we called Sunny's room and asked if Di could go to the El Dorado and get breakfast since we had a menu with us.

I got oatmeal again, as I had the day before. The serving was huge and very good...since I needed to have something to stick to my ribs with my medicine. LOL!

We met a friend of Judy's, Anne Flack, and she hung around with us for most of the rest of the fest. I've written to her a few times since returning home.

Since Anne was also disabled, we were under strick instructions to save a table for us for the banquet that night....

During the first part of the programming, Judy and Anne sat in front of me and a nice couple were sitting with me...sorry I didn't get their names.

Marcy Robin's fan panel was first up. I like Marcy....she does the Shadowgrams and has always been kind to me. I saw her this year and she waved to me. She's also the co-founder of the festivals. She talked quite a bit about the new Dark Shadows movie with Johnny Depp. She also mentioned that their may be a musical planned. She explained in detail about the reason the pilot did not sell for Warner Brothers...things technical, voting and decisions that were made. She said that Johnny Depp is a self-proclaimed DS fan...well, aren't we all? ;)

She mentioned about the date that Dan died and that development had begun on a script for a new scifi channel television series. She also made mention of the ending of the series on the Scifi channel in 2003....groan! It's been that long?!...when the contract ran out! I think it would have been better for the contract to be extended for the last few episodes, myself!

She suggested that any fans who hadn't yet put in votes for Chiller TV to run Dark Shadows should do so.

She also mentioned that there was to be a new adult TV show on HBO with four couples of varying ages on Sunday nights in the near future that seemed to be--according to her--closely like Dark Shadows.

She told us that Jamison Todd Selby (David's son) has a new website out called about.la.com. I haven't yet checked it out, but intend to.

When asked about the original Josette's music box, she told us it had disappeared.

This was during the question and answer session where the fans got to ask her questions.

She talked about Michael McGuire who played Judah Zachary had died and that Robert Cobert's wife recently died as well.

She said Robert's music....some of it Jazz...was on CDs.

While this was going on, a lady who had heard I was from Utah came up to me to let me know that the rescuers of the Miners had just been killed. She had seen it on the news before coming down for the programming.

I don't know what her name was...we didn't have a chance to exchange names or addys, but I appreciated her concern.

Judy told me later it had been on the news the night before.

Marcy mentioned the reason for the two events last year had been due to the 40th anniversary of the show.

When someone asked why the original Sam Evans and Willie Loomis had left the show, Marcy said James Hall had been fired and I whispered to Judy it was because he sucked! LOL!

She wasn't sure about Mark Allen...why he left the show.

She said that Humbert Allen Astrado was that actor's real name...not a stage name...when asked.

Up next were the fan videos. The first one was by Julie Gates who had sang "Light in the Shadows" at last year's costume gala...she'd spliced in scenes from DS and it was so fantastic! It brought tears to my eyes and later I had a chance to tell her how wonderful it was! She has a beautiful voice and is a lovely girl as well.

Judy and I loved the Barnabas and Angelique love scenes in the video...but of course! ;)

The highlight of the video for me was seeing Morgan's great final scene! haha!

A couple of other videos made by fans were called Barnabas Collins Love Bandit and Barnybuss.

But nothing else compared with Julie's fantastic performance.

Then I moved back farther as I had to take a bathroom break and Diana Millay came on. If you can't say anything else about her, she is fantastic at her love and care of rescuing animals.

She also conducts Egyptian tours throughout the year.

She loves to travel and hates leaving her pets behind.

She pleaded with the fans not to throw out animals and also not to let their small children be alone with their pets.

Jokingly, she told us she couldn't really remember one thing about Dark Shadows.

She mentioned that David Hennessey is running a hotel in South America.

She said Dark Shadows had a wonderful crew and that she loved working on Dark Shadows.

She also said that one of her desires is to write a novel about THE PHOENIX. She has written a book THE POWER OF HALLOWEEN, which she said is her favorite holiday. LOL!

Another book she wrote is RATHER EAT THAN ACT.

Next up was Betsy Durkin-Matthes, who I just adore! She is so pretty....looking little as she did when she was on Dark Shadows. She grew up in Newburgh, New York, where Stewart Airport is, with her grandparents. She lost her father when she was a small child so her grandfather was the only father figure she remembered.

She told that when she auditioned for the part of Victoria Winters, it happened that her grandfather died and she was leaving the funeral when she received her lines for the show the very next day!

Her book she has out, which she was promoting last year, is Dressing the Man You Love.

She said when she met Jonathan Frid it was an adventure just getting into the room as the staff was giving 20 different directions.

Up next were clips of Barnabas on the screen.

And Jonathan Frid talked about each clip. He was given a standing ovation and everywhere you could feel the excitement of each fan!

It didn't matter if you were a Barnabas fan or not! Barnabas Collins was in the ballroom and it was a great adventure for all!

He shared experiences he had in Paraguay, they had one clip with Julia and Vicki in Spanish to show us.

He told us that Barnabas had three different pronunciations depending on where you were and the accents.

He said his trip to Paraguay was not only unforgettable because of the fans, but also because it was dangerous and he was taken to jail and thought he'd never be seen again.

The Paraguay government had to move him to another hotel.

Then they brought on stage Larry Storch to be reunited with Jonathan. It was an electrifying moment for all attendees.

Then I took another quick break as it was time for the Charity Auction...all procedes go to the Alzheimer foundation and I can't remember all the things that were bid on, but the one that went for the most was Dan Curtis' little black book, which John Schaeffer, one of the Collinsport Players, got for $1100!

John is such a cute guy! Whether dressed as Dorothy or as himself...LOL!

Another item I remember was a shirt that was Michael Stroka's. It was just a plain plaid shirt, but I guess that didn't matter to whoever got it.

There were video tapes auctioned off, as well as books from Dan Curtis' library. I was interested in one of them, but I didn't have the money to bid on anything.

Next up was supposed to be Golden Shadows with the Collinsport Players, featuring our own Diane Eckert as Blanche, but Jonathan was tired and wished to get his Dramatic Readings done first, so graciously, the Collinsport Players waited patiently for that part of the program to get done.

Here's where I slipped out for a bit to run up to our room and change for the banquet...we still had to get our banquet tickets, and the banquet started at seven. Like every year, we were running behind in the scheduling.

You must remember that it was only a two-day event which means so much was being crammed in to those two days.

So once I had my clothes on for the banquet....I was wearing a navy jumper with a mauve patterned blouse...I went down to hear more of Jonathan's readings.

I went in and there was standing room only by then so I wheeled my walker to the back wall and sat on the seat...thank goodness! I would never have made it otherwise.

Of course, there were many people there because this was the event everyone was waiting for.

Even though Jim Pierson asked people to turn off cell phones and keep seated, so many people disregarded his orders. It was aggravating to me because people around me were all talking to friends on their cell phones and not quietly, either! Grrr! I felt bad for Mr. Frid! It must have aggravated him as well.

I was secretly hoping that Jim Pierson or someone else would start throwing the rude fans out of the ball room. LOL!

No one did though.

For the most part, I did enjoy the dramatic readings that I got to hear. Thank you, Mr. Frid, for making this a nice experience for all who attended!

Then finally, the Collinsport Players were getting ready to go on stage and I got to move closer and for awhile was across the way from them when Sunny got their picture.

Diane's dress was lovely and a little revealing, but hey! She was Blanche Devereaux! What else did you expect? LOL! Diane was beautiful like always, too!

And that John Schaeffer is such a tease, too! :)

Finally the Golden Girls music started and off to the stage they went!

The highlight of the show was when Lara Parker joined them onstage as Angelique! She brought the house down.

I may have mentioned before that she is my favorite actress at the festivals.

I love Wally, who plays Willie in the Collinsport Players and love, love, love Richard Halpern, who does Barnabas so well!

Then it was time to close down the ball room and for us to get our banquet tickets.

John Schaeffer laughed and said, "Well, Lalipop, I have to go and change into a man now!"

Luckily I did not have to stand as long as I had to at registration.

Anne and I were sitting near the front of the line until they told us we could go up.

Then we had another long wait while they got the banquet hall...ballroom actually...ready for us to go in.

When they told us we could go in, we showed our banquet tickets and got into the room.

I picked a table...57...near the back...sorry, but the room was packed so tightly, I couldn't get my walker any nearer.

Then stupid dummy me! I threw my ticket in my wallet instead of keeping it out.

Finally we were all at the table and still people needed seats. We got two couples to come to our table...there were ten to twelve chairs at each table and we counted about eighty tables!

Our waiter was a big black man, who Sunny said reminded her of one of the Planet of the Apes characters...not that she nor I are prejudiced...it's just the honest truth!

Well, I was starting to eat my salad, which the guy threw on the table...and he started coming around to collect the tickets!

Yikes! I couldn't find mine. I knew I had put it in my wallet!

Diane started helping me look for it, dumping my huge purse on her chair.

I looked through my wallet three times and finally, when I was about to give up, there it was stuck between two twenty dollar bills.

Later I was told that the waiter was glaring down at me the whole time and I told them if I'd known that, I would have been slower about finding it! LOL!

As it was, Anne had gone out for wine and left her ticket lying on the table and had a terrible time getting back in since she didn't have her ticket with her!

And to make matters worse, while she was gone the waiter had removed her ticket off the table and then came and tried to collect it from her a second time! Poor Anne. She had no idea what had happened to it, but Sunny or someone else had seen the waiter take it.

Finally, Diane came back to sit down and told us that the big ape had ran right into her rudely and unapologetically!

During the banquet dinner, which was salad, chicken and stir-fry veggies as well as cheesecake (See Judy's masterpiece in the fest pictures by Diane), the actresses each came up to talk about Jonathan Frid and acting with him!

Jonathan had begun signing the pictures, but got stopped many times to go up and talk with each actress....so that by the time dinner was over only a few of the pictures were signed.

Jim made an announcement that Jonathan was very tired and would be signing the rest of the pictures at nine a. m. the next morning.

We were disappointed, but could certainly understand.

We left the banquet and hung around with our fellow fest-attendees.

Carol Flores had me pose for some pictures with her and other friends.

Then we hung around in the lobby and Judy wanted us to perform her song for her skit and I was going to sing my Scream, Scream, Scream then as well.

Judy and Sunny made a trip to pick up the scripts, my cd player and I had my CD in my purse.

When they returned, Judy, Diane and I sang the Collinsport song from Judy's script with a new verse for Tarrytown that Judy wrote on the spot, and then some girls up above us sang a song as well.

Then I put in my CD and sang with it and got a round of applause.

Mike, thanks so much for burning the CD for me and I've promised to sing it at next year's costume gala!

Richard Halpern loved the picture on the CD and told me to show it to the Collinsport Players, but I was hesitant until he insisted. By then the Collinsport Players, Lara Parker and Marie Wallace were in the little gathering room off the lobby and there were a couple of steps down.

I went to the top of the steps and Nancy Kersey came to talk to me and I showed her the CD and told her Richard wanted me to show it to the Collinsport Players, but I was hesitant.

She helped me down the steps and right behind Peter Mac and Wally. I showed it first to Peter and he passed it around.

When I retrieved it from Diane, Wally introduced himself and I told him I was Lali and he and I laughed about Wally and Lali meeting.

I even told him that when he was Willie I wanted to tear his clothes off!

We both laughed over that.

Then Sunny came down with my walker so I could get back up the steps into the lobby.

By then it was already past one-thirty and I was exhausted, as was Sunny, so we went upstairs.

I told Sunny on the elevator about what I'd said to Wally and as we stepped off the elevator on our floor, she screamed: "You really are the Internet Slut!"

It was nearly two when I was ready to go to sleep.

Around three Diane came in exhausted and Judy stayed down with Lara Parker and the others until four-thirty in the morning....and the next day it was not only check-out time, but we had to be up at nine to get our pictures signed by Jonathan Frid!

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Part 7

Sunday, August 19

I guess I am used to getting by on little sleep because despite the fact that I went to bed around two in the morning, I was up before eight and got in the shower and got dressed in the dark again.

Diane and Judy were much slower getting up and Diane stirred and I asked her what time she wanted to get up.

She said nine, and I said, "Isn't nine when we're supposed to be down to get our pictures signed by Frid?"

With a groan, she and Judy admitted they had to get up and dress.

Breakfast would have to wait for awhile because we had to get packed to leave as well. Actually, I'd done most of my packing when I went back to the room that morning before I went to sleep.

So Judy and I went down to the lobby about the same time and I sat down by the wall to wait for her to get closer to go up with her, but then Sunny and Di were closer to the front and Sunny told me to sneak into line with them.

I think Judy had Diane's pic to have signed for her. Di had Mary's since Mary had to leave before morning.

They were rushing people pretty much so I didn't get to speak to Jonathan Frid, but did get my autographed picture.

The night before Diane had let us all talk to Mike on her cell phone.

It seemed to take forever for Sunny to get ready to leave the hotel that morning....she laughed about it later because it was a little nerve-wracking.

We had our breakfast at the little diner we'd been having it and this time I had five dollars to give our little waitress who had been so fantastic to us! The third Diane and her family joined us for breakfast.

We had to say good-bye to Judy and it was a pretty tearful time for us. She was off to go through New England finding her father's roots.

With the GPS, it seemed we were back at Diane's house before we knew it.

My silly tracfone had not worked during my trip and when I first arrived at Diane's, but now it worked fine and I called Mike as soon as we were in on it to let him know we made it back from Tarrytown.

No rest for the weary, though. I had to finish packing things for the next day.

That evening we had Sicilian pizza for dinner and I made a last-ditch effort to get Diane and Sunny to watch the DVD of Creator Mike had sent us.

They both made a face, which I took to mean they didn't wish to see it and so I packed it to bring home. I still need to see it and when I have, I'll send it Diane's way and then Sunny can have it to see. My activity director here said I could see it sometime for an activity.

We all talked to Mike that night one more time before I would be headed home.

Then came the news...John wanted to pack up the car before he went to bed as we would not have much time because he would have to take us to the airport, come home, change cars, and commute to work!

That meant, we had to leave at four-thirty in the morning for my 7:10 am flight and Sunny's 1 PM flight.

Sunny, the early riser, would sleep in her pajamas, but I was sure I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, so I dressed in the jumper and blouse I was wearing home.

I managed to get maybe one to two hours of sleep.

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Part 8

Monday, August 20

Dawn came much too early. Time to say good-bye to Diane, Travis, Buddy and Maggie...We would say good-bye to John at the airport.

For breakfast I had a granola bar Judy had given me so I could take my pills before I left.

Diane was only half-way awake. She gave us each a hug.

John put the last of the luggage in the car and my walker.

Then we were headed for Newburgh and Stewart Airport.

On the way we talked to John and had some laughs and he told us he pretty much let Diane have her way because it wasn't smart to argue with her...right! Like we believed that. LOL!

As John was getting the luggage out of the trunk for us, Sunny was saying she could help me with mine and then a man named Tommy (I found out later) came up and asked if we could use some help.

Sunny said, "How much will it cost?"

He shrugged and John...thank you, John!...said, "Could you help these ladies as they are on a tight budget?"

And he said he would.

He had an Irish accent which was great to hear.

Then I had to stand in line...my check-in was near the door, but Sunny had to go down further. She went to get checked in and have her luggage secured behind the counter.

I have written in my diary how nervous I was about my flight as it was hectic...layovers in O'Hare and Los Angeles that would make it near midnight when I got home, and St George Airport closes at midnight!

As it happened, by the time I had checked in my luggage and was going through security, there was a delay until 9:20 posted.

Sunny and I parted at security...she was sweet to stick with me til then! Thanks, Sunny! Love ya!

As we parted, Sunny cried, "I love you! I have to go home to Toni!"

And I cried, "I love you, too. I have to go back where there's no pets!"

She told me later she watched me go through security and be wheeled off to my waiting room.

Someone came up to me, I was reading THE HOBBIT at the airport as I was almost finished with it...I had to read it to myself so I'd get more out of it than I did while reading with Jill....who was on the same flight with me and said she was waiting, too. She'd come in to New York with me and was going home at the same time.

Then a man came over in a uniform and told me there would be someone coming to help me preboard soon.

Finally we were on our flight to Chicago.

We started for the gate at last and then the pilot came on and said, we were being rerouted to Canada and down to Dallas Fort Worth....I'm thinking what?!

So we had to go back and get more fuel before we set out.

It ended up being eleven-thirty by the time we took off for O'Hare...and it is O'Hare where we ended up landing at last. There had been storms and fear of flooding. Talk about nervous.

As it was when I finally landed in Chicago, I had missed my next flight, which was kind of all right. My layover in LA would have been eight hours if I'd been on time.

I thought when I got to LA with the long layover, I might be able to get something to eat, but no...not likely! I was stuck waiting for a wheelchair to get me to my flight and no one friendly enough to talk to and maybe have them get me something from one of the two restaurants across from the waiting area.

There was an adorable little boy there waiting for the flight before mine and he was flirting with me! Little boys always flirt with me. Never the big boys! LOL!

Finally around nine-thirty, I was on my way to St George.

I was in a front seat. My flight attendant was a nice lady.

Only drinks were served on all my flights and no way to even get a sandwich or cookie out of the vending machine when I landed in St George.

I had my carry-on with me that had my cd player in it and my purse, and was in a wheelchair waiting for my things to come off the baggage claim. Only two bags were there and nothing else!

The man who was working the last shift came to lock the doors. I had already called the cab to come for me...it was time for them to close as well.

I told the man when he asked if those last two bags were mine that they were not and my walker hadn't arrived yet either.

Now I was up a crick without a paddle as the saying goes.

He went to get a form to fill out and my cab pulled up right then.

The cab driver came in and the airport man told him what had happened and that I would be right there.

The man from the airport gave me a number to call about my luggage and a copy of the form and then wheeled me out to the cab and helped me in.

I wanted to cry by then, but managed not to.

The cab driver was very nice. He asked how I was going to get in to my apartment. I told him what door to drop me off at and asked if he could just hold my arm so I could get to the door and then I could make it to my apartment from there because I could hold onto the walls to get there since it was the first apartment around from the staircase.

He stayed with me while I unlocked the outside door and went in. I had paid him when he was getting my bag out for me.

I went in and held onto the wall, then managed to pass the staircase and hold on to the other wall.

I got inside my apartment and was so glad that "Henrietta" had given up her old walker when she got a new one and I had that to use once I made it to my bedroom to get it.

I think I called Mike to let him know I'd made it in...about two his time...and then I had a horrible time getting some sleep...but I didn't feel like eating then.

And so began my nightmare of no luggage...and I'd wanted to do my laundry right away the next morning, but couldn't!

I had no clean slacks either. I had to wear a dress for the next two days.

I had called the airline, they had located my luggage and walker still in Chicago!

It had to be sent first to LA and then here to St George.

I got a call from Skywest when my luggage came in and told me it would be delivered on Wednesday to me.

I was lucky to get it back!

I was never so glad to have anything back as my own walker! "Henrietta's" old one is cheap and not very sturdy!

The man who brought my walker and luggage to me recognized me as he had delivered pizza to me. He told me he had two people to deliver luggage to, but he came to me first because he figured I needed my walker! LOL!

I was never so happy to see my things!

This is the end!