ComicCon 2004, Pittsburgh and Travelogue

Wednesday, 28 April, 2004 – Friday, 7 May, 2004

by GitonCrais

 

(Cohorts in this tale: CIM-CraisIsMine, CT-CraisTrelk, EC-EmeraldCity2,

NMC-NoMoreCrichton,PKLib-PKLibrarian and me as myself-Giton)

 

Wednesday, Day 1

Travelling started off well. Arrived at Schiphol in time and did my shopping. A silly headache was squashed by Panadol Zap, boy that really works fast. No delays at take-off, get to Detroit in time.

 

Got to customs, happy as I always am and remembered from the last time not to smile too much and I have two bags. Everyone is moved to a separate lane, most unproductive, if you ask me. Gave the man my passport and all the silly forms you had to fill in on the plane.

Then the questions began: “What’s your business here?”

“How long will you be staying here?”

“Where are you staying?”

Would you believe it, I had forgotten to bring a copy of NMC’s full name and address with me, it is still at home. Worse, I couldn’t remember her last name, and that is part of her handle! I could only remember that Nancy NMC and Linda Craistrelk were going to pick me up, those names weren’t very helpful. Neither did they want me to ring hubby in Holland (“It has to be someone in the States”) or our friend Bob who lives near Washington (“It has to be someone in the States”, I know geography is not my forte but Washington IS in the States!).

He taps my information in the Computer and knows when I had been in the States the last couple of times, apparently that is not good enough either.

I’m ordered to go into the Waiting Room, worries about my bag are pushed aside.

We get to the waiting room and a Spanish looking man (who couldn’t itemise every single object he was going to sell in America) and an Indian looking man, are already seated. I sit down and wait. I am not going to be upset. Reading like a cool, calm Cohort.

 

Half an hour later I’m motioned over to the desk. Can’t they read my name?

Another officer goes through the same questions again, this time it is slightly shortened since I can remember NMC’s last name. They had one silly question added, “Are you a terrorist or do you have terrorists in your family?”

Really now! “No! I am Civil Servant!” As a Civil Servant you’re not even allowed to smoke pot in public, let alone be a terrorist.

I can sit down again.

 

A Japanese man is brought in to join the little group, followed shortly thereafter by an elderly Arab woman in a wheelchair.

The Arab woman didn’t speak a word of English, so, they sent someone out to look for someone who could speak Arabic and English. When a man turned up his first exclamation was, “There’s my wife!” I gathered that he must have lost her because everyone was shoved into different lanes. You think they would apologize for misplacing his wife, wrong.

 

Another hour later it is my turn. “M’aam… M’aam…” All right, I’m coming. You would expect that they would have at least the decency to read my name, wrong again. “You can go.” That’s it. No apology (had I really expected one?). Someone really has to tell them that they have to work on their Ps and Qs.

 

I hunt for my bag and can’t find it on the conveyor-belts and walk up to one of the attendants, who just directs me to the Missing-bags-claims. My upset that it might be stolen because I was shoved into the Waiting Room unnecessarily falls on deaf ears. I start to resemble Crais on a good day. Luckily I find my bag or the word Terror would get a different meaning.

Next stage. They go trough my bag and get the zipper stuck (and frelled). Stand in another line for X-Rays. It’s warm and my patience is wearing thinner. When I get to the man, he reads the tag and says, “You are staying in Detroit?”

“Yes.”

“Then you can just proceed to the exit. No need to be here.”

Where is a jinkapole when you need it?

 

Seeing the smiling faces of NMC and CT are a balm to frayed nerves and most anger leaves me. NMC and CT were shocked when 4 burly men came out to look for them while I was waiting in the waiting room. “Crichton? Crichton?”

“Yes,” NMC had said in a small voice.

“Do you know Loes Barnes?”

“Yes, we’re here to pick her up.”

“Describe her!”

Luckily they knew me or I would have been really frelled.

 

What is ironic, though, is that the Ukrainian puppeteer (who was my talking companion on the plane for 9 hours), whose English was broken and two blond-haired Dutch people who were going to trek through America for a month with no fixed abode were getting through but of course they are not Profiling.

NMC has Captain Crais waiting for me in Talyn holding a little note, “Welcome to Detroit Loes”. Nice touch. Talyn is a Saab convertible with very cool number-plates: Talyn at the front and Strbrst at the back.

We get to NMC’s and Twinkle Toes (bulldog) really seem to be taken by me and Cap’n Cranky (a black cat with greyish “trousers”) thinks I’m all right. No need for antihistamines; that’s a relief. Cat allergy’s a thing of the past?

Twinkle is in the “doghouse” for the evening. Even brushing her mouth didn’t endear her to us, not after what she had eaten in the garden (will not go into detail here).

We spend some fun time chatting and getting re-acquainted and go to a Crab-restaurant, where I’m introduced to Whitefish, great taste.

It feels good to be among friends, makes all the hassle at the airport worthwhile.

I manage to stay up till about 3 with only a drop off of about 10 minutes and get up at 7, see, no jet lag.

 

Thursday, Day 2

We go to CIM’s house. It’s a good six hours travel. It is beautiful weather and we drive with the top down. Dear Talyn is a Saab convertible. Men who like Boy’s Toys… get one.

I’m sitting in the front passenger seat since I will do the reading of the map and I’m amazed with what I see driving on the road.

A beat-up pickup truck, glass in the sides all gone (not just rolled down) and a huge set of deer-antlers to adorn the top. Or when we’re doing 140 clicks, passing a car, there is a woman behind the wheel. In her left hand she holds a mobile (cell-phone) and she sips the coffee from a Starbucks beaker in her right hand. Unless she has three arms, someone is not steering.

 

We pull over at a gas station to put the top down, poor CT is blown away in the back seat and to get something to eat and to drink. Have to warn you, for Europeans the coffee Latte is too weak. The Polish sausage was nice. Found something else too: Beef jerky Teriyaki. Great Atkins snack-food.

We’re getting to the turnoff to Pittsburgh and the have to ring CIM, she and husband Al are guiding us in. We wait for them at the edge of a big square; in the near distance we can see numerous restaurants and bars. Near the car park we can hear the trains go past. One trailed 90 cars (counted them).

When CIM and Al arrive, we walk to the restaurants and go to a Mexican place. Turns out that Al is into Soccer and Rugby and he is pleasantly surprised that I know some of it. He claims me to drive back with him to talk some more about it, at least that way we’re not boring the others with it.

CIM has cats, loads of cats, 13 to be precise. They’re everywhere. Seven of them are hers. The rest are on a waiting list to be placed in a no-kill shelter. Luckily I’m not sneezing or getting a headache, so, no antihistamine needed. Cat-allergy must be a thing of the past.

I sleep in The Turrets, the cat-free room, while CT and NMC take over the floor in the living room. We chat, we joke and we catch up. By the time I’m asleep it’s 2 AM.

 

Friday, Day 3 (First day of the Convention)

I’m awake by 6 but since all is still quiet, decide to lay in for a bit. Read a bit. When I finally go downstairs, Al is already busy, making the coffee and some breakfast and we talk until the others surface.

Today is the first day of the Convention and we’re all excited. First we go to the Farscape booth where the Pittsburgh Scapers are and have a dive in the little goodies. Crais-magnets, Crais-stickers. Yup, got them all (well, one each).

 

When we walk up to the tables where Lani, David, Bianca, Virginia and EC are sitting, Lani’s face lights up in a smile and the first words he speaks are, “Hello Giton.”

That makes us all wonder and I blush.

 

Lani resembles a pirate today, wearing a blue bandanna, here they call it a ‘Do-Rag’ (it’s an amalgamation of Hairdo and Clothes). The moustache is already in place and the beginning of a goatee is starting on the chin: No Johnny-Depp-look, it’s the Lani-look! He has lost quite some weight and the slim-Lani-look is perfect. His voice is deep and slightly hoarse.

He and David are happy to see us and we manage to speak in Erp-speak (at least I assume we did). I give Lani his new T-shirt and he likes it and gives me a full hug. I like being hugged and hug back. I go completely red when he gives me a present in return. One of his own prints: Apple tree in Seattle. He let me choose it.

His prints are amazing and at first we all believed it was done in watercolours but his medium is oil paint and ink. The prints detail various plants and trees. He shows us the originals as well and the printer has done a great job translating it to the smaller prints. The originals are stunning. He also shows us a big contact print of the canvasses he is working on. Various sunsets. Imagining them as big canvasses, I could picture myself quite easily looking at them for hours and believing that I am somewhere else. I hope they will do well and will be well received.

Work is slow in Australia and he has taking to painting again.

CIM asks him if Crais will be back and he smiles, “Crais will need female body-guards.” I grin, “Some of the Cohorts are already here.”

People are coming to the table and we all disperse for a little while.

 

CT and I are going around the various stands and are looking at the comics first. CT buys up the last 2 Crais-dolls in one of the stands to give them a good home (was only a little miffed the next day when the dealer was selling all the dolls for half price).

I’m ready to take my jinkapole out and spear a couple of dealers. CT and I are both wearing our Fan club T-shirts and two of them insisted on reading Lani Tupa instead of Lani Tupu (deep low growl). Because of my accent and the T-shirt, they also believe I’m from New Zealand. “A couple of thousand miles the wrong way,” says CT happily.

Bought a couple of prints and comics of Stan Lee Junior and Mike Bocianowski.

CT and I have something to eat from one of the stalls. She has a pretzel and I BBQ-sliced-meat. I cringe; even the Dutch don’t make it that salty! I can only take some bites.

CT goes back to the Farscape stand and I go back to the guest-table. I want to get some photos, autographed photos and another print.

 

EC is having a cold and is not too happy with it. She has also lost a lot of weight and we talk about the Atkins diet, which Lani, EC and I are following, it seems to be working for us. We talk about looking in on the Utopia-convention and I will see if I can give the Dutch a hint to get the Farscape actors over, since Holland is now starting to get into it now. Will definitely leave them the Peachtree-address.

She tells me that she has been taking pictures of Lani while he was working on the canvasses and I ask her if he doesn’t mind. I personally can’t stand it when I’m doing a drawing and people are lurking over my shoulder. Suggest to her that it might be an idea to take pictures after he finishes it and then “paint” with a dry brush, that way he can paint in peace and quiet. But Lani doesn’t seem to mind too much.

 

I buy a picture of Pilot, I haven’t got that in my collection yet and a print of the Lymbidium Orchid. This is from the money my office gave me for my 25 years in Civil Service. I had promised myself to get at least one of the prints for the money and am a happy Cohort.

PKLib has arrived and is standing at the Scaper-stand.

 

CT and I are on the Warpath again, this time we find a little side-room where artists are drawing. Looking at the work of Hannibal King and finding out that he does draw on commission, I ask him if he can do Captain Crais in Farscape. He has sort of heard of Farscape but doesn’t know Captain Crais. Could he do one off a picture? Yes, he could.

One grinning Cohort going back to Lani’s table and buying the one where Crais and Aeryn stand in Talyn in Family Ties.

Back to Hannibal. Could he do one just of the male? He can drop the female in the background. He looks at the picture and smiles, “Handsome man.” We grin.

He will take it up to his room and will do the picture there. It will be ready tomorrow.

CT is looking for NMC and I have my picture taken with Tom Savini, who plays in Dawn Of The Dead. Very intense eyes but nowhere near as good-looking as Lani.

 

I walk back to Lani’s table, since I can’t find the others. He’s is showing EC a drawing of a garden design. It is perfect, well, at least to my eye. I compliment him on that and he shows me some more. The outlays are great and the lines easy to understand. I suggest to him that maybe that might be a line of work as well. He sighs, he can do garden designing but because he is not trained in it, the people will still have to take it to a qualified garden-designer to translate it into a calculations the gardeners can read. Pity, it would have been great to have a garden designed by him.

EC looks up and shows me some more pages on the design from different angles, also the different textures, plants and features that will be used. They are wonderful and I am willing to bet that the layout will be a good balance of Nature. The design in question is actually designed for her garden and will be built (heard from a reliable source, that it is actually in progress of being build). He may not be trained for it but he definitely knows what he's doing.

 

The secret why he knows me as Giton as well, besides Loes (and he still remembers how to spell, not an easy feat for an English speaking person – trust me), is revealed. He has seen my website and likes it. Thinks it is done very professionally and the remark “I saw something different from the first time I saw it” makes me believe that he has seen it at least twice. I do try to update quite regularly, that is true. I blush, that is a very nice compliment.

 

NMC comes up and we go and see George Romero. She wants to have some pictures taken and get some autographs for husband Jim. He likes Dawn Of The Dead and since it is the 25th Anniversary of Dawn Of The Dead, it would make a great present.

 

Together we go back to Lani’s table, since NMC wants her picture taken with David and I with Lani. I have one taken with a full hug of Lani. A very happy Cohort indeed.

NMC gives David a picture of Miklo Barca, he grins when he sees his “namesake”.

NMC wants an autographed picture of Bianca for Jim and asks me to help choose it. I point one out to her, “If I were a male I would choose that one.” Bianca smiles, “That is the picture most males go for.” NMC chooses one that depicts a scene from The Princess Episode, since Jim will be watching that one.

 

At the Scaper stand NMC wins the Season Three trading cards, which she gives to me. She already has the set. She is spoiling me! And to boot, I also win the DVD with the best of Season One. The Cohort’s favourite episodes of Season One are on there.

We leave the halls and have some pictures taken of the Scaper-DRD with Talyn.

 

From there we move to the Lobby of the hotel. EC had told us that Lani might stop by.

Some of the Pittsburgh Scapers are there and have moved tables together. PKLib and some of the Ohio Scapers join us. We have some bar-snacks to eat and CT and I are “fighting” over the bill, good fun. She wins.

Lani and EC arrive and sit at the other end of the table. They will only be staying for one drink. I have a nice view but the length of the table prevents me to listen to his deep voice. CIM motions me over, there is still a seat between her and EC. I get up and walk over.

 

Lani wants to know if I had any problems getting through customs this time and I gave him an abbreviated version of what has happened. It is easier to treat it with a dose of humour. He nods knowingly. I am glad to hear that he didn’t have any problems getting through this time around.

Tell him with a smile that some people thought I was New Zealander and he looks at me with disbelief. “It must be the T-shirt.” We get to pitches in the language and he was quite astounded when I tell him that by speaking English at a normal voice, while among the Dutch, the pitch goes under the pitch in the Dutch language, so we could understand each other without having to shout.

 

Lani sees the eyeglass-case of CIM sitting on the table and asks with curiosity what it is. Before anyone could explain, someone says, “That’s Loes’ overnight-case.” Remembering how I got stopped at customs the last time for only having one briefcase with me, being female and staying for two weeks.

“That’s right,” I say, going with the joke.

“Really,” he says and then looks at me, “I bet you a buck you can’t.”

Now, them’s are fighting words. I grin, “You’re on.”

After another drink Lani and EC leave. They’re going to have some fish. We all wish them a great time.

 

Mark and Maurie join us and I sit with CT and NMC again. I’m in a joking mood. When Maurie asks us all what we want to drink I cannot resist to call out “Hammer” after someone else said “screwdriver”. Maurie is repeating after everyone, “Coke… screwdriver… hammer… Hammer?” Must admit, my jokes went from bad to worse. At least it made them laugh.

Drat, had to visit the bathroom, at the time that Lani and EC came back. About half an hour later, the party breaks up.

 

PKLib takes over the room in The Turrets, since she has a cat-allergy. I sleep with NMC and CT downstairs and we treat it like a pyjama-party. Much more fun.

 

Saturday, Day (Second day of the Convention)

I’m sleeping in, sleeping 5 hours instead of 4. Reading my book at the kitchen table, Lovecraft. Tried to make the coffee but couldn’t find the coffee. Found everything else, like filters, water and cups. Al is up next. We make the coffee and he starts on the breakfast. We talk about Europe and the differences between Europe and the States. PKLib is the next to wake up and I take a quick shower. The others are waking up now and we have breakfast.

We still have to get David a small present. NMC wanted to make one herself but time constraints prevented her doing that.

Off we go to the Convention. CIM and NMC are off to get David’s present.

 

Today the bandanna is off and the curls are ringing Lani’s face, more like a Charley Chaplin hairstyle. It looks better than covered. I manage to get a picture of Lani in a very relaxed pose. He looks simply adorable in that one. And get my picture taken with him.

David is funny, almost like a big kid and wanted to play with the credit-card machine of EC’s. He does it with great panache and it is like a comic act. This is fun to watch.

Lani and I talk briefly about drawing and I’m privileged to see him at work. He just brings the pen to the paper and draws. Quick, fluent lines and complex at places, no sketching. You can see the picture come alive under the pen. It is also proportionally right at the first strokes. I wish I could draw like that.

 

CT and I go hunting for Hannibal. He has done a magnificent job on the drawing. Crais is looking at us with cocky confidence. “Do you know how difficult it is to draw a handsome man,” he tells us. We grin, we agree. I compliment him on the result of the drawing; he has truly captured Crais.

We show it to Lani and he’s quite pleased with the result. Grins even bigger when I tell him what Hannibal had said.

CT wants to find the man who does the airbrush-paintings and like Hannibal King, he will do one of a picture. Back to Lani’s table and I choose the picture with Crais and Larell. He signs it “Thanks for last night”. He grins and says, “I hope I don’t get into trouble with your husband over that.”

“No,” I grin back, “he has his hobbies and I have mine. We leave each other free in that.”

“That is how it should be. What is his hobby?”

“He collects old bayonets up till the Second World War.”

“And you collect me.” Mischievous grin.

“Yup.”

“As it should be.”

We grin. Lani is great to watch and listen to but Ian is my own lovely goblin, as it should be.

 

Back to Chad Hutchinson, the painting will be ready tomorrow at noon. Perfect.

We wait for CIM and NMC at the Scaper-stand and then we all troop to the tables and for once are happy to see that they’re the only ones behind the tables. CIM is first. She has two shirts for Lani. He takes off the white sleeveless shirt he’s wearing and dons his new shirt. A slimmer Lani is eye-candy.

“It looks like Christmas,” he exclaims.

CT gives him a new Crais-pin and NMC gives him a Pilot-pin, all home made.

CT and NMC give EC her own Lani-Hula-doll and we all have titters about it.

I give Lani two packages and a card. The card reads “This is for the days of little sins”, the first present contains dark chocolate. When on a diet, little sins are fun. Lani passes them to everyone. Only I can’t eat them, don’t want to fall asleep. His face is a picture of delight when he eats one, I’m glad he likes them.

I give EC her T-shirt, the one with Many Lani’s, “I can wear Lani on my chest now!”

The second package contains four T-shirts, one of each drawing, this way he has no problems with spoiling one of them.

NMC walks up to David and gives him his birthday-card and the Strawberry cheesecake.

His face lights up, “Food!”

He loves the birthday-card NMC made him, you will probably see it on her website. We all stand around and sing him “Happy Birthday”, I’m sorry if my voice sounded awful, will never make it to a song festival.

We all have pictures taken and look like a family of Cheshire cats or happy Cohorts, you choose.

It is time to scoot. They have to make ready soon to do the Q&A and we are too happy.

 

When we get to the hall where they are to hold the Q&A, we are the first. There is a drawing-auction in progress and it is not winding down yet. As a matter of fact, the artists are still drawing. More people for the Q&A are joining us. I’m getting jittery and start to bounce on my feet. Someone compared me to an Energizer Bunny (Bexa, I believe) and it is true, too much energy to be patient.

It gets to 4:00 and our little group is getting restless, all complaining that the auction is still going on. CT tells me to count to ten and calm down.

Finally I had enough and race to the table where the organisers are seated. I explain to them that the auction is still going on, the guests for the Q&A are waiting and so are the people who have come to listen to them.

“Well, we did tell them to wrap it up 10 minutes ago. They said they were doing the last drawings. They should leave soon.”

I go into annoyed-Cohort-mode, that normally seems to work. My voice drops, “Then you better go over there and have a look because they have just started a new batch of drawings and unless you want to have a riot on your hands…” That seems to do the trick.

The Q&A starts about 15 minutes later than planned but unfortunately it finishes at 5:05.

Can I jinkapole the auctioneers now? (Transcript is written in separate document Transcript QandA-1st May 2004-GC)

We’re happy to see that the Q&A has brought more people to their tables and they are now queuing up. Good.

 

PKLib is going with the Star Wars-people and the four of us are joined by Scifigrrl and her son from Columbus, Mark and Maurie from Gettysburg and Big Joe From Chicago. Mark, Maurie and CIM go with Scifigrrl and Joe joins us in Talyn. He gets a kick out of that. Really going in Talyn?

We can’t find Talyn. The parking layout is designed by a madman. To get to our level, eventually, we have to go up one level, which is actually two, and then down one level. Whoever designed this should be shot or jinkapoled.

 

We spend a pleasant evening in a Brazilian restaurant and after we paid the bill, we drive back to the hotel to pick up PKLib. We go to the bar and see Lani and EC.

CT asks for a Fuzzy Navel and CIM for a Old Granddad-on-the-Rocks. They must be pulling my leg, right? I am surprised to find out that the person behind the bar knows what I am talking about. CT grins happily.

We walk back and Lani walks over to the dart-board at the other end of the bar to get himself a drink and watch the darters for a while. From where I am standing, I’m almost itching to walk over to show them how to throw the darts. Not to talk to Lani, he needs his downtime. I don’t want to give Lani the impression that I am following him but the way those people throw the darts at the dartboard is irritating me. Leaning on the left foot to throw with the right hand? I could predict which darts would be hitting the wall or the ceiling, anywhere but the dartboard. That no one got hurt is a miracle!

Lani and EC leave. We leave shortly after that, having found PKLib.

 

Sunday, Day (Third day of the Convention)

Guess who’s up before everyone else? No extra points for guessing right.

I know where the coffee is now and make the first pot. I make a start on the transcript but don’t get far. Al and later PKLib come and join me. Then the others are up.

 

Al and CIM make a fry-up. Hash browns, bacon, eggs and toast. I sin and have some toast with freezer-jam, nice jam.

Al and I go out in the garden. We root in the pile of branches at the back of the garden and find ourselves a nice straight and long stick (ash I believe), perfect size for a jinkapole. I stomp-break some of the excess branches, no need for a chain saw. Nobody has said that it has to be completely straight. With all those branches lying around I want to have a picture taken as a Cohort in full jinkapole mode. I have mentioned it more than enough on the Board, it would be appropriate to have a picture in full mode.

 

CT and I spend a happy half hour or 45 minutes on the floor, trying to fit a T-shirt and a pair of socks in the glass-case. I will win this bet. The butt ends of forks and other implements are used to do the job but it is finally in. NMC is snapping photos and PKLib stands there in wonder.

There, it all fits in there and for safety sake we wind some strong elastic bands around it until it is time to give it to Lani. Al has left the kitchen shaking his head.

Couldn’t have done it without CT’s help and we had fun doing it.

We leave for the Convention in two cars since PKLib will be leaving right after the Convention.

 

When we get to the Convention, the others go to the scaper booth while my first call of port is Chad Hutchinson who has done the airbrush painting of Crais. I’m happy as a lark.

 

We get together and now stand at Lani’s table. He must be getting sick of seeing the same faces. We grin. Lani is wearing CIM’s new shirt and jeans today; it must be cold. Luckily he left his hair loose, so much nicer to look at.

 

CT and I have taken the elastic bands off the case and I hold it firmly, one never knows. I go over to Lani and show him the airbrush painting and after handing over the money to EC, I ask him to autograph it on the back.

Then I produce the little case, I grin even broader, “You owe me a buck.”

He looks surprised and then sees the little case, “You didn’t?”

“Yup,” nods head enthusiastically.

He produces a dollar and gives it to me, while I hand over the case. The look of complete astonishment and merriment on his face is not something I will forget easily when the case opens up and a T-shirt and two little socks appear, grown up T-shirt and socks, we didn’t cheat by putting baby-clothes in there. “You’ve done it!”

“Of course!”

He asks the dollar back and signs it, “I hope they don’t mind me defacing a dollar.”

“Don’t worry, that one will not go back into circulation.”

It reads, “Loes, you won! Lani Tupu”

Virginia is sharp, “Where is the underwear.”

Deadpan face, “Hey, it’s Sunday.”

 

NMC suggests to put the painting in the car, to keep it safe. We walk outside and place the painting over the spare wheel. It is nice and flat there.

We go back in and I pick up some more new artist’s works.

When I walk over to Lani’s table, Lani is sitting on his own, holding the fort. He has just finished the drawing he was working on and shows the finished result. It is great. It shows an inside court garden. A big plant takes up the centre of the picture, in the “back” of the picture is a wall with an open window through which one can see another courtyard. The perspective is perfect. I like it.

 

He asks me if I had been to the toy-section, there are some great toys to be found and I shake my head, no, but I have been able to get some new comics and artworks of various artists.

Lani asks me what I do for work and I tell him without trying to sound too boring. Being a Civil Servant is boring enough as it is, but it brings home the bacon (grin).

I compliment him on his work and tell him, when he asks, that I find it difficult to draw and write in the same period. Had to take a week away from writing to do the drawing.

We talk a little about the diet and he suggests Sea-salt instead of regular salt. It’s a good tip to remember. We compliment each other on the visible weight loss.

 

NMC explains to me about drawing without looking at the paper, it might increase the way I draw. Told her that I tried that but that it doesn’t work for me. To me it is a hobby.

We wander about a little bit more. It is getting pretty quiet at the tables, some of the artists have left and the guests are starting to gather their things.

 

At about 4:00 the guests start taking down the banners and packing up the photos and prints. The Hall is emptying now and some have to get ready to be picked up to go to the airport. EC tells us they will be seeing us in the Lobby.

We move over to the scaper booth and help bring down all the items, it is quiet now.

While CIM is busy with the Scapers, I show NMC that I can draw free style but I have to look at the paper. A rather fat man, seen at the back is the target. The profile is good and instantly recognisable. That works for me (grin). Tried capturing CT’s face and am only partially successful. We’re having fun keeping ourselves busy with that.

 

Off to the Lobby we go.

David, Bianca and Virginia are already there, they are waiting for the bus to take them to the airport. Their bags are standing close by. Lani and EC won’t be leaving until the next morning.

Virginia places her feet in NMC’s lap, “We’re all friends here.” And they strike up a conversation. NMC talks to David.

I go to the bar. Just have one cigarette left and nearly get a heart attack when I hear the price for a package, USD 5.85? That’s even worse than in Europe!

I need a cigarette after that bit of news and walk outside. David is sitting there too, having his. I grin at him, “Us smokers must be healthier than non-smokers.”

He’s puzzled, “How’s that?”

“We get more fresh air.”

We laugh. I tell him that I hope that he will find work soon, all of them.

“Me too. You’ll be the first to know.”

He goes in after he finishes his cigarette and follow him a little while later after I have finished mine.

 

David thanks NMC for the cake, finished it last night in his hotel room.

Lani comes in with EC and we all sit around quite happily, chewing the fat.

When the bus comes, we all hug each other like one big happy family and Lani and EC go out to see them off.

When Lani and EC come back we talk about the Rolling Stones and Salvador Dali and Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings in Pennsylvania.

I ask Lani how he would describe his singing voice and he replies, “Rough… and sometimes I can hold the notes.” I bet he sings better than he lets on.

When they leave we all get a close hug from Lani. He’s such a cuddly bear of a man.

“Hopes everything will work out.”

“Thank you, so do I.”

It is almost like seeing a dear cousin off.

 

We leave shortly after they left. CIM drives.

NMC, CT and I do the Tim Tam Explosion in the kitchen. CIM will not be joining us, she can’t drink tea or coffee before going to bed, it would keep her awake but she’s happily watching us.

It is fun. Tim Tam is an Australian chocolate covered small sponge cake. You bite a small piece off the opposite corners and then suck the tea through one of the corners. The minute the tea hits the mouth, you turn the cookie over and then eat it quickly. The flavour of the chocolate and the cookie mingled with the tea is fantastic, as is the taste of cold and warm at the same time. I wouldn’t want to have missed it for the world.

About 20 minutes after that I can feel the chocolate working on my system and bid everyone a good night. I just make it to the toilet and then to bed.

It is strange how it knocks me out. Just imagine drinking litres of alcohol while you’re on a ship. I wake up at 4:00, that night it is very cold, whether it is just the weather or the after-effects of the chocolate but I need to put a blanket over the sheet, now that is cold.

 

Monday, Day 6

I’m up at 7:00, that’s late for me. I make the coffee and work on the transcript of the Q&A. It’s handy to have NMC’s laptop. I stop when Al comes into the kitchen. The topic this morning is Europe.

The effects of the chocolate stay with me during the day; a slight imbalance on occasion as if walking on a bucking ship or a bad hangover. Luckily I don’t fall asleep.

Most of the morning is taken up by getting all our things packed and readied to be loaded into Talyn.

We load up the car and have our pictures taken in front and behind Talyn. CT takes a couple of me as The Fierce Cohort with Jinkapole, attacking Talyn and spearing NMC on Talyn. The pictures show 4 happy Cohorts. We did have fun together.

Before we go, we have to do the Tim Tam Explosion. Well, CT, NMC and CIM are doing the Tim Tam Explosion. CIM bites too big a piece off and part of the Explosion is lost. We urge her to do another one. I’m not so sure whether she will like those pictures (evil grin). There are still two Tim Tams left for CIM and Al to try after we have gone.

CIM drives in front of us to get us to the Turnpike and we stop over at a drive-by to have something to eat. CIM is almost reluctant to let us go and we are reluctant to leave. We hug each other when we leave the place. It will be a long time before we see each other again.

 

CIM pulls over near the Turnpike and we all wave to her to get onto the road. It’s 5:30.

We do a good run, at one time even hitting 105 m/hr, which is about 170 k/hr. NMC drives safely, even at this speed and I’m not bothered by it.

We have a small pit stop along the motorway and I notice a silly sign, well, I think it is quite silly and NMC and CT had never thought much about it. I think it goes with the sign of “Hidden Drive”. It will pounce on you when you least expect it?

The sign reads, “This is a non-smoking facility. Shoes and shirts must be worn”. What? You can get away with only wearing shoes and shirt? No trousers or anything else needed? Flashers would have a field day and would probably, legally, get away with it. It does conjure up some mucky Cohort’s thoughts.

We make it home by 10:00.

 

We stay up a while longer and talk to Jim. Then CT goes to bed.

NMC and I stay up a little longer and come up with some Peacekeeper theories, mainly concerning Braca and Crais. I wouldn’t be surprised if either of us will be able to work some of that into a story. She has some valid ideas concerning the relationship between Crais and Braca and I can quite easily see a story grow out of that one. Maybe I will start on the concept after I have written the reports.

Finally we went to bed at 4:00. It is nice and it feels good to be able to talk to someone about some of the series theories. Not much chance to do so over here. In Holland the series is still in the Second Season and not that many people have gotten into Crais and Braca yet, although we are also shown episodes of later ones. I bet that is quite confusing to everyone. It is getting there but people to talk to are not so easy to find here.

 

Tuesday, Day 7

The weather is a little overcast and perfect for staying indoors to do the shopping.

I’m a happy trooper, I can fit nicely in a 32 regular now and buy ECs (for Ian and me), CD’s and DVD’s, prices here are cheap compared to Holland. We also go to NMC’s office. CT stays in the car, catching up on a little rest. NMC’s workspace is tidy, so much tidier than mine. And her colleagues are nice. Of course the custom-story was retold.

CT cooks steaks on the Barbeque. Compliments to the Chef, it came out just the way I like it.

 

We have some fun cleaning up the barbeque and chasing Twinkle over the garden who got hold of a soap sponge, luckily she didn’t swallow it.

According to NMC and CT I am a bad guest and make them bad hosts by helping them in cleaning up the barbeque and the table. Try and keep an Energizer Bunny down.

After dinner, Jim plays the drums and as far as I can tell, he plays a mean drum (grin). Then he and NMC give us a duet on the drums and percussion instruments. They play well together and in rhythm.

I’m urged to play on the drums as well. Don’t think I even come close to it.

 

NMC had told Jim that I played pool and I was happily obliged to give him a game.

My game is snooker and I had to get used to the wider tip and the much shorter table. I noticed that Jim was gripping the cue like a baseball bat, much too tight; it will not give you direction.

Part of the game was spend to show him to hold it as if he was caressing a lady’s tight, gentle, and how to hit the cue off centre for effect. From what I can see, he definitely got the eye for it and with practise and holding the cue lighter, both games would be a pleasure playing for him. This evening I lost 3/5 but seeing that someone can learn to play, is well worth that.

Tiredness is catching up with me and I go to bed early, well, early for me.

 

Wednesday, day 8

It’s time to hit the museums today. The sun is out and the weather is warm.

We drive into Detroit and I don’t care what people say, it is a pleasant drive up there and the architecture in the city itself is quite amazing. For a modern city there is very little high-rise, most of the houses are two stories tall and changes quite quickly in styles.

The Centre Building is tall and even has Gargoyle faces set into its façade.

The traffic lights change quickly and gives me enough time to take pictures without getting out of the car and getting run down.

 

Our first stop is Hitsville, the birthplace of Motown.

The museum is small, no more than two small houses put together but the music history, which the guide imparts on us is very interesting and we can’t take pictures other than in the recording studio, which is situated in the basement of the second house. We do a singing re-enactment and NMC remembers all the words to “Stop! In the name of love…”

The number of famous and well-known names of that period of the music world is big. Even Martin Luther King was a Motowner. His speech of “I had a dream” was recorded here, two months before he gave his public speech.

Michael Jackson was here and donated his hat and gloves to the museum. At one time the hat was stolen and tricked back into the museum.

I get Ian his T-shirt, hat, pin and book on the History Of Motown.

 

Off we go to the Detroit Historical Museum.

It is handy. All museums are in the same street or rather Avenue.

The city of Detroit is built on an axis and the Wheel is depicted on the ground before you enter the museum. I didn’t know that Canada was so close to Detroit, only the river separates the two. It is one place where I can stand in both countries, without a passport, and get no hassle at customs (grin).

Because it is Wednesday, it only costs us a dollar each to get in. Very civilised.

 

The museum starts in the basement and is laid out with shop fronts from the beginning of the history of Detroit and cobbled streets and a brief (oral and written) history of Detroit. From speakers set in the walls one gets the impression of being there at that time. Other speakers, set near the shops, give you an idea of the transactions in the shops and the accents spoken then.

Detroit was the Gateway or Underground for the slaves to Canada and that, although slavery was abolished in Detroit, the people who were part of the Underground still had to be careful. Slaves could still be brought back, for a fee, to their slave owners. Also, the concept of the Free School and education to all, in the English language, was born here. The museum really gives a good and compact history of Detroit and the surrounding area.

One section was dedicated to the Motor industry. It showed that robotics have now taken over from the workers.

I make the mistake of seeing a drinking fountain set in the wall as a pissoir. Well, to my European eye it looked like one as it is used in Belgium, luckily I’m not a male to make that mistake (ahem).

 

Across the street is a “museum piece” Yoko Ono put up. It is the best example of bad taste I’ve ever seen. It’s a boxcar, to commemorate Mexicans who tried to enter America and were shot inside the car doing so. Did she have to do it in a German Boxcar? Or worse, to play very loud music from the speakers?

 

We see a little museum or gallery, which is open. The Scarab Club. An artist colony, founded in 1907 as the Hopkin Club and renamed to its present name in 1913. They were just hanging the paintings for the upcoming exhibition and we were allowed free entry.

Some of the paintings were very modern, others very classical and some strange. Upstairs they had the photo-art and a must-see is the toilet. It has some of the finest paintings painted on its walls.

We walked into the garden, small but nicely laid out.

The head of the Club came out. They’re always looking for volunteers to help in the garden and such and for artists to join.

A remark from me, when he pointed to “a half dead tree”, “How about a half alive tree” prompted him to tell me that I could bring my tools with me. There were still places for artists and they had painting sessions every weekend with a life model. It will be a long haul indeed to make the weekly sessions.

 

I take pictures of The African Arts Museum, it has some interesting features and its façade blends in the modern stark lines with the traditional huts, it’s roofed by a glass dome. We take a rest on one of the stone benches and talk a bit.

 

From there we make our way home and drive past The Fist, a huge sculpture with the fist pointing to Canada. NMC calls it an insult to the Canadian people.

 

We pick up some ribs and broasted (broiled/roasted) chicken for the evening meal.

One thing is for sure, my palate has been wonderfully assaulted while I was over there and to top it, I have lost weight (thanks CT and NMC).

We watch “Shame”, a very early film of David Franklin. He had quite a cute smile then and the film was disturbing but very good to watch. David’s performance was good. We three enjoyed it.

After that, I give Jim another game of pool. Twinkle disrupts the second game by jumping on top of the pool table and dropping some of the balls. Jim is not amused.

This time we play for real and I beat Jim in three straight games.

He was amazed by the fast balls being potted at strange angles, “What and where was which ball hit and into which pocket?” Remember, Jim, hold the cue lightly don’t grip it too tight. It will give you balance, direction, soft strokes and power.

I tell him that with this kind of power behind the shot I once managed to pot three balls on three consecutive snooker tables with one white ball. All right, the other snooker players of the other tables weren’t happy with it, especially when I asked for the ball back but the power is there.

 

Thursday, Day 9

Going home leaves a strange mix of sadness and anticipation, especially when you had a good time and stayed with good friends.

Most of the morning is spent in packing, I say my goodbyes to Jim. CT takes me over to Wallmart to buy a new suitcase. Customs really frelled the old one.

NMC has cooked a breakfast, which can be found in the Farscape-cookbook, volume two and I can’t remember the name of the recipe (shame on me). It’s potato au gratin with mushroom soup and tomato soup topped by cheddar, done in the oven, absolutely delicious and well worth breaking a diet for.

I say goodbye to the animals. Yes, I will even miss them.

CT and NMC drive me to the airport and we have a last coffee downstairs.

I feel sad saying goodbye to them and I hope they can all make it over to Holland one day. I miss them. I miss the long stories of CIM. I miss the happy banter with CT and the talks with NMC.

 

Going through the gates is no problem, that’s a change.

On the way over I sit in the back of the plane and a cold blower is hitting me for over 9 hours. We have a delay for nearly an hour. The computers of the Control Towers are not talking to each other and they had to work it out manually. Well, it seems to have worked.

 

The American travellers must have been given a shock, when the Captain announced, “For entering Europe, you do NOT have to fill in forms. When we land JUST go to passport control and then pick up your bags. Have a pleasant stay in Holland.” Did he have problems getting through Customs too in America?

 

It is now Friday, 6:00 in the morning.

And it was true, was through customs and out in the Arrival Hall in 20 minutes flat. Luckily my bag was one of the first to come off the conveyor belt.

Hubby is waiting for me. He even hugs and kisses me in public. Maybe I should go more often (grin). Going to America was fun, a lot of fun but seeing his happy face makes me happy to be home.

Apart from a short nap of about an hour in the afternoon, managed to stay awake to even join the chat room in the evening and went to bed at 4:00 AM. 38 hours, not too bad.

 

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