Someone Put This Woman in the Movies Please!

Every year at our Murder Mystery Dinners and before that on Halloween,  my friend Nancy has cracked me up with her costumes.
She never fails to amaze me with her imagination and creativity. This year she came as Tatum Tatt. She spent most of the night 'selling' tattoos to the rest of us dinner goers. (Notice her tongue and nose rings)



 Here she is, as Marshall Dalton, last year at Death at Deadwood night.

On  Murder Among The Mateys  night, this is what she looked like.

The year before that the theme was the roaring twenties.  I don't remember her character's name, but isn't she a hoot?

she said she surprised herself that year because she looked so much like her Daddy in that get-up

Murder in Las Vegas was a high roller's heaven and Nancy was a blonde bimbo that night.  Here we are together. This time my role was as a man.

Our first Murder Mystery night had a Mardi Gras theme.  Nancy was a floozy in a fur coat.

Here's a photo I took of her, her daughter and son-in-law and granddaughter on the way to a Halloween party a couple of years ago. They went as the Queen of Hearts, a Checker Board, a Dog Catcher and his dog.

How about you?  Do you have a friend who's a real character or do you have fun getting into a costume yourself on Halloween?

It's A Pirates Life For Me!

"Ahoy there, Matey! After a voyage filled with pillaging and plundering, The Jaded Jewel--a pirate ship captained by Redbeard, an old but dangerous pirate--is docked in a cove near Port Royal. As the pirates head into town to celebrate their homecoming and spend their gold and goods, a night of turmoil and trouble is sure to transpire."

The late brother of Cap'n Redbeard, Toothless Willie.
Don't be frightened!

And so the party begins.

Better familiarize yourself with the Pirate's Code of ethics (isn't that an oxymoron). You will certainly need to know your rights before this night is done!

Do you recognize this scallywag standing next to Jolly Roger?

It's Cap'n Redbeard himself! He's a fierce, but fair pirate, who runs a tight ship
and won't have anyone overthrowing it!

It's time to meet some of the scurvy crew of characters that attended the party.

Governor of Port Royal-Governor Napier and his wife Juliana. The governor's job is
to keep this town safe at all costs, but his fair lady Juliana is tired of living in terror.
She is ready to take matters into her own hands if need be.

The governor's family portrait. Shiver me timbers, don't they make a fine bunch!

Here is Cutthroat McPhearson, the scourge of the Caribbean. There is a rumor out that
Cutthroat is scheming to incite a mutiny before the night is over.

Cap'n Redbeard knows evil plans are afoot and threatens
Cutthroat's life if he's part of the villainy.

One Eyed Wanda(otherwise known as my daughter) and
her henchman, Buccaneer Bradshaw (my son-in-law).

Thumbless jacky and Rovin Reynolds, fearless treasure hunter.

Mad Rose-Serving Wench and Commodore Clearing.

Sharktooth Brandy-Saucy Sea Mistress and Shoutin' Roger Dagger-Innkeeper.

The governor's daughter, Antonia Napier, threatened by two suspicious characters.

Everyone sits down to a night of feasting and revelry. But beware the innocent talk and sly smiles of your dinner partners, danger is afoot!

As The night quickly steers out of control one guest meets a tragic demise and ends up in Davy Jones' Locker leaving the rest of the party goers to bring the guilty to the gallows. But first who is the murderer. Everyone is suspect!

The lights go out and when they come back on my first mate, Merciless Morgan
is found with a knife in his back!

Is the culprit the profiteering pirate who is organizing a mutiny? Or, the saucy sea mistress who wanted more than a casual commitment? The perpetrator could be the swashbuckling swordsman desperate to win the love of the governor's daughter, or possibly the treasure seeking seaperson who's incapable of sharing. One thing is for sure, this party is filled with backstabbers and buccaneers looking to get ahead. There is little reward for honesty and a high price to pay for deceit.

Yo-ho-ho, get to work and discover who's the murderer. Someone will walk the plank before this night is out!

Take another look at these miscreants. Any one of these scoundrels and knaves is capable of this evil deed.

Is it this one?

Or maybe this salty dog?

I think this one is trying too hard to maintain his innocence. What do you think, could he be the guilty one?

Maybe the Governor did it!

Or maybe his fair lady!

Perhaps these two are in cahoots!

Don't be fooled by the look of these rascals. They are armed and dangerous.

Discuss it among yourselves and we'll take a vote. Information can be brought for a price. Get your doubloons out mates.

Mystery solved! It was Sealegs Sam, who I don't even have a picture of....we were in such a hurry to keelhaul him and then make him walk the plank. I'm afraid there isn't a bead or button left of him....since he was thrown into the shark infested waters of the harbor.

Beware if you come to Port Royal with mayhem in mind...
justice is swift and savage in these parts!

The whole motley crew!

The End....until next year!

Hocus Pocus

Take a few scarecrows and pumpkins,



Throw in some warts and pointy hats,

A dash of candy,

And you've got a recipe for a scary good time!

Happy Owloween!

ps You've all been Boo-ed! Pass it along!

Heebie-Jeebies

Here are a few of the ghosts of my Halloween's past.

1950 era Stepford wives

Rachel and me

Bigroller from Las Vegas with her/his fluzzies

Nancy, Teri and me

Hard-working reporter from the Roaring 20s

Me

No! I can't be bought!

Nancy and me

Rachel and my vintage wardrobes are courtesy of my mother's closets. She has a great collection of old clothes, purses, hats and jewelry. My glasses in the first picture were the ones that she wore throughout my childhood.

Next week I'll post pictures of the ghost of Halloween future....after the party Saturday night!

Recipe For A Best Seller

Gothic novel: A novel written in a style which emphasizes the grotesque, mysterious, and desolate.

Interviews With The Dead: Unravel The Secrets You Thought Were Lost Forever

What do you do when you have half a day to whip up a novel?

First choose a small second hand French text book with pictures. Second sew 10-15 pages together, making sure that each page has a person's portrait on it. You should end up with 8-10 pages to decorate. Paint the cover and inside pages black. Don't cover the faces with paint, but do dry brush the outer edges of them. Adhere creepy pictures. Paint more black over the raw edges of the glued on images. Dry brush vermilion and chalky white over everything. Affix hardware, keys, and ephemera to the cover and some inside pages. Add the text.

Inside cover: Map of Paris with all the cemetaries circled

Paul investigated the paranormal events that happened in his family mansion.
He died of fright.

Poor Paul. You will be missed.

Marie was always strange. She kept to herself and wrote cryptic poetry that her publisher
didn't understand. She had a cult following of young girls and older men.

Mysterious Marie

Colette's mother was a famous gypsy from whom she learned the art of reading tea leaves
and palms. She often saw love in her client's futures.

Famous fey Colette

Marcel spent most days pondering the meaning of his life.

Consequently, Marcel was plagued by depression

Andre was just plain weird.

Circles fascinated him

Thomas' life was spent looking for the love he lost when
his mother ran away with the cable man.

Thomas, heartbroken and desolate

Robert kept the keys to his cellar on a key chain that never left his belt.
His secrets died with him. But, we still have the keys.

He left us the key to his secret life.

Seriously folks, I don't know why this wasn't a run away best seller. Do you?