Tag: Autumn

Salem Visitor Information Booth 2025

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This is an annual series documenting my volunteer shifts and outfits for the Salem Haunted Happenings Visitor Information Booth. Every October over 150 local volunteers, coordinated by Salem Main Streets, sign-up for 2-hour shifts on the weekends and holidays to assist visitors from all over the world by handing out guides, maps, and directions, and answering any questions the visitors may have. We had three locations fully staffed this year: the Information Booth on Washington Street (4 people at a time), a shipping container on Salem Common (2 people at a time), and 3-4 ‘floaters’ that (as the name suggests) floated around town finding the most congested areas (Old Town Hall, MBTA train station, etc.). The crowds this year were historic (1,040,600 visitors in October, an 8.6 percent increase over last October, and 87,351 people on October 31, compared to 63,856 in 2023 — a 37 percent increase), but my numbers were pretty low, comparatively. We had so many volunteers this year, that I was limited in my official sign-up shifts, but I stepped-in to cover a few shifts that were understaffed.

Date (Location) – Visitors helped per shift – outfit worn (reason why):
9/26 (Info Booth) – 248 – no costume (because it was a last-minute shift during Mayor’s Night Out* and it wasn’t October yet!)
10/4 (Floater – 2 shifts**) – 463 – Ambassador Witch (because it’s my traditional first outfit)
10/5 (Floater & Common – 2 shifts**) – 279 – Ambassador Witch on Vacation (because it was unseasonably warm out!) 360 video here
10/12 (Floater) – 243 – The Gorton’s Fisherman (because we were expecting a Nor’easter and flooding)
10/18 (Floater) – 690 – Orange Ambassador Witch (cozy flannel for dropping temperatures)
10/19 (Common) – 55 – International Trader (it was an old Ren Faire costume that still fit)
10/25 (Info Booth) – 759 – Stanley Roper from Three’s Company (the Boston chapter of the International Order of Mrs. Ropers were visiting that day)
11/1 (Info Booth) – 82 – no costume (because Hallowe’en was over)

I helped 2,819 people out of the 37,432 visitors counted over the month! This doesn’t count the dozens I helped each day while walking to or from my shifts. I always made sure I had a bag full of maps and brochures, just in case. Last year I had only 1100 during my 5 shifts. You can see the variance in numbers over the weekends, especially depending on where I was standing. On the 18th and 24th, I was standing on the corner of Washington and Essex streets, at the intersection of all of the congestion. The train lets off at one end of Washington and the free parking shuttles let off at the other end. Essex street is the hub of activity for buskers and (as the only year-round pedestrian street) is always the most congested. It’s as if people arrive and then stop within those few blocks without exploring the rest of the city. They come to the booths and complain about lines or crowds, but when we show them the map and explain everything else they could be doing, they seemed genuinely surprised that it wasn’t just that one street and the Common…

In addition to the booth, I also helped-out at the Howl-o-ween Pet Parade, which had over 140 entries again this year! I registered pets and helped the announcer identify each contestant by name and number so the judges could take note. We had groups of Guinea pigs, a few cats, a chicken, and tons of dogs. Our master of ceremonies was Gigi, the newly elected Dog Mayor of Salem and her Deputy Mayor, Bruce! As usual, I wish I had had time to take pictures of all of the costumes, but I was too busy. There are some videos and photos online.

Here are some photos:

*Mayor’s Night Out was typically held on the Friday after the Haunted Happenings Parade (the first Thursday of October). This year, the Mayor wanted to return to a resident-focused event, so it was moved to the last Friday of September. It was still VERY crowded with visitors, but it was wonderful to see all the local families dressed in costume trick-or-treating downtown. I felt guilty as I stood on the street that I was not in costume. Maybe next year.

** That was a very interesting weekend! One of three people that handles volunteer shift changes and opens/closes the booths got COVID, so I had to step-in and take over those duties. I was scheduled to be a floater near the MBTA station that weekend, but because the Government shut down, the National Parks Service’s Visitor Center in the heart of town was closed. This is a go-to for so many visitors because they have the cleanest, maintained, accessible, indoor bathrooms, as well as a free movie and other information. We were stationed outside the closed center handing out maps and helping answer questions. You would not believe how many people had no idea the National Parks and their employees were part of the government. The most asked question was: “Well, when are they going to re-open?” Ma’am, if I knew that, I’d be on an island somewhere relaxing instead of standing here talking to you…

Did I help you this year?!? Let me know in the comments!

Salem Visitor Information Booth 2024

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This is an annual series documenting my volunteer shifts and outfits for the Salem Haunted Happenings Visitor Information Booth. Every October over 150 local volunteers, coordinated by Salem Main Streets, sign-up for 2-hour shifts on the weekends and holidays to assist visitors from all over the world by handing out guides, maps, and directions, and answering any questions the visitors may have. We had two locations fully staffed this year: the Information Booth on Washington Street (4 people at a time) and a shipping container on Salem Common (2 people at a time). The crowds this year were historic (1,040,600 visitors in October, an 8.6 percent increase over last October, and 87,351 people on October 31, compared to 63,856 in 2023 — a 37 percent increase), but my numbers were pretty low, comparatively. We had so many volunteers this year, that I could only sign up for 2 shifts, but I stepped-in to cover a few shifts that were understaffed.

Date (Location) – Visitors helped per shift – outfit worn (reason why):
10/5 (Info Booth) – 263 – Ambassador Witch (because it’s my traditional first outfit)
10/6 (Info Booth) – 278 – Kilted Ambassador Witch (because it was unseasonably hot out!)
10/19 (Common) – 448 – double shift (4 hours) – Hogwarts Alumnus (because it still fit…)
10/26 (Info Booth) – 479 – International Trader (it was an old Ren Faire costume that still fit)
10/27 (Common) – 198 – Orange Ambassador Witch (it suddenly went from 70s to 42 degrees F!)
11/2 (Info Booth) – 162 – double shift – no costume (because Hallowe’en was over)

I helped 1828 people! This doesn’t count the dozens I helped each day while walking to or from my shifts. I always made sure I had a bag full of maps and brochures, just in case. Last year I had nearly 3000 over my 8 shifts. If it was so much more crowded, why were my numbers so low? I think a lot more people came prepared than in the past, and they just didn’t need our help, or maybe they just didn’t want to interact.

In addition to the booth, I also helped-out at the Howl-o-ween Pet Parade, which had over 180 entries again this year! I registered pets and helped the announcer identify each contestant by name and number so the judges could take note. We had groups of Guinea pigs, a few cats, a chicken (dressed as a parrot on the shoulder of a pirate), groups of rabbits, and tons of dogs. Our master of ceremonies was Bailey Warren, dressed as the tooth fairy, accompanied by his human: Senator Elizabeth Warren! I wish I had had time to take pictures of all of the costumes, but I was too busy. There are some videos and photos online, like this one.

Here are some photos:

The inclusive Pride Flag pin was part of the Hogwarts Alumnus outfit (I didn’t get a picture, so I’m including one from last year – this year had a bow tie and a fancy vest). I specifically covered the Hogwarts symbol on the robes and made sure that the pin was visible at all times. My intention was to let people know that you can still be into an artistic creation without agreeing with its creator (or give her more money). I still got smiles from children and those oblivious to controversy. On my walk home, I caught the tail end of a conversation from a couple that were walking in the opposite direction as they came near. One turned to the other and said “No no! Look, it’s OK. He’s one of us. He gets it.” I have an idea for a dedicated post on this subject that I’ve had in Draft mode for over a year now. Maybe I’ll get to it soon.

I bought the orange suit because I had gained so much weight that nothing really fit well. My idea was to cover it in patches or rhinestones like my Rhinestone Cowboy suit from last year, but I ran out of time. Elise, one half of Salem Main Streets, showed-up to a cat-themed event in the Tuxedo Cat outfit and gave me the idea for making it a orange cat. I may work on this suit for something else for next year. We’ll see.

I initially felt bad about ‘just wearing a coat’ for the really cold day, but I got SO MANY comments on the coat (I had made it a few years ago because I couldn’t find any for sale) and hat (I made that for a different outfit), that it worked out well.

Did I help you this year?!? Let me know in the comments!

Salem Visitor Information Booth 2023

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This is an annual series documenting my volunteer shifts and outfits for the Salem Haunted Happenings Visitor Information Booth. Every October over 100 local volunteers, coordinated by Salem Main Streets, sign-up for 2-hour shifts on the weekends and holidays to assist visitors from all over the world by handing out guides, maps, and directions, and answering any questions the visitors may have. We had two locations fully staffed this year: the Information Booth on Washington Street (4 people at a time) and a tent on Salem Common (2 people at a time). The crowds this year were historic (estimated 1.2 million over the month, and over 100,000 just on the 28th), and I think my numbers show just a hint of that.

Date (Location) – Visitors helped per shift – outfit worn (reason why):
10/8 (Info Booth) – 234 – Ambassador Witch (because it’s my traditional first outfit)
10/9 (Salem Common) – 115 – Herbology Professor (because it was freezing cold out!)
10/14 (Info Booth) – 428 – Rhinestone Cowboy (see this post)
10/15 (Info Booth) – 398 – Rhinestone Cowboy (because it was too special not to repeat)
10/21 (Info Booth) – 568 – Gorton’s Fisherman (because it was pouring rain)
10/28 (Info Booth) – 621 (before lunch) – Orange Kilt (because it was unseasonably warm 86 degrees F)
10/28 (Info Booth) – 565 (after lunch) – Orange Kilt (because I didn’t have time to change)
10/29 (Salem Common) – 68 – Ravenclaw Alumnus (because it was slightly drizzly and cold)

I helped 2,997 people! This doesn’t count the dozens I helped each day while walking to or from my shifts. I always made sure I had a bag full of maps and brochures, just in case.

In addition to the booth, I also helped-out at the Howl-a-ween Pet Parade before my 10/14 shift, which had over 180 entries this year! I registered pets and helped the announcer identify each contestant by name and number so the judges could take note. We had groups of Guinea pigs, a parakeet, a chicken, groups of rabbits, a few cats, tons of dogs, and the master of ceremonies was a show duck accompanied by his handler, a US Senator. I wish I had had time to take pictures of all of the costumes, but I was too busy. There are some good ones here, here, and here.

Here are my six outfits:

Did I help you?!? Let me know in the comments!

Salem Visitor Information Booth 2022

Posted in Halloween, History, Salem, SERIES, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Visitors helped per shift:
10/8 (10am-12pm) – 231
10/8 (4-6pm) – 244
10/9 – 233
10/15 – 220
10/23 – 287
10/29 – 259
10/30 – 218

I helped 1,692 people out of the 30,619 reported in the booth.
That’s 5.5%, though we had over 100 volunteers all season. Personally, I was disappointed in these totals compared to past years, but I guess it’s still a healthy amount.

One highlight of the season was that I was featured in one of the brochures! Right on the foldout map! Of COURSE I had to make sure that the Brave Little Tailor made it into rotation. Every time someone grabbed one of the small brochures, I would point out where the map was and hold the page up to the side of my face. I signed more than one autograph! Hahahaha.

Some more photos of the outfits from this year:

Did I help you?!? Let me know in the comments!

Salem Visitor Information Booth 2021

Posted in Halloween, History, Photography, Popular Culture, Quarantine, Salem, SERIES, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This year, we were split across town. We had the Info Booth at the Salem Common with shifts of 2 inside and 2 outside, and a tent in Lappin Park (by the Bewitched Statue) with shifts of 2 people.

By the numbers – here are the visitors I helped per 2 hour shift:
10/2 – 186
10/2 – 164
10/9 – 218
10/15 – 165
10/16 – 189
10/17 – 446
10/22 – 116
10/23 – 268
10/29 – 213
10/30- 154
10/30 – 46 (Flooding rain!)

All total, I helped 2,165 people. That 446 on 10/17 was because I was alone at Lappin Park. The last shift of only 46 was due to a MONSOON of rain that flooded the common. Thankfully, I had planned ahead a few years before. In a reverse Murphy’s Law, the idea was that if I planned for a costume that could handle the rain, it would never rain! So I put together the Gorton’s Fisherman outfit in 2019 (I had a Gorton’s nametag and a fake fish finger box in my brochure bag). Finally, on the 30th, I wore it during the day shift (light rain) and then switched to the kid from the movie IT for the evening shift (flooding). I had a ton of people recognize the Gorton’s Fisherman and ask for photos, many of whom had family that worked there (they are based up in Gloucester, MA, a 20-minute drive north).

A big challenge this year was the weather. It seemed it was unseasonable warm every weekend. I pulled-out a lot of kilt-based costumes and lighter things like the Beetlejuice suit and the pirate for those shifts. And, of course, there was the issue of matching masks for each look:

The orange kilt outfit was new, based around a glow-in-the-dark Disney Halloween jacket. I found the bright orange kilt online, and added a few light-up slap bracelets (meant for nighttime runners) to add to my ankles, wrists, and bowler hat. That was a fund one for a night shift! A few of the old standbys (Herbology Professor and Salem Ambassador) made it into rotation, only because I had SO MANY shifts. Here, at the downswing in the pandemic, people were still wary of working with the public and putting themselves at risk. I was careful, and never got sick.

You will notice the COVID weight gain pushing the limits on some of these costumes… Let’s hope by the time next year comes around that that will have been fixed.

Happy Halloween!

Did I help you?!? Let me know in the comments!

Salem Visitor Information Booth 2019

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14725712_10153796892516898_173245631148326676_n“Ask Me – I’m a Local”

That’s what my button says.  We volunteers wear them during our shifts at the Salem Visitor Information Booth in October during Haunted Happenings in Salem, MA.  I “freelance” when not in the booth by wearing my pin all month long and helping any lost-looking tourists to find their way around town.

For 2019, we had SO MANY volunteers (a blessing, to be sure) that I was only able to book two initial shifts at the booth – and the earliest was October 13th!  Once everyone had a chance to choose their initial shifts, the schedule was opened-up again and I took three additional later in the month (including Halloween!!).

If you haven’t read about 2018’s booth experiences, you can find those here, and I share some further thoughts on the booth in this post.

Sunday, October 13th: 12-2pm (actually 12-2:15pm)

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I was so excited to start my first shift.  Though I had been walking around town wearing my button and helping people up until this point, it’s not the same as standing at the booth and having people from around the world come to you.  It seems to be tradition now that I always begin my season in the Ambassador Witch costume (above and left).  I have had return visitors recognize me in that outfit, and the local vendors and street performers have been starting to recognize it as well.

During this shift, I met visitors from Canada, Washington, DC, Connecticut, New Jersey, Ireland, and Israel and helped 453 individuals in my 2h 15m shift (the woman replacing me was late, so I stayed to help until she showed-up).

Sunday, October 20th: 4-6pm

IMG_1470

My first evening shift (I prefer the 10-12 or 12-2), I only had 186 people on my clicker at the end of it.  I think by that time of day – especially on a Sunday – people don’t need directions or help in finding things to do.  I don’t think I’ll take another late shift, unless it’s Halloween night (I am scheduled 2-4!).  Today’ I was the Herbology Professor (right), which was my ‘new; costume for 2018.

In addition to the booth shift, a friend that runs Creative Collective asked me if I could help them out loading street vendors for the weekend markets on 19, 20, 26 and 27th.  Of course I said I would – then he told me I had to be there at 7:15am…  It was COLD and early, but all of the vendors were very sweet and happy to have a friendly face helping them load-in.  It did make for long days, though.  I have a feeling he’s going to ask again during the next markets.

Saturday, October 26th: 12-2pm

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A wonderfully sunny and beautifulIMG_2803 day in Salem! 

 I am trying, every year, to have a new costume in rotation (see above).  For 2019 , I had created Mickey Mouse’s Brave Little Tailor.  What do you think?  It was a big hit and has to be one of the most photographed costumes I’ve worn.  

IMG_3094

There were a few people calling me Peter Pan and Robin Hood, which bummed me out, until one guy came walking across the cross walk and yelled to me “Seven in one blow!”  I must have grinned from (mouse) ear to (mouse) ear!

Because it was a beautiful day, it was peak time, and it was the last Saturday before Halloween, it was CROWDED.  I helped 428 people during my shift.

 

Sunday, October 27th: 12-2pm

Sunday was a miserable as Saturday was beautiful.  IMG_2812It was pouring rain, cold, and windy.  Because of the weather, most of the street vendors had cancelled, so I didn’t have to stand in the cold rain at 7:15am, but I did keep my shift at the booth.  I struggled to find an outfit that was fun, but also weatherproof.  I settled on a polyester “Beetlejuice” suit I had in the closet from a Night Circus-themed masquerade ball we attended, complete with top hat and umbrella (necessary in that weather).  I only clicked 138 people on my counter, and I came home chilled and soaked to the bone, with awful blisters from the tux shoes (bad idea).

Thursday, October 31st (HALLOWEEN!): 2-4pm – Cancelled

The weather was so awful, that they cancelled anyone scheduled to be outside.  We decided to keep the booth open for the next weekend, so they moved my shift to:

Saturday, November 2nd: 12-2pm

IMG_3095While it was technically past Halloween, the crowds still came on Saturday, perhaps because of the weather that week.  It was clear, but chilly.  I wore the Ambassador Witch hat and socks, but with long johns  and a thick wool pea coat.

The calendars and brochures that we usually give out were now out-of-date, but I pointed people to the map and descriptions, telling them what was still running and open.  All-in-all, I helped 183 people during this shift, plus a dozen more on my way home.

Total people helped (at the booth): 1388 

That’s a far cry from the 1967 of 2018, but I blame the weather and my shift selections for that.

In 2020, Halloween will fall on a Saturday, and the Haunted Happenings kick-off parade will be on Thursday October 1st.   That means we will have one full month of Haunted Happenings!  And did I mention that both October 1st and 31st are full moons?  Yeah.  It’s going to be crazy.

I can’t wait!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!

Posted in Halloween, History, Salem, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , 4 Comments

To some parents, it’s back to school time.  To kids,* it’s the winter holidays.**

To those of us that love Halloween, it’s time for Salem Haunted Happenings!

Holiday displays before Thanksgiving, 4th of July Peeps, and Halloween in August?

We Americans tend to overdo anything we find special or unique, especially if it is inherently limited, or seasonal.  It is in our marketing/consumer nature to push it passed the saturation point, bringing it as far away from the reason we first fell in love with it as possible, either by extending the season, or making the limited unlimited.

Go ahead and put “Pumpkin Spice” in your search bar and see what comes up…

I mean… really?  Pumpkin Spice Spam sold out in 7 hours. What have we come to?  Is this irony, nostalgia, kitsch, or will certain people buy anything that remotely references something they once loved? Maybe they are doing it for the ‘gram.  Starbucks released their PSL’s on August 27th this year.   I don’t know what the weather was like where you live, but it was NOT a day I wanted to put on some flannel and sit by the fire sipping my latte.  Even my beloved Walt Disney World decorated for Halloween and started Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties on August 16th.  Full disclosure: we went to this party when we were there on August 27th.  It was ridiculously hot and humid.

Because of this trend, I start to worry when tourists and tour buses start jamming our streets in early September, and think that maybe we are pushing the festivities too early.  I understand that making the season longer helps to grab as much of that tourist revenue as possible, but thankfully we have enough going on in the summer that we don’t start October in August.  We have an estimated 1 million tourists each year for maritime and literary history, museums, cultural festivals, and a bustling food and drink scene, but the word on the street is that most small businesses can make 50-80% of their annual income during the month of October alone.

What’s in a season?

We typically have 4 weekends of heavy activity each October, starting with the Haunted Happenings Parade (typically the first Thursday) to kick-off the official festivities, and ending with the fireworks on Halloween night.  This year, the PEM opens it’s new wing to the public on September 28th.  In celebration, they are offering free admission to all and hosting parties throughout the weekend.  We also happen to have a Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival that weekend nearby on the common.  For this reason, the Salem Visitor Information Booth is opening a week early to assist with the expected crowds.

Booth
The booth is delivered to its home for the next few weeks.  It will be surrounded by flowers, decorations, and a rack for free maps and guides by the time you come visit.  Photo Credit: Salem Main Streets

The booth is staffed by volunteers every weekend, plus some weekdays during special events (the parade, Farmers’ markets, Halloween, etc).  If you look at the Haunted Happenings guide, you will see that there are special events every day in October, including new night markets on select Friday nights, and weekly specialty nights at most of the bars and restaurants, but there is a higher concentration of special things to do on the weekends, as the majority of tourists come in as day trips or overnights then.

But what are the crowds really like?

Have you ever been to a Disney Park during school vacation?  Our city’s historic and cultural district spans just over 1 mile in length, and half a mile wide when looking at the map, yet, we can reach half a million people in that area just on Halloween night.    On one of my Saturday shifts at the booth last year, I helped 474 people in 2 hours!  I am, what I like to call, “Aggressively Helpful” when working the booth.  I will walk up to people looking at GPS on their phones, or trying to read the giant map nearby (for some reason, it’s posted backwards, which isn’t obvious when you look at it).  If those people wave me away and say they know where they are going, 90% of the time they come back to me saying they got lost and needed help.  I will compliment costumes, give a smile and a warm “Welcome to my city!” or “Happy Halloween!” to every person walking by.  If it’s cold, I will tap a time step.  I have had people come back to thank me for my suggestions and ask me for more, and I’ve had people recognize me from helping them the previous year – it’s like they have a friend that lives in Salem! We only count people that we actually talk to, but can include whole groups, even if we only talk to one person from that party.  That’s probably how I got 474, although a 3.5 people-per-minute average is not hard to do with families or groups, especially if they have a specific question.  I also hand out maps to even more people that I don’t count.  The final Saturday before Halloween last year, we had a bad nor’easter come through.  There were many intrepid travelers out on the streets that day, undaunted by the weather (and they had already paid for their trip, so why not?), and I still ended up helping 108 people in my 2 hours.  The very next day, the storm had passed, and I was back up to 450.  All totaled, I personally helped 1967 people (officially – I don’t count the ones I help when just walking around town).  The entire booth staff of 75+ volunteers helped over 22,000 tourists that season.

True story: I have yet to meet an angry or mean tourist at the booth.

People may be tired, frustrated, or hungry.  They may have been sitting in traffic, or waiting in line for an hour for a haunted house that was a minute in length.  They may be overwhelmed with how much is going on, but they are here to have fun, and they are choosing to chat with me, rather than relying on their smart phones.  That’s not to say there aren’t tons of a-holes wandering around, getting drunk, and heckling performers.  My friends in the service industry have nightmare stories about awful customers, or disrespectful tourists that treat our historic cemeteries like they were fake movie sets.

Tell me again why you love it?  It sounds…awful.

I can see someone reading those numbers, or hearing complaints about waiting in line, or trying to drive through the city, could think that it’s too crowded or too frenetic, but I absolutely adore my city: its history, culture, and charm – it’s my little European Walking City right here on the North Shore of Massachusetts.  When I first moved her almost 20 years ago, I griped about the traffic and ‘those tourists’ clogging my city, taking my seat in the restaurant, and crowding the sidewalks.  My friends and I commiserated, and sighed heavily waiting for November to arrive, but as I got to know the city, and became friends with many of the business owners, I realized how much the city depends on the tourist industry – not only the shops and restaurants, but I’ve met many people that moved to Salem after having visited as a tourist.

What I didn’t explain above is that those 75+ volunteers are all Salem residents, like me, that volunteer our time.  We do it because we love our city and we want to help other people to love it, too.  We are an expanding family of dedicated, passionate, slightly kooky, people with a need to help others.  This year, there are over 100 of us!  This is wonderful, of course, but (selfishly) all these new people are taking my spots!  I was only able to book 5 shifts this year, and the first one isn’t until October 13th.  I’ll have to wait weeks!  Oh well… I guess I’ll have to go rogue and walk around town with my “Ask Me, I’m a Local” button and a bag full of brochures…

I’ll create another post with this year’s booth highlights and running tally (like last year).  Look out for at least one new outfit, too!

Make your plans now!

In 2020, there will be 5 weekends in October.  Halloween 2020 will be on a Saturday… during a Full Moon…  Book your hotels now, it’s going to be crazy!

 

*and kids at heart

**I know, the word “Christmases” appears in the chorus, but other than that, the song is a secular piece about the season of peace and good will to all.

A Brief Hiatus (for a good reason!)

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I have a new job!!  

(The image is Katherine Hepburn from the movie Desk Set)

I started training on October 17th and this past week was the first on my own, without the woman I was replacing being there to help.  It went well, and I can see myself thriving in this fast-paced and dynamic place.  I’m sure I’ll talk about it more later.

Because my commute is now an hour (train, walk, subway, walk) each way,* starting very early in the morning, and because the days have been non-stop busy, I’ve been extremely tired when I have returned home each night.  My husband has been wonderful.  He made sure dinner was prepared and ready each night, knowing that I would be rushed to think-up and make something.  Sometimes I just don’t deserve him.  Because of this mental exhaustion, I have come home to eat, have a drink and sit down to something mindless – either TV, or folding clothes, or the like – I have not been able to handle anything else.  I would love to read and study some more, or to write here, but I have not been up to the task.

The other reason for my being away from here, and for being so tired, can be summed-up in 3 words:

OCTOBER IN SALEM

Every weekend we had something planned or someplace to go.  I had volunteered at the tourist Information Booth for 3 shifts** – a schedule I made while still unemployed.  This limited our ‘downtime’ as well.

As if the universe knew I would not have my days free anymore, all were booked from the end of September through my start date.  Here are a few highlights:

  • My husband’s birthday is the end of September, and we always go at least once to King Richard’s Faire.  We’ve made some friends with the people that work there, and they always remember us.
  • I had family visit for a few days to do some Ancestry.com research – this was unexpected, but a lot of fun and very informative!
  • I had 1 phone interview and 5 in-person interviews (2 in Salem, 3 in Cambridge)
  • My Goddaughter got married!  We drove the 4 hours in the rain to the Cape, and had a lovely (drier) drive back the next morning, with stops at the beach (a hurricane was passing by off the coast), and a little French bistro in Hyannis.

    img_3717
    “If you’re fond of sand dunes and salty air, quaint little villages, here and there, you’re sure to fall in love with Old Cape Cod.”
  •  I drove down to the South Shore to the graves of my paternal grandparents, maternal grandparents, and my Dad (3 different cemeteries in 3 different towns).  I washed the stones with a soft brush and water, cleaning off the lichen and dirt, swept away the leaves, had a chat with each of them and left some gifts (flower basket, a crystal, some rosemary, and some scotch).  For my Dad, I also brought a spade’s worth of dirt from his garden at home and mixed it in.
  • After visiting the graves, I drove further down to visit my Mom in the Memory Care unit of her Assisted Living apartment.  I had brought my laptop with me, and pulled-up all of the pictures from the wedding, and the freshly cleaned gravesites.  I had also printed a few pictures from the past month and had used my label maker to label each picture with the people’s names.  I brought the label maker with me and, while we were talking, I labelled the photos she had set-up next to the TV as well.  We had a great visit, and while it tears a little bit of my heart every time I notice how much more the Alzheimer’s has taken from her, I try to keep her happy and present.  I can cry in the car on the way home. We had a lot of laughs together and I could see how happy she was in those moments.  I only wish she could remember them when she is down.
  • I created a sewing pattern from our Harry Potter robes, and made myself a new robe out of this gorgeous green tweed flannel I got on sale.
  • I also made my outfit for the Info booth.  Here it is in its debut waiting for the Haunted Happenings Parade (I also have orange striped socks – they went better with the Info Booth vest I had to wear).  It was my first attempt at designing and making a hat, so I was very proud of it.  I received many compliments on both the hat and the tartan accents (I also made them)!

So this has been a very busy, but productive time.  This was supposed to just be a short note of why I’ve been quiet, but, like everything else, it took on a life of its own.

The Election has me crazy – I will likely never write about that here.  Let’s just hope that the right decision is made on Tuesday.

Be good to each other.
Happy New Year, Witches!

 

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Samantha Stephens (Bewitched) in a quiet moment before the craziness of October in Salem begins (note the Info booth in the background).  This is not the usual angle that people take photos of her.  Sorry Sammy!  I didn’t mean to be indelicate.

*I have been thrilled to have this uninterrupted time in the morning and afternoon on the train.  In the morning, I can sip my coffee and read a book or listen to a podcast, and ease into the day.  In the afternoon, I can shut-off from work and do the same thing, calming me down to arrive home without any stress or pressure from the day.  In my old job, I was driving both directions, which allowed me to listen to audio books or sing along to music, but there was still the stress of driving, traffic, weather, etc, so if I left work in a state of agitation, it lingered and came home with me.  Now, on the train, I can disconnect work from the rest of my life.

**It was a wonderful experience that I wish I had had the energy to report on at the time. Hopefully next year, I will be more diligent in sharing those experiences here as they happen.

 

Autumnal Equinox

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Today (22 September 2016) is the Autumnal Equinox here in the Northern Hemisphere (Happy Spring to those of you on the other side of the equator!).  Here in Salem, some neo-pagans are celebrating Mabon, nearby rural farmers are celebrating the Second Harvest, city dwellers are celebrating Pumpkin Spice Everything, and those of us who love the briskness of the Fall are eagerly anticipating sweater and cider weather!!

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Late harvest in the Apple orchard.  Mmmm…cider donuts and apple pie!

I remember when I was in college (quite awhile ago), walking quickly through campus one day.  I happened to look up at the side of the building before heading in through the stage door and stopped, in shock.  The building was always covered in ivy, but at that moment it was a bright and vibrant red.  I looked around, and sure enough, the trees were all shades of orange and yellow and tawny ocher.  I had been so busy and so preoccupied with classes and rehearsals that I had completely missed the changing of the seasons.  I made it a point to pay more attention, especially when the following Spring arrived and the flowers and trees came into bloom.  After all, we are always hearing the advice to “Stop and smell the roses.”  Well, stop and enjoy the other changes, too!

Somewhere between that moment and the period we know as adulthood, with all of its similar trappings of hurrying through life without looking up, I had forgotten that lesson. It popped-up again a few years ago, but in a more profound and succinct way for me.  I had taken my car off the road for a year and decided to commute to work on the train.  Our condo is steps from the Salem station, and my office was a 1/2 mile walk from the Gloucester station (Cape Ann is a beautiful place to visit).  For the first 10 months I rode the train like everyone else: head down, staring at my phone.  One morning, I happened to look up and catch a view out the window that could almost have been staged; it was so perfect, and it took my breath away.  I had to write it down immediately.*  It was an epiphany, of sorts, and a reminder.  I’ve never taken it for granted again.

October 26, 2012 8:47am:

There is beauty in this world.

I can commute along the same route
Day after day reading or playing on my phone
But once in awhile (less often than I’d like, but more than I feel comfortable with) Nature tugs on my sleeve and exclaims:

“Look what I have done for you!

You are on your way to sit at a desk indoors, glued to a screen and wired into the counterfeit world, and you are spending your time giving all of your attention o a smaller window (bane of society) into that false world.

I am putting on my best colors for you!

Look now and you will see a buck and doe fleeing into the umber forest.

Even though we are separated by a sheet of glass and you are traveling by me at a fast speed in a version of a machine that has choked and destroyed me for ____ years, look out and appreciate me.

See how I have made the waters calm and smooth to mirror the beauty of my autumn colors and to expand the sky beneath you.

See how each neighboring tree can burst in vibrant or subdued hues next to one another and be beautiful.

Not everyone can be a flaming red Maple, but see how I have given beauty to even the dullest of brown trees?”

This speech from Nature probably would have continued, but I was pulling-in to my station and needed to get to work.  Perhaps I will stop to listen again and She will tell me the rest of the story.  Perhaps you can finish it and tell me what you’ve heard.

Anyway, I just thought I’d share it here to remind myself to stop and take a moment to notice the world around me, and maybe to inspire you to do the same.

So go.  Take a moment to enjoy the change of seasons.

Take a moment away from the computer/phone/tablet (after you read this, of course).

Take a breath.

Live life.

Repeat.

Enjoy.

(In looking for photos to show the view, I stumbled on this site with gorgeous professional shots of Cape Ann and some foliage by Elinor Teele.  I don’t know her, but the photos are stunning.)

*Full disclosure: I then went right back to looking at my phone, as it was the only place I could write this down as it was happening.  Since then, I have tried to keep a small pocket-sized journal and pen with me, but that is not always practical.  My phone is full of notes and reminders, and (for better or worse) it’s always with me.