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October 28, 2012 – Salem Day 3 – Stranded

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , , , , , on July 3, 2013 by Janet Glenn

My Beautiful Salem Goodbye

My beautiful Salem, Goodbye……

So, it’s today. Sunday, I have to leave. I pack and go down and check out. Stupid me, I think they will put it on my American Express. I told them to do that. I don’t worry about it. I don’t give it another thought. There’s my ride. Goodbye Salem. I’ll see you next time. I did have a couple of good days, well, minus all the bullshit. That’s funny now that I think of it. I flew all the way up here only to have a run-in with an incredible asshole and to watch Hocus Pocus, a movie that I’ve seen over a 100 times. I did have popcorn though. It’s all good. Fly all the way to Salem for a movie and popcorn. Ok, I’ll stop.

I jump into my ride and he says we got to pick up another fare. That’s cool. This lady lives in the weirdest neighborhood. It looks like they cut a big hole in a huge rock and they built houses down in there, down in the hole. I guess they’ll be safe in there away from Frankenstorm …. unless it fills with water. The lady gets in and never utters a single word. Yankee.

We get to the airport and OMG, look at all those people in line at United! Looks like everyone had the same idea as me. Oh well, here I go. I get in line. I’m patient. I resign myself. I wait well. Actually it’s kind of interesting to watch people. They are mad, scared and a few are trying to buck the system by bellying up to the self-serve computers. They’re not working so they HAVE TO GET IN LINE. Why do they think they are different from those of us in line? Why do they think they can just saunter up to a computer and do what we are all standing in line to do? Well, they try, turn and alas, get at the end of the line (dumb shits).

So here we are. Not a lot to say. Just waiting our turn, thinking about Frankenstorm. Looking at the rain outside. It really looks like it’s already started out there. Wet, cold, love it. Everyone is strangely silent. Yankees! And finally, my turn. The lady is very nice to me as she says, “We are closing the airport until Thursday so there will be no flights in or out until then. Do you have anywhere to stay?” Well, she took the wind right out of my sails. I don’t know whether to be disappointed or filled with joy. I tell her yes, I have a creepy hotel to stay in over in Salem. So she schedules me a flight out on Thursday afternoon. Ok, thank you. I have to sit down and process this. Do I want to go back to the Doom and Gloom Hotel with Sir Tight Ass or do I just bop on over to the Hawthorne Hotel because I’m not mad at them anymore? I need coffee and a cinnamon roll. That’s the ticket! I sit and ponder the mess I’m in now. There’s a lot of people over here that had the same idea. I sip my coffee and get my computer booted up. I bite into my cinnamon roll and promptly spit it out. Shit, airport food. I know better! I just don’t know why I bother! I’m a bit undecided here, having some difficulty taking the next step. I look around and I don’t relish the idea of staying in this airport for 4 days so I’ve got to do something. I’m wondering how the airport would weather a hurricane and I assume it would do just fine. And then there’s me. Crap. I call Jason to tell him I’m stranded. Oh my gawd, he comes completely unglued. He sure is mad at me now. I mean MAD! Now he can’t help me and he says just that. So he asks me what I’m going to do now and I guess I didn’t answer him correctly because he went off again! He’s saying stuff like why haven’t I done anything yet and what is wrong with me? Can’t I do anything like I’m supposed to, like take the first step here to help myself? And it’s all my fault because yes, now I’m officially stranded. I tell him to quit worrying so much. I can take care of myself. I raised you by myself didn’t I? He’s not impressed and says that I am not to be trusted …. ever! I promise to call him when I get to the hotel.

While I linger a bit longer (I know exactly what I’m going to do), I get in a conversation with the lady next to me. They are 2 elderly ladies, more elderly than I, and they are having trouble because one of them has Alzheimer’s and she’s gone to the restroom and hasn’t come back although it’s been quite a long time ago. The lady I’m talking to fears her friend has gotten lost but fails to go look for her. Oh Lord, and I thought I had problems.

And now, I suddenly realize that I have to go back to the Doom and Gloom Hotel. They have all my credit cards tied up. If I try to check in at the Hawthorne, the cards will be declined. Another fine mess. So I don’t want to but I call them and ask them if I can come back and the lady says sure, she remembers me and they have plenty of rooms! Thank God. Now I’ve got to get a cab back to Salem!

Damn, it’s really raining cats and dogs out there (hee)! I jump in the cab and me and the driver really hit it off. We talk a mile a minute the whole time. Turns out he’s some sort of research scientist that is working at trying to cure breast cancer. Dang! He says he holds down 3 jobs. He has a family and a couple of kids but he doesn’t see them much. He’s an over-achiever and does the best he can for his family. Nice guy, I like him very much. We talk so much that we pass up the hotel and have to turn around and go back. We say goodbye and wish each other well. Shit, I almost hugged him. Not appropriate!

I struggle in with my bags and tell them to keep the room on my same card and give me a room higher up than the one before. Now I can see the water better in the harbor. Look at all those white-caps breaking over there already!

Now if the truth be known, I am OVERJOYED to be stranded in Salem! What a wonderful turn of events for me! I feel safe here. I’m sure this building has weathered many storms and I can’t think of a better place to be stranded! I can’t leave Salem! Oh how I love that! I tune in the Weather Channel once again and it’s looking sort of creepy and unpredictable. GhostmanMaybe I am a bit nervous. I sit down and send a text to my best friend, Dash Beardsley. Yup, that’s the Ghostman of Galveston for all you kindred spirits such as we. And, of course, I include his lovely girlfriend, Tamara. She’s a bit skeptical about the ghost thing. She definitely is a lot less crazy than we are what with all the spirits Dash and I see and speak to. And I, of course, have been known to take a pretty convincing ghost photo or two, as has Jason. And I have had orbs follow me around at Dash’s ghost hunts at Ashton Villa in Galveston. All just in a day’s work as they say. I’ll have to add some of my ghostly lore here in my blog. Maybe even interview the Ghostman when the season is upon us. Yes, we do have such fun! Are you scared of ghosts? Well, we the hell are not!

Dash Stirring Up the Dead

Dash Stirring Up the Dead

My I do get off topic, don’t I?! Well, it’s my blog so you can just suck it up! Anyway, I text Dash and Tamara and go on to explain how the hurricane is going in below us with a winter storm coming in from the left of us. A Nor’easter as it’s called up here or the Perfect Storm. I always wanted to be in a Nor’easter, dumb shit that I am. Hmmmmm, maybe not such a good idea to be so forthcoming with Dash. He’s concerned. Gotta love him. Between Jason and Dash, I’m feeling pretty cared for at the moment. Dash wants to know if I’m safe and how am I money-wise. Bless him for being such a good and thoughtful friend.

Hawthorne PumpkinsI now call Jason and he’s resigned to my plight. He tells me NOT to leave the hotel and I say, ok, I promise. I hang up the phone and promptly go out and have dinner at the Hawthorne Hotel. Great food, warm cozy place and I snap a few photos of their pumpkins. I linger and have a couple of cocktails at the bar. This is a lovely, old hotel. When it storms and you are here in the Hawthorne, the wind whistles through the ancient eaves of the windows. With its old Victorian design and stormy sounds, well, I could not feel more at home and happy. The hotel is decked out in its Halloween trappings making the visuals perfectly complete. I am one happy girl at this juncture but try though as I may, I can’t seem to find one single orange feather here. Since my first trip here and my experiences in the hotel, well, I will always look for orange feathers at the Hawthorne Hotel. I liken it to looking for beads in New Orleans! Oh yes! For those of you who do not remember or have neglected your duty to read this blog backwards and forwards, the Hawthorne Hotel IS haunted. Yup, I had an experience right here in this wonderful hotel!

Halloween WeekOh my gawd, how I do run on! I almost forgot, it’s the beginning of Halloween week but first we’ve got to weather this storm. Frankenstorm!

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October 26, 2012 – Salem Day 1

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , on June 3, 2013 by Janet Glenn

Let me tell you, my Salem trip for 2012 was one disaster after the other! I mean a disaster on top of a disaster on top of a disaster! I’m not making this up! It sucked, SUCKED from the first moment I stepped into my hotel in Salem! But I’ve gotten ahead of myself here. Let’s back up a bit. So here we go….

This trip has turned me into the bitter hag you see before you. I learned a lesson right away and that is to not fly out of Houston, Texas early on a Friday morning in October. Like I get to the airport, cool so far. There’s a pretty long line checking in but it’s moving right along. NO CHECK BAGGAGE FEE for me! Yay! Thank you United Credit Card! Continuing on, hoping for an uneventful Security experience but NO! They tell us to move along to another security area just up those stairs, down that corridor, up the escalator, turn to the right, take the elevator up 2 floors, turn right again and then make a left and walk for about 2 miles, then go through the glass doors – the ones marked with a big ass “B”, go down the hall to the left, board the tram, take a short ride across the ramp, disembark said tram but do it quickly, then enter the door in the middle on the left and then get in the line on the right and be sure to have your boarding pass and drivers license on the ready.  I see that the line stretches all the way around the terminal and I get at the end of it and I stand there blinking. Can’t you just picture it? Hopefully, I stare forward, waiting my turn.

Why is Security so traumatic? I guess once you’re fully dressed, it’s a real pisser to have to take off shit that you’ve just put on. So here I am struggling to get shit off. I see a shoe fly over everyone’s heads over there, a belt is tossed up in the air across there, someone’s hair extension flips in the air like an olympic diver, 2 men are having a tug of war with a bag, another shoe flies, a tiny old lady is tossed this way and that! Oh my, poor dear. Whoa, you touch me, you die! EVERYTHING IN THE PLASTIC TUB EXCEPT USED TAMPONS. These should ALL be disposed of in the tiny restrooms on the airplane. Open laptop/camera bag. Take out said laptop. Ok, walk through. No, don’t walk! The bitch stands in front of me wagging her fingers at me.  Ok, walk, no wait, wait! Well, for cripes sake! Ok, walk, WALK THROUGH! Whew, I made it. That was HARD! Suddenly I feel free – like liberated. Checking, barely enough time to get dressed and a pit stop. They are already calling the flight! Shit……. run! Ignore toilet paper stuck to shoe. Gawd, don’t you just hate that? Now entering the airplane, this plane is packed! I mean standing on the wing room only! This makes me uneasy. I get to my seat and see that someone is sitting there in my window seat and his lady is in the middle seat. Crap, I want my fucking window seat but with the airplane as packed as it is what with the people behind me waiting to be seated, I agree to take the aisle seat and he’s got my window. Not a happy camper at all. Now tell me this, why oh why do the people sitting next to the windows insist on keeping the shutters closed? I look around. Not one glimpse of the outside. Not one! The whole way! I love seeing the fall trees as we get close but this time I’m stuck watching “Dark Shadows” which I cannot hear a word of WITH the earphones. Is it my imagination but since United took over Continental, these airplanes really suck? The Captain must be sensitive about this and announces that United has bought new airplanes but we are NOT on one. No shit, boss. Oh dear, enter foul mood!

We finally land in Boston and I can’t get out of that airplane fast enough, but yes, everything is as a remember it. I can feel the dark clouds lift. I grab my bag and go outside and there’s my ride! Works every time! I like my driver. He takes me around the long way and through some of the towns that surround Salem. Gave me a good tour he did and it didn’t cost extra! It is SO beautiful here. Interestingly, Salem and the surrounding areas are literally cut from solid rock. It looks like rocky mountain tops that were somehow cut to allow for cities. I bet it’s ancient mountain tops and I bet they are really high and these cities sit on the tippy top of them. This area is surrounded by water, just imagine how tall these mountains are under the water. Freaky!

And now the trouble begins. The shit begins to fly. The shit hits the fan! The fur begins to fly. It’s a bad day at Black Rock! Ok, I’ll stop. You get the picture. Proceed…..

The first thing is that there’s a hint, just a hint mind you, that a monster storm called Hurricane Sandy may have been following me to the northeast. Aww, I ain’t scared. I’m going to Salem and that’s that! And I do and here I am. We roll up in front of the Salem Waterfront Hotel and with ghost tours dancing in my head, I get all my stuff and walk in. I’m glad to be here …… but that won’t last long!

INTERMISSION!

Salem Beauty 2012

HA! WHAT A TIME FOR AN INTERMISSION, HUH?

Just kidding….

I approach the front desk and there’s this guy working there. He’s young, nice looking, cold, aloof, and he takes my American Express card and rings it up and announces that there’s not enough on the card to cover my whole stay at the hotel. What?! My whole stay? Yes, he says. I say to him that normally since I’ve already paid for one night deposit, the hotel doesn’t usually tally out the bill until at checkout. I’m completely prepared for that and I normally pay like that. He now informs me that that is not how it’s handled and I will need to cover the whole bill right now and we are $800 short. Well, I say I was expecting to use my payday in a few days to clear out the bill, so the $1,300 that’s on my American Express should fix things quite nicely until I check out. No, he says, we won’t be doing it that way and he just stands there looking at me. The next move is mine. So to say I was embarrassed is an understatement. I was very angry at this guy but I can’t just walk out like I want to. Finding a room in Salem during Halloween week is impossible! Now the very real idea of being homeless in Salem looms ahead of me. So I panic (always a solution) and begin pulling out my credit cards of which I was depending on for food and spending money. With each card chipping away at that $800, I still don’t quite make it. I’m sweating now and completely mortified and distraught. I do think this guy is enjoying watching me squirm before him. And then finally the girl that is working the front desk along side of him has had enough and she suggests calling the manager, who, the guy says is not in the hotel presently. She then suggests that he let me check in for the night and we could work it out in the morning. She’s fed-up with him and so am I! And then as I gather myself, face in a full red flush, the girl lamely tells the guy, “Oh, give her her Halloween Bag” and he grabs said bag from a pile of them behind him and hands it to me. I squeek, “Thank you” and creep away to the elevator like the low-life bitch that I am…..

By the time I get to my room, I’m fully mortified and hurt. I never expected something like that to happen. I’ve stayed here before, I’ve never had that problem. Not even at the Hawthorne Hotel, which I will be going back to now! I settle in my room and I get on the Internet to check my money and I realize that every credit card I gave to that guy now has a hold on it to be sure that the hotel gets it’s money. I now officially have NO MONEY while I’m here in Salem. I tried to use a card to pay for a tour and it was declined! I am in trouble, I begin to cry. What do I do? And they are going to want even more money in the morning. What the fuck am I going to do? Payday is not until next week! Oh, I’ve got myself into a fine mess. I can’t eat, take tours, I’ll be homeless…… 1600 miles from home and all alone……

And then I remember my tiny Las Vegas friend. The one I went to Las Vegas with. I swore to her that I would NEVER ask her for anything. She’s had so much loss in her life and I don’t want to affect her negatively in any way… but what can I do? So I pull myself together and call her. I’d rather have someone push pins under my fingernails than do this but I must. I explain my situation to her and she is very gracious and gives me her credit card number while I apologize profusely to her. I promise her that the credit card won’t be used, I’ll just give it to the hotel so they will shut the fuck up. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I run downstairs with the card number and give it to Sir Tight Ass and all is well with the world.

My other saving grace is my Wells Fargo account. Wells Fargo allows cash advances in emergencies and if this isn’t an emergency, then I don’t know what is. I get an advance and now I have some cash in my pocket. I love you Wells Fargo. You have saved me once again. My experience in Las Vegas is still very much with me and Wells Fargo was right there with me…… even at midnight! Thank you! And now there will be peace throughout the land…… well, sort of!

So you don’t know what happened in Las Vegas? Oh, you will, you will!

Salem NY Deli & PizzaOkay now, can I get on with my vacation, huh? So now the tour is out but I am starving and it is Friday night in Salem. I pull myself together, stop crying, and go to my favorite pizza place in the Mall. Wow, it’s really crowded. I put in my order and sit and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and friggin’ wait! I notice the couple next to me waiting and I ask if they had been waiting long. They say, ya, about an hour. What? An hour? Sheeiitt. I’m hungry and really begin to worry here. Do you do that? You start to worry about getting your food and your whole world reduces down to just that one thought, will I ever get my food? You watch them, maybe that’s mine he’s working on over there. No, that went to those people. Well, they’re still working back there. No one is standing around doing nothing. Oh there maybe? No not mine. I look at my watch, man, this trip’s not going so well. I just want to eat my pizza. I look at the people next to me, they are still waiting. Why do we want others to suffer along with us? Somehow it makes us feel better. Wait, wait, waiting. Maybe I should leave. I’ve been here…… Oh! My number was called! Wow! Shit! Wow! I got my pizza, I got my pizza! Isn’t it funny what bad luck reduces us to….. and the people next to me, still waiting. Dang! I dive in and feel bad for them all at the same time! Their pizza finally comes. I now notice that he’s carrying some bongo drums and she’s carrying a saw, you know, one of those old timey flexible ones? Oh, I know, they’re a street act. You know how when you flex the saw and run a violin bow across it, it makes this weird sort of music? Ya, I’ve seen that and when they opened their case, it was FULL of cash. Ya, that’s what they do and now they can eat. Good, very good. It doesn’t take much to make me happy now as I eat my pizza with my tear-stained face. Oh pulleeeze!

I eat as much pizza as I can, grateful for small favors. Oh stop…… I now take to the streets of Salem and try my hand at some night photography. I usually really suck at it but this is actually looking pretty good. I’m using my tripod and people are walking up behind me and admiring my shots. Wow, I’m liking this! Here’s a couple of shots I took. Pretty good if I say so myself. I likee.
Salem Spooky House
Salem Spooky House

I walk around a bit more. It’s cold and I’ve had a very trying day. Guess I’ll go back to the hotel and have a hot, relaxing bath. Salem PillowsAnd I do and as I get ready for bed, I am reminded of what a weirdo I am. I move all the good pillows to the side and select the smallest, flattest pillow I can find and sleep on that. Probably a throwback to my vampire days. Those wooden coffins just didn’t have enough room for pillows. G’Night!

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November 2, 2010 – Last Day in Salem

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , , on December 9, 2012 by Janet Glenn

I’m up and I leap out of the bed! I never have to sleep in that bed again!! Yay!!!! I’m up and out, good riddance to that room! I checkout at 11:00 am but my ride won’t be here until 2:30. It is colder today outside than the whole time I’ve been here! It’s freezing! I dread going out there but I want to go to the Mall and eat. I decide to go out and brave the cold. Well dang, the Bronze Witch is there! I thought for sure she’d be gone by now. I spoke with her on Facebook a couple of times yesterday. I feel like I know a celebrity. I do! I go into the Mall and I can’t believe what I’m hearing! Christmas music! There’s Bing Crosby singing, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” while I browse the Mall still decked with jack-o-lanterns, flying witches, grinning pumpkins, scary ghosts, Halloween here and Halloween there! I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around this. Welp, it’s time to move on I guess!

I go back to the Hawthorne Hotel after I eat and I wait in the lobby for my ride to the airport. You will never believe what they are doing here at the Hawthorne. They are busily switching out all the mattresses in the hotel!!!! Oh horror of horrors! EVERY MATTRESS IN THIS FUCKING HOTEL WILL BE LIKE THE TORTURE DEVICE UP ON THE 6TH FLOOR! Come to think of it, the mattress up there looked brand new. Oh my gawd, say it’s not true! What a horrible thing to contemplate! Get me the fuck out of here! The Salem Waterfront Hotel is looking better and better for next year!

Well, finally, there’s my ride. I’m tired of watching this mattress shit. I’ve had it up to here! I stomp out to meet my ride who jumps out of the car and promptly breaks my suitcase! He’s broken the strap that holds both my suitcases together. This is not good. I already have a computer/camera bag. I’m pissed but like always, I act like it’s okay, just an accident, I know. I figure out another way and I make it work and we drive away. Goodbye Salem. I look at the driver and he looks strangely like a Yankee to me. News flash! You are in Massachusetts like almost to friggin’ Canada here. There’s the state of Maine right up there to the right, so duh, dumb ass! I’ve noticed on this trip that being alone has really made me scared of the natives living here. At the Halloween Ball and even after I was home looking at all the photos, all those strange people scared me a little. It was creepy looking at all of them while thinking, there’s no one here that knows me. I know no one. No one is looking out for me. Nobody even knows me to know if I went missing. This is some creepy shit. Oh, it doesn’t pay to think when you are so far from home and completely alone. The driver, he really creeped me out. He was almost an alien to me and I could not stop staring at him. Oh thank God, there’s the airport. Nobody knows anybody there so I will fit right in. I feel in such a pissy mood at this point. I guess my disappointment with my room has pretty much put a damper on my trip overall. I’m wondering if I’ll stay at the Hawthorne ever again.  And just what is this shit that the driver looks suspiciously like a Yankee?  What the hell does a Yankee look like?  We, from the south, are a strange bunch!

Now get this. When I arrive at the airport, instead of being able to just walk in, I’m accosted by a “Sky-Cap.” Now I know Sky-Caps. My Dad worked for the airlines for 36 years. I know that you always tip the Sky-Caps. I wasn’t ready to spend money again but I allow the Sky-Cap to check my bags. $60.00 yet again plus tip for the Sky-Cap. Feeling fleeced, I walk into the airport. I just spent almost $75.00 just to walk in the airport! Yup, I’m pissed. And later I see said Sky-Cap waving at me from afar saying, “Hello Texas!” Yup, of course, he likes me and I officially know someone in the Boston Airport. I then check out the Bookstore (love) and buy some Sudoku puzzles for my flight. I go to the gate and sit for a couple of hours watching people, just like I started this trip. Sadness is settling around me. I knew this would happen. Finally, I’m walking through the jet-way to my plane. I find my seat and plop down into it. CRAP.

When the plane taxis out and takes off, I begin to cry. I mean I cry hard, big ol’ tears as I stare out the window watching Boston fall away from me. I feel heartbroken. I knew this moment would come. I dreaded it all week! Will I be back to Salem? Damn straight! Oh, and Sudoku puzzles are a wonderful way to kill time. I’m back in Houston before I know it. It was a turbulent flight home but I love turbulence!

And now that it is the end, I’ve included a few of my favorite photos below among which is a photo of the first pilgrim’s grave that arrived in Salem on the Mayflower.  The last two were taken in Boston from the water of which I will pay a visit to again someday! Hope you enjoyed my 2010 Salem trip!

Until next time!

Janet

Hawthorne Haunted Hallway

Hawthorne Hotel Haunted Hallway

Salem Window Fairy

Captain Richard More

Here Lyeth Buried the Body of Capt Richard More
aged 84 years
Died 1692
Mayflower Pilgrim

Witch House Sunset and Leaves

Friendship Salem

Salem Harbor Sky

Washington and Essex

Boston Restaurant

Boston Wharf

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October 31, 2010 – Halloween in Salem!

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , , , , , on October 17, 2012 by Janet Glenn

Hawthorne Hotel Room 624

What a horrible night I had! It was so damn hot in this room and the bed has gotten harder I think just to spite me! And although I had the window open as far as it would go, it was like an oven in here! And the bed, well, it has officially turned into a torture device. I am very disappointed in the Hawthorne Hotel. And the walls are so thin! These people checked in and they have talked and talked and talked! One woman talks in this low monotone and it just goes on and on and on! It’s just this constant drone. It’s like having a bee buzzing by your ear without stopping for 3 fucking hours! I’m losing my mind! The crazy thing is that when I walk out the door of my room, someone asks me if I’ve seen the ghost. This has happened several times. Yesterday a large group of people were outside my door and were asking me about the ghost. And there was a tour outside my window last night …. talking about the ghost. Well, no ghost in their right mind would hang out in this room! But, yes, there’s a ghost at the Hawthorne Hotel. I know it because I experienced it last year! And if you’ve read my blog like good little creepies, you already know about it! But, back …. when I wake up (as if I really slept), it’s frickin’ Halloween and I am in Salem, Massachusetts, the Halloween capital of the world!!!!!

Halloween!

So Halloween, what shall I do with this day? First things first, I take a long hot bath and shower. Must be clean and pretty for this wonderful day! Oh dear, the weather dude is saying it’s super cold and windy. You would not know it by this stupid room. It’s still hot in here and the heat is not on. I know …. but the AC won’t work either! (Love it when I answer myself…) Wonder who is manning the controls down there? Some jerk vlad … hee!

What to wear? Don’t want to get too tricked out until tonight so I’ll wear a bit toned down witchy-look but I will wear my cloak (cape?). Hmmm, my tunic is almost a dress on me. I really have lost weight. Unemployment will do that to you!

Salem Costumes 2010

And out I go with my camera on Halloween day! Feee-uck! It’s cold outside! And the wind! Gale force! My cape is blowing every which way. People are being blown this way and that! It’s really hard taking pictures. I pull my hood up on my cape and that helps with the cold wind but I can’t see anything now. So I stop occasionally and take pictures of the crowd and Halloween costumes. Shit, I’m not wearing heavy enough clothes. I’ve come to the realization that fashion doesn’t give a shit about weather! And what happens in Salem, kiddies? Salem weather happens when you least expect it! Yay! Gawd, I’m a dork. So, after many pictures, I decide to go to one of my favorite pizza places – the Upper Crust. Gotta get out of this cold. I’m dying heya. The people talk so funny here and I catch myself talking that way. Accent? Just think John Fitzgeral Kennedy whose ghost, I might add, is alive and well here in Massachusetts. And you know what else? Do not stare at cops here in Salem. If you get their attention, they want to know just what (the fuck) are you looking at, and they sound like they’re straight out of New York. I think they do that to make them sound more bad ass than they probably are. Still and all, I wouldn’t mess with them. They do sound scary bad.

Salem Ferris Wheel

Yum, the pizza is as good as it was last year. I sit right by the window and watch the crowds walk by, most in costume. You don’t see this in Houston! (I’ve included more pictures below.) These people are having so much fun. They are so happy! These are people from all over the world and we all gathered right here in Salem. I just plain love this shit! The smells remind me of the festivals I went to when I was a child. Remember the Halloween carnivals we had in elementary school? All the food booths, roasting, hmmm, I don’t remember what they were roasting … but they were! Running hither and yon in our Halloween costumes with a spooky chill in the air. Coloring black cats and pumpkins on paper that smelled really funny. And candy, candy, candy! That’s how it is here in Salem except the adults are having just as much fun as the kids. Everyone dresses up! There’s a carnival over there with it’s witchy-adorned ferris wheel. The midway, popcorn, sausage and yes, they’re perfectly happy taking all your money while you try to beat their almost impossible games. All those memories come back alive here in Salem. The really cool part (although I think some of you would disagree) is that you cannot drink alcohol outside in Salem. The cops are very hard on that! You can’t drink or even look drunk outside in Salem. Zero tolerance. It’s nice though, I hate drunk people … especially drunk people in my family! Drunks always ruin everything!

So back, eating my pizza and I ordered way too much but it’s good. Remember the difficulties I had last year the day after Halloween? Well, strangely enough, a little while ago I had a nasty cramp way down low in my belly …. just like last year! Now wait just a damn minute! I did not eat at the Halloween Ball last night. The memory of what happened to me last year on Salem Harbor is way too fresh! I do not want to walk the streets of Salem again like that, walking stiff-legged with my ass held tightly shut! Nope! Okay, let’s think. Since I didn’t eat anything at the Ball, it has to be the alcohol …. very cheap bourbon at super ridiculous prices. I only had two drinks but they were bad. No wonder I don’t drink!!!

Salem Costumes 2010

Well, I buck up, pull myself together and brave the cold and wind and walk around Salem on Halloween. The bronze witch is there freezing her witchy tits off …. or is it teats? Witch teats? I think I’ve seen that in a story somewhere. Oh hell, I don’t know, she’s fucking cold! People are being blown right by me. Funny, sort of like the Wizard of Oz tornado. I’ve been blown up one street and down another for quite sometime now and I’m so damn cold. I try to go over to see where the fireworks are going to be but the wind is blowing so hard, I can’t even peek around the corner and step on that block. Welp, no fireworks tonight I surmise. There’s supposed to be a band playing there as well. The weather in Salem is a force to be reckoned with, let me tell you! It never does it half-way! It is full on, let’s get it on, kick some ass!

I make my way back and I’m so cold and beat up, I decide to pop into the Coven for hot, hot, hot coffee. I get my coffee with honey and cream and sit by the window and watch the festivities outside. People in costumes are still being blown by the window. Swoosh! I savor this moment. I even posted about it on Facebook from my phone. Sitting here in Salem, in the Coven, on a very cold and windy Halloween with my warm coffee in hand. It is dusk and I’m in my element. I’ve never before felt like I’m where I’m supposed to be more than I do now. If I could just freeze this moment in time. If only I could ………

Salem Costumes 2010

Ok, I must break the spell. It is after all Halloween at dusk in Salem. I make my way back to the hotel to change into my witchy best for the evening. I really only change a few things but I add my lovely witch hat. Now I really feel at home! In Salem on Halloween, you get stared at if you don’t have a costume! As I venture out, I notice immediately that the wind has died down but it is still very cold. I head for the Pedestrian Mall and I change from taking photos to taking video. It’s one or the other! I notice that the crowds are significantly smaller than last year and there’s a lot less costumes. I think all the Halloween festivities last night, Saturday night, wore everyone out. It is so quiet even with the crowds. It’s almost boring! I walk around and there are people actually stopping me to take my picture. One person said I was an “awesome witch.” Another was bragging how he would be sending my picture back home to Brazil. He said I was beautiful. At some point, I just stop and stand there on the Pedestrian Mall and some of the people think I’m one of the “street performers.” They are commenting and having their pictures taken with me to send home. Wow, all’s I need is a tip jar like the Bronze Witch and I could be making some money! **Makes a mental note of this!**

So I spend the next couple of hours walking and taking in the festivities all around me. There’s bands playing, break dancers (ha) and lots of souvenir and food booths. There’s monster face painting and Dracula fang installations. I make my way over to the Witch Memorial and the Salem witches have left a lovely floral wreath in memory of those falsely accused and executed in 1692. The memory will never die and it should not! I’ve heard some stories of the executions and they were gruesome, awful. The one man, Giles Corey, being pressed to death and the others hung by the neck until they were dead. Do you really know what happens to someone when they are hung? Dreadful and evil! All this happened here and it was so unfair to those people! Can you imagine being pressed to death? Having rocks placed on you over a three day period until finally you are crushed from the weight? From what I understand, the guy kept asking for more weight, more weight, more rocks! All he had to do was admit he was a witch and they would have stopped. Giles Corey would not admit it and they would not stop. Now it’s awful, morbid history. The punishment put upon this man and the unfortunate women by “religious people” in the name of God! So I pay my respects at the Witch Memorial …. and another couple of pictures are taken of me smiling with total strangers for memory’s sake. That’s cool.

Halloween Band

I walk around some more. It is frickin’ cold out here and all I have is this stupid cape! It’s not warm at all! I’m hungry but everything I see is so packed with people. I watch another band that’s close to the hotel. They are playing Beatles music so, of course, I linger. The singer is cute and he has an English accent … and long blonde hair. No Beatle there, ha! I watch awhile, then I head to the hotel. I NEED some warmth. I’ve seen a lot of people tonight who are walking around half naked because of their costumes, and there ain’t no way they’ll put a coat on and cover up their “look.” I think they have lost their minds! I’m freezing my arse off! This witch has to give it up and go inside.

I get in the lobby and oh my God, does that feel good! It feels like someone wrapped a warm blanket around me. Oh, I love you Hawthorne Hotel! Up to my room. Oh, I hate you, stupid bed! But now the strangest thing happens. I get into my warm nighties. The room is now cold. I look out the window and I think I hear a boom. What the hell was that? I hear it again. Well, would you look at that! It’s the fireworks show! I have a perfect view right here from my window! So I pull up a chair and watch, all roasty-toasty, right here in my window. I can see all the people in costumes walking in the streets by the Salem Common and the Salem Witch Museum. I can see the end of Salem’s Haunted Happenings 2010 and most interesting of all, I can see the police getting everyone off the streets because Halloween is over. Yup, they were being rough with everyone they dealt with and I had a bird’s eye view. They made a couple of arrests right there beneath my window. They were running everyone out of the Common. No one in, everyone out! The concession stands turn off those blasted generators. Aww, quiet at last! And there’s those beautiful huge police horses! I would come back to Salem just to see them! The police are riding them through the Common to get everyone out. Aww, to have a job like that! I’ve never seen horses so big nor so beautiful! I watch and watch and watch out my window. It’s hard to tear myself away. I’m trying to hold onto Halloween as long as I can. And it’s over. Over for another year. Damn, damn, double damn! I still have a couple of days here in Salem though!

Happy Halloween!

Janet

Salem Costumes 2010

Salem Costumes 2010

Salem Costume 2010

Salem Costumes 2010

Salem Costumes 2010

Salem Costumes 2010

Salem Costumes 2010

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October 30, 2010 – Day 5

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , , , , on September 20, 2012 by Janet Glenn

Well, today is the day of the annual Halloween Ball here at the Hawthorne Hotel. It is a big deal here in Salem. As for my day, I’ve decided to go in search of gifts to take back to my family. Shopping in Salem is very fun. Too bad I not only have a money limit but I have to be mindful of how much I buy. Lord almighty, I can’t afford to take home another suitcase! I will never get over the fees that Continental Airlines charges for checked baggage. A fee for a fee for a fee ….. shit!

Salem Old Burying Point Cemetery

Anyway I bathe and dress and go out to see my beautiful Salem yet again. I still am worried about leaving. I have been crying off and on the whole time I’ve been here fretting about having to leave. What is it about this place? What the fuck is Salem to me? I can’t figure it out. The psychic lady who did my reading didn’t think I ever lived here before in a past life. What the hell does she know? What the fuck is it about Salem? It drives me crazy and it’s very real to me. When I’m in Salem, this whole “thing” comes over me. The feeling is so real especially when I’m in the Old Burying Point cemetery. That’s where it’s the strongest. I find it significant that the only major “spirit photo” I got was in the Old Burying Point cemetery last year. When I’m in the cemetery, I feel this incredible heaviness in my chest. I feel I’m being watched or that they (they?) want to tell me something. I feel this real heavy weight settle all around me. Salem Ancient TreeI feel more than compelled to touch the trees especially the largest ancient tree that you see here. And do I touch it? You bet your sweet bippy I do (what the fuck is a bippy?)! I think I've mentioned this before in this blog but dammit, I mean it! I went over to the Howard Street cemetery the other day and I felt no such thing. I loved the cemetery with the squirrels and jail and all but I just don't feel anything there. Of course, I can't get in the cemetery so that is a bit off putting but this all is very strange. I really wish I could know what's going on with me and Salem. How do I find out? Does anyone know?

Howard Street Cemetery

I head on out in search of gifts and I decide to eat at the Coven. Now doesn’t that name just piss some of you off? **Lots of Laughter** It’s not a place to go worship the devil as some of you think. The Coven is a very cool little coffee shop/cafe type place. I order coffee and “The Criminal.” “Excellent choice” the young guy says and yes, it was very good. It was an egg on a toasted crossiant. Whoa, what an idea! Not really. Fact is I like it very much and I love my surroundings even more. To me, everything in Salem is “an event.” Every little thing I do is special. Well for crap’s sake, here come the tears again. What an ass I am! Anyway, on this day, I shot some great video of dear Salem and I’ll try to show you if I can figure out how to convert the damn videos. Thanks JVC …. and this is a completely differant story (rant) for later!

Ok, I have a particular shop in mind for a couple of gifts but damn, there’s a line to get in! Dang tourists (tee hee)! I guess I will stand in line. Why not? It’s Saturday in Salem and it’s perfect! The shop is cool if a little uppity but a lot of shops (and people) are like that here. It’s okay with my cuz I’ve been accused of the same thing many times in my life. I’ve been told also that I write way different than I act in public. Whew, that’s a good thing! Can you imagine?! I’d be chasing people down trying to put them in my morgue and then I would write rude things about them! Hee! Anyway back, I go through the shop. It’s a spooky/witch shop. Lots of spooky/witch things but there’s some interesting stuff as well. I’ve been accused of being a witch many, many times in my life … even as a child. The mean kids in school called me “Morticia.” The “Addams Family” was popular when I was a kid. But, you know what? Looking around this shop, I don’t have a clue what to do with most of this stuff. I don’t even know what most of it is but some of it looks real interesting and other stuff looks real meaningful except I don’t really know the meaning. I buy a $2.50 Mood Ring and leave that place. At least I know what a Mood Ring does!

I go in other shops and see things that I really want to buy. This place here has a really cool selection of Ouija Boards both old and new. There’s one exactly like the one we played with in my childhood. There’s new, modern ones as well. I would really like to buy one but I have been SO warned against them that I’m afraid to. What if it makes the plane crash? This little toy board made by Parker Brothers … a toy company? Which brings me to an interesting fact right here in Salem. There’s some apartments here that are built on the land where Parker Brothers had their business and this is where they made what? The Ouija Board! Ok, that’s cool, right? Truth! Really!

Salem Bronze Witch

Alright, wandering down the Pedestrian Mall and there’s my favorite bronze witch statue. I think I would return to Salem year after year just to watch her work the crowd as a statue! Her costume is fabulous and I have learned that she designed and made it herself. The costume she had last year was different but they are both excellent. She really does look like a bronze statue …. an 8 foot tall bronze statue! She’s really good with the people and she makes her living totally from tips. She’s got this eccentric little witch sound she makes when you drop some money in her cauldron and I’ve seen people put money in there over and over and over just to get her to make that sound. Then she kisses at you and this is a very personal and sweet gesture and the people love it! She plays with people, of course, stealing their hats and giving them away to other people. She’ll stand very still like a statue and bop you on the head as you walk by. Sometimes she will be very still and someone will get up very close to her looking to see if she’s real and she will move ever so slightly and scare the crap out of them. Too funny! This girl is a part of Salem and she earns her money. Once she gets up on her step-ladder and gets settled, she will stand there 10 hours or more a day, not getting down … not even to pee. I don’t know how she does it. I pee about every hour. I’d be screwed! I salute her and she’s my friend on Facebook! Ain’t I something? (Right)

Hocus Pocus 1993

So looking around. I do finally find the gifts I want. Love buying things in Salem. I guess I should get back to my room. I’m planning to be late to the Ball tonight. Tonight on ABC Family on TV, they are having a back-to-back showing of the movie “Hocus Pocus.” A double feature! Oh rapture! As you know, “Hocus Pocus” was filmed right here in Salem and I’ve had such fun here walking around and finding the locations where they filmed. When I used to watch the movie years ago (and I watched it over and over but didn’t have a clue as to why), I never dreamed I’d actually be in Salem someday watching it. Goes to show, you just never know!

Janet's Witch Hat

Okay, watching “Hocus Pocus” and getting ready for the Ball that’s being held downstairs. I’m slathering on my witchy makeup. Does every damn thing have to be about a witch for cripes sake?! Yes indeedy! You are probably wondering, how does she go to a Halloween Ball all by herself? How indeed! I just get my shit in order and I frickin’ go! I do have my camera, of course. A camera is the ticket. It can be a companion and is for me. It’s my excuse for being there in the first place naturally. My excuse to “be.” Now, off to the Ball! Back in a bit!

Halloween Ball Costume

Okay, my gawd, I’m in my room after the Ball. I’ve had 2 drinks and I’m feeling very tipsy. I never drink, 2 drinks and I’m such a wimp! Well, my beautiful hat and cape did the trick. I was a hit with a couple of guys. One was the guy 2 rooms down. He was haunting me meaning everytime I looked up, he was standing close to me. It became a game to me sort of. I would move on purpose to see if he would show up in my vicinity yet again and damn he appeared everytime! It did my heart good to be getting the attention from a man again. Then I wandered into the main ballroom and I fell absolutely in love. There was this guy in there. We were so drawn to each other! He was young, in his thirties, and he was with a date. We first encountered each other while we were trying to make our way through the crowd. For one brief moment, the people stopped and he and I were left looking at each other face-to-face and holy Jesus … an enchanted moment! Then the crowd moved on. We came together again one more time and it was downright, in your face attraction. It could have been love for us. I know it! But alas, I moved on and went to my room, a bit tipsy and thinking how happy I was to have had that experience with both of those guys. I knew I was too old for the young one but how sweet it was to think of it …. and him! The other guy? I heard him and his wife screaming at each other when they came back from the ball. I hope I didn’t cause that!

Tomorrow is Halloween!

Janet

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October 28, 2010 – Day 3

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on August 28, 2012 by Janet Glenn

Oh, my aching ass!! Hate the bed – love the shower!

On this day I set out to take photos of the beautiful mansions on Chestnut Street. My purpose? To look for Coffin Doors. Yes, you heard that right – Coffin Doors! In the old days, there were no funeral homes to take care of everything when someone died. The families had all the death festivities at home. The front door or Coffin Door was really a normal door and a third. They were really a 3-part door big enough to make it easier to remove the coffin and the body out of the house for burial. Here’s a photo I took of said door-type. Sort of creepy don’t you think?

Anyway I go back to Red’s for breakfast. Looking cool again. This day … a silver glittered tunic with black capris underneath, purple and black stripped socks to my knees and ankle-high black suede boots. Today, a little different reaction from people. They are looking but it’s not really friendly. From the women, they slide their eyes up and down me and then it’s kind of a “Why didn’t I think of that?” attitude. The guys ARE talking to ME! How strange. They don’t talk to me in Houston at all. It’s all looks …. it’s the clothes. I’m always the same person. I’m always Janet!

Some of the attention I’m getting is kind of scary. I am alone after all and I’m walking all over this busy town taking pictures with an expensive camera or two. I’m being careful. I spy some house builders up ahead, one of them stopping to look at me a little to long, a little too hard. I turn around and walk the other way. I spy another guy walking towards me. I don’t like his looks. I step out into the street and put a couple of parked cars between us. If he grabs me, I’ll bite his balls off. I ain’t kidding either! Teeth = balls, that’s the ticket!

I then make my way around to the Howard Street Cemetery by the old Salem jail. I can’t get in this one and I don’t feel exactly comfortable here. I don’t know why, it’s just that something gives me the creeps here. I’ll be on my way thank you very much! But before I go, I snap some photos of the houses here and guess what?! One of these photos gets featured in the Salem Tourist Guide 2011 and that’s it there on the left! Good gawd, who would have ever thought that would happen!

I now wind my way around to the Witch House, my favorite house here in Salem. I do love the Witch House! It looks like a witch house but guess what? There’s never been a witch in it! It’s all hype. One of the judges of the witch trials owned it and lived there but there were never any witches there. Well now that sounds kind of dumb. There were no witches at the witch trials either! I’m a dumb ass. Anywho, I go inside for my first time and spend quite some time and get lots of pictures. The guy that works there likes what I’m wearing and we joke about me dropping glitter in the Witch House. At least I’m leaving something he can remember me by. I make a point to move some of the artifacts a little out of place here and there. Mark my territory I guess you’d call it. I haven’t been called a witch my whole life for nothing, right? Right! Now there’s been a witch in the Witch House …… kidding!!

Speaking of the Witch House, check this photo out that I took in the Witch House. Am I going crazy or does that look like the image of a witch’s face in the artifact? Do you see it?”

As I’m walking back to the Hawthorne, I see this guy with long hair, a black duster coat with a shovel thrown over his shoulder. My kind of guy! As I walk by him, he falls in next to me and starts walking with me all the way down the Pedestrian Mall. Turns out he’s a Salem tour guide and asks what I’m doing tonight and why don’t I come to the ghost tour. I say I just might do that as I notice that he’s got just about every other tooth missing. On second thought ………. As we are walking and talking, I mention to him where I’m from and that I have a friend who has a popular ghost tour in Galveston, Texas that does very well. I mention that there are a lot of ghosts in Galveston what with the 1900 Hurricane and all and the guy reminds me that a lot of people have died in Salem over the years as well and loses interest in me and kind of wanders off. Can you say competition? Too funny! At least our guy in Galveston has all his teeth!!!

Ahhh, still walking down the Pedestrian Mall… My meetup with the gravedigger was fun but I got the chills from a funky friendly vampire who so reminded me of the head vampire in Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot. I’ve actually got this guy hissing at me and trying to bite me on video which I will try to get up at some point. A photo here will do quite nicely for now.

Also too, I had a bit of a run in with Frankenstein on this very afternoon during my walk through Salem. Ho, hum, just a typical day on the Pedestrian Mall!

Look see! There goes the Bronze Witch! Oops, no, she can’t walk, she’s a statue, but there she is. I love her to death!

I had a wonderful romp with the squirrels in the Howard Street cemetery along my way. Don’t they have an interesting place to live?! They seem to be looking at me right in the eyes which makes for fabulous photos as you can see. Always, with the camera ready!

What a fun day this is. All these wonderful monsters and wild animals greeting me as I make my way back to my hotel. And now I am back to my room, I enter, glare at the bed. Gawd, I’m exhausted and these boots are killing me! Being beautiful is hard work! I’d like to go do another harbor tour but I’ve got to go rest and that’s just what I do. The streets are quiet again tonight in Salem but this will be the last time for several nights now. Watch out, Halloween weekend is almost upon us! I now go run a luxurious bubble bath and decide just what adventure will I have next!

Luvs,
Janet

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October 27, 2010 – Day 2

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , , , , on August 26, 2012 by Janet Glenn

THAT WAS THE WORSE BED I'VE EVER SLEPT IN!!!! OUCH!

Red's Sandwich ShopI have made a discovery … a realization really. I decided on this trip to dress the part every day. Here in Salem you can dress festively gothic and walk through the streets and feel right at home. I am dressing the way I really want to actually …. and I’m attracting so much attention! This is so cool! Last year I wore regular shirt, jeans, T-shirts, leggings, comfortable shoes and I was just one of the crowd, a “tourist.” Today I wore a black sweater with beads on it, black short capri leggings with black and orange stripped socks peeking out from knee-high pirate-like suede boots and a black sweater duster. My hair is bushy, long to my waist and bright red. Nails = long and black. I’m walking and people are looking at me, talking to me, centering me out like I’m a celebrity almost. Well, I’ll be damned. I really think these people think I’m part of Salem, maybe even live and work here. When I was in the Old Burying Point Cemetery, people stopped me to ask me questions about the cemetery. They think I work here. Now I understand a lot of things. It doesn’t really matter how old you are, if you “look cool,” well, you’re cool! I love Salem. I can stretch my wings here. I dress how I really want to dress. I look like I feel! I go to a restaurant for breakfast, “Red’s Sandwich Shop,” and I feel so comfortable that I take big ol’ bites of my food and don’t care if anyone is watching me eat!

It’s night, in my room finally. What a super busy day I had! When I left Red’s, I walked, took some video, shopped …. bought a cape! I love Salem!! Watched my favorite witch statue in a window (it’s raining) and jumped on the Trolley for a spin around Salem. I’m thinking I should go back to my room, I’m tired but shit no! My Trolley ticket is good just for today, so I take a ride out to the dock on Salem Harbor and jump on the Salem Ferry and ride all the way to Boston and back! I don’t know what it is about Salem. I’m just good at it! The Ferry ride is FUN! The weather is bad so the ride is rough and I love it! It feels like I’m riding on a bucking horse. It’s not really putting me to sleep like some of the other passengers I see around me. I’m not sleepy but I’m loving it. The movement is so relaxing and fun. I look around and there are a couple of guys nodding off. One is completely asleep with his mouth hanging open rocking and keeping time with the movement. The Captain of the Ferry makes a comment about my black nails. See I told you! It was sort of peculiar I know but just as soon as I got off the Ferry in Boston, I turned right around and got back on the Ferry to head back to Salem. Didn’t really have a desire to explore Boston all by myself. Makes a mental note, **Do Boston!**

Now we are coming to the dock in Salem at sunset. I could not ask for a better place to be at this moment! Oh, Boston is a beautiful city as well. I did get some beautiful photos of Boston as we approached it from the water …. and you’ll see them! The ride back is wonderful with the setting sun. As I go along, I look at the ancient islands passing by here and there. I’ve seen the tops of these islands in pictures on the internet over the years and I am once again awestruck that I’m actually seeing them up close, literally riding by right next to them. They are rocky and craggy and have a story to tell. They give off a feeling of spookiness …… well, what did you expect?

Back. What a wonderful trip! I want popcorn and a horror movie. Don’t like bloody slasher movies. Fooled everyone, right? You’d think I would like them, right? Don’t. The popcorn dude is playing with me. Flirting, a little sexual suggestion. Man, what clothes will do! Stay away from Kettle Corn, it sucks! The popcorn dude gives me a huge serving in a big ol’ bag. Much more than the stupid little containers he’s selling. He even ties my bag of popcorn with a twist tie. Helps me with carrying it I guess. He tells me to enjoy my scary movie and includes that the only thing scary in his life is his marriage. Damn, these clothes! And the guy was Irish. A beautiful Irish accent he had!

Back at the hotel. Walk through the lobby …. snooty …. nighty night! And they don’t have the pumpkins up yet. How long shall I have to wait?

Luvs,
Janet

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October 26, 2010 – Day 1

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , , , on August 24, 2012 by Janet Glenn

Well, bend me over and *bleep* me up the ass! I’m on my way to Salem, Mass and I’ve just had my first screw! The airline just charged me $60 bucks to check 2 bags! OMG 60 bucks!!!

Airports = people watching. I can do it for hours. I wait well. My Dad worked for Braniff for 36 years. He began working for Braniff right out of the Marines after World War II. He was cleaning airplanes. When he retired, he was Manager, Ramp and Operations at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Of course, it wasn’t called Bush back in the 80s. My EX-husband gave my Dad a cigarette lighter with HMFIC engraved on it. HMFIC = Head Mother Fucker In Charge. You better believe it. My Dad was an Aries. Enough said.

I’m worried about having enough money to get home. No worries – I have Jason……. and the TWC (Unemployment Commission) it seems. Since I’ve been unemployed, the struggling has been horrendous. I’ve worried about this Salem trip every since I got laid off. So, of course, guess what happened? Well, the unemployment money ran out a couple of weeks ago and as luck would have it, my emergency funds from the Government came through while I am here in Salem! They actually made an emergency deposit. Holy shit! I guess I was supposed to get to Salem and I can get home too, well early, for a job interview that came up the very night before I left for Salem. I feel compelled to leave Salem early, NOT happy about that! (Note: By the way, I got the job!)

Okay, back to my purpose here! I am on the airplane flying my old ass to Salem! Boy, I’ve waited for this for a long time. It’s been a long, hard, worrisome wait what with the unemployment and all but here I am finally. I’m peering out the airplane window as we speak! Question: Why on earth when you have an airplane full of adults would the movie be “Toy Story 3?” How many of these Continental flights are full of children I ask? Especially this early in the day on a week day? Who makes these decisions? Who says, “Well, since there’s hardly any children on our flights at this time, let’s play a children’s movie.” Now that I think of it, a lot of decisions made in our country make about as much sense! The guy sitting next to me was wondering what the movie would be …… surprise!

So here I squirm. I remind myself of the kid, “Are we there yet?” I must have checked my watch 50 times. 3 hours ….. 2 hours ….. I’m worried about having to pee. I drank water at the airport. Do you do that? Sit and worry about having to pee? We all do it, don’t we, especially in an airplane. I have the fear of getting locked in the airplane restroom because I did when I was small. I flew a lot, got locked in once but it scarred me for life. I keep looking at the guy next to me. He’s on the aisle seat. I’m sizing him up to ask him if he’ll let me out so I can go pee. This goes on for quite sometime. I see others getting up and going. I envy them. I think about their empty bladders and how long before they will have to pee again. Fuck, I’m obsessing. I hate that.

Here comes the flight attendants with their goodies. Ah, just what I need, a full can of Coke! Um, drank that down. My pants are getting tighter. Maybe I’ll take a nap. I love turbulence! It makes me feel like I’m being rocked like a baby. I fall asleep – twice! I wake up, look at my watch. The stupid movie is still on. Hmmmmm. Pull out my book, read a page and the guy next to me stretches, yawns, looks back towards the restrooms, gets his ass up and walks back there. Here’s my chance! I tear, scrape and lurch my ass back there as fast as I possibly can. The restrooms are full but I don’t care. I’m waiting my ass right here. I get to go for cripes sake!

All the way to Salem from the airport, my driver bitches, moans and groans about how terrible it is here in Salem …… corruption, unemployment. How people including he have these expensive degrees and huge student loans and can’t find work. He’s driving a taxi for crap’s sake! He told me about a person who has requested a refund on their degree. “Here, you can have the degree, I want my tuition money back. I promise I won’t remember anything you taught me!” I asked him if that can be done and he said it is being looked at by the legal people. Wow! I’ve never heard of that …….. BUT back to me, you know, ME! Everything is about me! I’m on vacation here, spending my money here, I want to look at beautiful Salem now. I’m here! I’m sorry if it’s corrupt and struggling but the fact is, I came here to get away from all that shit so shut the fuck up and let me have my fun! Love you, driver, but you’re distracting me. Don’t I sound selfish?!

Okay, arrive at the Hawthorne Hotel, not checked in yet, not 3:00 pm so I take a lovely walk around the Salem Common. First photo taken, check! God, I’m happy to be here. I can just stand in one place and be happy!

I go back to the Hawthorne and get checked in and go to my room, make a call or two and then I venture back out. I want to have a Tarot card reading and that’s just what I’ll do.

Well, the reading. It’s my first night in Salem and I’m in search of a real psychic by God! So there I find one in a room next to a pizza place. Hmmmm. The room is made up to look all spooky and shit. I have my reading and I must admit I walked away at least somewhat convinced. It’s a racket for sure but the lady did surprise me. At the beginning, she only had eyes for the $5 bill I had in my hand which was my change from paying for the reading. I watched her eyes follow my hand as I took the $5 bill and slowly bent down and stuck it in my purse. She was not letting it out of her sight! Actually, before hitting my purse, I jerked my hand with the $5 quickly to the left and then to the right just so I could watch her eyes dart this way and that following that fiver! Hee! Okay, I’ll quit fucking with her. But alas, the reading. She began by asking me questions that were designed to get all the information she would need so she could look like she was psychic. Shit, I’ve wasted my money I’m thinking. She basically repeated everything back to me I just said and was sitting with her eyes closed holding my phone acting as if “something” was coming from “somewhere.” Then towards the end she said something very curious. She picked up something about Jason that there was no way she could have known. I jumped on it because if it was true, I was pissed. It was something he wasn’t supposed to be doing! She got nervous because it was something that I wasn’t supposed to know! She apologized looking as if she had suddenly stepped in something. Shit. She actually did something! She also picked up on an illness he has. Geez. And the reading was supposed to be about me! She asked for my email address to keep in touch. Maybe she’s trying to make me feel better. I never heard from her. And the $5 bill? She got it!!!!

Tonight, walking through the streets of Salem in the dark. The streets are deserted. Lovely … I’m happy. I stand in the dark in front of an ancient church next to the Witch House. It is very dark here, cold and yet I just stand there looking up at the church, really feeling the history here. I know I should be scared here alone in the dark, 1,600 miles from home, staring at this old church where 2 unfortunate souls, caught in the witch hysteria of 1692, were excommunicated from this church and then one was executed by hanging and the other was pressed to death. That happened here, right here where I’m standing …. in the dark, in the cold. Oh Salem, how you do make me feel!!!

So I turn away and walk back to the Hawthorne Hotel. Day 1 is over and I’m already feeling tearful, for you see, I’m already worrying about having to leave Salem in a week from now. I will now be tearful for the remainder of the trip. I’m such a dork!

Luvs,
Janet

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Intermission!

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , on August 20, 2012 by Janet Glenn

Chestnut Street Window Pumpkins

Alrighty then, I’ve reached a little break here in the telling of my adventures I encountered during my trip to Salem, Massachusetts in 2009. I’m sure that all of you who know me personally have always known my penchant for anything and everything creepy and spooky and my adoration for writing and irreverent humor. You also know that it was a natural progression for me to create Halloween’s Unseen and go on my eerie travels to Salem, Massachusetts. So somehow I’ve thrown it all together into one cauldron and it rests here on my Word Press blog for your enjoyment.

Happily, I am ready to begin telling you about my next trip to Salem in 2010. It has much more craziness and irreverent humor than my 2009 trip and I think you will have a real good time reading it. Please take a moment to peruse the photos that I add because photography is one of my passions as well.

GOOD NEWS! I’m taking a trip to Salem this year (2012)! I’ve obtained my airline fare for $5 frickin’ dollars! Oh yes, I’m going! It’s funny, it cost me less to fly than it does to check my baggage. It’s a crazy world! And, I’ve also got my hotel reservations! I have added a new attraction to my 2012 trip. This year I will be spending 3 nights in Boston and they have spooky tours and history for me to immerse myself in. The hotel is a couple of blocks from the beautiful Boston waterfront. Then I will go on and spend a week in Salem. Oh rapture! I am ready to go! This should be a very interesting blog this year!

Okay, I’ll stop here and begin sharing my adventures in Salem in 2010!

Love to each of you!

Janet

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Halloween 2009 – Part 1

Posted in Salem with tags , , , , , on July 4, 2012 by Janet Glenn

Salem Spook 2009

 

Halloween Sunset in Salem

Okay, about my Halloween in Salem. It was way more than I could have ever dreamed it would be! Firstly, the atmosphere was, well, Halloween! It was super windy with the smell and feel of Autumn and just a hint of a storm on the way. It reminded me of so many of my Halloweens in years past. Do you feel it? Aww, nostalgia …. moving on…. I didn’t know that Salem would fill up with over 100,000 people strolling along the streets in costumes. Picture for yourself at Mardi Gras in New Orleans but without the alcohol-fueled bad behavior. Halloween in Salem is a peaceful, happy event. Everyone talks to each other and poses for pictures. It is illegal to drink alcohol in public in Salem and everyone knows it and lives by it. It was so refreshing to see so many people gathered in one spot that were happy and loving the holiday festivities. I felt safe in Salem on Halloween. That’s more than I can say about Houston! Oh, and look at the lovely Halloween sunset in Salem behind a street performer. I wish my camera could have captured it “live” but this will do nicely I think!

About my costume! I was a witch and I bought the most beautiful purple felt witch hat. It is adorned with chiffon and autumn foliage. There is a picture of it in the blog here and you’ve probably already seen it if you are reading this. I included a gothic blouse, black skirt, striped stockings and some witchy shoes. I found it humourous that the only thing I had to buy was the hat. I can always throw a costume together with the clothes that I own. Everything I have is gothic, black, striped and pointy! I was flattered by a couple of people wanting to take pictures of me and with me. It really is a classy hat!

Salem Halloween Costumes

About the costumes in Salem! I can honestly say that as of now, there’s nothing I haven’t seen in costume wear! There were thousands and thousands of costumes and I think I tried to take a picture of every single one of them. There were so many people walking by that all I could do was point my camera into the crowd and hope to get something good. This method did not disappoint me! I got some excellent crowd and costume pictures! I’ve included a few here. I will have all my Salem photos pulled together for everyone to see.

Besides walking and experiencing Salem on Halloween, I attended a Halloween Ball at the Hawthorne Hotel. As you know from my prior posts, the Hawthorne is an historic and hopefully haunted hotel. On the night of the Ball, the hotel was transformed into the biggest haunted house you could ever wish for. Their theme this Halloween was taken from VH1’s Rock of Love so it was Rock of Horror. Pretty clever. I was a bit surprised by the security measures they took but I guess they have to these days. As I entered the door, I suddenly felt hands going all over my body. Whoa, WTF? They were even squeezing the bag that I was carrying. Probably feeling for weapons. I spoke with one guest who was dressed as “Edward Scissorhands” and let me tell you, he looked just like him. “Edward” was complaining because security made him “check” most of his costume at the door. Apparently he had what looked like scissors for hands (duh) and security did not like that one bit. So there he was only half of “Edward Scissorhands” and he was making his displeasure known. Hawthorne Hotel Halloween BallI felt bad for him because he really put a lot of effort into his costume. I knew exactly who he was even without the scissor hands. That made him happy that at least people knew who he was trying to portray. As I’m sure you are wondering why, the people in Salem take their Halloween costumes very seriously and besides that the Ball was really expensive! The band was excellent and they rocked the night away. And one more thing about the Ball, I don’t know how many of you have attended a Halloween Ball completely alone but it is really not a good experience. When I took a moment to look around at all the people, I felt a bit fearful at being among all these strangers. I didn’t know a soul and each face somehow looked scary to me. Oh well, it was Halloween after all and everyone gets a scare, right? Right!

Salem Halloween Costumes

Let’s see, what are some of the costumes that I saw? I saw a man dressed as a stove, I saw the Octo Mom and all her babies, I saw a nurse escorting her patient along, her patient being in a straitjacket. I saw Bret Michaels, Daisy and Hulk Hogan. I saw Thing 1 and Thing 2 (don’t ask). I saw two headless horsemen, witches in drag, one only wearing a leotard, high heels and a witch hat (leaving a little more than I cared to see visible). A very handsome Fire Chief. Oh wait, he wasn’t in costume! I saw lot’s of guys and girls dressed in Victorian flair. I even saw Mozart! Scarlet and Rhett Butler were in attendance and the famous witches from Hocus Pocus, the Sanderson Sisters were happily in Salem once again. I saw lots of ghosts, ghouls and zombies, a few brides, birds and kitty cats. I could go on and on. Some people went really gory and some went with sexy and glamourous. There were many vampires and some of them looked a little too real for my taste! I found that in Salem, if someone wants to be a vampire, they just don’t cram plastic vampire teeth in their mouth, they actually have vampire teeth installed and these are very real. They also wear vampire clothing and it’s not a costume. This is their everyday wear. It’s a little unsettling to see but at the same time, it looks really elegant and “in style” like they are trendsetters. It was lovely!

Salem Police

The only real downside of Halloween was leaving to go back to my hotel which I will go into in the next chapter. The other noticeable downer was that when Halloween is over, it is frickin’ over! The Salem Police come out in full force, dressed in riot gear and march right smack down the middle of the streets ordering people to go the hell home! Some of the lucky cops get to ride the most beautiful horses I’ve ever seen. They are HUGE! And when the fireworks are over, it’s fucking OVER! I guess you can’t blame them; after all they’ve had “Haunted Happenings” for a full 31 days and I can just imagine what nonsense they’ve had to deal with. But let’s not mention the millions of dollars they’ve raked in from all those visitors!

So with all that being said, let’s move on to my Halloween disaster. Huh? Oh, and I hope you enjoy the Halloween photos I’ve included below.

Hope you had a happy Halloween!
Janet

Salem 2009

Salem 2009

Salem 2009

Salem 2009

Salem 2009

Salem 2009

Salem 2009

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