Stormy Weather

[handsomefortune]

All Souls Day (tomorrow) very seriously, i am glad to hear that about your polish friend anna! mexicans might well garnish the graves of near and dear with petals, candles and leave presents for the spirits to devour, after they've finished singing and dancing, partying all night at the grave yard. it'll still be warm weather there, in some parts. the lucky devils.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://hq.abaa.org/antiquarian/images/uploads/bibliopolis_20090521154531.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hq.abaa.org/books/antiquarian/abaapages/barnett-dance.html&h=608&w=696&sz=386&tbnid=EkI5yeL0yk0CMM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=103&prev=/search%3Fq%3DHans%2BHolbein%2Bthe%2BYounger%2BDance%2Bof%2BDeath%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Hans+Holbein+the+Younger+Dance+of+Death&usg=__3_SMFD2JkysqMc4AbWLuKKEWaIc=&docid=0IYxsSr7dp68UM&sa=X&ei=x42SUJ6mI-XU0QXO8oDIBw&ved=0CDUQ9QEwAg&dur=1926

and mexican, jose guadaloop posada http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...QEwAg&dur=1349

i would like best to be in san francisco for 'the day of the dead' all souls day, as they have a tremendous carnival of the macabre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPQ6ByIHSKQ. a vision which thankfully offset being in a supermarket yesterday and a stressed young mum shouting 'so shall i get some halloween balloons and shit or what'? down a mobile phone. it sort of killed the carnival spirit, as well as the required extra spiritual vigour around 'remembering the deceased'. still, the idea that 'halloween shit' and 'halloween what' might become a consumer fave of children of the future, made me hope i won't be around to witness it, and a small halloween giggle emerged...which might have grown into a wolfish howl ...had i not been in a public space.

we didn't get 'trick or treaters' either, but it was tipping it down mostly...what light weights eh! but then of course, the yearly celebration was never intended as exclusively 'for children and supermarkets' ....far from it!

in contrast to sf and mex, today has had occasional weak n watery sunshine................ but mostly cloud and quite chilly.

(i've got my vest on thanks anna , and a big cigar clenched in my mouth, a peroxide bob, deathly pallor, and an absolutely hideous large gold medallion round my neck .....and i'm about to jog around my neighborhood door knocking, offering a glib retort ...as soon as it gets dark ) coincidentally, my 'deathly inspiration' is not inspired by the lino cut (illustrated on the left in my link) however: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...QEwBQ&dur=1977

[Anna]

handsomefortune, I told you a vest would make all the difference to your wellbeing!
My Polish friend came to the Uk aged 17, fell in love, married, she's now in her 60s. A couple of days ago, talking about tidying her husband's grave she said they had bought a double plot when Neil was diagnosed with cancer and 'one day, my husband and I will be together again, how wonderful that will be'
It actually choked me up at bit, her steadfast belief in the life everafter and that she and Neil would be together, forever.

[BBMmk2]

I thought I would be inundated with kids last eveminmg but had none!! Our close has had a few new arrivals of people with families and we thought that this year we would get t or t!All peace and quiet on the western fron! :)

[mangerton]

Just two lots of trick or treaters here yesterday evening - the first lot being the two children from the flat next door with their mum. One hates to be thought a party pooper, but I really disagree with this practice, while stalling short of saying so or hoping the little terrors' teeth all fall out.

The expected heavy rain arrived after midnight here, judging by the charts, and I slept through it, unusually for me. Barometer currently at 980 millibars - I had to check to see if the setting had somehow slipped - that's actually lower than at Marthe's at the height of Hurricane Sandy. Scottish barometer-readers will be experiencing even greater surprises!

It's been another bright sunny day here, temp at 4.30 was 5°C. I knew my barometer was low this morning when I left the house, but couldn't remember the reading. Checked when I got home and it was 976 millibars.

[handsomefortune]

It actually choked me up at bit,

i'm not surprised anna!

as a life/death plan, what you describe suggests a sense of order, where chaotic emotions that we tend to avoid are instead rearranged, suggest a long term perspective, objectives, neatness, a completion....a plan, as well as enduring love.

grave tending 'in between times' is hard for those who'll probably be cremated to imagine. are we content to sit on a hot mantlepiece for a generation more....? possibly purely through bad planning, lack of forethought for some!

obviously, the trouble is there's not much land space too.....so your friend is comparatively lucky in this sense.

we should get on our broomsticks and meet up tonight anna - (you'll recognise me by the glint from my medallion, and insane remarks btw)

all in all, i suggest a solution might be to get your protestant stiff upper lip out of the bedroom drawer, if necessary give it a comb, and press it lightly to the right bit of your face! unfortunately, there is no garment or vest i can recommend that might be of use, .... to keep our deepest doubts & fears firmly away tonight.... i can only refer you to the enduring wonder of naked, and semi dressed skeletons of olde on this particular occasion. (see post above).

darn it! 'they' often appear to do things much better elsewhere, and sometimes in a different, past century, i find ...but then i guess mainly because we prefer our fantasies from a distance, to reality close up? whereas others rely more on faith, rituals around rites of passage ... and/or just have a more vivid belief in fiction. (ooooops, now i'm going to have to sit on the cynical step, when ideally i should be on the naughty step as it's halloween

in fact you should be too anna - why not go and give caliban the willies? it's the only day you will be able to and get away with it - don't forget to charge him as well, tell him it's duty free, bogof 4 halloween) in fact, give him a trick or treat from us all on the forum and one from the tuk tuks, especially fabulous fingers.

death, like crotchet, is best left to others
happy halloween!

[mercia]

thunder & lightning as I speak

[salymap]

No Trick or Treaters here either.

Anna, one of my cousins has a plot ready for her next to her late partner. I envy people with that sort of faith in life after death but I have an open mind and shall wait and see. A peaceful death and calm oblivion seems preferable to going through it all again, as I have had a great deal of pain in the last forty years or so.

Back to today, cold but nice to get the lighter mornings for a bit until winter closes in.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Bracing in this bit of the Pennines today, but plenty of sunshine to give the Autumn colours a stunning glow. Rained heavily and persistently overnight, but just a couple of half-hearted flurries since this morning.

[Anna]

Just trolling on by here , hoping to catch S_A inspecting the ArcoProps under the bridges....
I cannot report on weather conditions, our local station seems to have problems, but it's perishing cold with a clear sky and, I got soaked first thing, nasty, nasty, cold rain.
Not sure how to respond to handsomefortunes exhortations. I did once threaten to wave a bunch of leeks in Bayswater.

[vinteuil]

I did once threaten to wave a bunch of leeks in Bayswater.

Didn't you see the notices? - "Please Don't Feed The Ocelots."

[Nick Armstrong]

My Polish (devout Catholic) friend takes All Saints Day and All Souls Day (tomorrow) very seriously, tidying her husband's grave, flowers, Masses, etc.

Show her my pic of Chopin's tomb yesterday, Anna - many Polish flags around and Polish faces in the crowd gazing at the monument and lighting candles. It seems to be very much a focus for Polish expats, and especially on All Saints' Day

[Nick Armstrong]

mexicans might well garnish the graves of near and dear with petals, candles and leave presents for the spirits to devour, after they've finished singing and dancing, partying all night at the grave yard. it'll still be warm weather there, in some parts. the lucky devils.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://hq.abaa.org/antiquarian/images/uploads/bibliopolis_20090521154531.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hq.abaa.org/books/antiquarian/abaapages/barnett-dance.html&h=608&w=696&sz=386&tbnid=EkI5yeL0yk0CMM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=103&prev=/search%3Fq%3DHans%2BHolbein%2Bthe%2BYounger%2BDance%2Bof%2BDeath%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Hans+Holbein+the+Younger+Dance+of+Death&usg=__3_SMFD2JkysqMc4AbWLuKKEWaIc=&docid=0IYxsSr7dp68UM&sa=X&ei=x42SUJ6mI-XU0QXO8oDIBw&ved=0CDUQ9QEwAg&dur=1926

and mexican, jose guadaloop posada http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...QEwAg&dur=1349

i would like best to be in san francisco for 'the day of the dead' all souls day, as they have a tremendous carnival of the macabre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPQ6ByIHSKQ

The Mexican 'Day of the Dead' is something I've heard a lot about this year - it seems London has gone all out for the theme this year... http://now-here-this.timeout.com/201...y-of-the-dead/

Indeed my sister and her husband went to a Hallowe'en party last weekend (in deepest Kent) in complementary 'Day of the Dead' disguises - wonderful face-painting for both, with an ornate wide brimmed hat for her - based on the legendary 'La Catrina' figure http://www.sac-be.com/la_calavera_catrina.shtml - and battered top hat for him... The ghostly couple returned from the grave for one more fiesta...

[handsomefortune]

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lambiek.net/artists/image/p/posada/posada_calaveras.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.lambiek.net/artists/p/posada_jg.htm&h=347&w=370&sz=26&tbnid=IcP-Xonk37aIzM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=96&zoom=1&usg=__XMgRLh8-XgX-5QwH5N025ucgeT8=&docid=3rXHGLSaOcmV_M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=d46SUMbXMqia0QWj-IAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDsQ9QEwBQ&dur=1977

i am currently possessed by the chap on the left in the link above anna. consequently, i made a pact to cause mischief on the full moon, virtually speaking. i am afraid you were my 'targeted individual', and evidently received a seasonal trick from the devil. (he may e mail you about this)

'the willies' would have been entertaining and, of course, may contain traces of innuendo but in fact i'm not sure what they actually are.........a fright presumably? in my wild delirium i also anticipated an appearance from a raft of halloween marching tuk tuks ideally............. but it wasn't to be! i guess i was thinking of everybody on the 'stormy weather' thread as part of an all souls pageant procession, in order to mark ...something.

btw happy trolling to you (and serial apologist) - hope it goes well always good to take up new things!

( linked is a posada engraving, not a lino cut btw, and apologies for any other confusions, ahem : ~ ).(.~

[handsomefortune]

The ghostly couple returned from the grave for one more siesta. that's the spirit! i bet those two had great fun!

yes, isn't it hip right now here caliban.

the legendary calavera catrina sometimes has verses written underneath her portrait. i have touched the iron printing press whatsits that posada used himself, a very generous museum assistant got them out of white tissue paper especially for a friend and i to see, at the posada museum in mexico city. i have a book too, which covers posada's many subject areas, listed like so: demons, virgins, comets & disasters, don chepito marilhuano, private conflicts and suicides, politics and national events, rare cases, calaveras, battles, murders, assassinations .......and commercial art'!!

other cultures have been having public processions all over the place for all souls.... going back to medieval times....(the 'time out' make up/club scene is different again of course).

blighty-wise, i like the wasail tradition too, celebrating new year later in january....though it's not quite as flamboyant as 'the day of the dead', it's usually really sunny and fresh just a couple of weeks after xmas.

[Nick Armstrong]

The ghostly couple returned from the grave for one more siesta. that's the spirit! i bet those two had great fun!

yes, isn't it hip right now here caliban.

Actually, I meant F-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-fiesta!!!! <scary DOH emoticon>

Still they did have fun, thanks for that, handsome

I'm so tempted to post the wonderful photo I have of them both... but I think it would be instrusive without permission. I might ask my sis and do so if she's ok with that!