Planet Nilknarf

October 2014
Welcome to Planet Nilknarf
Welcome to Planet Nilknarf; a place where different does NOT mean less than, lame or inferior in
any way. In fact here at Planet Nilknarf different is GOO, somethin! to not only "e accepted "#t
em"raced and cele"rated$$ % safe place where no"ody tried to chan!e #s, where we&re e'en ()TT)*
than okay the way we are$$$ % place where indi'id#ality and creati'ity are the ()+T T,ING+ )-)*
and are meant to "e n#rt#red and empowered rather than s.#ashed and chastised$
Cover Story
I finally finished another panel on /oey&s pro0ect. ,ere&s what I ha'e so far1
I started workin! on this pro0ect in the sprin! of 2344, shortly after my mom passed away It&s "een
takin! a lot lon!er than the 5awartha +#mmer series I made for /ean. (#t at least I am finally past
the halfway point, %N I can !i'e this pro0ect more of the attention it deser'es now that I know I don&t
ha'e to "e in s#ch an #r!ent h#rry to create anymore new .#ilts for awhile....
I finished Gypsy&s pict#re on 6riday, %#!#st 22
nd
and now I ha'e 0#st started a whimsical scene of
+hady findin! his "l#e "all amon! a field of colo#rf#l "alloons, with 77 red ones flyin! across the sky in
the "ack!ro#nd, 0#st like the son!$
It hasn&t "een hard to !et the moment#m !oin! with this one$ The other day 8orraine and I were
ha'in! a !reat chat and we were talkin! a"o#t how commissioned works always end #p takin! lon!er
than anticipated...$
+tartin! with the pict#re of /oey&s two cats, +pot and Ti!!er, on the deck, I ended #p creatin! a little
story line a"o#t two fro!s tryin! to catch a dra!on fly. Their eyes can "e seen peekin! o'er the ed!e of
the deck. The "ottom of Gypsy&s pict#re forms a "it of a comic strip with the fro!s peerin! o'er an
oran!e m#shroom and then toward the corner of the pa!e collidin! with one another as the dra!onfly
ta#nts them with a ra99"erry$
I LOVE TIS I!E"##########
http1::timetolisten."lo!spot.com.a#:234;:3<:yo#=yes=yo#=need=a#tistic=friends.html
>)+$ Parents of children with a#tism need ad#lt friends who are on the a#tism spectr#m$$ I remem"er
se'eral years a!o 5erry&s Place had a s#pport !ro#p for parents of kids on the spectr#m and I act#ally
attended a co#ple meetin!s so that they co#ld know what an ad#lt on the spectr#m was like and so
that I co#ld help them #nderstand the way their kids& minds worked and "e a"le to help them with
"rainstormin! practical ideas and sol#tions. ?nfort#nately, after only two or three meetin!s they
decided that the meetin!s were strictly for parents only after all$ 1@
S"VE TE SE"SI!E EI$TS C"%O&SEL###
% new !ro#p has started on 6ace"ook to help pre'ent the +easide ,ei!hts caro#sel in New /ersey
from "ein! a#ctioned off$$$
https1::www.face"ook.com:!ro#ps:277A4<7BC<<<B<C:C34AAD<C334B4A;:E
commentFidGC322D4BAC2D74B;HnotifFtGlike
I find it am#sin! that we ha'e called o#rsel'es 5I++. (#t in this case, of co#rse, 5I++ stands for the
Keeping It Spinning Society!! We ha'e "een "rainstormin! a n#m"er of ideas for f#ndraisin! and I
ha'e e'en offered to contri"#te one of my .#ilts sho#ld they ha'e a raffle or silent a#ction.
I think it wo#ld "e ama9in! if the *)%8 5I++ !ot in'ol'ed to help f#nd this pro0ect. %fter all it&s a pretty
ama9in! coincidence that I happen to ha'e 5I++=inspired horses amon! my creations$
It wo#ld "e !ood p#"licity for the "and @as if they act#ally N)) anymoreEI and for the +easide
,ei!hts caro#sel, not to mention may"e e'en my own pro0ect e'ent#ally$$ I don&t do#"t that 5I++, the
"and already !et ho#nded eno#!h to make charita"le donations for thin!s "#t this co#ld t#rn into
somethin! of a sym"iotic relationship if they !et wind of this$
(esides, Gene +immons himself act#ally has a caro#sel horse in his own home. They seem to !o o#t
of their way not to show it "#t it appears to "e a patriotic ,erschell=+pillman 0#mper in the family !ame
room. I remem"er readin! "ack in the late B3&s that Gene had a caro#sel horse in his own apartment. I
wonder if this is the same one, if he&s had it all these years.
I ha'e photos of the +easide ,ei!hts caro#sel from when I was there in 477C "#t %. the .#ality isn&t
'ery !ood and (. It&s too m#ch of a hassle to p#t that "i!, hea'y scrap"ook onto my scanner. I hope to
ha'e "etter, di!ital photos neJt time I !o there. %nd we P*%> TO GO there WI88 "e a N)KT TIL)$$$
'y ()*cket Li+t,
When +haron and I were 'isitin! to!ether on T#esday, %#!#st 2A
th
, one of the thin!s we did was show
each other pict#res. +he had plenty of pict#res of her family and pets on her 9e"ra=striped
+martphone and I ha'e o'er se'en h#ndred pict#res, mostly of caro#sels, of co#rse. +he was .#ite
impressed with all the places I&'e seen and asked me where I wanted to !o neJt$
Ly mind s#ddenly went "lank$ There are +TI88 +O L%N>$$ The first thin! I tho#!ht of was the House
on the Rock in Wisconsin. This is the home of the WORLD'S LARGEST CAROUSEL!!! No"ody&s
act#ally allowed to ride it @eJcept for ON) l#cky person at ,allowe&en, and one of these l#cky people
was fantasy a#thor, Neil GaimanI "#t it is .#ite the spectacle to see, film and photo!raph. ,o#se on
the rock is f#ll of all kinds of other ama9in! si!hts and so#nds too incl#din! a wide assortment of
a#tomatic m#sical instr#ments, doll collections and miniat#re caro#sels. Info can "e fo#nd here1
http1::www.theho#seontherock.com:
I also want to !o "ack to the Carousel of Dreas, formerly known as the Three Ri!ers Carousel, in
Washin!ton. I was there in 2343 with the NM% when it was still "ein! reno'ated and restored and the
horses were on display to the p#"lic. 6or some reason I didn&t !et to see as m#ch of it as other people
"#t I did !et one of my all=time fa'orite pict#res with this friendly steed1
%nd this interestin! o'erhead shop of this trio in the workshop. It will "e nice to "e re#nited with my
fa'orite horse and act#ally !et to ride him neJt time. They are act#ally ready to open any day now$ 1I
http1::www.caro#selofdreams.net: This eJcellent will show yo# e'en more1
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'Gf7O#etOcG33
%nd I want to !o "ack to the "ottsto#n Carousel now that it&s finished$
It is a PTM frame with )d *oth car'in!s. When were there in 2337 it was still #nder constr#ction.
,ere is a sketch of the completed "#ildin! and a stack of ro#ndin! "oards. They, too, sho#ld "e open
to the p#"lic any day now$ ,ere is their we"site1
http1::www.pottstowncaro#sel.or!:indeJ.htm
%nother place I want to 'isit is the Al$an% Ore&on Carousel. %t the moment I am the pro#d owner of
three "ea#tif#l so#'enirs I&'e won at 'ario#s NM% raffles o'er the years.
This "ea#tif#l, hand=car'ed rosette came inside this N#i!!a the N#a!!a tote "a!. -ol#nteers learn
how to car'e "y makin! these rosettes. %nd the .#a!!a is an eJtinct mem"er of the 9e"ra family as
well as one of the many whimsical creat#res yo# will find on this caro#sel. I won "oth the rosette and
the tote "a! on one of the many "#s raffles we&'e had en ro#te. The "#ffalo I won at the "i! raffle we
had d#rin! last year&s "an.#et in 5ansas. (y then, whoe'er had their n#m"er drawn co#ld 0#st !o #p
to the ta"le and pick o#t whate'er they wanted. I was drawn to this "#ffalo. +o far it&s the closest thin!
I own to an act#al hand=car'ed caro#sel animal.
>o# can see N#i!!a and the "#ffalo&s act#al caro#sel co#nterparts alon! with the rest of this ama9in!
cast of characters here1
http1::al"anycaro#sel.com:WP:
There are so many ma!nificent creat#res that it&s hard to choose my fa'orite, incl#din! a !ryphon
named +ir ,#!o Pa!e, and a M,*I+TL%+ *OO+T)*$$
I also want to 'isit the 'erkshire (assachusetts caro#sel$$ I ha'e "een followin! their pro!ress
thro#!h 6ace"ook o'er the years and it&s "een s#ch a deli!ht seein! all these animals take shape.
>o# can find o#t more a"o#t them here1
http1::www."erkshirecaro#sel.com:
This is my .#ilt s.#are of the colo#rin! pict#re that #sed to "e on their we"site, and the act#al horse it
is "ased on1
They also ha'e the most wonderf#l m#sic 'ideo a"o#t their pro0ect1
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G;pATtOoOBhD
%nd then, of co#rse, there is the Carousel of Aloha in Ha#aii1
http1::www.caro#selofaloha.or!:
They ha'e a wonderf#l assortment of creat#res incl#din! Namaste, the white ti!er, whom I&'e incl#ded
on my Wild %"o#t /#n!le Mats .#ilt.
Part of me feels sad when I see all these works in pro!ress "eca#se I wish I co#ld afford to act#ally !o
to these places and !et in'ol'ed "y helpin! o#t, learnin! to car'e, paint, etc. If I can&t "#ild my own
caro#sel yet I wo#ld !i'e anythin! to 'ol#nteer my time, e'en 0#st a week, in eJchan!e for free room
and "oard from one of the other 'ol#nteers, to help "#ild a comm#nity caro#sel.
%nother place I want to 'isit is (%rtle 'each, e'en tho#!h I am sad that the 5I++ Moffee ,o#se
closed down last +eptem"er$ 1@ Lyrtle (each is somethin! of a parallel #ni'erse to Nia!ara 6alls,
feat#rin! se'eral of the same attractions. They ha'e an #pside=down ho#se, a +ky Wheel 6erris
Wheel, *ipley&s L#se#m and at least one or two caro#sels in the area$
%nd then, of co#rse, there&s 'lack)ool* En&lan+. 8ike Nia!ara and Lyrtle (each, it is also a cheesy
to#rist trap filled with a lot of these kinds of attractions incl#din! another *ipley&s L#se#m, "#t it also
has one of three *acin! er"y caro#sels @The other two are at Medar Point in +and#sky, Ohio, and
Playland in *ye, New >ork.I %nd they also ha'e a +T))P8)M,%+) ride$$$
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G526NAGoBCI
/anette and I ha'e also talked a"o#t the idea of !oin! to 8as -e!as. +he went there with her family
many years a!o and my friend Lelody was there with her family .#ite recently. I&m not interested in
!am"lin!, "#t I am interested in seein! all the colo#rf#l li!hts and shows and ha'in! pict#res taken
with assorted cost#me characters and cele"rity lookalikes. %s lon! as we don&t !et dr#nk and end #p
marryin! each other at the )l'is chapel$ ;I
What else do I want to do "efore I dieE
Well, of co#rse I want to $uil+ a REAL carousel or at least REAL #oo+en carousel anials. This
is as close as I&'e !otten so far1
)ach of these papier=mache creations contains assorted time caps#le items incl#din! tra'el and
concert tickets, a "rief write=#p a"o#t what was !oin! on at the time, the occasional #sed st#dent I
"ad!es and e'en a oo oo the clown tradin! card. +omeday when I !et to car'e real wooden
caro#sel animals I will place time caps#le items inside their hollow "oJ constr#ctions too.
%nother thin! I want to do is eet ,-SS a&ain an+ &et a DECE.T )icture taken #ith the. On two
different occasions I ha'e met Pa#l +tanley and Gene +immons and (OT, times somethin! went
wron! with my camera and the film ended #p 'LA.,!! 1&@
%nd I am hopin! to !o o#t west, if not neJt year, then the year after. I want to 'isit /an and 6ede in
their new place and I want to spend more time with +haron. While I&m in Al$erta I want to 'isit West
E+onton (all* /ort E+onton carousel* the Cal&ar% 0oo an+ Herita&e "ark. I went to Mal!ary
"ack in 47DB "#t it was the WO*+T T*IP O6 L> 8I6)$$ In fact I ne'er !ot my pict#res de'eloped and
0#st destroyed all the film cartrid!es I took there$$ I am hopin! that thin!s will "e different this time. The
less said a"o#t the 47DB trip the "etter. This will "e a m#ch happier trip #nder "etter circ#mstances
and a time to erase any taints from the pre'io#s 0o#rney.
I also want to "U'L-SH (1 OW. 'OO,!!! This was s#pposed to happen this sprin! "#t thin!s didn&t
.#ite t#rn o#t as planned. 6ede has the man#script, complete with all the pict#res. +ince he and /an
mo'ed to )dmonton it may "e awhile "efore he has a chance to work on the finished prod#ct "eca#se
they still ha'e to settle into their new home.
Workin! on the man#script took a"o#t three weeks. I started it shortly after o#r landlord dropped the
"om"shell a"o#t the (i! Mlean#p so I was 0#!!lin! !ettin! the place fiJed #p while I worked on the
man#script. That part was pretty easy. It was 0#st a lon!er 'ersion of e'erythin! else I&'e done "efore.
I&'e done so many articles and presentations o'er the years sharin! my art, ideas and tra'el pict#res
that e'erythin! fell into place .#ite nat#rally. ,owe'er, after I sent 6ede the flash dri'e containin! my
man#script I also had to email the pict#res separately for each chapter "eca#se they wo#ld lose
.#ality if printed directly from the contents of the flash dri'e. The hardest part was !ettin! the
man#script to copy from my hard=dri'e to my man#script. It sho#ld ha'e "een easy eno#!h to do
myself "#t it ref#sed to cooperate so I had to call my friend Walter to do it for me. (y then I was an
a"sol#te "asket case$ %ltho#!h I am !ratef#l for his help he did say somethin! that made me .#ite
#pset so I ha'en&t eJactly spoken to him since.
I am hopin! my "ook will "e a'aila"le in time for the Gene'a +ymposi#m in Octo"er. This is what the
co'er looks like1
Now these are the thin!s I can CROSS O// my "#cket list1
'ein& -nter!ie#e+ on a T2 Talks Sho#1
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'GpG+(cOk7;HlistG??3n>'O>n(hpF.O!4/AA8+>w
Okay, "i! deal. +o it wasn&t 8etterman or Oprah.
(akin& % o#n usic !i+eo3
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'GODr2.LrC?!>
%ct#ally /anette and I did this to!ether 0#st o'er 23 years a!o. Ly dad did the camera work, o#r friend
o#! did the recordin! and added lead !#itar licks and o#r friend *ichard edited the whole thin!
to!ether. % few months later we last nearly e'erythin! we owned when we mo'ed to Toronto and were
cheated "y #nscr#p#lo#s talent a!ents. /anette ne'er .#ite reco'ered "#t I e'ent#ally did !et "ack
into o#r m#sic myself which led to...
Recor+in& (% O#n CD3
(ack in 2334 I released my own M, +prin!time in Narnia. It may not ha'e "ecome famo#s or won
any awards "#t it won the most important thin!....the lo'e of my life. This has !ot to "e one of my all=
time fa'orite stories. I was wearin! my "l#e wi! and modified 5I++ make#p and ad'ertisin! it on
+peaker&s Morner. a'e was one of only two people who ordered copies of my M. ,e&d already
taped the show "eca#se he knew he was !oin! to "e on it. ,e was on the show sayin! it sho#ld "e an
ho#r lon! instead of 0#st half an ho#r. %"o#t a month after he ordered my M, I sent him a note askin!
him what son!s he liked "est. %t first he wasn&t !oin! to answer it. ,e tho#!ht I already recei'ed tons
of fan mail. (#t then he decided to reply after all, in the form of a cassette tape. ,e spoke for a"o#t 4<
min#tes and then he filled the rest of the tape with m#sic that he tho#!ht I mi!ht like. I knew we were
kindred spirits ri!ht away "eca#se we "oth shared m#ch of the same tastes in m#sic. (esides "oth
"ein! "i! 5I++ fans, we also like Weird %l >anko'ic, +pike /ones, etc. and I reco!ni9ed )8O&s 4un&le
and selections from "hanto of the "ara+ise.
One thin! led to another and within the neJt year, WE GOT (ARR-ED!!!!
I ha'e no idea when or if I&ll e'er record another M. *ecently I picked #p my !#itar and tried to play it
"#t it needs new strin!s. %nother thin! to add to my to=do list when and if I can e'er afford it and
someone can dri'e me to the m#sic store. It doesn&t really matter. I&'e 0#st come to accept that there
simply aren&t eno#!h ho#rs in any !i'en day to do )-)*>T,ING I want to do. +ometimes it worries
me. The days !o "y so .#ickly$
O'er C3 years a!o I aniate+ % o#n cartoon3
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'Gin3oMh3Ks03
O"'io#sly, it didn&t lead to an act#al career, "#t it was one of the most f#n eJperiences of my life, as
well as 'E-.G A. E5TRA -. DETRO-T ROC, C-T1 near the en+ of 6778.
I co#ld !o on. I&m thankf#l to ha'e had a lot of ama9in! eJperiences in my life so far...
incl#din! feedin! a !iraffe...$
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G5BJntfN3iBcHlistG??3n>'O>n(hpF.O!4/AA8+>w
The important thin! to remem"er is that I may not "e where I need to "e, "#t Thank God I&m not where
I #sed to "e. Ly life has had it&s #ps and downs. I&m thankf#l for the #ps and !ratef#l to ha'e s#r'i'ed
the downs. I&'e !ot some pretty ama9in! friends and I&'e "een to some pretty awesome places and
seem a lot of wonderf#l thin!s in my lifetime. %nd it&s not o'er yet. The "est is a"o#t to "e!in$
I'PO%T"NT NEWS -L"S#####
T,) *. 68O> LO*)8%N M%*O?+)8 %T +)%+I) ,)IG,T+ N)W /)*+)> ,%+ ())N
+%-)$$$$$$ The !ood news can "e fo#nd here$$$
https1::www.face"ook.com:!ro#ps:;;AA;A77BCB:
I literally did a happy dance when I heard the news$$ This is my happy son! at the moment$
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'GyAoKWF>i-A!
.oey/+ Pro0ect 1Contin*e23
Predict1 WI88 this panel "e finished "y the time /anette and I lea'e for New >orkEEEEE
!ear 'om an2 !a2
6riday, +eptem"er <
th
, 234;
ear Lom and ad,
,ello. ,ow are thin!s #p in hea'enE If yo# see *o"in Williams or /oan *i'ers, tell them I said hello.
Thin!s ha'e "een pretty "#sy aro#nd here with the weeks leadin! #p to the con'ention. I miss 0#st
"ein! a"le to pick #p the phone and talk to yo# and I feel e'en lonelier than e'er these days now that
a'e is "ack on afternoon shifts. This week has "een his first time on %fternoons in o'er a year and a
half and he&s "een really ner'o#s a"o#t his new position and worried a"o#t "ein! #na"le to keep #p to
line speed.
Nothin! speeds #p time like knowin! I ha'e a doctor&s appointment neJt T#esday. I am a"sol#tely
dreadin! it "eca#se I 5NOW I&'e done a"sol#tely )-)*>T,ING wron!$$$ That&s what always happens
o'er the s#mmer despite my "est intentions. I tell myself I sho#ld "e o#t walkin! e'ery day and I
sho#ld !et to "ed earlier and wake #p earlier in the mornin!, not to mention eat more sensi"ly. These
days whate'er I eat depends on what I can di!est. %nd witho#t school or other re!#lar acti'ities, I tend
to stay at home and "ecome a recl#se. No si!n of when or if my %sper!er s#pport !ro#p at 5erry&s
Place is startin! #p a!ain this term either. 5ristine&s name isn&t on the phone men# anymore. That&s
what I hate a"o#t 5erry&s Place. No one )-)* stays$$ ,)88OE ?s folks on the %#tism spectr#m need
MON+I+T%NM>$$$ %nd we like to "e informed of thin!s well in ad'ance. We hate last=min#te thin!s$
That reminds me, yesterday I was 0#st sittin! at home mindin! my own "#siness when there was a
knock=knock=knock=knock at the door. I tho#!ht it mi!ht "e Lark 8a6lamme "eca#se I need him to
come "ack a!ain and show me how to download m#sic onto my new comp#ter and from there onto
the LPC player "eca#se it&s a whole different system from the old one. ,e showed me "efore "#t I
co#ldn&t learn "eca#se I was o'erwhelmed with sensory o'erload at that moment.
%nyway, I open the door and there&s this !#y from some water filterin! a!ency wantin! to know if he
co#ld come in and inspect o#r water filtration system. ,e and this other !#y eJplained that a lot of the
newer ho#seholds in the nei!h"o#rhood were ha'in! tro#"le with some chemical in the pipes that
ha'e "een ca#sin! people to ha'e eJema, skin irritations and hair loss. I&'e noticed that my hair has
"een sheddin! a lot lately, "#t I politely eJplained to them that I&m not allowed to let anyone in witho#t
my landlord&s permission. I asked for a "#siness card "#t they didn&t ha'e one. They wanted me to
phone my landlord now while they were here "#t I told them I was kind of in the middle of somethin!.
+o they said they&d come "ack in an ho#r. +o after they lea'e I call the landlord, "#t of co#rse all I !et
is the answerin! machine.
I kid yo# not the one !#y had the stran!est eyes. )ither he was wearin! contacts or he had to "e an
alien. ,is p#pils were 'ertical slits like the eyes of a cat or a snake.
%nyway, they ne'er came "ack$ I can&t help "#t wonder if may"e if they did come "ack they were
scared away "y my screamin! meltdown. I had the misfort#ne of comin! across the -I)O 6*OL
,)88$$$ Go fi!#re. %NOT,)* reason to )+PI+) %#tism PhriekP$$ This was a 'ideo a"o#t how
a#tistic children eJperience sensory o'erload. ,)88O$$ There are so many thin!s wron! with the
whole concept. 6or one, a#tistic %?8T+ eJperience sensory o'erload to, not to mention )KI+T in the
first place. %#tism PhriekP is one of those charities that seems to "e of the mentality that only children
ha'e a#tism or need help for it. In fact who said anythin! a"o#t needin! help. They are more
interested in tryin! to P*)-)NT or M?*) %#tism, rather than do anythin! to act#ally ILP*O-) the
N?%8IT> of a#tistic people&s li'es$ %nyway, &n#ff said a"o#t them. It was this 'ideo that nearly did me
in. They were eJplainin! a"o#t how a child with a#tism hears e'erythin! at the same 'ol#me and all
the so#nds kept pilin! #p and, of co#rse, they 0#st ,% to add a screamin! "a"y to the miJ. It was so
lo#d, 0arrin! and a"rasi'e I co#ldn&t e'en click on the L?T) "#tton "eca#se I co#ldn&t take my fin!ers
o#t of my ears$ I ha'e to )-O8-) % T,I* ,%N$$$ They weren&t kiddin! when they warned that this
'ideo mi!ht "e a tri!!er. There I was 'iolently rockin! "ack and forth screamin! at it to +,?T ?P and
+TOP$$ The worst part was when the 'ideo was o'er I co#ld still hear it echoin! in my mind$ I had to
phone /anette at work to tell her a"o#t it and then crank my 5I++ m#sic as lo#d as possi"le to
cleanse my eardr#ms$$
%s the co#ntdown to the con'ention nears we&'e !otten into the ha"it of ha'in! me call d#rin! all three
"reaks while /anette is at work. We find it makes the time !o m#ch faster. +he had a "ad mornin!
today "eca#se there is a +M,OO8 on the floor a"o'e her office and one of the kids there had a ma0or
screamin! tantr#m$ The school has always "een there "#t they&'e ne'er had pro"lems like this "efore.
In these days leadin! #p to o#r trip we&'e "oth "een feelin! so #nder attack$ (oth of #s ha'e "een
'ery sick$ 6or me it was the day after my 'isit with +haron. +haron and I had an )KM)88)NT time. I
en0oyed meetin! her h#s"and Pa#l and her friend Matherine too. *eal kindred spirits, deli!htf#l people
to "e aro#nd. I mean it$ We had a WON)*6?8 time$ It was one of those wonderf#l, perfect days I
wished ne'er had to end$$$ I miss +haron already and can hardly wait #ntil we can spend more time
to!ether. I know we&'e had o#r share of !rief and drama in the past "#t it was eJcitin! to see how
m#ch we&'e healed since the last time we saw each other o'er 23 years a!o. We had a !lorio#s l#nch
at Teddy&s and a "ea#tif#l, peacef#l time in the !arden o#tside the Parkwood )state.
(#t the followin! mornin! I awoke with that s#spicio#s rotten e!! taste in my mo#th that %8W%>+
means tro#"le. I spent most of the day either h#nched o'er on the toilet, spewin! from "oth ends or
lyin! in "ed #na"le to !et warm or comforta"le. I was in s#ch eJcr#ciatin! pain that I "e!!ed a'e to
take me to the hospital "#t he wo#ldn&t. It fi!#res e'ery time I !et sick it ends #p costin! #s tons of
money "eca#se we always r#n o#t of e'erythin! at the same time$ )ither that, or it&s eJpired$ O#r
T#ms eJpired in 2337 and Pepto=(ismal eJpired in 6e"r#ary$$ It e'en smelled "ad$ %nd of co#rse I
co#ld not eat solid food for the neJt day or two so a'e had to "#y me a siJ=pack of )ns#re.
%nd to top it off, less than a week later /anette had to !et sick too. +he was already startin! to feel
fe'erish when she and Lark went on that "oat cr#ise on la"or day. When I phoned her workplace on
T#esday, I was s#rprised when she wasn&t in. +he called Wednesday mornin! askin! me to call her
"ack and told me what happened. ,ers is a different "#! from mine. +he was throwin! #p a lot "#t at
least she wasn&t spewin! from "oth ends like I did. 6or me the worst was the one day on Wednesday
"#t I still felt pretty eJha#sted for the days to follow. +he&s had a co#!h, sore throat and whee9in!
chest. %nd she felt like she was at lo!!erheads with her family "eca#se she told them she didn&t want
to 'isit on the weekend "eca#se of how she&d "een feelin!. +he was scared that her "rother was mad
at her "eca#se he didn&t speak to her at work on Wednesday. I prayed for her and she was prompted
to check in on him and it t#rned o#t he didn&t e'en 5NOW she was "ack at work "eca#se her door
was closed and he tho#!ht she was still at home. One of her co=workers had this same "#! so she
asked her a"o#t it "eca#se she didn&t want to ha'e to !o to the doctor if it&s 0#st a 'ir#s.
%nyway, last 6riday, when I finally "e!an to feel like myself a!ain, I "ra'ed a trip to the mall "eca#se
%. I wanted to cash in my Mhapter&s !ift card that a'e !a'e me for my "irthday and (. I wanted to
pick #p /anette&s and my plane tickets. On my way to Mhapter&s I saw the most "ea#tif#l
m#ltico#lo#red rain"ow "ackpack in the window of the hand"a! shop so I went in and "o#!ht it. I
needed a new "a! anyway and those colo#rs were 0#st callin! o#t to me$ %t least the "ookstore wasn&t
crowded, "#t I still needed assistance to find what I was lookin! for. I had "een wantin! H%)er$ole
an+ a Half, and after all this talk a"o#t ,o#se on the *ock, I also remem"ered wantin! to read
Aerican Go+s "y Neil Gaiman. There is a scene where one of the main characters !ets to ride the
!ryphon on the ,o#se on the *ock caro#sel and Neil Gaiman act#ally !ets to "e one of the few l#cky
people in real life who is that one person to ride the ,o#se on the *ock caro#sel on ,alloween ni!ht. I
am a"sol#tely dyin! to know how one act#ally !ets that rare pri'ile!e$$
,o#se on the *ock is one of the places on my "#cket list. )'en "etter if I !et to "e that l#cky one
person allowed to ride "#t I&d "e happy eno#!h to ride +ir ,#!o, the !ryphon on the %l"any, Ore!on
caro#sel when it is finished.
%nyway, I didn&t finish tellin! my story. I went to the tra'el a!ent to !et my plane tickets and was told
it&s !oin! to cost another P4< per seat in either direction. I swear the airline ind#stry is lookin! to nickel
and dime its c#stomers any which way it can$$$ It wo#ld ha'e meant char!in! an eJtra PA; on my -I+%
card to co'er "oth o#r tickets in "oth directions. +o we&re either !oin! to ha'e to 0#st win! it and take
whate'er seats are left or wait to hear "ack from o#r a!ent. +he made a phone call and eJplained o#r
sensory iss#es and she&s tryin! to p#ll a few strin!s to !et #s o#r seats for free. %nyway I fo#nd myself
se'erely losin! spoons in that en'ironment$ I co#ld ne'er work in a place like that, ha'in! my desk o#t
in the open with so many people aro#nd; yacketyyacketyyackety$ I fo#nd myself !ettin! increasin!ly
mentally tired tryin! to hear her a"o'e all that noise. I had the pleas#re of showin! her some of the
pict#res I&'e taken on my tra'els. I always ha'e them e'erywhere with me on my LPC player. (#t I
had to lea'e in a h#rry "eca#se, of co#rse, someone&s "a"y had to start screamin!. I WI+, P%*)NT+
WO?8 8)%-) T,)I* %LN (*%T+ %T ,OL)$$$$ ?***,$$
%nyway, when I !ot home I proceededto transfer my contents from my old "ackpack to the new and
was %(+O8?T)8> ,O**I6I) to disco'er that my new "ackpack seemed to +,*IN5 since I
"ro#!ht it home. Good thin! I kept the receipt "eca#se I was a"le to eJchan!e it for this nice p#rple
one, e'en tho#!h I was pretty m#ch o#t of spoons and felt so o'erwhelmed in that store that I started
cryin!. I&m thankf#l that the salesladies at that place were s#per nice. 1I
Well, those dishes aren&t !oin! to wash themsel'es and I sho#ld !et started on my packin!. Mhances
are I won&t !et aro#nd to p#"lishin! this month&s iss#e #ntil %6T)* I !et "ack from my trip and then I
shall ha'e my acco#nt written #p alon! with links to all the >o#T#"e 'ideo foota!e I&'e shot while we&re
away.
/anette and I "oth want to !et one of those I QC N.> T=shirts, and those foam=r#""er +tat#e of 8i"erty
headdresses to wear on o#r co'er pict#re$
I&'e decided to !i'e *ichard that )aster (#nnies .#ilt for his "irthday. It&s "een at least fi'e years
since he and I ha'e seen each other and it 0#st happens to "e his "irthday on the 4A
th
.
8o'e,
Lar!aret
)*cket Li+ter Si+ter+
%ll this talk a"o#t the thin!s I want to do on my "#cket list and o#r #pcomin! New >ork trip has !ot me
thinkin!. %"o#t another idea. %nother scathin!ly "rilliant idea$$ I&'e talked to /anette a"o#t it. What if
we starred in o#r own reality T- show a"o#t #s tra'ellin! e'erywhere we e'er wanted to !o to see and
do e'erythin! we&'e always wanted to$$EE Who wo#ld we approach to pitch this ideaE 6rankly we do
not know. (#t we hope o#r idea !oes 'iral on 6ace"ook1
https1::www.face"ook.com:!ro#ps:4;BABB;DC<73<42<:
This is where I&'e posted all the ad'ent#res we&'e had so far and where I hope to share the
ad'ent#res yet to come.
%nd 0#st think$ If we had o#r own T- show we wo#ld act#ally "e P%I to !o to all these places and
)-)*>T,ING wo#ld "e pro'ided for #s. We wo#ld "e !i'in! o#r re'iews of all these places, the
hotels we stay in, the food we eat, etc. We wo#ld want this to "e a happy, positi'e eJperience for
e'eryone in'ol'ed and a chance for 'iewers at home to li'e 'icario#sly thro#!h o#r ad'ent#res. +ome
people already do "y readin! the acco#nts I&'e posted of o#r trips so far and checkin! o#t the
>o#T#"e links and photos posted therein.
+ince it&s a reality T- show, no do#"t some thin!s %*) !oin! to "e contri'ed. I ha'e a few 9any
ideas for cra9y sit#ations we mi!ht find o#rsel'es in d#rin! these tra'els.
(ear in mind that this is O?* idea and we don&t want anyone else stealin! it. We are %%L%NT that
W) play O?*+)8-)+ on o#r own show, that we wo#ld NOT "e portrayed "y yo#n!er, thinner or
prettier actresses who are s#pposed to "e #s, and we *)6?+) to s#"mit to any ?()* makeo'ers,
especially if it in'ol'es wearin! hi!h heels, short skirts or pantyhose. We dress for comfort and we
don&t pretend to "e anyone else. What yo# see is what yo# !et. In the meantime I&'e yet to fi!#re o#t
where to !o and whom to pitch this idea to....
I fi!#red that this month&s iss#e wo#ld "e a little late...
,ere I am at the world=famo#s Times +.#are with o#r !ood friend *ichard on my ri!ht and /anette to
my left. We wo#ld "oth like to say a 'ery special thank yo# to *ichard for takin! #s to the (#!
Maro#sel at the (ronJ Ooo on T#esday, +eptem"er 4A
th
. This will "e this iss#e&s...
Caro*+el of t5e 'ont5###
I wo#ld like to thank *ichard for the awesome pict#re he took of /anette and me ridin! the (#!
caro#sel to!ether. The (#! Maro#sel has "een at the (ronJ Ooo for a"o#t a decade already.
,ere&s some 'ideo foota!e of the (#! Maro#sel that I took on my trip1
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'Gr2"ssO#a2GLHlistG??3n>'O>n(hpF.O!4/AA8+>w

https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G+l?n"*(wnF%HlistG??3n>'O>n(hpF.O!4/AA8+>w
,ere is a pict#re my friend 8isa sent me of her and her son )'an ridin! it way "ack in 233A...
If yo# look closely, yo# will see )ric sittin! on 8isa&s knee. This makes for a deli!htf#l little se!#e into
"2vent*re+ of t5e Travellin6 !oll+ 1an2 Critter+#3
The followin! pict#res were taken at the in!er )state1
Poor Waddle$ That cra9y d#ck can&t seem to stay o#t of tro#"le$
It has "een a rare and wonderf#l pri'led!e to 'isit the in!er )state. This sort of thin! isn&t #s#ally
a'aila"le to the !eneral p#"lic. I consider it an honor to "e amon! the handf#l in'ited to 'isit this
ama9in! place. There are fantistic caro#sel animals and caro#sel=related artifacts in practically e'ery
nook and cranny...$$$
The "asement was f#ll of all these ama9in! circ#s displays and model am#sement rides
...
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G,C>K7AW.OPo
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G5K6+Na=Jh;
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G/rB'i">2PF>
(#t the "est of all was the eJtensi'e collection of caro#sel animals all o'er the ho#se and in the
"asement$ There m#st ha'e "een eno#!h caro#sel animals to pop#late at least one or two entire
caro#sels$ >o# may reco!ni9e the first two from her "ook. The one in the li'in! room is the one shown
on the co'er. (oth this +tein and Goldstein stander and this L#ller Indian pony ha'e "een feat#red on
posta!e stamps.
,ere are some of the ama9in! creat#res that were in the "asement...
The rest can "e fo#nd here....
https1::www.face"ook.com:media:set:E
setGa.;A;4<474B3<B73D.43BCB;4DAC.43333CD7C44AC43HtypeG4HlGDcB3DB743a
6eel free to keep chckin! "ack often "eca#se I am nowhere near "ein! finished yet$$$ I swear it m#st
ha'e taken "etween fo#r and siJ ho#rs for my comp#ter to loaderi9e e'erythin! from my camera and it
keeps chokin! #p when I try to post all my 'ideos to >o#t#"e$$$
5eep checkin! the 'ucket Lister Sisters pa!e or "lanet .ilknarf .e#s on 6ace"ook. One of these
days I will ha'e the link a'aila"le to my acco#nt of this trip in it entirety$$$
In the meantime I wo#ld like to thank e"ra *ee'e for postin! the followin! link on my 6ace"ook
Pa!e1
" )la+t -rom t5e Pa+t7 T5e Pa*l Lyn2e allo8een S9ecial#
Thank yo# e"ra$ 1I This kept me royally entertained while I was waitin! for all my st#ff to #pload$ With
,alloween "ein! 0#st aro#nd the corner, I hope my readers will en0oy this 0#st as m#ch as I ha'e$
Prepare to en0oy some wonderf#lly am#sin! B3&s corniness, Lar!aret ,amilton reprisin! her role as
Wicked Witch of the West with her sister Witchie Poo and, "ack in those days, an )KT*)L)8> *%*)
%PP)%*%NM) (> ,-SS!!!!! %wesome sa#ce indeedy$$$
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G;psTe*pN=4o
&9comin6 Event+
Kerry's Place 3
rd
Annual Autism Celebration
Wednesday, Octo"er D
th
at the same place it was last year....
6ather 8eo /. %#stin M++, 4323 ryden (l'd. Whit"y, Ontario
A133 to D133
+taff mem"ers and st#ff ha'e "een chan!ed this year. etails not a'aila"le, so phone Kerry's Place
at 905-59-!!0 for f#rther information. It will "e a f#n=filled ni!ht of m#sic and entertainment and I will
"e there with my #s#al crap for sale$ ;I This year I&m also donatin! a .#ilt as one of the door pri9es$
"ene#a Autism Symposium
Letro Mon'ention Mentre
Info can "e fo#nd here1 http1::symposi#m.a#tism.net:
I will "e sellin! my st#ff on 6riday, Octo"er2;th and I ha'e donated my first .#ilt to their f#nd=raisin!
raffle.
)ook of t5e 'ont5
,yper"ole and a ,alf1 #nfort#nate sit#ations, flawed copin! mechanisms, mayhem and other thin!s
that happened "y %llie (rosh.
I can honestly and sincerely say, from the depths of my heart, that this has GOT to "e the /U..-EST
'OO, E2ER!!!!!! +erio#sly$ I can&t recall the last time a "ook e'er made me la#!h so m#ch in my life$
No !#ff$ I&m NOT eJa!!eratin!$ I will N)-)* look at corn or !eese .#ite the same way a!ain$$ I took
this "ook with me to New >ork and was chortlin! o#t lo#d d#rin! my fli!ht$
Perhaps my fa'orite part of the "ook was the chapter a"o#t depression, where after "ein! c#rled #p
on the floor cryin! her heart o#t, %llie happens to notice a sin!le kernel of corn on her kitchen floor,
hidin! #nderneath the refri!erator and it strikes her as the f#nniest thin! in the world and she can&t
stop la#!hin!$$ I co#ldn&t stop la#!hin! either. I can&t help "#t wonder who was la#!hin! harder; Le
readin! this or her when she saw that poor, lonely piece of corn #nder the frid!e in the first place. I
was readin! it o#t lo#d to /anette at "edtime. Mo#ld the fact that we were "oth eJtremely tired ha'e
anythin! to do with itE I la#!hed #ntil my sides ached and for the rest of the trip my friend and I !ot the
!i!!les whene'er we heard the word corn or !oose$$
(eca#se that&s another story that made me la#!h o#t lo#d$$ )specially when we were on the train$
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'G=%niKA='h!HlistG??3n>'O>n(hpF.O!4/AA8+>w
This "ook makes a !reat !ift for anyone$ Now I know what to !et my a#nt for Mhristmas$ )specially
"eca#se I think she&ll !et a kick o#t of the parts a"o#t do! trainin!. ,er little Oli'er has certainly
presented his share of challen!es$
%nd altho#!h not act#ally caro#sel=related, I want to "#y a copy as a !ift for neJt year&s con'ention
"eca#se I hope e'ery"ody who reads this will la#!h as hard as I did$$$
Ne8 Wor2+ I 5ave Learne2 or Coine2 on t5i+ tri97
Carousel$ie% % term I coined for takin! a pict#re of oneself whilst ridin! or posin! on a caro#sel$$
Acant&us% The proper term for those c#rly=swirly fiddledoos fo#nd e'erywhere from "and or!ans and
caro#sel chariots to (aro.#e f#rnit#re and architect#re$
+ee >o# NeJt Lonth$$ %nd neJt moth will "e o#r +IKT, %NNI-)*+%*> iss#e$$$$
>o# know the old sayin!. It&s not o'er #ntil....
https1::www.yo#t#"e.com:watchE'GmnfM3sGWw/?