Remembering ...

Alamo Chapel

While waiting with Cal for the mini-piano to show her letter on the Lucky Board, Kathy got a message to attend the opening of the UT Arlington reproduction of the present day Alamo.  Kathy loves history.  This virtual museum is made from beautiful textures and is packed with information about the Alamo's last stand.  Kathy highly recommends a visit.  Coonskin cap available for sale in the gift shop!

Best viewed in Midnight

Cool Stuff

Cool free bicycle

 Perhaps I haven't complained enough about my entire "toy" file (containing all my vehicles) disappearing from my inventory.  In that file was a beautiful pennyfarthing bicycle I had wanted for a long time.  I paid actual lindens for it.  It was gorgeous.  Although I know where I can buy it again, the idea of paying for it again and having it vanish one day keeps me from buying one a second time.  So, I was very happy to see on the Virtual Vagabond blog that this cute bicycle was available for free.  Hurrah!

Japanese drum with great sound and sync'd animation

The Virtual Vagabond also mentioned a free tiny piano keyboard on a lucky board at RMI, Real Musical Instruments, which I decided I had to have.  It's a real piano with keys that play.  While waiting, I found a couple of marvelous things.  One is this huge drum with an animation that is actually sync'd to the sound.  There is also a beautiful piano (costing in the thousands of lindens) with many features.  So many features, in fact, that I was unable to absorb them all.  

It's definitely worth stopping by to try out the drum and the piano ... and there are 4 lucky boards running, three inside and one at the front.  Cal and Kathy have already won everything but the mini-keyboard they went there for.  Lucky boards are soooo exciting!

Stepping into Literature

Kathy was just minding her own bidness, squeezing all the fun freebies out of Fire Good, when she spotted a  small sign at the entrance mentioning The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.  Looking quickly about her to see if she were "one of three," she clicked on it and was sent to a visual representation of that poem.  Well, golleeee!  Who'd have expected that?  

The teleport to land sent her here:

Teleport Point

There Kathy discovered more delightful literary sites to visit.

Kathy at the Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Les Miserables (Who is Les and why is he so miserable?)

Kathy at The Raven and Poe's grave

Swinging Good Time at The Bluebell

 It's fun to dress up and visit these places.  Don't forget to take pictures.
More pictures related to literature in the virtual world in this set on my Flickr account.

More Toys!

Lludmila in her steampunk 'copter.

 Okay, everyone - forget the Red Baron - we all need one of these now.  It's the Steampunk Hunt gift from Twisted Metal Steamworks.  Everyone get over there and get one.  Note how well Lludmila fits in the cockpit without any adjustments!  Wow.

Optional delete-by-explosion when you're done flying.

Cute outfit from BlakOpal - but I don't remember which gift it was and, besides, that's for the other blog.

Making a Splash

Lludmila ... hovers off in her prize!

What fun!  If you think the problem with inworld hunts is that you end up with an inventory like mine (can't seem to keep it below 37,000 - even after my enormous toy folder disappeared), then this is a hunt for you.  You have to find 10 pieces of treasure to win just the one colorable hover craft that goes like beezus!

I know, I know, there are some of you (who shall remain nameless, Hollyjean) who aren't that keen on the hunting part and just want the booty - well, this hunt isn't for you because the folks at Splash Aquatics are absolute fiends, evil and despicable secreters of - of thingies!

If hunts drive you crazy, you better go with some friends.  Or, if you need a hint, you might plow through my Flickr account looking for one of the ... fiendliest locations.  [Funny.  The spellcheck doesn't seem to recognize "fiendliest" - oh well.]

Carboniferous Limestone?

Lludmila and Major admire the prefabs.

The sim where Lludmila lives (or changes her clothes, anyway) is a lovely island with lots going for it.  First of all, you have a built-in zombie for a neighbor.  Please don't believe all you see in movies (or read in that stupid ZombieLit) - we don't eat brains.  Mostly we just hang around, doing a little light housekeeping and hosting book discussions. 

A gathering in The Pub.

Awen is a place for ready-writey types.  There are cute little houses (if you don't have an inventory chock full of them), a pub, a quay, regular activities (such as book discussions or dances), occasional art exhibits ... blah blah.  And it's pretty.

Room to park your sailboat ...

Lludmila gets in her sailboat and tours around (getting notices of group invitation requests as she rounds the "horn") nearly every day, admiring the carboniferous limestone-y thing they've got going poking out of the green (my trip to GB in the 1970s informs my lasting impression of stone poking through emerald velvet ... oh, and sheep everywhere).

Season's Greetings from Lludmila and Snowthulhu!

It's the same here in Awen, except in winter (and Awen's sheep must be being sheared at the moment), when we've got a brief period of snow and a skating area.  The folks are friendly - and don't try to eat you. Often.  Well, we don't bite.  Hard.  Come and visit ... then come to stay!

Weekend Specials

Hexagonal Gazebo with a pool.

 Lludmila loves the 60L Weekends.  They come with a notecard that lists not only the landmarks, but also a picture of what they're offering for this minimal amount.  It's like catalog shopping.  You don't even have to leave your sim or curtail your activities.  You can click and set aside the pictures of things you consider testing out later and then just zip in, and zip out again.  Lludmila always ends up wandering around looking at other things in hopes they will be only 60L next week.  We're not as interested in clothing as we were - so now Lludmila concentrates on furnishings, buildings, and props.  She couldn't believe that this Hexagonal Gazebo (weighing in at 50 prims as seen in this photo, but comes with a couple of accessories) at Meta-Meca Dimensions Shop was only 60L!  It comes with stairs, the deck with the umbrella, and a small pool.  There are 12 sits on a menu.  It's a good deal.

Grandma's Old Potting Shed.

 Zombies who live in glass houses - only pay 60L for them.  This one is at Sher's Cottage Gardens.  It was much bigger than I expected.  Now all we need to do is fill it with flowers and a trowel and some garden furniture.  Oh, wait a minute - it takes up 37 prims.  [Checks and finds she's already 9 prims over her limit.]

Climb My Truck tree deck with many sits and anims.

 Our new favorite place is Michigans Shack - where the small sailboat came from.  There are usually three items out at the 60L Weekend price and this week we went for the Climb My Trunk tree deck (25 prims) with some menu-driven sits and their broad assortment of naughty anims for any and all tastes (but you don't have to use them, you know).  And while you're checking out the tree deck, look around for the black rose:

When the Roses Turn Black hunt gift - End of Winter tree.

Kathy was all drow'd up for last night's fairy and elf fantasy, so this dark and brooding End of Winter tree was right up her alley.  Ooo, nice photo in the background there!  It's only 15 prims (not to mention my favorite color: free!) and fits nicely in Lludmila's skybox ... for when she feels dark and broody.  It comes with the bare tree, the log, the dormant grass, and a variety of poses.