Twilight Auction Records and general info

Last year on 19 and 20 November 2016 the Prop Store held a live auction of Twilight costumes and props in Hollywood. There were 900 lots. This year there was a second and last auction on line only that ran from 16 to 19 November 2017. There were about 636 lots this time. Last year I had very little extra to spend on bidding, most of my extra money went to the trip to attend in person. Both auctions were very interesting and unique experience. This year having sold my condo for more than expected I had some extra money to bid on items.

Once the catalog was available I looked over the items and picked out initially 44 lots to watch. As bidding started items were deleted. I checked with Jack Morrissey and Lissy Andros on interest in the books available. I checked with a couple of other people on their possible interests. No one else was interested in the books.  One (1) copy of Wurthering Heights was listed. One (1) copy of Robert Frost poems and Bella’s notebook was listed. And multiple copies of Romeo & Juliet and Merchant of Venice were available.

Besides the books there were three (3) lots of vinyl LP records from Edward’s collection. I knew someone who would be interested in that. There was a model of the Swan home that I was really interested in. Shipping that was really expensive and then add in cost of protective case to display, I let it go. There were some boxes/trunks, one especially, that were of interest. There was a camera of great interest. There were some blankets that were of minor interest initially.

By the day before final day, I had list of about 20 items that I was interested in. The model, camera, and all but one blanket went away. The remaining blanket kept drawing me. My living room décor has red as an accent color. It also reminded me of  Windchymes’ stories with a blanket. So by the night before, I was down to five (5) different items with about 15 lots.

The first items of interest were the lots of records. My friend Anna Buttram was interested and bidding on the second set. She has helped me downsize by accepting my turntable/cassette/CD unit and some of my LP’s and 45’s. She was outbid on her lot. Some comments were made on the Facebook thread. I was contacted by the winner of the third lot, Elke Van der Sctricht. We reached an agreement. Anna will get the third lot. All three of us win and contribute.

I had placed a max bid on one of the trunks. I started hoping I would be outbid. Priorities were shifting to the books and red blanket. The blanket would cost less to ship and really add to my new home. Fortunately I was outbid on the trunk.

Friday dawned and got set up with both computers and phone charged and ready. The new Dell one drives me nuts with Windows 10 and just the way it responds to the pad. It was set up on the main page to monitor the whole items. The old Lenovo was set up on just my watch list and the one I used to bid. I had snack and easy food to eat.

The records were good practice. I started shaking with the R&J books and especially when I won. I took a break and went for a walk and ate. I checked in with Jan off/on and her bid remained high one on the Merchant of Venice. Then came my bidding on clean copy of Merchant of Venice and finally the red blanket.  Details of the wins are in their own posts. 

This is posted without prereader review, please be kind in reporting errors. 

Twilight Auction Romeo & Juliet books

The first lot, #88, I won was a set of eight (8) copies of Romeo and Juliet from New Moon film. I don’t remember how many copies were in the auction last year. This year there were four (4) lots, two (2) had eight (8) copies and two (2) had seven (7) copies.  I wanted to win at least one set to be able to gift copies to some friends that are fans but not so interested to bid in the auction and some that tried and did not win anything. I was hoping to win two (2) lots to spread the joy a little further, but with other items later of greater personal interest I was outbid on the three (3) other lots.

This was the first of the four (4) lots and second or third item I bid on. The practice on the first two helped me win this lot. There was not much of a battle over this. So far five of the eight (5 of 8) copies are claimed. I am making sure that they are going to people who did not win anything, who like / love books, and who will appreciate the association to Twilight Saga books and movies.

Update 21 Nov: six (6) copies are now claimed. I am NOT selling any of them. They are gifts to special people. If one of the two (2) remaining copies are offered to people not interested in them, I have back up people. Contact the other winners to see if they are interested in selling. 

 This is posted without prereader review, please be kind in pointing out errors.

Twilight Auction Merchant of Venice

The copy of Merchant of Venice (MoV) with Alice’s torn out note, lot #590, was my second win. I love books. I really like the Twilight books a lot more than the movies. There is already a copy of Romeo and Juliet from New Moon in the Forks Twilight Collection. It needs the company of Merchant of Venice, Wurthering Heights, and Robert Frost.

Shortly after the catalog for this auction was available, I asked Lissy Andros and Jack Morrissey if they were going after any of the books. They said that they weren’t but would make nice addition to the Collection. So my plotting began.

I should mention that there were available several copies of MoV books. Most were nice and clean copies with torn out note. There was one slightly burned with note inside, but not the torn out one. There was a mostly burned copy as well. I debated between the slightly burned one and a nice clean copy with the torn out note.

A couple days before end of auction, Jack contacted me that someone else, Jan Pool, was asking about donating to the Collection a copy of MoV. I contacted Jan and she was interested in the slightly burned copy. I decided to go for one of the clean copies with torn out note. The slight burned copy with the torn out note is the ideal companion to Romeo and Juliet book. I could donate just the note if they don’t want the clean copy.

It was the fifth copy of the book that I was finally able to win at a reasonable price. Jan won her lot also. I did battle up to a point on two other copies. One was already out of my range and somehow missed one earlier copy. Those battles got me ready for my red blanket battle.

This is posted without a prereader review, please be kind with corrections. 

Twilight Auction Red Blanket

The red blanket, lot #606, from Swan house in Breaking Dawn 2 was my last item to bid on. I am starting this short series of posts on the auction with this item because it is the one I am keeping for myself.

During the online auction, people were posting on a Facebook thread about wins, losses, battles. I noted that my bid for the red blanket had been outbid. I raised mine, outbid shortly after. This happened while the auction was still about 200 items away. I then posted that there was a battle going on over it. I mentioned that I wanted it for my new home in Sequim and my accent color was red.

I started watching it more closely, but waited to raise my bid. As closing item time got closer, the biding back and forth continued. Then messenger on my phone beeped at me. Jack Morrissey at first scared me to death. His phrasing had me thinking that I was bidding against him. Then second message, not that, he asked what my max bid was and if reached beyond that he would take over and make sure I got the blanket. That is when I really started shaking. Nerves at the bidding on it and overwhelmed at his generosity.  As it turned out, my last winning bid was under my max. I think there was some minor computer drama on the one I was using to bid with that happened too, but no lasting impact. Thank you Jack for having my back like a big brother or favorite uncle even if younger than I am and all the advice going into the auctions.

I wanted the blanket for reason given, but also one of my favorite fan fiction author, Windchymes, puts a cashmere blanket in her stories. Bella or Edward use it. I reread her stories more than the original because the characters are a little more mature, they usually communicate much better than in the original. There is still drama and some angst, but not of the teenage variety. For me they are more realistic and more relatable; which considering we are talking about vampires and shapeshifters really shouldn’t matter much.

Now I have a piece of the Twilight movies to own and use or will have come January 2018. Something from the last movie won at the last auction as I am preparing to move from my home for past 30 years. It connects the past and the future. It will remind me of favorite stories both the original Twilight Saga and favorite fan fiction stories. Hopefully I can wrap myself up in it as read new stories from Windchymes.

This is posted without benefit of prereader, please be kind in reporting any errors. 

Eclipse poem

TWS Eclipse poem

By Abby Weyr

4 July 2017

For FTF early July contest

Two supernatural beings

Vie for the love of one

Human girl.

One is ice cold

One is fire hot

She loves both, but not the same.

Who will be her forever choice?

One snowy June night

On a mountain side

We find out which one loves

Her more and wants the best

For her.

Will she remember those words

In the morning?

She tests the bonds with one

And kisses the other.

Yet, that kiss only reinforces

The bond and choice for

The cold one.

But now he is not so sure of

Her choice of him.

The shape shifter is injured in battle

With newborns to protect her.

Her choice made she says good bye to him.

She cries in the arms of the cold one.

Not only for the loss of a friend, but for

All that she will lose choosing the cold one

To be with forever.

Poem: Time Stands Still

Time Stands Still

By Abby Weyr

4 January 2017

Death comes to us all

No matter money

Or social status.

Time stands still

For those close

To heart.

Time slowly leaks back in

Backwards at first as

Remember shared past joys.

Sadly you face life ahead

Without the loved one

As life does go on.

Grief comes and goes

As ocean waves on the shore

Crashing or gentle nudge

Time stands still

For each wave

Let it be.

Faith and hope and love

Whispers that you

Will see them again

Let that give you

Strength to carry forward

As Time restarts.

My grandnephew, Jeremy Rice, passed away 3 Jan 2017

This poem is for his parents, Jay and Valerie. Love you.
And for other of my friends that have lost loved ones. 

So Cal trip post day 11: Now for the Home Work

There is the post trip process - sharing pictures and writing blog posts.  I do transfer images from camera memory card to computer on daily basis. Due to connection problems and lack of time and energy, sharing pictures and writing up blog posts usually has to wait until I get home and unpacked. So while doing laundry I posted some pictures to my Facebook account. I was asked to post all the Twilight related ones to an album in auction group and was able to do that as well.

I had not planned on writing blog posts on the trip, but the shared pictures generated some comments and so I started writing. I am OCD enough to write the whole trip, not just the Twilight part. Sharing pictures is totally different for me from sharing my words. Sharing my words is more personal. It is scary. I am more vulnerable with my writing. It takes a lot longer.

It was a wonderful birthday trip. So glad I took Jack Morrissey’s advice and went to the Twilight Live Auction event. I am glad that the visits with family and friends worked out around the event and the holiday weekend.

Thank you for reading and commenting on the pictures and the link to the blog posts, be it on my wall or in one of the groups. Just liking the FB post with the link to the blog post is wonderful. Thank you Jack and Lissy for approving the links to the group.

This is the last blog post about my Southern California trip. Now to write my Dear Santa letter and year in review letter. And then maybe my one shot fan fiction.

Acknowledgements and thanks to the following people for help with the blog posts: Karen Mah, for help in finding the Twilight Meadow and previewing that post

Adrienne Spykers and Lori Hurley Wright for previewing the auction post.

Christine Bentley Johnston for previewing most all the other ones and general encouragement.

Any errors after their preview are all mine. 

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy all the other Holidays during this time!

Take care.

So Cal trip day 11: Homeward bound via coast

Sunday, 27 November, started early about 0130hrs. It was raining when I woke up. Packed up overnight things. Pulled off bed sheets and along with towels were put in laundry room. Packed up cold items. When ready to load up car the rain had stopped. I was on the road about 0300hrs. Gave me two hours to get to other side of LA before hopefully most people getting up and started home after holiday weekend.

Happy Birthday to me! This introvert welcomed the quiet and alone time for the drive home. Enjoyed the time visiting with Twilight folks and family and friends, but time to get some serious quiet time to recharge. I tried playing some music and turned it off after a song or two. 

Traffic increased around Long Beach along with starting to rain again. I had checked weather at various points along the way, so it wasn’t unexpected. It rained off/on up to Morro Bay. Traffic decreased some after passing LAX and even less once on 101 Northbound. Stopped for breakfast in Ventura about 0700hrs. Sun was lighting the sky a bit too, so wouldn’t miss the pretty scenery on the rest of the trip. Debated stopping and doing coastal highway with fresh start on Monday. Debated keeping to 101 all the way home. Decided to go west at San Luis Obispo to see at least Morro Bay and make final decision from there.

Even before SLO the first stop was Pismo Beach. A high school classmate, Barry Anderson, use to live there most of the time. Visited the pier there. Looked a little familiar from all the pictures Barry had shared of his surfing in the area. There is a flag pole that honors the military with a unique ‘base’. 

The major rain band was between SLO and Morro Bay. Heavy downpour, could barely see for brief time, slowed way down along with others on the road. And then….clear as a bell, beautiful blue sky a few miles from Morro Bay. Looked clear rest of way up the coast, so onward we go. Stopped at some pull outs to take pictures. 

Stopped at Hearst Castle Visitors Center for lunch and a little shopping. The history is interesting. For some reason I’ve never really been interested in seeing the ‘castle’ itself. There was an elephant seal area a little further north. That was interesting – males only on land at this time. The females are at sea feeding and growing babies. They were just laying there sleeping all bunched together. The wind was really blowing, hard to stand up straight up. Continued on with frequent stops until twilight and time to keep moving. Stopped in Monterey for car gas and dinner. Decided worth it to drive on home. Arrived home about 2000hrs (8pm). 

the 'castle' up on hill

new favorite

other new favorite

Home! Unloaded cold items, computer, pillow. To bed after checked in with travel companions via computer. I had put on the new flannel sheet set before I left. It was wonderful to get into my bed with those new sheets!

So Cal trip day 7-10: Family and Friends

Wednesday, 23 November, was day to travel to Oceanside to stay with aunt and uncle, Robert and Patti Rice, for a few days. Shower knob worked this morning. Used time for breakfast and loading car to make sure left after the morning commute or at least decrease traffic some. Pleasant drive south. Thought about stopping at San Juan Capistrano Mission and decided to skip that. Not much else to stop and see between Anaheim and Oceanside.

Wonderful to see aunt and uncle again. We sat and chatted after I unloaded cold stuff and suitcases need for the few days. Before leaving home there had been discussion on new diet and foods I could eat, I said that it would be easier if just bought some once there. Patti had bought a couple of things anyway. Sweet of her.

We went to see movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I am not much into the Harry Potter world. I knew the movie was out and tied to HP and that was about all. It was enjoyable. Dinner at Sizzler after the movie. 

Thursday was Thanksgiving Day. Originally my Arizona nephew, his wife and mother-in-law were going to be with us, but there was a conflict and they couldn’t make it after all. It didn’t make sense to do big turkey dinner for just the three of us, so we went to Marie Calendar’s for our turkey dinner. We headed out to enjoy the nice weather with a stop at Oceanside Pier first. The dinner was good. There was a Sprouts store across the road, so I got some more gluten and diary free items there. We had dessert at home.

Friday was day to meet up with friend Dawn Rosencrance and her niece Peyton Hawkins visiting from home, which is just down the street from my home. Dawn had recovered enough from being sick to venture forth if simple. I had to borrow a TShirt because what I had put on was way too warm for the sunny weather we had. We fixed sandwiches and off on a little road trip. First stop was the San Diego Temple, then to Torrey Pines Beach. We spread out blankets and sat and talked and eventually ate our sandwiches and water. It was great! The tide was coming in and we decided it was time to leave before we got wet feet.

Dawn, Peyton, me

Saturday Robert, Patti and I were up early to go to San Diego Zoo. Robert and Patti are long time members. My feet were kind of tired from all walking done already on trip and there are some hills in the park, so we each got a scooter. First stop was the overhead tram ride to get an overview of the park. Then Kangaroo bus to the polar bears. They are more active first thing in morning. One was showing off while the other two were stretched out relaxing on rocks. Found out they feed them a low fat diet to help them tolerant the warmer weather. Moved on to watch them work with some maned wolf. Then to cats and panda bears. Fit lunch in there somewhere. The clouds had gotten heavier looking and we were getting tired so turned in the scooters and headed out via the stores at gate. It started to rain as we walked to the second store and everyone started leaving. It took some time to get out of parking lot. It was a good day!

maned wolf

relaxing polar bear

I was leaving early, 0300hrs, on Sunday to avoid any LA holiday going home traffic. So once we got back to their home, I started packing up. Stopped raining and loaded up car with everything but what need in overnight and in morning and food. Bed early. 

So Cal trip day 6: Disneyland and California Adventure

Tuesday, 22 November, Disneyland Day! Happy Birthday to me! Well a few days early. The whole trip is birthday present to me, but especially this day and the coastal drive home.

Not best start of the day when the knob you pull up on to get shower does not budge. Hard water deposit has it stuck. Called front desk and fortunately someone came within 10 minutes. The maintenance man even had trouble dislodging it.

There are shuttle bus routes that runs around the hotel area for Disneyland so one doesn’t have to travel by car to the park if staying close by. Started getting giddy and all as bus turned into the transport center. Busy as figured it would be. Security before getting tickets. Bought a one day park hopper ticket. 

First stop was the Soaring Around the World ride in California Adventure. I’d been on this in 2006 when just soaring over California and really neat ride. Looking forward to the around world experience. Chatted with family in front of me during the nearly hour wait to get in. They were from San Diego and both teachers, two children 8 and 11 or so. The ride was great and too short, ‘stops’ didn’t last long enough. I was in the front row, best place as not as far off the ground as the other rows. “We are not far off the floor.”was on replay in head. I am afraid of heights and it was nerve racking as it is really as if you were in a hang glider, but so worth it. My feet  moved out of the way on their own a couple of times.

After that ride around the world it was time for lunch and my very nice meal. Jack Morrissey had recommended the Carthay Circle in Cal Adventure. The menus were posted outside and there were a couple of GF possibilities. The restaurant in Cal Adventure is a recreation of theatre built in 1926 and where Disney’s Snow White and Seven Drawfs premiered in 1937. It was lovely inside. I came at a good time as there was no one waiting at the desk and only one other group seated waiting for a table. Checked in at desk and was asked about food allergies or diet restriction! Then asked if any special occasion! Replied that it was an early birthday meal. I was very impressed. More so when given the menu and the GF items pointed out! When the meal came it was literally flagged so that diet restrictions were met. The salad I ordered was missing the cheese it normal came with! The salmon and rice was delicious.

balcony where I ate at Carthay Circle

I walked around a little but was looking forward to Star Tours in Disneyland next. So hand stamped and show ticket across the plaza and in Disneyland. Checked out the shops on Main Street hoping to find some cards or at least postcards…not to be found. There was lots of candy, stuffed animals, souvenir clothing, etc. Finally got to Tomorrowland and Star Tours! Posted wait time was only 45 minutes and don’t think it was that long. The line broke in a way that I was free to choose which row I wanted to sit in. The back is the best for this ride, my feet barely touch the floor so feel the motion much more than if feet flat on floor. Very Happy! Cool and fun ride. Walked through the Space Trader shop. Nothing striking my fancy. On my way to the next stop saw an exhibit of Star Wars ships and costumes and droids. This was a surprise that I didn't know about. It was great to see the models kind of up close. The Path of Jedi movie was next on the list. I want that on DVD/Blu Ray! It is a mash up from all seven movies and fantastic!

By the time I came out of movie and got a bite to eat it was dark and cooler than what I was prepared for. Back to Space Trader and picked out a Rogue One sweatshirt. At a smaller shop found a couple of BB8 things that I also picked up. Cinderella’s castle was all lit up in blue and white for the holidays. Reflection in the moat was cool, but pictures didn’t turn out so good. Saw part of a parade as I was walking back to transportation center about 2000hrs (8pm). 

It was a wonderful day! On to Oceanside and San Diego tomorrow to visit family and friends.

So Cal trip day 5: Elvis' Star and Tar Pits

Monday, 21 November, was day to move on after the Twilight Saga Auction. I invited my roommate, Sharon Lottes, to join me on my adventure to find Elvis’ star on Hollywood Walk of Fame and then to the La Brae Tar Pits and Los Angeles County Museum of Art and whatever other fun we could find. 

We woke and got ready, ie packed, with plenty of time to find Elvis’ star before checking out of hotel. We checked on line at HWF site for location, the address seemed far away if numbers went the usual way. Sharon did a google search and came up with different answer. Her answer was closer, so off we went. It wasn’t there. We asked a local merchant and was told that his star had been moved to the start of the HWF. So we walked in other direction and walked by the front of the Chinese Theater finding the slab with the Twilight Stars hand and foot prints. Walking further on we found Elvis’ star! Took pictures for a friend. Returning to the hotel to check out and load up car.

Sharon used her phone map app to give me directions to the Tar Pits. It was nice to have a navigator on board. She has been there before and really likes the museum and grounds. She has a reciprocating museum pass, so had free passes to get in. Thank you for sharing that! The parking however was not free and nearly full, we did luck out with a convenient spot. We had already driven around the block and street parking was all taken. It was interesting driving around it though. Kind of a preview of the grounds.

I remember reading about the tar pits when I was younger and reading a lot books about archaeology and archaeologists. My parents both grew up in Pasadena and on one visit to the area I wanted to go see the tar pits. We didn’t go. Found out why on this visit. 

The big tar lake has some sculptures around it showing animals trapped, one is of mother in the tar pit and her baby on stable ground. Sad to see even as sculptures. You can see the bubbles in the lake in several places. There were other spots in the parking lot area and around the grounds that are fenced off to protect people from getting stuck. There are some buildings around some active digs, well active in the summer when hot enough to soften the tar so they can work on it.

One fenced in area had nearly a couple dozen huge crates – Project 23. These were taken out of ground after the fossils were found when digging for a new parking structure. Nice way to compromise between the archaeology community and the building people. They now have 23 crates to work on year round and it takes about a year to go through a crate. There are informative signs all around the buildings and the big tar lake. One mentioned the Page museum being built in 1977. We had visited family in the area in the mid 1960’s, so there would not have been much to see around the tar pits if we had visited. 

As part of the grounds walk we included the area around the LA County Museum of Art. There is a sculpture garden, mainly Rodan’s work. Not my taste. A collection and display of old street lamp posts was outside. Interesting. Different sizes and shapes. Then there is this big boulder sitting across a trench in the back of the main art building. Have no idea what that is all about. We opted out of the special exhibit of Guillermo del Toro in the American Art building. Instead we headed to see inside the Page museum. 

The Page Museum is an interesting structure. Square and mostly underground. Open atrium in middle with just a grid over the roof area. There are stairs on one side to climb up to roof and down to front door. Inside was fascinating. The museum store is front and center just behind ticket area. First stop is a green screen picture opportunity. We said sure why not. Three different poses for $25, pick up at the end. Fun. 

Lots of skeletons, a few recreated scenes, one with mastodon moving and sound effects. My personal intense interests in archaeology had waned as I grew older, but still interested. There was a viewing room to watch technicians work. That day they were going through some debris looking for microfossils. Interesting. Not sure how they see the difference from sand or whatever and the microfossil. There was a film show to watch, we didn’t. Picked up the pictures and decided cool enough to keep. 

Checked out the museum store….had the cutest mastodon keychain, Himalayan salt lamps on sale, and slabs of agate that struck my fancy among all the items. I’ve been looking at getting a salt lamp and was able to find one I liked. The agate slab makes up for not getting the bookends during the auction. A lot less expensive and I got to choose shape and color, so a good deal.

Jack had texted about getting together for late lunch with some others that were still in area. Timing worked out when we were done with the fossils. Back to Hollywood and Highland complex for lunch with Jack and a few other fans. It was a nice way to finish off  the Twilight adventure. He also gave me a DVD copy of Mr Holmes film signed by Bill Condon. Sweet! Thank you to Jack and Mr Condon for that. 

Burbank airport was not much out of my way to Anaheim, so I took Sharon there for her late afternoon flight home to Arizona. After my map disaster at Glendale Forest Lawn, it was nice to remember how to get to Anaheim from Burbank without going through downtown LA and traffic at 1700hrs (5pm). Ok, so I pulled into a parking lot and double checked the maps before actually hitting the freeways. Got to my Disneyland motel about 1930hrs after turning the wrong way on the street with hotels. Turns out it is the same motel I stayed at when attended the WorldCon in Anaheim in 2006. Nice big room and bathroom, free breakfast in morning, empty refrig with a freezer compartment – all my ideas of luxury hotel room. Disneyland / California Adventure the next day!