It's Beginning to Feel Like...The Holidays are Sneaking up on Me!

Hi friends! Happy December! I hope everyone had an eventful Thanksgiving.

So, in my last post I mentioned that I wasn't getting sick. However, now that's changed. I've been on bed rest for the past 4 days (when I was a child I thought it would be fun because there's TV to occupy you..wrong) my head feels like it's either going to explode or someone dropped a brick on it, my tonsils were the size of golf balls so I only had a dime size hole to breath through, my whole body is aching, I waddle like a penguin when I walk because my head is spinning if I get up and my fever has risen and stayed at the temp 104. I also think there is something creepy going on in this house, especially when I'm home alone. Oh, and food tastes a little different. Like, I had bread that tasted like Mac-N-Cheese...weird.

Anyways, on the bright side, I went to the ER three days ago and they gave me an IV of heavy pain killer, special water and an antibiotic. I'm also on a prolonged dose of antibiotics and the Dr. prescribed me a very heavy pain killer. I thought this trip was successful because the Dr. really helped diagnose and treat my illness. He didn't just hand me a script for a steroid (which he informed me lowers my immune system although they shrink my tonsils). He ordered a culture which was tested against multiple strains of antibiotics to see which one fit me best, but, most of all was the form of treatment he's given me. It should eliminate all bacteria. The Dr. told me that I have so much scar tissue which is why my tonsils get so inflamed. Prescribing me a steroid would not allow the antibiotic to really penetrate the scar tissue where so much bacteria hides and waits for the next round of germs too pass through. I'm starting to gain back my health.

Other than being sick, the past couple of months have been busy. I have a new pet, I started a new job (I think a better job), I've made a couple new friends and visited some old. Here's a look:

1. Colonial Williamsburg

Josh and I decided to take a day trip up to Williamsburg. I met his grandfather for the first time, he's a actually really cool, and I had the wonderful opportunity to experiencing the colonial charm of Williamsburg.

A tree that presented a photo-op. 

Here's Ben Franklin, in the flesh! When I first recognized Mr. Franklin, I had a total brain fart and asked if he was James Madison (completely horrifying), however, hopefully I made it up to him when I asked about a slightly insignificant, little-known fact about his childhood. 

The Governor's Mansion. 

2. Pumpkin Picking! 

Since Autumn seems to bloom here, on the East Coast, I decided that I really wanted to go pumpkin hunting this year. Josh and I visited two really neat pumpkin patches. 

The first was Liberty Mills Farms were there was a corn maze. Josh and I made it through once, however, he wanted to go through a second time. I stayed behind and talked with the farmer a bit. He was a cool guy. 

This picture highlights Josh's stubby little legs. I think they are the cutest. 

The second farm we discovered was a huge pumpkin patch. There were some delicious food trucks and a little petting zoo to check out. A couple hours after we bought some pumpkins, I carved a few and decorated our front porch. 

3. Halloween 

This year I didn't really do anything special for Halloween. Josh and I went to a "haunted house" and checked out Spirit Halloween but other than that, we didn't go out and we don't have cable so there wasn't any AMC Fear Fest spook out this year. 

However, I now own a Ouija board and if I don't use it before next Halloween, I guess that's what I can do this coming year. 

This was a fun costume that I found at Spirit Halloween. 

The haunted house/ spook forest was pretty weak. I felt there were alot missing. For example, towards the end of the maze, there was a tunnel that was pitch black. I couldn't see anything in front of me. No one attempted to surprise you. Perfect opportunity. 

Josh and I attempted to get a free ferry ride on the James River, however, since it was free, boat loads of people showed up. Instead we went bowling!

4. New Pet 

This is the new addition, her name is Stellaluna. She's a leopard gecko.  So far she loves to avoid me. She eats crickets and worms. The first night I had her, she was a huntress and ate about 10 crickets. Sometimes when I watch her eating, she harass' her prey. She'll only actually go in for it if they're fighting back or wriggling around. I think it's interesting. 

5. Exploring Richmond

Josh and I have been staying close to home lately. There are a ton of things to do in Richmond, you just have to look. 

Cute little antique shop. I've really been lovin' monkeys lately. 

This is my favorite store in Carytown. Full of vintage clothing and retro inspired outfits, as well. 

Josh and I attended the showing of  "Sausage Party" at the Byrd Theater one Saturday night. It was literally straight out of "Phantom of the Opera". There was an organ performance that helped make my little fantasy feel just a little more real. 

Josh and I have attended a couple of concerts recently. The first was Ingrid Michaelson and the second was The Young and Famous. Both were at the National, which is another gorgeously decorated theater in Richmond. 

This was a night out with Josh and his friends from work. We ate at Lady N'awlins in Carytown and then we attended a social club. 

The last thing Josh and I have done recently is, attend my work holiday party. We missed the social and meal portion but made it for the Tacky Lights Tour. It was a simple but fun thing to do after a week of bed rest and feeling like I've been run over by a truck. 

Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum

Hey y'all! Happy October! As some individuals might have known, last Saturday was my birthday. Josh and I spent the weekend in West Virginia and all of Saturday at Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum!

There have also been some exciting new changes. Three days after I quit my previous job and officially moved to Richmond with Josh, I obtained another job! It's only a two to five minute walk from my house. So far, I've also stopped getting sick. Lately, I've been taking probiotics, multivitamins and immune booster vitamins everyday. Crossing my fingers that it sticks. I'm not quite sure if I revealed exactly why I moved to Richmond several weeks back; but one reason was Josh. There are several new changes in that itself. For example, juggling several new schedules (Archer and Kitty, his dog and cat) and learning how to correlate them with mine. Or, not only thinking along the lines of "mine" but "ours". I would say the biggest change is learning to not run away when I get frustrated and that there's no problem getting too comfortable or settling in.

Anyways, this post is dedicated to my most recent adventure. Exposing and discovering the beauty and mystery of Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum!

So, Josh and I went to the asylum in the day so we could take pictures and learn about the history.

this was taken on the 4th floor, in the drug addicts ward. 

This is the beginning of the Violent Men's Ward on the 3rd floor.

When I saw a wheelchair, I absolutely couldn't control myself. This was the first floor. 

There was an exhibit which featured patient's artwork. I thought this looked quite relaxing.

Second floor, considerable means ward. Lily's room is also on this ward. 

19th Century wheelchairs.

This fine male specimen.

This patient had just received a lobotomy. Fun Fact! You can actually still obtain a lobotomy today. However, you must explain and prove why you want one along with failing all other methods of therapy and psychiatric treatment. 

Trans-Alleghany is the second largest stonecut building in the world. The Irish stonemasons who helped create the beautiful asylum, carved these faces into the tops of entrances because they believed that they frightened away evil spirits. 

This was a piece of artwork by the man who committed the most gruesome murder in the asylum's history and who also murdered 7 other individuals. 

The medical building.

Section leading into the Murder room and Solitary rooms. End of Violent Men's Ward, Floor 3. 

Unclaimed trunks of patients. 

Violent Men's Ward. 

Feeding Chair

Bed Pans

Floor 3, leading into the Violent Women's Ward. End of this ward, make a right and you arrive in the Violent Men's Ward. 

Floor 2, view from the balcony. 

Civil War Section.

View from a window.  

Violent Men's Ward. 

Main entrance into the Main Building.

Entering into the Violent Women's Ward.

Before Entering

Straight Jacket

Geriatrics Ward, Floor 3. Not apart of the Day Tour. 

Doctor's Apartments, Floor 2. 

Common Area. 

Physical Therapy Room. This was called a stretcher and used for the purpose of stretching limbs. They also had a metal rod in the ceiling that they used to clip patients from in order to stretch out their limbs. 

The Ball Room, Floor 3. 

My favorite piece of patient artwork. 

Considerable Means Ward. 

Solitary Room. 

Floor 4, Alcoholics Ward. 

Takes my breath away. 

This room made me want to live here. 

Medical Building. 

Former beauty parlor in the Medical Building. 

Violent Women's Ward. 

I was hysterically laughing at this drawing for 20 minutes. 

The Murder Room, Solitary Dorm of the Violent Men's Ward, located on Floor 3. A deaf mute patient decided to hang another patient one night. When the other patient passed out from lack of oxygen, the soon to be murderer would revive him. Eventually, the victim would not revive quickly enough so the murderer was terrified of getting into trouble. He then put the bed post on top of the victim and jumped on him until he was dead. The victim was badly mutilated. The murderer lived out his life until 2012, after committing 7 other murders throughout Trans-Alleghany. 

Doctor's Furnished Apartments, Floor 2. 

Drain in the Solitary Room. If placed in there, you couldn't be released by anyone else but the staff member who placed you in there. You were also hanged by chains on your wrists and ankles. One of the sound proof doors had knuckle marks from a prisoner attempting to escape. 

Prisoner artwork above their door. Floor 3, Violent Men's Ward. 

Crematorium room with coffin and cabinet. 

If 'One Flew Over A Cuckoo's Nest' were real, this would have been Ms. Ratchet's office. This was on Floor 1 in the Civil War Section. 

On the tour, outside the Medical Building. 

Depiction of Solitary Confinement. 

Floor 4, only inside view of the clock tower. 

Another piece of patient artwork. Insane Monkeys. 

Physical Therapy room.

Considering making this my new profile picture. 

Floor 4 

Hydrotherapy Bath. 

Children's Ward. 

Josh likes to take pictures of toilets and bathrooms. 

Confinement Crib or Cage. 

At night was the official Ghost Hunt. Josh and I arrived at 8:30 pm and stayed until 5:30 am. We had to take a brief paranormal tour of each floor and then we had about an hour and thirty minutes to explore that floor before we moved on to the next. Some of the most eventful moments were in the Murder Room on the 3rd floor in the Violent Men's Ward, on the 4th floor in the Alcoholics Ward and on the 1st floor in Lily's Room. 

In the Murder Room I made contact with something (supposedly it was the murderer) and it answered a few of my questions through a flashlight. As we were leaving to meet up with the rest of the group, there were lots of noises behind us. 

On the fourth floor, the Drug Addicts ward wasn't too exciting. However, the Alcoholics Ward was very active. As Josh and I were heading up the first time, we heard noises in the bathroom that we had just explored. It sounded as if someone was coming out of a stall and banging on a pipe. We were the only individuals in that section. Right before we were supposed to switch floors, our whole group sat down at the end of the Alcoholic's Ward. We used some laser technology to detect movement while we just sat and listened. No one else was on the floor and our entire group was sitting at the end of the hall when there were sounds of footsteps moving from room to room. 

Lily is the spirit of a 10 year old girl that was born in the asylum and died there. She was extremely shy but I received a great response when I mentioned that I work with children and shouted out a few activity ideas. 

The General Men's Ward 

Found some cool Pepsi machines. I also bought a shit and it's my new favorite shirt!

Random little clown just hanging out in the Children's Ward bathroom. 

One of the former classrooms on the 4th floor. 

Found a familiar face! My favorite European Queen (Anne Boleyn comes in second) Marie Antoinette! 

Decided to play a few things on this piano. Gobsmacked to find that it was in tune!

Anyways, I hope this was as interesting for some of you as it was for me. Although it wasn't all that I expected, I would totally do this again! I'm thinking about a tour of St. Albans Sanitarium! I hope everyone has a great week! Thank you!