The magical murder mystery tour

The murder mystery dinner took place in the yoga studio and was staged for the upper management of Jet Propulsions Lab. There was an 8 course meal. Each course was paired with a particular wine. Dessert consisted of a chocolate "boat". Actually, a chocolate box with 4 chambers filled with: chocolate mousse, whipped cream, rasberries and blueberries. I mingled with the guests in the house after guiding the Ojai Trolley into the driveway. As I stood out there, the rain increased in intesity just on cue. Almost every guest had an umbrella for the 6 or 7 steps to shelter and they were all placed outside under the care of Quan Yin. I had one question concerning the probable technology that space craft would utilize in the near future to explore the deep reaches of space. My guess of ion drives was partially correct according to the professor I'd queried. He thinks that ion drives will be combined with contained nuclear explosions. The guests received a sheet of paper which outlined the rules of the game. There were standard questions which they were encouraged to ask. One of them was "Do you dye your roots?" This question was posed to me 4 or 5 times. (I am bald) It is kind of a standard for me to be kidded in this way. When ever I come to close to a hair salon, there' always the inevitable joke. Sorry if I don't laugh but stale jokes are like stale bread - they are for the birds. When we all made it down to the dining area the entertainment began. Actors began to act out their roles. People started dying and a "cop" took center stage as he coaxed the participants into revealing evidence which were basically notes which gave hints and clues. The game was to solve the crime. They'd been organized into teams according to the color of fleece they wore. This apect was prearranged. The actor portraying the cop did most of the talking. He was pretty funny and obnoxious enough to make me laugh a bit. The one black guy portrayed 2 characters - the hitman and the bookie. His name was Kieth. At one point I sat with Devon and Kieth shooting the shit in the kitchen when Skip walks in right on cue. Kieth had been speaking but then he just listened as Skip talked his talk. After the murder was solved and the cast received its due, I took Kieth to see Skip's sculptural domicile. At some point, I'll post some pix of his creation/artform that he sleeps in. Kieth only spent a few minutes in there but it was enough time to blow his mind. We left the smokey hovel and walked quietly up the short dirt road back to the venue. Five minutes after being in there, Kieth became very animated and was raving that Skip is "beyond genius" and "he lives like the Flintstones!" This makes me laugh. Next Kieth eyes the boat of chocolate dessert. He wants one. The cooks make sure there's enough and then reluctantly let him have one.

Finally the last of the guests make their way up the stone path of "ankle breakers" to board the trolley back to the Ojai Inn where they will spend the night. The cooks then put together dinner for the staff and are nice enough to give me a plate. I join them for a late dinner and then help them break down. My night finally ends at 2 in the morning. I decide to sleep in the big house, in the State Room. Of course I have compose a post for the blog. The poem was fueled by lobster, potatoes, mahi and chocolate mousse'.

The next day (this morning), the caterers returned to grab their truck stuffed with their wares. The truck became stuck in mud. Lucky the chef had is Hummer with him. He pulled the truck out and that gig finally concluded.