it's funny how a word might save your life, and I'm saying a lot right now

Why do we believe in conspiracy theories? Atlas Obscura believes it has something to do with missing enchantment.

From another service, because it's true:

[10:51 AM] Emilly:

"Guys I think that maybe your government might be corrupt." @Lxxxxxx

*cackles insanely for a moment*
[10:51 AM] Emilly: Oh, YOU THINK??

Meanwhile...

[21:21] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) stares at the pipe organ and sighs. "I married a man devoted to strange angles."

Pretty much, apparently.

SO! Point of this. I am wandering. Several several centuries ago, back when we had wood-burning cats, I went to the last dance at the Bashful Peacock. I took extensive pictures. I took extensive notes. And then....the world exploded, and Em's driver ended up getting a new computer, but forgot to pull the secondary drive out of the old one, so she has eight of the nine pictures on the new drive, NOT the full nine, and...no notes.

AND EM IS TIRED OF WAITING, so...here we go.



For anyone who doesn't know, the Peacock was Caledon's premier accepting space in Caledon. Owned by Rudolfo Woodget, one of the kindest souls on the grid, it threw its doors--and its lawns--open to anyone, without reservation. Whether or not that person was in a Boston marriage themselves, so to speak, or not.



I had to dig way back in the archives to find the picture I was thinking of, which I'm still not convinced is my first coverage of the place, but that dates back to this entry from 2008. 2008! That's how established the Bashful Peacock is!



Or was, but we'll get to that. This is Mr. Woodget, by the way, for those who may not know. He was dedicated to having a Caledonian safe space for dances, gentle teas, small gatherings. And it truly did not matter to him who attended--gay, straight, smooth-skinned or fur, Tiny or Big...he was happy to see everyone, as long as they didn't cause problems.



I used to be in near-weekly attendance, because I loved the space and I loved the people. One of Radio Riel's best DJs, Otenth Paderborn, would spin there frequently, and this last time, he was back in style.



I had notes on who the little penguin was. Gone now. She was adorable, though.

I don't know why I stopped going to events. I had been a near-regular, had even hosted RR dances there, way back when. I think, losing my own bit of Morgaine, wandering into more modern spaces, I detached a bit too much, from friends and casual acquaintances alike. It was one of many places I thought was just better off that I not return to, so as to avoid any potential disturbance.



I wanted a couple wide-angle shots not only to show the layout, but to point out who was there, and of course I have no idea now. I do remember Duchess Gabrielle Riel was there, with her consort, and a genial mix of faces new to me and not new. Because this wasn't just a farewell to the Peacock, after all; it was a farewell to Wellsian. This was just before both Wellsian and Morgaine disappeared into the Caledonian mists.



And Wellsian really was a very pretty sim, especially near the Peacock. Butting up against Morgaine as it did, both shared a VERY high mountain range, but past that, Wellsian was gentle slopes and cavorting wildlife and pretty little houses and charm. Charm for days.



It and Morgaine will be missed, by several of us, for quite some time. All things change, I know that, but it was a change many of us sincerely didn't want. Though we had no power to alter it.

And while at the time Mr. Woodget said he would be bringing the Peacock back, in some form, no one's yet heard. So these pictures are to commemorate one of the greatest cozy spaces on the grid, and the gentle soul who ran it, and I do sincerely hope he decides to run something similar again.