Death Tour, WW, Agility & Guitar lesson - Week 3

Sunday involved Mark and I travelling into North Hollywood to a tour bought for us by our lovely Max and Dani.

It was called the Dearly Departed Tour which involved a 2 1/2 hour minibus ride through Los Angeles famous districts and the telling of the most gruesome murders as well as famous tragic deaths.

On the taxi ride in, we had a lovely Malaysian man who listened to my tickly cough and then gave me a full diagnosis with natural remedies I should take. I didn't tell him that I had already been to Sprouts and have every pill known to man! (see last post).

We arrived early to the meeting point which was an actual Death museum, which was like an episode of Black Mirror - if you've seen the series, you'll know which one I mean. It had a reception with a tiny old lady, in what could only be a blond wig with very black tiny round glasses.

She took us through into the museum, which we had allocated an hour for, but actually was only one large room with glass cabinets and shop dummies dressed in various outfits - very, very creepy. It was dimly lit, but the cabinets had their own lights. She talked us through the start piece which was at one side of the room - Jane Mansfield's wrecked car in which she had died. She even showed us the streaks of blood which were still shown on the side. There was also a tv showing a video filmed by some caring passer by at the scene, when the police had been called. There was even a very old, ventriloquist dummy with flaking paint sitting on a chair in the corner of the room ,which when I spotted it made me jump.

Well it gets worse, or better depending on where you stand.

One side of the room celebrated murderers from present and past, the other side was death of the rich and famous. There was a cabinet solely with information on the Mason cult and the murders (a piece of a dress, a small stone form the front garden - that type of thing). Of course featured in another cabinet was a stone from Fred West's house and a T-shirt signed by Jimmy Saville. I wont tell you what it said on his card.

While we were there, we were joined by our fellow passengers, who were from all over America and appeared to know more about what they'd signed up for. One man who was on his own and said he'd taken the tour five years ago and loved it so much he had to relive it all again on this visit to LA.

We entered the bus and sat at the back with three younger couples and the single man. On the wall of the bus were two posters advertising a tour with Alison Armgrim, who played Nellie Olson in Little House on the Prairie (apparently she is well connected and knows all the best Hollywood haunts) and the owner of the museum who takes a 3 hour tour solely featuring the Mason murders.

In the next 2 1/2 hours we visited several murder locations, with the bus driver describing each event in full horrific detail, even playing the 911 calls in a few of the incidents - quite disturbing. In the back of each seat was a folder with pictures if you felt so inclined to look.

To lighten the trip, our tour guide took us to a graveyard which contained many famous stars - Dean Martin, Marilyn Monroe, Hugh Hefner, Jack Lemmon and Roger Dangerfield.

It did actually lighten the mood, as Jack Lemmon's gravestone says 'Jack Lemmon In.....'

Roger Dangerfield's says 'There goes the neighbourhood', and Merv Griffin whose gravestone says, 'I will not be right back after these messages'.

We got back home and had a big glass of red wine and watched the Durrells which is my go to when feeling a little worried abut the world!

On Monday I went to my Aqua class with Linda with the stick. She was dressed more appropriately this time and didn't look as if she was a passer by who'd seen us through the street window and just decided to have a go at leading a class. Yes the whole street can see the pool!

I was at the morning session this time and it was filled with ladies wearing brightly coloured bathing caps with frilly edges. It looked like something out of a 1920s poster - rather lovely actually and probably very practical.

On Tuesday morning, I decided to continue my quest for fitness and to turn back time and joined Weightwatchers. Oprah Winfrey is a big fan and there are many adverts of her riding her bike and saying you can do it too!

The class was run by Char or Shar.... (short for Charmaine??? or Sharon???) She said it a few times as I kept saying it wrongly.

I was introduced to the 30+ ladies and gentlemen who were of varying ages. 50% of the room were older ladies and the rest were men and younger ladies.

I introduced myself and the room went silent while they all tried to figure out what I was saying and computing that I was British.

For the next few minutes while Shar/Char got herself organised, several ladies jumped up and came over to me saying hello and saying things like...

'I have relatives in Guildford, do you know it?'

' My grandparents come from Bristol'

' I originally come from Surrey' etc etc....its was hilarious.

They were so friendly and welcoming.

Mark was picking me up and was a bit late, so I then went to Starbucks to read the WW literature and had a Blueberry muffin (350 cals) and my last cinnamon and brown sugar Latte. Everything is labelled with calories on every menu in LA.

Look, I started the diet the next day alright! :-)

That evening I decided Lulu needed a bit of friendly doggie company so I joined a Training and Agility Session in north Woodland Hills.

Before we got started I met three English people within the first few minutes. As soon as I started talking to the trainer Laurie, they heard my accent and came over. One lady had a daughter also called Zoe and was in the 'entertainment industry' with her husband, both originally from Brighton (note to self - ask for contacts for 'extras 'work next week) and a husband and wife, Annette who had lived in Conneticut for 15 years, but now lived in Westlake for the last 10 years. She told me all about the rattlesnakes in the area. I now treat this information as if I have heard it for the first time, I find that its the best way.

Lulu was brilliant for the first 15 minutes, but then as the 20 strong group were walking around in a large circle walking the dogs to heal, she decided it was time to do a walking poo....

I had to stop and get my poo bags out. The top of the bag refused to open and it seemed to take ages. The group had to veer around me, as I tried to scoop up rather runny poo - it was a two bagger and I had to put in my pocket as the trainer told me that we weren't allowed to put it in the bin!!!

I had my first swim in the pool yesterday as it was quite nice and warm. Lulu couldn't work out what was going on and kept pace with me while I was doing laps - up and down. She then decided to come in so she leapt in the deeper end and went straight under. I leapt forward, but she bobbed up and went straight into doggy paddle. She was absolutely fine, but might take a while to come in again.

I had my first Guitar lesson with the lovely Andre yesterday afternoon too.

I wanted to say to him that his photo did not do him justice and he was right to shave off the moustache!

He was very patient with me and I think he will certainly help me improve. He did say there was hope when he heard me play. I just need to make sure I practice!

We are just off to see The Clippers basketball team in LA Staples centre tonight

. I had gone in November and had described the madness to you, but I await to see if it always like that - I am sure it is.