This spring, I seem to be setting some kind of record for meeting up with internet friends. I stayed a recluse for years, and now all of a sudden, I’m becoming a social butterfly. Today, I met up with the lovely and talented Gertie and her very nice sisters (and their plus-one, also very nice.)

Man, I’m three for three on meeting fantabulous people off the internet. I wish the dating part could be as easy, because my girlfriends are setting a high standard for great people. I really got a kick out of Gertie, and my only regret is that I didn’t have more time to spend with her.

She and her family were down doing a whirlwind weekend tour of the Bay Area, and had picked the Winchester Mystery House as one of their stops. Well, hello friend! That’s only a couple of hours from my house, and the kids were off partying it up, so I was free for some frivolous travel.

This place was a kick. I’d been there before, but I think I was about eight and on a school trip, so really, not a lot had sunk in. It’s a bizarro-world mansion, with all sorts of neat architecture and bad design choices. You know, if you’re poor and batshit crazy, you go live under a bridge. If you’re loaded, people call you “eccentric” and make your house into a monument.

It was fun walking through there with other crazy photographers. I wasn’t the only one hanging back or squatting down to take pictures, for once!

My favorite parts were the details; sure, the house as a whole was interesting, but what I really like is plumbing and plaster, and other infrastructure-type things. Doors to nowhere and cupboards of nothingness are mildly interesting, but nothing beats a good old half-restored iron tub. On that end, we didn’t just take the regular tour, but we took the behind-the-scenes tour as well, which took us into the basement and the stables, and places like that. You know, my favorite stuff.

But the best part, by far, was meeting Gertie. I wish we lived closer together; I will totally come crash on you if I ever find myself wandering around Scotland!