I am up to the October issue of the Smithsonian Magazine in my catching-up-on-media quest and therefore just read about the vampire panics of 19th century New England. So interesting! Especially the link to tuberculosis.

I feel like the motif of surviving family staking (or beheading or burning the heart of, whatever local custom demanded) suspected vampiric dearly departed is nicely reflected by Gunn and his sister, and so forth.

Oops. That's supposed to be ungraceful, but it got autocorrected.

I figured pointed ignoring was about as good as it would get, which is why I took the baby gate down. I am pretty sure we are past the point of potential bloodshed and that's mostly what I care about.

OH! Well, if you end up in the hammock and not on the ground you are doing okay, graceful-wise.

And if you end up on the ground but not hurt, that's good for a laugh.

I think after 10 years we've got slightly more grudging acceptance than pointed ignoring. Maybe.

Which is good, because G&J are coming over after we go to breakfast tomorrow to see the house and let Charlie bark at them.

TELL THEM I SAID HELLO AND I WILL WAVE NORTHWARDS.

Nurse is coming at fucking NINE tomorrow. At least she called to tell me (not that I'm answering the phone). But that means I need to do the tidying today.

It's hard to tidy and de-porn in the middle of drawing. Stopping drawing would seem a decent solution, but I'm not sold on it yet.

the vampire panics of 19th century New England. So interesting! Especially the link to tuberculosis.

Mercy Brown! I love that story.

Yes! And she may have partially inspired Lucy - shoot, I used to know her last name but it's gone. Mina Harker's friend.

Westernra (sp?)

Only one r, I believe.

Concord grapes: I just got back from a great 6-hour retirement party my cousin-boss threw for our company's (former) president. Great BBQ, wine, and margaritas were had by all, and the guest of honor was really touched by former co-workers from decades ago showing up or sending in their video congrats and well-wishes.

I was encouraging one of my supervisors (whom I'd have invited to become a buffista long ago if not for the fact that this is where I come to vent about work) to borrow my Teen Wolf DVDs based on his love of Buffy. And then walked alone a quarter mile through a winding forest road in the pitch dark to get to my car, and only realized mid-walk that I was doing exactly what I've called Scott McCall out on as a dumbass for doing at the start of said series. Thankfully the only wild creatures that bit me were mosquitos, but as I was shuffling along by the dim light of my cellphone I was imagining "...and that was the last anyone ever saw of him!" as my epitaph.