Life, Fannishness, and Thespic Infatuation

I can't believe this is the first Halloween post I've made this year, and it's October 20 already! Yeesh!

Tonight Geo and I went on a ghost tour of historic Warrenton. It started out at the old jail, which had some very interesting stories with it. We then walked around portion so the historic district, where our guide (dressed as a Confederate officer, of course), told us various stories of odd happenings associated with the buildings. Many were written up in somewhat vague terms, but others had very recent--like second hand--references.

But the most interesting story, I thought, was one that was not on the tour. In the kitchen of the old jail, the woman who was fixing the refreshments told us about a lady who came to tour the jail. The patron had a dog with her, and the jail worker (the lady fixing the refreshments tonight) said the patron could bring the dog in. The dog, very friendly and excited, showed great interest in the kitchen fireplace, then in the stairs leading up to what used to be living quarters for the jailer, then stopped again in front of the fireplace and looked up expectantly at his mistress. The patron told the jail worker that the dog was a young cadaver dog in training. She took that dog out and brought in an older, seasoned, no-nonsense cadaver dog, who did the same thing: showed extreme interest in the fireplace, scratched at the door leading to the living quarters, then stretched out in front of the fireplace.

As it turns out, the wife of one of the jailers burned to death in the kitchen when her dress caught fire from the fireplace as she was cooking for the prisoners--some 130-odd years ago.

All in all, a very entertaining evening.

So. We have a very popular local author here in Culpeper. She has self-published a book "about" the Civil War, a historical romance, fictitious, that has very good reviews on Amazon. Otoh, to talk to a few of the more cynical locals, I'm told that it is very dry, and more fictitious than historical. I have not read the book myself, but I have read the synopsis, and it doesn't sound like something that would appeal to me. The story is about how a spunky Southern belle falls in love with a Northern officer.

Still, having not read the book, I shouldn't pass judgment. And Culpeper did change hands several times during the course of the Civil War.

However, I was reading some of the Amazon user reviews. One of the less favorable reviews said the reader stopped reading when "the incredible young heroine meets the 6'2" hero . . . "

My first thought?

"Oooh! Jensen!"

Followed by imaginings of Jensen in a Union uniform.

Yeah.

(I have long thought that Jensen and Jared would look great in period costuming, and in my head, I always put Jensen in blue and Jared in gray.)

If I keep Jensen in mind as the hero of the story, maybe I could convince myself to read it.

Yesterday was staying in, reading, baking cookies, watching the snow. Today was the exercise to make up for the cookies.

Victory! We got the walk and the driveway cleared. Without benefit of a snowblower or plow. And we've figured the routes that (today) are clear enough to travel where we need to go. In other words, ow. I am going to be so sore tomorrow.

It's a beautiful sunny day today, and the mountains are particularly picturesque with the snow and the blue sky and the clouds. I might have pictures later.

Geo and I have come to the conclusion that the Commonwealth of Virginia has no friggin' clue how to deal with snow. Seriously. We've had I don't know how many pieces of farm equipment with snow blades, plus at least one real snowplow, zip up and down our road today, and there are still portions that are impassible if you don't have a heavy vehicle or 4-wheel drive. (I really miss my Ford Tempo in this kind of weather.) Only one lane on Rt 29 was clear, and not completely.

The headlines are calling this the Blizzard of '09! But there were no high winds, no "storm" conditions in our area. To me, this was just a really heavy snowfall. Back in Ohio, people die during blizzards. They freeze to death in their homes when they lose heat, or die trying to shovel themselves out. I haven't gone looking for any such statistics here, and I know a lot of people were stranded in various places and they had shelters set up and stuff. And I am so thankful for our warm house and our full pantry. And I'm sure folks in the rural areas where self-sufficiency is a must are more prepared for these types of unusual circumstances. But to me, this was not a blizzard. Snow storm, maybe. But calling it a "blizzard" seems kind of extreme.

However, I am considering investing in a new pair of winter boots. I can't find my old ones ("oh, you won't need them in Virginia"), but now knowing that this kind of weather is possible, I'm thinking it would be a good idea.

According to The Ghosts of Virginia, Vol. 9 (copyright 2004), one of the ( most haunted places in Virginia is . . . )

In Virginia!

*happy dance*

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Okay, so it probably won't stick. Still . . .

It's snowing!