Every Picture Tells a Story 4/29/22

Seen on a mailbox in my neighbrohood (not coincidentally, Ukrainian Village).

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/26/22

Bumpy wants to be left alone, thanks.

Blood of My Ancestors

Blood of My Ancestors started out as a graphic novel with a script by Steven Grant and artwork by the great Gil Kane--co-creator of the modern Green Lantern for DC Comics and Morbius the Living Vampire for Marvel, among many, many characters he either created outright or at least worked on in his decades-long career.

When Kane died on January 31, 2000, with only part of Blood of My Ancestors completed, it seemed like the project was doomed to sit in a drawer somewhere at DC Comics.

Then someone somewhere along the line got the brilliant idea to have another legendary comic book artist, John Buscema, finish the book. It was a rare instance of Buscema doing artwork outside of Marvel Comics, where he'd drawn the Avengers, Spider-Man, Conan, the Fantastic Four and damn near every other character in the Marvel Universe over his lengthy career.

Buscema finished the book...then he died as well.

So Blood of My Ancestors represents the final published work for two of the greats of the comic book industry, all of it inked by another noted artist, Kevin Nowlan.

This is the second time I've owned a copy of this book. That can be said for a lot of the books in my collection these days--all a lengthy attempt to rebuild what was lost when I left behind nearly everything I owned at La Casa del Terror after being forced to move out for nonpayment of rent back in 2016.

It's another small step, but a step nonetheless--and one I gladly take.

For Dinner Last Night

Stuffed mushrooms from Rich's Deli.

For Dinner Last Night

A turkey roll for Rich's Deli.

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/20/22

These two li'l Peeps were given to me by a coworker. They didn't survive Easter Sunday, either.

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/19/22

This is the chocolate Easter Bunny hanging at Mom's house Sunday while I watched The Ten Commandments on Blu-ray. The Bunny didn't make it to the end of the movie, though.

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/18/22

Easter 2022

To all my friends who celebrate, have a Happy Easter. And please: Go bite the head off a chocolate bunny. Not the one pictured, though--he's ceramic and would hurt your teeth.

For Dinner Last Night

Stuffed mushrooms from Rich's Deli.

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/15/22

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/14/22

For Dinner last night

A plate of ribs from Rich's Deli.

The Dresden

As I've mentioned recently, I'm a big fan of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, which tell the ongoing story of Harry Dresden, Chicago's resident wizard and protector against all things weird, like vampires and warlocks and things that do more than go bump in the night.

A while back, before my heart attacks screwed up my life royally, I was wandering around Village Discount Outlet when I ran into something I couldn't pass up--a black leather duster with a mantel, just like the one Harry wears throughout his adventures. It was pretty pricey for a coat at VDO--$50, if I recall correctly--and I didn't have that much cash in pocket at that moment.

One quick trip to the bank later, the duster was mine.

After my heart attacks, I had damn few opportunities to go back to my apartment on Cullom (a.k.a. La Casa del Terror) to grab whatever I could before I was eventually evicted for nonpayment of rent. On one of those trips, though, I made a point of bringing the black leather duster back to Mom's house.

I don't have much occasion to wear it--it's way too heavy for spring and summer, and not heavy enough for winter, so it's usually an autumn thing. However, on a recent April day when the winds turned off the lake and a not-so-gentle drizzle blew down, I broke out the Dresden and donned the new hat I'd bought to go with it.

It felt...right.

National Pet Day 2022

Today is, apparently, National Pet Day. So here are photos of the current cats at La Casa de Mama: Cocoa, Bumpy and Mimi.

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/11/22

Not taken today, but it might as well have been.

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/4/22

Every Picture Tells a Story 4/1/22