#happy 75th birthday great-aunt

[n0-n1c]

abandoned nuclear lighthouse aniva, sakhalin, sea of okhotsk, russia. built in 1939 under japanese rule. seagulls optional.

[scotianostra]

Happy 75th Birthday actor Brian Denis Cox born June 1st 1946 in Dundee.

It’s often said, oor wee country Scotland punches above it’s weight and it is certainly true with the number of quality actors we have, Brian Cox is certainly up their with them.

The youngest of five children, he was born on 1st June 1946 to an Irish and Scottish descent family in Dundee. His father, a mill worker, died when Brian was eight, after which his mother suffered a series of nervous breakdowns and was eventually hospitalised.

Brought up by his eldest sister and an aunt, Brian was drawn to acting after he got a job helping backstage at Dundee Rep. He worked there for two years, then trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After a spell in regional repertory, he made his London stage debut as Orlando in As You Like It in June 1967.

Cox first came to attention in the early 1970s with performances in numerous television shows and films including the role of James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell in a TV movie Bothwell, the shows Sutherlands Law, The Master of Ballantrae, in the 80’s he was in Minder, Crown Court and Scotland’s Story, we also saw Brian head for the USA as the first Hanibal Lector in Manhunter and in Scotland he was in the excellent film Shoot for the Sun with Jimmy Nail.

His first big break was as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the aforementioned Manhunter . The film was not overly successful at the box office, although Cox’s career prospects and popularity continued to develop. Through the 1990s, he appeared in nearly 20 films and television series, as well as making numerous television guest appearances. Two Scottish roles in Rob Roy, as Killearn, then Braveheart as Argyle Wallace brought Brian to a much bigger audience.

Hollywood roles followed, the most notable were in The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy as well as Super Troopers and the sequal Super Troopers 2 as well as 25th Hour. Cox never turned his back on Scotland though, making appearances on our small screen in Bob Servant and Shetland, he was also in the film The Flying Scot about cyclist Graeme Obree.

I could be here all day giving all the shows and films Brian Cox has appeared in, in his personal life he has 4 children two to his first wife, and 2 his second wife, he is a patron of The Scottish Youth Theatre and an “ambassador” for the Screen Academy Scotland, he was twice elected Rector of the University of Dundee by students in his home town, as well as holding an honorary doctorate from Napier University in Edinburgh, awarded in July 2008. Finally on 14 April 2012, Cox was the 10th grand marshal of the New York City Tartan Day Parade

I could be here all day giving all the shows and films Brian Cox has appeared in so will only tell of his most recent. Last year he did a great monologue as John Rebus in  a one-off short film set in lockdown Edinburgh, “Lockdown Blues. He has also been appearing in the  American satirical comedy-drama Succession. Next up is a film called The Jesuit, co-starring Ron Perlman and Tim Roth and an Audio film series called Unsinkable with John Malkovich 

[bunnylouisegrimes]

It’s A Wonderful Afterlife (NOS4A2 Fanfic)

A/N: I’ve had this story idea in my head for awhile, but I got to writing it yesterday and the day before yesterday. Basically, this one is the story of Rose’s transformation into a vampire. It’s gonna cover some heavy topics such as nearing the end of your life and terminal illness, so be warned, but there’s a lot of happiness in the middle and near the end. Hope you all enjoy!

It’s A Wonderful Afterlife

A NOS4A2 Fanfic

By: Bunny Louise Grimes

As the years went by for Rose, very little had changed in terms of her personality. She had remained shy and introverted (unless in the company of those she deeply trusted), she had remained both gothy and girly, and she had remained nerdy. Her love for her toys, her games, her writing, her art, her vampire husband, and her children had never waned. Fifty years of marriage and a set of dhampir twins later, and from the inside, she was as young as she had been on her wedding day.

Physically, she had her differences.

By the time she reached 57, grey hairs were starting to show in ways they hadn’t before. She had never been the type to dye her hair, but in order to preserve its beauty that she so cherished, from then on out, she dyed her long hair the closest shade of matching brunette she could.

Her height was as short as before, her weight was roughly around the same spot thanks to her vigorously making sure she never went past 200 pounds, and her eyes were as hazel as before, with the exception of holding an aged look. Her face and skin had shown the obvious signs of age, but such a thing was inevitable. It was nothing a little makeup couldn’t help make look better.

Charlie still found his June Rose to be as beautiful as he always found her. He had asked her on and off since their consummation on their wedding night, where he took her virginity and kept it within him to turn her into a vampire just like him one day, if she was willing to grow an older human. She always told him she did; she wanted to see how long this “human” thing would go. She wanted to experience humanity till the end, when the next chapter in her life would have to begin and vampirism would take the lead.

But by the age of 75, when she looked as though she was older than Charlie (when he wasn’t in desperate need of souls), and looked to be a grandmother to the children of Christmasland rather than mother, and her parents and brother had moved on to the other side from their own respective health issues, things were beginning to be odd. It was a whole seven months after her 75th birthday when something wasn’t right.

The first sign was the weight loss. Rose had always been a bit plump, but both she and Charlie noticed her normally soft potbelly was slimmer and smaller. They also noticed her thighs and arms were slimmer. This confused them, and they kept it in mind, but they figured it could be the result of age rather than a sickness.

The second sign was the pain in her abdomen and middle back. Within a few weeks of noticing her fat going down, she had pains in these areas on and off, and they would pick up in intensity and frequency some days.

The third sign was the general sickness she felt. One moment, she would be playing with the children, the next, she would be feeling extremely nauseous and fatigued. She would have to throw up in the bathroom and it would take a few minutes for her to recover. Charlie and her both knew that this went beyond weariness from play due to elder age. This was an apparent illness, and something was physically wrong.

However, Rose was also unusual not just in her gastrointestinal area, but her mind as well.

Forgetfulness and misplacing something was nothing noticeable, as she did it all the time. But she suspected something wasn’t right when within those same few weeks, she was slowly starting to forget things that just happened. Both her and Charlie would be watching an episode of one of their shows, and by the time commercials ended, she was struggling to remember quite a few details of what happened before them. It took her a moment to connect the events together. The same happened when she would read, and every once in a while, she would have to slowly read the same paragraph three times.

The turning point came when she and Charlie were discussing things in bed, and she was struggling to remember certain conversations they had and she had with the children only a month ago that she remembered a week before. A few details Rose brought up were nonexistent, and Charlie had to correct her. That night, she decided that between these small forgetful spells and these stomach issues, it was clear she needed to go to a doctor as soon as possible. He agreed and promised to take her in the morning.

The next day, they left Christmasland for the appointment Charlie made for her the moment he woke up. They explained to the doctor all of Rose’s physical and mental symptoms. The doctor nodded; how he nodded made her nervous. When she was younger, she was a nurse, and through her medical knowledge, she could guess what these symptoms meant, but she wanted to trust another medical professional’s judgement, as these things could be nothing rather than something, but as obvious as it sounded, it was always better to be safe than sorry. She had seen that nod before when in the presence of both patients who were relieved to find their serious symptoms were nothing and those who were about to have the news of terminal illness broken to them. Like a coin flip, it would be heads or tails: heads would be another day to live, tails would be a death sentence.

A series of nerve wracking scans and tests with Charlie by her side later, and the diagnosis was clear. The moment the doctor came back to their room, Rose, like a bloodhound, smelled the sullen seriousness in his face and tone of voice. She recognized that face and voice from her nurse days; the coin was tails. He was about to give her the date and method of her execution before slamming his gravel down.

Rose had always imagined that she would go out thanks to her heart or some sort of diabetes related sickness, given bad hearts and diabetes ran in her mom’s side of the family, and her obesity she tried to control would certainly be a contributing factor. Genetics were a hell of a double edged sword: they could give you the most beautiful set of eyes and hair with skin to match, but they could also give you the worst odds of illness you could think of.

This time, it was not Rose’s heart that would fail her, or the development of diabetes. It was two things that were just as genetic, but aruguably worse. She recalled her mother telling her that Rose’s great aunt had died of pancreatic cancer, and it was a miserable way to go. She also remembered her mother telling her that Rose’s great grandmother was suspected of suffering from Alzheimer’s before succumbing to death.

Well, it was no surprise to Rose when she learned that these two things were her method of execution. Not only because she suspected they could be possibilities, but because the facts were simple: if she was somehow strong enough to survive the painful destruction her body would suffer from the cancer, the synapses in her brain would be eaten away, just as if she was bitten by a zombie from one of her stories, and much like a zombie, not much would remain of her but a dead shell. She would be a burden to her husband and children, and they would have to watch her go from being a loving, wonder filled woman to a sickly, miserable, pain filled stranger who wouldn’t even be able to remember herself, her lover, or her children.

Both her and Charlie took this news with with equal sadness. The future was bleak, and they knew that. Not even chemotherapy treatment was worth it.

“My grandfather suffered from esophageal cancer, and he did not fare well with chemo thanks to his genetics,” she explained to the doctor. “Given that I am half my mother, and she is half of him, my odds are not good, are they?”

“Well, you certainly have a better chance than your mother, but yes, he is a direct blood relative, so the odds are there. If you wish to go through chemo, we can get you started on it, but if you don’t want to risk it or have any treatment, you’ll have roughly a year left to live. Since cancer and dimentia do have a connection, as it spreads throughout your stomach and body, your mental decline will come rapidly. I estimate that you will go through the final stages of both illnesses simultaneously, and it will, to put it lightly, be painful for all parties involved.”

Rose nodded. “I don’t think I want to risk it. I don’t think there’s much of a point to go through all of that, only for my mind to fail me. Not to mention, wouldn’t chemo worsen it?”

“It can, yes,” the doctor continued. “Since the state of Colorado offers the End of Life Options Act, we can administer physician assisted suicide, if that is what you would prefer, but there will be a few things you’ll need to do.”

Had Charlie not been in her life, Rose would’ve agreed to do such a thing in these circumstances, although, if she hasn’t met him, she most likely wouldn’t have been in the state of Colorado and instead stuck back home in Ohio, where no such laws would exist. She knew that with the choice of transforming into a vampire, suicide wasn’t needed.

“I’ll need to think on that,” Rose lied.

“I understand, as this is a lot to take in. Please contact me as soon as possible when you have come to your decisions.”

Father and Mother Christmas departed the hospital and stepped inside the Wraith. The drive back to Gunbarrel was at first silent, but Charlie needed to pull over to a secluded area. Rose could see the tears in his brown eyes.

“My beloved...” He hushed, his deep voice breaking. “You’re so sick...”

“I know,” she said softly. “I wanted to give my humanity the best run I could, and I did. But I’m not going through this shit. I’m going out on my own terms, only I won’t have to die. I’m becoming a vampire, and going into the next chapter of my life.” She turned to Charlie. “You don’t need to cry, baby. You have the power to prevent my departure from this world. I already talked to each of my family before they went, and they knew I was going to be immortal as long as I could be, but I could still contact them through my new psychic powers. If you and the kids are more sensitive to spirits, that must mean I will be too. Hell, we’ll make it look like I chose to die without treatment or assisted suicide to the doctors. I’ll be alright. Everything will be alright.”

“Yes, I know,” he sobbed, wiping his eyes. “It’s just... the idea of you dying... the fact is, you had been dying, and you are dying. I know that’s humanity, but when you have something like this... you are not only dying in the human sense, but the clinical as well.”

The gravity of Charlie’s words slapped Rose in the face, just as the news of her diagnosis in the first place had moments ago. Even though she had another chance, unlike so many others in her place, there was still a sadness to be had. This chapter in her life was done, and she could either do one of two endings: continue down a horrible road until salvation was given to her and everyone was left scarred from their experiences, or embrace salvation now. Rose knew that she was going to avoid that horrible road and jump straight to the awe inspiring transformation that would mark the next chapter, but it was a shame her human form had to suffer like this, and that it was even an issue. In addition, 75 was decently young for elderly death. If she were in her 80’s, or especially her 90’s, this was expectant, but 75... it seemed a bit too soon.

She began to cough, and Charlie handed her his white handkerchief. Her eyes widened when she saw blood splatter, and that’s when her own tears poured from her eyes. She gave it back to Charlie and buried herself in his chest. The two held onto each other and wept for a good twenty minutes before deciding they needed to head back home.

Before they exited the car to greet their children, Rose suddenly smiled as she held Charlie’s hand. “Tomorrow,” she said. “I think tomorrow is a good day to celebrate my last day of humanity, and then I’d like to transform. If that’s okay with you.”

A smile formed on his own face. “Whatever day you are ready, my love. I will fuse your innocence back inside of you whenever you desire.”

They broke the news to the children, but they handled it well. They understood the severity of the situation regarding their mother’s health, but were excited and viewed the positive side, that their mother was to be an immortal vampire much like them and their father. When their mother told them she would like to celebrate the last day of her humanity tomorrow and transform into a vampire tomorrow night, they knew that much was to be anticipated for. Their father assured them that tomorrow would be a day to never forget.

While the other children ran upstairs to go to bed, excited for what tomorrow would hold, Millie, Lorrie, Nicholas, and Holly stayed behind. They ran over to their mother and hugged her.

“Even though you’re not gonna be a human anymore,” Lorrie began, “it doesn’t change a thing.”

“We always knew you’d be a vampire like us one day,” Millie added. “We hope you’ll be healthy and happy again real soon.”

“I will, babies,” Rose reassured them. “I will.”

“If we’re half human...” Nicholas spoke up.

“...That means we’re the last pieces of your humanity, right?” Holly finished.

“Yes, it does, babies,” Rose smiled wider. “I suppose it does.”

The twins beamed at each other in pride.

“But just because I’ll become a vampire doesn’t mean I still won’t be myself,” she clarified. “We’ll all still be just as we were, just with me having some physical improvements. It’ll be just as if I will always human.”

They nodded and knew it was time to get ready for bed with the others. They raced each other up the stairs, their parents tagging behind. When everyone was ready, Charlie and Rose bid the little ones good night before snuggling close to each other in their own bed.

Sleep could not come quick or easy for Rose, as her worries and anxieties mixed with her excitement kept her awake, but somehow, she found herself asleep. While Charlie slept, he dreamt of how the party would look for his beloved: the balloons, the streamers, the cake, the lights, the roses everywhere, the unicorns, the glitter... everything to honor his lover’s life and everything that represented what she was and would always be to their family.

When he awoke the next morning, Rose was still asleep. Letting her get her much needed rest, he snuck downstairs. The children had all woke up at the same time he had. They all snuck down the steps and they paused, amazed at the sight that awaited them downstairs...

When Rose opened her eyes and rubbed them, she turned next to her to find Charlie missing. She went to the bathroom and left her bedroom to check on the children. They were not in their very large and ever expanding bed. She noticed that the living room was dark, but all sorts of odd shadows filled it. She went down the steps and turned the lights on.

“Surprise!” Everyone cheered.

Rose gasped. Her eyes were filled with wonder as she saw what her living room had become.

Rainbow lights and glittery streamers filled the ceiling. Colorful balloons and roses of all colors were everywhere. In the center of the coffee table was a cake with candles that became aglow once she turned the lights on. A wonderfully designed unicorn figurine with roses in its mane and tail set on the cake.

“Oh... oh, it’s beautiful!” Rose cried, tears of joy filling her eyes. “Oh, I’ve never seen anything like it before!”

Charlie beamed and pulled a pink dress over her nightgown. She hugged him and kissed him on the lips, cheeks, nose, and forehead.

“How did you all do this?” She asked.

“I dreamed it, like I do everything... well, not everything, as you are far too beautiful to be dreamed from me.”

She blushed and hugged him even tighter. “You are the sweetest man I’ve ever known. I am so happy to know you, be with you and have all these little ones to raise with you.”

The children rushed to her and she gave them as many hugs and kisses as she could give.

“Look outside, and you’ll see the party goes beyond this room,” Charlie said.

Rose opened the front door and was taken aback. Christmasland was covered in more roses, balloons, glitter, and rainbow lights. Amongst it all, the rainbow unicorns from Charlie’s zoo played in the snow together, free to roam from their usual enclosure.

“It’s all in your honor, my dear.” Charlie laid a kiss on her head.

She could speak no words, just gaze in amazement as the children ran outside to play. Charlie and Rose did the same, and for the rest of the day, they played and occasionally stopped to eat. Rose did her best to keep it together, but surprisingly, no ill feelings or forgetful spells came to her. Perhaps because her body knew that it was only one last day until her body would be immune to all ailments, so it needed to use the last of its strength. Or because happiness was her best medicine in the moment. She couldn’t tell which.

By the end of the day, they had gathered back inside, she blew the candles on the cake, and they began to eat some of it. The time had come where they needed to go to bed so that their mother’s transformation could occur. She read them her favorite bedtime stories before they all got too tired to stay awake. She and Charlie kissed them all good night and closed the door, knowing that would be the last time they’d ever see her in her old form.

When they entered the room, the couple closed their door and the fireplace kicked on thanks to Charlie’s abilities. Rose laid on the bed and sighed.

“Today is one of the best days of my entire life,” she said. “I have you and the babies to thank for that. You have made my human days very special, and you will make my vampire ones the same.”

Charlie laid next to her. “You have made my days very special, and you have made the babies’ days very special. We have you to thank for that.”

They exchanged a kiss before Rose sat up. “Well now... are we ready?”

“Are you ready is the more important question.”

“I think I am,” she said. “Words cannot describe how wonderful this day has been from start to finish. It is a day I will cherish forever. And before my sicknesses get to me... I shall end my humanity and ring in my new vampirism on the happiest note possible.”

She looked at herself in a mirror nearby as she slipped her dress off. “Oh, my dear human body. You have seen so much since the moment I was born. And yet, here we are. You won’t be the same ever again, and you will be improved in ways unimaginably amazing, but I hope you know how much I appreciate you. Even when I’ve experienced self hatred, I was always thankful for you. I hope you love this new form.”

She turned back to Charlie and laid back down. “I guess this means I’ll get to eat people with you guys. The right ones, of course. And fangs, nails, a new body temperature... That should all be an interesting experience. And I can’t wait to see what using similar if not exact abilities like you will be like... this will not only be the next chapter in my life, but will be a bonding experience that will bring us all closer together, I think.”

“I agree, my love,” he said. “I agree.”

The two snuggled close together.

“Thank you for doing this, sugar pop,” she sighed. “What would I do without you?”

“What would I do without you is the bigger question,” he chuckled. “I will always love you.”

“I’ll always love you too.”

He leaned into her ear. “Are you ready at this moment?”

“Yes.” Her voice had some nervousness in it, but the confidence outweighed it in ways immeasurable.

“Lift up your chin so I may see your neck.”

She did as she was told. Charlie gazed upon it and his fangs came jutting out, an energy boiling within him.

“Good bye, old life,” Rose whispered with peace. “May our memories live on for all of immortal eternity.”

“Welcome to your new summer to blossom, my June Rose.”

Charlie slammed his fangs down upon her neck, an energy force emitting from the two bite marks. She gasped and her eyes widened. A foreign, but comfortable and oddly familiar sensation came over her. She clutched onto his back as blood dripped down from the bite marks. They glowed a white-blue color.

As the sensation consumed her, she felt as if she was traveling back in time. Every few seconds was another year she felt healthier and younger. It took her a moment to register that’s what that was, but when she saw her face in Charlie’s eyes... she could confirm her wrinkles were fading.

She looked at the arm she could see most clearly. Her wrinkles had dissipated and the fat had returned. She was sure her other arm looked the same. When she looked at her hand, she saw her nails gaining a yellow tint. She felt them increasing in length. Once they reached the same length as Charlie’s, they stopped. She couldn’t see her feet or legs, but she could feel the same effect happening to them. Her legs and feet (and especially her thighs) gained back the weight they had lost. She noted that her pallor was now matching Charlie’s, based on how her arm and hand looked.

Her breasts, always large, plumped back to their youthful size. Her stomach had also returned to the cushiony potbelly Charlie always loved to rest his head on. As embarrassing as it sounded, she felt her privates tingle and somewhere above them, a burning sensation occurred. She thought about it, but considered that her fertility must’ve been returning. She was miserable on and off when experiencing menopause, but she supposed as a vampire, she’d be able to withstand any pains she might experience if she had periods again. In addition, she was sure Charlie would still find her menstrual blood as delicious as he did before when she was human.

Through the reflection in Charlie’s eyes, Rose could see her wrinkles had completely faded. The aged look her hazel eyes held flooded with a new look of old youth meeting for an eternal kiss after years of departure. Her face returned to how she looked on their wedding night, only a bit more pale. She grunted as her white teeth gained their own yellow tint and increased in sharpness. A group of fangs came out from behind these new teeth. Once this occurred, blood filled her mouth and trickled down her throat while ice cold breath emitted from her nose and mouth like a rabid animal. A warmth in her stomach made her feel as if she had drunk the finest coffee or hot chocolate rather than blood.

My God... this is why vampires crave this stuff... it’s got flavors in it that we can’t taste.

The dye in her hair had faded, exposing the natural grey. But it quickly disappeared as her natural brunette took over. At long last, she felt she could embrace her natural hair again. Even its volume, thickness, and waviness returned.

Rose had to fall back further at the sheer force from her insides. The blood that fell from her neck returned to the permanent bite marks and absorbed back inside of her. Cold chills consumed her. Her eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and touch nerves sharpened. The cancer cells in her body exploded like little stars until they were gone entirely. Every healthy cell underwent a metamorphosis that strengthened them and kept them permanently superhuman. Because of this, her immune system had reached powers impossible for the human body, destroying anything abnormal. Any sickness would be identified and wiped out instantly thanks to her new antibodies. Even her asthma had been erased from her lungs. From within her brain, the synapses snapped back together like a puzzle, and her memory was the clearest it had ever been.

I’m healthy again... Thank God, I’m heathy again...

Once her body was complete, a new sensation took over her back. She tried to jolt forward, but Charlie was still on top of her. He stepped back, as every ounce of innocence was back inside of her now. She lurched forward and leaned down. She could see her new legs and feet and her other arm, just as the other one.

Her back felt heavy. Something was weighing her down... something was coming out of it... something...

Unable to control the scream that came from her, two large masses of bone, muscle, and skin came from her back, perfectly ripping her nightgown, and extended to reveal... bat wings. Through the light in the room, the veins had looked like their own art piece to Charlie.

As quickly as the pain came, it left Rose and she laid back down, gasping and skiddishly feeling the new wings. Just like one’s arms or legs, she found she could move them like any other appendage. She flapped them, noticing they were larger than her. A small gust of wind filled the room.

“They’re... beautiful...” Charlie marveled.

Unable to speak, Rose stood up and stumbled. She found that her wings and heavier weight added some balance issues, but within thirty seconds, she had adjusted. She walked over to the mirror to look at herself more closely. Her toenails clacked against the wood, just as Charlie’s did. She looked just as she did when she was young; this time, she was pale, colder, had sharper senses, had vampire teeth and nails, a vampire bite mark on her neck, and very large bat wings on her back. She curled them up and extended them out comfortably. She flapped them a few times, and she found herself being lifted up into the air through the force of such gusts.

“Woah!” She cried. She let her wings die down and she landed as gently as she could on the floor.

She turned to Charlie, who stared at her with twinkling eyes.

“I guess I’m gonna need to make holes for these bad boys in all my clothes, huh?” She laughed. Her voice had largely remained the same, but this time, there was a youthful strength to it.

Charlie chuckled and beaconed her back to bed. “I suppose we shall. You look absolutely stunning, just as you always have. Only this time, your inner beauty is emanating from you. We shall see all of your abilities in the morning, especially since I’m sure the children would love to see you and your new talents as well. I’m quite surprised that scream didn’t stir them. But I believe your body needs a rest after the amount of change it had to go through.”

She nodded and crawled back into bed, right next to Charlie. They cuddled up next to each other. Her wings curled back up in a way that was comfortable. He rested his chin on her head and she nuzzled her face in his chest. Their combined warmth made sure they wouldn’t feel cold while sleeping. Rest had come easy for the both of them, and they found themselves sharing a pleasant dream.

Tomorrow would be the day the children would awake to be gifted with their healthy vampire mother, but even so, she would still always be the mother they knew and loved. For Charlie, she would always be the wife he knew and loved. For Rose, her new chapter had begun, and the dawn of a new era was ready to last for the rest of their eternity.

[obscure-inthepelagic-iniquity]

THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS LOOKING UP AT ME AND FOR LOVING ME LIKE I WAS YOUR OWN💖🙏🏼

Today marks your 75th birthday if you're only here with us, yet you're celebrating it the 2nd time around in the arms of our almighty father. Ma it's just been a year that you're not here with us but it seems like forever, no amount of exact words of how much you mean to me and how you made to become who I am today.

Not a second passes by that I don't remember you, whatever I do it keeps me reminding of you and I would not trade that for anything. For it is a sign that you've raised me in every possible way you can to be a good person. I missed you big time ma.

I know you're really doing great up there, how I wish that heaven really has a visiting hour so that every once in a while I could visit you, see you, hug you, spend time with you like we used to do during late night. I missed all the story telling that we always share the way things and life before when you were a kid.

I love you so much ma and I am forever grateful that God gave me an aunt that became my mama and the one person who's always been by my side since the day I was born. I will forever cherish you and all the things you taught me. Especially when it comes to loving someone who hasn't been in her belly for 9 months.

A thank you will never be enough of how you always made me feel and make sure that I wouldn't feel empty and all alone on those days I needed someone the most to make understand things that aren't easy to bear. Life isn't always happy but at least I have you, you always make me feel safe and secure. I love you ma and happy birthday up in heaven. 💖🙏🏼

[cassiedroll]

Time for me to put my post-epilogue headcanons about Vox Machina out there:

Perc'ahlia ⦁ They move to their permanent home in Whitestone, allowing Percy to begin constructing his clock tower and work with Cassandra to run the city. ⦁ Vex spends a lot of her time fixing up Vax's shrine to the Raven Queen there. She also works with the treasury and diplomacy there. She sets up an established trade route connecting Whitestone to Syngorn, Ank'harel, Emon, and Deastok. ⦁ They have a formal wedding, to which everyone they have ever known and loved are invited. Vex wears a beautiful white dress and a raven's feather between her two blue ones. Percival watches his wife walk down the aisle like they were first falling in love. ⦁ They spend each anniversary of the defeat of Vecna and Vax's death in the woods, sitting on the bench Pike made, watching the moon and discussing stories about Vax and the early years of Vox Machina. ⦁ Soon after their official wedding, Vex discovers that she is pregnant. Everyone else seems to know before she does: "Vex, you seem to have been under the weather for a few days, are you alright?" with a knowing look from Cassandra. "Vex, you must be hungry!" with a happy  laugh from Pike hosting the de Rolos for dinner. Even the servants start skirting around her, discretely clearing one of the smaller rooms near Percy and Vex's in the castle. ⦁ Their first child is born on a brisk winter morning after a long night. Casters from across Whitestone are brought in to send messages to all of their closest friends to announce the birth of Vesper Elaina von Musel Klossowski de Rolo I, heir to Whitestone. ⦁ Following Vesper, Vex and Percy have five more children: Vax'ildan Julius, Percival IV, Whitney Johanna, Oliver Ludwig, and Cassandra Velora.

Pikelan ⦁ They move into Wilhand's old home once he dies and adds on rooms and a basement  to accommodate J.B., Grog, and, when she's home from school, Kaylee. ⦁ Despite what anyone expects, Grog is the perfect roommate: always out, never needing too much privacy, never brings back dates (mostly because he doesn't have them), accommodating to everyone, a great host, and eventually a wonderful babysitter. ⦁ It's Kaylee that's the disaster roommate. She's a teenager living with her dad, his girlfriend, her brother and cousin. It's the worst. They love her but she trashes her room, has friends and lovers over, never cooks or cleans, and has such a fiery temper that whenever she is asked to do these things, she either ignores that who asked or is aggressive about it. ⦁ After living together for a couple of years, Pike proposes. Grog carries Scanlan down the aisle. We know this all from the episode. Grog cries at the wedding more than anyone else. Also, instead of Pike taking Scanlan's surname or vice versa, they change their surname to a mash-up name - Trickhalt. ⦁ Three years later, on Scanlan's 75th birthday, Pike brings their daughter, Juniper into the world. She's pink with curly black hair and bright blue eyes. Kaylee smiles at her half-sister and jokes that she doesn't look a bit like either of them. She does, of course, but Kaylee is just a little stink. Grog goes out to wet her head and ends up writing letters to Whitestone and Zephyra. His childish writing is only worsened by his excitement, but the letters are sent and within a few days the de Rolos and Keyleth are in Westruun to welcome little Juniper Trickhalt. ⦁ When Juniper is six, a little boy is born into the Trickhalt clan: Wilhand Phillip. Grog has never been more touched, not even when Juni first asks him to read to her because he "does the voices better than Mommy or Daddy". Wilhand Phillip has dark skin, dark brown hair, and big blue eyes like his sister. ⦁ When Wilhand and Juni are in their teens, Pike discovers a tiny boy with black skin, little white tufts of hair, and minuscule horns on the steps to Sarenrae's temple. She takes him home and eventually she and Scanlan officially adopt him, naming him Kingsley.

Zahrash ⦁ They visit Whitestone all through Zahra's pregnancy and even after. Due to poor timing and a hasty entry into this world, their son is born in Whitestone while they're visiting the de Rolos. ⦁ He is born red, with a long slender tail, fuzzy white hair and amber eyes. At his birth, Kashaw feels a hand on his shoulder and looks up to see a shadowy figure. Vesh looks down at him and the boy and contemplates them quietly before vanishing. Kashaw never has nightmares about her again. ⦁ They spend their life between Whitestone and Vasselheim, between the de Rolo home and the Slayer's Take and their son wants for nothing. He's raised on books from the Whitestone castle's library and stories of the sphinx, but despite all of that he really prefers to fight physically, not mentally and becomes a rogue. ⦁ Daniel Hydris loves his parents dearly, but like Kaylee Shorthalt, feels as though he is too cool to be seen around his overprotective dad and "cool" mom. He spends a lot of his time with his Aunt Vex learning about being sneaky and what the man he's named after used to do as a rogue. ⦁ They continue to work as mercenaries for the Slayer's Take, but only when they're not having to deal with Dan's teachers and his mistakes. He gets into a lot of trouble, and while Zahra doesn't mind his actions too much, she hates having to take the time to go confront his tutors. Kash, on the other hand, scolds Dan within an inch of his life about being mischievous. He prefers to deal with those accusing his son than go out of quests. ⦁ Now that Vesh no longer hovers over him, Kash continues his clerical duties, but feels more as if he is thanking her for releasing him from their bonds of marriage than refuting her every move.

Keyleth ⦁ She serves as the Voice of the Tempest, guiding young druids from the other sects of the Ashari along their Aramentes. She takes them into the plane of air and has them battle air elementals. Despite her charismatic failures, she serves as a wonderful guide as her Aramente has been so recent. ⦁ Keyleth waits many years before falling in love again, but one day, at Cassandra Velora's debutante ball for her coming of age, Keyleth meets a young elvish man with kind eyes and short blonde hair. At first she feels guilty about being happy with him, but when Vex sees them together and smiles to Keyleth, she takes it as a sign that it has been long enough since Vax left her life and that she has the right to be happy again. A raven later lands on her as she sits on his bench and then flits off into the moonlight, telling her that she is free to do as she wishes. ⦁ After many years of courting this man, she decides to wed. Korrin is so excited to see his daughter joyful again and to get to walk his only child down the aisle after so long. A conspiracy of ravens alight on a tree above the ceremony, but so caught up in her vows, Keyleth hardly notices. Its what Vax would have wanted. As she says "I do", the ravens fly off. ⦁ She never can forget Vax, but she is happy with her husband and they have three precious quarter human kids: Vilya, Kerrek, and Luna, all of whom become powerful druids who each complete an Aramente and become headmasters in their own right, giving Keyleth the time to settle down properly without having to lead a people. ⦁ Keyleth also plays a very important role in Cassandra Velora's life, teaching her to be strong druid. Keyleth teaches her to grow plants and polymorph. Cassandra Velora spends a lot of time as a bear playing with her brother, Trinket.

Grog ⦁ Along with spending time learning to read and living with the Trickhalts, Grog spends years under the tutelage of Earthbreaker Groon, eventually taking a few ranks in monk, learning patience. ⦁ This helps immensely when his beloved nieces and nephews get older and insufferable. The de Rolos, just like their parents, are mostly snarky know-it-alls. The Trickhalts, though sweet like their mother, are also silly pranksters like their father. Vax may have been the first to shave off Grog's beard, but he certainly wasn't the last. Keyleth's kids are kind and loving, but they tend to have a hard time understanding him. Dan Hydris is the worst of them all. He has nothing against Grog and quite likes to spar with him, but is too "cool" to spend time with his aunts and uncles. ⦁ When the kids are little, Grog reads to them, and as I said before, he does the voices the best. He often teaches most of the kids to write, at first at least. Uncle Grog is most loved because he can never deny them anything. When the Trickhalt home begins to fill up with little gnomes (and a tiefling) and J.B. and Kaylee comes home from school to stay, Grog moves out to Greyskull Keep. ⦁ So when the kids of VM get frustrated with their parents, they run off to Greyskull to pout with Uncle Grog, and he loves them so much. They go out to get dinner and dessert and they spar. Keyleth's kids spend time in the gardens, making Greyskull beautiful. The Trickhalts spend time in the Sarenrae temple praying and playing music. A couple of the de Rolos spend time in Percy's old workshop while the others spend time in various places in the Keep. Grog quietly keeps the kids out of their parents' old room because how could that go well. ⦁ While the kids spend time with Uncle Grog, the rest of VM goes on adventures -- Grog has had enough of adventuring and, having no (known and/or legitimate) kids of his own, he loves spending as much time with them as possible, especially as he has plenty of time to adventure on his own.

[rnahirukoizurni]

Today would’ve been my Great Aunt Laura’s 75th birthday...

But today is a day for celebration as well. Andrew and I have our 5 year anniversary today. I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since I said yes to dating him.

It’s hard to be alone when all the negative thoughts are intruding my mind, but I know that she’s watching me and that she’ll be happy to see that I’m spending my time celebrating instead of mourning. 

Love ya, Auntie. 

[heatherjpp13]

Happy 75th Birthday to this amazing daughter, sister, aunt, wife, grandmother, & most importantly my mother. Without her I am nothing. She gave me life & has been my strength & support from then to now. I am blessed to have her with me & I can call her my friend. May you have a great day & live many more. I am so thankful for you, all my love Mom!!! 🎂🎉🎈😘😘

[dayandadream]

Poppin’ Up At The Pop-In: Nordstrom x The North Face Shopping In Dallas

This is D3 The Concrete, bringing you fashion from the street. I am currently on the way back from a stellar weekend trip to Dallas (BTW, Happy 75th Birthday to my great-aunt-in-law(?) Matry). I decided that, while here, I would make a stop at Nordstrom in the Northpark Mall, to take a look at the much acclaimed collaboration they have with The North Face. I was not surprised by the fact that the…