Was Caryle a Vampire?

Last night was the first tour of the year. It was great catching up with the guides and getting back into the swing of things. Granted about an hour and half before the tour, with my head hanging in the toilet, I wasn't so sure it was going to work out, but I felt better and made it. Putting on the costume was interesting. I had to squeeze it around my body,which sucked because it was clear I wasn't breathing again until I took it off later that night. Laziness over the winter will do that.

I lucked out and had a decent group of 8th graders who did seem to genuinely enjoy the tour. But with each tour season comes the new round of stupid questions. The Caryle House tends to bring up the most common question.....was Carlye a vampire? Seriously?? Damn those "Twilight" books to hell. After that question being met with a very pleasant No, then comes the next question, did he know any vampires. Then after answering No yet again, in my mind I'm standing there in disbelief when I realize they are being serious in asking these questions. Did I mention a vampire at ALL? How do we go from a cat to vampire? Granted I tend to make mental jumps like a TV being changed as well, but this is one jump I apparently miss in logic.

The cemetary is always the next round of fun. First, let me start off by saying, The Old Presbyterian Meeting House Cemetary scares me. I don't enjoy being there. It's creepy and weird things just happen. The black cat sitting on Carlye's grave last year was enough to make me want to run out of there...but I'm a professional so I didn't scream in fear. Well last night, nothing out of the ordinary happened. However, the girls in my group, were the screamy girls..IE they are afraid of everything and when one starts, they all start. Apparently Stephaine was pretty scary because as soon as she entered the cemetary with her group, these girls went nuts. Then I tell them story about the Revolutionary Soldier and my encounter with him (which is kind of embellished but it drives the fear home) and that was it, the girls were done.

Overall, not a bad tour or group. I was definitely rusty and Laura's story didn't go in the usual order but not like I don't have 50 other tours this month to get it right. Now if this cold weather would just go away we will be rocking. Also, guess I better lose those 10 pounds I gained so i can breathe in my costume again.