Love for a dollar - Singin' in the Rain OT3 fluff for Katarik
Mar. 24th, 2026 01:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
petraLove for a dollar (1167 words) by Petra
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Cosmo Brown/Don Lockwood/Kathy Selden
Characters: Don Lockwood, Cosmo Brown, Kathy Selden
Additional Tags: Gift Fic, Domestic Disputes, Domestic Fluff, Polyamory Negotiations, Happy Ending
Summary:
( Read more... )
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Cosmo Brown/Don Lockwood/Kathy Selden
Characters: Don Lockwood, Cosmo Brown, Kathy Selden
Additional Tags: Gift Fic, Domestic Disputes, Domestic Fluff, Polyamory Negotiations, Happy Ending
Summary:
When R. F. recognizes Cosmo's genius and gives him a raise, he wants to pay rent. Don and Kathy have opinions about this.
( Read more... )
Address Unknown, by Kathrine Kressman Taylor
Mar. 23rd, 2026 01:18 pmrachelmanija
An epistolatory novel about the friendship between an American Jew, Max, and a German, Martin. As Hitler rises to power, their relationship sours, in some expected ways and some less expected, as their characters are revealed.
Very short, very powerful, very technically skilled, a quick easy read with an unexpected and unforgettable outcome. Seriously, don't click on spoilers if there's any chance you'll read the book. That being said, I read it because Naomi Kritzer told me the whole story and it was still great. Thanks for the rec!
The book was published in 1939 under a male-sounding pseudonym, but the style feels almost modern and the themes feel incredibly modern. There's an afterword about what inspired the book, which which is worth reading. Taylor had some German friends who seemed like kind, wonderful people, who became fervent Nazis and abandoned their Jewish friends. In a question so many of us are asking now, she wondered, What changed their hearts so? What steps brought them to such cruelty?
( Read more... )
I know your soul is not tainted, even though you've been told so. Can't you hear the rumble?
Mar. 23rd, 2026 05:04 ambeansideAnd somehow, way too quick we're back to Monday, and I really am not enjoying being upright. My back is pissed off, I'm exhasted from having difficulty sleeping. But most of all: I don't really want to do the work today.
Okay, now that I've gotten that out. How is everyone. I am having some problems with my lower back, hip. I did something that pissed it off, no doubt.
Yesterday was a lovely low key day. Game was cancelled, so w went to Kenilworth Gourmet and had lunch. IT was pretty tasty, but my fish and chips were very heavily battered ao the poiunt that it was hard to bite into it. IT was also literally just out of the fryer. The calamari I had was hot, but that fish was nuclear. There was still a bit of grease still bubbling in one of the crevices.
After that, we went to the butcher, but it was bugfuck, with no where to park. Either I'm going to have to go to John Brown during the week, or I need to go to Butcher and Bay which has more of a parking lot. Instead, we went through some winding rooads that nearly gave me carsickness. Then, I went to a small grocery store instead. I was going to get lobster tails, but no one was behind the counter, even though I waited like five minutes. No lobster for us, unless I got to Sam's Club this week after work.
Of course, despite going to the grocery, once I got home and sat down, I cme up with 15 things I needed. So, I had a couple of things coming. One was a small doordash of things I needed. Then, I ordered some OTC pills for vacation, so that I'd be ready. We were out of antacids, and frankly, our family has a lot of it.
Then, in discussing Yoda's current diet, we mentioned that it's going to be a problem when Yoda is ready to go back to kibble. His dinner last night ws a chicken that has been boiled for 3 hours. Then, the chicken is removed, and rice is added to the broth. I use slightly less rice than is strictly needed, so that there's still some broth. Then I added green beans and peas and reintroduced a lot of the the shredded chicken.
IT was brought up that I could cook for him, and do away with regular dog food. I did some research on canine nutrition, and learned abut the need for Omega3s. I learned that he needed fiber and that brown rice was better for dogs as well as oats and quinoa. He can have spinach and green beans and blueberries. And all of it does something good. So, I've got some recipes that I will try. This week, he's eating the one I made last night. At least til Thursday. Then I'm going to have to try to figure shit out.
Then, I went on an ordering spree. Containers for his food, vegetables, and salmon oil, and brown rice. I had eggs and meats. I definitely want to go to the butcher now, to get some chicken gizzards and ground pork to cook up.
Today, I'll look for more of those containers. The store only had 4, but I need at least 30 of them to stock his food. Fortunately, as the vaction draws closer, so will the amount of food we have in the house decrease to hold his stuff. I'll cook them on Saturday and Sunday, so for a full week, I'll need 14-15. It might take a little while before I have my portions figured out to make a full week of food. I think I'll need to cook it in two batches, so I'll probably do two different flavors. That way he doesn't get bored. (he will 100% get bored)
Tonight, for us, it'll either be stuffed shells or steaks. Both are ready to go, just the shells mean more time on my feet, with my back yelling at me. We'll see how it's doing then.
Work is bound to be kind of insane today. I'll be officially starting our new job. I wonder if they're announcing it? I will change my signatures and what not today. I refused to do it unitl it was official. Maybe they'll announce it today, maybe not. We'll have to see.
Definitely, after the Friday meeting, I'm looking at some of my coworkers differently. Some, the info that they're not doing as well as they could be isn't a huge shock, but some, it was a total surprise. I'll probably be on the phones today for the most part. Especially, since we're going to be one down on people as the Columbia office has stolen another of our team. She's really sweet, and she'll do great at a face to face customer service job, but she'll be missed.
On the other hand, they may be offering her job to one of my IKEA friends, so that would be cool. Another $1000 for me, just in time for the holidays.
The rest of the week should slowly calm the fuck down, and of course, on Friday, I have both our weekly manager bitch fest, plus Frostmaiden! I don't know how this is going to go. This is either the last or next to last of the regular Friday night Frostmaidens. After that, it's going to have to switch to Saturdays, so that our West Coast player will be able to do the boss battle and finish the campaign. That should be another few games, plus maybe one wrap up session, a debrief, so to speak.
I was considering the merits of setting up a one shot for the last night of the cruise, but I think we'll see when we get on the ship how good and consistent the wifi is. If it's good for the first couple of nights, and we don't have anything else, we'll play. D&D on the boat should be fun.
I'll find a simple module, and we'll go from there. We'll look at the itinerary and see what we want to miss and schedule around it. We'll be three hours later than most of our players, so the latest it'll be is 4pm for us. That gives us the rest of the evening to eat and take in our last night on the boat.
We'll see what we can work out. I'm also taking a bag of dice, just in case we meet anyone who likes to game and want to run a one shot. Might throw in a print out of a couple simple maps. There's meet ups for everyone, so why not one for D&D?
Day two of Mounjaro, and the sugar is still elevated. It says that you may not see any real movement in your numbers for a 3-6 weeks, so I guess the glucose testing unit will be coming with us. At least it's once a week. That makes life so much easier. I set an alarm, and at 9 am every Saturday I'll be stabbing myself.
The next two weekends we're pretty open, so I'm trying to figure out some fun stuff to do.
Okay, time for me to hop off and get myself together. Everyone have a outstanding Monday!
Okay, now that I've gotten that out. How is everyone. I am having some problems with my lower back, hip. I did something that pissed it off, no doubt.
Yesterday was a lovely low key day. Game was cancelled, so w went to Kenilworth Gourmet and had lunch. IT was pretty tasty, but my fish and chips were very heavily battered ao the poiunt that it was hard to bite into it. IT was also literally just out of the fryer. The calamari I had was hot, but that fish was nuclear. There was still a bit of grease still bubbling in one of the crevices.
After that, we went to the butcher, but it was bugfuck, with no where to park. Either I'm going to have to go to John Brown during the week, or I need to go to Butcher and Bay which has more of a parking lot. Instead, we went through some winding rooads that nearly gave me carsickness. Then, I went to a small grocery store instead. I was going to get lobster tails, but no one was behind the counter, even though I waited like five minutes. No lobster for us, unless I got to Sam's Club this week after work.
Of course, despite going to the grocery, once I got home and sat down, I cme up with 15 things I needed. So, I had a couple of things coming. One was a small doordash of things I needed. Then, I ordered some OTC pills for vacation, so that I'd be ready. We were out of antacids, and frankly, our family has a lot of it.
Then, in discussing Yoda's current diet, we mentioned that it's going to be a problem when Yoda is ready to go back to kibble. His dinner last night ws a chicken that has been boiled for 3 hours. Then, the chicken is removed, and rice is added to the broth. I use slightly less rice than is strictly needed, so that there's still some broth. Then I added green beans and peas and reintroduced a lot of the the shredded chicken.
IT was brought up that I could cook for him, and do away with regular dog food. I did some research on canine nutrition, and learned abut the need for Omega3s. I learned that he needed fiber and that brown rice was better for dogs as well as oats and quinoa. He can have spinach and green beans and blueberries. And all of it does something good. So, I've got some recipes that I will try. This week, he's eating the one I made last night. At least til Thursday. Then I'm going to have to try to figure shit out.
Then, I went on an ordering spree. Containers for his food, vegetables, and salmon oil, and brown rice. I had eggs and meats. I definitely want to go to the butcher now, to get some chicken gizzards and ground pork to cook up.
Today, I'll look for more of those containers. The store only had 4, but I need at least 30 of them to stock his food. Fortunately, as the vaction draws closer, so will the amount of food we have in the house decrease to hold his stuff. I'll cook them on Saturday and Sunday, so for a full week, I'll need 14-15. It might take a little while before I have my portions figured out to make a full week of food. I think I'll need to cook it in two batches, so I'll probably do two different flavors. That way he doesn't get bored. (he will 100% get bored)
Tonight, for us, it'll either be stuffed shells or steaks. Both are ready to go, just the shells mean more time on my feet, with my back yelling at me. We'll see how it's doing then.
Work is bound to be kind of insane today. I'll be officially starting our new job. I wonder if they're announcing it? I will change my signatures and what not today. I refused to do it unitl it was official. Maybe they'll announce it today, maybe not. We'll have to see.
Definitely, after the Friday meeting, I'm looking at some of my coworkers differently. Some, the info that they're not doing as well as they could be isn't a huge shock, but some, it was a total surprise. I'll probably be on the phones today for the most part. Especially, since we're going to be one down on people as the Columbia office has stolen another of our team. She's really sweet, and she'll do great at a face to face customer service job, but she'll be missed.
On the other hand, they may be offering her job to one of my IKEA friends, so that would be cool. Another $1000 for me, just in time for the holidays.
The rest of the week should slowly calm the fuck down, and of course, on Friday, I have both our weekly manager bitch fest, plus Frostmaiden! I don't know how this is going to go. This is either the last or next to last of the regular Friday night Frostmaidens. After that, it's going to have to switch to Saturdays, so that our West Coast player will be able to do the boss battle and finish the campaign. That should be another few games, plus maybe one wrap up session, a debrief, so to speak.
I was considering the merits of setting up a one shot for the last night of the cruise, but I think we'll see when we get on the ship how good and consistent the wifi is. If it's good for the first couple of nights, and we don't have anything else, we'll play. D&D on the boat should be fun.
I'll find a simple module, and we'll go from there. We'll look at the itinerary and see what we want to miss and schedule around it. We'll be three hours later than most of our players, so the latest it'll be is 4pm for us. That gives us the rest of the evening to eat and take in our last night on the boat.
We'll see what we can work out. I'm also taking a bag of dice, just in case we meet anyone who likes to game and want to run a one shot. Might throw in a print out of a couple simple maps. There's meet ups for everyone, so why not one for D&D?
Day two of Mounjaro, and the sugar is still elevated. It says that you may not see any real movement in your numbers for a 3-6 weeks, so I guess the glucose testing unit will be coming with us. At least it's once a week. That makes life so much easier. I set an alarm, and at 9 am every Saturday I'll be stabbing myself.
The next two weekends we're pretty open, so I'm trying to figure out some fun stuff to do.
Okay, time for me to hop off and get myself together. Everyone have a outstanding Monday!
vital functions
Mar. 22nd, 2026 10:39 pmkaberettReading. Finished my first pass through LIFTOFF by Casey Johnston! Will continue to use it as a reference work (tomorrow starts my third and final week of Phase 1 -- bodyweight practice of compound movements -- before I move on to doing things with Actual Weights...). I should probably note for the record that I have edited it as I've gone through to fix a fair few typos.
More She's A Beast archives (just reached February 2023!).
Tiiiiiny bit of a start on my Wicked Problems (Max Gladstone) reread, in a general spirit of wanting to have any idea at all of what's going on in Dead Hand Rule.
Writing. The document! is over! 9000!!! despite the fact that I've deleted a bunch of bits of variation-on-a-theme as I home in on what it is I actually want to say! I have gone "that will do" about my first draft of the introduction (it definitely needs ... more ... tweaking, but I think all the pieces are now there) and have moved on to the introduction to part the first, working title "What is pain?" I'm very close to having that Good Enough For Now, I think, whereupon... a chapter?!
Watching. 2026 Migraine World Summit. So much Migraine World Summit. BUT I managed to catch everything this year, and now I am working on condensing and transcribing my digital notes into my notebook. More to follow, possibly.
Listening. I caught up to where A had got to with Hidden Almanac (which I had theoretically heard all of but in practice was asleep for... some... of)! We had a long drive! We are now most of the way through 2014, I have learned about Pastor Drom's side hustle, and there is a crow named George.
Playing. Bit more Inkulinati? Tiny bit more Inkulinati.
Eating. Mooooore allotment lamb's lettuce. AND a bunch of TREETS from the local FANCY BAKERY, incl. double chocolate brownie (not quite dark and chocolatey enough for my tastes; too dark for A); bread pudding; and a rhubarb and ginger teacake.
This week I am also experimenting with lentil cakes (like rice cakes, but lentil) and Dr Karg's Pumpkin Seed Protein Thins. I find the former perplexing, in that they taste kind of like crispy seaweed snacks while also being completely the wrong shape and texture, and am much more into the latter (even eaten dry!) than I expected. A considers them alarming cardboard; I think I think they are enough like Ryvita, of which I am fond, to be of at least some interest? Might... get more of these. (Could in theory reverse engineer them but that sounds like a lot of effort.)
Exploring. Had another couple of Extremely Satisfactory errand-bimbles discovering People's Front Gardens.
Making & mending. I have FROGGED the experimental continental knitted portion of A's second glove (tension was bad; have decided I want these gloves Done more than I want to do enough continental knitting to get the tension right) and resumed; I have done A Little More Cuff.
Growing. Aubergines finally! belatedly! sown! Oca into the ground. Broad beans finally coming up. More garlic transplanted.
Observing. THE COOTS! HAVE! EGGS!
And in the absence of sympathies Won't you hear me out?
Mar. 22nd, 2026 05:32 ambeansideToday, I'm up because a small kitty said so. At 4:15 the patting on my head and face began. I nudged her off, and she came right back up and smacked me some more. I finally got up around 4:30 AM. I would prefer to be in bed, and I may go back a little bit later. Yesterday was our two game day, which was super fun, but also a bit tiring.
Yesterday, not long after I closed my computer, Yoda and my sister got up, and after his breakfast, he demanded walks. Still has a bit of the runs, and I'll admit to gagging as I was getting it up. I have a very sensitive gag reflex, and it just triggered it. He was a good boy, and we got back inside as Jess was getting up. After that, it was off to the pharmacy to get a metric ton of medication. It wasn't quite as bad as when Jess and I both have to get our psych meds, but close. I had an inhaler, plus the Mounjaro and scopolamine patches, plus a new Statin medicine the doctor had recommended. I do a coaching session with my insurance for my diabetes and asthma medications, so a chunk of the meds were free to me. Basically, I chat on the phone with a nurse case manager once a month, and Hopkins pays my copay. So the Mounjaro, the inhaler, and the Rosuvastatin, all are free. The other meds ended up being about $8. Can't really beat that.
Of course, the moment I got home, I popped the Mounjaro open and read the verious papers. Then I yanked my pants down and stabbed myself in the thigh with it. Good lord, it burned like hell. In cool things, though while the serum needs to be refrigerated, it is also shelf stable for 21 days at room temperature. Which is going to make the trip SO much easier. When the pharmacist pulled the package out of the refrigerator, my brain starting running the hamster wheel, trying to figure out how that was going to work.
Instead, it'll work just fine. I'll just have the pens in my bag, along with everything else.
I do know that next time I do it (I have an alarm set for Saturday at 9am) I'll leave it out overnight, and see if room temp makes it burn less than it did cold. It wasn't a dealbreaker, but it was somewhat unpleasant as the burn stuck around for about half an hour.
Today, my leg is a bit achy, but not horrible.
Then, I hoped onto the smaller server to play a quick oneshot called "The Town where nothing goesWrong Right. It was a fun non combat roleplaying game that involved a time loop. It was very cool and fun. I enjoyed it immensely. We have a prequel set up for next week with two of the players. Jess and I will help another player do her character sheet, and then we shall do a short role play about their characters meeting in prison. It's a set up for the Marchen Campaign, which shall begin in Mid April. Unlike a lot of our other games, we should be able to schedule a few in May, because we're only accommodating 5 people instead of 7 or 8. May is going to be a rough month for scheduling because of the cruise, and also people on the other server are away.
I suppose if the wifi is as good as it's supposed to be, we could probably play something on the ship on Friday night, but that might be tough. Though there is a vanity in the closet that one of us could play at. Might be tough, but it could be fun. We'll see.
The rest of the day was quiet. We took the dog out again and relaxed until it was time for the Crooked Moon game. I really enjoy the game, but it's definitely some heavy lifting as many of the more immersive games are. But the characters are wonderful. I put out the call for a folk horror game and my players, as always, understood the assignment for their characters. They're all disasters, and I'm looking forward to playing more with their backstories. I love each and every character.
Today, I have Strixhaven at noon, and that is going to be super fun, and then I have the rest of the day to cook. When I finish this entry, I'm going to go clean out the cast iron dutch oven and get some chicken boiling to make Yoda's broth. Then, later, I shall clean out the cast iron again, and fry up some spinach, and make the filling for my stuffed shells. They shall go in the oven with a liberal amount of mozzarella on top, and will be hopefully delicious. I'm looking forward to them.
Some of my packages came yesterday, so I am once again the proud owner of a glucose monitor and blood pressure cup. The swimsuit from Torrid was a tiny disappointment, as it again does nothing to make the boobs look good, which made me sad. It's pretty suit, so I'll keep it. It's just not great in the chest region. That'll give me three suits to rotate out for the cruise. That should keep me from having to wear a very wet one.
Another package is coming today with a few t-shirts, a sleeveless top and a couple of pairs more of shorts. It's my spring package! It's a shame they won't come early, because it's supposed to be a fairly warm day. I wish the downtown farmer's market was open. I could go down and get some things. Probably nothing that I desperately need, but it would be fun. But alas, not til 4/12, and that day I have a game at 9. Of course, the market opens at 7 am, so its still possible. I'll mark it as a solid maybe.
If I can source my meat from farmers, I'd much rather. But the farmers market by us (which doesn't open til the end of April) only has poultry and pork, and I do like my beef. If I'm going to frequent them this year, I might need to consider a wheeled cart, especially for downtown where they have a ton of stuff.
There is a year-round one on Saturdays, but it's not as big, and Saturdays can be difficult with work and games. Next weekend we're free on Saturday, so it's possible that I could head down there. I'll see what I feel like doing.
Yoda is doing so much better. He's eating his chicken and rice and acting like himself again. Still maybe slightly subdued, but SO much better than he was. He really likes the rice and chicken, and I'm not sure we're going to convince him that kibble is better after this.
I've been looking at new desks, and have come to the conclusion that I have expensive tastes. I like the heavier, solid wood desks with a little character, and they are all freaking pricey. There was this one that was perfect. It had a hutch, and it was big enough for both monitors, and I loved it, and it was $3400, which is excessive. I do want something that'll last, but it doesn't have to last quite that long. I may go up to the Amish Market and see what they would charge. I'm sure it's expensive, but maybe not quite that much? I also want to get a new chair, which is always a crapshoot. I may just get that off Amazon. The last time I spent extra money on a chair, it actually made my back worse, but the cheapo off Amazon has worked fine.
Okay, time for me to contemplate a shower, and also starting Yoda's soup. Everyone have a super Sunday!
Yesterday, not long after I closed my computer, Yoda and my sister got up, and after his breakfast, he demanded walks. Still has a bit of the runs, and I'll admit to gagging as I was getting it up. I have a very sensitive gag reflex, and it just triggered it. He was a good boy, and we got back inside as Jess was getting up. After that, it was off to the pharmacy to get a metric ton of medication. It wasn't quite as bad as when Jess and I both have to get our psych meds, but close. I had an inhaler, plus the Mounjaro and scopolamine patches, plus a new Statin medicine the doctor had recommended. I do a coaching session with my insurance for my diabetes and asthma medications, so a chunk of the meds were free to me. Basically, I chat on the phone with a nurse case manager once a month, and Hopkins pays my copay. So the Mounjaro, the inhaler, and the Rosuvastatin, all are free. The other meds ended up being about $8. Can't really beat that.
Of course, the moment I got home, I popped the Mounjaro open and read the verious papers. Then I yanked my pants down and stabbed myself in the thigh with it. Good lord, it burned like hell. In cool things, though while the serum needs to be refrigerated, it is also shelf stable for 21 days at room temperature. Which is going to make the trip SO much easier. When the pharmacist pulled the package out of the refrigerator, my brain starting running the hamster wheel, trying to figure out how that was going to work.
Instead, it'll work just fine. I'll just have the pens in my bag, along with everything else.
I do know that next time I do it (I have an alarm set for Saturday at 9am) I'll leave it out overnight, and see if room temp makes it burn less than it did cold. It wasn't a dealbreaker, but it was somewhat unpleasant as the burn stuck around for about half an hour.
Today, my leg is a bit achy, but not horrible.
Then, I hoped onto the smaller server to play a quick oneshot called "The Town where nothing goes
I suppose if the wifi is as good as it's supposed to be, we could probably play something on the ship on Friday night, but that might be tough. Though there is a vanity in the closet that one of us could play at. Might be tough, but it could be fun. We'll see.
The rest of the day was quiet. We took the dog out again and relaxed until it was time for the Crooked Moon game. I really enjoy the game, but it's definitely some heavy lifting as many of the more immersive games are. But the characters are wonderful. I put out the call for a folk horror game and my players, as always, understood the assignment for their characters. They're all disasters, and I'm looking forward to playing more with their backstories. I love each and every character.
Today, I have Strixhaven at noon, and that is going to be super fun, and then I have the rest of the day to cook. When I finish this entry, I'm going to go clean out the cast iron dutch oven and get some chicken boiling to make Yoda's broth. Then, later, I shall clean out the cast iron again, and fry up some spinach, and make the filling for my stuffed shells. They shall go in the oven with a liberal amount of mozzarella on top, and will be hopefully delicious. I'm looking forward to them.
Some of my packages came yesterday, so I am once again the proud owner of a glucose monitor and blood pressure cup. The swimsuit from Torrid was a tiny disappointment, as it again does nothing to make the boobs look good, which made me sad. It's pretty suit, so I'll keep it. It's just not great in the chest region. That'll give me three suits to rotate out for the cruise. That should keep me from having to wear a very wet one.
Another package is coming today with a few t-shirts, a sleeveless top and a couple of pairs more of shorts. It's my spring package! It's a shame they won't come early, because it's supposed to be a fairly warm day. I wish the downtown farmer's market was open. I could go down and get some things. Probably nothing that I desperately need, but it would be fun. But alas, not til 4/12, and that day I have a game at 9. Of course, the market opens at 7 am, so its still possible. I'll mark it as a solid maybe.
If I can source my meat from farmers, I'd much rather. But the farmers market by us (which doesn't open til the end of April) only has poultry and pork, and I do like my beef. If I'm going to frequent them this year, I might need to consider a wheeled cart, especially for downtown where they have a ton of stuff.
There is a year-round one on Saturdays, but it's not as big, and Saturdays can be difficult with work and games. Next weekend we're free on Saturday, so it's possible that I could head down there. I'll see what I feel like doing.
Yoda is doing so much better. He's eating his chicken and rice and acting like himself again. Still maybe slightly subdued, but SO much better than he was. He really likes the rice and chicken, and I'm not sure we're going to convince him that kibble is better after this.
I've been looking at new desks, and have come to the conclusion that I have expensive tastes. I like the heavier, solid wood desks with a little character, and they are all freaking pricey. There was this one that was perfect. It had a hutch, and it was big enough for both monitors, and I loved it, and it was $3400, which is excessive. I do want something that'll last, but it doesn't have to last quite that long. I may go up to the Amish Market and see what they would charge. I'm sure it's expensive, but maybe not quite that much? I also want to get a new chair, which is always a crapshoot. I may just get that off Amazon. The last time I spent extra money on a chair, it actually made my back worse, but the cheapo off Amazon has worked fine.
Okay, time for me to contemplate a shower, and also starting Yoda's soup. Everyone have a super Sunday!
Recommendation - Quartetto, due South story by sixthlight
Mar. 21st, 2026 06:04 pmpetraQuartetto (146039 words) by Sixthlight
Chapters: 11/11
Fandom: due South
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski/Stella Kowalski/Ray Vecchio, Stella Kowalski/Ray Vecchio, Benton Fraser/Ray Vecchio, Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Ray Kowalski/Stella Kowalski, Benton Fraser & Stella Kowalski, Ray Kowalski & Ray Vecchio
Characters: Stella Kowalski (due South), Ray Vecchio, Benton Fraser, Ray Kowalski
Additional Tags: Polyamory, Slow Burn, Trauma Recovery, Queer Themes, Feminist Themes, Bisexuality, Female Protagonist, Second Chances, Post-Canon, Roman fleuve, Foursome - F/M/M/M
Summary:
This story digs deep into the situation implied in the phrase, "I swing both Rays," in that Stella always has, and so does Fraser. Eventually, after some lovely family tension and gloriously due South coincidences, they find their way to a dynamic sort of domestic peace, in defiance of all the canon's fear of limerence.
This was very, very good for my heart, with its rampant bisexuality and careful, thoughtful exploration of how these characters -- some of whom have solid reasons at the outset not to like each other very much -- find attraction, and joy, and above all banter. The banter is fucking golden. I love Fraser's voice, and this reflects it; I love RayK when he's flustered, and there is plenty to fluster him here; I love Vecchio when he is sharp and sweet and sardonic, and oh my heart.
And. Possibly most importantly, Stella. I have never spent much time thinking about her, but how I adore her in this piece: incisive, driven, sure of herself even when things are going completely bananas all around her, because women are the real straight men in due South, except when they're Frannie. (Who is also great here, don't get me wrong.) Stella's family works very well in their role in the narrative, both as foils of what her parents will tolerate (Francis!) and as what they thought Stella should be (ah, Jean, heartbreaking to get everything right). Stella with her view of reality that isn't quite the parareality of due South -- she may talk to Dief, but she doesn't entirely believe he understands her, nor that he talks back, despite the convictions of the people around her. She lives on a different wavelength than Fraser, and even RayV, as the quintessential Woman Who Got Away, but it is deeply satisfying that here, she doesn't get away, and instead, she gets everything she ever wanted.
Every single bowling reference made me make the :D face. Thank you, sixthlight, for saving Stella and Vecchio from the bad, bad canon, and instead delivering them to this much better situation.
Chapters: 11/11
Fandom: due South
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski/Stella Kowalski/Ray Vecchio, Stella Kowalski/Ray Vecchio, Benton Fraser/Ray Vecchio, Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Ray Kowalski/Stella Kowalski, Benton Fraser & Stella Kowalski, Ray Kowalski & Ray Vecchio
Characters: Stella Kowalski (due South), Ray Vecchio, Benton Fraser, Ray Kowalski
Additional Tags: Polyamory, Slow Burn, Trauma Recovery, Queer Themes, Feminist Themes, Bisexuality, Female Protagonist, Second Chances, Post-Canon, Roman fleuve, Foursome - F/M/M/M
Summary:
So, men. Maybe Stella was over that.
*This story digs deep into the situation implied in the phrase, "I swing both Rays," in that Stella always has, and so does Fraser. Eventually, after some lovely family tension and gloriously due South coincidences, they find their way to a dynamic sort of domestic peace, in defiance of all the canon's fear of limerence.
This was very, very good for my heart, with its rampant bisexuality and careful, thoughtful exploration of how these characters -- some of whom have solid reasons at the outset not to like each other very much -- find attraction, and joy, and above all banter. The banter is fucking golden. I love Fraser's voice, and this reflects it; I love RayK when he's flustered, and there is plenty to fluster him here; I love Vecchio when he is sharp and sweet and sardonic, and oh my heart.
And. Possibly most importantly, Stella. I have never spent much time thinking about her, but how I adore her in this piece: incisive, driven, sure of herself even when things are going completely bananas all around her, because women are the real straight men in due South, except when they're Frannie. (Who is also great here, don't get me wrong.) Stella's family works very well in their role in the narrative, both as foils of what her parents will tolerate (Francis!) and as what they thought Stella should be (ah, Jean, heartbreaking to get everything right). Stella with her view of reality that isn't quite the parareality of due South -- she may talk to Dief, but she doesn't entirely believe he understands her, nor that he talks back, despite the convictions of the people around her. She lives on a different wavelength than Fraser, and even RayV, as the quintessential Woman Who Got Away, but it is deeply satisfying that here, she doesn't get away, and instead, she gets everything she ever wanted.
Every single bowling reference made me make the :D face. Thank you, sixthlight, for saving Stella and Vecchio from the bad, bad canon, and instead delivering them to this much better situation.
happy equinox, etc
Mar. 21st, 2026 10:12 pmkaberettToday was A Travel Day; yesterday, in preparation for same, I Ran Errands, including "acquiring Tiny Cake" and "visiting the pharmacy".
On the way from those two jobs to the next couple, I passed Several Good Things.
One was a new-to-me flavour of completely ridiculous daffodil:
It's a double not in the sense of having a confusing froth of intermingled trumpets (as of Double Fashion or Double Camparnelle, both of which exist locally), but in the sense of having two nested trumpets, one shorter and orange, from which the longer white one protrudes. I have never! previously! seen a thing like this! I am really enjoying my current streak of encountering varieties of daffodil that make me go "what the fuck???"
Shortly thereafter I checked over my shoulder while crossing a tiny bridge and was startled and delighted to see A COOT UPON THE NEST that, last I passed it, was clearly still derelict. Obviously I went back and Gazed Upon It for Some Time and was eventually rewarded by it STANDING UP to reveal SEVEN??? (possibly) EGGS!!!
And the Egyptian goslings were peeping about the place when I subsequently passed them on my way back up the hill. A+ errands would run again.
(no subject)
Mar. 21st, 2026 10:22 amskygiantsI've seen two Boston Ballets in relatively quick succession over the past month, both combo programs featuring two pieces; the first was "The Rite of Spring" (Elo's, not Nijinsky's) paired with Pite's "The Seasons' Canon," and the second was a premiere, Stromile's "The Leisurely Installation of a New Window," paired with Ashton's "The [Midsummer Night's] Dream."
Breaking with the actual curation of the productions, I'm going to talk about "The Rite of Spring" and "The Leisurely Installation of a New Window" together because they both came first in their productions, they had kind of similar vibes, and I experienced similar feelings of mild disappointment about both of them that were not technically the fault of the productions. I was really excited about "The Rite of Spring" because I wanted to see some ballet dancers do a dramatic ritual sacrifice, and I was really excited about "The Leisurely Installation of a New Window" because I wanted to see some ballet dancers slowly install a window. Instead, both of these pieces were kind of abstract explorations through dance of the Relationship between the Individual and Society, and I think both would have been enjoyable for fifteen minutes but ran a bit long at half an hour.
The description for "Window" in the playbill reads:
Eighteen dancers inhabit the work through distinct but interdependent roles. The Seeker stands close to tradition, moving with discipline and clarity. The People operate within shared systems, attentive to both order and its quiet tensions. The Reformers introduce disruption, not as spectacle, but as pressure applied from within.
This did help me understand better what was going on in the dance, as the Seeker stalked around holding a book and then portentously passed it off to some dueting Reformers, but also made it feel a bit like a LARP that I was not participating in. On the other hand Reeves Gabriel of The Cure was There and Participating in Ballet Music (and every bit of marketing wanted you to know that Reeves Gabriel Of The Cure was There and Participating in Ballet Music) and occasionally the music would get very thrillingly electric guitar and you'd be like "Hello, Reeves Gabriel of The Cure!" So it's not that I didn't have a fine time, I just would have been okay with somewhat less of that time.
However, after these very mildly disappointing openers, I loved both "The Seasons' Canon" and "The Dream" very much! The Seasons' Canon is, justifiably, a known Boston Ballet showstopper -- a huge piece with a huge cast, and as you guys know I often have trouble with a piece that is not trying to tell me a story but this piece is truly just Humans Make Big Shapes and it's riveting. Could not take my eyes off it. The trailer here gives a bit of a sense but of course is not that much like seeing it Actually On Stage, but it does let you see one of the things I found most striking about the piece which is how extremely non-gendered it is -- everyone on that stage is dressed identically in pants and nude tank that makes them look topless, the whole corps looks like one and moves like one and there is nothing to distract you from that. Really, really cool experience.
And "The Dream" -- look, I'm a simple soul, and what I have discovered is that I love Ashton's silly panto-esque ballets. They are fun and they are funny and I love it when people get to be funny in dance! Dance jokes are good actually! Titania ballet-hopping her way towards Bottom in a way that manages to be simultaneously fairy-like and hilariously sultry, the arguing lovers constantly picking each other up and pirouetting a partner firmly Away from them Thank You, the rude mechanicals!! we wanted more rude mechanicals but I was so glad we got what we got. A+ Midsummer Night's Dream, would see again.
Breaking with the actual curation of the productions, I'm going to talk about "The Rite of Spring" and "The Leisurely Installation of a New Window" together because they both came first in their productions, they had kind of similar vibes, and I experienced similar feelings of mild disappointment about both of them that were not technically the fault of the productions. I was really excited about "The Rite of Spring" because I wanted to see some ballet dancers do a dramatic ritual sacrifice, and I was really excited about "The Leisurely Installation of a New Window" because I wanted to see some ballet dancers slowly install a window. Instead, both of these pieces were kind of abstract explorations through dance of the Relationship between the Individual and Society, and I think both would have been enjoyable for fifteen minutes but ran a bit long at half an hour.
The description for "Window" in the playbill reads:
Eighteen dancers inhabit the work through distinct but interdependent roles. The Seeker stands close to tradition, moving with discipline and clarity. The People operate within shared systems, attentive to both order and its quiet tensions. The Reformers introduce disruption, not as spectacle, but as pressure applied from within.
This did help me understand better what was going on in the dance, as the Seeker stalked around holding a book and then portentously passed it off to some dueting Reformers, but also made it feel a bit like a LARP that I was not participating in. On the other hand Reeves Gabriel of The Cure was There and Participating in Ballet Music (and every bit of marketing wanted you to know that Reeves Gabriel Of The Cure was There and Participating in Ballet Music) and occasionally the music would get very thrillingly electric guitar and you'd be like "Hello, Reeves Gabriel of The Cure!" So it's not that I didn't have a fine time, I just would have been okay with somewhat less of that time.
However, after these very mildly disappointing openers, I loved both "The Seasons' Canon" and "The Dream" very much! The Seasons' Canon is, justifiably, a known Boston Ballet showstopper -- a huge piece with a huge cast, and as you guys know I often have trouble with a piece that is not trying to tell me a story but this piece is truly just Humans Make Big Shapes and it's riveting. Could not take my eyes off it. The trailer here gives a bit of a sense but of course is not that much like seeing it Actually On Stage, but it does let you see one of the things I found most striking about the piece which is how extremely non-gendered it is -- everyone on that stage is dressed identically in pants and nude tank that makes them look topless, the whole corps looks like one and moves like one and there is nothing to distract you from that. Really, really cool experience.
And "The Dream" -- look, I'm a simple soul, and what I have discovered is that I love Ashton's silly panto-esque ballets. They are fun and they are funny and I love it when people get to be funny in dance! Dance jokes are good actually! Titania ballet-hopping her way towards Bottom in a way that manages to be simultaneously fairy-like and hilariously sultry, the arguing lovers constantly picking each other up and pirouetting a partner firmly Away from them Thank You, the rude mechanicals!! we wanted more rude mechanicals but I was so glad we got what we got. A+ Midsummer Night's Dream, would see again.
My dreams were too hard to defend...You're the only thing worth fighting for.
Mar. 21st, 2026 05:14 ambeansideIt's Saturday! And for some godforsaken reason, I'm up at 4:45am on a day I could 100% sleep in. Stupid body. For once it wasn't the cat. I was just awake. Oh well, I can nap before or between games today.
My sister has her adoptive neice's birthday party tonight, so she's going to be gone, so I'm going to hold off and do the stuffed shells tomorrow, and the beef barley soup on Monday. That shouldn't take too long to do, since I have the pre-diced mirepoix. I'll probably sauté the meat, chunk some potatoes up and make the broth at lunch. (I have a broth base from Sam's club that I'll use. Then it can simmer for a while, and I'll add the Barley during break, so it has plenty of time to get softened. Add in a bay leaf and some thyme and rosemary for flavor, and it'll be great. Tonight, I kind of want Pad Thai. Or lunch can be Pad Thai. I'm not picky.
Last night, I made chicken noodle soup. (Okay, primary thing that I wanted was broth for Yoda. HE wasn't eating the plain rice, so I made some with homemade chicken broth, and that was a huge hit. Then, I made the leftovers into soup, which turned out excellent. I will 100% do that again. It was warm, comforting and oh so very tasty. For once, no notes. I was totally pleased with the outcome.
What I may do is get another Rotisserie and make more chicken broth for Yoda, and then put some in containers so that when I need to make more rice, It's there. Plus, broth for recipes. That could be good. Now that I know how easy it is, I will do it more. Probably at some point, I'll go to the butcher and get some soup bones and stew meat, and make a broth from that. Not for Yoda, for me. Beef can upset his tummy sometimes, so he's going to be sticking with chicken.
Work was interesting. I was added to the weekly manager's meeting, which was a ride. OMG, those people are brutal. I heard all about my coworkers, and how they suck. One is apparently getting fired soon, and another has them checking all of her appts, because they're a total mess. There was some business discussed, but a lot of it was just a bitch-fest. An hour and a half bitch fest. Being brand new, I didn't participate much, but I did speak up a couple of times. I still don't 100% feel like I belong. That will come, I'm sure, but I'm not there yet.
Other than that, I just made some calls, filled in some appointments, and overall got shit done. I was barely taking calls at all--just trying to tetris some patients into the schedule. We've got a bunch of long MRIs who want appointments around 4/8, and we've got jack and shit. I've been trying to move patients, but they're being incredibly stubborn, so I didn't make much headway on that.
I had one patient whose appt was cancelled by another dept (I presume accidentally)! I had to call them and let them know that we couldn't honor their original appointment, but we could definitely get them in before their follow up with the doctor on Tuesday. Lord, they were pissed. (Understandably, but goddamn.) I know A. is following up with that dept to make sure the person who cancelled it was educated, but that doesn't help the pt who has to drive two hours twice rather than once on on the day of their appt.
I'm definitely tireder at the end of the day. The email where people send add ons is a firehose, and it takes a lot to keep up with it. I'll get used to it, and figure out strategies, but right now, it's a little overwhelming. I'm using flags and labels to keep things organized, but it's a lot. I'm glad I have a couple of weeks to get used to it before I start college.
The BIL came over last night. He continues to be super adorable about the cruise. He's so damn excited. Not that the rest of us aren't, but I think he really needs this vacation. He takes care of his elderly mother almost full time, so this is going to be a good break for him.
I left a message for the petsitting company for Boodle, so I assume they'll call me back Monday, so I can get that set up.
Then that'll be all I can do until it's time to take Yoda for his second flu shot, and then we can finally try him out in the kennels. Fingers crossed that it goes well and he doesn't have to go to the vet to stay, but we'll see. That's my one anxiety for the cruise, and I can't do shit about it til late April. The place we want to try requires two weeks from the second flu shot before they'll accept your pet. I could check the other, and see if they do as well and get him a few days there.
After that, I've got some cleaning to do in our bedroom, then we'll be ready to go. I just bought a metric ton of underwear and socks, and I have a couple more t-shirts coming, but after that, I should be done. Oh and another swim suit, because the bra in the one I got was pathetic. That's going in the to be donated bin. I don't need my boobs floating around while I'm in the pool or hydrotherapy spa.
First, we have out NYC trip for Lost Boys on 4/18. That should be super fun, and I'm looking forward to it.
We have so many awesome things coming up this year, and I have to wait for all of it. I don't like waiting. I have no patience. Yay ADHD!
I've been waiting for the cruise for over 300 days, and now we're down to 47 days. I want to start packing, but I'll wait a little bit longer. I could technically pack socks and underwear now, but I don't feel like hauling out the big suitcase yet. The temps in Alaska are still pretty brutal, so I'm considering bringing the heavy jacket. I think I can fit it in the suitcase no problem. I'm mostly taking leggings and t-shirts and they don't take much room.
I've figured out my dresses for the gala nights. I need to try one of the other dresses on on with the shapewear, and see if it's a possibility. Otherwise, I'm just going to rewear the one I'm using for our vow renewal.
Today, we have a one shot, and then we also have Crooked Moon tonight. It should be a lot of fun. They're about to fight a sentient train. I need to do a little prep for that after I finish my entry.
If we get Pad Thai for dinner, I may make some seared scallops for lunch today. It doesn't make sense to make them for dinner, as Jess is not a fan, but for a quick game snack, that could be tasty. Though, who knows, Jess was not a fan of lobster, but it turned out they were not a fan of shitty lobster. Well cooked and seasoned lobster was a whole 'nother thing.
I got some bacon to wrap around them, but I don't have toothpicks to secure it, so we'll see if I do that. Maybe I'll get some skewers when I put in the order for the rotisserie to make Yoda more broth.
Okay, time for me to do some game prep. Everyone have a terrific Saturday!
My sister has her adoptive neice's birthday party tonight, so she's going to be gone, so I'm going to hold off and do the stuffed shells tomorrow, and the beef barley soup on Monday. That shouldn't take too long to do, since I have the pre-diced mirepoix. I'll probably sauté the meat, chunk some potatoes up and make the broth at lunch. (I have a broth base from Sam's club that I'll use. Then it can simmer for a while, and I'll add the Barley during break, so it has plenty of time to get softened. Add in a bay leaf and some thyme and rosemary for flavor, and it'll be great. Tonight, I kind of want Pad Thai. Or lunch can be Pad Thai. I'm not picky.
Last night, I made chicken noodle soup. (Okay, primary thing that I wanted was broth for Yoda. HE wasn't eating the plain rice, so I made some with homemade chicken broth, and that was a huge hit. Then, I made the leftovers into soup, which turned out excellent. I will 100% do that again. It was warm, comforting and oh so very tasty. For once, no notes. I was totally pleased with the outcome.
What I may do is get another Rotisserie and make more chicken broth for Yoda, and then put some in containers so that when I need to make more rice, It's there. Plus, broth for recipes. That could be good. Now that I know how easy it is, I will do it more. Probably at some point, I'll go to the butcher and get some soup bones and stew meat, and make a broth from that. Not for Yoda, for me. Beef can upset his tummy sometimes, so he's going to be sticking with chicken.
Work was interesting. I was added to the weekly manager's meeting, which was a ride. OMG, those people are brutal. I heard all about my coworkers, and how they suck. One is apparently getting fired soon, and another has them checking all of her appts, because they're a total mess. There was some business discussed, but a lot of it was just a bitch-fest. An hour and a half bitch fest. Being brand new, I didn't participate much, but I did speak up a couple of times. I still don't 100% feel like I belong. That will come, I'm sure, but I'm not there yet.
Other than that, I just made some calls, filled in some appointments, and overall got shit done. I was barely taking calls at all--just trying to tetris some patients into the schedule. We've got a bunch of long MRIs who want appointments around 4/8, and we've got jack and shit. I've been trying to move patients, but they're being incredibly stubborn, so I didn't make much headway on that.
I had one patient whose appt was cancelled by another dept (I presume accidentally)! I had to call them and let them know that we couldn't honor their original appointment, but we could definitely get them in before their follow up with the doctor on Tuesday. Lord, they were pissed. (Understandably, but goddamn.) I know A. is following up with that dept to make sure the person who cancelled it was educated, but that doesn't help the pt who has to drive two hours twice rather than once on on the day of their appt.
I'm definitely tireder at the end of the day. The email where people send add ons is a firehose, and it takes a lot to keep up with it. I'll get used to it, and figure out strategies, but right now, it's a little overwhelming. I'm using flags and labels to keep things organized, but it's a lot. I'm glad I have a couple of weeks to get used to it before I start college.
The BIL came over last night. He continues to be super adorable about the cruise. He's so damn excited. Not that the rest of us aren't, but I think he really needs this vacation. He takes care of his elderly mother almost full time, so this is going to be a good break for him.
I left a message for the petsitting company for Boodle, so I assume they'll call me back Monday, so I can get that set up.
Then that'll be all I can do until it's time to take Yoda for his second flu shot, and then we can finally try him out in the kennels. Fingers crossed that it goes well and he doesn't have to go to the vet to stay, but we'll see. That's my one anxiety for the cruise, and I can't do shit about it til late April. The place we want to try requires two weeks from the second flu shot before they'll accept your pet. I could check the other, and see if they do as well and get him a few days there.
After that, I've got some cleaning to do in our bedroom, then we'll be ready to go. I just bought a metric ton of underwear and socks, and I have a couple more t-shirts coming, but after that, I should be done. Oh and another swim suit, because the bra in the one I got was pathetic. That's going in the to be donated bin. I don't need my boobs floating around while I'm in the pool or hydrotherapy spa.
First, we have out NYC trip for Lost Boys on 4/18. That should be super fun, and I'm looking forward to it.
We have so many awesome things coming up this year, and I have to wait for all of it. I don't like waiting. I have no patience. Yay ADHD!
I've been waiting for the cruise for over 300 days, and now we're down to 47 days. I want to start packing, but I'll wait a little bit longer. I could technically pack socks and underwear now, but I don't feel like hauling out the big suitcase yet. The temps in Alaska are still pretty brutal, so I'm considering bringing the heavy jacket. I think I can fit it in the suitcase no problem. I'm mostly taking leggings and t-shirts and they don't take much room.
I've figured out my dresses for the gala nights. I need to try one of the other dresses on on with the shapewear, and see if it's a possibility. Otherwise, I'm just going to rewear the one I'm using for our vow renewal.
Today, we have a one shot, and then we also have Crooked Moon tonight. It should be a lot of fun. They're about to fight a sentient train. I need to do a little prep for that after I finish my entry.
If we get Pad Thai for dinner, I may make some seared scallops for lunch today. It doesn't make sense to make them for dinner, as Jess is not a fan, but for a quick game snack, that could be tasty. Though, who knows, Jess was not a fan of lobster, but it turned out they were not a fan of shitty lobster. Well cooked and seasoned lobster was a whole 'nother thing.
I got some bacon to wrap around them, but I don't have toothpicks to secure it, so we'll see if I do that. Maybe I'll get some skewers when I put in the order for the rotisserie to make Yoda more broth.
Okay, time for me to do some game prep. Everyone have a terrific Saturday!
Recommendation: nothing and everything - Hamlets vid
Mar. 20th, 2026 07:41 pmpetra[VID] nothing and everything (0 words) by hartknyx
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Hamlet - Shakespeare
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Characters: Hamlet (Hamlet)
Additional Tags: Good Friend Horatio (Hamlet), Canon-Typical Violence, Suicidal Thoughts, Mental Health Issues, Lighter than it sounds, emo kid hamlet
Summary:
Hamlet + Green Day = FUCKING INSPIRED. I howled with laughter at the song choice before clicking, and the vid lives up to it.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Hamlet - Shakespeare
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Characters: Hamlet (Hamlet)
Additional Tags: Good Friend Horatio (Hamlet), Canon-Typical Violence, Suicidal Thoughts, Mental Health Issues, Lighter than it sounds, emo kid hamlet
Summary:
do you have the time to listen to me whine?
*Hamlet + Green Day = FUCKING INSPIRED. I howled with laughter at the song choice before clicking, and the vid lives up to it.
My Darling Dreadful Thing, by Johanna van Veen
Mar. 20th, 2026 01:53 pmrachelmanija
This spooky ghost story has a central pairing that I feel like I may have requested as an original work: Widow/Female Fake Psychic/Ghost of a Female Bog Body.
My Darling Dreadful Thing is set in the Netherlands in the 1950s, which is a selling point all by itself as I love unusual settings. Roos is a young woman whose abusive fake psychic mother forces her to participate in her fake seances. But though Roos does not communicate with the spirits sought by the desperate, grieving customers, she actually does have a spirit companion, a bog body whom Roos has bound to her and named Ruth.
Roos is delighted when Agnes, a biracial (Indonesian/Dutch) widow, takes her as a companion and spirits her away to her neglected Gothic mansion in the middle of nowhere. The mansion is otherwise occupied only by Agnes's sister-in-law, Willamine, who is dying of tuberculosis, and has a marvellously bizarre Gothic history. Roos falls hard in love with Agnes, with whom she has a surprising amount in common.
But this whole story is being told in retrospect, as a series of interviews Roos is having with a psychiatrist who is trying to determine whether she's mentally fit to stand trial for murder. Something very bad happened at the mansion...
( Read more... )
Very enjoyable, very gothic, very atmospheric. I'm excited to read van Veen's other two books. I looked her up to see if she's actually from the Netherlands (yes) and learned that she's one of a set of non-identical triplet sisters! I don't think I've ever read a book by a triplet before.
NEW CAMERON REED NOVEL OUT APRIL 7. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Mar. 20th, 2026 01:45 pmrydra_wongJames Davis Nicoll: Let’s Talk This Over: What We Are Seeking by Cameron Reed
Yes I pre-ordered it blind, have you even met me.
Yes I pre-ordered it blind, have you even met me.
A higher power underground from seraph skies and now to chaos bound
Mar. 20th, 2026 04:43 ambeansideIt's Friday! Also the first day of Spring! Huzzah! Now if the weather will just behave like it's spring, we'd be in business. Though I think it's supposed to get up near 70 degrees today, so maybe it's figured its shit out. Though it is going to be kind of rainiy, which I'm a little sick of. We've had a lot of precipitation recently. It's to the point that seeing sun is a special occasion.
Yoda continues to improve from his little tummy issues. I fried up plain ground chicken, and he ate every bit of that in several small meals, and it all stayed down. Once I wake up a little more, I'll wipe out the pan and make another batch for today. He's still not 100%. Still a little tired and not as perky as normal. But he's definitely improving. Last night, he barked ferociously at the UPS person, so that was heartening. He had been indifferent for the last two days. I'm hoping he's even a little better today. He also agreed to go for a walk, which is the first time he's done that in probably 36 hours. (We have pads down for him in case and he was damn sure using them. Still has diarrhea, but hopefully that will improve now that he's eating again.
Yesterday was a good day. Not too busy, I took about 20 calls, which is on target, and spent the rest of the day watching for cancellations. After work, Jess made our hashbrown chorizo casserole, which tasted especially good. Then I relaxed a bit, watched a couple of videos, and then went to bed. Even UPS came a touch early so I didn't have to stay up for hours.
I got a few happy things. One was more cookies from the Honolulu Cookie Company. I love these fucking cookies. They're the best thing. Second was Jess' swimwear, and last was some shapewear for me. I'm a little embarrassed about the weight I've gained back as the Rybelsus is working less. I have hopes that the Mounjaro will do something for that, but that doesn't help me for the cruise. I've got all these great dresses, and I want to look cute in them. It's actually rather comfortable, I have to admit. I don't feel squished, but it does make the line of the dress a little cleaner, so I'll probably try that out for formal night, and if I decide to wear a dress any other time.
Today, I shall work, Jess has a checkup with their primary care, and then game, which shall be a lot of fun. Does the team fight a storm giant? We'll see! They're on their way to meet with a noble who has a shard of the shield they're trying to collect. That, plus diplomacy should take up the entire session. Then we'll need to figure out when we can play again. We're getting close to having to schedule the endgame sessions, which will see it move from Fridays to Saturdays, so that a player who had to drop because of work can play the last big battle with the goddess of the dragons and her handmaids. It should be a lot of fun. While it's bittersweet to have another game end, especially one that's been going on for over 5 years, I'm glad to open up time for other games. This is also good because two of my Wednesday games are moving to Fridays due to my school schedule. The college's assignments run Thursday to Wednesday, so I wanted Wednesday free in case I'm needing to cram the work in if I'm running late. I've also cut down to one game per day on the weekend so I'll have a bit of time to study.
Also, though I was already doing it to some extent, limiting one shots. I think that'll help get things rolling. I do have a short roleplay that I need to guide for Jess and one of her friends that is a prequel to the new campaign. I do have a one-shot scheduled for tomorrow, but that's the placeholder while I finish getting the stuff ready for the new game, so they still get to play in the interim. Plus, it's an easy game to run. Roleplay heavy. No combat unless they start shit.
Tomorrow, we have the last two game Saturday that I shall have for a while. First the one shot with the smaller server, and then Crooked Moon with the main server in the evening, and Sunday we have Strixhaven, which I'm looking forward to, since I can debut my new character artwork which I love so much. It really helped me flesh out who the character is as a person.
Oh, I also got my new dutch oven! It's a bright orange monstrosity of an enameled cast iron pan. It's also enormous. I could shove a whole roasting chicken in here to make soup. Which is kind of the plan. I've got a rotisserie chicken I could throw in today and make delicious chicken soup. I'm not sure whether chicken rice or noodle. I will have to think on it.
Tomorrow, I think I'm doing the stuffed shells, and then Sunday maybe beef barley soup. I was going to make stew, but I saw the barley in the cupboard yesterday and am considering that.
We'll see for tonight how much work I want to do. I might order out, or I might pull out the ribs and use up the golden bbq sauce I got from Navajo Mike's. Then it's just a matter of putting stuff on other stuff.
Tomorrow morning, I shall run over to the pharmacy and pick up the Mounjaro and other meds. I'm not sure where I'm going to inject. I'll need to read over the pamphlet to see what the options are. I sure hope switching from a GLP-1 to a combination GIP and GLP-1 will do the trick. Otherwise, I suppose there's Jardiance, which is a SGLT2 Inhibitor. We'll see! I really like the convenience of the Mounjaro, since it's a once a week injection. We'll see how it goes.
I may also run up as far as Luna's House to pick up my prizes from the virtual auction. I have a prize from the Holiday one I never picked up, so I'll see if it's still available. If I have time, I could go to the emissions center and get that done as well. Might be a lot to fit into 3 hours, though.
Sunday, before game, I'd like to make the pineapple coconut macadamia pancake batter I got. It just sounds baller. I wish I had coconut syrup to put on them, but alas. If they're good, I'll do it next time.
48 days out from the Alaska trip. It's creeping closer. Soon, I'll be able to print luggage tags and boarding passes. I'm still worried about what we're going to do about Yoda, but hopefully, he settles into being boarded well. I wish we had a little more time, but we'll make it work.
I'm staring to sit with the fact that it's going to be a long damn flight. We're in first class, so it shouldn't be bad, but I really am not a fan of flying. I deal, and I'm better than I used to be, but still. It's not my favorite thing to do. Still, I'm just very excited about it. I want to get going.
Oh, I also forgot to mention that we got tickets for a concert in Newark, NJ! They're doing a tour for the Undertale Determination Symphony. I don't really know Undertale, but it's Jess' favorite video game, so when it turned out that there was a concert coming on a day we could do it, we went for it. I already bought the tickets and booked the hotel. They were coming a bit closer, Philly and DC, but those were both on a Sunday, which would be tough for me PTO wise. So, Newark. At least it's right on the Amtrak Train line, so we can take that up easily enough. I'm going to have to brush up on my Undertale music before November!
Okay, I suppose it's time to go cook Yoda some chicken. Everyone have a fabulous Friday!
Yoda continues to improve from his little tummy issues. I fried up plain ground chicken, and he ate every bit of that in several small meals, and it all stayed down. Once I wake up a little more, I'll wipe out the pan and make another batch for today. He's still not 100%. Still a little tired and not as perky as normal. But he's definitely improving. Last night, he barked ferociously at the UPS person, so that was heartening. He had been indifferent for the last two days. I'm hoping he's even a little better today. He also agreed to go for a walk, which is the first time he's done that in probably 36 hours. (We have pads down for him in case and he was damn sure using them. Still has diarrhea, but hopefully that will improve now that he's eating again.
Yesterday was a good day. Not too busy, I took about 20 calls, which is on target, and spent the rest of the day watching for cancellations. After work, Jess made our hashbrown chorizo casserole, which tasted especially good. Then I relaxed a bit, watched a couple of videos, and then went to bed. Even UPS came a touch early so I didn't have to stay up for hours.
I got a few happy things. One was more cookies from the Honolulu Cookie Company. I love these fucking cookies. They're the best thing. Second was Jess' swimwear, and last was some shapewear for me. I'm a little embarrassed about the weight I've gained back as the Rybelsus is working less. I have hopes that the Mounjaro will do something for that, but that doesn't help me for the cruise. I've got all these great dresses, and I want to look cute in them. It's actually rather comfortable, I have to admit. I don't feel squished, but it does make the line of the dress a little cleaner, so I'll probably try that out for formal night, and if I decide to wear a dress any other time.
Today, I shall work, Jess has a checkup with their primary care, and then game, which shall be a lot of fun. Does the team fight a storm giant? We'll see! They're on their way to meet with a noble who has a shard of the shield they're trying to collect. That, plus diplomacy should take up the entire session. Then we'll need to figure out when we can play again. We're getting close to having to schedule the endgame sessions, which will see it move from Fridays to Saturdays, so that a player who had to drop because of work can play the last big battle with the goddess of the dragons and her handmaids. It should be a lot of fun. While it's bittersweet to have another game end, especially one that's been going on for over 5 years, I'm glad to open up time for other games. This is also good because two of my Wednesday games are moving to Fridays due to my school schedule. The college's assignments run Thursday to Wednesday, so I wanted Wednesday free in case I'm needing to cram the work in if I'm running late. I've also cut down to one game per day on the weekend so I'll have a bit of time to study.
Also, though I was already doing it to some extent, limiting one shots. I think that'll help get things rolling. I do have a short roleplay that I need to guide for Jess and one of her friends that is a prequel to the new campaign. I do have a one-shot scheduled for tomorrow, but that's the placeholder while I finish getting the stuff ready for the new game, so they still get to play in the interim. Plus, it's an easy game to run. Roleplay heavy. No combat unless they start shit.
Tomorrow, we have the last two game Saturday that I shall have for a while. First the one shot with the smaller server, and then Crooked Moon with the main server in the evening, and Sunday we have Strixhaven, which I'm looking forward to, since I can debut my new character artwork which I love so much. It really helped me flesh out who the character is as a person.
Oh, I also got my new dutch oven! It's a bright orange monstrosity of an enameled cast iron pan. It's also enormous. I could shove a whole roasting chicken in here to make soup. Which is kind of the plan. I've got a rotisserie chicken I could throw in today and make delicious chicken soup. I'm not sure whether chicken rice or noodle. I will have to think on it.
Tomorrow, I think I'm doing the stuffed shells, and then Sunday maybe beef barley soup. I was going to make stew, but I saw the barley in the cupboard yesterday and am considering that.
We'll see for tonight how much work I want to do. I might order out, or I might pull out the ribs and use up the golden bbq sauce I got from Navajo Mike's. Then it's just a matter of putting stuff on other stuff.
Tomorrow morning, I shall run over to the pharmacy and pick up the Mounjaro and other meds. I'm not sure where I'm going to inject. I'll need to read over the pamphlet to see what the options are. I sure hope switching from a GLP-1 to a combination GIP and GLP-1 will do the trick. Otherwise, I suppose there's Jardiance, which is a SGLT2 Inhibitor. We'll see! I really like the convenience of the Mounjaro, since it's a once a week injection. We'll see how it goes.
I may also run up as far as Luna's House to pick up my prizes from the virtual auction. I have a prize from the Holiday one I never picked up, so I'll see if it's still available. If I have time, I could go to the emissions center and get that done as well. Might be a lot to fit into 3 hours, though.
Sunday, before game, I'd like to make the pineapple coconut macadamia pancake batter I got. It just sounds baller. I wish I had coconut syrup to put on them, but alas. If they're good, I'll do it next time.
48 days out from the Alaska trip. It's creeping closer. Soon, I'll be able to print luggage tags and boarding passes. I'm still worried about what we're going to do about Yoda, but hopefully, he settles into being boarded well. I wish we had a little more time, but we'll make it work.
I'm staring to sit with the fact that it's going to be a long damn flight. We're in first class, so it shouldn't be bad, but I really am not a fan of flying. I deal, and I'm better than I used to be, but still. It's not my favorite thing to do. Still, I'm just very excited about it. I want to get going.
Oh, I also forgot to mention that we got tickets for a concert in Newark, NJ! They're doing a tour for the Undertale Determination Symphony. I don't really know Undertale, but it's Jess' favorite video game, so when it turned out that there was a concert coming on a day we could do it, we went for it. I already bought the tickets and booked the hotel. They were coming a bit closer, Philly and DC, but those were both on a Sunday, which would be tough for me PTO wise. So, Newark. At least it's right on the Amtrak Train line, so we can take that up easily enough. I'm going to have to brush up on my Undertale music before November!
Okay, I suppose it's time to go cook Yoda some chicken. Everyone have a fabulous Friday!
some good things
Mar. 19th, 2026 11:59 pmkaberett- Migraine World Summit is finished for the year and they chose an extremely good closing keynote about which I am cheerful and bouncy. (Messoud Ashina, CGRP, PACAP & beyond, say if you would like me to try to write more about this).
- Got to spend time with The Child! Was summoned Upstairs to Rest and Read Books for a bit. Some really really excellent self-management and regulation in there around Lots Of Feelings.
- BRONZE AGE LOOM.
- Good therapy session.
- There is now a box of veg cassoulet (+ suspicious protein chunks) in the freezer to be Future Food, and another two portions on the hob for dinner tomorrow.
- I know I keep mentioning the Bedtime Ritual of Lebkuchen and Milk but this is because it is very good and very soothing, okay.
- My watch continues a viable approach to biofeedback (so all I need now is to remember to actually do it...)