be brave, my sage little toaster!

EDITED TO ADD: The GoFundMe to support MinoanMiss/RubyNye's burial/memorial costs is here.

books
A Murderous Relation (Veronica Speedwell #5) by Deanna Raybourn. 2020. Kinky London again.
An Unexpected Peril (Veronica Speedwell #6). 2021. Mountaineering.
An Impossible Impostor (Veronica Speedwell #7). 2022. Return of Martin Guerre. Too much romance by far.
A Sinister Revenge (Veronica Speedwell #8). 2023. Dinosaur house party. Too much romance, still.
A Grave Robbery (Veronica Speedwell #9). 2024. Evil lesbian Dr Frankenstein. *sigh*
currently reading: A Ghastly Catastrophe (Veronica Speedwell #10). 2026. Dracula.

yarning
Sold a snek, a turkey leg, and 2 mushrooms. Got the carrots and kickbunny to KA in the mail (and worked out Click-n-Ship after USPS disabled my old login info). Didn't go to yarn group, even though I was dressed and ready. A strong cold front was on the verge of coming in and I just felt bad. So that's five in a row that I've missed, doh. I did post some pics to the group chat, so they know I'm still involved.

media
The free Importance of Being Earnest is expiring this evening. REALLY fun! <333

healthcrap
I finally called to renew my healthcare coverage, and there are delays on their end, thanks to their new system. Had to reschedule botox for migraines until next month.

#resist
+ Check locally for anti-war protests. I'm finding Reddit and Instagram to be fairly good sources if you check often.
+ March 28: #50501 No Kings Protest #3

astrology
Mercury Retrograde ends on the 20th, the same day as the Equinox (yay SPRING)! OTOH, the last time that all the outer planets were in their current positions, we were in the US Civil War. That doesn't mean we're headed into a new civil war by any means, obvsly, but it's a pretty dreadful interesting time in the skies.

I hope all of you are doing well! <333

My heart is broken by the terrible loss of minoanmiss. I met her in fandom in my early DCU days, something like 23 years ago, and once in person in 2009, and always treasured her friendship. Rest in peace and power, love. Hugs to all who grieve her passing.

books by Adrian Tchaikovsky
House of Open Wounds, Lives of Bitter Rain, Days of Shattered Faith, Pretenders to the Throne of God
I don't think I LIKED any of these, but the 'verse is interesting? I get the feeling that he cares far more about gaming out his worldbuilding than he does his actual characters, which is no way to write a novel/series.

yarning
Finished the orange and blue kickbunny. Missed yarn group yet again. Started the Easter carrots. Worked a little on the kickbunny for the kitten academy momcat. The long term commission for 2 kickbunnies turned into a priority commission, so I'm rapidly working on that instead of more carrots. Sold an under the door toy. And 2 more catnip-silvervine hearts that I have to make. Oof! I'm grateful for the sales, but wtf is going on with the deluge? I mean, SEVENTEEN things to make!! Most ASAP!

augh
dad had yet another bad fall Monday night, but, knock wood, I haven't yet been asked to go up and help out. These deadlines make that problematic.

healthcrap
General malaise. Epic brain fog. Continuing vertigo. The internet tells me that a repeatedly bitten tongue can develop white keratosis (like your fingernails) to protect it. I keep biting the wound, which is why I still have an ulcer just under my tongue, way back by my molars. /whine. Also, I didn't get my healthcare coverage renewed before it expired, so I'm having to wrangle that while feeling like crap. :(

#resist
+ voted in the TX primary yesterday. Learned I was gerrymandered into a new congressional district minutes before voting, so I had to choose a new rep.
+ Look out for local anti-war protests in your area.
+ March 5: Fighting and Winning Against Trump's Concentration Camps - Mass Call
+ March 28: #50501 No Kings Protest #3

I hope you're all doing as well as can be expected. <333

( books (Pratchett, Kingfisher) )

yarning
Finished a ninth balaclava. Soaked the five Icelandic wool ones in vinegar water, and then in fabric softener. Washed the 4 acrylic ones. Let them all dry. Found an extra hat for the children's shelter that I lost in my couch, oops. Finished the pink bunny. Didn't go to yarn group bc I felt rotten. Got everything in the mail. Started a new bunny for the new momcat at KA. Got a commission for 12 amigurumi carrots for someone's Easter tree and a commission for a new Rockstar Lestat art doll!

healthcrap
Still having TERRIBLE vertigo, sinusitis & a sore throat. My scalp is tingling to distraction. And my badly bitten tongue still hasn't healed. :(((

#resist
+ March 28: #50501 No Kings Protest #3

I hope you're all doing well! <333

( books: Pratchett )

yarning
Sunday I delivered 25 hats to my contact for the children's shelter at yarn group. Had a nice time. Started balaclavas for ICE protesters in Minneapolis with Walmart yarn. Started a donation kickbunny for the new momcat at Kitten Academy. Received yarn today to make more balaclavas. Got an etsy order today for two catnip-silvervine hearts. Yay!

healthcrap
I've had a low grade fever off and on with a constant runny nose and sore throat, and also I bit the crap out of my tongue, on the side at the back, so I've added benzocaine gel to the meds lineup. And thyme tea, since I can't take guaifenisen, which is in all the cold meds. Also, the med I'm titrating off of causes hot flashes as a withdrawal symptom, which can go on for a month after the med is totally stopped. (Grr. I'm so impatient to feel better.) And I need to get those labs done at some point, oops.

#resist
+ https://standwithminnesota.com
+ https://projectreliefme.com (mutual aid in Maine -- the ICE surge in ME is over, but they arrested 200 people there and their families still need help.)
+ Feb 17th: #50501 Protest: Impeach, Convict, Remove, Defund
+ March 28: #50501 No Kings Protest #3

I hope you're all doing well! <333

So I got jabbed Wednesday afternoon and the guy warned me the side effects would be bad, like notably worse than a covid jab. He said to expect to feel awful for 48-72 hours. And at 48 hours, I had a fever of 100F, a painful, itchy arm, no energy, and sniffles. (Though the sniffles might be allergies.) All of this is on the information sheet. And the second jab will be in 2-6 months. Happily, it was free at my pharmacy, though it would cost $57 at my clinic. (Weird.)

I'm so tired.

I hope y'all are doing well. Stay safe in the frigid cold. We're due at least a quarter inch of ice tomorrow. :(((

( books (all Pratchett) )

yarning
Listed Rockstar Lestat & older Daniel Molloy made to order art dolls. Finished and listed the teal bunny from last week. Worked on donation hats & gave them to my children's shelter contact at yarn group on Sunday. Had a good time there, working on another hat. Sold a valentine catnip heart.

healthcrap
doc appt Friday, where I asked for a referral to get a shingles shot. Doc appt Monday, where we talked about my weird blood cells. I am still titrating off the med I'm slowly quitting.

#resist
#50501 Jan 20th Free America Walkout. 2pm local time.

I hope you're all doing well! <333

I received the absolutely delightful:
The Day After (4505 words) by rabidsamfan
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Harriet Vane/Peter Wimsey
Characters: Mervyn Bunter, Harriet Vane, Peter Wimsey
Additional Tags: Missing Scene
Summary:

A coda to Busman’s Honeymoon.

And I wrote:
Closing Ceremony (1651 words) by Sage
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Summer War - Naomi Novik
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Argent of the Woven Blade/Elithyon
Characters: Elithyon (Summer War), Argent of the Woven Blade
Additional Tags: Yuleporn, Yuletide, Yuletide 2025
Summary:

Elithyon & Argent, before the curse.

books
The Fortune of War (Aubreyad #6) by Patrick O'Brian. Very satisfying, if occasionally super gross. I'm rationing these, because I'll be sad when they're over.

Ancient Iran and Its Neighbours: Local Developments and Long-range Interactions in the 4th Millennium BC by Cameron A. Petrie (Editor). 2013. I started this an age ago & put it down in the middle of the driest of dry articles. It's a lot of archaeology, and little of it is engaging, but I love the general subject matter so I finished it.

still reading: The Impossible Fortune (Thursday Murder Club #5) by Richard Osman. This one is failing to hook me.

yarning
I went to yarn group Sunday and had a good time, though I messed up the bunny I worked on there, doh. Adding a Made To Order option in my etsy shop for kickbunnies was a good idea. I've had several sales already, and also the burgundy and rose pink ones keep selling out. Etsy's color of the year for 2026 is "Patina Blue," or blue copper, which is basically teal, so I'm focusing on burgundy and teal now, while hoping the brown and yellow bunnies in the shop will eventually sell. A fun aside: my Santa from the Kitten Academy holiday card exchange drew a great, colorful scene in the card he sent -- a Christmas tree filled with cats and two kickbunnies looking up at them from in front of a fire in the fireplace. A very happy-making surprise!

yuletide
I've been volunteering as a SPAG beta on the Yuletide discord & have gotten to preview some really cute/sweet/charming fics! Fic reveals are THIS AFTERNOON!! and I cannot wait! \o/

( healthcrap ) However, the flu is, and my brother has it, so Christmas is delayed until he gets better and has a few days off again, whenever that will be. At least I'll have Yuletide to keep me company.

Solstice
was Sunday at 9:03am CST. Happy YULE!! Welcome to the return of the light, northern hemisphere peeps! Happy Summer Solstice, antipodeans! \o/

#resist
Tuesday, January 20: #50501 General Walk-out, 2pm local time. https://www.FreeAmeri.ca

Wishing everyone safe travels and a very happy holiday season, whatever you celebrate! <333

books
A Companion to Women in the Ancient World by Sharon L. James (Editor), Sheila Dillon (Editor). 2012. Triggery as hell in the first third. Took a long time to read.

I started Natasha Pulley's Hymn to Dionysus, but it didn't grab me so it's on pause.

yarning
a) Thanks to some links from Petra, I learned to knit a few rows of garter stitch. And yet...it feels wrong. (I'm probably doing it wrong, though my little swatch looks vaguely like it's supposed to.) I found a video on knitting continental, so the yarn is on the correct side for my brain. But it feels weird. Maybe I'm just built for crochet...?

b) I think I've just about got the Vampire Lestat in gold pants crochet pattern complete. I'm testing it, which is a good thing, bc I found some errors. Meanwhile, I'm teasing the art doll on Tumblr (mostlyvampires), hoping it'll eventually reach interested people. (I'd appreciate a reblog, if you see this! <333)

c) Next up maaaay be creating a red pants version. In the screen grabs from the trailer, that version doesn't have the necklace or microphone...unless I add them. I'm so impatient for more canon to work from! OR a different canon to bite me and demand yarning into being. OR commissions to make dolls of other people from photos. That's a thing I can do & it would be FUN!

d) Saturday evening some lovely anonymouse bought a Made to Order cat stitch scarf from me, but they didn't tell me what colors to use! I messaged them Sunday morning but didn't hear anything all day & hyperfixated on it, as you do. Then first thing Monday, there was a message with colors! So I spent all day Monday working on it, and then part of Tuesday weaving in all the million ends from the 45 color changes. And ouch my shoulder, but I've missed making these, so all in all, it was fun! AND, most importantly, I revised the listing to make it clear that ANY colors are doable, but you have to choose the colors! :g:

e) This is just me being fond, but yesterday someone bought the black sparkly amineko kitty with gold eyes after YEARS of it sitting on my couch waiting for a home. I'm so happy for it! \o/

healthcrap
Thursday's bone scan went fine, though the results weren't great. I may or may not have lost half an inch of height. I didn't stand up straight when she measured me, so I'm hoping not. OTOH, I haven't been exercising, so maybe so. :shrug: Yesterday was the doc appt for filling out transportation forms. I have doubts that it'll be approved, but we won't know til I send it in.

Yuletide
I keep having feelings about my fic, flipping between unutterably anxious and more or less pleased. The betas really helped, and there are many many editing days left between now and Dec 24, so maybe it'll be okay in the end. Monday night, despite my intention to stick it in a proverbial drawer for a few days, I couldn't get to sleep until after I got up and tinkered with it a little more. I keep changing sentences and hoping I'm improving it instead of breaking it. :crosses fingers and toes:

I hope all of y'all are doing well! <333