usedtobeljs

Oh so tired, so out of initiative. But we persevere.

*Miss Adventure has decided that Adventure is NOT her middle name, as she does not like loud trucks/cars/machinery and the outside is full of them. I'm rereading a Sarah Fisher dog-training book to try to figure out how to shift her out of meltdown mode.

(But she is so sweet, and so funny, and a lovely presence in the house.)

*Just finished reading C.S. Harris's latest Sebastian St Cyr mystery, Who Speaks for the Damned. Really wonderful, one of the best in the series: find out more here.

*Enjoying the genre pleasures and visual splendor (hee) of Christian Kane's new TV show Almost Paradise. (I will follow Kane just about anywhere.) A teaser here.

Two three-sentence fics on the subject of Difficult:

( Lindsey/Fred, Deep Ellum )

( Lord Peter/Harriet, post-canon )

Happy days to all!

1) It is Late Pollen season here in the subtropics (Early Pollen comes on in February).
2) It is also still the dry season, until mid- to late-May, and so I water the backyard plantings once a week.
3) Master Danger goes out with me, trotting happily, but he is ready to go in LONG before I am finished. This morning he tried to herd me, but since he hates the hose and spray, it was tentative herding at best.
4) Also this weekend: switched out my closets (autumn/winter dresses and skirts go into the spare room, spring/summer dresses and skirts into my bedroom closet).
5) Also switched out my scarf drawer, putting the wool away for the next seven months...
6) So remember my idea of a clothes-fast (London and the upcoming Texas trip excluded) until June?
7) The clothes-fast I broke within two days because of a Boden shirtdress?
8) I'd been good, but I just saw online another shirtdress from Ann Mashburn that I could not stop thinking about.
9) Cons: CLOTHES-FAST, damn it. So, so expensive, it's ridiculous.
10) Pros: I loved it. I loved it so much. I kept going back to look at it. No one else in my small town will have one like it. I will wear it for years.
11) Yeah, so it'll be at my house by Wednesday. [rolls eyes at self]
12) I am the person described in this Guardian article about Instagram fashion. I mean, I haven't bought anything from the shops mentioned in the article, but I do follow several independent brands for shoes and clothes and scarves (and also Boden and Victoria Beckham), and yes, I purchase from them.
13) I find this method of highlighting product far more aspirational than fashion magazines.
14) Harpers Bazaar UK still is a fun read, with Justine Picardie commissioning some great articles, and the "front of the book" articles and fashion collages speak to me. But the editorial images of twenty-somethings in couture bore me. No relevance at all.
15) I should try British Vogue too, and see what Edward Enninful is doing.
16) (Why no American Vogue? I don't like NYC fashion mags, to be honest.)
17) And to conclude this portion of the list, clearly shirtdresses are my Kryptonite.
18) Am also v. fond of brogues with dresses. (Here's Zawe Ashton in white Grenson brogues with a floaty dress, at the opening night of All About Eve.)
19) Still obsessed with Betrayal, by the way.
20) What else can I talk about? Today's tea (iced) is Fortmason.
21) When I gave up sweetening my tea, it became even more important that the tea itself tastes lovely.
22) Fortmason tea, as described on the F&M website: "A fine blend of Indian and China teas that is then perfumed with the delicate aroma of orange blossom to produce a subtle, floral flavour."
23) I am also fond of the scent of orange blossom, btw.
24) So let's change the subject, as I plunge toward the end of this list.
25) Say, I surely do love Dame Diana Rigg. I've linked to a great short interview with her.
26) Still doing Pilates twice a week, still loving it.
27) Now if I could just stop eating cookies, we'd be in business.
28) Master Danger, who's lying in the most inconvenient place possible at my feet, just sighed heavily. I'd better wrap this up.

29) Three-sentence fic on the topic of spring, Giles/Anya Deep Ellum, set now:
The first nice evening in springtime, Giles makes a production of taking Anya to the rooftop garden: fresh cushions, flowers in bloom (with a little magical assist), wine. She loves that he makes such a fuss. But more, she loves sitting with him as the cool night falls, his hand warm in hers.

30) Three-sentence fic on the topic of spring, Mycroft/Anthea, established relationship:
The first day of spring for Anthea is when her Mycroft strolls into breakfast with his summerweight tropical wool grey suit rather than his winter Savile Row suiting. His pocket square and tie are light blue in honour of the season, and when her fingers caress the silk, he catches her hand. "You shall play with that later," he says softly into her ear, and the pleasure-shivers from words and promise stay with her all day.

31) Happy week ahead!

This damn week. I cannot. I cannot.

So, before I turn off the news and the computer for a while, a Deep Ellum ficlet, set now, referencing current events.

( Giles would have suggested Anya not watch, but he did understand the importance of bearing witness. )

May we figure out this shit and make it better.

So, in short:

--It has rained for over 9 days. The world is a soggy green steambath.

--The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a joyous occasion, and while I totally understood the anti-monarchist position on the money spent, it still made me happy.

--Today is my friend stateless82's birthday -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! -- and as I recall, she favors Lindsey/Fred. Here, a Deep Ellum ficlet, set right about now:

Why are you so mad?" Fred said impatiently. "It all turned out fine."

Lindsey stared at her. Yeah, the mad goblin charging across the NorthPark Mall parking lot toward Fred had been neutralized by a quick kick from Lindsey's cowboy boot and a fast banishing spell from Anya and ol' Giles. But Fred hadn't got behind him like he'd told her to when they first saw the damn bluefaced crazy sombitch, she'd just stood there and dared the creature to come on – "Really, Winifred? Really?"

She stared back. Her big eyes were dark with hurt, or – something, he couldn't quite tell. "Come on now, Lindsey." She crossed her arms. "Do you hear me yellin' at you for throwing yourself at the teeth and fangs? Do you hear me yellin' at you for being so damn stupid-brave?"

Oh. Okay.

He risked a smile. "I kinda do, darlin', right at this moment."

"Oh for pity's sake." She threw her hands in the air, then grabbed his shirt and pulled him into her. "Men," she said, before kissing him. It was heaven, her sweet mouth moving on his, there in a streetlamp-lit parking lot with the heat of a May day radiating up into the dark.

"Right, yes, er, maybe not in the traffic lane?" said Giles from somewhere nearby, and Anya said, "Yes, honey, even though Fred makes a very good point about you male types," and Lindsey vaguely registered Anya's and Giles's pushing him and Fred toward their car. But no matter. He kept kissing Fred, 'cause sometimes even a not so good guy needed that touch of heaven in the night.