Dept. of Here Came the Sun
Feb. 15th, 2026 05:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaffy_rHe Woke Up
I awoke at about 6:15 p.m. to feed the cat, and after a night of night sweats (further, deponent saith naught because, eeuww, TMI) and dread about which Bob would greet me when he woke, I couldn't get back to sleep. I got up and tried to catch up on far too many emails. "Catch up on" quickly devolved into pitching most of the 650+ emails into the aether,
Then I thought about updating Bob's doctors on the newest situation - him being home. I finally did that, but not before fearing that Bob wouldn't easily wake, or maybe he'd regress to not waking up at all, when I brought him coffee.
He woke up.
And he got up. And got dressed, and talked to me, and joked, and was there. All there.
Another episode gone? Well, we thought it was gone back in January, and it came back, but I'm choosing to believe in hope this time. And it was a delight to be able to tell people from that damned hospital, and from one of the rehab places I was gearing up to tour that we didn't seem to have a need for them. I will also cancel the tour of another rehab place that I'd set up for Wednesday.
I hope I'm not jinxing everything, but again, I'm choosing to believe in hope this time.
That doesn't mean our work is done. We have got to figure out what the fuck goes on in BB's body to throw him into confusion, weakness and aphasia, and why it was so bad this time. There has to be a reason, or even more than one reason. So that's on the to-do list. But Sunday is a day of rest, so I will rest, watching Bob at his computer, and urging me to read the political columns he's sending me. It feels like home again.
I awoke at about 6:15 p.m. to feed the cat, and after a night of night sweats (further, deponent saith naught because, eeuww, TMI) and dread about which Bob would greet me when he woke, I couldn't get back to sleep. I got up and tried to catch up on far too many emails. "Catch up on" quickly devolved into pitching most of the 650+ emails into the aether,
Then I thought about updating Bob's doctors on the newest situation - him being home. I finally did that, but not before fearing that Bob wouldn't easily wake, or maybe he'd regress to not waking up at all, when I brought him coffee.
He woke up.
And he got up. And got dressed, and talked to me, and joked, and was there. All there.
Another episode gone? Well, we thought it was gone back in January, and it came back, but I'm choosing to believe in hope this time. And it was a delight to be able to tell people from that damned hospital, and from one of the rehab places I was gearing up to tour that we didn't seem to have a need for them. I will also cancel the tour of another rehab place that I'd set up for Wednesday.
I hope I'm not jinxing everything, but again, I'm choosing to believe in hope this time.
That doesn't mean our work is done. We have got to figure out what the fuck goes on in BB's body to throw him into confusion, weakness and aphasia, and why it was so bad this time. There has to be a reason, or even more than one reason. So that's on the to-do list. But Sunday is a day of rest, so I will rest, watching Bob at his computer, and urging me to read the political columns he's sending me. It feels like home again.
read the book of my life and see I've overcome it
Feb. 15th, 2026 06:42 pmmusesfoolI lost most of yesterday to feeling unwell and spending a good part of the day in bed, but I did make char siu and therefore did make pork buns today and as always, they are so good! And remarkably easy, too, if you follow the recipe. I still have tomorrow for doughnuts, potentially.
I also spent some time yesterday watching more Pluribus and I find myself arguing with myself about it. ( spoilers )
So I still am not sure how much I like it as a show, but I am definitely curious to see where it goes (no spoilers past "HDP" please!).
*
I also spent some time yesterday watching more Pluribus and I find myself arguing with myself about it. ( spoilers )
So I still am not sure how much I like it as a show, but I am definitely curious to see where it goes (no spoilers past "HDP" please!).
*
vital functions
Feb. 15th, 2026 10:56 pmkaberettReading. A Variety of books with the Child, including One Fish, Two Fish and A Squeeze and a Squash.
For my own purposes I have been continuing with The Rose Field, Philip Pullman, and I do indeed continue unimpressed. Not enough to stop! But.
I also picked up What Is Queer Food? (John Birdsall) from the library when I was having an insomnia; I have made it most of the way through the introduction but I am not yet grabbed.
Writing. Words... increase.
Listening. More Hidden Almanac catch-up! "While doing the laundry" or indeed "weeding" continues to work quite well.
Playing. Puzzle progresses! I am not calculating current %age but Significant Progress.
I think we did a leeeeettle bit more of our current run of Inkulinati? But it is petering out.
Cooking. Pineapple upside-down banana bread! This time with some ground almond in it. Otherwise I think... very little of note.
Eating. I was very excited to get to try a Neuhaus dark chocolate poppy seed praline, which on the one hand was not actually quite as dark as I would like and on the other has given me Ideas.
Growing. I got some broad beans in the ground?
an early note on Winnaretta Singer
Feb. 15th, 2026 01:29 pmqueenluai'm in the middle of Music's Modern Muse: A Life of Winnaretta Singer, Princesse de Polignac by Sylvia Kahan, which is fascinating so far. i'm really looking forward to doing a writeup on it once i'm done. tl;dr: it's a biography of this chick who was the Big Lesbian Money in the Parisian music scene during her lifetime; she personally commissioned a bunch of Composers You've Heard Of and had them debut at her salons and such.
and, yeah, as i said, a full writeup will come later, but rn i'm just noting something that struck me / gave me an unexpected Some Kinda Feeling, idk—
( this is probably all really banal to ppl who read more history and/or queer theory than me idk lol )
and, yeah, as i said, a full writeup will come later, but rn i'm just noting something that struck me / gave me an unexpected Some Kinda Feeling, idk—
( this is probably all really banal to ppl who read more history and/or queer theory than me idk lol )
Wuthering Heights
Feb. 15th, 2026 02:49 pmalethiaI'm gonna try and use this account more! We'll see how that goes. First, for posterity, I saw Emerald Fennell's adaptation of "Wuthering Heights" (which is an adaptation, no matter EF's excuses. If it's not, don't use the title). It's a horrific adaptation, of course, but even if you completely divorce it from the source material, the movie itself is super problematic. I'd argue this is because Fennell herself holds some reactionary views, whether she knows that or not.
( Wuthering Heights )
( Wuthering Heights )
Rest Easy, My Friend
Feb. 15th, 2026 05:42 pmseleneheartI have just heard that spikedluv passed away. There is information and a link to her obituary in the comments to her last post.
She and I worked together to mod the![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
snowflake_challenge for many years.
She was such a positive light in fandom and I loved how she discovered Murder, She Wrote in the past year or so. She was also on of the few people who wrote my favorite ship in Teen Wolf - Chris Argent/Peter Hale.
I will miss seeing her newsy update posts and pictures of her little corner of the world.
Godspeed.
spikedluv passed away. There is information and a link to her obituary in the comments to her last post.She and I worked together to mod the
snowflake_challenge for many years. She was such a positive light in fandom and I loved how she discovered Murder, She Wrote in the past year or so. She was also on of the few people who wrote my favorite ship in Teen Wolf - Chris Argent/Peter Hale.
I will miss seeing her newsy update posts and pictures of her little corner of the world.
Godspeed.
Weekly Reading
Feb. 15th, 2026 02:36 pmtorachanRecently Finished
Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin
I was thrilled to have a new Enola Holmes book to read. I'm not sure if this is the last one (the ending kind of felt like it could be), and if so, I will miss them. This has been such a fun series.
The Age of Miracles
I found out about this fromrachelmanija's review and was immediately interested. When the MC is eleven, the earth's rotation suddenly slows and the world changes. But even as these big events are going on, she is focused on the big things in her own life: friendships changing, her parents' marriage falling apart, crushes on boys, starting middle school. I really loved the balance between the two.
Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body
Margaret, having defined herself as a tween detective in middle school, now struggles in high school with how to grow up and ends up developing an eating disorder that lands her in a treatment center.
This sounded very relevant to my interests from the blurb but it just didn't work for me. As someone who grew up around the same time (maybe five years earlier or so) and loved mysteries and series like the BSC, and struggled with weight and being queer in a time before the internet and easy access to knowledge of the fact that people like me even existed, I should be the target audience. But I am not that big a fan of the paranormal and magical realism, and while those elements are not mentioned at all in the summary, they feature heavily throughout, and more and more as the story goes on. I wanted something realistic, and this is not that. It's well written and I love the idea of it, but it's just not for me.
Middle of the Night
The MC moves back into his childhood home when his parents move out to a retirement community. Immediately strange things start happening, and he is constantly having nightmares of the night he and his best friend were camping in the yard and his friend went missing and was never found. Now his body has been found nearby, and the MC has to figure out if he's really being haunted or if someone is messing with him, and if they are, are they the murderer? I liked this all right.
The Legend of Auntie Po
Graphic novel about a Chinese American girl in the 1880s who lives in a logging camp with her father, a cook. I liked this a lot.
A Map to the Sun
Graphic novel about a struggling girls' basketball team. I liked it.
A Star Brighter Than the Sun vol. 4
Kindaichi Papa no Jikenbo vol. 3
Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin
I was thrilled to have a new Enola Holmes book to read. I'm not sure if this is the last one (the ending kind of felt like it could be), and if so, I will miss them. This has been such a fun series.
The Age of Miracles
I found out about this from
rachelmanija's review and was immediately interested. When the MC is eleven, the earth's rotation suddenly slows and the world changes. But even as these big events are going on, she is focused on the big things in her own life: friendships changing, her parents' marriage falling apart, crushes on boys, starting middle school. I really loved the balance between the two.Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body
Margaret, having defined herself as a tween detective in middle school, now struggles in high school with how to grow up and ends up developing an eating disorder that lands her in a treatment center.
This sounded very relevant to my interests from the blurb but it just didn't work for me. As someone who grew up around the same time (maybe five years earlier or so) and loved mysteries and series like the BSC, and struggled with weight and being queer in a time before the internet and easy access to knowledge of the fact that people like me even existed, I should be the target audience. But I am not that big a fan of the paranormal and magical realism, and while those elements are not mentioned at all in the summary, they feature heavily throughout, and more and more as the story goes on. I wanted something realistic, and this is not that. It's well written and I love the idea of it, but it's just not for me.
Middle of the Night
The MC moves back into his childhood home when his parents move out to a retirement community. Immediately strange things start happening, and he is constantly having nightmares of the night he and his best friend were camping in the yard and his friend went missing and was never found. Now his body has been found nearby, and the MC has to figure out if he's really being haunted or if someone is messing with him, and if they are, are they the murderer? I liked this all right.
The Legend of Auntie Po
Graphic novel about a Chinese American girl in the 1880s who lives in a logging camp with her father, a cook. I liked this a lot.
A Map to the Sun
Graphic novel about a struggling girls' basketball team. I liked it.
A Star Brighter Than the Sun vol. 4
Kindaichi Papa no Jikenbo vol. 3
Sunday night morbs
Feb. 15th, 2026 10:00 pmcosmolinguistI had a pretty dispiriting conversation with my parents this evening.
Whenever I think "wow I'm shit at speaking up when I should," I hope I remember how far I've come.
My mom won't argue with the people in her life who persist in Trump support despite living in Minnesota in 2026. "We just don't talk about politics," I remember hearing this when I was growing up (once or twice; one didn't even need to talk about not talking about politics very often), and it seems so nonsensical as well as enraging these days.
And when she told me about a parent being ableist toward his young son, after said child's disability had been explicitly compared to mine... She was talking to the parents and made that connection herself, saying that how they described his sight reminded her of me, which got the mom to ask if I'd ever "had to" use braille. At this point I was wincing a little, she made it sound like an emergency plan I didn't have to resort to (when actually I taught myself (by sight, not touch) Grade 1 braille when I was 11 because I so desperately wanted to learn it), but whatever. Mom replied, accurately, that I did not learn braille. The kid's mom said that she'd asked because they as his parents had been told braille might be relevant to their child, and I guess here the kid's dad interrupted their conversation to say "absolutely not, he will never do that."
I was so upset. I shouted "that's horrible!"
Mom was upset...with my outburst. "I'm only telling you what he said," she told me, clearly not interested when I tried to explain why I thought this is horrible.
I've been having a bad-brain time anyway, but the idea that there are people out there who insist that their visually impaired kid will never learn braille is bad enough... and it stings to see that my mom isn't even interested in advocating otherwise even when she had been explicitly treated like an expert by the kid's mom by drawing this parallel between my condition and his.
My mom isn't really much of an expert on my condition -- she told me that people in her church prayed for me to stop being blind when I was a baby and I'm a miracle; Wikipedia tells me it's normal for people born with my condition to acquire some sight by the time we're five years old. And her own ableism was baked into the conversation: she's intensely uncomfortable with wheelchair users unless they are expected to "walk again some day" and she was just so paternalistic about the kid that even modeling better reactions (which is usually all I can do when my parents are like this) didn't feel good enough for me.
It just felt like the last straw: a difficult weekend, I accidentally broke the fastening on my current-favorite glasses chain while I was trying to clean glasses that always seem to be dirty lately, I have realized only tonight that all my train journeys this coming week will be even more complicated because Manchester Piccadilly is effectively closed... D kindly tried to fix a problem with my phone not sending e-mail only for it to confound him, leaving him frustrated and confused.
And now it's past my bedtime? I somehow have to go to sleep when I'm so dejected? Bah.
R.I.P.
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:03 pmfairyniamhR.I.P. spikedluv who passed away on 2-2-2026.
reeby10 delivered the sad news to us.
She will be missed.
https://youtu.be/89g9yMGFGlM?si=tP1Gm3BrHNSEg-3b
spikedluv who passed away on 2-2-2026.reeby10 delivered the sad news to us.She will be missed.
https://youtu.be/89g9yMGFGlM?si=tP1Gm3BrHNSEg-3b
sad
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:10 pmoldtoadwomanI just saw that spikedluv has died (see comments on her most recent entry).
That most recent post sounded happy and normal, but according to the obituary she was gone not long after she posted it. (Her subject line says February 1st and Dreamwidth logged it as posting shortly after midnight on February 2nd and her obituary lists February 2nd as the date of death.)
I didn't really know how to deal with this information. I've never met her in real life. We were not close. She was mainly just a familiar name on my Dreamwidth. Someone who left friendly comments. Making a post about it felt like I would be being unnecessarily dramatic when others knew her much better.
She had mentioned in her "stickied" fandom post that she considered Murder, She Wrote to be her main fandom. I went and looked at her AO3 and opted to click on a Supernatural/Murder She Wrote crossover because that sounded delightful and it ended up having me tearing up just a little.
I decided that posting a fanfic rec is how I'm dealing with this.
This is short and lovely: A Haunting in Cabot Cove
spikedluv has died (see comments on her most recent entry).That most recent post sounded happy and normal, but according to the obituary she was gone not long after she posted it. (Her subject line says February 1st and Dreamwidth logged it as posting shortly after midnight on February 2nd and her obituary lists February 2nd as the date of death.)
I didn't really know how to deal with this information. I've never met her in real life. We were not close. She was mainly just a familiar name on my Dreamwidth. Someone who left friendly comments. Making a post about it felt like I would be being unnecessarily dramatic when others knew her much better.
She had mentioned in her "stickied" fandom post that she considered Murder, She Wrote to be her main fandom. I went and looked at her AO3 and opted to click on a Supernatural/Murder She Wrote crossover because that sounded delightful and it ended up having me tearing up just a little.
I decided that posting a fanfic rec is how I'm dealing with this.
This is short and lovely: A Haunting in Cabot Cove
Making stuff 2: Electric Boogaloo
Feb. 16th, 2026 08:22 ammerrileemakesA while back I posted about switching my Saori loom back to a 2 shaft and wearing a hot pink prewound warp. Well, it's done! And I didn't take any progress shots of the wearing for some reason. But I wove fabric for 2 freeform style tops. Before I get to that there's a bit of work to do first. When I was washing the woven fabric I noticed a section with some skipped threads.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
This sun-lit movement in an English June
Feb. 16th, 2026 06:25 amfabiadrakeIf I had gone back to London, Lucy thought, I would have had no share in this. What would I be doing? Eleven o’clock. Going for a walk in the Park, and deciding how to get out of being guest of honour at some literary dinner. Instead I have this. And all because Dr Knight wanted to go to a medical conference tomorrow. No, because once long ago Henrietta stood up for me at school. It was odd to think that this sun-lit movement in an English June began to take shape thirty years ago in a dark crowded school cloakroom filled with little girls putting on their goloshes. What were first causes, anyhow?
—Miss Pym Disposes
—Miss Pym Disposes
And finally, the hoodoo is broken
Feb. 15th, 2026 09:19 pmloganberrybunnyPublic
It's taken a century, but at last Team GB has managed to score more than one gold medal at a single Winter Olympics! One in the mixed team snowboard cross, and one in the mixed team skeleton. It feels rather good, actually! Considering the number of actual ice tracks we have in Britain is, er, zero our achievements in skeleton are faintly ridiculous, but I'm not complaining. Yes, there have been a lot of frustrations this Games – the women's curlers lost 6-5 to Switzerland after an extra end not long ago – but as a country that really isn't a natural winter sports nation, I'll take three golds over one any day!
It's taken a century, but at last Team GB has managed to score more than one gold medal at a single Winter Olympics! One in the mixed team snowboard cross, and one in the mixed team skeleton. It feels rather good, actually! Considering the number of actual ice tracks we have in Britain is, er, zero our achievements in skeleton are faintly ridiculous, but I'm not complaining. Yes, there have been a lot of frustrations this Games – the women's curlers lost 6-5 to Switzerland after an extra end not long ago – but as a country that really isn't a natural winter sports nation, I'll take three golds over one any day!
That's A Wrap!
Feb. 15th, 2026 03:12 pmcmk418 posting in halfamoonThis post marks the end of the 2026 HalfAMoon Fest. It has been a phenomenal year with around 150 individual posts in some diverse fandoms.
Whether you're a newcomer or a returning friend, whether you posted on one day or all fourteen, brought graphics, fics, vids, podcasts, meta, and recs or just came through and commented, thank you for making this a wonderful experience. Thanks also to everyone who promoted the community on their own pages.
I've got a few more comments to catch up on and the masterlist should be up hopefully by the end of the month. Special thanks tosisterdivinium with their help on this again this year.
If you have any thoughts on topics or ways to make next year's fest better, I welcome them in the comments. If you feel like this is something you would like to help out with next year, let me know that in the comments as well.
It has been incredible seeing your creations. Thank you for making the past fourteen days a great celebration of women! See you in February 2027!
Whether you're a newcomer or a returning friend, whether you posted on one day or all fourteen, brought graphics, fics, vids, podcasts, meta, and recs or just came through and commented, thank you for making this a wonderful experience. Thanks also to everyone who promoted the community on their own pages.
I've got a few more comments to catch up on and the masterlist should be up hopefully by the end of the month. Special thanks to
sisterdivinium with their help on this again this year. If you have any thoughts on topics or ways to make next year's fest better, I welcome them in the comments. If you feel like this is something you would like to help out with next year, let me know that in the comments as well.
It has been incredible seeing your creations. Thank you for making the past fourteen days a great celebration of women! See you in February 2027!
Just one thing: 15 February 2026
Feb. 15th, 2026 02:30 pmjazzyjj posting in awesomeersIt's challenge time!
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished!
Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Go!
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished!
Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Go!
+cries in knitter+
Feb. 15th, 2026 02:24 pmalthea_valaraSo Final Fantasy XIV has these fan fests every few years, right? I cannot afford to go to one, BUT they run a fan art contest alongside it.
I entered the contest two fan fests ago, with a very poor crocheted rendition of the Fat Cat minion. Looks like I don't have record of it on Ravelry. Needless to say, I was not at all surprised when I wasn't even a finalist, let alone a winner.
I entered the 2023 contest with a feverishly-knitted doll, and am STILL thrilled at being a finalist for it. For those that don't feel like clicking through to see the picture: the doll is wearing the Valentione dress that was so popular from several events ago.
It is now 2026, we're gearing up for another Fan Fest, which means the fan art contest is ON. Deadline is March 2nd.
I had a great idea for it, but there was NO way I could get it done in time, so even though I ordered yarn, I reluctantly put that idea to the side. Still gonna do it someday, but not when I'm under deadline.
I had another tentative idea for it, but it would have required lots and lots of counting, and fiber artists aren't that great at counting. Plus, that idea was big enough that I wasn't sure I'd have time to finish it, either.
So I fell back to my third idea, which is really one that I had last year but didn't do. Am working on it today, after not touching it for five days (yikes!).
Said in a discord:
I have finished the first of the five pieces I have left on this portion. It took an hour. Each of the remaining four pieces will take about an hour each. And that's not including [redacted 1] and [redacted 2], which are both rather big portions themselves and will take time. I know how to do [redacted 1] already, and have ideas for [redacted 2], but the actual work of knitting is.... well, WORK.
I'm not sure I can finish before the deadline. But I am going to try. It will mean knitting most of the rest of the day, and touching it every day until deadline.
I entered the contest two fan fests ago, with a very poor crocheted rendition of the Fat Cat minion. Looks like I don't have record of it on Ravelry. Needless to say, I was not at all surprised when I wasn't even a finalist, let alone a winner.
I entered the 2023 contest with a feverishly-knitted doll, and am STILL thrilled at being a finalist for it. For those that don't feel like clicking through to see the picture: the doll is wearing the Valentione dress that was so popular from several events ago.
It is now 2026, we're gearing up for another Fan Fest, which means the fan art contest is ON. Deadline is March 2nd.
I had a great idea for it, but there was NO way I could get it done in time, so even though I ordered yarn, I reluctantly put that idea to the side. Still gonna do it someday, but not when I'm under deadline.
I had another tentative idea for it, but it would have required lots and lots of counting, and fiber artists aren't that great at counting. Plus, that idea was big enough that I wasn't sure I'd have time to finish it, either.
So I fell back to my third idea, which is really one that I had last year but didn't do. Am working on it today, after not touching it for five days (yikes!).
Said in a discord:
12:21pm
so here I am, working on my fanfest entry. I am designing it myself and there's multiple pieces to it. I have proof of concept that two pieces fit correctly together, HUZZAH! but now I have to knit the other four pieces... aka, the fun part is done and now it's just work work work and blah. send me strength!
12:43 PM
it is a universal truth that knitters can't count to small digits. I was wrong, I do not have four pieces left, I have FIVE. and that's just on [redacted]. After this, I still need to do [redacted] and [redacted], oof
I have finished the first of the five pieces I have left on this portion. It took an hour. Each of the remaining four pieces will take about an hour each. And that's not including [redacted 1] and [redacted 2], which are both rather big portions themselves and will take time. I know how to do [redacted 1] already, and have ideas for [redacted 2], but the actual work of knitting is.... well, WORK.
I'm not sure I can finish before the deadline. But I am going to try. It will mean knitting most of the rest of the day, and touching it every day until deadline.
[ SECRET POST #6981 ]
Feb. 15th, 2026 03:13 pmcase posting in fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #6981 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 31 secrets from Secret Submission Post #997.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
(no subject)
Feb. 15th, 2026 02:54 pmtwistedchickSweetiecat is starting to do better. Her tail isn't dragging, she lifts her head to look at me and she's purring a little. Last night she jumped up on the bed next to Steve, which she hasn't done in a while. She is eating and visiting the litter box, and moving around.
Zoomy is a bit of a sad sack, because he feels left out; Sweetie is getting all the attention, he thinks. I have the door open, and he could come in at any time and curl up next to me, but he is not doing it; he's fussing about Sweetie. She's his big tolerant sister who puts up with him jumping on her until she does a judo move and stand over him and lets him know that's enough. He is a dear loving boy, and getting bigger every day, or longer.
And I have decided, after much upset and a cost-benefit calculation, not to go to Sacred Space, the big interreligious pagan conference that is less than 15 miles from me this time. ( more behind cut )
Zoomy is a bit of a sad sack, because he feels left out; Sweetie is getting all the attention, he thinks. I have the door open, and he could come in at any time and curl up next to me, but he is not doing it; he's fussing about Sweetie. She's his big tolerant sister who puts up with him jumping on her until she does a judo move and stand over him and lets him know that's enough. He is a dear loving boy, and getting bigger every day, or longer.
And I have decided, after much upset and a cost-benefit calculation, not to go to Sacred Space, the big interreligious pagan conference that is less than 15 miles from me this time. ( more behind cut )
For UK trans/nb/gender-diverse people (or anyone who might want to signal-boost)
Feb. 15th, 2026 08:13 pmrydra_wonghttps://www.scenemag.co.uk/lancaster-university-launches-national-consultation-to-shape-future-of-adult-gender-healthcare/
https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/transadultspsp/
The focus is identifying priorities for future research, specifically related to "non-surgical, transition-related healthcare for people aged 18 and over", and they're starting with a survey.
Funded by Gendered Intelligence, led by a steering group which is half people with lived experience (in fact more than half, as some of the healthcare professional members also ID as trans), one of the two co-leads is a trans woman, and they're partnered with TransActual and GIRES, so this looks like real genuine co-production.
https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/transadultspsp/
The focus is identifying priorities for future research, specifically related to "non-surgical, transition-related healthcare for people aged 18 and over", and they're starting with a survey.
Funded by Gendered Intelligence, led by a steering group which is half people with lived experience (in fact more than half, as some of the healthcare professional members also ID as trans), one of the two co-leads is a trans woman, and they're partnered with TransActual and GIRES, so this looks like real genuine co-production.
Day 14 - Fic - Doctor Who - Yasmin Khan
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:59 pmmelime posting in halfamoonTitle: Let her go
Fandom: Doctor Who (2005)
Character: Yasmin Khan (Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan)
Prompt: Letting Go
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: Yaz has to let the Doctor go.
Yaz knew her time with the Doctor would have to come to an end, but not this soon, not this way. She's not ready to say goodbye, but she doesn't have a choice. As much as it breaks her heart, she has to let the Doctor go, to let their life together in the TARDIS go. That means saying goodbye to what they could have been, but who she became with the Doctor is who she'll always be. It's time to say goodbye, but not to return to her old life, the Doctor changed her too much, for the better.
Fandom: Doctor Who (2005)
Character: Yasmin Khan (Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan)
Prompt: Letting Go
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: Yaz has to let the Doctor go.
Let her go
Yaz knew her time with the Doctor would have to come to an end, but not this soon, not this way. She's not ready to say goodbye, but she doesn't have a choice. As much as it breaks her heart, she has to let the Doctor go, to let their life together in the TARDIS go. That means saying goodbye to what they could have been, but who she became with the Doctor is who she'll always be. It's time to say goodbye, but not to return to her old life, the Doctor changed her too much, for the better.
The Wounded Name fic
Feb. 15th, 2026 12:00 pmsanguinitycandyheartsex has revealed, and I have received a delightful gift!In Which Laurent Rises to the Occasion
The Wounded Name -- D. K. Broster
Laurent/Aymar, Amyar/Avoye
Canon divergence, Pre-Poly
Aymar despairs of clearing his name and leaves France, leaving only a letter behind.
Laurent is so delightfully himself, burning with passion for all the things! For Aymar! To clear Aymar's name! To tenderly care for him! And also to straighten out this mess where Aymar is determined to throw himself on his sword for Avoye's sake, without first consulting with Avoye about whether she even wants that! (If there is one thing that Laurent has learned from his association with Aymar, it is the frustration of having a lover throw himself on his sword for you without asking first! NOT THAT THIS FLEETINGLY CRITICAL THOUGHT MEANS HE LOVES AYMAR ANY THE LESS!!!!!!!)
I have strong suspicions as to who wrote the story (*casts a meaningfgul glance in
luzula's direction*), especially given the central theme that maybe you should ask your girlfriend what she wants before making a grand life-altering gesture in her name. (A genre of story that luzula excels at!) But I shall refrain from offering official thanks until after reveals. (But please know I enjoyed it very much!)Day 13 - Fic - Dragon Age - Leliana/Female Surana
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:56 pmmelime posting in halfamoonTitle: The Divine and the Hero
Fandom: Dragon Age
Character: Leliana/Neria Surana
Prompt: The Ruler
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: The Divine and the Hero of Ferelden have power and influence, but Leliana and Neria can't just live as they want to live.
Divine Victoria has not only the power and influence of her station, but the willingness to use it, and she's not afraid of hinting at her influence with the Inquisition. She always knew that she had an important job to do, and now she can bring the change that she knows it's necessary, that Divine Justinia only started, but she can go further.
The Hero of Ferelden could influence royalty and nobility even beyond Ferelden with just her word, and that's a power that she avoids using as much as possible these days. She united Ferelden against the Blight, making disparate groups fight side by side under her orders, and she was the hand that picked the fill for the throne, when the death of the king could have thrown them into chaos.
Leliana and Neria can't even get the one thing that they want. A peaceful place to live together, a life that is their own and no one else's, a chance to be happy together after so many years of helping others. They can't have that, not without betraying who they are, so all that they can take for themselves are a few stolen moments in the shadows.
Fandom: Dragon Age
Character: Leliana/Neria Surana
Prompt: The Ruler
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: The Divine and the Hero of Ferelden have power and influence, but Leliana and Neria can't just live as they want to live.
The Divine and the Hero
Divine Victoria has not only the power and influence of her station, but the willingness to use it, and she's not afraid of hinting at her influence with the Inquisition. She always knew that she had an important job to do, and now she can bring the change that she knows it's necessary, that Divine Justinia only started, but she can go further.
The Hero of Ferelden could influence royalty and nobility even beyond Ferelden with just her word, and that's a power that she avoids using as much as possible these days. She united Ferelden against the Blight, making disparate groups fight side by side under her orders, and she was the hand that picked the fill for the throne, when the death of the king could have thrown them into chaos.
Leliana and Neria can't even get the one thing that they want. A peaceful place to live together, a life that is their own and no one else's, a chance to be happy together after so many years of helping others. They can't have that, not without betraying who they are, so all that they can take for themselves are a few stolen moments in the shadows.
Day 12 - Fic - Doctor Who - Thirteenth Doctor
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:53 pmmelime posting in halfamoonTitle: The Doctor in the TARDIS
Fandom: Doctor Who (2005)
Character: Thirteenth Doctor & The TARDIS
Prompt: Her Sanctuary
Rating/Category: T/Gen
Summary: Everything changes, but this remains the same: the TARDIS is her home and her sanctuary.
Everything is different, except for this, the one constant in her life since she left Gallifrey.
The TARDIS appears slowly, and with a bit of stabilisation with the sonic screwdriver, she's finally there in front of her. The Doctor always changes, circumstances change, but this stays the same, the TARDIS is her home and her sanctuary, the one place where she can feel safe in, the one friend she has never been forced to leave behind, not for long anyway.
The Doctor in the TARDIS, that's where she belongs, and the Doctor has never been so glad to see her.
Fandom: Doctor Who (2005)
Character: Thirteenth Doctor & The TARDIS
Prompt: Her Sanctuary
Rating/Category: T/Gen
Summary: Everything changes, but this remains the same: the TARDIS is her home and her sanctuary.
The Doctor in the TARDIS
Everything is different, except for this, the one constant in her life since she left Gallifrey.
The TARDIS appears slowly, and with a bit of stabilisation with the sonic screwdriver, she's finally there in front of her. The Doctor always changes, circumstances change, but this stays the same, the TARDIS is her home and her sanctuary, the one place where she can feel safe in, the one friend she has never been forced to leave behind, not for long anyway.
The Doctor in the TARDIS, that's where she belongs, and the Doctor has never been so glad to see her.
Day 11 - Fic - Doctor Who - Zoe Heriot
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:51 pmmelime posting in halfamoonTitle: A life of adventure
Fandom: Doctor Who (1963)
Character: Zoe Heriot
Prompt: The explorer
Rating/Category: T/Gen
Summary: Zoe has a taste of adventure and discovers that this is what she wants for her life.
Zoe follows them on an impulse, and hides herself hoping that she won't be found, not until it's too late. She had a taste of adventure and she has never felt so alive, all that knowledge that she has and she could finally put into practice to do something exciting. She could even learn new things, and that's something that never happens anymore.
She wants this, she wants this life where adventure is always happening, she wants to know things about the universe that she was never taught, she wants to explore. And she'll take matters into her own hands.
Fandom: Doctor Who (1963)
Character: Zoe Heriot
Prompt: The explorer
Rating/Category: T/Gen
Summary: Zoe has a taste of adventure and discovers that this is what she wants for her life.
A life of adventure
Zoe follows them on an impulse, and hides herself hoping that she won't be found, not until it's too late. She had a taste of adventure and she has never felt so alive, all that knowledge that she has and she could finally put into practice to do something exciting. She could even learn new things, and that's something that never happens anymore.
She wants this, she wants this life where adventure is always happening, she wants to know things about the universe that she was never taught, she wants to explore. And she'll take matters into her own hands.
Culinary
Feb. 15th, 2026 07:37 pmoursinThis week's bread: a v nice loaf of Dove's Farm Seedhouse Flour.
Saturday breakfast rolls: the ones loosely based on James Beard's mother's raisin bread, Marriage's Light Spelt flour.
Today's lunch: tempeh marinated in oil, tamari, maple syrup, pomegranate vinegar with some crushed garlic and ginger paste for a couple of hours (?overnight might have been better?), stirfried with chillies, mangetout peas and choi sum, and the marinade added at the end, served with sticky rice with limeleaves.
Check-In Post - Feb 15th 2026
Feb. 15th, 2026 07:42 pmbadly_knitted posting in get_knittedHello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.
Checking in is NOT compulsory, check in as often or as seldom as you want, this community isn't about pressure it's about encouragement, motivation, and support. Crafting is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than sharing achievements and seeing the wonderful things everyone else is creating?
There may also occasionally be questions, but again you don't have to answer them, they're just a way of getting to know each other a bit better.
This Week's Question: What is your favourite thing to make?
If anyone has any questions of their own about the community, or suggestions for tags, questions to be asked on the check-in posts, or if anyone is interested in playing check-in host for a week here on the community, which would entail putting up the daily check-in posts and responding to comments, go to the Questions & Suggestions post and leave a comment.
I now declare this Check-In OPEN!
Well, this certainly is a way to phrase it
Feb. 14th, 2026 06:18 pmconulyThe 1916 (Olympic) games were cancelled due to an international dispute occurring during that year
A dispute that left millions dead, sure. Not how I'd describe WWI, but okay.
***********************
( Read more... )
A dispute that left millions dead, sure. Not how I'd describe WWI, but okay.
( Read more... )
Day 10 - Fic - Dragon Age - Leliana/Female Surana
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:19 pmmelime posting in halfamoonTitle: Compromising Position
Fandom: Dragon Age
Character: Leliana/Neria Surana
Prompt: Acting the fool
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: The Divine and the Hero of Ferelden get caught. Leliana can't help but find that funny.
Leliana knows that she should be embarrassed, but mostly she just wants to laugh. Despite all the care that she and Neria took, they were still caught in a compromising position, and even if the guard in question seemed pretty embarrassed, she doubts that he's going to keep it a secret.
“I don't suppose that this will help with all those wild rumors,” Neria says, and that's the final drop that Leliana needs to burst out laughing.
There's plenty of things that people should be embarrassed about, but even as Divine, Leliana would never count love as one of them.
Fandom: Dragon Age
Character: Leliana/Neria Surana
Prompt: Acting the fool
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: The Divine and the Hero of Ferelden get caught. Leliana can't help but find that funny.
Compromising Position
Leliana knows that she should be embarrassed, but mostly she just wants to laugh. Despite all the care that she and Neria took, they were still caught in a compromising position, and even if the guard in question seemed pretty embarrassed, she doubts that he's going to keep it a secret.
“I don't suppose that this will help with all those wild rumors,” Neria says, and that's the final drop that Leliana needs to burst out laughing.
There's plenty of things that people should be embarrassed about, but even as Divine, Leliana would never count love as one of them.
Day 9 - Fic - Dragon Age - Bellara Lutare/Female Rook
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:16 pmmelime posting in halfamoonTitle: Passion in the field
Fandom: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Character: Bellara Lutare/Female Rook
Prompt: The Scholar
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: Rook doesn't understand the devices that Bellara creates, she just likes hearing her talk about them.
Bellara's eyes light up as she talks of the new device she created, how she used the devices of the ancient elves to do something completely different from what it was originally intended to do.
“And this here is the stabilization field?” Rook asks, pointing at the device as she tries to follow the explanation.
She's not such an incompetent mage that she hasn't built magical devices for herself, but never anything even close to this, and she doubts that there's anyone else who could do these things as well as Bellara. Bellara isn't just an expert in their ancestors and their magic, she's brilliant, and she's always thinking of the most amazing things.
“Not quite, it resonates with the field, to help maintain the barrier. The components that form the field are only exposed when the device is in motion,” Bellara says, activating the device to demonstrate.
In truth, Rook doesn't care all that much about it, and she's not even sure if she completely understands what this does, let alone how it works. But it doesn't matter, she's just charmed by the passion that Bellara shows towards her experiments. She could spend all day just listening to her.
Fandom: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Character: Bellara Lutare/Female Rook
Prompt: The Scholar
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: Rook doesn't understand the devices that Bellara creates, she just likes hearing her talk about them.
Passion in the field
Bellara's eyes light up as she talks of the new device she created, how she used the devices of the ancient elves to do something completely different from what it was originally intended to do.
“And this here is the stabilization field?” Rook asks, pointing at the device as she tries to follow the explanation.
She's not such an incompetent mage that she hasn't built magical devices for herself, but never anything even close to this, and she doubts that there's anyone else who could do these things as well as Bellara. Bellara isn't just an expert in their ancestors and their magic, she's brilliant, and she's always thinking of the most amazing things.
“Not quite, it resonates with the field, to help maintain the barrier. The components that form the field are only exposed when the device is in motion,” Bellara says, activating the device to demonstrate.
In truth, Rook doesn't care all that much about it, and she's not even sure if she completely understands what this does, let alone how it works. But it doesn't matter, she's just charmed by the passion that Bellara shows towards her experiments. She could spend all day just listening to her.
Day 8 - Fic - Dragon Age - Josephine Montilyet
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:14 pmmelime posting in halfamoonTitle: Diplomatic incidents
Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Character: Josephine Montilyet
Prompt: Pet Peeves
Rating/Category: T/Gen
Summary: Josephine just wished that the Inquisitor causing this much trouble.
Josephine feels the start of a stress headache as she rips all the unacceptable letters that the Inquisitor gave her. Maybe she should have known better than to expect that the Inquisitor of all people would be able to reply to their potential allies with the necessary diplomatic finesse.
Just once, she wished that anyone there, but especially the Inquisitor would make her job easier rather than harder, but the Inquisitor seems to make a habit out of creating incidents, and she doesn't measure her words, not even when facing important nobles. It seems that around half of Josephine's time is spent putting out whatever fires the Inquisitor started that day, but even for the Inquisitor these last few letters are a disaster. If Josephine let even just one of those get out, they would be losing some much needed support and likely quite a few resources that they are searching for.
Josephine takes some fresh paper and starts writing the replies herself, mimicking the Inquisitor's scratchy handwriting, and just leaving a space below blank to get her signature later. At some point, it's just easier to do these things herself, rather than trying to get the Inquisitor to behave.
Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Character: Josephine Montilyet
Prompt: Pet Peeves
Rating/Category: T/Gen
Summary: Josephine just wished that the Inquisitor causing this much trouble.
Diplomatic incidents
Josephine feels the start of a stress headache as she rips all the unacceptable letters that the Inquisitor gave her. Maybe she should have known better than to expect that the Inquisitor of all people would be able to reply to their potential allies with the necessary diplomatic finesse.
Just once, she wished that anyone there, but especially the Inquisitor would make her job easier rather than harder, but the Inquisitor seems to make a habit out of creating incidents, and she doesn't measure her words, not even when facing important nobles. It seems that around half of Josephine's time is spent putting out whatever fires the Inquisitor started that day, but even for the Inquisitor these last few letters are a disaster. If Josephine let even just one of those get out, they would be losing some much needed support and likely quite a few resources that they are searching for.
Josephine takes some fresh paper and starts writing the replies herself, mimicking the Inquisitor's scratchy handwriting, and just leaving a space below blank to get her signature later. At some point, it's just easier to do these things herself, rather than trying to get the Inquisitor to behave.
Day 7 - Fic - Dragon Age - Bellara Lutare/Female Rook
Feb. 15th, 2026 04:10 pmmelime posting in halfamoonTitle: Romance serial
Fandom: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Character: Bellara Lutare/Female Rook
Prompt: The Lover
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: Being romantic in her serial is easier than doing so in her life. Or, Bellara really doesn't want Rook to read into the story that she's writing.
Bellara hastily hides the pages that she has been working on as soon as Rook walks in, since that's the one person that she doesn't want reading her writing, at least not yet.
Her serial isn't based on anything from her life, but Rook might think that there are some similarities between her and Bellara's main character, but only because of how heroic they are. The romantic interest though has nothing to do with Bellara, even if she is an elven scholar.
“That's not very fair, I heard you book club talking about it, why can't I just take a pick?” Rook says, leaning forward, although Bellara is covering the pages well enough that she shouldn't say anything. “Neve said that I would find it very interesting.”
Bellara feels her cheeks starting to heat. She'd have to have some words with Neve about this later. Especially because Neve keeps insisting, entirely without reason, that the serial reads like it's about Bellara and Rook fighting the gods, which doesn't even make sense because the villains of the serial are a king and his sister who are exploiting their people.
“It's not good enough yet, I'll show you once it's done,” Bellara says, although she's thinking of actually never showing it to her, just in case Rook gets the wrong idea.
“Of course it's good enough, you wrote it,” Rook says with a charming smile. “But if you insist I'll wait until you're ready.”
Bellara sighs in relief. This whole business of romance is a lot easier in the serials than it is in her own life, and she doesn't want to distract from the important mission that they're on with her feelings. Although, now that she thinks of it, this conversation with Rook just gave her the idea for another chapter.
Fandom: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Character: Bellara Lutare/Female Rook
Prompt: The Lover
Rating/Category: T/Femslash
Summary: Being romantic in her serial is easier than doing so in her life. Or, Bellara really doesn't want Rook to read into the story that she's writing.
Romance serial
Bellara hastily hides the pages that she has been working on as soon as Rook walks in, since that's the one person that she doesn't want reading her writing, at least not yet.
Her serial isn't based on anything from her life, but Rook might think that there are some similarities between her and Bellara's main character, but only because of how heroic they are. The romantic interest though has nothing to do with Bellara, even if she is an elven scholar.
“That's not very fair, I heard you book club talking about it, why can't I just take a pick?” Rook says, leaning forward, although Bellara is covering the pages well enough that she shouldn't say anything. “Neve said that I would find it very interesting.”
Bellara feels her cheeks starting to heat. She'd have to have some words with Neve about this later. Especially because Neve keeps insisting, entirely without reason, that the serial reads like it's about Bellara and Rook fighting the gods, which doesn't even make sense because the villains of the serial are a king and his sister who are exploiting their people.
“It's not good enough yet, I'll show you once it's done,” Bellara says, although she's thinking of actually never showing it to her, just in case Rook gets the wrong idea.
“Of course it's good enough, you wrote it,” Rook says with a charming smile. “But if you insist I'll wait until you're ready.”
Bellara sighs in relief. This whole business of romance is a lot easier in the serials than it is in her own life, and she doesn't want to distract from the important mission that they're on with her feelings. Although, now that she thinks of it, this conversation with Rook just gave her the idea for another chapter.
2/14/2026 Meeker Slough
Feb. 14th, 2026 04:26 pmmrkinchMy plan for the morning fell victim to overcast and cold, but by early afternoon I was bored and annoyed that I was still home, so I got myself out to the easiest place for non-morning birding. It was doomed not to be great; although there was some sun for a while the sun angle out to the Bay (West) was dreadful and the tide was low and dropping. That all made it difficult to see what was out on the mud or on the water. I parked at So 52st Street and walked up to Bayside Drive, where I often park, soon noticing that TPTB had whacked a great deal of the trail edge habitat. Why? WHY?? Some of it isn't native, true, but the birds like it and it doesn't harm anyone. So there were fewer birds along the fence than I would have expected. There were very few ducks anywhere, but large flocks of shorebirds on the mud, Least Sandpipers and Dunlin with Willets, Marbled Godwits and a few Long-billed Curlews and Black-bellied Plovers around the edges. Surprise of the day was a Black Oystercatcher perched on a concrete who-knows-what stranded forever out on the mud. It made do for a rock, but it was a long way to the next rock! ( The list: )
Best I think was a small flock of Cedar Waxwings high in some leafless poplars. They were already vocalizing when I found them so it wasn't long before the flew off, but it was nice.
Best I think was a small flock of Cedar Waxwings high in some leafless poplars. They were already vocalizing when I found them so it wasn't long before the flew off, but it was nice.