Happy birthday, ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
troisoiseaux!
troisoiseaux!A reminder from your humble amanuensis that a little seasonal treat, The Cathcart Apocrypha Volume 6, Times Changing Belowstairs, or, Circumstances Alter, is now downloadable from the website.
Merry wassails, and be careful when playing snapdragon!
Merry wassails, and be careful when playing snapdragon!
Everyone needs contact comfort sometimes. Not everyone has ample opportunities for this in facetime. So here is a chance for a cuddle party in cyberspace. Virtual cuddling can help people feel better.
We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!
( Read more... )
We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!
( Read more... )
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This poem is spillover from the February 2025 ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from dialecticdreamer. It also fills the "Experimentation" square in my 2-1-25 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the Big One and Kraken threads of the Polychrome Heroics series.
( Read more... )
crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from dialecticdreamer. It also fills the "Experimentation" square in my 2-1-25 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the Big One and Kraken threads of the Polychrome Heroics series.( Read more... )
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In August 2024, I got a heat pump and switched my heat source from gas to electric.
PG&E has an arcane cost structure where not only do they charge more for electricity between certain hours (4-9pm for my rate plan) but they also have a baseline allowance and charge significantly more for usage over baseline. Neither the contractor nor my neighbor with a heat pump advised me that I needed to call PG&E and tell them I had changed heat sources to change my baselines, so I overpaid a lot for electricity last winter.
I was aware that I was paying a lot even though the heat pump wasn't maintaining temperature. I asked the contractor. I asked my neighbor. Neither mentioned the baseline amounts.
PG&E sent me a message earlier this fall saying I might pay less on a different rate plan, and when I called them (Oct 9, for my records), I found out about notifying them I now had electric heat. One agent told me the was refundable as much as 3 years retroactively, but it turns out he was blowing smoke, and it isn't. :-(
The new rate plan is even more complicated and I still had a really high bill this month despite not keeping the place very warm (and I have double pane windows and everything!), so I spent a long time on the phone with an agent today digging into the numbers and figured out the new rate plan is actually slightly more expensive than just having the right baseline amount, so I'm switching back.
*sigh*. I guess some lessons are just expensive. Looks like they instituted this whole baseline thing right around when I moved back in May 2022, which explains why I wasn't aware of it before, and maybe I missed both the existing customer education and the new customer education.
( Last year's missing baseline credits )
I'm continuing to send updates to the contractor who installed the heat pump system, which is under warranty for 3 years. At the end of last winter, he replaced the thermostat, and a control board in the downstairs indoor unit where he cut a jumper that it didn't make sense to cut. Now he says he's going to replace the whole indoor unit, and install one that's more powerful. It's supposed to arrive early-mid January. We'll see if that fixes the problem. He will also have to replace all the coolant, so if he had the wrong amount in there, that will also fix that problem. I suppose if that doesn't help then he replaces the outdoor unit. One step at a time...
PG&E has an arcane cost structure where not only do they charge more for electricity between certain hours (4-9pm for my rate plan) but they also have a baseline allowance and charge significantly more for usage over baseline. Neither the contractor nor my neighbor with a heat pump advised me that I needed to call PG&E and tell them I had changed heat sources to change my baselines, so I overpaid a lot for electricity last winter.
I was aware that I was paying a lot even though the heat pump wasn't maintaining temperature. I asked the contractor. I asked my neighbor. Neither mentioned the baseline amounts.
PG&E sent me a message earlier this fall saying I might pay less on a different rate plan, and when I called them (Oct 9, for my records), I found out about notifying them I now had electric heat. One agent told me the was refundable as much as 3 years retroactively, but it turns out he was blowing smoke, and it isn't. :-(
The new rate plan is even more complicated and I still had a really high bill this month despite not keeping the place very warm (and I have double pane windows and everything!), so I spent a long time on the phone with an agent today digging into the numbers and figured out the new rate plan is actually slightly more expensive than just having the right baseline amount, so I'm switching back.
*sigh*. I guess some lessons are just expensive. Looks like they instituted this whole baseline thing right around when I moved back in May 2022, which explains why I wasn't aware of it before, and maybe I missed both the existing customer education and the new customer education.
( Last year's missing baseline credits )
I'm continuing to send updates to the contractor who installed the heat pump system, which is under warranty for 3 years. At the end of last winter, he replaced the thermostat, and a control board in the downstairs indoor unit where he cut a jumper that it didn't make sense to cut. Now he says he's going to replace the whole indoor unit, and install one that's more powerful. It's supposed to arrive early-mid January. We'll see if that fixes the problem. He will also have to replace all the coolant, so if he had the wrong amount in there, that will also fix that problem. I suppose if that doesn't help then he replaces the outdoor unit. One step at a time...
This poem came out of the February 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from mama_kestrel and see_also_friend. It also fills the "Violent Behavior" square in my 2-1-25 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Peculiar Obligations.
( Read more... )
mama_kestrel and see_also_friend. It also fills the "Violent Behavior" square in my 2-1-25 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Peculiar Obligations.( Read more... )
This poem is spillover from the July 1, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from gothfvck and see_also_friend. It also fills the "Resist Oppression" square in my 7-1-25 card for the Western Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Peculiar Obligations.
( Read more... )
gothfvck and see_also_friend. It also fills the "Resist Oppression" square in my 7-1-25 card for the Western Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Peculiar Obligations.( Read more... )
Networking and Net Growth
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 3
Word count (story only): 769
:: Cassie’s landlord gave her a rent increase which will make her homeless. Her medical needs and food allergy makes the standard dormitory living and communal meals in homeless shelters a nightmare rather than a temporary solution. Word spreads, and… Gentle fiction for the December 2025 prompt event, with great thanks to the reader who suggested it. ::
:: This is meant to be a happy ending story, but it’s running up against my body’s reaction to the winter weather, so it’s going to be three parts long. The first is, unfortunately shorter than usual, so I apologize for that. ::
Cassie Braxton refused to look up at her doctor, or the images on the computer screen. She stared instead at the immunization chart beneath a banner that read “SCHOOL starts on 9 Sept.” Beneath the chart, someone had taped several sheets of computer paper, one atop the other.
The top layer held a handwritten “6” in red permanent marker.
( Read more... )
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 3
Word count (story only): 769
:: Cassie’s landlord gave her a rent increase which will make her homeless. Her medical needs and food allergy makes the standard dormitory living and communal meals in homeless shelters a nightmare rather than a temporary solution. Word spreads, and… Gentle fiction for the December 2025 prompt event, with great thanks to the reader who suggested it. ::
:: This is meant to be a happy ending story, but it’s running up against my body’s reaction to the winter weather, so it’s going to be three parts long. The first is, unfortunately shorter than usual, so I apologize for that. ::
Cassie Braxton refused to look up at her doctor, or the images on the computer screen. She stared instead at the immunization chart beneath a banner that read “SCHOOL starts on 9 Sept.” Beneath the chart, someone had taped several sheets of computer paper, one atop the other.
The top layer held a handwritten “6” in red permanent marker.
( Read more... )
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Here is a holiday recipe for you!
This fruitcake is incredibly rich and yummy. I got it from my Mom, who undoubtedly clipped it out of a newspaper or farm magazine. I note that it is up on Cooks.com these days.
California Fruitcake
3/4 Cup Flour We always used all purpose white flour.
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Soda
1 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar Pack tightly into measuring cup.
1 1/2 Lbs Pitted Dates Mom used brown Medjool Dates common to Calif. I like to cut them in half.
1 1/2 to 2 Cup Dried Apricots Cut into halves or quarters. Pack tightly in measuring cup.
3 Cup Nut Meats (Walnut halves) in large pieces.
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
Mix all dry ingredients.
Add to fruit, coat fruit thoroughly with flour mix.
Beat eggs until foamy, add vanilla.
Pour Egg mix over dry ingredients & fruit. Gently stir in.
Line loaf pan (bread loaf pan) with wax paper or parchment paper.
Pack pan with mix.
Bake at 300 degrees 1 hour and 20 min.
Put small pan of water in oven with the fruitcakes while baking to help keep it moist.
When cool, wrap with tinfoil and store in a dark cool place for 4 to 6 weeks to blend flavors. Or eat immediately.
Storing give a much richer flavor. We tried it soaked in rum once, and never again. The flavors of this fruitcake are so rich that the alcohol dulled and muddied the taste.
This fruitcake is incredibly rich and yummy. I got it from my Mom, who undoubtedly clipped it out of a newspaper or farm magazine. I note that it is up on Cooks.com these days.
California Fruitcake
3/4 Cup Flour We always used all purpose white flour.
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Soda
1 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar Pack tightly into measuring cup.
1 1/2 Lbs Pitted Dates Mom used brown Medjool Dates common to Calif. I like to cut them in half.
1 1/2 to 2 Cup Dried Apricots Cut into halves or quarters. Pack tightly in measuring cup.
3 Cup Nut Meats (Walnut halves) in large pieces.
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
Mix all dry ingredients.
Add to fruit, coat fruit thoroughly with flour mix.
Beat eggs until foamy, add vanilla.
Pour Egg mix over dry ingredients & fruit. Gently stir in.
Line loaf pan (bread loaf pan) with wax paper or parchment paper.
Pack pan with mix.
Bake at 300 degrees 1 hour and 20 min.
Put small pan of water in oven with the fruitcakes while baking to help keep it moist.
When cool, wrap with tinfoil and store in a dark cool place for 4 to 6 weeks to blend flavors. Or eat immediately.
Storing give a much richer flavor. We tried it soaked in rum once, and never again. The flavors of this fruitcake are so rich that the alcohol dulled and muddied the taste.
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"Disgusting...Vulgar..."
-- musician Jack White on Trump's redecoration of Oval Office
"Jack White is a washed-up, has-been loser...It's apparent he's been masquerading as a real artist, because he fails to appreciate, and quite frankly disrespects, the splendor and significance of the Oval Office inside of 'The People's House.'"
-- WH spokesperson Steven Cheung
"'Masquerading as a real artist'? Thank you for giving me my tombstone engraving! Well here's my opinion: Trump is masquerading as a human being. He's masquerading as a Christian, as a leader, as a person with actual empathy."
-- White
I so love it when their default response is to insult people, and the people they insult are so much better at it.
EDIT: My bad. I originally posted the subject as Jack Black vs Trump, not Jack White. Bain drammage.
-- musician Jack White on Trump's redecoration of Oval Office
"Jack White is a washed-up, has-been loser...It's apparent he's been masquerading as a real artist, because he fails to appreciate, and quite frankly disrespects, the splendor and significance of the Oval Office inside of 'The People's House.'"
-- WH spokesperson Steven Cheung
"'Masquerading as a real artist'? Thank you for giving me my tombstone engraving! Well here's my opinion: Trump is masquerading as a human being. He's masquerading as a Christian, as a leader, as a person with actual empathy."
-- White
I so love it when their default response is to insult people, and the people they insult are so much better at it.
EDIT: My bad. I originally posted the subject as Jack Black vs Trump, not Jack White. Bain drammage.
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pepysdiary_feed Dec. 23rd, 2025 11:00 pm)
pepysdiary_feed Dec. 23rd, 2025 11:00 pm)[Continued from yesterday. P.G.] …and slept hard till 8 o’clock this morning, and so up and to the office, where I found Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten come unexpectedly home last night from Portsmouth, having done the Pay there before we could have thought it. Sat all the morning, and at noon home to dinner with my wife alone, and after dinner sat by the fire, and then up to make up my accounts with her, and find that my ordinary housekeeping comes to 7l. a month, which is a great deal. By and by comes Dr. Pierce, who among other things tells me that my Lady Castlemaine’s interest at Court increases, and is more and greater than the Queen’s; that she hath brought in Sir H. Bennet, and Sir Charles Barkeley; but that the queen is a most good lady, and takes all with the greatest meekness that may be. He tells me too that Mr. Edward Montagu is quite broke at Court with his repute and purse; and that he lately was engaged in a quarrell against my Lord Chesterfield: but that the King did cause it to be taken up. He tells me, too, that the King is much concerned in the Chancellor’s sickness, and that the Chancellor is as great, he thinks, as ever he was with the King.
He also tells me what the world says of me, “that Mr. Coventry and I do all the business of the office almost:” at which I am highly proud.
He being gone I fell to business, which was very great, but got it well over by nine at night, and so home, and after supper to bed.
(cosmolinguist Dec. 23rd, 2025 07:46 pm)
cosmolinguist Dec. 23rd, 2025 07:46 pm)I started introducing it this way in 2023:
The questions here sometimes feel random and sometimes aren't very relevant to me (how many one-night stands, bless; that feels like such a fossil of the height-of-LJ days when I first encountered this meme), but I do like it as a way to think a bit differently than I normally do about my life, and some things that had a big impact on me (like what a dog-hospital year it was for Gary) barely show up here. I do find myself at random points through the year noting things I do that I haven't done before, or wondering what my musical discovery might be, or whatever.
So here we go for 2025
1. What did you do in 2025 that you'd never done before?:
Wrote an extensive as the writer and basically project lead on a report at work -- never did this before, did it three times in a row this year.
Met a person from the internet and ended up having sex with them the same day. (Sorry if this is tmi, there will be no more details about it.)
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?:
I didn't call it a resolution but when asked later about what I'd like to have this year that I lacked the previous one, I said
Another sexual and/or romantic partner? This feels impossible but so do the last four years' worth of things and they all happened!
Like three days after I wrote this I started talking to somoene on the social media site that's basically a kinky version of Facebook which, like regular Facebook, you can only access if you have an account and I was getting memes and events linked to by a friend until I got fed up and made an account. Six months later, I got a random message from someone who wrote a comment that I'd "liked" (as with Facebook, it tells you when people like your shit and then you can go look at their profile and all that) and in August I met him and it was fun to have a no-strings arrangement with a friend.
Will I make more for next year? I'm not sure, I think the coming year is more about keeping what I have stable: work, house, relationships, friendships, life....
( +47 )
50. What are your plans for 2026?
Laat year I wrote
Try to help everyone survive it with as much comfort and joy as we can manage, especially in the U.S. but everywhere really.
And I don't think I can improve on that answer either.
In a lot of ways it's been a rough year: the quick and steep decline of human rights in the U.S. has been hard to watch and harder to be affected by so personally. Work has been so difficult. I've had such a miserable experience trying to get referred for top surgery -- in the process bringing up so much medical fatphobia that I haven't even blogged about the whole saga, I can barely even think about it without panic or tears. Even my escapist hobby of MLB has been reminding me that billionaires feel
But in other ways it has also been a good year: it was really nice to be able to provide a safe landing place for angelofthenorth and Mr Smith, it was nice to get through a November without anything (new) and terrible happening. Connections with the local queers have been deepened and I'm delighted that D and I are now on the small committee of people who've taken over from the two founders who have reasonably been able to step back and enjoy the thing they made as the ordinary attendees the rest of us have gotten to be the last two years.
Today is sunny and cool, almost warm -- too warm for a jacket even. That's warmer than even the January thaw used to get.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I filled the trolley twice with twigs from the parking lot brushpile, then dumped them in the firepit in the ritual meadow.
I saw a flock of mourning doves in the trees around the ritual meadow.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I dumped another trolley of sticks in the firepit.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I dumped another trolley of sticks in the firepit.
I've seen a fox squirrel running through the trees. I heard a woodpecker but didn't see it.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I dumped another trolley of sticks in the firepit. I think I've actually removed all the ones with berries that I want to burn, so the rest should be free for other uses.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I filled the trolley twice with twigs from the parking lot brushpile, then dumped them in the firepit in the ritual meadow.
I saw a flock of mourning doves in the trees around the ritual meadow.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I dumped another trolley of sticks in the firepit.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I dumped another trolley of sticks in the firepit.
I've seen a fox squirrel running through the trees. I heard a woodpecker but didn't see it.
EDIT 12/23/25 -- I dumped another trolley of sticks in the firepit. I think I've actually removed all the ones with berries that I want to burn, so the rest should be free for other uses.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
Had not been seeing these lately, but over the past few days have been spotting several out of the back windows.
Which is one cheering thing among various niggles and peeves -
Yesterday I was informed that my order from Boots was being delivered, and then got two texts saying they had tried to deliver it but no-one answered. WOT. There was somebody here all the time.
Also a text that my other package (fresh yeast via eBay) had been delivered (this comes through the letterbox) - no sign of this so presume it has gone to the wrong door, and so far nobody has come round to pop it through ours.*
However, at least the Boots parcel turned up today: address label had street number blurred so reasons for mistaking, usual postperson recognised name, possibly yesterday was a seasonal worker?
Other annoyance: Kobo ereader running very sluggish - though this does not seem to apply across all books, which is weird?? Anyway, I connected to wifi in order to update the software, as possibly bearing on the matter, and dash it, it synced a whole load of things I had already downloaded and I have been obliged to clean up the duplicates.
I am, though, grateful that Christmas grocery orders have been nothing missing and no substitutions except for 1 thing which was not at all critical. Also oops, the pudding I ordered was rather smaller than I anticipated, but I feel one can have too much Xmas pud, and there are mince pies, brandy butter, etc.
In further happy news, the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has been saved from oil drilling.
^ETA: somebody from 2 doors down brought it round this evening. The address on the package was perfectly clear.
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The river came up and did a little of very half hearted flooding yesterday, mostly it just ran bank full. Today it didn't rain till well after dark. Tomorrow's forecast is for 1.25 inches, enough to bring the river right back up again, but I doubt the flooding will be bad here very close to the headwaters of our Russian River.
The cows wandered into the horse pasture yesterday evening, prompting Donald and I to go out, cut a tree and a limb off the fence (they were fairly small) and get the fence working. My it is nice to have repaired the wire under the road! It makes the whole system work better. The meter says it is carrying 8 jewels, which is enough to make you really, really, really wish you had never touched the wire. Speaking of he cows, they seem calm and happy so whatever was scaring them either isn't there any more or isn't in this pasture. Since there really is no boundary except a wire fence (with the gate open) I hope that whatever it was has moved on. Donald and I walked from the top to the bottom of Jungle Pasture today and saw nothing out of the ordinary. No tracks even.
Due to the forecast of flooding and holiday traffic I took Donald to the Smart Train today. Tomorrow there might be flooding and it will be raining. Today it was a pretty nice drive.
Tomorrow. Chores around the house, replace light fixture at the Red Barn.
The cows wandered into the horse pasture yesterday evening, prompting Donald and I to go out, cut a tree and a limb off the fence (they were fairly small) and get the fence working. My it is nice to have repaired the wire under the road! It makes the whole system work better. The meter says it is carrying 8 jewels, which is enough to make you really, really, really wish you had never touched the wire. Speaking of he cows, they seem calm and happy so whatever was scaring them either isn't there any more or isn't in this pasture. Since there really is no boundary except a wire fence (with the gate open) I hope that whatever it was has moved on. Donald and I walked from the top to the bottom of Jungle Pasture today and saw nothing out of the ordinary. No tracks even.
Due to the forecast of flooding and holiday traffic I took Donald to the Smart Train today. Tomorrow there might be flooding and it will be raining. Today it was a pretty nice drive.
Tomorrow. Chores around the house, replace light fixture at the Red Barn.
I just went through the annual ritual of renewing my handful of domains at Hover.com. I bought one of them right at the end of December one year, so I start getting reminder emails in late November, and then I just renew all of them at once.
They've gone up to $18.99/year, which makes me wonder if I really should let a couple of them go next time. But they're like polished stones, appealing to hold even if they don't have other uses. The ones for the first two books in particular, I've never publicized, but I'd also hate for someone else to squat on them.
traumahealed.com is the one I've put out there the most over the years. Others are sundownarts.com (original domain, main email address), sundownhealingarts.com (publisher name), wellspringofcompassion.com (book 1 title), presenceaftertrauma.com (book 2 title), curioushealing.com (book blog)
I also have soniaconnolly.com which I turned into a programmer resume site last year, and balkandancing.com, which I mostly use to keep an ever-expanding list of folk dance videos.
They've gone up to $18.99/year, which makes me wonder if I really should let a couple of them go next time. But they're like polished stones, appealing to hold even if they don't have other uses. The ones for the first two books in particular, I've never publicized, but I'd also hate for someone else to squat on them.
traumahealed.com is the one I've put out there the most over the years. Others are sundownarts.com (original domain, main email address), sundownhealingarts.com (publisher name), wellspringofcompassion.com (book 1 title), presenceaftertrauma.com (book 2 title), curioushealing.com (book blog)
I also have soniaconnolly.com which I turned into a programmer resume site last year, and balkandancing.com, which I mostly use to keep an ever-expanding list of folk dance videos.
Recipes for Hugo
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only):1653
[A few days before Christmas 2016]
:: Heron has assembled a complicated gift for his cousin Hugo. It sparks a surprising reaction in the younger man. Part of the Finn family and the Shiv/Omaha story arcs in the Polychrome Heroics universe, the story was written in the December 2025 prompt fest, with my deep thanks to the reader who suggested it. ::
“Recipes for Hugo.” The period at the end of the sentence grew irregularly, creeping from beneath the tip of the gel pen. Heron stared at it with a flat, narrow-eyed glare, and capped the pen silently before dropping it into the black fireproof trash can labeled, “Test to Destruction” with a strip of duck tape and red permanent marker.
That tiny noise nearly woke Mallory, asleep on the sofa.
( Read more... )
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only):1653
[A few days before Christmas 2016]
:: Heron has assembled a complicated gift for his cousin Hugo. It sparks a surprising reaction in the younger man. Part of the Finn family and the Shiv/Omaha story arcs in the Polychrome Heroics universe, the story was written in the December 2025 prompt fest, with my deep thanks to the reader who suggested it. ::
“Recipes for Hugo.” The period at the end of the sentence grew irregularly, creeping from beneath the tip of the gel pen. Heron stared at it with a flat, narrow-eyed glare, and capped the pen silently before dropping it into the black fireproof trash can labeled, “Test to Destruction” with a strip of duck tape and red permanent marker.
That tiny noise nearly woke Mallory, asleep on the sofa.
( Read more... )
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