(no subject)

[turps]

Thank you to jacieleigh, stellamira and spikedluv for the Christmas cards. While my decorations are down now I've left up the cards, so I can enjoy the cheerful greetings for a bit longer.

As I said, all decorations are down and apart from one crate, put away. Though I did find a springy legged gonk propped up in the corner of the living room this morning. This year, we also bought two succulents in plant pots in the shape of dinosaurs wearing jaunty Santa hats, and those were deliberately left on the kitchen windowsill as I doubt the plants would like being stored for a year. I'm going to see if the hats will come off easily, if not, I don't mind seeing santa!dinos all year.

While the boxes were out of the huge hall cupboard I took advantage of space and had a good declutter in there. That resulted in six binbags of stuff to donate and stuff that needed throwing away, including a load of extra packaging from Christmas. We do have a tip slot booked for midday for today, and were all ready to go, but it's snowing really heavily just now. And while I don't mind walking in it to the car and at the tip, it's the driving that's making me wonder if we should postpone. Oh well, there's a couple of hours to our spot, it may stop before then.

Yuletide authors were revealed and I can now rec in you I have absolute faith a Magnificent Seven film fic by sperrywink. I really enjoyed reading this, and helped bounce some ideas at the start, so yeah, if you like h/c go read, it's good stuff.

Doing that bouncing of ideas also reminded me how much I enjoy thinking about writing, and that along with some really nice comments I've been getting on my bandom stuff makes me a little sad that I haven't written for so long. I have to wonder if I've been recced somewhere for my bandom stories as I have had so many, and on longer stories, too. Lately I've reread due to answering comments, Tints verse, Mr Bob, Sing the Revolution and Painted Ponies, and you know, I still like my own writing.

When I went to bed last night I looked outside and saw a package sitting on the corner of the bin. The package hadn't been there earlier and as the bin is against the fence, the delivery driver had obviously just dropped it over, without knocking or any email to say it had been delivered. Which meant I had to go back out and retrieve it, and I'm glad I did as it was a customised water bottle I'd bought for one of James' Christmas presents. I'd got his pyrography name and logo printed onto the bottle, and I would have hated if someone had reached over and taken it, especially as the delivery was already weeks late.

Heated Rivalry starts here very soon and seeing how many people are talking about it, I'm very eager to watch. It sounds like it could be something I really enjoy. Between that and The Pitt season two, bring on the new shows!

Comments

[badfalcon]

Those dino santa plant pots sound utterly adorable! I have a Christmas Gonk sitting in a llama-shaped mug (its hard to drink out of, it pokes you in the eye with its ears so it became a decorative mug LOL) on my bookshelf, and I may have to replace it when we put our Christmas decorations away, because it looks awesome. I'll find a spring-themed one or something

[turps]

The dino plant pots are adorable! I had to buy them as soon as I saw them.

You made me laugh with your llama-shaped mug as I have a cat one with the same issue, the ears in just the right place to poke you in the eyes when you take a drink. It's such a design flaw.

I hope you find a spring themed gonk, because they are fun to look at.

[sperrywink]

You're so sweet! And you know that story would not exist without your help. Bouncing ideas with you was fun for me, too. ♥

[turps]

So fun, and now I'll always laugh thinking about frozen lakes and rivers.

[kat_lair]

If not writing makes you sad, maybe try a little something to get back into it? Even if it's something that you won't share. *sending inspiration your way*

[turps]

Thanks so much for the inspiration. I always forget how much I enjoy writing until I do it again. So, hopefully this urge will stick this time.

[spikedluv]

You're so welcome! I'm glad it arrived safely. *g*

Congrats on having (almost) everything put away, and the massive declutter, wow!

The santa!dinos sound cute!

What a pain about the delivery company leaving that package in such a precarious position, especially when it was already late!

Heated Rivalry is all over my f-list! One day I, too, will watch it and hopefully enjoy it as much as everyone else is.

[turps]

It did, and I hope the one I sent to you actually arrives at some point. Maybe even before Easter the way things are going!

I took advantage of actually having some space and was brutal decluttering wise. I mean, I even had years worth of old birthday cards in there which I never ever look at. I did keep some special ones, but the rest got recycled.

I do love the santa!dinos, and their hats are fabric so I hope they can be easily removed.

I couldn't believe it when I looked outside last night and saw the package on the bin. Also, my garden is creepy at night, especially when I'm out there in just my pjs!

I was pleased when I saw Heated Rivalry was coming so soon, it seems to be exploding fannish wise just now.

[spikedluv]

It has arrived! Thank you so much! I hope your new year wish come true and this year is better than the last.

Such an explosion! I haven't seen so many people on my f-list invested in the same show in ages!

[dreamersdare]

How'd you get on with the snow, it was pretty grim as we came past your part of the world this morning (I'm always twitchy when there's enough snow settled on the A1 that I actually can't see the white lines anymore...)?

Is there a reason for not writing? Because it's all just fun, right? Is there space to fit some low stakes relaxed writing time in your life?

[turps]

The snow on the main roads was okay, the side roads got a bit dicey. I couldn't believe how heavy it came down, when I woke up there wasn't a flake to be seen, an hour later it was inches deep. I'm assuming you're home safe and warm by now.

No reason for not writing, I just fell out of the habit which is a shame. I had so much fun in bandom, and was prolific, but over the last few years the stories became less and less. You're right though, I need to just write something for fun, anything would do. Thanks for the encouragement.

[dreamersdare]

Yeah, it looked kinda brutal - it wasn't falling on us at the point we came through, but we could see it falling further east. We got home fine; there was a remains of what looked like a nasty accident on the A1 near Durham, but we just got caught in the traffic aftermath.

For sure, you should just go for it with whatever you like and whatever takes your fancy. If you're having fun, I guess the habit will come back. Your writing was always lovely, if that helps as encouragement as well

[turps]

Your writing was always lovely, if that helps as encouragement as well

That does, thank you.

[dine]

sounds like you've been really productive! did the snow stop so you could make it to the tip?

I'm really glad you discovered James' package - I don't understand just why delivery drivers so frequently fail. how hard is it to finish the job and let the customer know it's arrived? I mean, dropping it over a fence in a side/back yard isn't exactly what I'd call great service.


I hope you get a chance to watch Heated Rivalry soon, and you enjoy it. there's so much fantastic stuff, and you've certainly seen how quickly folks everywhere have fallen for it. may you be the next *g*

[turps]

The snow did eventually stop, so we did get to the tip, but with only half the things I planned to take. I'd put quite a few of the bin bags in the greenhouse to keep them out of the way, and decided to leave those ones there for another day when faced with over a foot of snow in the garden. But the donations and the bin bags left in the kitchen are away now, at least.

The package delivery was ridiculous, especially so as the delivery person would have had to walk past our front door to get to the back garden, and it would have been obvious that someone was up due to the lights being on. Then they just added to the ridiculousness by not notifying me about the so-called delivery. I mean, if I hadn't looked outside last night, I wouldn't have had a clue the package had finally arrived and anyone could have taken it.

Heated Rivalry starts next week, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will grab me too. I've been waiting for the next big thing to arrive for a while!

[turlough]

I also keep the Yule cards up long after I've taken down all the other decorations. They're so happymaking to look at.

Succulents are supposed to be very hardy but I don't think even they would like to be put away in a box for a year ;-D The dinos sound adorable and I know I wouldn't mind seeing the occasional santa hat all year round.

Look at you being such an awesome declutterer! I hope you managed to get everything to the tip despite the snow.

Congratulations to getting so many comments on your bandom stories!

What a terrible delivery driver! You should tell the company you ordered from!

[turps]

The cards really are happymaking, both the fronts and messages inside.

No, I imagine the succulents would have come out a dried up mess after a year. Santa hatted or not, the dino holders are very cute, and look good at the kitchen window.

I got half the stuff to the tip, mainly because I'd stored some of the full bin bags in the greenhouse, and didn't fancy digging them out. But half, plus the donations, was still a lot of clutter out of the house. We'll get another tip slot appointment on James' next day off, so the bags will just stay in the greenhouse until then.

The comments have been very regular lately, which is a lovely thing.

I really don't get what that delivery driver was thinking, we were still up, as shown by the lights being on downstairs, and they would have had to walk past the front door to get to the garden. So, why not knock?

[jacieleigh]

I'm glad the card finally arrived! Actually, not bad for crossing the ocean.

I'm glad you rescued the package!

[turps]

It wasn't bad time at all. Thank you again ♥

I'm so glad I saw the package, someone could have easily taken it overnight if I hadn't done so.

[shadowhive]

Oh I’ve got a Santa dinoplant pot too!

Oh that’s good your package came but that’s so bad they left it there (what if it had been a bin day😭)but that bottle sounds nice

Yeah I’m so excited to see Heated Rivalry too!

[turps]

The Santa dinoplant pots are so cute. I'm not surprised you have one too.

I really don't get the delivery person who thought the bin was a good place to leave a parcel. Anyone could have taken it if I hadn't seen.

Considering the buzz I'm so eager for Heated Rivalry. I hope I love it as much as others do.

[wenchpixie]

ooh, it's always lovely to have a good declutter at the post Christmas reset, nice. The succulents sound so fun - did you manage to get the hats off?

Oh goodness. I LOVE Tints 'verse SO MUCH, such a comforting story.


Delivery companies are such a nightmare - I'd really rather pay more and be sure that I've got a chance to actually get the things!

OH GOODNESS THE PITT. I AM NOT DOING WELL WITH HAVING TO WAIT A WEEK.

[turps]

Having a good declutter is such an excellent feeling.

The hats are still on the dinos as when I tried to remove them glue was being left on the dino head, and I figured I'd rather the hats than a white, fluff tufted head.

Ah, thank you about always cheerleading Tints verse. It amazed me that people are still finding the stories 15 years on. When I posted them, I never thought I'd be replying to comments so much later.

The Lidl opposite my house has inPost lockers and I used them for a while, until the run up to Christmas when they seemed to be constantly full. For something that's supposed to make your life easier, delivery so often does the exact opposite.

I remain thrilled you also love The Pitt!