Hello hello hello. We – well, *I* – have two options today. I can continue procrastinating with my blog posts just because I feel bad that I
- haven’t replied to all the comments to my recent blog posts,
- haven’t read and commented on the blogs of my fellow bloggers since the Easter weekend, or
- still haven’t written up the re-watch notes on The Impressionists episode one.
It’s not for lack of wanting to. I have the notes – and 5000 screenshots of The Impressionists – to back up my claim. But I have major problems getting my ass into gear these days. My willpower seems to have left me. Whether it is staying on diet or following through with my plan of getting up-to-date on my blog duties, I just don’t seem to be able to focus and do it. So I fritter the day away, and suddenly it is time to cook dinner and to spend time with the family, and another day has passed without me writing my blog… Does that sound familiar to anyone out there? Is this a side effect of the menopause? Please tell me that this state of mind will be over at some stage. Frankly, I am going mental here.
So rather than continue fretting over my failings as detailed above, I have decided to write a happy post. Or a happy *mail* post. Because despite my morose musings above, I have reasons to be cheerful part 3. There has been lots of unexpected postal goodness the last couple of days, and when I look at my whiny grabs for attention above, I am not entirely sure I deserve all the goodness. Mind you, not all is for me. As the title suggests, the birthday charity auctions are already casting their shadows. Just look at this:
Oh yes, Mr Thornton is going to feature heavily in the next birthday auctions… These goodies were sent to me by Loops, who has supported the auctions with a number of donations in the past. The NS DVD is a welcome addition. And the “Pocket Tin” – hell, that’s a perfect tin for an accompanying shrine, I would think. The thinking cap is already on. I haven’t looked through the bag of magnet poetry yet, but I bet if I just randomly put some words together, I would find some great inspiration in there, too… So, thank you to Loops for this great surprise!
An equally great thank you goes out to Dededotti. After being spoilt with a big package yesterday, I did not expect another such surprise today. And yet, when I came downstairs to look for the mail, a huge parcel waited for me. First of all I really had a chuckle when I opened the parcel and found this on top:
Yep, Mr Thornton again. I think the universe is not just giving me a nudge, but this is a broad hint… Noted, universe, noted. Anyway, I had lots of fun going through this parcel.
Oh yeah, lots of Guy of Gisborne, too, and some Tolkien… I see some “fan sets” in our future, especially considering the previous shipments with Hannibal and the signed Castlevania DVD… Anyway, a huge thank you to Dotti for the parcel. I loved the bling and the bits (and if they don’t go into the shrines, I think some of them might go into my paper-based mixed media crafts). You are all incredibly kind and generous, and I am already excited for the 2019 fan auctions. They really have become a highlight of my blogging year, and they wouldn’t happen if it wasn’t for you – generous donors, kind supporters, happy buyers.
Talking of support – one last little picture note here of something else that arrived in the post today. I have mentioned it before and now it is finally here: Alyssa’s debut novel Mornnovin. As a backer, I received a hard copy of the novel in the post. I much prefer that to the digital copy. There was also a personal message for me in the book, accompanied by a hand-drawn bookmark.
Thank you to Alyssa and best wishes and much success to you. If you haven’t had a look yet, you can take a peek into Mornnovin and support a fellow fan HERE. If you go through RAnet’s links, you can even generate a donation for charity.
Right, that’s it. Please forgive me for the delay in commenting and replying. I intend to do that tonight. At least I am back on Twitter where I have updated my profile and reset my Twitter name back to the proper one.
It’s a time for happy mail it seems. 😃 Always nice, isn’t it?
I am equally as listless as you these days and perpetually tired. I attribute it to Frühjahrsmüdigkeit and hope it’ll pass soon. I’m as slow as molasses. 🙄
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Hooray for happy mail. It really does what it says on the tin, right?
And I really hope you are right re. spring time lethargia. I really hate being so sluggish.
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Spring fever.Everyone is tired !!! Glad you like the package..
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Spring fever – that’s it. Except there is no feverish activity here at all, just exhaustion and a lack of energy. Hope it’ll be over soon.
And yes I did – it was such unexpected fun. Thank you so much! xxx
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Ooo, another book. Thanks for the heads up. Abby’s was a great train companion on my morning commute.
I can’t blame spring fever for my procrastination….I can find an excuse at any time of the year (generally it’s ‘just one more page then I’ll….’)
Happy Shrining
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Mornnovin is not related to Richard at all – but the author is a long-time fan of Richard’s. It’s a fantasy novel. (Haven’t read it yet but it’s next on my list once I have finished my current book.)
xx
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It’s not related to Richard, but if you were to picture him in place of the male love interest you would not be way off base because I have always had A Type. 😏😉
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Ahh, bless – I love hearing that. It definitely will enhance reading even more 😍
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that’s a big haul! nice that fans are so generous, i still haven’t posted your stuff yet…oops..
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Haul is the right word. I feel bad accepting all of this, but then again a lot of it is not for me but will go into auctions 😉
No hurry luv 🙂
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Neither have I … getting there though 😉 Hope you get your mojo back soon. I think we all go through listless phases like this – I certainly do. And for sure menopause doesn’t help one little bit 😖
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Really feeling short-changed here by nature. First all that menstruation malarkey for decades. Then several pregnancies with or without “bearing fruit” in the end, and once all that crap is over, we get the whole puberty thing in reverse. Grah…
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That Spearmint tin reminds me of that goofy selfy he posted with green leaves in his ears and mouth.
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Hehe, might have to reuse that picture again… https://guylty.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/sunflower-ra-3-sm.jpeg
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That’s the one!
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There are so many lovely generous souls in the RA community, and you deserve your haul Guylty. I’m definitely more apathetic these days. All I really want to do is wallow in Armitage world, my happy place.
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Oh, I would happily wallow all the time… and I suspect that would actually get me into a good mood…
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“I fritter the day away, and suddenly it is time to cook dinner and to spend time with the family, and another day has passed” you just summed up my life in one sentence 😛
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*giggles* The burden of being a mother *grins*.
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I’ve been having trouble focusing on bl
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Let’s try that again *without* hitting reply so early… I’ve been having trouble focusing on blogging lately too. Or reading, even. I did rewatch part 1 of The Impressionists, though.
What wonderful packages you keep receiving! Are you sure you don’t want to give N&S another chance?
I’m loving Alyssa’s book! Started reading the e-book while waiting for my physical backer copy.
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Glad to hear I am not the only one who is struggling with concentrating.
I definitely need to re-watch NS soon – despite my reservations. (I started yesterday by reading my favourite NS fanfic.)
I’ll take Alyssa’s book on my trip to Germany and read it there, I think.
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Which is your favourite N&S fanfic?
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The one that is Margaret’s first time *blushes*
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Aren’t there a few of those? — not that I’ve read them (she says, lying through her teeth). What’s the title, if you don’t mind my asking… maybe I’ve missed one!
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I don’t think it has a name. The author described it as “Victorian porn”, and that’s how I usually know it. I have linked to it before – https://lettered.dreamwidth.org/130317.html
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I hadn’t read that one before. Very tender and slow. I was trying to find another first time I was thinking of but couldn’t. This one is not quite the first time, but is a first of sorts. Definitely NSFW (blushing). It’s called “The Color of this Fruit”. https://archiveofourown.org/works/10358274
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Oh, I think I remember this. (Because the title is so unusual.) But I am happy to read this again… Thanks for the link!
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Remember he said something about the colour of this fruit (referring to apples) in the N&S proposal scene, so a reference to that (but strawberries).
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Oh, I vaguely remember that now that you mention it. LOL!
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Ahhh! A lovely Happy Mail haul. There’s some great stuff adding up for the birthday auction. You’ve been getting some really unique tins and I can’t wait to see the shrines your muse inspires. (Maybe some Claude appreciation with all those screen shots you took) 😉 I had a nasty head cold last week. I had to postpone Easter dinner with the family which we were able to finally do tonight…but yeah, not too much energy at the moment. The weather here is beautiful. Maybe all that’s needed is to take a good walk and get out in the fresh air again. Hope you breeze through the doldrums and perk up again soon. I can sympathize in that I seem to have the same problem whenever the seasons change.
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Oh no, sorry to hear you had a cold that even stopped you from enjoying Easter with the family. I really can’t wait for some warmer weather here now – the last weekend was a great little taster, and having gone back to rain and grey skies yesterday was really painful…
I definitely have to put Monet into a shrine! Afaik I have actually never used him as a subject!!! To shame!!!!
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Oh thank goodness I am not the only one who just can’t get things done! It is so good to know I am not alone!. Sorry for being quiet for so long too.
Well done donors for the lovely stuff, can’t wait to see what lovely things you will create, Guilty 🙂
Hope you have a fab trip to Germany xx
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I am glad I mentioned it because now *I* don’t feel so alone any more…
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I firmly believe I don’t “fritter”, I “potter”! Some of my best days have been spent by myself just bouncing from one task to another interspersed with sessions of Richarding, then I get to the evening and wonder what I’ve achieved. Probably nothing important, but I’ve been contentedly occupied and for much of the time, I’m happy with that. Having said that though, Procrastination is my middle name.😏
What a lovely haul! I had to smile at the BMW drivers only tin – Richard drove a BMW, a grey one he bought after his first year on Spooks. He was nervous of being seen as a show off so he’d get to set extra early and park it behind the trailer so no one would see him.
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😂Oh dear, Richard and his famous modesty 😁. Tbh, even though BMW is a German car make, for me that is actually a big turn-off. Ugh. BMW driver. Noooooooo
As for pottering and frittering – spot on, Mezz. Same here. With a lot of emphasis on Richarding. I am really proud that today I have already managed to do some proper work. AND I have refrained from eating chocolate and snacks. Maybe sharing my problem has made it easier to finally tackle it.
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Unsurprisingly he anticipated that reaction because he said he was a careful driver !
I always imagined him picking up the Christmas tree in the convertible!
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Oh, now that you mention it… I’ll happily suppress the knowledge that this is a BMW and proceed to imagine all kinds of chivalrous deeds, like Richard picking up his dear mum and opening the car door for her etc. pp. *swoon*
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For me it is high season at work so I do my homework in a minimaliste way. My poor family. Hö, but I think sometimes, my boys are content that my focus is not directed to them “mother’s eye is not watching them” because at the moment I am too tired in the evening.
…the whole puberty thing in reverse .. that is a good one.
It is a shame, I rewatched the Impressonists only half an hour. I will try it again on friday evening.
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Okidoki, I will work on the Impressionists NOW!
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I’ve been so lazy I’m so behind in reading your blogs and now I’m too embarrassed to comment on some of your older posts. (I’m sooo sorry, S, I still love you. And I loved your coverage of the Red Dragon Con.) And I’m definitely going to finish that fan quiz one day and post my answers. I’m blaming this procrastination on my having become a permanent fur mama. It’s tough to be productive when 2 pairs of puppy eyes are looking at you longingly and one of them keeps tapping you with a gentle paw. And, yes, I sleep with them. I’m totally besotted.
Am very glad I’m getting caught up just in time for your charity auction. I would’ve been devastated if I’d missed it. Of course, it will affect my answer to fan quiz #A which I’ve yet to complete. Mr. A has been an expensive obsession. I wish he’d be on stage in London this summer. I land in London mid July and hope I’ll see you in Cardiff Aug. 2-3.
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BTW, are those Mardi Gras beads?
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Yes, they are 🙂
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Congrats on the two pooches, Tommie. That’s a veritable excuse – they need your love in RL. And in RT, too 😉
Oh, you have your trip to the UK to look forward to. Sounds fantastic.
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Oooh, so many goodies!
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