Link and creativity/art update

Jan. 27th, 2026 11:54 am
china_shop: A beautiful warm curlicued cartoon heart in pinks and reds and yellows (heart - warm)
[personal profile] china_shop
Ughhhhhh! *hugs to everyone, all of you, so many hugs and then some more*

For those who need it, [personal profile] troyswann linked to her art-blog post Gardening in the Rubble, about continuing normal life while the world is on fire.

*

Lately, I've been having trouble focusing on written words, so the fic edits are going verrrrry sloooowly. I don't think these are going to count as late [community profile] fandomtrees gifts anymore, but I'd still like to finish them!

I've also been continuing to mess around with art. Current status, for future reference. ) In conclusion: noses are the worst, followed by lips, followed by eyes. Ears are also terrible.

Aaand now my right wrist/base of my thumb is furious at me, owww, because of course I chose a new hobby that involved a ton of detailed/controlled handwork. Should've taken up singing instead. *poutsigh*

(no subject)

Jan. 26th, 2026 04:54 pm
turps: (Sleep)
[personal profile] turps
It was Murphy and Kevin's annual booster and check-up appointment this morning. Both were fine, but Murphy is now over 7kg which isn't ideal. The problem is he needs the prescription dry food to help with his bladder stone issues, and eating that isn't helping with the weight gain. Thankfully, the vet said you can buy the prescription kind he needs in a lower calorie format, so we'll be buying that when his latest bag is finished.

Poor Murphy was so frightened, though. Understandable as the last two times he was at the vets he ended up whisked away to the emergency vets and admitted.

Kevin was just his usual self, in perfect health apart from his chronic congestion, and he was jumping around and exploring the room, being his usual, purr'ey, friendly self. Then covered his face is lick e lix when I fed him one as a distraction as he got his nails trimmed.

two recent photos )

Rosie texted last night to say class was cancelled today. I'm assuming for personal reasons due to the late communication. That did make going to the vets easier as before I would have had to go there, come home, drop off the cats and then quickly head for the gym, hoping the vets appointment didn't overrun. Which it actually did due to us being seen late, so time would have been tight.

(no subject)

Jan. 24th, 2026 05:03 pm
turps: (cats and coffee)
[personal profile] turps
I got great mail yesterday, a parcel from [personal profile] turlough.

Thank you so much for the birthday present, Turlough. I'll keep it safe, and unopened, until my actual birthday, that way I know I'll have a lovely surprise to open. Though, I must admit, I was tempted to open it right now. You're the best ♥

Other than that it was a busy day as we went off and stocked James' unit at the craft shop, and very nice it looks too. He's between a sea glass unit and one that seems to sell a mixture of things, so the wood stands out nicely. I'm still not sure how profitable it's going to be, but the ladies running the shop are lovely and didn't charge for this last week of Jan, which was good of them. If you want to see, I've uploaded a photo here

Then, after stocking the unit we first, took Megan -- Kayleigh's cat -- to the vet and then went to pick Bodhi up from school as Kayleigh and Lucy were having a cinema and meal out day date. Bodhi was just as fun, and four going on fourteenish as usual. She wanted to give me some presents, including, a piece of paper to cut, four toy dragons, one of Kayleigh's bras and a Stitch hat. When I told her that it wouldn't fit my head she told me it had a thing at the back that made the hat bigger and how did I not know that as grown-ups are supposed to know everything. So, consider me told yet again. And also wonder when I'll become this magical grown up that does know everything.

Then later, it was The Traitors final episode which I'd been looking forward to so much. That show though, it had me on the end of my seat a few times thinking something was going to happen that didn't. But I was happy with the ending.

Today was a cinema day and as James had a Wagamama gift voucher, we went there for dinner. I had the silken tofu firecracker curry, and every bite teetered on the edge of being too hot. Which was my fault, as I did see the name. But still, it was tasty despite it making my nose run.

We'd gone to see Mercy which has been getting some bad reviews but despite being ridiculous in places, still kept me in suspense all the way through. I especially liked the concept of the film being the same time length of the trial on-screen, as the countdown was shown often, making it easy to work out when to dash out for a toilet break.

(no subject)

Jan. 21st, 2026 03:35 pm
turps: (voyager)
[personal profile] turps
I really didn't want to go to class on Monday. It was cold, it was wet, my friend/usual partner had messaged saying she couldn't come that day, and everything was just, meh. But I gave my head a shake and made myself go, and was glad I did. It was another big class with only five of us oldies there, I got partnered with someone new who was very nice, and we had a laugh. I'm especially glad I went as class was cancelled for today, so it would have been another week without having a supervised session.

We went to see 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and man, the violence was so much worse, and graphic, than the last one. It was well acted, how some fabulous visuals and acting, especially by Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell, but I really wouldn't recommend it due to the excessive amount of gore.

Yesterday was my six monthly lymphedema appointment cut for details )

TV wise, I watched the first ep of Starfleet Academy and really enjoyed it. As I'm also watching Strange New Worlds still, I'm just rolling in Trek stuff atm, which is a lovely place to be.

(no subject)

Jan. 18th, 2026 03:54 pm
china_shop: Close-up of Zhao Yunlan grinning (Default)
[personal profile] china_shop

Life Update

  • Andrew was discharged today and is currently napping on the couch. \o/!! That was his shortest hospital stay yet.
  • I have done something terrible to the back of my left knee, argh. At least I don't have to bike on it anymore.

Books & TV Update

  • On the second Penric & his Demon audiobook by Bujold. I'm not following it super-closely, but it's a pleasant enough tale to accompany me through chores and so on. :-)
  • Started Kdrama Can This Love Be Translated?, and I like it a lot so far. Kim Sun-ho has come so far from his geeky supporting-cast character in Good Manager (AKA Chief Kim). (Do I want to rewatch Strongest Deliveryman? IIRC, it was a bit weak, but otoh, it had enemy-to-hyung slash potential...)
  • Looking forward to watching The Pitt s02e02 tonight.

Fandom/Making Stuff

  • Inbox and tabs are out of control. I've started ruthlessly closing tabs.
  • I didn't manage to finish any gifts before [community profile] fandomtrees reveals. The last three days, I've been shuttling back and forth to the hospital for epic Scrabble bouts. I have two fics back from beta that I still hope to finish and post as late treats (both need rewrites), but I haven't had the brain to word. I spent a lot of my spare moments over the last 24 hours icing my knee and trying to draw an art gift, with no success. (Why are faces?? ;-p) So my plan is to finish the fics, and then go back and finish the things I started for Yuletide. And then go back even further and finish the thing I started for [community profile] guardian_wishlist. ;-p Also, to continue on with *Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain* in the hopes it will make me better at faces.

[community profile] fandomtrees gifts, yayayay!! I received five deliciously wonderful gifts for [community profile] fandomtrees!! FIVE!!

ETA: What is even the point of Markdown if you can't nest formatting inside lists? ;-p

Not a full media update

Jan. 16th, 2026 03:27 pm
china_shop: An orange cartoon dog waving, with a blue-green abstract background. (Bingo!)
[personal profile] china_shop
1. I am ridiculous and not even managing to keep up with Dreamwidth.

2. Just listened to Bujold's Penric's Demon in audio. Aww!

3. Watching Younger on Netflix, and wow, nothing dates an American show like all of the regular cast members being white. In New York. (Other than that, it's light fun and about what I'm in the mood for. Kind of like an Amy Sherman-Palladino show with less wealth porn.) Also started season 2 of The Pitt, despite intending to rewatch season 1 first.

4. (Burying the lede.) Andrew's surgery went well! We played two games of Scrabble this morning. I'm spending most of my time at the hospital.[a] Halle is confused by his absence and seeking an injunction.


[a] I've spent so long in North American fandoms that I've forgotten when we put "the" in front of "hospital", but I'm pretty sure this is one of those times, it being a specific hospital.

(no subject)

Jan. 15th, 2026 04:24 pm
turps: (cats and coffee)
[personal profile] turps
Some good things that have happened recently.

[personal profile] pensnest, your parcel arrived. So far Kevin has been in the cave bed and Murphy has sat on top of it. Thankfully, not at the same time. Thank you so much.

James' work sent him a card signed by his whole team along with some money from a collection his team leader had arranged. I'd like to say this was a surprise, but she'd accidentally copied him into the arranging email a few weeks ago, and he'd seen before the email had been retracted. But, surprise or not, it was lovely people had put in money, especially a such an expensive time of the year. He's thinking of using it to buy our new Beamish yearly pass, which seems a good idea to me.

James also got a phone call to say he had a space in a craft shop. The way it works is you can pay to hire a unit with four shelves and a hanging space, then the shop sells the products for you. We'd inquired last year, but there were no spaces then, but two units had come free, and he'd been given one of them. It's £40 a month rental, which is under the price we'd pay for four weekends/tables at craft fairs, but with much less work. Obviously, we've no idea how profitable this will be, but it's worth a go, and when we went to the shop earlier to check out details, it was lovely to see his name already up there on his unit. Now, he just needs to work out what to take to the shop, and get his stock levels back up. But, the shop is aware of circumstances, and have said to go and fill the shelves when he feels up to it.

16 people were at exercise only class on Monday, the most we've had ever. More than half of those were newbies, so many of them that I couldn't even say hello to every new starter, something I always try to do. Why I'm adding it to the good things list though is, I asked if there was a risk of having to leave the programme being as it was getting so busy, and I'm well over the official graduation time, but Rosie reassured me that I didn't have to go anywhere.

A new Starbucks opened in my town today, so we had a wander down to check it out. The place was buzzing, and we were well past the first 50 people who were given free coffee. But, when we had to go outside to try to log onto the app due to terrible connection inside, one of the managers saw and gave us both free coffee vouchers anyway. So, I got a pistachio matcha latte, and very tasty it was, too.

End-of-year wrap-up meme for 2025

Jan. 14th, 2026 10:29 am
china_shop: Bert and Ernie have a rubber duck (Bert & Ernie with rubber duck)
[personal profile] china_shop
2023 meme | 2021 meme | 2019 meme | 2018 meme | 2017 meme | 2016 meme | 2015 meme | 2014 meme | 2013 meme | 2012 meme | 2011 meme | 2010 meme | 2009 meme | 2008 meme | 2007 meme | 2006 meme

Meme! I've missed a couple of years, here and there, but I really want to maintain this tradition. In the interests of getting this done, I'm going to omit any questions I get stuck on. ;-p

But first I'll start with three self-recs from 2024, when I didn't do this meme.

  1. After the Waiting (10,195 words, Guardian, outsider POV on the SID & on Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan's new relationship, post-canon)

  2. The Best Thing for Everyone (8,726 words, Time of Fever/Unintentional Love Story, Go Hotae/Kim Donghee, bridging the gap between the two canons, angsty ending with hope for the future)

  3. Breakage and Repair (5,247 words, Guardian, Chu Shuzhi/Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan, post-canon, angst --> get-together)


My 2025 fanworks and modding )

The Meme (for 2025) )

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erilyn: gabe and mikey's hips (Default)
erilyn

December 2015

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