Consistently, predictably, dependably, unwaveringly ERRATIC

Greyhound updates

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 12:28:57 GMT

So the Big Red Greyhound did not prove cat-friendly upon further assessment and he's probably be better with another confident dog in the house anyway.

We didn't make it to the GAP adoption day nearby but they didn't have any cat-friendlies that day. We might have gone just for cuddles but Mum has been helping Roz with a huge clear-out project and they were coming up the deadline to the council clean-up pick-up.

There was another GAP adoption day the next weekend at a different location an hour away and a possible boy there but it was pouring rain and Mum wasn't comfortable driving up the freeway in that. He was adopted quicky - and so were the two cat-friendly puppies! A 4-month-old boy, blind in one eye, and an 8-month-old boy with growth plate issues in his front legs. We cooed over their photos - all legs and nose, absolutely adorable - but we were resolute. Not a puppy. Greyhound puppies are just as insane as any other breed.

I was deeply disappointed not to at least get some cuddles - I have't even seen a greyhound since Miss Shadow died - but we talked to Tina again last week and she picked up a cat-friendly girl on Sunday and we're going to visit her at her foster home tomorrow. I have a dentist appointment and said foster home is about two minutes away. Hound is young and unraced and very affectionate, so we'll see. I was leaning towards a boy but this girl looks nothing like Miss Shadow, which helps. I do like the big, rangy boys but Mum feels our new place is just too small for a bigger hound.

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Feeling a bit dazed

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:48:30 GMT

We (mostly I) have been stalking the greyhound adoption sites for possibilities and wondering about the right time. I have also been fantasising perhaps a little too much about what the next hound will be like and telling myself I need to stop doing that and actually meet a real dog (oh, that sounds weird.) GAP is having an adoption day nearby in mid-February so I jumped to sign up for that and decided to get the ball rolling with an application to the adoption group Mr Nosey's foster carer, Tina, started as well. This was last night so I thought, given today was Australia Day, then we have the weekend, I might get a call early next week about the applications. Maybe we'll have a new greyhound sometime in February? It can take longer with cat-friendlies, though.

TODAY, Tina calls me and says they're picking up a cat-friendly boy from his trainer on Saturday to go into foster care but would we like to take him directly instead?

We don't even have a dog bed anymore!

Fair enough, he's going to the foster carer and we're going to meet him next weekend and, uh, he might be home very soon?

We'll go shopping for a dog bed tomorrow.

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Pawprints on our hearts

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 10:58:01 GMT

It's been quite the two years.

( Saying goodbye. Times three )

Because I knew you/I have been changed for good

I always liked this song and vid and now I'm crying. I had the time of my life/fighting dragons with you

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Wishing you joy ...

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 11:37:21 GMT

It has been a very quiet Christmas what with *waves hand* everything but I have had an excellent dinner and before I collapse in an exhausted post-shopping/baking/cooking/Christmas-in-general heap, I wanted to share some carols I've been enjoying.

I'd only heard this carol in the Little Women film until I stumbled over this fanvid. I love the sound and the vid just makes me happy.

I've never been very keen on The Little Drummer Boy (and this tumblr comic make me cackle like a hyena every time) but I am enjoying this version.

For years I was annoyed with every version of We Three Kings I came across. Where was the awe, the wonder, the joy?! And why was I so sure it should be sung that way? Then I found this vid of an old Carols in the Domain performance and all was explained ... clearly I imprinted. Thank you, Hugh Jackman! (And David Hobson and Peter Cousen, of course.) Music starts at 1:09.

I always enjoy Carol of the Bells.

A couple of carols only learned of this year, thanks to friend loaning me the Corinna Chapman books by Kerry Greenwood (author of the Phryne Fisher mysteries. One of the books is set around Christmas and has some carolers and I looked up some of their carols. The following isn't quite how I imagined them singing it but I enjoy it.

But this one, the Carol of the Field Mice from The Wind in the Willows, just make me smile.

Wishing you joy in the morning ... and the evening and all the year long!

P.S. the preview says six videos are showing at proper size. Can I figure out why they will not? No, no I cannot.

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SOCKS!!!

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:23:55 GMT

turlough , thank you so much!!! The socks are so pretty, they fit perfectly and were a delightful surprise. I put them on immediately and was very pleased with myself for wearing a pink dress today (it matches one shade in the socks perfectly.)

It has just started to get cold here and a bit nippy around the ankles in the evenings so I was thinking of getting out the Rose socks (as I think of them), instead I'm wearing the Cosmos socks!

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Books of January

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 16:39:22 GMT

Odd to think that this time last year bushfires were raging, we were checking the Fires Near Me app regularly and were wearing masks when we went out to prevent being choked by the smoke.

Now, it's horrifically humid, very few fires, wearing different masks to leave the house due to a virus we hadn't even heard of back then. Wheee.

I can safely say that my body doesn't like this summer any better than the last one but I have been able to read which is a Good Thing.

Underline: Greatly enjoyed; highly recommend.
~~Strikethrough~~: Did not like; do not recommend.
#Meh# It was okay; had some good points but I'm not keeping it.
*Reread

Non-Fiction

The Sun in the Morning* - M. M. Kaye
Golden Afternoon* - M. M. Kaye
Enchanted Evening* - M. M. Kaye
Plain Tales From The Raj: Images of British India in the 20th Century* - Charles Allen
The Fishing Fleet: Husband-Hunting in the Raj* - Anne de Courcy
Sketches of Our Life at Sarawak - Harriette McDougall
Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters: An Eccentric Englishwoman and Her Lost Kingdom* - Philip Eade
#Wildflower: An Extraordinary Life and Untimely Death in Africa# - Mark Seal
A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and A Vision for the Future - David Attenborough
Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the birth of agriculture - Bruce Pascoe
The Anarchy : the relentless rise of the East India Company - William Dalrymple
Inglorious Empire : what the British did to India - Shashi Tharoor
Remnants of Partition : 21 objects from a continent divided - Aanchal Malhotra
Hyperbole and a Half* - Allie Brosh
Solutions and Other Problems - Allie Brosh
Plastic Free: The Inspiring Story of a Global Environmental Movement and Why It Matters - Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, Joanna Atherfold Finn

Fiction

#Hideaway#* - Nora Roberts
A Madness of Sunshine* - Nalini Singh
Good Omens* - Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
#Go To My Grave# - Catriona MacPherson
#What the Dead Leave Behind# - Rosemary Simpson

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A Christmas revelation

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 12:15:42 GMT

After a decade or so of being the one responsible for arranging the Christmas lights on our artificial tree and getting scratched and generally beaten up by the tree every time (doesn't help that our tree has to go in a corner so the room is limited) I have finally discovered there is an easier way!

Instead of assembling the tree then winding the lights from the top down ending with the cord and plug, I started adding the lights from the bottom as I built the tree. I know the string was the right length, knew more or less how it should go and I didn't have to tangle with extra cord and plug. IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER. And it this how people normally do it, could someone have mentioned this earlier?!

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Happy Birthday to me!

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 12:44:57 GMT

On my birthday last year, I was staring to emerge from the haze of unexpected side effects, including constant (instead of chronic) migraines, caused by a new CFS/ME medication I was trying. That was a fun three and a half months. That was during a year that included my first (hopefully only) ambulance ride and discovery of a (minor!) heart condition, falling off the back porch and narrowly avoiding braining myself, then tripping in a parking lot and acquiring of fantastic bruises.

On this birthday, I have just had my third round of botox for migraines and I am doing so much better. After the second round I even had TWO MONTHS without a single migraine or headache. I still have very little energy but I'm starting to feel like I'm living again not just existing. Bizarre to think that during a global pandemic my health might actually be improving … but it might be?

(I think I do need to go back to the physio again though. I strained a shoulder muscle cuddling the dog, FFS *sigh* This is after straining the same shoulder holding a friend's baby right after the first round of botox and getting very confused and painful signals from my neck. BUT I AM GETTING BETTER.)

And there was some very fancy cake for dessert.

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Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Wed, 25 Dec 2019 12:32:37 GMT

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Cards!

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 12:42:43 GMT

I have been meaning to post this for like … a month but between migraines and bushfires (we're fine), I keep forgetting.

It has been a pretty crappy year, mostly health-wise, but cards are good. Was handing out greyhound Christmas cards at the market on Sunday and was amazed at how many people were saying they've kept all of them, even keep them up year round!

Anyone who would like a card (quite possibly late, sorry!), please leave a comment here (screened) or email venetia@iprimus.com.au

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Go Mum!

Sat, 02 Mar 2019 12:02:10 GMT

Mum was shopping at Aldi today and happened to run into the same very unattractive and unprepossessing middle-aged bloke several times on the way through. On the third occasion he asked her quite seriously if she was trying to pick him up.

Mum said, 'Good heavens, no. I've got enough troubles,' and walked off.

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Apples!

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 11:49:49 GMT

I love apples, especially Fujis from the farmers market, but I'm not a big fan of cooked apple in general (my apologies to apple pie fans.) Sometimes though, we'll get apples that aren't very interesting or forget a few in the fridge and what do we do with them? Occasionally Mum would make applesauce and just … no, thank you.

However, I have now discovered two recipes that will make those leftover apples vastly more interesting and have considerably improved my opinion of cooked apple.

Danish apple cake

I have made this multiple times and it is excellent. Only apple cake I've ever liked. Simple, fruit studded cakes are a good way to jazz up disappointing fruit.

And a savoury recipe just tried tonight:

Nature's Candy

Well, it's diced sweet potato and apple with cinnamon and dried basil, roasted. Nature's candy? Not sure about that but it was very good and went well with the lamb ribs. Recommended!

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And what do you think you're doing, sir?

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 12:33:46 GMT

A CERTAIN SOMEBODY has figured out how to delicately push open the low screen blocking the archway into the living room.

A CERTAIN SOMEBODY has been found on his favourite sofa when he was not meant to be in that room.

First time Mum thought she must not have closed the screen properly last time she was in there (and greyhounds can eel their way through remarkably narrow spaces.*) But this morning, who was on the sofa again but that handsome brindle hound, Mr Nosey! And we know the screen was shut last night! And he did it again today!

Cheeky bugger. But he knows we're on to him so let's see what he tries next.

*Unless they're like Miss Shadow and flatly refuse to deal with narrow spaces, leaving us perplexed (especially when our cattle dog would see any slightly open door as an invitation and barge on through.) It took time, training and help from The Boyo but she improved greatly. She also disliked going under things or having her tail touched. When we saw some footage of greyhounds being loaded into starting boxes we went "... oh. She must had some training." I also came across a thread on a rescue greys forum and discovered that a lot of rescues hate half-open doors and gates and dislike anything touching their backsides. She still prefers doors to be more than half-open - but she'll she follow Mr Nosey through a narrower gap! She hasn't tried for the living room yet ..

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Oh, sweep out the old ...

Mon, 31 Dec 2018 11:58:43 GMT

Storm, some rain, a cool breeze, and the temperature had dropped after days of 40+C. I'll take this blessed cool as an auspicious start to the new year and not think about the weather forecast!

As it happens, I'm planning to see Florence + The Machine on Australia Day. I'll take storms over another heatwave!

Happy New Year!

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Wheee ...

Wed, 26 Dec 2018 12:32:08 GMT

Veuve Clicquot is a superb champagne. I knew the risks of drinking but damned if I wasn't going to try some. And I managed most of a small glass over the afternoon (most alcohol I've had in years) before the intolerance symptoms kicked in - shaky, exhausted, had to lie down, but no immediate piercing headache?

Slept the rest of the day, may have oncoming migraine but it's been a long few days so I expected that.

Veuve Clicquot. My, my. I highly recommend it.

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Merry Christmas!!!

Tue, 25 Dec 2018 10:14:42 GMT

Peregrine Mountain tea and croissants with boysenberry jam to start the day, a sip of champagne at a friend's place, and Christmas meal of:

Cider Roasted Turkey Breast

Sweet Potato Gratin

Green Bean Bacon Bundles

My first time cooking turkey and it went very well! Mum was amazed at how juicy it was.

Followed up eventually by Mango & Brandy pudding (not homemade!) with ice cream. But we waited until we'd hooked up our new portable air conditioner and it had cooled things down a bit. Not strictly a Christmas present but very good timing given the 40+C temps ahead.

It's been a lovely restful day, even with all the cooking. Small children are descending tomorrow, hopefully they'll still be worn out from today.

XMas Day Bonus: We've been inflicting reindeer antlers on the greyhounds at every market this month (they're so good about it and people love it.) Today, we just put their bandannas on - but we stuck the cat with a sequinned bowtie for an hour. He looked terribly smart.

Hoping you all had wonderful, restful (or busy, if you like!) days as well.

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Wishing you joy and peace today, tomorrow, and for many days to come!

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 12:41:10 GMT

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The Last Jedi

Sun, 07 Jan 2018 12:58:35 GMT

It was at least 45C today. NOT OKAY. I gave up after a few hours when the words of my book stopped making sense and just lay on my bed with a damp towel draped over me. A couple of hours later Mum came in and said, 'Get up, there's a breeze outside! A cool breeze!' And there was and there is and it's wonderful but it's still going to be 40something tomorrow and I have a migraine from the heat and I've run out of the miraculous Zomig, having taken the last one last night.

It was almost that hot yesterday but we escaped for a few hours into an air-conditioned cinema to see The Last Jedi (after a solid fifteen minutes of ads followed by only two trailers. But one was Black Panther so that was good.) We enjoyed it a lot. There were a lot of funny moments to leaven a story that showed the cost of resistance, that not all heroes agree and not everything works out. And I can understand how that would piss people off but it is the middle film of the trilogy and if you have everything work out, what's left?

(I did my best to avoid spoilers but I picked up that were strong and differing opinions and lot of people pissed about Luke.)

( Random mildly spoilery thoughts as I think of them(probably won't make sense unless you've seen the film) )

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Snowflake - Day 3

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 12:49:47 GMT

Day 3

In your own space, post recs for at least three fanworks that you did not create.

A friend recently hooked me up with Netflix and I watched both seasons of Stranger Things in three days. I love The Party, Winona Ryder is fantastic, Jonathan/Nancy/Steve is my OT3 and I laughed myself silly over babysitter!Steve at the end of S2. He was having a very bad day.

the heart its own rough animal (21644 words) by trepan
Chapters: 9/9
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, the babies don't have relationships they are too busy fighting monsters
Characters: Eleven (Stranger Things), Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Jonathan Byers, Nancy Wheeler, Will Byers, Steve Harrington, Joyce Byers, Jim "Chief" Hopper, Benny Hammond
Additional Tags: Period-Typical Homophobia, Canon-Typical Violence, Alternate Universe
Summary:

The three boys are her age. 11 used to imagine other children, after 10 and 9 went away. For a moment, she thinks she dreamed them, but they all have daemons on their shoulders, pointy ones with glossy black all over their small bodies. Children don’t have daemons.

“Where’s her daemon,” says one of the boys urgently. “Guys, she doesn’t have one.”

(A His Dark Materials AU)

His Dark Materials!fusion with a gutpunch ending.

our most brilliant friends (1544 words) by GhostGrantaire
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dustin Henderson & Max
Characters: Dustin Henderson, Max (Stranger Things)
Additional Tags: Friendship, Ice Cream
Summary:

“How does that not bother you?” Max suddenly blurted out loudly. Dustin looked up at her in surprise.

“The ice cream?” He asked slowly, confused.

Max huffed, burying her spoon back in the vanilla sundae, which was starting to melt together with the chocolate syrup and maraschino cherries, the banana buried underneath. “The names.”

Fierce, angry Max and very awesome Dustin. Because he is awesome.

i never wanted trouble (but i sure got enough) (1644 words) by QueenWithABeeThrone
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: implied Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler/Steve Harrington
Characters: Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers, Nancy Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Will Byers, Eleven (Stranger Things), Max Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Mike Wheeler
Additional Tags: Pre-OT3, Road Trip, Road Trip from Hell, Attempt at Humor, Crack, steve is tired let him rest
Summary:

“Eyes on the road!” screams Mike.

“Our parents will kill you if you crash this car!” yells Lucas.

or: what happens when you cram six kids and three teenagers into a stolen van and put them on the road to stopping the apocalypse. again.

I laughed myself stupid reading this. The voices were PERFECT.

stranger things than polyamory (3545 words) by trepan
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler
Characters: Jonathan Byers, Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler
Additional Tags: Past Character Death, Polyamory
Summary:

Somebody spray-paints NANCY WHEELER HAS TWO BOYFRIENDS on a wall she walks by on her way back from school in May. There are a couple of other students watching her as she passes. Nancy gives the sign a long look, then smirks at them politely.

OT3 get together from three POVs. And they're happy.

A Heart Like Hers (7665 words) by EvieSmallwood
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler
Characters: Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, Mike Wheeler, Jim "Chief" Hopper
Additional Tags: ot3: monster hunters, features aspiring deputy steve
Summary:

Nancy Wheeler, the perfect poster child, is in love with two boys.

Nancy-centric OT3 fic. They're all trying to figure things out.

The Hawkins Three (15742 words) by Nonymos
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler, Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson, Steve Harrington & Will Byers
Characters: Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, Dustin Henderson, Joyce Byers, Will Byers, Eleven (Stranger Things), Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Max (Stranger Things)
Additional Tags: Post Season 2, OT3, Gayer Things, everyone needs so much therapy, 80s trauma victims make do, steve lives in denial, jonathan has an inferiority complex, nancy’s tired of all the bullshit, some casual homophobic slurs, lots of teens and pre-teens figuring their shit out, babysitter steve activate!, Dungeons & Dragons, the byers boys need hugs, Angst and Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Polyamory, the answer to every love triangle
Summary:

It's two weeks after the Snow Ball, Nancy's officially with Jonathan, and Steve is trying to move forward. If only he wasn't on a path that keeps circling back to the both of them.

Steve-centric and worth it just for sheer hilarity of his conversations with Dustin.

Steve’s jaw drops. “Are you giving me relationship advice?”

“Low blow, Harrington,” Dustin says, swerving his front wheel threateningly. “Look. I may be just a little tadpole in the great mysterious pond of romance, but I do know this: when people don’t talk to each other, good people end up eaten. Or worse.”

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Snowflake - Day 2

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:05:58 GMT

Day 2

In your own space, share a favorite memory about fandom: the first time you got into fandom, the last time a fanwork touched your heart, crazy times with fellow fans (whether on-line or off-line), a lovely comment you’ve received or have left for someone.

First time I met fellow fans - Fall Out Boy show in Melbourne for their reunion tour. Computer glitch meant I missed a ticket for Sydney but shinetheway had an extra for Melbourne, another fan offered to host me and other fangirls and it was a terrific show (fun by yourself but better with friends) and a really fantastic experience. Everyone was so damn happy to be there!

*
Blessedly cool weather today. The dogs got a long walk - almost too long for Miss Shadow who was dragging her feet by the end. Had a long chat with friend Kitt, trying to organise a girl's day around the oncoming heat, while being diverted by all our usual conversational topics plus her newly crawling daughter faceplanting into her leg, twice.

Did some exercises, started a new book about Marco Polo, got interested, remembered it was due back at the library tomorrow, cursed, checked, not due until next week (yay!) made dinner, tossed some things, watched What We Do in the Shadows. Hilarious NZ vampire mockumentary directed by and starring Taika Waititi & Jemaine Clement. Waititi directed Thor: Ragnorok which I missed in cinemas and I'm even more annoyed about that now. He's hilarious in this. And I just watched Moana in which Clement voices Tamatoa the crab. I kept imagining Vladislav busting out with "SHINY!!!"

Good day, although we were supposed to meet a pony today. That may take a while now.

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Snowflake - Day 1

Tue, 02 Jan 2018 13:23:23 GMT

Day 1
In your own space, talk about why you're participating in Snowflake and, if you’ve participated in the past, how the challenge has affected you. What drew you to it? What did you take away from it? What do you hope to accomplish this year? Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

I've participated in Snowflake on and off since the beginning but since it comes at one of the most exhausting times of the year for me (post-holidays, revolting summer heat) I've never participated as much as I'd like to. But I like seeing the fannish enthusiasm across fandoms and the challenges are always interesting. I'd like to get back to posting here and see some fannish activity away from Tumblr.

*
I often start January feeling better than expected, make grand plans for the new year then the heat gets even worse and all those lovely plans collapse around me. You think I'd learn. Little victories. I did some exercises today, tossed a few things, made dinner, tried a new hairstyle (Quick and Easy Braided Updo) that worked very well for the first try, and finished reading The Girl with All The Gifts by M.R. Carey. I'm not usually into zombie novels but I was reading Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogy since the library didn't have the book of hers I was looking for and I absolutely loved it (cried all over the first book) and that led me to Carey. Creepier and bleaker but fascinating.

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... bless you and send you a happy new year ...

Sun, 31 Dec 2017 13:43:40 GMT

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A Greyhound Christmas

Mon, 25 Dec 2017 13:58:04 GMT

Very greyhound! First Christmas with ours, they just stared at us like we were nuts but the lure of the living room rug was too great so they settled down, watched closely until our actions were deemed weird but harmless then they napped. As greyhounds do.

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Merry Christmas to all!

Mon, 25 Dec 2017 12:09:27 GMT

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Holiday cards

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 13:12:26 GMT

A fleeting appearance before I melt away in the heat ...

I have Christmas cards, I think there's still time to post, who would like one?

Comments are screened or my email is venetia@iprimus.com.au

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