For those who weren't aware, a new Penric novella by Lois McMaster Bujold came out yesterday - A Testimony of Mute Things.

Happy birthday @hazelwrit.bsky.social I hope you've had an excellent day and did something nice to celebrate.

I felt bored with my hair and like a change, so chopped it off last weekend. Still getting used to my new reflection. Plus new glasses because my astigmatism has changed angle again.

The pyracantha aka firethorn aka the spiky death plant is in full bloom and looks amazing.

Mini heat wave around the London area, so I am wearing a new linen dress that mum made me. It has pockets and I am pleased to report they are big enough to hold my Kindle.

This news makes me sad. LJ Smith books were favourites of mine in the 1990s. Some of them moved to this side of the world with me and I've only recently let them go. locusmag.com/2025/03/l-j-...

A bad decisions train night. No guard on the 1833 bc a late running train. G due 1849 so got on the faster 1850. No guard on 1850 but the 1833 guard arrived and train left. At 1915 I give up on the 1850 and catch the fully crewed 1820. 1850 runs fast to Staines so I'd be home 30 mins earlier. Grump.

After gaming with friends, I got up for a drink and discovered the back door was open. Cinnamon had let herself out and was having a great time exploring. Fortunately she was chatty so is safely retrieved. Bloody cat.

Someone in Time is in the @solarisbooks.bsky.social 99p ebook sale! What better time to read a time travel romance anthology? My story also features reincarnation ♾️ Other great titles in the sale include @rebeccafraimow.bsky.social's LADY EVE'S CON, the sapphic space screwball romcom of my dreams 🚀

We have two conventions to look forward to this year: Reconnect in Belfast at Easter and Archipelicon2 in Mariehamm in June. Need to sort travel and post-con tourism for both and accommodation for one. Great to have things to look forward to.

After two full weeks at home (NZ) it's time to go home again (UK). Spent lots of time with family; saw just a few friends; visited Taranaki. Lots of (pool) swimming; walked on sand, paddled in the ocean.

Walked around the Mount today and along the beach for a bit (about 7km total). It was nice to feel the sand between my toes, but that was enough for my right ankle.

Made it to NZ Saturday morning. There's been a decent amount of rain in Tauranga, but the light is great. Coping with jet lag okay though I'm awake and up for sunrise today

I am incredibly busy at work in the run up to going on holiday and a meeting today will be postponed (probably until I get back) because someone is ill which is a bit of a relief. Roll on end of day next Wednesday.

Very empty train into London for work this morning. But hey, the sun is finally above the horizon, there's blue(ish) sky and it's 20 days until we fly home for a visit.

Home again after nearly a week away. We drove up to mil's on Monday, worked Tuesday, celebrated Christmas day etc with the family there. Yesterday we went over to fil's place and home again today. Cats came with us. They were very shouty in the car.

Merry Christmas to my NZ friends!

Up north for Christmas and the cats have decided they would like my food to get pound and needles.

Went swimming yes for the first time in ages for non-weight bearing exercise (my physio has recommended this to avoid damaging my ankles). I am so stiff today. Will need to build it up over time. And probably buy more togs.

My colleagues kept asking today if I'd deliberately coordinated my lanyard and my earrings. Not on purpose, but I may in future. My Glasgow worldcon tartan lanyard coordinates very nicely with my Lanzarote earrings.

The 80th birthday celebrations went well. The weather driving less so - we've been 1.5 hours from home for at least an hour now in rain and some winds.

We are in Stockport for my mil's 80th. Drove up late last night and rather than the motorways we were diverted via the Peak District. There were some very pretty snowy fields and fortunately well-gritted roads.

Cinnamon got high on peppermint tea this evening. Mug is merch from the recently concluded Warhammer 40K tabletop game, Heresy She Wrote.

The roof is finished! It's been done for a little while but the scaffolding is now down. With the days cooling down, I'm sure the insulation is making a difference already.

A belated happy birthday @hazelwrit - hope you enjoyed your recent family lunch and are doing well.

@tamarillow hope you had a wonderful birthday! Did you do anything nice?

Progress on our roof (I believe we are now over half way). The photo with blue sky is the first weekend after tiles came off (not last weekend but the one before). The other two photos are both yesterday and slates have now gone on the extension's roof.

Also yesterday the roofers arrived and started taking tiles off our roof. Today it is raining...

Yesterday I swore an oath and became a British citizen (dual national). Now to get a passport so I have some form of ID...

Got home yesterday, collected the beasties today. They spent the first few hours constantly moving and mostly talking. Eventually deigned to nap with me. They are required to be in a room with one of their people.

Fucking people who leave wooden coathangers on railings next to the station path. Didn't see it, caught my arm hard, my right ankle went (again) and I ended up on the ground. Kind people stopped but not what I wanted for the morning. Grump.

Always very happy to buy and read a new Bujold novella - Penric and the Bandit. And then belatedly, a few days later, think to mention it here.

The soffit came off the front of our house recently and rather than do another small patch, we're going to bite the bullet and reroof. Am genuinely excited about the fact that we need to bring insulation up to current building standards and so A should no longer bake or freeze in summer or winter.

My parents arrive tomorrow (they are with us for most weekends in May). It was Dad's birthday yesterday so I am making Smitten Kitchen's red wine chocolate velvet cake. Any leftovers I'll take into work on Wednesday.

Me, this morning: A, I saw a tit! A: what, just one? We have how many between us? Me: groan. The bird feeder and the other wilding is working. Pigeons wait for me. We get lots of sparrows, a few robins and now a bluetit. This makes me happy.

We've been watching season 2 of Lego Masters NZ. Managed to avoid being spoiled for the final. I'm really pleased with the result. My favourite team won. \o/

At Eastercon in Telford. It is one of the cons where you need a t-shirt, a woolly jersey, and a decent rain jacket separately and together within minutes.

I just realised I put two similar - but definitely different - earrings in this morning. I wonder if anyone will notice...

Love it when people decide a full size bicycle fits on a rush hour train.

And... we're live! Help support another year of speculative fiction by immigrant and diaspora writers over at @kickstarter.com. Learn more: www.kickstarter.com/projects/kho...

Steve Miller (one of the Liaden books authors) has died. I've spent a lot of time reading that series and feel sad about this news. Maybe time for a reread. file770.com/steven-richa...

Yesterday @eggwhite.bsky.social did everything I'd tried to my phone and eventually got it working again. Bemused but delighted. Now going to back up photos and voice recordings, and start researching new to me replacements just in case.

As of yesterday morning my phone is stuck in an e-recovery update & restart loop. Fortunately I saved Eggwhite's no to my work phone. Phone is over 5 years old and until the weekend was working well, so looking at local repair options. It's quite strange. How do I occupy my eyes/brain without it?

Cinnamon decided to sleep on my feet this afternoon.

Accommodation booked for Glasgow worldcon in August. Still deciding whether we will stay longer and explore Glasgow but at least the main days are done.

Please share!!!! Early Announcement! 2026 Frances Hardinge Conference (with a Convention feel). Key details: 11th and 12th July 2026. speakers: Frances Hardinge and Alison Baker (UEL) Aston University, Birmingham. Early bird prices are up at Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/frances-ha...

YOP! There's a new Penric & Desdemona novella out!

Realistically one day A and I will buy an automated litter tray for the cats (A is particularly keen as scooping is his job). For the wishlist, I've now seen a safety crash standards tested pet carrier for the car which is tempting... tavopets.com/usa/

We put up our Christmas tree at the weekend and it is of interest.

They were adorable when I got home from work today.