I aten't dead...

[curiouswombat]

It's been about a week since I posted. I seem to have been busy, but not doing anything worth writing about.

Actually I've been very busy finishing my story for lotrgficbigbang - the Lord of the Rings BigBang event - but rejoice! I've got to the end with a week or two to spare, and ellynn_ithilwen has done me beautiful chapter headings and banners and so on to go with it - working from my chapter outlines, and odd bits I would e-mail her - and it all fits beautifully.

The story is 25,000 words long and is a continuation of the Returnverse series - it will turn up here, and in my usual archives, when it is BigBang Day in early August. Now I have to get two Small Returns written and into shape before that - or there will be bits in the long story that won't make sense!

Apart from writing I have had Church meetings, and a Quiz as part of the church quiz team (3rd out of 15 teams - and a rather nice supper...). I've also cut out 60 paper foot-shapes for something in today's church service, and drawn a 7ft+ paper version of Goliath for small people to throw balls of blu-tack at... oh and made presentation labels for Bibles. Somehow church related stuff has taken up a lot of time this week!

For anyone interested there have also been a series of contacts from D-d. The Chilean volcano caught her again - her flight from Buenos Aires was delayed by about 6 or 7 hours, then eventually took a very major detour by way of Tahiti. Sadly the whole 23 hours between leaving Buenos Aires on Monday evening, and landing in Sydney about 9a.m. on Wednesday morning was over night - so she really didn't see much of Tahiti except the airport lights. However she had a good time with her friend in Sydney, and is now on her way up the East coast of Australia. She rang us last night (our time) from the mini bus as she went to the beach for some early morning surfing.

There are one or two pictures to share

This grows in the strips between the parking spaces in the hospital carpark - and I just think it is so delicate, and also so vibrant.



And I took this the other day as I came down one of the roads from the hills - I think you can probably tell which direction the prevailing wind blows.



I met this scarecrow when I went to visit a patient who lives up a small country lane and he made me smile, on a rather busy day.



Back home - the cat has decided he is bored sleeping in his bed, or on the sofa, or even on D-d's bed - he has relocated to the cushions on the back of the sofa... where this is a nice teddy who, when moved around a bit makes a good pillow.



And going back to all those odd church related things I've been doing this week - after the service I was given the flowers as a thank-you for the work with the children - and here they are -



I really like them much more than if they had been lilies or carnations or similar.

And today it has rained, and rained, and rained - and I have watched the golf on TV (Well done to Darren Clarke) and made us a small batch of scones after a sudden urge to bake.

And now - no more Sunday school for the summer. I might be very tempted to have a lie-in next Sunday...

Comments

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm very jealous! Well done! (And the moment I finish writing my story, I'll catch up with the bits you've already posted, so I'll be ready). Brilliant news about the chapter headings, too!

[I haven't heard anything from my artist. And I didn't get the opportunity to do any writing whilst I was away, so I'm still at about 18,000 words, and don't quite know how to finish, though I do know how the story's going to end, if you see what I mean.]

Glad to hear that D-d's journey is going well (as can be expected)!

And I love the tree. That is going to be used. Probably when our couple go to rescue the djinn.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

don't quite know how to finish, though I do know how the story's going to end, if you see what I mean.

I know exactly what you mean. I was a bit like that with this - which is called 'Dust'. I actually describe the last scene in the prologue - so I knew where I was going...

Feel free to use the tree - it does seem to lend itself to the djinn, somehow!

The rest of D-d's trip should be fine now - she is pretty much out of way of the volcano. Thank goodness!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

PS - I wonder of you - or the organisers, should give your artist a poke? Just in case...

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's a good idea!

[ellynn-ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Wow, the tree is amazing! *impressed*

Pet the cat for me! :)


P.s. I think I told you, but I'll repeat - your notes and outlines were very distinct and precise! ;) It was easy to work based on them. :)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

There is somewhere I drive past with a whole row of trees like that - I really must stop and take a picture there sometime.

It's been so interesting working together on the story - I do hope that ningloreth's artist is just hard at work from the very first thing she told them!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

PS - thank you for the cool drink - here, have a cocktail!

[kortirion.livejournal.com]

What a pity she didn't get to see Tahiti - it's a place that's pretty high on my 'win-the-Lottery-and-visit' list. But a relief to you that she's arrived in Oz safely, I bet!

*smiles at cat* Yes, ours does that as well - even better when you get a pair of them, each nesting on the back of a sofa cushion. *g*

Lovely bunch of flowers, I agree, much prettier than carnations.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

She wasn't sure, to start with, where they could be stopping to change crew. She knew they were going 'by a slightly longer route' hence the need to have a stop over to refuel and change crew - but she thought the woman on the desk had said 'pipette' - and a 'slightly longer route' does seem something of an understatement! When she realised just where she was, she was both thrilled and disappointed - to actually have been to Tahiti - but only to see the airport in the dark...

I have to say I was relieved to get the text that said 'In Sydney, Alicia on her way to the airport'.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Glad you aten't dead ;-) (That's the problem sometimes with RL vs LJ - if you have time to post, you have nothing to post about, and vice versa...)

Also good that D-d made it to Australia and did get some time to spend with her friend. At least she should be out of the volcano's path from now on, presumably!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

From here on in she should be pretty much volcano free...

She says she rather liked surfing and, even if it is their winter, the sea is a lot warmer than home - although still more wet-suit than bikini weather!

[clodia-metelli.livejournal.com]

Congrats on getting the BB done! Your flowers are beautiful - both the bouquet and the growing ones - and I did laugh at the scarecrow.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

The scarecrow is really fun - he made me smile.

As for the BB story - it was such a relief to write 'The End' on Wednesday!

[kathyh]

Congrats on finishing your Big Bang! It's something I've only come across quite recently as I don't think Buffy fandom ever did one, or else I missed it, but they are a massive treat for readers.

I don't know which is a more awesome sight, the tree or the scarecrow :)

Glad the D-d has made it to Australia despite the volcano gods!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

There should be some good reading in this one, too - you'll have to revisit the Tolkien fandom for a week or two.

The scarecrow really made me smile. We have quite a few windblown trees - but that is a particularly good one.

And hopefully D-d will now have no more volcano trouble. Perhaps I shouldn't mention that she arrives back in Britain on August 24th - just in case the Icelandic one gets wind of her...

[shirebound]

Such a brave and stalwart tree!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Isn't it?

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

What lovely photos. I'm having a difficult time trying to decide which is my favourite, so I won't. The scarecrow looks very cute and friendly though, and the tree looks wild and fascinating.

D-d is having the time of her life, you know.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Oh yes - she certainly is - detours by way of Madrid and Tahiti add to the experience - although she says 23 hours of night was a bit yuck - Tahiti in the daylight would have been much more exciting.

Over the next few days she has more opportunities to surf, visit a national park, and enjoy the night-life of Surfers Paradise. Even though it is winter the temperature should be 20 or 21 in the middle of each day. She reaches Brisbane on Thursday or so, and after Fraser Island there will be a day in the outback - and so on.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

A 23 hour flight is most certainly more than a bit yuck. Pity she didn't manage to break her flight at Tahiti.

I see she's going to have a ball, and you're going to get to relax for a while. LOL

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Congrats on completing the story. That sounds quite a marathon!

I'm sure that photo of the tree is worthy of winning a prize in some competion. It's wonderful!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It feels odd to write that much without getting any feedback by posting any of it. But Ellynn enjoyed the bits I have sent her.

I am rather pleased with the tree picture, I must admit.

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

I had the same experience of Tahiti as D-d, though in my case it was planned. Still, it does seem unfair that she should have gotten so little bang for her buck, so to speak. And, as always, lovely piccies.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Along with her original travel plans she has now added Madrid and Papeete airports... To add Papeete in the daylight would have been so much more interesting, though.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Well done on finishing the story!

Love the photos as always, especially that very wild wind-blown tree. I'm glad D-d is doing well, even if knocked a bit off course by the volcano.

[ayinhara.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the update, even with a busy week.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of looking forward to this being a week when I can mainly lie around and read.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Love the scarecrow!
And the cornflowers are very pretty.

I hope D-d enjoys Australia. Is she heading up to the reef?

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

The scarecrow made me smile when I saw it.

Yes she's travelling with a group taking in the coast from Sydney up to Cairns over 15 days - so getting to see the reef, some rain forest, the Whitsunday islands - even cuddle a koala if such is her wont!

[bojojoti.livejournal.com]

I like the chartreuse flowers. The blue ones in the last photo I always knew as Bachelor's Buttons. They reseed freely and do well in our area. I should plant some!

The scarecrow truly is a fright--stripes with a pattern!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Yes - that scarecrow has very poor taste in clothes...

We know the blue ones as cornflowers - and I really should plant some in my garden, too.

[wormwood-7.livejournal.com]

I really like the picture of the sideways-leaning but defiant-looking tree. It has an enormous energy about it somehow. Thanks for sharing :)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - it's my pleasure to share them. I, too, really like the feeling of strength from the tree resisting the winds.

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

I wondered if the volcano was going to affect things for D-d; glad she made it safely. Too bad she didn't get to spend a day in tahiti though!

I love that yellow flowering thing from the hospital parking lot. Very interesting foliage!