KayEmae

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

At least it only came out yesterday? She tends to post to her Goodreads let people know one is coming. I'm a member of a fan mailing list and someone will pass on the Goodreads link there (and I forgot to mention it here). I guess at her stage of her career she doesn't feel the need?

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

Wow. When my kindle eventually dies I want to move away from Amazon, but based on this, Apple won't be an alternative I'd consider.

Selfie of a smiling white woman with short (ear length) red hair, freckles and glasses. She is wearing a flowery pink and purple dress with a backdrop of wooden sheds and blue sky.

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.

A tall shrub next to a bay window and brick wall covered in small white flowers.

A close up of lots of small white flowers against small green leaves.

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

That is a gorgeous jumper. It looks fantastic on you.

Fico d'India Olive Oil Single Soap 40g This Fico d'India Olive Oil Soap 40g from Ortigia is a classically luxurious, triple milled olive oil soap. Packaged in an individual palm tree design box.

For hands, I found olive oil soap to be reasonable. I think I had this one which felt nice to use. It was a gift but looks about right.

www.cotswoldtrading.com/ortigia-fico...

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.

Haven't read it, heard of it, on my tbr. Need to check my library (UK).

L.J. Smith (1958-2025) Author L.J. Smith, 66, died March 8, 2025 in Danville CA after a long illness. Smith was best known for the bestselling Vampire Diaries series and the Night World series. Lisa Jane Smith was born S…

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-...

You should also consider the architects who designed the Tirau (New Zealand) sheep and sheepdog.

www.newzealand.com/uk/tirau/

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.

Image of the Someone in Time ebook cover, featuring a multicoloured infinity symbol, with the caption "Fall in Love with Solaris! 0.99 eBook Sale!"

Images of ebooks published by Solaris with the caption "Fall in Love with Solaris! 0.99 eBook Sale!"

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.

Very cute!

Bush, with sea to the left and an island in the background. Blue skies and a Pohutukawa overhead.

A shelly beach with rocks, sea and blue skies in the background, Pohutukawa to the left.

A long stretch of white sand with tire tracks. An island in the sea to the left and sea and sky ahead.

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.

View over a garden and a port and Mt Maunganui 4km away. The sun is shining, a NZ flag flapping in the breeze and there are blue skies with white clouds.

A view through a window over town in of the sun having just come up with lens flare and soft clouds.

A selfie of a pale white woman with red hair in a flowery dress and a pale white man with dark hair and an orange t-shirt in front of Mt Maunganui in the distance on a sunny day. There is a NZ flag flapping in the breeze.

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!

Two Bengal cats lie on part of a foot and ankle.

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

I am belatedly reading that week's magazine and had forgotten about this. So it just leapt out at me.

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.

A white woman with red hair and freckles wearing a brown jersey. She has a purple, green and blue lanyard and a green and blue earring in the same colour ways.

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.

Made it home eventually. Have eaten. We are very tempted just to go to bed but it's too early.

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.