I just signed up to participate in sunflower_auction to benefit Ukraine charities. I'm offering four fandoms:

Murder, She Wrote (tv): Jessica
Teen Wolf (tv): Peter/Chris and/or Derek/Stiles
MCU: Clint/Coulson and/or Steve/Bucky
Hawkeye (comics and/or tv): Clint/Coulson and/or Kate/Yelena

Will write: AUs and tropes (give me all the baby left on doorstep or different professions or met differently or coffee shop AUs), getting together, established relationship, kid!fic, curtain fic, fluff, crossovers . . .

Won't write: Major character death; partner betrayal; D/s; BDSM; A/B/O; bodily substances play (unless they’re a vampire); unhappy ending; explicit sex (sex is okay, but I’m less interested in writing super long sex scenes as I get older); character bashing.

I'm also willing to finish a WIP or write a sequel, so talk to me about that before you bid.

Also, for my f-list, I am willing to write in other fandoms not listed on the creator bid sheet, so talk to me about that before you bid if you might like something else!


Creator sign-ups are open through August 13; bidding opens on August 18. Check out this post if you want to participate.

I hit Walmart while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. (I originally had no intention of going shopping today, but Pip needed something for the garage, so since I was already there I decided to pick up a few things I’d added to my list since Monday instead of wasting the trip.)

I folded yesterday’s load of laundry and got another load washed, dried and folded, hand-washed dishes, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I visited my mom (~10am – ~3pm); I stopped at the library to return a book (and talk to the librarian about it) on the way there and hit the bank drive-thru for mom on the way home.

(I did chuckle about the load of my clothes I folded because they reflected the weather the past few days perfectly: one pair of jeans with a long-sleeved t-shirt; two pair of capris with two t-shirts; two pair of shorts with two tank tops.)

I finished the Lily Adler book.

Temps started out at 69.8(F) (quite a difference from yesterday morning!) and reached 93.6. It was really hot out when I left mom’s.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay today. ( more back here )

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning. I hit Price Chopper and the Pharmacy while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. I paid a short visit to mom on my way to visit my aunt. (A day early, but I am planning ahead in case I need to spend most of the day with mom tomorrow, post-procedure.)

I did a load of laundry (washed and dried), hand-washed dishes, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, changed kitty litter, took the dogs for a walk, and paid a couple of bills online.

I took a nap and started the next Lily Adler book.

Temps started out at 49.8(F) (it was amusing to watch the temps bounce from 49.8 to 50.0 and back again, though I was not amused by such low morning temps; this is freaking fall weather) and reached 87.4. It got warm enough that we turned the AC back on in the bedroom. I do appreciate having AC when the temps get high, but I enjoyed the nights when we could just leave the windows open to sleep.


( Have some photos I took today on the walk with the dogs: )


Mom Update:

Mom had the procedure to put the port in today. ( more back here )

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: He Shall Thunder in the Sky (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters, S'more Murder (Camping Girl Mysteries) by Josephine Beintema, Raspberry Chocolate Murder (Dolphin Bay Cozy Mysteries) by Leena Clover, Mozzarella Murder (A Rolling Dough Pizza Truck Mystery) by R.M. Murphy, Riddle in the Review (The Inn at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley, Stone and Sky (Rivers of London Series) by Ben Aaronovitch, and No Mark Upon Her (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie.


What I am Currently Reading: I haven’t started it yet, but Death at the Manor (A Lily Adler Mystery) by Katharine Schellman.


What I Plan to Read Next: Most likely one of the other library books I have out.

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Book 70 of 2025: He Shall Thunder in the Sky (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) (Elizabeth Peters)

This book was so good!!!! ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book so much! I was smiling and tearing up at the same time as the story reached its conclusion. I want to know what happens next, but I'm also afraid it won't live up to my current expectations. (Though I have every confidence in the author.) I'm giving this book ten five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 71 of 2025: Stone and Sky (Rivers of London Series) by Ben Aaronovitch

I really enjoyed this book!! ( spoilers )

This book was really good! I'm giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 72 of 2025: No Mark Upon Her (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)

I enjoyed this book a lot! ( spoilers )

So good! I'm giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

I had a massage this morning, which was amazing! My first in a while and very much needed.

I hit Panera for breakfast (they didn’t have any souffles *sobs* but I got a breakfast sandwich on ciabatta, which elevated the sandwich) and to use their wifi. Between Panera and massage I hit Trader Joe’s, B&N, and Bath & Body, and got in a walk. (Originally I was going to walk inside the mall, but the weather had turned so nice that I was able to walk outside.) I got lunch at Applebee’s after the massage and stopped a the car wash on the way home.

I didn’t get many chores done because I was gone most of the day (left ~6am and got home ~3pm). I dried and folded the laundry, hand-washed more dishes, scooped kitty litter, and showered.

I grilled ribs for Pip’s supper, but I accidentally picked up the wrong kind (definitely ~not baby back ribs) and (according to him) they tasted awful. I felt bad and offered to chuck them, but he said he’d eat them at the garage. He had some veg and the moz cheese sticks I brought home from Applebee’s for him to round out the meal.

I finished the Duncan Kincaid book.

Temps started out at 48.0(F) and reached 75.0. There was sun and a breeze. Another perfect day, imo.


Mom Update:

I did not see mom today, but I called her a couple of times. She sat on the porch a couple times (see above re: beautiful weather), walked to the mailbox on her own, and had a visit from her BFF. We didn’t talk about what she ate.

Mom has her port put in tomorrow aternoon (which is now today, Wednesday). All good thoughts welcomed and appreciated.

I took some photos the other day. Most were of the pumpkin patch. (Pip has planted pumpkins of which he says that family can take some, but no one else, because they’re for the deer, lol!)


Wide view; with bonus Ti!

( 8 more back here )

I can’t believe we’re this close to the end of July already!

I hit Walmart and CVS (for mom’s potassium) while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. I threw a load of laundry in the washer and hand-washed dishes before I headed downtown and hand-washed more dishes when I got home. I also went for another short walk with Pip and the dogs before lunch and cut up chicken for said dogs.

I visited mom after lunch and stayed until my usual time of 3pm. I stopped at Stewart’s for milk and gas on the way home. Coming home meant yet more hand-washing of dishes, tossing the laundry in the dryer and folding it, later tossing another load in the washer, scooping kitty litter, and shaving.

The other day mom suggested that I take a day off to get things done and it put a thought in my head. So today I called and scheduled a massage for tomorrow (aka, today!). It was sudden, but my thought was that I might need to spend more time with mom on Thursday, after her port procedure, and next Tuesday (my usual massage day) would probably be out because it's the day after chemo.)

I started the next Duncan Kincaid book.

Temps started out at 61(F) and reached 76.1.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay. ( more back here )

Posting these separately (and out of order) so that my Wednesday post isn't super long.


Book 66 of 2025: S'more Murder (Camping Girl Mysteries) (Josephine Beintema)

I enjoyed this book. ( spoilers )

I liked this book enough to read more, but not urgently. I’m giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

---

Book 67 of 2025: Raspberry Chocolate Murder (Dolphin Bay Cozy Mysteries) (Leena Clover)

I enjoyed this book. ( spoilers )

This book came in an box set of three, so I’ll probably read the rest of the set, then decide whether to continue. I’m giving this book four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

---

Book 68 of 2025: Mozzarella Murder (A Rolling Dough Pizza Truck Mystery) (R.M. Murphy)

This book was pretty good. ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book well enough, but I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series. I’m giving this book four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

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Book 69 of 2025: Riddle in the Review (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

Good book. ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book and am giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥


I DNF’d on cozy about 1/3 of the way through: Caramel Conspiracy (A Molly Sweetwater Mystery) (Sophie Love)

I did a load of laundry (washed, dried AND hung up!), hand-washed dishes, and scooped kitty litter before heading to mom’s ~10am. I stayed until my usual time of ~3pm. I washed, dried and folded (I can’t emphasize enough how big a deal it is that I managed to get a load dried and folded!) another load of laundry, hand-washed more dishes, and showered after I got home.

Supper was *drum roll* BBQ chicken quarters!! When I stopped to get the pulled pork yesterday, I had asked about the chicken bbq they held pretty regularly and was told next Friday, so Pip and I decided that's what we'd have for supper next Friday. Somehow I must have jinxed us, because Pip's buddy showed up with more BBQ chicken quarters yesterday, lol! So we're having chicken this weekend. Not sure if that means it's off the table for next Friday. o_O

I watched the second ep of Strange New Worlds and an HGTV program, and finished the Rivers of London book.

Temps started out at 69.8(F) and reached 92 (according to Pip; it was already over 80 when I left the house mid-morning, so it’s very possible). We had some very short bursts of rain; not enough to do more than wet things pretty good.


Mom Update:

Mom was feeling better today. ( more back here )

It's time for our second check-in! You can check in over email (pod.together@gmail.com), dreamwidth comment (comments on this post are screened), or via discord message to klb, shmaylor, minnabird, or rockinhamburger. Please try to check-in within 48 hours. We will send a follow-up email to all those we haven't heard from at that time. (If you've already turned in your writing and received confirmation from the mods, you don't need to check in but you're welcome to!)

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The Early Writing deadline is this Wednesday, July 23rd. At the end of the challenge, mods will create a schedule for revealing completed projects, evenly distributed across a ten-day posting period. Projects that meet the Early Writing AND Early Podfic submission deadlines will be posted first, followed by projects that meet the Early Writing OR Early Podfic submission deadline, followed by all other projects.

If you're feeling confident in your ability to finish the writing on time, we look forward to hearing about it and we always love to hear about what's going well in your partnerships. If you are having problems in your partnership, we're also happy to hear about those and help suggest ideas for troubleshooting!

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I hit Price Chopper and the Bakery while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park.

Morning chores included mixing up egg salad, tossing a load of laundry into the washer, baking chicken for the dogs' meals, hand-washing some dishes, scooping kitty litter, and taking the dogs for a walk during which I also picked more berries.

I visited mom ~11:15am to ~2:30pm. After I got home I dried and folded the morning load of laundry, washed and dried another, and hand-washed more dishes. The reason I left earlier than usual was that I found out that there was a ‘pig roast’ happening, so I stopped there on the way home and got some pulled pork. I didn’t know what time they stopped serving as there were no times on the signs, so I wanted to play it safe. I also husked corn for supper because someone had given Pip a half dozen ears.

I watched last week’s ep of Resident Alien and an HGTV program, and read more in Rivers of London.

Temps started out at 50.0(F) (it was freaking cold!) and reached 87.4. It felt so cold I wore a scarf and light gloves with my hoodie when I left the house (and brought along a jacket just in case). By the time I went for a walk at 8:30am it was much warmer. And then it got surprisingly warm for a day that started out at 50.

(Today is my brother’s birthday! He’s seven years younger than me. I think I’ve mentioned, but I’m the oldest of the bunch.)


Mom Update:

Mom was feeling kind of meh today. ( more back here )

Projects must be posted to AO3 by the Podfic Submission Deadline on Sunday August 24th. If the written component is already completed, feel free to post the text to AO3 sooner!

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I had a pedicure this morning; I went with a periwinkle again and she gave me a nice design. I got in a walk around the park and hit the farm stand on the way home. While I was downtown I remembered to stop by the bank to deposit money in Baby A’s account (I give her money for her birthday and Christmas, since she gets a ton of stuff from everyone else. And a book, naturally.).

I visited mom from 11am to 3pm. I also hand-washed dishes and scooped kitty litter. I grilled chicken legs for Pip’s supper, cut up chicken for the dogs, and hard-boiled eggs.

I read more in Rivers of London, started and finished another Kindle cozy, and watched the first new ep of Strange New Worlds.

Temps started out at 59.7(F) (I wore a sweatshirt and was still chilled during the walk from the house to the garage) and reached 77.7 with sun and a breeze. It was cool enough this morning that I wore a scarf and pair of light gloves on my walk around the park, but by afternoon the temps were perfect. That’s pretty much my ideal.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing well today. ( more back here )

I hit Price Chopper and the Pharmacy while I was downtown. I hit the bank drive-thru on my way to visit my aunt. I stopped at mom’s on the way home and spent about four hours with her; some of that time we talked, and some we just did our own thing.

I did a load of mom’s laundry, hand-washed dishes, and scooped kitty litter. We had spaghetti for supper.

I read two more Kindle cozies and started the new Rivers of London.

Temps started out at 74.8(F) and reached 92.4.


Mom Update:

Mom had a busy morning before I arrived. ( more back here )

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning and got in a walk around the park.

I hand-washed dishes and emptied the dishwasher before I headed downtown. When I got home I tossed a load of laundry into the washer and changed kitty litter.

I got to mom’s ~10:30am and stayed until ~3pm. I stopped at the library on the way home to pick-up and return books and hit the bank drive-thru for mom. At home I grilled Kielbasa for Pip's supper (I had more tomato sandwiches), hand-washed more dishes, and tossed the laundry in the dryer.

I finished the Amelia Peabody book, DNF'd a Kindle cozy, and started and finished another Kindle cozy.

Temps started out at 61.5(F) and reached 93.6.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing pretty well today. ( more back here )

ETA: I forgot to mention, mom reminded me yesterday that it was the one year anniversary of the huge storm that took out all six of the large trees in her back yard. (The main reason her porch is so hot now is because there is zero shade when all she used to have was shade.)

I hit CVS and Price Chopper while I was downtown (both in order to pick up things for mom), got in a walk around the park, and hit the farm stand on the way home. I’ve been thinking about tomato sandwiches with fresh tomatoes.

I folded last night’s load of laundry, got another washed, and hand-washed some dishes before I left the house this morning. When I got home from downtown I baked a berry cobbler to use some of those berries we’d picked (and put the rest in the freezer), tossed the laundry into the dryer and another load into the washer, hand-washed more dishes, and mixed up some tuna with a nice fresh cucumber (and mayo) for my lunch.

I got to mom’s ~11am and left ~3pm. On the way home I filled my gas tank. At home I put away a load of laundry and tossed the other into the dryer, scooped kitty litter, made an easy supper (Pip had leftover meatloaf I pulled out of the freezer and I made myself open-faced tomato and melted cheese sandwiches with the fresh tomatoes I purchased today), and showered.

I read more in Amelia Peabody and also started and finished another Kindle cozy.

Temps started out at 70.0(F) and reached 92.4.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay today. ( more back here )

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Necessary as Blood (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie, Lantern in the Lighthouse & Hint in the Hashtag & Pawn in the Pumpkin Patch & Secret in the Santa (The Inn at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley, A Bitter Pill (The Bookshop Mysteries) by S.A. Reeves, and Grounds For Murder (Perfect Blend Mysteries) by Emily Brewster.


What I am Currently Reading: He Shall Thunder in the Sky (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters.


What I Plan to Read Next: The new Rivers of London.

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Book 62 of 2025: Necessary as Blood (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)

I enjoyed this book a lot! ( spoilers )

This book was really good and I can't wait to read the next. I'm giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 63 of 2025: Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy (The Murderbot Diaries) (Martha Wells)

I enjoyed this! ( spoilers )

I really liked this novelette and am giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

Repeating this info in case you missed it previously: If you haven't had a chance to read the new Murderbot novelette Rapport (which is one of those ‘takes place in the Murderbot Diaries ‘verse' stories) you can find it for free at Reactor Magazine or purchase it from Amazon (on Kindle for $1.99). Or both.

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Book 64 of 2025: A Bitter Pill (The Bookshop Mysteries) (S.A. Reeves)

This book was just okay, which was disappointing because I really wanted to like it. ( spoilers )

This book was alright and I don't think I'll read more in the series. I'm giving this one three hearts.

♥♥♥

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Book 65 of 2025: Grounds For Murder (Perfect Blend Mysteries) (Emily Brewster)

Another book that was just okay. I liked the main characters well enough, but seeming inconsistencies drove me nuts. ( spoilers )

This book was enjoyable enough, but I probably won't read more in the series. I'm giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

I went downtown as usual today and hit Walmart, Price Chopper and the Feedbag. (The first time I’ve been to the Feed Bag since before mom’s surgery! Pip has been having to do the bird seed run.) I also got in a walk around the park and picked up Chinese for lunch.

I was up an hour before Pip, so before I left the house I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, and scooped kitty litter. After I got home I did another load of laundry (both loads got washed and dried, one got folded), hand-washed more dishes, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, grilled country style pork ribs for Pip’s supper, ran a load in the dishwasher, and shaved.

I finished the Kindle cozy and read more in Amelia Peabody. Hold onto your hats, folks, because I also managed to write ~500 words on a new fic for smallfandomfest!!

Temps started out at 70.7(F) and reached 93. We didn’t get the forecasted rain last night, so I didn’t mow the lawn today. It was hot. Hot. Pip wanted to show me where he’d found more berry bushes, so I went for a walk with him and the dogs after lunch. He hadn’t exaggerated, the bramble was huge! So many berries. We picked about two cups, but could’ve been there much longer just to get the ones we could reach. I was ready to die when we got back from that short walk. I had to splash my face with cold water and sit in the AC’d bedroom for a while to cool back down. So HOT. And that was just a short walk, including a bit through the shaded orchard.


( 4 photos I took on that walk )


Mom Update:

Mom had the appointment with her oncologist today. ( more back here )

I just saw this show mentioned and the poster alone reminded me of another show I'd watched so I checked out the summary on IMDb. Are they just doing a remake of The Pretender, or what?

I left for mom’s a little before 10am; but before I left I did a load of laundry (Pip’s uniforms; washed, dried and hung in the closet), hand-washed dishes, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, and scooped kitty litter.

I stayed until my new usual time of 3pm and stopped at Stewart's on the way home. I didn’t have to make supper because, again, Pip didn’t want anything hot, so he had leftover steak, cold. I hand-washed more dishes and showered.

I watched the current ep of Countdown, read more in Amelia Peabody, and started a different cozy on my Kindle app.

Temps started out at 70.0(F) and reached 93. It was hot. Thankfully I didn’t have to deal with it because I was inside at mom’s the hottest part of the day, until I got home.


Mom Update:

I left for mom’s a little early to help her stir up cookies for my brother’s birthday because I didn’t think she could do it on her own. Spoiler alert: she did it on her own. ( more )