Wednesday Reading Meme
2026-01-28 12:34![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spikedluvWhat I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Nothing. This week's meme is exactly the same as last week because I have made very little progress with reading.
What I am Currently Reading: Still working on Husband Material (London Calling) by Alexis Hall.
What I Plan to Read Next: Probably the other library book I have out because I'm running out of renewals on these. o_O
What I am Currently Reading: Still working on Husband Material (London Calling) by Alexis Hall.
What I Plan to Read Next: Probably the other library book I have out because I'm running out of renewals on these. o_O
The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, Jan 27)
2026-01-28 07:18spikedluvI hit Walmart while I was downtown and the bank drive-thru later on.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and shaved. I roasted a chicken for supper, with mashed potatoes and corn. The worst part is picking all the meat off of it after.
I finished rewatching the second ep of Heated Rivalry and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 9.5(F) (and dropped to 9.0 before I left the house) and reached 21.7. The sun was shining but it was C-O-L-D.
Irony: I had checked the two week weather forecast and was pleased that we wouldn't have snow again for almost two weeks. Then Pip comes home and tells me about the N'oreaster that's going to hit around Sunday. Snow totals depend on how far out the storm stays, but could be more than we got this past weekend. Really DNW. Also, WTF, TWC app, why is this information not on the front page to give me a heads up?!!
Mom Update:
Mom was just okay when I saw her. She complained that she feels good one day (yesterday) and then not great the next (today). She had an appointment with the Hospice nurse after I left and planned to ask if she was ever going to feel better, or if it’s basically, she’s going to feel like shit until she dies from the cancer. I’m afraid it’s the second, since the nurse basically told her not to worry about eating as she’s not expending much energy (if she was going to get well she’d need to eat) and when mom asked if the nurse could guesstimate how much time she had left, the answer was a very discouraging, ‘not less than a month’. WTF does that mean?!!
I wrote out a check (and put it in the mailbox), made a deposit, and added some tax papers to the folder for 2025. I finally returned the laundry I’d done for her last week. o_O And brought some groceries she’d asked for. There’s little I can do to make her feel better, so doing these tasks for her is something.
When I called her later, both Sisters A and S were there, so that's good.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and shaved. I roasted a chicken for supper, with mashed potatoes and corn. The worst part is picking all the meat off of it after.
I finished rewatching the second ep of Heated Rivalry and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 9.5(F) (and dropped to 9.0 before I left the house) and reached 21.7. The sun was shining but it was C-O-L-D.
Irony: I had checked the two week weather forecast and was pleased that we wouldn't have snow again for almost two weeks. Then Pip comes home and tells me about the N'oreaster that's going to hit around Sunday. Snow totals depend on how far out the storm stays, but could be more than we got this past weekend. Really DNW. Also, WTF, TWC app, why is this information not on the front page to give me a heads up?!!
Mom Update:
Mom was just okay when I saw her. She complained that she feels good one day (yesterday) and then not great the next (today). She had an appointment with the Hospice nurse after I left and planned to ask if she was ever going to feel better, or if it’s basically, she’s going to feel like shit until she dies from the cancer. I’m afraid it’s the second, since the nurse basically told her not to worry about eating as she’s not expending much energy (if she was going to get well she’d need to eat) and when mom asked if the nurse could guesstimate how much time she had left, the answer was a very discouraging, ‘not less than a month’. WTF does that mean?!!
I wrote out a check (and put it in the mailbox), made a deposit, and added some tax papers to the folder for 2025. I finally returned the laundry I’d done for her last week. o_O And brought some groceries she’d asked for. There’s little I can do to make her feel better, so doing these tasks for her is something.
When I called her later, both Sisters A and S were there, so that's good.
The Day in Spikedluv (Monday, Jan 26)
2026-01-27 07:35spikedluvThere was no going downtown today because of the snow. Not a surprise; I’d planned for it.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. More leftovers for supper. (Leftovers are now gone because they got packed up to go up to the garage with Pip, so I’m going to have to start cooking again. o_O)
I rewatched about half of the second ep of Heated Rivalry, as well as Home Town and some House Hunters International. Dr. Pol was my evening background tv. I took a brief nap again, even though we slept in again this morning. It seems like the more sleep I get the more tired I am. o_O
I tried to upload a photo of this mug but Imgur didn’t like the WEBP file. It’s really cute and made me chuckle. (Link goes to chewy.com.)
Temps started out at 13.8(F) (a heatwave!) and reached 23.2. All the schools in our county (and surrounding counties) are closed. Pip shoveled the deck again and plowed the driveway and our walking paths. Then he went up to the garage to clean out the parking lot there. THEN he ‘cleaned up’ around the house with the tracker and snow blower. He was out there for an hour, stopped for some soup for lunch, then back out for another half hour. He was a popsicle when he was done.
ETA: I forgot to say that we got about 16" out of the storm, so not great, but not as bad as it could have been. Thank goodness Pip has the large equipment necessary to move it all.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded better today. Sister S had gone down to visit her despite the roads not being very good at the time. She also had a call from my brother. And she said she had some good food that sat well, so that’s good.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. More leftovers for supper. (Leftovers are now gone because they got packed up to go up to the garage with Pip, so I’m going to have to start cooking again. o_O)
I rewatched about half of the second ep of Heated Rivalry, as well as Home Town and some House Hunters International. Dr. Pol was my evening background tv. I took a brief nap again, even though we slept in again this morning. It seems like the more sleep I get the more tired I am. o_O
I tried to upload a photo of this mug but Imgur didn’t like the WEBP file. It’s really cute and made me chuckle. (Link goes to chewy.com.)
Temps started out at 13.8(F) (a heatwave!) and reached 23.2. All the schools in our county (and surrounding counties) are closed. Pip shoveled the deck again and plowed the driveway and our walking paths. Then he went up to the garage to clean out the parking lot there. THEN he ‘cleaned up’ around the house with the tracker and snow blower. He was out there for an hour, stopped for some soup for lunch, then back out for another half hour. He was a popsicle when he was done.
ETA: I forgot to say that we got about 16" out of the storm, so not great, but not as bad as it could have been. Thank goodness Pip has the large equipment necessary to move it all.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded better today. Sister S had gone down to visit her despite the roads not being very good at the time. She also had a call from my brother. And she said she had some good food that sat well, so that’s good.
SGA: Where the Brave Dare Not Go by Telesilla
2026-01-27 14:38mific posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fancakeFandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, Anne Teldy, Carson Beckett, Radek Zelenka, Jennifer Keller
Rating: Explicit
Length: 18,013
Content Notes: Graphic depictions of violence. Jeannie, Rodney's sister, has died long before the story starts. Academic ethics are somewhat compromised!
Creator Links: Telesilla on AO3, helens78 on Audiofic Archive
Themes: Crack treated seriously, First time, Friends to lovers, Animal transformation, Werecreatures, Complete AU, Interspecies pairing, Research, Worldbuilding (I had difficulty finding actual tags to reflect some of these because while there's a minor character werewolf in this, most of the Weres aren't wolves.)
Summary: John Sheppard has had over twenty years to come to grips with the fact that every four or five weeks, he turns into a mountain lion. Like most Were, he accepts that that's just the way it is, and so he's not particularly interested when he learns that researchers at the local university are trying to to develop drugs that will help Were control their cycles. Then he meets Dr. Rodney McKay, a brilliant but irascible biochemist with reasons of his own for spearheading the university's Were research and John suddenly finds himself struggling with more than just his attraction to McKay.
Reccer's Notes: Werewolves, or in this case, Werecreatures in general, are a popular crack fantasy trope. This story's excellent as it turns the fantasy trope into a real minority of individuals having Were genes, forced to change cyclically to an animal form. In this story's interesting worldbuilding, Were are discriminated against and find it hard to get jobs and live as full members of society. John is a werecougar and he meets Rodney who's a scientist running a research trial to test a new drug intended to suppress mandatory cycling. The story is crack "taken seriously" as there's no fantasy element. This is a genetically-driven thing, with Were a slightly different species to humans. Their cycles vary according to gene expression, and aren't moon-driven. Plus, in this world, Telesilla shows the politics of discrimination against Were, with John initially resisting the research as he's angry that they're yet again being viewed as humans with a sickness that needs treatment. The story has lots of plot and drama, a great developing relationship with Rodney, and a satisfying conclusion. Very much recommended!
Fanwork Links: Where the Brave Dare Not Go, it's locked to AO3 so here's a Wayback link
Excellent podfic by helens78 here
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, Anne Teldy, Carson Beckett, Radek Zelenka, Jennifer Keller
Rating: Explicit
Length: 18,013
Content Notes: Graphic depictions of violence. Jeannie, Rodney's sister, has died long before the story starts. Academic ethics are somewhat compromised!
Creator Links: Telesilla on AO3, helens78 on Audiofic Archive
Themes: Crack treated seriously, First time, Friends to lovers, Animal transformation, Werecreatures, Complete AU, Interspecies pairing, Research, Worldbuilding (I had difficulty finding actual tags to reflect some of these because while there's a minor character werewolf in this, most of the Weres aren't wolves.)
Summary: John Sheppard has had over twenty years to come to grips with the fact that every four or five weeks, he turns into a mountain lion. Like most Were, he accepts that that's just the way it is, and so he's not particularly interested when he learns that researchers at the local university are trying to to develop drugs that will help Were control their cycles. Then he meets Dr. Rodney McKay, a brilliant but irascible biochemist with reasons of his own for spearheading the university's Were research and John suddenly finds himself struggling with more than just his attraction to McKay.
Reccer's Notes: Werewolves, or in this case, Werecreatures in general, are a popular crack fantasy trope. This story's excellent as it turns the fantasy trope into a real minority of individuals having Were genes, forced to change cyclically to an animal form. In this story's interesting worldbuilding, Were are discriminated against and find it hard to get jobs and live as full members of society. John is a werecougar and he meets Rodney who's a scientist running a research trial to test a new drug intended to suppress mandatory cycling. The story is crack "taken seriously" as there's no fantasy element. This is a genetically-driven thing, with Were a slightly different species to humans. Their cycles vary according to gene expression, and aren't moon-driven. Plus, in this world, Telesilla shows the politics of discrimination against Were, with John initially resisting the research as he's angry that they're yet again being viewed as humans with a sickness that needs treatment. The story has lots of plot and drama, a great developing relationship with Rodney, and a satisfying conclusion. Very much recommended!
Fanwork Links: Where the Brave Dare Not Go, it's locked to AO3 so here's a Wayback link
Excellent podfic by helens78 here
that's it, 843 days later.
2026-01-27 01:05rogaFor the first time since - I want to say October 7th 2023, though technically it's 2014 - but 843 days after, as of today, there are finally no more hostages in Gaza, living or dead.
I legit didn't think we'd get here. I hoped, but realistically, I was sure some would still be missing forever, lost to the fog of war and time. The big weight off was in October this year, when the last living 20 came back, but now, today, the final marker, and something families - and hopefully, maybe, this country - can begin to try to recover and move on, for real.
(Recovery also means getting rid of current leadership amen, which, easier hoped for than done. But I hope.)
Time to start collecting - packing away - tossing out - all of my yellow ribbons and flags, from my car, from my porch, from my bag. It's about time.
I legit didn't think we'd get here. I hoped, but realistically, I was sure some would still be missing forever, lost to the fog of war and time. The big weight off was in October this year, when the last living 20 came back, but now, today, the final marker, and something families - and hopefully, maybe, this country - can begin to try to recover and move on, for real.
(Recovery also means getting rid of current leadership amen, which, easier hoped for than done. But I hope.)
Time to start collecting - packing away - tossing out - all of my yellow ribbons and flags, from my car, from my porch, from my bag. It's about time.
The Day in Spikedluv (Sunday, Jan 25)
2026-01-26 09:20spikedluvI slept in again until 7:30am! Though it wasn’t a nice constant sleep because Pip got up due to coughing and he is not quiet when he is up and about. (I, otoh, am very quiet because I want him to stay in bed a while so I have some peace and quiet for myself. o_O) I did eventually fall back to sleep, which is when I had a strange dream in which I could understand Midnight. In the dream I was like, hmm, I guess being possessed by a cat that one time means I can now understand cats! When I woke up I was like, when was I possessed by a cat?!!!
I forgot to keep you all updated on the 'cat door' situation. When Pip told L (Ian's dad) what he planned to do, L said, why don't you just cut a hole in the wall? o_O So Pip took a chainsaw and cut a hole in the wall. I feel like I'm living in a real life episode of 'You might be a redneck if . . .' At least it worked! Pip's sister saw (on the cameras they installed) that a black and white cat had entered the garage! So she took up kitty litter and cat food for it this morning before the storm got too bad. I will keep you updated as more animals make the garage their home or the cat meets the dogs. o_O
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and changed kitty litter (it’s Sunday!). It was another no-cooking day because of all the leftovers; today it was leftover meatloaf.
What’s a girl to do on a snowy day but rewatch the first ep of Heated Rivalry?!! I also watched some House Hunters International and took a brief nap.
Temps started out at 3(F) (according to Pip; I didn’t see it because of sleeping in) and reached 5.2. The snow started nice and light about 8am. Pip was like, I hope it stays this light, but we didn’t think that would happen as the snow was supposed to start coming in heavier around 2pm. It didn’t seem to get any heavier, and yet, it still built up like crazy.
I didn’t have to do any shoveling (Pip said he’d do the sidewalk with the blower), but he was out there twice, shoveling the deck, then plowing (he brought the plow truck home, so used that instead of the blower because it is warmer inside the truck than outside on the tractor getting snow blown on you), plus he went up to the garage to clean that out so there wasn’t as much for tomorrow.
Mom Update:
Mom didn’t sound great when I talked to her. Sister A visited her early in the morning because she had to take Ireland to her BF’s house, then pick her up again, but mom was feeling very blue. She hates this kind of weather, even though she couldn’t go anywhere anyway, it make her feel more isolated. My brother also called her, and she thanked me for calling her. I was almost afraid she was going to start crying. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
I forgot to keep you all updated on the 'cat door' situation. When Pip told L (Ian's dad) what he planned to do, L said, why don't you just cut a hole in the wall? o_O So Pip took a chainsaw and cut a hole in the wall. I feel like I'm living in a real life episode of 'You might be a redneck if . . .' At least it worked! Pip's sister saw (on the cameras they installed) that a black and white cat had entered the garage! So she took up kitty litter and cat food for it this morning before the storm got too bad. I will keep you updated as more animals make the garage their home or the cat meets the dogs. o_O
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and changed kitty litter (it’s Sunday!). It was another no-cooking day because of all the leftovers; today it was leftover meatloaf.
What’s a girl to do on a snowy day but rewatch the first ep of Heated Rivalry?!! I also watched some House Hunters International and took a brief nap.
Temps started out at 3(F) (according to Pip; I didn’t see it because of sleeping in) and reached 5.2. The snow started nice and light about 8am. Pip was like, I hope it stays this light, but we didn’t think that would happen as the snow was supposed to start coming in heavier around 2pm. It didn’t seem to get any heavier, and yet, it still built up like crazy.
I didn’t have to do any shoveling (Pip said he’d do the sidewalk with the blower), but he was out there twice, shoveling the deck, then plowing (he brought the plow truck home, so used that instead of the blower because it is warmer inside the truck than outside on the tractor getting snow blown on you), plus he went up to the garage to clean that out so there wasn’t as much for tomorrow.
Mom Update:
Mom didn’t sound great when I talked to her. Sister A visited her early in the morning because she had to take Ireland to her BF’s house, then pick her up again, but mom was feeling very blue. She hates this kind of weather, even though she couldn’t go anywhere anyway, it make her feel more isolated. My brother also called her, and she thanked me for calling her. I was almost afraid she was going to start crying. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
The Day in Spikedluv (Saturday, Jan 24)
2026-01-25 10:52spikedluvI went back to bed after Pip left for work and I got the dogs in (for once they were both very eager to get inside!), and slept for another two hours. It felt good.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.
I watched The Pitt, several eps of House Hunters International, and an ep of Lottery Dream House. Dr. Pol was my evening background tv.
Temps started out at -6.9(F); two hours later when I got up the second time it was -10.5. It finally got above 0 at 10am. Temps reached 6. There was some sun, which helped.
Unfortunately, the snow totals have once again gone up. 8-12" Sunday, 5-8" overnight, and about an inch Monday. So much DNW!!
Mom Update:
Mom sounded really good when I talked to her. But I’ve learned that she can fake it for the few minutes we’re on the phone, so I’m hoping she was actually feeling as good as she sounded. She had eaten a couple meals; one of which was better tasting than the other. Sisters A and S both visited (with bonus Toddler A) and my brother also called her.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.
I watched The Pitt, several eps of House Hunters International, and an ep of Lottery Dream House. Dr. Pol was my evening background tv.
Temps started out at -6.9(F); two hours later when I got up the second time it was -10.5. It finally got above 0 at 10am. Temps reached 6. There was some sun, which helped.
Unfortunately, the snow totals have once again gone up. 8-12" Sunday, 5-8" overnight, and about an inch Monday. So much DNW!!
Mom Update:
Mom sounded really good when I talked to her. But I’ve learned that she can fake it for the few minutes we’re on the phone, so I’m hoping she was actually feeling as good as she sounded. She had eaten a couple meals; one of which was better tasting than the other. Sisters A and S both visited (with bonus Toddler A) and my brother also called her.
Star Trek: vulcanterprise, by almondrose
2026-01-24 18:52laurajv posting in fancakeFandom: Star Trek
Pairings/Characters: Kirk/Spock
Rating: Teen and Up
Length: 4188 words over 2 stories
Creator Links: almondrose at ao3
Theme: Crack Treated Seriously
Summary: "an AU where the enterprise is a VSA ship filled with vulcans"
Reccer's Notes: This short series (two stories, "logical" and "illogical") is one of my favorite pick-me-ups. Captain Skirk of the VSA's exasperation with his CMO's insistence that Spock is human slays me, as does said CMO's reaction to encountering his alternate-universe human self.
Fanwork Links: vulcanterprise
Pairings/Characters: Kirk/Spock
Rating: Teen and Up
Length: 4188 words over 2 stories
Creator Links: almondrose at ao3
Theme: Crack Treated Seriously
Summary: "an AU where the enterprise is a VSA ship filled with vulcans"
Reccer's Notes: This short series (two stories, "logical" and "illogical") is one of my favorite pick-me-ups. Captain Skirk of the VSA's exasperation with his CMO's insistence that Spock is human slays me, as does said CMO's reaction to encountering his alternate-universe human self.
Fanwork Links: vulcanterprise
The Day in Spikedluv (Friday, Jan 23)
2026-01-24 09:31spikedluvI hit Price Chopper, Tractor Supply, and the Bakery while I was downtown. (I had to look for a cat door for the automotive garage because there are stray cats that come around when Pip puts out food. He thinks they’ll take care of his rat problem if he allows them in the garage, as well as give them a place to go when it’s cold out. I think he might be opening himself up to ~other problems, such as skunks getting in that door. o_O I did not find one, so he’s having his sister (garage receptionist/book keeper) order one. Update: she couldn’t find what he was looking for online, either. Hmm.)
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I placed an online order and paid a bill online. We had the meatloaf for supper.
Today’s tea was English Breakfast. I’m not a huge fan of this tea, but I drink it when I’m at Panera because they got rid of my preferred tea (Earl Grey) when they downsized to having just three types of tea bags.
I managed to write ~2,000 words on my SFBB fic! There’s light at the end of this tunnel. *g* I also watched Wild Cards, 9-1-1 and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 19.4(F) and reached 23.7. It got windy in the afternoon which made it very cold. I wore four layers for the walk when Pip got home from work (a pullover sweatshirt, a hoodie, a jacket, and another jacket over that), not counting the double layer of pants and the ski mask and scarves, etc. On his after-dinner walk with the dogs, Pip wore his Carrhart overalls in addition to the coat, so you know it was cold out there.
As if that isn’t bad enough . . . Tonight’s overnight low is forecasted to be -6 with a high on Saturday of 6. There’s a warning for wind chills of -23 “over the next 48 hours” so thanks for not being specific of when I’m going to become a popsicle on walks. I’m really not looking forward to this PLUS snow.
I promised to share a photo of the sunflower tea bag coasters I bought. The angle I took the photo at makes it look like some are larger than the others, but they’re all the same size.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She was able to eat the meatloaf the other night, though it was one of those not bad but not great situations. Her new normal, basically. She had several visitors today: my aunt and uncle in the morning, the Hospice minister, and her BFF in the afternoon. She said it was nice, but that it did tucker her out. That’s worrisome.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I placed an online order and paid a bill online. We had the meatloaf for supper.
Today’s tea was English Breakfast. I’m not a huge fan of this tea, but I drink it when I’m at Panera because they got rid of my preferred tea (Earl Grey) when they downsized to having just three types of tea bags.
I managed to write ~2,000 words on my SFBB fic! There’s light at the end of this tunnel. *g* I also watched Wild Cards, 9-1-1 and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 19.4(F) and reached 23.7. It got windy in the afternoon which made it very cold. I wore four layers for the walk when Pip got home from work (a pullover sweatshirt, a hoodie, a jacket, and another jacket over that), not counting the double layer of pants and the ski mask and scarves, etc. On his after-dinner walk with the dogs, Pip wore his Carrhart overalls in addition to the coat, so you know it was cold out there.
As if that isn’t bad enough . . . Tonight’s overnight low is forecasted to be -6 with a high on Saturday of 6. There’s a warning for wind chills of -23 “over the next 48 hours” so thanks for not being specific of when I’m going to become a popsicle on walks. I’m really not looking forward to this PLUS snow.
I promised to share a photo of the sunflower tea bag coasters I bought. The angle I took the photo at makes it look like some are larger than the others, but they’re all the same size.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She was able to eat the meatloaf the other night, though it was one of those not bad but not great situations. Her new normal, basically. She had several visitors today: my aunt and uncle in the morning, the Hospice minister, and her BFF in the afternoon. She said it was nice, but that it did tucker her out. That’s worrisome.
Heated Rivalry: nothing but some heartburn, baby by SirMxALotts
2026-01-24 19:09mific posting in fancakeFandom: Game Changers series
Characters/Pairings: Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov
Rating: Explicit
Length: 4639
Content Notes: Discussion of unplanned pregnancy and of abortion as a treatment option. Brief mention of a tapeworm analogy.
Creator Links: SirMxALotts on AO3
Themes: Crack treated seriously, AU, Canon LGBTQ+ characters, Mpreg, Established relationship
Summary: Most people in Shane’s position would call a doctor after two positive tests, but Shane isn't most people, so instead of doing that, he takes 17 tests over the course of two days.
Final result: 16 positive, one negative.
Reccer's Notes: A classic crack trope this time: Mpreg. The reason why a man could become pregnant in this AU isn't given, nor why Shane did nothing to prevent it (or didn't expect it), but it has happened so he faces a choice. This is where the "taken seriously" part comes in, as it's the same difficult choice any woman faces with an unplanned pregnancy. Rather than an unrealistic tropey outcome, Shane (after ignoring the whole problem for a while) finally talks to Ilya about it and makes his decision. I enjoyed the realism and the way Ilya was supportive without trying to persuade Shane one way or the other. We don't see the final outcome, but the story covers enough so that we know Shane's decision.
Fanwork Links: nothing but some heartburn, baby
Characters/Pairings: Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov
Rating: Explicit
Length: 4639
Content Notes: Discussion of unplanned pregnancy and of abortion as a treatment option. Brief mention of a tapeworm analogy.
Creator Links: SirMxALotts on AO3
Themes: Crack treated seriously, AU, Canon LGBTQ+ characters, Mpreg, Established relationship
Summary: Most people in Shane’s position would call a doctor after two positive tests, but Shane isn't most people, so instead of doing that, he takes 17 tests over the course of two days.
Final result: 16 positive, one negative.
Reccer's Notes: A classic crack trope this time: Mpreg. The reason why a man could become pregnant in this AU isn't given, nor why Shane did nothing to prevent it (or didn't expect it), but it has happened so he faces a choice. This is where the "taken seriously" part comes in, as it's the same difficult choice any woman faces with an unplanned pregnancy. Rather than an unrealistic tropey outcome, Shane (after ignoring the whole problem for a while) finally talks to Ilya about it and makes his decision. I enjoyed the realism and the way Ilya was supportive without trying to persuade Shane one way or the other. We don't see the final outcome, but the story covers enough so that we know Shane's decision.
Fanwork Links: nothing but some heartburn, baby
The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, Jan 22)
2026-01-23 07:26spikedluvI hit Walmart while I was downtown, but only because they were running out of dog treats at the garage. (Pip’s father has taken on the task of providing treats for the dogs at the garage ever since we had our first dog, Shiloh, and Pip started taking him up as a puppy. But his dad was sick with bronchitis and missed a whole week and didn’t bring in anything this week when he came back, hence the need for me to pick something up.)
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher and ran another load, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. We had spaghetti for supper. I also mixed up a meatloaf for tomorrow’s supper.
I got some more writing done! ~800 words today. I’m currently at ~8,000 on this fic and will easily make the 10,000 requirement for SFBB. I watched Best Medicine and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 34.3(F), which was a huge surprise! (The TWC app said it was going to be 18 for the overnight low and 33 for the high, which we’ve already exceeded.) It dropped a bit to 33.1 before I left. and reached 38.7.
The forecast for the snow storm has changed, but not for the better. Now they’re calling for 5-8" during the day Sunday, 5-8" overnight, and 1-3" on Monday. Really DNW! *cries*
I’ve heard that this storm is supposed to be massive and hit the south pretty hard, as well. I hope everyone in the path of this thing stays safe and warm.
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay; tired, as usual. The slightest effort tuckers her out, which is really sad to see. We ate our lunch together. A friend of hers showed up while I was there and even stayed after I left. (She had to move her car so I could get out of the driveway, and sometimes she would take that as an excuse to leave, but she didn’t today.)
Sister S called while I was there and told mom she was bringing down supper for her. Meatloaf, which mom loves. She was looking forward to it, but afraid she wouldn’t be able to eat it.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher and ran another load, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. We had spaghetti for supper. I also mixed up a meatloaf for tomorrow’s supper.
I got some more writing done! ~800 words today. I’m currently at ~8,000 on this fic and will easily make the 10,000 requirement for SFBB. I watched Best Medicine and some House Hunters International.
Temps started out at 34.3(F), which was a huge surprise! (The TWC app said it was going to be 18 for the overnight low and 33 for the high, which we’ve already exceeded.) It dropped a bit to 33.1 before I left. and reached 38.7.
The forecast for the snow storm has changed, but not for the better. Now they’re calling for 5-8" during the day Sunday, 5-8" overnight, and 1-3" on Monday. Really DNW! *cries*
I’ve heard that this storm is supposed to be massive and hit the south pretty hard, as well. I hope everyone in the path of this thing stays safe and warm.
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay; tired, as usual. The slightest effort tuckers her out, which is really sad to see. We ate our lunch together. A friend of hers showed up while I was there and even stayed after I left. (She had to move her car so I could get out of the driveway, and sometimes she would take that as an excuse to leave, but she didn’t today.)
Sister S called while I was there and told mom she was bringing down supper for her. Meatloaf, which mom loves. She was looking forward to it, but afraid she wouldn’t be able to eat it.
The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, Jan 21)
2026-01-22 07:26spikedluvI switched my morning around and left home an hour later than usual. In that hour I put a chuck roast in the crock pot and did some online fandom things. I went with the Cinnamon Orange tea again this morning. Downtown I hit Price Chopper, then went to my chiropractic appointment.
THEN I went to McD’s and got some writing done; ~700 words, which is less than the last couple days, but it’s not nothing, so \o/
I picked the dogs up on my way home (my winter schedule for picking up the dogs has been different than usual because I tend to not want to go back out and get them if it’s cold or snowy), where I put groceries away and walked them (I had on so many layers!).
I prepared lunch for all of us (including Midnight who was howling for more food – he’ll sometimes eat very little on a day, then be starving the next day, and apparently blaming me for it), though I planned to take mine with me.
I hit the post office and filled my gas tank on the way to visit mom (where I ate my lunch). When I got home I took the dogs for another walk (and fed Midnight yet again; apparently today was a day when he wanted all the food *g*).
I also did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes (why does it seem like dirty dishes just sort of keep appearing?), checked on Midnight’s dry food and water dishes (this is where I normally say ‘scooped kitty litter’, but there was nothing to scoop, probably because yesterday was a day he didn’t eat much), and paid a bill online. When Pip got home we went for another walk.
One nice thing was I received a set of tea bag coasters that I’d ordered. With sunflowers on them!! (I tried to link to them, but apparently they are sold out so it won’t even link to the item so I can show you.)
ETA: Forgot to mention that I watched one of my fave HGTV programs, Fixer to Fabulous!
Temps started out at 9.0(F) and dropped exactly 2 degrees to 7.0 before I left the house. The high I saw was 25.5. We had a tiny bit of snow late afternoon, big fat flakes, but not enough to accumulate, thankfully.
The bad news is that I’ve been concentrating on the low temperatures we’ll be having (overnight lows in the negatives and highs in single digits) and Pip informed me that we’re in for a big snow storm Sunday. 3-5" during the day, 3-5" overnight, and an additional 1-3" Monday. DNW!!!
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay when I saw her. She was tired. And cold. She used a heavy blanket when she’s in her recliner, but I suggested she turn her heat up. (She has it set at 70, but her living room felt cool even to me, and I generally overheat.) She ate lunch while I was there. I got her mail and wrote out a check that I put back in the mailbox, stripped her bed, and brought home her laundry. I also opened one of her protein drinks, because I’m handy that way. *g*
She’s looking forward to company tonight, a woman she knows from the village who just recently found out that mom was sick. She called her yesterday to ask if she could come visit. So that’ll be nice for her.
ETA: I later learned that Sister A and Ian also visited her.
THEN I went to McD’s and got some writing done; ~700 words, which is less than the last couple days, but it’s not nothing, so \o/
I picked the dogs up on my way home (my winter schedule for picking up the dogs has been different than usual because I tend to not want to go back out and get them if it’s cold or snowy), where I put groceries away and walked them (I had on so many layers!).
I prepared lunch for all of us (including Midnight who was howling for more food – he’ll sometimes eat very little on a day, then be starving the next day, and apparently blaming me for it), though I planned to take mine with me.
I hit the post office and filled my gas tank on the way to visit mom (where I ate my lunch). When I got home I took the dogs for another walk (and fed Midnight yet again; apparently today was a day when he wanted all the food *g*).
I also did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes (why does it seem like dirty dishes just sort of keep appearing?), checked on Midnight’s dry food and water dishes (this is where I normally say ‘scooped kitty litter’, but there was nothing to scoop, probably because yesterday was a day he didn’t eat much), and paid a bill online. When Pip got home we went for another walk.
One nice thing was I received a set of tea bag coasters that I’d ordered. With sunflowers on them!! (I tried to link to them, but apparently they are sold out so it won’t even link to the item so I can show you.)
ETA: Forgot to mention that I watched one of my fave HGTV programs, Fixer to Fabulous!
Temps started out at 9.0(F) and dropped exactly 2 degrees to 7.0 before I left the house. The high I saw was 25.5. We had a tiny bit of snow late afternoon, big fat flakes, but not enough to accumulate, thankfully.
The bad news is that I’ve been concentrating on the low temperatures we’ll be having (overnight lows in the negatives and highs in single digits) and Pip informed me that we’re in for a big snow storm Sunday. 3-5" during the day, 3-5" overnight, and an additional 1-3" Monday. DNW!!!
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay when I saw her. She was tired. And cold. She used a heavy blanket when she’s in her recliner, but I suggested she turn her heat up. (She has it set at 70, but her living room felt cool even to me, and I generally overheat.) She ate lunch while I was there. I got her mail and wrote out a check that I put back in the mailbox, stripped her bed, and brought home her laundry. I also opened one of her protein drinks, because I’m handy that way. *g*
She’s looking forward to company tonight, a woman she knows from the village who just recently found out that mom was sick. She called her yesterday to ask if she could come visit. So that’ll be nice for her.
ETA: I later learned that Sister A and Ian also visited her.
Half A Moon 2026
2026-01-21 14:34spikedluvLast year I participated in halfamoon for the first time. I enjoyed it and have been looking forward to this round. The prompts for this coming round (beginning Feb 1) have been posted HERE.
Per the mod, this year is all about archetypes. So I've listed the seven feminine archetypes on the odd number days and then something that plays against that on the even number days.
I’m including the prompts here because I need to think about them some. Yes, I’m thinking they’ll all be Jessica again, but that’s not set in stone.
( prompts )
halfamoon for the first time. I enjoyed it and have been looking forward to this round. The prompts for this coming round (beginning Feb 1) have been posted HERE.Per the mod, this year is all about archetypes. So I've listed the seven feminine archetypes on the odd number days and then something that plays against that on the even number days.
I’m including the prompts here because I need to think about them some. Yes, I’m thinking they’ll all be Jessica again, but that’s not set in stone.
( prompts )
Wednesday Reading Meme
2026-01-21 14:11spikedluvWhat I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Nothing! I’ve watched a lot of tv and did a lot of writing in the last week, which didn’t leave much time for reading.
What I am Currently Reading: Still working on Husband Material (London Calling) by Alexis Hall.
What I Plan to Read Next: Probably the other library book I have out as I've only got one renewal on it.
What I am Currently Reading: Still working on Husband Material (London Calling) by Alexis Hall.
What I Plan to Read Next: Probably the other library book I have out as I've only got one renewal on it.
The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, Jan 20)
2026-01-21 06:18spikedluvToday was an actual no-shopping day!
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, did a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered.
I watched the final three eps of Heated Rivalry. (I know I said I wasn’t going to comment until I did a re-watch, but why did no one tell me how emotional I was going to get over the final eps?!! Also, Christina Chang makes one guest appearance on Numb3rs and I remember her for the rest of my life, apparently.)
Despite spending so much time on that, I also found time to write! I added ~1,400 words to my SFBB fic! I had some tea in the afternoon, and chose Afternoon tea, which seemed kind of tasteless to me. Since I like my tea weak, I didn’t think that could actually happen.
ETA: I forgot to mention that I watched HGTV's Home Town! I liked this ep. They did a reno for a couple where the wife has fibromyalgia. Also, interesting how many people moving to Laurel do so because of the show!
Temps started out at 10.7(F) and dropped to 9.5 before I left the house. The forecast called for a high of 13, but it reached 19.9. It was windy, though, so it felt much colder. So freaking windy! There was some sun, which helped with my mood, but didn’t make it feel any warmer.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She’d had some company throughout the day; my aunt and uncle were there earlier and Sister A was there when I called. The Hospice nurse visited today. Mom said eating was going well, so that's a bonus.
I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, did a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered.
I watched the final three eps of Heated Rivalry. (I know I said I wasn’t going to comment until I did a re-watch, but why did no one tell me how emotional I was going to get over the final eps?!! Also, Christina Chang makes one guest appearance on Numb3rs and I remember her for the rest of my life, apparently.)
Despite spending so much time on that, I also found time to write! I added ~1,400 words to my SFBB fic! I had some tea in the afternoon, and chose Afternoon tea, which seemed kind of tasteless to me. Since I like my tea weak, I didn’t think that could actually happen.
ETA: I forgot to mention that I watched HGTV's Home Town! I liked this ep. They did a reno for a couple where the wife has fibromyalgia. Also, interesting how many people moving to Laurel do so because of the show!
Temps started out at 10.7(F) and dropped to 9.5 before I left the house. The forecast called for a high of 13, but it reached 19.9. It was windy, though, so it felt much colder. So freaking windy! There was some sun, which helped with my mood, but didn’t make it feel any warmer.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded okay when I talked to her. She’d had some company throughout the day; my aunt and uncle were there earlier and Sister A was there when I called. The Hospice nurse visited today. Mom said eating was going well, so that's a bonus.
The Day in Spikedluv (Monday, Jan 19)
2026-01-20 07:25spikedluvI hit Walmart while I was downtown and Stewart’s on the way home.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for a walk with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.
I made a pumpkin pie because mom asked me to. (I make it in a small shell, so put some of the pumpkin filling in a small pyrex dish. I took her that dish. She had it when I made it before Thanksgiving and really enjoyed it.)
I went with one of my own teas again this morning, Celestial Seasonings’ Mandarin Orange Spice. This blend combined the tart flavor of mandarin oranges with aromatic spices, cloves, and coriender to create a bright. lively brew that transports tea drinkers to exotic destinations with every sip. I wouldn’t say I was transported anywhere, but it tasted good.
My stomach tried to rebel on me again this morning. ( cutting for those who don't care to read )
We went to Texas Roadhouse with friends for supper, yay! I managed to write ~300 words on my SFBB fic and Zoo Tampa was my background tv in the evening. I wish I’d gotten more written, but between going downtown, visiting mom, and eating out, there wasn’t much time for it.
Temps started out at 19.4(F) and dropped to 15.6 before I left the house! There was sun in the morning, but then it was overcast. Temps reached 27.3. The roads were good in the morning, but the wind picked up, so we ran into some snow blown into the road on our way to Texas Roadhouse.
Mom Update:
Mom was doing ~okay when I saw her. She seemed tired. She’d already eaten, but even so she had some of the pumpkin pie filling I took her. Sister A was there when I arrived and Ian showed up after. Her BFF showed up later in the afternoon and Sister S was there when I called in the evening. She had a nice string of visitors, which she likes.
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for a walk with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.
I made a pumpkin pie because mom asked me to. (I make it in a small shell, so put some of the pumpkin filling in a small pyrex dish. I took her that dish. She had it when I made it before Thanksgiving and really enjoyed it.)
I went with one of my own teas again this morning, Celestial Seasonings’ Mandarin Orange Spice. This blend combined the tart flavor of mandarin oranges with aromatic spices, cloves, and coriender to create a bright. lively brew that transports tea drinkers to exotic destinations with every sip. I wouldn’t say I was transported anywhere, but it tasted good.
My stomach tried to rebel on me again this morning. ( cutting for those who don't care to read )
We went to Texas Roadhouse with friends for supper, yay! I managed to write ~300 words on my SFBB fic and Zoo Tampa was my background tv in the evening. I wish I’d gotten more written, but between going downtown, visiting mom, and eating out, there wasn’t much time for it.
Temps started out at 19.4(F) and dropped to 15.6 before I left the house! There was sun in the morning, but then it was overcast. Temps reached 27.3. The roads were good in the morning, but the wind picked up, so we ran into some snow blown into the road on our way to Texas Roadhouse.
Mom Update:
Mom was doing ~okay when I saw her. She seemed tired. She’d already eaten, but even so she had some of the pumpkin pie filling I took her. Sister A was there when I arrived and Ian showed up after. Her BFF showed up later in the afternoon and Sister S was there when I called in the evening. She had a nice string of visitors, which she likes.
The Pitt: i want to be the one patrolling your border by Lirazel
2026-01-20 12:50falena posting in fancakeThis is my first time posting here, hope I'm doing it right
Fandom: The Pitt
Pairings/Characters: Mel King/Frank Langdon
Rating: Explicit
Length: 15,986
Creator Links: Lirazel on Ao3, lirazel
Theme: Crack treated seriously, (not really) unrequited love, (something) made them do it, sex pollen
Summary:
There are all kinds of protocols in place to prevent this sort of thing, but of course they mean exactly nothing when faced with the reality of emergency medicine.
Frank and Trinity both complain that Mel has no sense of self-preservation, but she’s actually a very careful and responsible person. Despite what they say, she never puts herself in danger if she can help it, she feels that she makes level-headed decisions even under pressure, and even if she usually finds people hard to read, she’s read The Gift of Fear and is pretty sure she can tell when someone has actually malicious intent.
Pretty sure until, with no warning at all, a patient—Griffin Jackson, white male, 27, complaining of chest pains—pulls out a tiny jar of neon-yellow powder and pops off the top.
Reccer's note: This is a classic fandom trope (sex pollen) treated seriously. Mel and Frank are just co-workers in canon, but in canon it's obvious they have a connection and this fic explores how much they might grow to mean to each other, and it does so while keeping them (and all other characters that appear) tremendously in character. The sex is, of course, very hot too. :D And the fic also does consent right!
Fanwork Links: i want to be the one patrolling your border
Mods, we need a tag for The Pitt and the pairing too maybe, please? Thank you.