elisi's humble abode

Happy RL news <3

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:52:12 GMT

I am terrible at doing RL updates... But here is a very happy occasion:

Tomorrow, Friday 10 April, Impish Girl is getting married to her long-term girlfriend and fiancé, K.

(For those of you going 'wtf, wasn't she 10 years old last I remember?' she is now 24!

K is lovely and they've been friends since High School (ie secondary school, ages 11-16), and we couldn't be happier. <3

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Proud Mama

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 18:11:46 GMT

Radio Times: The Stolen Girl review: Denise Gough and Holliday Grainger show how thrillers should be done
Yes it's shlocky and full of twists and bonkers cliffhangers - but we wouldn't have it any other way.

^The reason I highlight this show is that my middle daughter* has a minor part. :)

The show premiers today on Disney+

(I am completely unspoiled, like COMPLETELY. I know nothing about the plot, all I have seen is that headline.)

*Impish Girl, who is now 23 years old! Since graduating she has done a play and a musical, but this is her first TV role.)

ETA: We have watched 3 episodes so far. It's a very typical sort of mystery thriller, and so far Impish Girl's role has been about 10 seconds long. *g*

It's not a 'omg watch this' kinda show, but if you're into that genre - go for it. Plenty of twists.

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I didn't mean to disappear...

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:46:07 GMT

So, week before last (17-21 April) Darcy and I went to Barcelona on a mini-break - our first holiday without 'children' for 25 years... It was truly lovely, and Barcelona is so utterly gorgeous! (I hadn't been since I went there on a school trip when I was 18.) We went to both Park Guell and Sagrada Familia, the latter which is properly awe-inspiring.

And then we got home and I had to go back to work and just be a normal person again, instead of wandering through narrow European streets filled with tourist shops. Boo.

~

However I have managed to write fic (Dead Boy Detectives of course...). Chapter 1 of many:

Crystal Gets A Boyfriend

Summary:

“You okay?” a voice asked, and Crystal turned to find a boy next to her, looking at her with concern.

For a brief moment she wondered what it might be like to be the sort of girl who could let herself get chatted up by a cute boy. To be a regular seventeen year old who could have a fun little fling, maybe even indulge in the kind of fluffy relationship that you saw in teen dramas…

Except she had never been that sort of girl. The last boy she had kissed had been a ghost. The one before that, a demon.

So yeah, the likelihood of a cute teen romance was basically nil.

~

OR: Crystal deserves good things, so I decided to give her a boyfriend. However, what started out as a single, fun idea became a sprawling story, delving into all her issues and then some… And she does get that teen romance, it’s just a bit more unusual.

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Update from the house of Plague (Day Fnarg Year 2) 29th of December

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 18:58:54 GMT

I keep meaning to post and just... not.

BBC: Covid: Daily UK case numbers hit record of 183,037

I would say the number is higher, since Darcy tested positive on Monday and in all likelihood there are many more who did so and just haven't reported it. At least it's a good week for isolating, since all that happens between Christmas & New Year is sitting around & eating.

So far, omicron is as advertised - he's been feeling fairly grotty, but nowhere like what it was like in summer, more like a regular cold. I've got a tiny bit of a 'scratchy throat' and am a little sniffly, but that's all. So no need to send sympathies, mostly it's just annoying & inconvenient.

We have THREE (3) lateral flow tests left, which we are hoarding like gold dust.

~

I had all these Christmas things that I meant to share, but haven't. Maybe tomorrow.

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Sort of an update...

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 19:09:48 GMT

I keep thinking I ought to do an update and then... not.

So instead I'll try to do a bit of a summary.

RL:

- One reason I've not been around is that my parents came to visit (for the first time since February 2020!). Which was nice, but also VISITORS and I spent all my time with them.

- Bonfire night we went round to the in-laws which was also lovely and there were fireworks and fire and small children and it was lovely.

- Today we (rather spontaneously) decided to go to York for the day. We were looking for a winter coat for the Cherub and also we need a new teacosy, but mostly we were just walking around York and enjoying a day out. (We got neither coat nor teacosy - the coat because she wants a pink teddy bear coat which we couldn't find a version of that she liked, and the teacosy because they are IMPOSSIBLE to find.)

Fandom:

- Saw Dune on my birthday and have many thoughts that I am still no nearer to organising... I'll try to get there, but there is so MUCH. Chewy, chewy goodness and endless layers and great adaptation to try to get to grips with. Much much goodness, my fannish cup runneth over. I have notes, just nothing actually written down yet.

- Doctor Who is back and I have very little to say. Ep 1 was solid set-up, but the whole of Chibnall Who still feels like some sort of AU. Although for non-UK fans you should go read this Den of Geek introduction to John Bishop, because he is lovely. I also need to write something about the return of RTD - again, I have notes. They just haven't turned into anything solid. Mind you, I have time. ;)

- Good Omens is of course a source of never-ending joy and the set pictures from S2 are unfailingly making me flail and squee. Honestly, they could spend the whole of S2 just reading the phone book and I'd be happy.

ETA: Squid Game! How could I forget Squid Game? We basically binged it, and I think it's brilliant and deserves the hype. Unsure if I know what to write about it, because the it's a very blunt and open critique of capitalism that doesn't really need any kind of meta. ETA2: This shouldn't be taken to imply that it's a simplistic show - it's clever (and gruesome) and with absolutely fantastic richly developed characters.

~

Finally I should get back to posting Dimash, because there is so much more and he is my daily delight and the soundtrack to my life. For now however, have this amazing duet:

Daily Dimash: A Question of Honour

Dimash performed 'A Question of Honor' with Zarina Altynbayeva - a famous Kazakh soprano - at the opening ceremony of the 28th Winter Universiade (held in Almaty in Jan 2017). The production/set/performance is amazing - dancing, ice skating, people flying and fountains - the only downside is that the audio is slightly out of sync with the singing. But it reminded me how much I love pageantry; the thumbnail is completely wrong, the thing is hugely colourful and exuberant. (Original song by Sarah Brightman, with an added aria snippet from 'La Wally'.)

ETA: Zarina has it on her channel:

Although this one is better quality I think.

(The Charismatic Voice analyses it here if you are curious)

It was filmed between the recordings of episodes 3 and 4 of Singer. Dimash flew to Almaty, Kazakhstan to perform in the 2017 Winter Universiade opening ceremony, on January 29, where he preformed this song with Zarina Altynbayeva.

Dimash Masterpost

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Update from the house of Self-Isolation (Day 99 of Year 2)

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 19:40:19 GMT

So, update on the school situation! (Please note, it's not unusual for them to have cases pop up and having certain bubbles isolating. This happens fairly regularly and the 15 y.o. has already spent several miserable quarantines doing online learning.) But this one's in another league...

Apparently some of the kids went to a party Friday night (which they obviously shouldn't have) and cases have popped up all over, so it's not possible to isolate any specific group. Ergo, the whole year group has to stay at home until next week. Ah, teenagers. Here's to hoping that the fall-out is minimal.

And look, a very apropos article: Should schoolchildren still have to self-isolate?

~

In news closer to home Darcy is feeling crap and has spent most of the day watching Rick & Morty, curled up on the sofa. And Impish Girl is under the weather too. Guess we'll see how it goes. (Incidentally both Miss M and Impish Girl are still at their respective unis. I don't have a house full of poorly ppl, just the one patient.)

The Delta variant apparently tends to look like a cold (as well as possible nausea and aching joints) so look out for that!

~

In happier news, have a Spuffy vid rec - can't believe I didn't rec it already:

Truth or Dare by double_dutchess

warning/incentive to watch: It is packed with sex scenes from Season 6, and gets pretty steamy. So, rated R and possibly not worksafe.

~

Should I add this? I feel I ought to add current news now and again...

HMS Defender: Russian jets and ships target British warship

~

I have thoughts on music, but they'll have to wait... I'm still thinking through it all, and am not quite sure how to formulate it properly.

Daily Dimash: Know

To quote a comment by a Dear (Dimash fan) from somewhere (I don't have a link, thank you unknown fan, whoever you are):

One of his best is a song also written by Igor called Know. He does it with lyrics at New Wave. Then he honestly takes it to a whole different level in both New York and in Kiev where he simply sits flat on his bum and vocalizes the song, differently both times of course.

Here is the New Wave performance (with subtitles):

Dimash Qudaibergen - Know ~ New Wave 2019

Below the cut the vocalising performance & the official music video (impressive but SO STRANGE) + more. :)

( Read more... )

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Year 2 of Lockdown, Day 96

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 18:57:05 GMT

Yesterday was a good day. We met up with Impish Girl in London for her birthday since she is studying way 'dahn south' and also having a day in London seemed a good birthday treat. We went to Tate Modern (free, but you have to book), wandered round different places (including Oxford Street and Picadilly Circus) and went in the umbrella shop and Hamleys, plus went on the tube (obvs, and although 99% wore masks, social distancing was NOT a thing) and took a Black Cab (the girls deemed this the most exciting thing of the whole day!). Oh and they walked around all day wearing party hats. <3 <3 <3

My legs are so so tired today. But m-i-l sent a message to say she'd made cake since it was father's day so there was a somewhat impromptu family gathering (in their garden) this afternoon which was also lovely.

~

A couple of things I read on the BBC yesterday:

Juneteenth: After decades, Opal Lee finally gets her day off

Covid: Queues at pop-up vaccine centres amid jabs push

~

Daily Dimash: Hello

In 2018 Dimash was invited back on The Singer as a guest (not a competitor) for a charity concert. He sang Lionel Richie's 'Hello', but obviously put his own spin on it.

( Read more... )

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Year 2 of Lockdown, Day 95

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 18:51:35 GMT

Today is Impish Girl's 20th birthday (yes I know!), so we went to London to meet up.

This is easily the most exciting thing we have done in the past year.

Also Happy Juneteenth to all my American friends.

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Year 2 of Lockdown, Day 48

Mon, 03 May 2021 20:36:06 GMT

So, today I posted my Transthology (like an anthology, but about trans issues) which I feel is quite enough work for one day. ;) I have been working on it for... months.

Also I know I keep disallowing comments, but honestly I have nothing to say... Nothing keeps happening. Various [extended] family members have had covid, but they all had a very mild version and are now fine. OTOH several are now vaccinated (and both Darcy & I have ours booked) so we have also been able to see people. (Outside, in gardens, in the sunshine.)

And that is all that has been happening... My life is very dull. And, currently, rainy.

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Update from The House of Plague, Day 53 (VE Day)

Fri, 08 May 2020 18:05:30 GMT

I feel like I should mark the day somehow, but I am stuck on what to do. Although I stumbled across this lovely article, which is a cornucopia of thoughts and links:

VE Day: coronavirus lessons from 75 years ago
This week the Upside reflects on the community spirit felt in our current crisis and the one that ended in 1945

~

As the icon says, we are all stories... My family is Danish. My paternal grandfather went to Canada as a young man, and he and my grandmother (not married, only courting) lost touch. And if it hadn't been for the war, I might not have been here.

When the war started, my grandfather joined the Canadian army. He was sent to Italy, and slowly his regiment moved up through Europe, until they eventually reached Denmark. I am unsure how he managed to track down my grandmother (who hadn't married, although they were both in their 40s by then), but he did somehow. The story goes that they arranged to meet on a specific street, in the early morning. They saw each other from opposite ends of the street, ran into each others arms, and were married within the week. I believe my father was born within the year.

♥

(There is more to it of course, but this'll do for now.)

~~

ETA: My maternal grandfather was not in the army. He was a college lecturer, and since Germany invaded Denmark within 0.3 seconds of war being declared fighting wasn't really an option, should the army have drafted 40-something school teachers.

The Faroe Islands were occupied by the British, and very happy they were about it, trust me! The Faroese didn't fight, but - being fishermen - they kept fishing throughout the war, helping to supply Britain with food. Because of this they were a target of German warships, and proportionally the Faroes lost as many men as any of the fighting nations.

~~

Happy peace time y'all. May we move closer to a day when there are no wars at all.

ETA2 - this is beautiful:

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Greetings from the House of Plague

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 09:17:28 GMT

Hiiii. So, guess whose husband woke up feeling achy, warm and Not Great, and whose ~~eldest child~~ 21 year old has a cough?

You only get one guess.

However I've managed to log onto my work email, so can at least tell the other people in the office all the things I need them to do. Wahey, 14 days of self-isolation here we come! The 14 year old is already bored. (I can write so much fic! And I might finish my novel???)

Oh and middle child is coming home from university today. Full house! :D

On a more serious note, mostly worried we've infected the in-laws, who are in their 70s. (They are generally healthy, but both have had cancer.)

ANYWAY. Here's to living in interesting times!

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When public health & fandom collide

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 21:34:37 GMT

I'm still here! If (when? *crosses fingers*) they close the college where I work I'll hopefully have time for proper updates & thoughts on the Doctor Who finale. At the moment any free time is taken up with fic writing.

For now, as first seen in the bathrooms at work and making me smile a LOT (presumably put up by the students):

( Banner under here )

(Yes, have been watching Sex Education - nearly finished S2 and love them all, in all their wondrous stupidity.)

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Hi there 2020

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 13:20:42 GMT

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Been meaning to do a round-up thing. Don't really like them, but hey, new decade...

( Christmas )

( Fannishness 2019 )

( Some sort of looking back at the past decade? )

And finally...

Fact we’re in the ‘Twenties’ sounds so weird. It’s so synonymous with the 1920s. Sounds like a bygone era when women were still fighting for their rights, the upper classes were living a life of hedonism whilst people starved & the world was on the verge of financial ruin and war
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) January 1, 2020

The only thing I'd add to that is that this decade we need to be saving the actual planet. (And the NHS of course. And the country. And...) Starting 2010 I don't remember worrying about any of this. (Maybe I was naive and living in a bubble. And OK, sure climate change was a thing, but I guess I thought that governments would *do* something? Instead they just got racist & cosied up to billionaires.)

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Been absent

Sat, 03 Aug 2019 21:12:08 GMT

Sorry about not being around (more than usual), but we went to the Lake District and there was no wi-fi. (WELL. Technically the caravan site did have wi-fi. 1MB for the whole site...) Anyway, the Lake District was lovely and the weather was not bad at all!

However, my head is now consumed with writing a Good Omens fic (it had to happen, and the plot bunny is VERY insistent), although I realise that I think I've forgotten to mention that I'm re-posting my Spike/Buffy/Angel OT3 fic to AO3 (and giving it a once-over in the editing department at the same time):

Because Cavemen Have Fire

(Of course I also posted my huge, enormous, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink Good Omens meta last week, so I think I'm still recovering from that.)

ETA: Went back to skip=280, and this I'm caught up...

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An actual update

Sun, 14 Jul 2019 08:49:57 GMT

I suck at RL updates, but since stuff has actually been happening - here you go! :)

( Read more... )

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Trying to catch up...

Sat, 08 Jun 2019 12:26:05 GMT

Been attempting to catch up, ended up at skip=240 /o\ So I have vaguely become aware of what's happening... (There is a parental visit happening, and life has just been busy generally. *waves hands around*)

Happy Pride everyone, hope everyone is well, we survived Trump, but may not survive the Tories/Brexit.

Have also started posting Because Cavemen Have Fire (Spike/Buffy/Angel, post-NFA) to AO3, in case anyone needs a fix of OT3ness [with a lot of meta & character stuff, natch].

Watching Classic Who is still very rewarding. There is the wall-to-wall Straight White Men to deal with of course, but apart from that it does excellent things. The latest one I watched was The Sun Makers, which is as savage as 'Oxygen' re the evils of Capitalism:

DOCTOR: You blood-sucking leech! You won't stop until you own the entire galaxy, will you. Don't you think commercial imperialism is as bad as military conquest?
COLLECTOR: We have tried war, but the use of economic power is far more effective.

That's my show!

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Happy marching to all the protestors in London!

Sat, 23 Jun 2018 13:25:07 GMT

Meanwhile, in elisi's abode...

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Happy Juneteenth

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 21:18:04 GMT

Also it's Impish Girl's 17th birthday. There may be photos at some point...

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WHY IS IT SNOWING?

Sat, 17 Mar 2018 09:26:53 GMT

I was forecast of course, but that doesn't explain WHY. It should be spring.

/rhetorical question

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SNOW DAY! :D

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 11:21:19 GMT

Snowmageddon actually came true! Was sent home from work, schools are closed, and we have many biscuits, hot chocolate, and coal (the latter for the fireplace). Might head out with a sledge later on...

( My lovely snowy garden under the cut )

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Family, family...

Sat, 30 Sep 2017 21:26:39 GMT

Last weekend it was the Cherub's 12th birthday.

And today we took Miss M to Cambridge.

So... that's why I've not been around. But life is good. <3

(Closing comments, because... no time.)

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A-Level results day...

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 10:44:26 GMT

And Miss M is off to Cambridge!!!

She will be studying Philosophy.

They asked for A*AA and she achieved A*A*A!

/proud mother

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I didn't actually vanish

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 09:22:55 GMT

Hello everyone. Sorry for being semi-absent, we went to Wales for a week's holiday.

Which was very lovely indeed, and we spent a day on the river, and walked up a mountain (/big hill) saw Llanthony priory and Castell Coch, and (of course!) went to Cardiff where I saw Ianto's Shrine (♥) and went to the Doctor Who Experience.

Hence this icon. You go on an 'adventure' with the Doctor, and one of the rooms you go in, is the one with the TARDIS 'tree' and 'eggs'. I am still not over that. And Impish Girl got to pilot Eleven's TARDIS! Although the adventure was with Twelve, who was suitably delightful/rude.

(Am useless at writing about RL. But there will soon be meta! Which is another reason I've been so quiet...)

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My family...

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 19:21:21 GMT

Very random post, but.

A few weeks ago we watched the pilot for the new The Tick TV series.

As there were sadly no more episodes, we then watched The Seventh Seal.

Somehow I felt this summed us up rather well.

And today I remembered to buy more Earl Grey (we had run out!!) but forgot toilet paper.

So if you wonder what we are like - well, this post is it. Very eclectic viewing tastes and an addiction to (good) tea. :)

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More in common

Fri, 16 Jun 2017 22:03:58 GMT

If you haven't heard of The Great Get Together, have a look! There might be something happening near you!!

It's in memory of Jo Cox, celebrating her message, and very much what we need right now. And just look - a media first! The Sun & Daily Mirror print a shared editorial backing The #GreatGetTogether inspired by Jo Cox, and The Telegraph and The Guardian have written a joint opinion piece celebrating #MoreInCommon. (Follow link above to see them.)

And here are four former Prime Ministers:

"We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us."
Jo Cox, firs speech to Parliament.

(And also, you should all go watch The Last Leg. <3)

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