I’m returning this Friday to Seven Quick Takes, hosted by thisainttheLyceum, as I’ve got a bit of time to spare for blogging for once.
~1~
I’m off to Scotland tomorrow, woo! Two more weeks of not knowing if I can post on a regular schedule or have the ideas. Seriously, though, I’m looking forward to my holiday and taking a bit of a break from the stress I’ve had recently. I’m still finding writing quite emotionally difficult at the moment.
~2~
For that matter, I’ve had access to WiFi for the last couple of days, but I have to say, I’ve got into the practise of jumping straight into writing, rather than I am hoping to, after this, do some necessary editing to the background of Abney Park. It’s certainly nice to have Spotify at my disposal again. 😉
~3~
It was enjoyable to see The Boyfriend’s family over last weekend. With one of my best friends getting married in November (and me being one of her bridesmaids), lately I have come to remember how important family is – and has always been to me. Before I became a Catholic, I already had a notion that I’ve been called to be a wife and mother and teach others about God and Faith through my example. It’s difficult sometimes – often – but with Family, I don’t feel as much anxiety to share my faith as with, say, the internet or the university community. I feel God’s Love so strongly when interacting with the microcosm of family, and I so want to share in that.
~4~
I’ve spent in total about three weeks at the new house. At the moment, it’s only me and one of the three housemates, and we won’t be resuming our Chapter House Christianity duties until the new academic term starts at the end of September. However, as our tenancy is a July – July one, I thought I’d spend some time ‘acclimatising’ to the place. I love cooking for myself, and my housemate is the epitome of the generous Christian cook. 😉 Her cookies, and other puddings, are delicious.
~5~
I was lucky to escape the Tube strikes by a few days. My trip up North takes me down via London first, and sometimes I think I can deal with the journey, but other times it’s just a slog through so many people, gates, and trainways. So, I am grateful that my recent journeys (minus one, where two trains back were cancelled) haven’t been too delayed.
~6~
I finished my CampNaNoWriMo novella about a Steampunk campus, monster, and MRI machine. I have a lot of favourite extracts, but below is a piece from one of the final chapters where, though the final fight is over, Summer is in despair at what she has lost, and a circus-traveller offers her consolations.
~7~
Taking her eyes from Summer’s for a blinding second, the RingLady removed the medal above her heart, five old cogs wrought into the symbol covering all of the circus banners and here attached to a badge displaying the word RingLady, and turned it down-facing. With short fingernails smudged with cobalt paint, she dug into the medal, into the pentagon of cogs, and lifted out a stone, bright purple in colour with veins of pink tarnished so they were almost silver. It was barely longer than one of Summer’s nails.
Alexandrina Brant 