This is a catch-up post, including a Link of Interest

First of all, there's been a scheduling change.  Due to my protracted and debilitating bout of depression, the delivery date for First of Five has been moved to September 2014.  (I'm telling the truth, here.  If the truth makes you uncomfortable, then please replace "depression" in the foregoing sentence with "illness," and feel comfy again.  I had thought of using "illness," but then I read this article in our local paper, and I realized all over again that mental health issues are never going to be dealt with on par with other serious illnesses as long as "depressed/bipolar=crazy, scary, and completely unreliable in every aspect of life, forever and always" is a convenient equation for lawyers, and that it falls to those of us who suffer from these illnesses to be truthful about it.)

Also!  I am behind on my email.  I think at this point it's safe to say that I will never, ever in this lifetime catch up on my email.  If you have sent me something that I must deal with else Babies Will Die, please resend, and I will do my damnedest to cope.  If you have sent me something below that level of urgency, I thank you very much for your interest, and your care.

For those who have not seen the news, there is a new story up at Splinter Universe, "Roving Gambler."  Here's your link.  Also, "The Rifle's First Wife" is still up, so read it while it's free.  Here's that link.

Fans of Jasmine Sprite, Princess of the Night, sometimes called both Bubbles and Boopsie, though she answers to nothing save the moople of the Trooper and the siren hiss of The String...Sprite went to see her fan club at the vet's office yesterday.  She now weighs fifteen pounds, and enjoys robust good health.  The trip to the vet was necessitated by a drippy eye (she has had eye infections in the past, and we didn't wish to Take a Chance).  An examination revealed that someone might have clocked her one (not impossible, given her. . .enthusiastic interest. . . in the lives and doings of all of her subjects, but most especially Scrabble, who is Endlessly Fascinating), or she came up against some other irritant.  There's no scratch on the cornea, nor any infection.  She came home with Soothing Eye Drops, which she is astonishingly good about accepting, and the situation is improving already.

Fans of Mozart will wish to know that he continues to Take an Interest in the Daffodils, and will occasionally play a short game of Twizler from the comfort of his hammock, when he is awake, which isn't very often.  He continues to require a regimen of Special Gooshy Food, which he is more than willing to share with Trooper, and which is kinda not the point of the exercise.  The grandcats continue to be very respectful of grandpa, checking in several times a day, and cleaning his ears and the top of his head for him, as required.

A Reader of Liad has undertaken to read all of the Liaden stories and novels extant to date, in order, and chat about them.  (Full disclosure:  Paul told me about his intention to pursue this project before he started and I was. . .appalled probably doesn't overstate my reaction.  I have since taken a look at what he's doing, now that the project is fully underway, and have adjusted my reaction from appalled to interested.)  If you are interested in reading along, or have insights to offer, or are just curious, the project is Reading Liad.  Here's your link.

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Progress on One of Five
57,004/100,000
OR
57% completed

He grinned, to show he got it, and offered a piece of street smart.
"Contracts're made to be broken."