Spring Is Coming!

Back from half term holiday, and this week I'm going to be a typical Brit: I'm going to talk about the weather (and not just because Greta posted about it last week, lol). Just over a week ago when temperatures had began that small rise hinting at the end of winter, we were swiftly plummeted back into the cold and even had snow. That's not unheard of for the time of year. I've seen snowy Valentine's Days, and the year my youngest was born the older two were making snow bunnies for Easter with their dad (although it was an early Easter that year).
But now the temperatures have taken a definite upward swoop, well into double figures, and the plants are registering the change. Snowdrops have been open for a week, and now the crocuses and other bulbs are up and opening, and green buds are on the hawthorn bushes as we walk to school. And this morning I spotted a couple of frogs in the pond...well, shall we say 'celebrating' the warmer weather? :P
We're still not free of a risk of ice and snow, or at least several hard frosts in the coming weeks, but I can feel the change in the air, see it in the surroundings. And it means I've survived winter. I suffer from SAD, and increasingly over the past few years it seem to have hit me harder and harder each winter. Not so this year. I think despite the cold we had a brighter winter - more sharp cold and clear skies rather than the terrible damp greyness that feels like it's lasting forever. We had days cold enough to numb the skin on my legs which hurt like hell on getting back into the warm, but being out in the sun makes such a difference to my mood. So I'm feeling more hopeful as we move into 2017, despite the horrendous political mire both sides of the Atlantic. Sigh. Still, there's good stuff to come...

Status Update
Keir's Shadow is progressing, but mostly as notes emailed to myself. It's probably my weirdest method of revising to date, but ideas for fixing the plot holes mostly occur while I'm off on my morning walk. I've added over 8K words already, but haven't really got far past the first chapter, patching other random scenes, and fixing the closing scenes. It gives you some idea of how much of a mess this work is in...

Happenings
I was super excited to learn this morning that one of my favourite authors is coming to the UK in a couple of weeks! Being as my chances of going to the US were pretty minute (plus I'm not sure I want to go there in the current conditions), I'm amazed at getting the chance to meet Isaac Marion, author of Warm Bodies and related zombie books. I'm sure I've raved enough about my love for the books for it to be obvious. He'll be visiting three locations in the UK and one in Scotland, and you can find details HERE if interested.

Cosplay Update
I finished youngest's Luigi cosplay just before the half term holiday, then finished part four of a super secret five part project last week. I can't tell you about those until the SFR author who commissioned it has done their reveal. ;) The final part requires further design consultation.
In the meantime I've moved onto eldest's Tauriel cosplay, which includes fletching some arrows. The arrows will never be shot (you're not allowed fireable weapons at most conventions anyway, so the string will be coming off the bow we're taking) but I used to do archery so I want them to look as convincing as possible.

Chook Update
With the warmer weather, I've been spending some time out in the garden with my girls. And they've been busy - we're now getting one or two eggs a day. After her traumatic encounter with the fox last year, Kyru appears very reluctant to venture outside the coop anymore, but the others are enjoying the return of this extra freedom.

Left to right: Kyru, Scoop, Pitch, Fizzgig (Effie behind)

Back to the job hunting...