NIFFLED!

I really didn't think I'd ever have occasion to write something like this which had any personal relevance to me. I certainly didn't think I'd be doing it from a remote corner of south-west China.

Still, even though I'm surrounded by the wonders of China, I think this deserves an entry all to itself.

I repeat: My fic, Jewel-Bright,has been NIFFLED! Niffled by the illustrious lilithboadicea, no less, who said such kind things I that blush to repeat them. But if anyone's interested in what she said, here's the link.

I will now give vent to a most undignified outburst:

*OMG OMG OMG Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! And many weepy exclamations of a Gwynneth Paltrow nature!*

There. Boy, that felt good.

***

Other news: Never again will I agree to do translation in any shape or form or for any price while on holiday. I've missed two perfect, sunny days faffing around in front of the computer when I could have been out in the countryside getting all overexcited about things like aubergines on the vine, large-eyed water-buffaloes being chivvied along between padddy fields by small children or old people, the smell of rice as it just starts to ripen, chillis being laid out in neat rectangles to dry in the sun...

Put like that, it's hard to understand why I agreed to get involved, even for a moment. I must just be slightly deranged with pleasure at being back here.

Tomorrow I'm going to Zhenfeng, a charming county town set between round, green mountains, where I'll be spending the weekend with an old student, who's got married and had a baby since last time I saw her. I'm hoping there'll be a minorities' market, as happens from time to time: the hill tribes come to town in all their beautiful embroidered clothes every five days or so. I've been to Zhenfeng several times, but always missed the market, so here's hoping.