Look what I got for my birthday!

[dolorous_ett]

dolabellae has just given me the best and most undeserved surprise I've had for a very long time - never mind just today.

She's written a lovely story set in my "House of Flying Artichokes" universe - improving on it, some might say - containing Crabbe, his owl farm, Christmas cards and a bucket of dead mice. There's humour, observation and real pathos - quite a feat. I would praise it more, but I don't want to spoil. Instead, here's the link - you can go and read it yourselves. It's well worth it.

_____________________________

It couldn't have come at a better moment, as I was a bit unimpressed with today prior to now. I'd got up very early, and then had to spend half the morning waiting for an electrician to come to check my electrical appliances. He was a very stressed man when he did show - he really hates his new testing machine, and he told me all about it.

I don't do existential panic on birthdays, but I was a bit concerned about this one, because it lands me squarely in my mid-thirties (up till now I could just about weasel my way into my early thirties - but not this year). How did I manage to get so far without paying any attention to what I was doing at all? *prods life*

Still, I like the being-gifted-with-fine-story version of my birthday better. Thank you, Dolabella!

Comments

[dolabellae.livejournal.com]

There's no improving on House of Flying Artichokes, I reckon, certainly not by me, but I'm so glad you liked it anyway. I love giving any kind of present, and I've found that the delicious mix of nerves (will she like it, is it what she wants?) and pleasure is even better when the gift is self-penned. So it seems only fair that it's cheered you up on a day fraught with electrical appliances and mild existential qualms!

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I loved it. And some of the things you picked up on that I left out like Pansy's children sequestered away in another part of the Manor - and particularly the Goyle backstory.

If you're interested in Urgulanilla, in my story Crabbe was so low in the Pureblood pecking order that he wouldn't probably have been supplied with a bride till he was in his 40s, unless he was personable enough to charm a rich widow. But for the fact that Voldemort's war wiped out so many eligible bachelors, he'd be single still. Urgulanilla was originally intended for Marcus Flint.

[dreamer-marie.livejournal.com]

Poor girl, though. She really has no luck with her name.

[dolabellae.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're giving me a get-out clause by saying the Malfoy brat could have been hidden elsewhere in the Manor. I realised after I'd posted that the timing might not work for Dracaena to be around and winning competitions in September with nary a mention of her earlier 'that year' at dinner...

I am indeed interested in Urgulanilla - and that backstory sounds just right. Did you decide what family she came from? It's a marvellous choice of name - I, Claudius had her at about six foot, didn't it? Devil to type repeatedly, though...

[dreamer-marie.livejournal.com]

That's true! I knew I had heard that name before! She was Claudius's first wife, wasn't she? The one with who the match was made just so that everybody could make fun of them?

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

That's the one - well spotted! "I, Claudius" is a brilliant resource for ridiculous Pureblood names...

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was originally going to have Pansy terrifying Hermione with a "girly chat" about the correct way to bring up Pureblood children (involving lots of very un-liberal-Bicester punishments and endless diction and deportment lessons), and how to keep one's figure by Banishing the contents of one's stomach... but I'm quite glad I left it out.

I never settled on a name - but I always had the feeling that once she'd got engaged to Flint and the marriage fell through, she was packed off in very short order to Crabbe. Crabbe had always regarded them as the golden couple and worshipped them from afar, so he was very happy to oblige - if happy's the word - more stunned.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

how to keep one's figure by Banishing the contents of one's stomach...

Uurgh!I wonder how many people ended up in St Mungo's after accidentally banishing pancreas and kidneys as well?

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Yuck!

Still, I suppose it also helps prevent the really irremediably stupid Purebloods from reproducing...

[agatha-s.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday!

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[aerama.livejournal.com]

That's right, the 16th IS your birthday! I saw it ages ago and was going to *remember* it and...well, I always remember up until the day of.
Happy Birthday indeed, and here's to a year of having all sorts of good things happen to you.

It's interesting about the story mentioned above - I am writing an off-the-wall kind of fic and I made Crabbe attempt intelligence (oh, those split seconds), and it really was just as a nod to you.
I'd have liked to explore his potential more thoroughly, but the story wasn't about him (and refused to allow it), alas.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Thank you - a pretty good one, all things considered.

It's interesting about the story mentioned above - I am writing an off-the-wall kind of fic and I made Crabbe attempt intelligence (oh, those split seconds), and it really was just as a nod to you.


Quite an honour! Who would have thought that there were so many quiet Crabbe supporters around?

[fungus-files.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday! Hope you found the time to indulge!

And mid-30s is an excellent time of life. I intend to be "mid-30s" for a few years yet! :)

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I did - two bottles of wine and a lot of very loose talk to a good friend about things that had been bugging me.

I must say, mid-thirties is growing on me. I don't feel I have to apologise every time I make a decision, and these days some of my decisions acutally make sense!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday for yesterday! But I have an ulterior motive - may I friend you?

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Happy to make your aquaintance! Friended you back.

[swythyv.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! That was wonderful. Many happy returns. ;D

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Yes, it's a great story, isn't it?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_redux/]

Wonder if I can ask you a favour?
Need some info on Chinese - could you mail me at greengras@gmail.com?
Please? Would be good to get it from an expert. :)