I have not had a good week.

We buried my mother Wednesday, beside her parents in the family plot in Crab Orchard, Kentucky. That has a nice location on a hill. (Her father was on the cemetery board of directors.)

There were surprisingly many people at the service, here in Frankfort, including the music director and minister from her church. The former led us in singing Mother's favorite hymn. The latter gave a short sermon. Just as Mother wanted.

However, only her descendants and a few cousins made the hour and a half trip to Crab Orchard (where Mother was reared).

i seem to have missed my Wednesday posting!

Wendy Jean is inviting you to a video Zoom meeting. While it is OK to invite others, this meeting is for T women only. There is no agenda as such , just a chance to meet new people who have something in common. Basically I have started this because being in a wheelchair I don't get out much. It is my way of going out and meeting new people. It is every Sunday 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Texas time. Having trouble tracking times? The National Institute of standards has a map that will simplify this. just send me a PM, and i will send you an invitation that has the link included.

https://truthout.org/audio/trans-youth-are-facing-right-wing...

As many of you who follow my blog know, I'm retired and drive school bus (about 20 hours a week) to combat the boredom of retirement. I'm sure that I've also mentioned that when I drive the bus I dress very butch. My usual fair is androgynous tennis shoes, dark grey jeans, polo shirt and an equally androgynous vest issued by the company with the company name on it. The jeans, BTW, aren't skinny jeans. The only thing feminine about my appearance would be the way I wear my hair; pulled back at the sides and held with a small barrette that is nearly the same color as my hair.

There are a total of 7 prizes: 1 x 1st Place, 2x 2nd Place, and 4 x 3rd Place. The current cash prizes are 1 x $150, 2 x $75, 4 x $25.
The Winner's Announcement is March 3, 2022 along with payouts. I will be issuing the payouts in a timely fashion same day.

Every February I take a few of my books and give away copies of the ebook on Amazon.
Right now, Bloomsday, A Window to Your Heart and Cherry Moone are free until the 16th.
On the 17, A Change Will Do You Good, Desert Rose and To Be a Different Someone will be on the free block.

The only thing I ask is if you can leave a review on Amazon (If you choose)

Well, things could be changing here in a serious way.

I think the time has come for my mom to find a senior's lodge, as her paranoia over Carol is causing problems.

It might take a while, with waiting lists, and COVID being factors.

But the bigger question is what do I do?

Do I try and find a place with a 2 bedroom suite so we can continue to be together?

That would be mom's first preference, and mine too, but it may not be practical, or even possible.

I guess time will tell . . .

My Desk Top is an HP Wide Screen all in one that is at least 6 years old. As insurance I am thinking about a new Laptop but I need lots of USB ports and slots. I have several SSD drives plugged in. I think the built in mechanical drive is at least a gig. I have a DVD drive that I used to use a lot but lately YouTube has so much that it seems obsolete. Just looking around, it seems that there are so many tiny laptops with little keyboards. Ick.

I don't do Apple, and I run windows. I am no computer geek. I'm a writer and do not do games so no special video drive needed.

We knew this was coming; my Mother was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer back in November. However she didn't want us to tell anyone until after she was gone.

There were multiple ups and downs, but the downs predominated and she slowly grew worse. She died at around 2:40 this afternoon, at age 89.

It's amazing how time goes fwoooosh. The older I get, the quicker that arrow zips on past.

And thus I realized today when looking at posting dates that four years ago is when I finally decided to be brave enough to quit being a (long time) lurker and toss the two books I'd written out onto BCTS. Four years! Can hardly believe it. I remember being incredibly nervous about doing so too, having debated with myself for months on end. Though admittedly with each additional installment of the story since those nerves still flare. They shouldn't but, well, yep.

Description of PTSD-related (?) depression, maybe even derealization.

i don't know why i say goodbye.....

I'm trying to remember a story in which a Van goes into a lake and something magic happens.

Gwen

Today I went to get tested for allergies, and I tested positive to cat hair, tree pollen, grass, and shrimp - the latter is apparently bad enough they have proscribed an epi pen for me.

But something interesting happened.

When they first gave me my results and the prescription, I noticed it had the wrong name, so I had to go back in and get things straightened out.

But what was interesting was the young woman receptionist apologized repeatedly, and I told her not to sweat it, since I got the corrected information.

or The Return of Maddy's Muse

I will have this every Sunday unless I get zero interest. just PM me if you are interested in joining this video meeting. I moved the time to this new slide because of comments from our other users.

My latest book published on Amazon is my tenth, and in many ways, it was one of my most ambitious.

I finally got sick to death of Literotica today. After Linda got rejected after being submitted three times. If anyone has read it it's a trans/CD love story. Not sure where I will take it. They reject your story and tell you to read the guidelines. You have no idea why.

At first I thought it was the reference to Peter asking his mother why he wasn't a girl. According to Literotica, underage (18) crossdressing is tantamount to child porn. Which is distrubing!

"I want to bite him!"

I forwarded an obituary to my brother today as he no longer lives in our home town. His former brother-in-law had died and I thought he might want to send a card. He e-mailed me back that it wouldn't be welcomed. It seems that even in death his family refuses to recognize him. When police contacted people with his last name they got no response except from a another former in-law. I don't blame them for avoiding him in life. He was an addict, a thief and a child abuser. What is disturbing to me is that I know they once loved him.

The other day a video popped up in my YouTube feed.
The reaction to the video is shocking for older T-Folk.

SpartanElite43 ( Youtuber name ) posted a video admitting her status as a MTF person, 1 year on HRT.
I have not seen ANY negativity about it directed at her.

The world has changed.

edit to add:

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF939oIsv6M

Just a quick note which is only of significance to trivia buffs and possibly readers of various stories on BCTS, I have seen Swamp Pop Soda mentioned in several stories. The authors have referred to it as being from Louisiana and hard to find.

hope you enjoy!

"Don't join the book burners... Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

“If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed." - Benjamin Franklin

“Information is the currency of democracy.” –Thomas Jefferson

So, I've entered a depression, and I'm trying to be as mindful of what happens as I was during my manic phase.

So far, I'm having a rather unusual symptom, at least for me, I've lost my appetite.

Not much I can do but maybe force myself to eat a little.

hugs appreciated, folks

Real life has caught up big time this week and I have an assignment to complete in the next couple of days, I am really busy also my elderly neighbour has also become increasingly needy and confused and I can't abandon her but she really soaks up the time. So sadly, I haven't time to write (except bloody carbon cycle and not carbon fibre, and grassland ecology) and most of that is calculations in gC per m squared per year.

Anyone who thinks the Open University is a soft option is probably too stupid to do a degree with them.

Before the pandemic there was a post by someone looking for Lipstick Discipline by Amber and Daphne. I found it via the Wayback Machine at:

http://web.archive.org/web/20140317091913/http://www.pettico...

http://web.archive.org/web/20140423233644/http://www.pettico...

I have finally sent the final chapter along with the epilogue to my editor. That means when she is done it will be posted. I just want to make sure that she gets the thanks and credit she deserves for the work she put into this story. She not only helped by pointing out errors in writing, she also made sure that I stay true to how I saw the story. That what I pictured in my mind was conveyed on the pages.

We're pretty near broke. Less than $400 in our BigCloset accounts. A bit of month left too, and some bills, two due tomorrow (Friday) that total $480. We're still short on contributions in the new year by about $1800. If you can help us out, it will be greatly appreciated.

-Hugs,
Erin, Piper, Cat, Amy, Liam, Jamie and the elves

I have started some of the revision on THotM.

Amy got beat.

It came down to Final Jeopardy and she missed on Bangladesh.

It will be interesting to see what happens when she goes against Ken Jennings in the TOC. It would be wonderful to see her soundly beat him.

Love that woman.

Jill

I am trying to start weekly video zoom meeting for trans girls like myself. My preferred time though that is negotiable is 7:00 PM Sundays CMT. If you would like to join this meeting PM me through this website and I will send you an invite and details. You will need to create a zoom account (it is free). You can use a phone or a computer with a camera on it.

Good afternoon everyone. I managed to break my foot yesterday. My 5th metatarsal. So have been fitted with a giant spaceman boot( they didn't come in pink with a heel. I asked and got a giggle from the nurses. If only they knew). I bet I could make a story out of that. LOL

I have BUPA with my job, but they don't do A&E. Again I thank god for our wonderful free NHS. Arrived at emergency minor injuries at 7.30pm waited 20 mins. Saw a nurse, hobbled 50 yards to xray. Then hobbled back, and a boot and xray were waiting for me. I dread to think how much that would cost elsewhere.

War is pretty much inevitable, at this point. And we still aren't sure what that means …

I'm having problem with parenting my second chapter of a story to the first.

I enter my author name under outline and can then see a list of every story except my most recent. Is it something I'm not doing correctly?

When you get it all rounded up, it's time to square it away.

Anyday now, it will be someday every day.

If you miss the point, you may find yourself stuck.

Don't chicken out and duck your responsibilities, or you'll have no right to grouse about the consequences.

First thing to do with good luck is learn to make it last.

Every dog has his day, and every shaggy dog has his story.

If bears wore tights under their slacks, they wouldn't have to hibernate.

yep, just to let folks know, there's another new chapter up on Patreon today, #7 is a break from the singing - well almost!

enjoy
Madeline Anafrid

"Gaby with her singing career" - Maddy Bell, 2022/01/23 "The Sound of Music" blog entry

My finances have sucked for years. Some years ago I finally decided I've got to stop buying Gaby books as they come out. And eventually I succeeded. And then the next book out was "Gaby Ontario". And I agonized and I fretted. And eventually I said "OK. I live in Ontario. I can buy just one more." And I bought it.

I have been chatting to Patricia on here for a day or two. She kindly offered to help me with images for my stories.

She sent me a link to her story on the site, Silence is Golden. I was not surprised how much her story reflected my own to some extent.
There were a few things she asks that I asked myself or was asked by my wife.

Here are some of my thoughts. Excerts from her story are in bold.

Why do I want to wear the clothes?

Doppler has just published an revised version of Peaches.

This was one of my earlier novels. It is the only one I co-wrote with anyone.

It was quite a learning experience to see how much my writing style has changed in two decades. My thanks to Gaby for her help with editing.

Mother is home, in her room, in a hospital-type bed, courtesy of Hospice/Care Navigators. She has two caregivers (arranged by my sister, with help from her youngest daughter) for round-the-clock care. Considering that she was diagnosed with advanced liver cancer over two months ago, she's doing quite well. How much longer she'll do well we don't know.

We still don't know what caused her stroke-like problem, a week and a half ago. In fact, we still don't know what is causing her gut upset, which she's been suffering from for nearly two years.

My old nemesis the winter wind has attacked bringing her allies the sneezles. Forecast is for up to 85mph gusts in the passes and 35 to 45mph almost everywhere.

I'll be hiding under the covers for awhile. Just listen for the sneezes.

Hugs,
Erin

For those of you who were waiting

I finished Surgeons Lodger last night. 26 parts. This is the first story of any length I have written.

I have several other stories that are multipart, but nothing like that long. Bright boy was 22 chapter's long, but I was feeding off Bev's 90 Chapter story.

Do people prefer reading long running stories or shorter ones?

I'm not sure I want to write another that long, yet there are some huge ongoing stories on here. How do you keep them going?