Sunday, March 8, 2009

Making Plans!

It has been pointed out to me that June is not all that far away and the time for our gathering is drawing near! We need to make some Plans, Fiends, as all of the best events involve Plans.

Aleta has offered to Help with this Plan. You can e-mail her at aletamay01@yahoo.com

I think we need to know a ballpark figure on how many are coming.

Rooms run between $130 and $230 a night at the Inn, depending on the size, suite or not and such, tho I am going to talk with them about a discount. I know this may not be in some people's budget, so we can look for more basic places nearby as well, if need be. The rooms are REALLY nice tho at the Inn, and have hot tubs. Just saying.

Another idea would be if there are any Twin Cities Fiends who would be interested in having houseguests. Or if anyone is interested in doing airport runs. Perhaps some Fiends could get together on Car Rental too.

I think we need a Fiend or two to stand in loco parentis for Emily as well, as she is young yet. Ideally someone respectable, tho I realize that may not be possible.

E-mail Aleta and she will start the Gathering of Information. Let her know if you are coming, and how many you will be, and where you might like to stay, what you will need, or anything else you can think of.

On a more somber note, our thoughts and prayers need to go out to Neil and his family this week. We are very sorry for their loss, and send them all the love that we have.

Today he is not Boss, but my friend Neil, and you may refer to him as such for the duration of this post.

Love and Fiends and Comfort,
Lorraine

162 Comments:

At 12:49 Blogger Marjorie said...

New post excitement.

Thanks to Aleta for helping out - I will mail. I'm coming, and will be there a bit before and after as I'm coming the the States for 2 weeks as this will be my holiday for this year.

Much sympathy for Neil and his family.

At 12:49 Blogger spacedlaw said...

I still do nto know if I can make it and it looks like a very near miss. But I might just make it. I'll only know a week or two before, though...

Love and hugs duly sent to Neil and his family. Sympathy is painful.

At 12:55 Anonymous Anonymous said...

As I am already booked for the time, I will not be able to attend. I will be with you in spirit, though. I'll be the translucent one with the shaved head and beard haunting the wine cellar.

Both Dian and I send our love and much positive energy to Neil and family.

At 12:56 Blogger Bulfinch's Aglaia said...

I am stating with great faith that I will be there. Things will go from faith to knowledge a little closer to the time, and I would happily stand in as a responsible person for Emily (as a teacher, I have been fingerprinted and background checked and all that sort of stuff -- and I can't really drink much because my body hates me when I do). So once I have everything (i.e., money) in place, I can send all my personal info to Emily's family as needed.

And if Emily wants someone else to be her responsible adult, that is totally, totally cool. My feelings cannot be hurt in this matter -- the whole point is to get Emily there and feeling safe and comfortable and her mom happy with the situation!! :-)

Much love, prayers, and sympathy to Neil and his family. And, again, to you, Quiche.

At 13:04 Blogger Phiala said...

Thoughts and wishes to Neil and his family and friends.

And in happier news: I am planning to be there in June. I managed to arrange my prior commitment in such a way that I will be home Wednesday or Thursday and can thus leave again on Friday. Hooray!

I'm contemplating staying an extra couple days afterward, as a mini-vacation. By which I do NOT mean that I expect anyone to change their schedule on my behalf, as by then I will be in desperate need of some down time away from home. But I would be willing to sacrifice some of my down time for social activities. *grin* Assuming I do manage to sneak an extra day or two, that is. But my birthday is that week, and that seems like sufficient justification, right?

I'm planning to stay at the Inn. I'm willing to share a room with someone if that would make it easier for another Fiend. I don't need a roommate, but am willing.

At 13:05 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

If Nathilie isn't coming, I'm not either.

Hi Scott! That's too bad, would have loved to have seen you and Dian again.

Thank you Grace, we'll be doing lots of talking with Emily and her Mother and see what will be best for th little darling.

Back to holding...

At 13:06 Blogger Ani said...

First off, much sympathy to Neil and his family on their loss.

I will be looking at calendars and such for June with fingers crossed.

At 13:07 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Hey, that's sentimental blackmail!

At 13:14 Blogger ariandalen said...

She's the Queen Empress of Fiends, Nathalie. Remember? ;)

At 13:23 Blogger ariandalen said...

My deepest sympathies to Neil and his family.

At 13:24 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Oh goodness. I don't even know what happened to Neil.

At 13:28 Blogger AletaMay said...

Much love and thoughts sent out to Neil and his family and friends during this hard time.

****

If everyone who is planning to come could email me with any info you have so far -- real name and fiend name, any special needs you may have and everything Lorraine said above. Email me even if you are a maybe. Please email me even if you have noted that you will attend in comments here or on the facebook page. I just want to be sure I am not missing anyone.

I will start a spreadsheet with info. I will include a column for interest in birding. If there is anything else you really want to do while in the area let me know that too.

If local fiends could let me know if you would be willing or able to have a house guest that would be great too. As of this moment I can not really take a house guest but it is possible that will change as we get closer to June.

At 13:28 Blogger EmilyLady said...

His website doesn't work from my house, so I just took a look here at the library.

And I hope he's all right, and I you also are all right, Lorraine.

At 13:29 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Also, thank you so much, Fiends, for volunteering to help me out.

At 13:34 Blogger Marjorie said...

I would also be happy to be a 'respinsible adult'for you, Emily - as my job means I sometimes act for children I have been police checked. also very happy to share a room (assuming Inn has twins) with Emily or Phiala or any other Fiend - cost wise this would make a lot of sense for me.

I will be arrving in MN on and going home on 7th July, (not planning on staying at the Inn except for the weekend, as it would be too expensive!) so will be about for socialising both sides of the Fiend Meet if anyone else is about. (I would welcome suggestions of things to do in and around the MN for the time after the Fiend Meet)

Not yet sure whether I will be hiring a car although I suspect I will need to - if so I would be more than happy to help out with any transport.

At 13:34 Blogger Jane said...

Much sympathy to Neil and family.

While reading his blog, it occurred to me that grace under pressure seems to be one of his character traits. He must be wonderful to have as a friend.

At 13:43 Blogger Ticia said...

My sympathy to Neil and his friends and family.

I'll email you Aleta! I'm also willing to share a room with anyone that needs it. I'll be coming up Friday night (I think) and staying through Tuesday or Wednesday. I love to explore. I'll also probably be renting a car. I won't get a sub-compact. :-)

I'm feeling like I'm getting sick.... Oh noes!!!

At 13:45 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Okay, so I was having some medical issues (will inform Aleta of such) as I was typing the last few comments - and now that they are pretty much over, I hope I can make myself a little clearer ...

1. I really hope that Neil is okay; I hope his family is okay.

2. Thank you thank you thank you Fiends for being so caring. I really cannot thank you enough and can hardly wait for June.

At 13:45 Blogger EmilyLady said...

So sorry to hear of this, Ticia - spring is on the way ...

At 13:46 Blogger Ticia said...

In my eagerness
to post the confirmation
the "tick" was forgot.

At 13:49 Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with Jane. I was at the signing and Neil was so courteous, kind and generous with his time and attention. Grace pretty much covers it! Much love and strength to all involved,
Kira

At 13:50 Blogger Marjorie said...

Aleta - sent you 2 e-mails - 1st now not showing in my drafts or sent items - please let me know if you didn't get it and i will send again.

At 14:09 Blogger AletaMay said...

Yay Fiends! Keep those emails coming. Local fiends please email me too.

Once I have heard from more folks I will put out some info to help people who are interested in sharing lodging or transport.

I'll be off line now for a bit. Hope to come back to many emails!

At 14:12 Blogger AletaMay said...

Also Marjorie, I emailed you this but I'll say it here too -- I only got your second email.

At 14:15 Blogger Marjorie said...

Aleta, you should have a new e-mail now - bad Hotmail must have eaten the first!

At 14:16 Blogger ariandalen said...

Aleta, you should have an email from me. I just sent it. :)

::sniff::
::sniff, sniff, sniff::

I smell spicy!
Hi, Kira! Took you long enough to make a comment. I've seen your skull on the map for a while. :)

You, too, Scott!


MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

At 14:25 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Haha! I like to skulk around for a bit and get my bearings, what can I say? Shyness is a curse :) glad to be here, though!

At 14:28 Blogger Siri said...

Ticking box only
Little else to say except
Happy Birthday Jeff!!

At 14:35 Blogger Jess said...

If Nathalie and Lorraine aren't coming, I'll still come, but I'll likely cry the whole time and generally be a Miseryguts. Yeah, bring it!

Birding with the Birdchick! Whoot! \o/ I'm there, dude.

Paul and I are happy to volunteer to look out for you too, Emily-- or at least stand in as an extra couple of people to turn to if need be. :) Drop me an email if there's anything I can do.

Peace and comfort to Neil and his family.

At 14:36 Blogger Jess said...

Ooh! New person! Hi, Kira! :)

At 14:37 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Obviously if I come I'd love to go birding. Any excuse for a walk around and snapping pictures is a good one.

At 14:39 Blogger DataGoddess said...

I'm not sure if I can make it or not, but I'll email Aleta info, and I'll probably drive up so I'll have my car and can help taxi people around. I'll be scouting out the Inn when we're there next weekend! Who's going to be around for the St. Pat's concert?

Much sympathy for Neil and his family. I can only imagine how hard it was for him to deal with while being away from home.

At 14:39 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Jess!

At 15:13 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Home now, still wrestling with medical nonsense, hoping it won't interfere terribly with voyage to MN. Not that I'd let it. HA.

At 15:38 Blogger Stacy Hurt said...

So wish we could make it in June but I just don't think so. :(

Sympathies & thoughts for Neil & his family. Death is such a hard transition for those still living.

At 16:23 Blogger Phiala said...

Having just read Neil's latest blog:

It amazes me how he is unfailingly considerate of his family, his friends, his fans, even at a time when he would be perfectly justified in crawling into a hole. I'm glad Neil has friends and family (most especially Q) looking out for him too.

At 16:40 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Posting to send my condolences to Neil and his family...

(And ps - yes I found your blog because of him, I stumbled over here and said "ooh look - interesting looking blog!" just incase you're wondering why you have someone commenting who never has before, I just generally lurk =)

At 16:46 Blogger Stacy Hurt said...

Fablo; It occurred to me that I was being neglectful of you. During your friend Neil's crisis you are the rock. As his friend I'm sure you are feeling your share of pain as well for his loss, so I want to send my thoughts and hugs to you also. Watching our friends in pain is never easy and you do so much for others. Take care; love from me & El.

At 17:12 Anonymous Anonymous said...

All of us who spend time in your virtual living room, Lorraine, are aware of a great deal of love and amusement and mutual dependability going on in the background. Thanks for letting us overhear among you and NG and Birdchick, rejoice with Cabal's doggy joy and be pleased as punch with publishing coups and thrilled with the beauty of growing boss-daughters and just sipping from what reads from here as a relationship among very decent, funny, clever people. I wish my affection for all the people in your lives, distant and 'virtual' as it is, will somehow reach through the screen and turn up the real comfort and warmth on days when you need it.

At 17:14 Blogger Siri said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

At 17:19 Blogger Siri said...

Thought you all should see this, from Neil's twitter:

1967, Grandfather, Father and Neil



picture

At 17:30 Blogger AletaMay said...

Very well said Laura J.

What she said.

At 17:34 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Oh heck. My heart is all a flutter, thinking of Neil, his family and you Quiche. Love and hugs and comforting memories to all. Neil is amazing, to go through with the signing yesterday. What a man, what an inspiration. *the hugest of sighs*

I don't think it will be possible for me to be physically present in MN in June, but boy will I be there in spirit and over the interwebs.

At 17:47 Blogger Marjorie said...

Quiche, I just read Neil's latest blog - so sorry for him, and for Maddy and the rest of the family, in their grief, and my thoughts are with them, and with you and Neil's other friends. I am so glad that you were able to deal with the airlines etc. so that Neil and his family can all be together as soon as possible.

I guess that you're prety much holding the fort while Neil is away.

Love and Hugs to you both. x x

At 17:55 Blogger Ticia said...

Oh Lorraine, what a horrible shock for everyone. Kudos to you for making everything work.How are you doing?

At 18:16 Blogger dabbler said...

Hugs and blessings to Neil and all his family. I couldn't bring myself to comment until I know who had passed, somehow.

At 18:17 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Thanks everyone, and hello de-lurkers, nice to see you, and welcome!

I am sad. I loved him well and have known him for 17 years. Mostly I am trying to not think too much and do what needs to be done.

Speaking of which, I totally slayed the airlines, and I mean as in rocked and worked me some MAGIC.

My powers came in VERY handy, getting him home today and he and family out tomorrow.

At 18:18 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Oh, Happy Birthday Dr Wicked!

At 18:21 Blogger dabbler said...

On a more cheerful, personal note...I am better! Finally...eleven days, really, til I began to feel like me.

And Wizard of OZ was a roaring success...the kids were brilliant, pulling it off, even though some of them had as many as nine costume changes in a three hours show.... There were two dozen things I would have done differently than my dear friends who leaped into the breach when I went down...and none of them mattered except to my perfectionist eye. Nor did I tell anyone what they were. Too busy being grateful for those who leapt into the breach.

Phew. Now back to real life. hope it waited for me.

At 18:22 Blogger Dragonsally said...

The more I think about it, the more floored I am that Neil pressed on with the signing yesterday. My admiration for your friend has skyrocketed Quiche, and it was high before.
And as for Ms Fablo, succeeding in taming the airlines. I don't think I have the words to express what I am trying to say - you are worth your weight in gold Lorraine. You are both very special people.

At 18:29 Blogger Beez said...

Please pass on my love and sympathy. It's a difficult thing for everyone.
And *hugs* to you too, Oh Worker of Airline Miracles.

At 18:55 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah Magic Powers! Way to go Madame Fab! Sending you strength and love.

At 19:03 Blogger El said...

I'll be emailing Aleta with some Thoughts of my own, yes I will. It is nuts and not too happy around here right now, but thinking of june makes things lighter.

Please extend so much sympathy and love to Neil and the family. It's such a hard thing to lose someone you love.

At 19:17 Blogger gaypet said...

Peace, comfort and calm to Neil's friends and family.

At 19:23 Blogger Siri said...

Yes, indeed, happy birthday to Dr. Wicked.

Any chance at all, Q, that you can go to the services too? 17 years is a long time.

At 19:33 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Happy Birthday, Dr. Wicked. You rock.

And Lorraine, you rock, too. You are amazing. I hope Neil and family are okay. I know I've said that, but I don't know what else to say. It's hard to convey sorry through the Internet, as I've found over a period of years. But I just ache for him.

At 19:38 Blogger Siri said...

I think many of us, who are usually so able to express our feelings, are struck dumb this time, Emily. The suddeness is what had blocked my usual flow of words. Finding out fell on the same day my brother died suddenly 8 years ago. I still think sudden death is worse than death you can prepare for, even just a little. There are so many things undone.

At 19:40 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

I suppose I could go, but it makes more sense for me to be here, dealing with everything that needs to be dealt with.

And there are all those Leopards and that darn Dog...

I learned to make cornbread tonight. It crumbled. Rather a lot. Polenta might not be the best ingredient. Turns out it is not the same as cornmeal...

At 19:48 Blogger Siri said...

So, in reality, you learned how not to make cornbread tonight?


I find Jiffy makes an excellent cornbread mix...

At 19:50 Blogger Jess said...

Oh my. I haven't been able to think of anything better to say than that, but I think LauraJ said anything I could have said much better anyway. You and Neil are very generous to let us in. I hope what little we can say in consolation brings you comfort.

Seventeen years is a long time, Quiche. Hugs.

And boy, you are powerful. You smote those airlines right in the kisser. Yeah!

At 19:51 Blogger Stacy Hurt said...

LOL; cornbread; I find Marie Calendars makes lovely cornbread so I just call and order it :) w/soup. Seriously though; I like to put corn in the cornbread I make from scratch. El won't eat it though.

At 19:53 Blogger vampi said...

my thoughts and prayers to neil and family.

clearly i fail at blog today. i'm blaming my head, i've been sleeping mostly all day trying desperately not to be sick.

i desperately want to attend the fiend gathering. i want a real vacation doing something i want, not family obligations. i feel so selfish saying that. how old is our emily?

At 19:54 Blogger Jess said...

Heh! You'd think polenta would have made the cornbread sort of brick-like. Perhaps it's a mercy that it fell apart.

This is why I just buy a mix. Add water, honey, and egg: hey presto! :D

At 19:56 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Vampi, Emily is sixteen.

At 19:56 Blogger AletaMay said...

I have a file of fiendish emails. I'll process this info and say something when I have something to say. Which will be soon. Most likely tomorrow.

I can see why staying here makes sense for you Q. Just don't forget to do what ever you need to do to grieve too.

At 19:58 Blogger AletaMay said...

Cornbread I buy a mix and add what ever it says to add plus sharp cheddar cheese and finely chopped hot peppers of some sort.

Yum.

At 19:58 Blogger EmilyLady said...

I second Aleta's word of advice, Quiche.

Aleta, just e-mailed you whatever info I'm thinking you might need - and let me know if there is anything else you need to know.

At 19:59 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Um, I second, that is, what she said about grief, not cornbread.

At 20:02 Blogger Jess said...

I'll third that, and second the cornbread thing. Hot tamale! Hot hot tamale!

At 20:03 Blogger ariandalen said...

hey, Lorraine, it's a Southern thing to provide food for the grieving. I won't trust the mail to send you real food, so I'm sending you a virtual white cake with icing.

{{{Lorraine}}}

At 20:10 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Good-night, Fiends all!

~Emily (getting all excited for June, I just felt like signing my name like the good old days - though these days are better)

At 20:16 Blogger ariandalen said...

Actually, polenta is closer to grits. Really.

I grew up with cornbread using Aunt Jemima's Buttermilk Corn Meal Mix. Now I can't find it and it really ticks me off as you can still find Aunt Jemima's Corn Meal, but they're not the same thing. Especially when making hot water cornbread. My husband insists on putting corn in the cornbread when he makes it, and making it really thick. I prefer it thin so that the butter/margarine soaks through, and I'm just not wild about corn kernels in my bread.

At 20:18 Blogger ariandalen said...

Hi, Saya! I spy you with my fiendish eye, so no going back to lurking. ;)

Besides, I can smell your spicy brains.


::EVIL GRIN::

At 20:21 Blogger Siri said...

JESS!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOO

At 20:34 Blogger ariandalen said...

Jess. . .

Fod will get you for that.

;)

At 20:38 Blogger Ticia said...

My sickly little feverish brain curses you Jess! :-D

At 20:42 Blogger Siri said...

(psst - jess - don't tell anyone, but can you find that link again? i could use some chair dancing....) (make sure it's just you and me who sees it, though....)

At 20:48 Blogger Ticia said...

Siri Nooooooo!!!!!!

At 20:49 Blogger Siri said...

What, Ticia??? What????

At 20:52 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Don't get me wrong, everyone LOVED the cornbread, it tasted great, just sort of fell apart. Crumbly.

I have to admit I am a purist when actually cooking, no mixes. I will use cornmeal next time. And I made it with oat flour too so Neil could eat it.

Grits! THAT was its other name on the bag!

Didn't Emily used to be 15? Did she like, get older in the last year?

I will grieve, but after I have done everything that needs doing.

I am pretty proud of the airline thing too, got 'em all into first as well. Neat trick it was.

At 20:53 Blogger Ticia said...

Siri- you're killing me here! ;-) ROFL

At 20:54 Blogger Siri said...

I'm so impressed by the airline thing - I'm fobidding myself to ask you to do things like that the next time I want to fly somewhere.

Maybe you need to bottle that magic, in addition to the spicy brains.

(I did wonder today if Himself always travels with his passport, in case he needs to fly overseas urgently. I'm glad to know he got to come home, first.)

At 20:56 Blogger Jess said...

The cornbread was a hit?

And we're rolling in the Newly Delurked?

And Emily had a birthday?

And Siri wants to chair dance?

And Ticia's just asking for it?

And Fod Herself is coming for me?

This calls for celebratory songs about tamales. Yeehaa!

*runs*

At 20:58 Blogger vampi said...

chair dancing?

wow emily, i didn't realize, that's so cool that there are fiends of all ages.

i don't make traditional cornbread. i take a box of jiffy, thing of sour cream, 1 can each creamed corn abd non creamed corn and bake. corn bread casserole! i'm actually not really pleased with chunks of corn in my cornbread, but this is much moister and it works.

At 20:59 Blogger Dragonsally said...

chair dancing? Did I blink and miss something.

Hey my precious Fiends guess what...all of a sudden Tysie's Blood Glucose Levels have dropped into the normal zone. Looks like giving her another course of antibiotics has done the trick. I am so chuffed. She finished the antibiotics tonight, so we will see what happens then.

Siri, it must pushed all sorts of buttons for you, hearing that Neils's dad had passed on the anniversary of your brother's death. So I'm giving you lots of hugs too.
Hugs for all Fiends who need or want them

At 21:00 Blogger Siri said...

I love you, Jess. We are both going to tamale hell, but we'll dance all the way there!

At 21:01 Blogger Jess said...

Tamale hell? I bet it'll be hot there! \o/

At 21:05 Blogger vampi said...

i love that 2 of my worlds are emerging. i'm a huge long time fan of weebl and bob, which is another one of weebl's toons like hot tamale.

because it's so british, none of my friends know about it, and think i'm crazy when i show it to them. i used to be really active in the weebl community, but now i just chat with everyone on irc.

At 21:07 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

He does travel with passport, always, he has to go off un-expectedly more often than not.

I am happy to give airline advice, I should do a post on it. Perhaps tomorrow.

I have LOTS of tricks in my bag.

At 21:09 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Oh, Sally, glad to hear about Tylsie, that's great news!

Venus just took DOWN the cat tree and is rolling maniacally on the floor with it. Mim just sits and watches and says she had NOTHING to do with this..

At 21:13 Blogger ariandalen said...

No, Jess, tamale hell will be cold.

Ever eaten a cold tamale? ::shudder::

At 21:16 Blogger Siri said...

Yay for Normal Kitty Glucose Levels!

Sally - sent you an email, I did.

At 21:18 Blogger Jess said...

Doni, you have my darling manwife to thank for that. He's the one who introduced me. (And got me posting on b3ta, but you don't know about that. That's my dirty secret.)

I wish Jonti and gang would do another On the Moon! It's been ages.

At 21:19 Blogger Jess said...

Wait. Isn't the cat tree heavy?

Suddenly I am frightened of Venus. Evidently I am a slow learner.

At 21:22 Blogger Ticia said...

wOOt wOOt Sally! That is wonderful news!!!

At 21:25 Blogger vampi said...

jess, i like your manwife :) great taste. i used to post to b3ta, but i suck at photoshop, so mostly lurked.

hooray sal, i'm glad kitty is feeling better, i hope she stays that way.

At 21:29 Blogger ariandalen said...

Crumbly cornbread is perfect for eating with beans. Better than with rice, and still a complete protein. My personal favorite is black-eyed peas and cornbread. When she had an upset stomach, my mother would crumble cornbread into buttermilk and sort of drink/eat it.

I thought about the last time I saw my father, and that was before Neil revealed that it was his father who had died. ::sigh::

At 21:30 Blogger Siri said...

OK, fiends, I have to go to bed - Vampi's avatar just winked at me....

Weary midwestern fiend here.

Love and hugs to all

Night, Fiendom.

At 21:31 Blogger Stacy Hurt said...

Sal, that's the best news about Tysie! Loves to you & kitties

At 21:33 Blogger ariandalen said...

Yay for Tysie!
Having an infection would cause her blood glucose levels to be wonky. Here's to her continued normal readings!

At 21:38 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Why, yes, Jess, it IS kind of heavy.

And you are right to fear Venus...I do. Now she is on top of the bookshelf pretending to be a Gargoyle.

At 21:50 Blogger Jess said...

Then there is nothing left for me to do but

*FLEE!*

G'night! :)

At 21:51 Anonymous Anonymous said...

shuffles through room......

humming "Jamie Across the Water"...

hugs Lorraine and sends the appropriate sympathetic thoughts

.....congratulates Sally, because we all know JUST how desperately worried you've been....

dances just a little on the way out ...grabbing those last few kleenex before they fall

At 21:52 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Venus just wanted to do some furniture rearranging - why should she miss out on all the fun?

Thanks all for the good wishes for Tys. All paws and fingers are crossed here.

At 21:59 Blogger AletaMay said...

Perhaps the cat tree needs to be attached to the ceiling or wall or something. That Venus is a troublemaker!

Lys! Please feel better.

Sally -- hurray for Tys!

Q -- love that you make things from scratch! I used to be more like that and I miss it in a way... and in another way I don't. Not sure that makes sense but there it is.

At 22:17 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Things have calmed down. Venus is on the floor with me and Mim is in her Cube. Watching. Venus shredded a Pom-pom, and I think she feels better now.

Picked up cat tree.

At 22:18 Blogger AletaMay said...

I think shredding a pom pom would make me feel better much of the time.

At 22:30 Blogger Beez said...

Took down the tree and shredded a pom pom.

She is Action Kitty tonight!

And hurrah! for Tysie's glucose leveling out. Here's (((vibing))) that it continues.

Lys, you're sick- [momvoice]Go To Bed!! [/momvoice]

At 22:32 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Yes, Lys, sleep! Tho it is good to be reminded of that song.

Venus don't much mess around, that's truth. But living with Leopards is SO worth it. I mean, I wouldn't want to get bored or anything..

At 23:17 Blogger Stardustgirl said...

Just a short comment; 'tis been a strange week and coherence has left the building.

My condolences to Neil and his family, and those who loved his father.

Don't forget to take care of yourself too,Quiche.

At 23:19 Blogger Unknown said...

I just read his last two blog posts - My deepest sympathies and sincerest condolences to Neil and his family.

I wish I could be with you all in June, but alas - between the finances and the Russian roulette that is the process of getting a US visa - that will not be possible. I fully intend to be there in spirit, though, and hope you all have such fun!

At 23:30 Blogger Na said...

Sorry I wasn't around to help give you some company last night, Q. My heart goes out to your dear friend Neil and his family, to you, to friends grieving.

Yay for Tysie being better! Here's knocking wood the meds did the trick for her.

Happy (Prolly Now-Belated) Firbday to Dr. Wicked.

Eska vous vous Wicked Kira, and Saya.

Aleta, I sent you an email. Planning to come in June. Hoping to come in June. Waiting to know of there's a schedule conflict or not, expecting to know for sure in the next couple of weeks.

{{all}} Light and love to all fiends and their dear ones.

At 00:05 Blogger Ticia said...

Nighty night fiends!

I leave you with a poem to Kleenex:

Soldier Kleenex line up for war
to fight the dreadful lurgy.
One by one, they lose their lives.
No time to call the clergy.

They stand their ground.
They fight their foes.
But will they win?
No one nose.

At 01:22 Anonymous Anonymous said...

So sorry to hear about Neil's (and your) loss. Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.

Aleta, I want to come in June, but I won't be sure until it's closer.:/ I've promised one of my oldest and dearest friends that I'll visit him in San Francisco soon, so I'll have to get back to you after that.

Sally - Great news about Tysie!:)

Ticia that was hilarious! Love it.

At 01:40 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Great poem, Ticia.

Aren't cornbread supposed to be crumbly? I only had them a couple of time back when I was in NC and sort of remember them to be extremely crumbly (no gluten to bond I suppose). To the point of messiness.

At 03:30 Blogger marrije said...

Thank you for always taking such good care of Neil and his family, Fabulous Lorraine.

At 05:23 Blogger Martin Millar said...

Hello Lorraine, I was very sorry to hear about Neil's loss.

At 06:34 Blogger dabbler said...

Mmmm cornbread... One of my favorites, more of s cracker, really, is 'Evelyn's Paper Thin cornbread.'

Like this:
1 c boiling water,
3/4 c cornmeal (coarse works great)
1/2 t. salt
3 T butter, melted.

Preheat oven to 400F
Stir cornmeal into boiling water till smooth. Add salt and melted butter. Stir again.

Dump on ungreased cookie sheet and spread out to edges so it's thin all over. Bake for about 30 minutes, till edges are browned. Break into pieces and eat.

Divine sprinkled n soup...but tasty any time. I always end up doubling it. And often end up removing the thinnest bits and putting the thicker ones back in oven to get brown, since I'm an inept spreader.

A recipe that deserves to be better known!

At 06:48 Blogger dabbler said...

And good morning to all!

Lorraine, you are doing what needs to be done to allow Neil and his family the freedom to know all is well at home. Good for you!

At the same time, do allow yourself room to grieve...
In my broader than I'd like experience, the sadness comes in waves, and remembering there's an ebb and flow to them helps. When you feel you'll drown, the wave is cresting and will diminish.

Light and love and spring to you...

At 08:41 Blogger Erin Underwood said...

Oh, no. I've been away, sucked into my own world of troubles. Last night I had the strangest dream about the Boss. When I woke, I really missed you guys. So, here I am ... shocked and saddened.

Condolences and love to Neil, to his family, and to Quiche.

I would really love to come to the fiendish gathering, if I can get the time off. I'd love to meet the gang in person.

At 08:50 Blogger Erin Underwood said...

I've just finished reading the posts. Corn bread. Hot tamales. Good grief, my stomach is growling like a lion!

I fifth or sixth (I lost count!) the idea of using a mix and adding syrup. But... shhh.... don't tell my family. It's a crime to eat corn bread out of a box in Tennessee. LOL!

Now I am craving some dry ribs, slaw, and corn bread for dinner. Mmmm.... yummy!

I'm surprised that Jess hasn't written any corn bread haikus yet.

At 09:03 Blogger Ani said...

Secret cornbread ingredients! Maybe not all at once, but...ground coriander, mashed sweet potatoes, finely grated orange zest.

At 09:10 Blogger Ani said...

Vampi--I'm SO on board with a real vacation, not family obligations. I just need to see if I can make arrangements for my son that weekend.

Speaking of which...I'm what they call a respinsible adult, too, having been through the licensing process to foster-adopt, fingerprinted for the school system, etc. So I'd cheerfully play Backup Adult for Our Emily.

At 09:11 Blogger Arwenn said...

Condolences to Neil and family...

Wonderful that they don't have to worry about flying standby or some other sort of nightmare!

At 09:13 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Looks like our Emily is about to be smothered under a choice of fiery godmothers...

Cornbread all crumbling
Feeding the fiendish masses.
Warm spring promises.

At 09:17 Blogger Arwenn said...

Fresh crumbly cornbread
with butter or buttermilk
warm golden goodness

At 09:35 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Now that I know what tickybox is ...

I can say, hello from tickybox. Keeping up but no time to say lots of things, even though I want to.

At 09:35 Blogger Erin Underwood said...

Cornbread warm and soft
Nuggets crumble in my hand
Taste golden delight

At 10:15 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heartfelt condolences to Neil and his family on their loss. Deepest sympathy to you, Lorraine, on the loss of a friend.

At 10:17 Anonymous Anonymous said...

ariandalen, black-eyed peas and cornbread are staples of my New Year's meal (and whenever else I can talk my family into eating it).

I make both sourdough cornbread (more crumbly) and sweet cornbread (more, er, sweet).

At 10:24 Blogger Na said...

Oooh, a Fiery Godmother? That could be very entertaining.

At 11:10 Blogger Jess said...

Ain't got no cornbread
in the form of a haiku--
just dem crumbcake blues.

At 11:49 Blogger Erin Underwood said...

Jess, I do believe you can set that one to music. ;-)

The Cornbread Blues.

At 12:01 Blogger Ticia said...

I see your recipes written down.
On how to make your cornbread brown.
But when the puzzle I try to crack,
My every effort turns cornbread black.

At 12:20 Blogger Hellie said...

Hi, also just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about Neil's dad. Sending much love & sympathy.

At 12:25 Blogger Ticia said...

Kali - I'm glad my kleenex poem made you laugh. When you're in SF, let me know. We can meet for coffee, if you want.

At 12:47 Blogger Chantrelle said...

Q - you are an incredible friend to get neil and family off as you did. Magic you were. You had me in tears last night, I hope you have some time soon to deal with the grief you feel yourself as well.

Ben and I are off to the UK tomorrow for much happier reasons (Yay for meeting a new baby girl!). I haven't packed a thing, I need to get that done before Ben comes home from school because it's much more difficult when he's here jumping in the suitcase!

The three of us will be there in June, visiting in-laws in Chicago on either side of the trip. I haven't quite figured that out yet. I do hope we can find a place with a kitchen!! I'm planning on bringing my knives, that feels so very Top Chef of me ;-)

At 12:51 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Loving the poetry, my dears!

Rather hectic day here, as one would suspect, we are off to the airport shortly.....

At 13:13 Blogger Ticia said...

((hugs)) Quiche ((hugs)) Neil ((hugs)) Gaiman family.

At 13:44 Blogger Marjorie said...

No taste of cornbread
Has ever touched my lips, I
Regret to admit.

I shall now seek out
Cornmeal and try out
Dabbler’s recipe.

At 13:49 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Ack, what a shame. I thought I had posted a good long comment but it somehow disappeared. Oh well.

I think I said mostly that I hope all Fiends are well, especially Lys and any other sick Fiends; and, of course, Lorraine and her Boss.

I also mentioned that I can't quite place why I feel so disturbed about what happened to Boss's dad and how Boss must be feeling, I just am.

Oh, also wanted to tell Erin Underwood how much I liked her cornbreadku (cornread haiku).

At 13:50 Blogger Lexocat said...

Oh I'm so sorry. My deepest condolences to Neil and family. May loving memories help ease the pain of their loss.

Neil's actions in the face of something so sad and shocking have impressed me so very much. What a remarkable man.

At 13:50 Blogger Marjorie said...

Quiche, hope you got Neil & family on their flight without any hitches and that you will now have a little time to catch your breath.

Chantrelle - great to hear you'll be there, (knives and all!)

Dabbler - your recipe - what does the t stand for, for the butter? And does cornbread keep, once made?

Sally, so glad to hear about Tysie - hope the levels stay where they should from now on.

Hmmm. If I concentrate very hard, do you think food will suddenly appear without me having to prepare of cook it?

At 13:57 Blogger Lexocat said...

Re June and plans, alas, we will only be with the other Fiends in spirit. We may need to visit Midwestern relatives at the end of the summer and two trips are just not in the budget right now. Sigh.

(Just between us, I'd rather see you guys, quite honestly!)

Re cornbread, there is also something called corn flour (essentially very finely milled corn meal) that makes delightful cornbread with a more delicate and less crumbly texture. For me, I've rarely met a cornbread I didn't like--crumbly, not crumbly, savory, sweetish. They all have their place.

Quiche, once again you amaze me with your skills and your heart. My condolences to you, too, in such a sad time.

And, I would love to learn how to smite airlines, even a little.

At 14:29 Blogger Erin Underwood said...

Thanks, Emily. Don’t tell anyone, but that's the first haiku I have written in over 20 years! Apparently, the cornbread muse was whispering in my ear.

The news of Neil’s dad really affected me, too. It’s a sad, sad thing to lose your parents.

My dad's phone number is still programmed in my cell phone. I can't bring myself to delete. Funny that seeing it there once in awhile should make me smile. Sometimes I imagine calling the number and having him answer...from wherever he is.

At 16:16 Blogger dabbler said...

Marjorie, little t=teaspoon. When I consult the oracle of the Internet, it tells me that equals 5ml.

And a cup = .5 pound, or 225 grams.

And I can't quite tell you whether it keeps, since it never lasts long enough around here to try!

Do note, though, that this is not classic cornbread, which is more like a tea bread kind of thing. This is thin, crunchy and crumbly. So if you are wanting the other, solicit a recipe...I'm sure we have some fiendish ones.

At 16:18 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Just testing my memory here: would you say that hushpuppies are some type of cornbread?

At 16:19 Blogger Phiala said...

Hushpuppies are made from a cornmeal batter, but are deepfried instead of baked.

And, oh, I adore hushpuppies, and haven't had really good ones in years.

At 16:21 Blogger Marjorie said...

Thanks dabbler. I thought they were probably either teaspoons or tablespoons, but I thought I'd best check. I'll try your recipe first and then see what else may be out there!

At 16:21 Blogger spacedlaw said...

I had them once (In Myrtle Beach, SC, if memory serves me well). They weren't bad. Crumbly but that's what you get from cornmeal.

At 16:39 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Back from the airport. All went well, except I think I sent MY wallet with Neil.

I was rushing to leave, and had my phone in one hand, his Ipod and my wallet in the other and I think I tossed both into his bag.

Sigh.

At any rate, I can't FIND my wallet, only thing that makes sense.

What a dork.

At 16:46 Blogger AletaMay said...

Oh Q that sucks!

Better in his bag than on the ground somewhere I guess.

At 17:14 Blogger bengalgirl said...

My condolences to your friend Neil and his family. And also to you as you have to keep it all together and not have the chance to let go. Loosing a parent is tough, it is something you don't get over but adjust to.

At 17:15 Blogger Ani said...

AAARGH, Quiche! not the wallet! At least chances are good that Boss'll figure it out & bring it back. I lost my wallet for a few hours a month ago and I was frantic (got it back, no cash but all the cards & checks intact).

At 17:17 Blogger Chantrelle said...

Oh no!

Well, at least you know where it (probably) is. I can't find my friend's number in the UK. Luckily I know what bus to take and our hotel. She's got my number so we'll hook up. I just wrote the bloody thing down yesterday and managed to lose it in less than 24 hours. *sigh*

Glad the family is off safely...and they have some extra spending money? ;-)

At 17:24 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Yes, not fun. I mean, I have money, so that's not a problem, but no ID, which isn't a problem unless I get traffic stopped, and I would go for understanding on that.

Cabal will need meat, and there are always things one has to pick up, so that's no fun, but can be dealt with.

I can picture him laughing now.

He is changing planes right now, I'll call him when he gets on the plane....

I'm writing a new post on my excellent airline skills.

At 17:28 Blogger Erin Underwood said...

Q, you had so much on your mind, I'm not surprised. Like Chantrelle says, at least he'll have some extra spending money.

Still, it never feels good to be walletless. I hope you hear soon if the Boss has your wallet or not.

At 17:29 Blogger Marjorie said...

Glad you got him on plane OK. sorry about your wallet - hope you find it / Neil lets you know he has it soon, so you know it isn't (permanently) lost.

surely all local cops know the Queen Empress of Everything. I have always assumed they'd just salute you as you drive past....

(Please don't shatter my illusions.)

At 17:45 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Sorry to shatter your illusions, Marjorie, but the Local Police do NOT know me well, or indeed at all.

I consider this a Good Thing.

At 17:50 Blogger Marjorie said...

Q - Well, if they are not there to provide you with a guard of honour then yes, not knowing you is good.(picks shattered illusions up off floor and tidies them away)

In the new fiendocracy, you will have your own police force, who will be charged with ensuring that all traffic lights are green wherever you drive, too.


Good to see Boss is twittering and has sushi.

At 17:54 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Boss needs to call me , she says ominously....

New post is up!

At 18:07 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Haven't gone to new post or twitter yet, so this may be redundant, but I rather like the idea that you, in the form of your wallet, will be at the funeral.

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