It was a riding weekend this past weekend and I did promise some Horse Photos. I didn't say anything about GOOD horse photos, but again, Miss Kitty is coming home from her tour soon and THEN we will have photos. Horses, Bengals, ME, all of it!

This is more exciting for me, as it will mean she will BE here. I think I am going into withdrawal. Long tour it was. I miss her!!!!!! Bet she will have some posts soon at Neverwear and Furrytiger too!

Above is a lovely picture of me with Lady May, a pure Arab, post riding. I think it is a good look for me. Sweat, dirt, pink. What's not to love?

I've only recently started riding Maisie, as she is called. Whole different horse. With Ana I feel like I work on my riding, and with Maisie, it's more working on the horse and the riding. I wish I could be more articulate than that. With Maisie, it's like every shift of muscle, every slightest touch of rein means something to her. We are kind of a circus as of yet, she and I.



Here's my Annamontanta (they CAME with names people) eating her saddle. Ana is half quarter horse, half arab, and lovely to ride. Both are show horses, both English and Western. I like English better. Really want to learn Dressage. I can make an 8 now, at a trot on the right diagonal.

This is the Horse equivalent of learning G, D, and A on the guitar.



Here's two young friends trying to make Maisie put her ears up for the picture, which was far more fun than shooting the horse.

The people I ride with are what makes this stable. They are all serious riders, with great horses, but they really love horses, and anyone who also loves horses is ok in their book.

I love being out there. I love the way everything else drops away when I'm there. You can't worry about work while you ride, you can't be thinking in music, you can't be wondering what you need to do next. You can't panic.

It's you and the horse.

I love the way I can hardly walk when I am done and wake up so sore I wonder how the other guy is. I love it when I get better at it. I love the way I fall asleep about 30 seconds after I get into bed at night. And stay that way until morning.

It's making me stronger. And fitter. In mind and body, if that doesn't sound too corny.

I love seeing what happens next.

When I'm riding, I'm everything I see in my mind.

And I think everyone needs that.

Love and Horses,
Lorraine

Today is the BEST day and that would be because it is MADDY GAIMAN'S 15th BIRTHDAY!!!!! Let the Party Begin! Because it is Maddy's Birthday, it is a Holiday! No one has to work! Everyone will get paid! And everything you you do today should rock your world and the people you love because THAT is what Maddy believes in!



Maddy is a true rock star, not only in her public life, as you can see, here she is hanging by her tour bus with some close friends, but in her private life as well.

So let's not waste time! Top Ten Things That Rock About Maddy!

10. When she was born she had to lie on a glowing green blanket for two days. I forget why, but man, what a great way to start out in the world.

9. She wore nothing but Ball Gowns until she was five and let me put flowers in her hair.

8. Because of her my Ipod has a seriously cool Maddy Playlist of music I never would have known about. (Lady Gaga!)

7. She leaves Post-it notes on my computer telling me how much I rock.

6. She no longer writes these things in pen on my calendar on days that have yet to come.

5. If she ever had a party with more than ten people in the sauna and water came thru the ceiling, she would be very sorry about it.



4. Because of her I got to meet the Jonas Brothers.

3. She loves shoes as much as I do, and knows how to use hair product. (which I do not)

2. She makes everyone around her feel really good about themselves, as if a Big Huge Wonderful thing was about to happen at every moment.

And the Top Thing That Rocks About Maddy:

1. Because she's Maddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you, girl!

Love and Maddy,
yr Quiche

First up here: Cue Thea Gilmore's "Juliet" from the cd Avalanche. That is our Bee theme song for tonight.

(If for some unknown reason you do NOT own this cd, perhaps you have been on an Island somewhere shipwrecked, or stranded on a mountain with no music, or indeed managed to MISS this possibly best living songwriter on the face of the planet, go and download it. NOW. Do not wait. I have spoken.)

(You will then want the rest of her cd's. May as well get them all at once. Trust me here.)



Anyway, now that you are comfortably listening to some great music, here's the Bee News: The Juliet hive (The red one) has Swarmed!

Swarms in a beehive mean that the Queen, or the hive is tired of their home, or there isn't enough room and the Queen takes OFF, taking half the hive with her, looking for something better. They can also swarm for absolutely no reason.

Like Juliet.



The Bee Gods alone know why, there was plenty of room, everyone was happy, the hives are like a Bee Mansion compared to what they get in the wild, they had enough honey stored for winter, which is coming soon, HOW they thought they could make enough new honey I do not know.

When we went up to Juliet, it was quiet. TOO quiet. And the hive quickly became Covered In Bees. The Birdchick looked me, and I her. She said: "Swarm. We're going in." You can see this hive is a very good example of something that is COVERED IN BEES. (Yes, points for any Eddi Izzard fans out there)

Sometimes you just got to go.



Here's a photo The Birdchick took, where you can see New Queen Cells. You must check her blog out tomorrow or so for the full tech details, but basically the situation is this: When the Old Queen takes off, the rest of the workers think to themselves that it might not be the BEST idea to be Queenless, so they go to make a New Queen. Which they do by feeding some lucky worker Royal Jelly (no idea, look it up) and building her a bigger cell when she gets too big for worker quarters.

They make a bunch of New Queens. First to hatch gets taken on a tour of the hive, killing off the other Queen Cells that she finds,or other hatched Queens, if any. We found these two, there may be more. It's likely a Queen has already hatched, as these are not fully formed. If she has, she has taken off on her mating flight, meaning she mates with 5 or 6 drones (Boy Bees) killing them afterwards, then comes back to the hive, her Bloody Killing Spree done, and spends the rest of her life making baby bees, and being tended by the workers.



At least, that's what we are hoping for. You never can tell with Bees. (Points for AA Milne fans.)



Leaving you with Cabel, just because he looks so happy, and with some Thea lyrics, just because they seemed appropriate to Juliet's Swarming.

Sometimes you just got to go...

Love and Bees,
Lorraine

Juliet Words and Music by Thea Gilmore (Used with completely no permission, but I don't think she will mind.)

They found sixth-form poetry scrawled on the walls
on your old bedroom
And Friday night is going to free-fall,
through Club Rust, angel dust and sweet perfume
And you remind me of some art-house black and white I saw
they'd coloured it with chalk
And are you wise? Wise beyond your years or,
or are you all talk?

Now, don't you think something's gonna happen soon?
It's been so long now since they changed that tune.
Oh, Juliet keep that in mind

Well there is something so beautifully chic
about burning out so young
When you accessories with bruises on your cheek
and cool tricks of the tongue
You're spending Saturday alone drowning heartache out
with cheap red wine
I know you want to make the news but lately all you do
is memorize the headlines

Now, don't you think something's gonna happen soon?
It's been so long now since they changed that tune.
Oh, Juliet keep that in mind

Sometimes you'll count the days
And sometimes you'll just slip away
There are watches to unwind
And ladders still to climb

Now, don't you think something's gonna happen soon?
It's been so long now since they changed that tune.
Oh, Juliet keep that in mind
Don't you think something's gonna happen soon?
It's been so long now since they changed that tune.
Oh, Juliet keep that in mind
Keep that in mind
Keep that in mind
Juliet
Juliet

Since we can't do Bees tonight, we'll do questions and some Bengal shots. Sound good? All taken with my most excellent photo skill tonight.




Coulple questions here: "How did you come to work for your Boss" "What is it like living and being in the house with him AFP and his daughter" and where do you live in relation to Birdchick and Boss, all in a row?"


I have been working for him for 17 years now, he needed someone to put his library on shelves, and I needed the work. I'd been playing music, and didn't want to do any "Just a Job" jobs anymore, so I decided to find something I really wanted, and work as I had to. Figured I would stay until it was done. It's not yet. And it's what I want to do.

Three years ago I got my own house, in a town near the Boss. We started thinking I needed some time where I wasn't "At work". I call it the Spooky House, as it looks a lot like Halloween. The Birdchick lives down in the Twin Cities, and comes out to do Birds and Bees as it seems right.

As far as being with Maddy. Joy and delight. Pure and simple. Being together with Boss and AFP is also a joy and delight. He is my Boss, and my friend, we work well together. We can even garden together. (That took a little time.) AFP is smart. And funny. And my friend too. I have never picked vegetables in the garden after dark with anyone except her.



Question: How did you get into Bengals, and how many do you live with?

AH, love this topic. I started reading about them on the internet, and they sounded amazing. I need to tell you everything you read about them on the internet is really a "Short Introduction" They are really active, very smart and need a lot of attention. And they can be weird. Truly weird. They will also get into your heart like no other cat, if you are a person who understands them.

I decided to buy a Bengal kitten from a breeder. Then quickly decided to get a second. Then I found out about Bengal Rescue, and how many needed homes.

Not on a larger percentage than regular cats, however. There are as many cat-cats in shelters, most of which won't take Bengals, because of the myths that surround them. They are NOT Leopards, wild animals or anything like.

First picture here is Mim, an F4 (Four Generations away from Asian Leopard Cat, considered domestic) The next is Venus, also F4. My first two.

I have three fosters, who I ended up keeping, as due to their history, we decided this was the best place for them. King Lear, F2, Queen Mab F4 and Magic F1, meaning he is half Asian Leopard Cat.

You do NOT want an early generation Bengal. It does work, and really well, but you need them from kittens, and you will need help understanding their needs. Someone who knows Bengals, works with a good breeder, and is prepared to make a LIFELONG commitment can handle them.

They bond. And hard. Magic went from home to home, got de-clawed on all four paws, and they had no clue what he needed and he ended up trusting no one. I've come a long way, but he will never be a pet. Lear and Mab had a student, who then moved out of the country. Lear will not be with anyone but me, so he stays.

Later gen ones? You will love them. Go for it. Most of the Bengals we take in to foster are lovely, no special needs and are great friends. And hours of entertainment. I call it Bengal TV.


Try Great Lakes Bengal Rescue. Or rescue inn your area. Or donate to donate@greatlakesbengalrescue.com We need the help.

Ok, might have answered that enough..Next question.



(Mim on her Poop Wheel. I need to be able to slow it down, she gets going so fast, Poop comes out of her. Might be over-sharing here. Many Bengals will run on wheels. They also love water, oddly enough.)

Question: How can you wear your hair in two ponytails and look good? I would never be able to in a million years!

And why not? Looking good is an attitude. Has everything to do with how you feel. Feel good, you look good. Doesn't matter what size you are, or what you wear, or your hair. All attitude. Trust me on this.



(Magic, F1, hopping back into his room from his Scream Porch)

Question: Is it hard separating Boss's personal and professional lives in your assistant duties?

Most PA's don't. Every Boss and Assistant work out their own arrangement with what works best for them. But mostly I would say you are involved in all of it. It's 24/7. You learn quickly to be silent, you don't talk about it. If I mention something, you can be very sure Boss has already mentioned it.



(Magic again, doing his aerobics)

Question: How do you juggle being an Assistant, tending Bees, playing in a band, keeping Benglas, and having a life?"

No idea. It works tho.

Question: "Any tips on dealing with celebrities?"

Be respectful. If you see them at dinner or out and about, a smile and nod is ok. Going up to their table or stopping them is not. When they are "On stage" they are working. When they are eating or getting luggage, they are not. Trust me, they love you, all of you. But they need normal time. Like we all do.



This is getting WAY too long! I want to talk about tending bees (tomorrow!) and music (LOTS of music queries, will do a blog later in the week, needs it's own space.) and "What's on your bookshelf" (ah, Books!) but I think I'll stop now, if anyone is still reading my novel at this point.

Send questions as you think of them, this is much fun!

My sincere apologies to the nice people in Brazil waiting so patiently for their interview. I know you are sitting there saying "But we SENT you questions!" Yes, you did, you will have answers in a couple days, my dears, almost done. (GREAT questions, I'd never thought of half that stuff!)



(Lear and Mab on the stairs)

Love and Questions,
Lorraine

It is with great sadness that I write that Pod, one of Boss's Library Cats, passed away last night, at the age of, more or less, 17.

She and her friend, Hermoinie, have been old for a while, and had some troubles but yesterday Pod wasn't moving much at all. I thought perhaps things weren't good and called the vet for a house call, and called the Boss to let him know. I had thought about taking them into the vet last week, but it is such a traumatic experience for them, I put it off.

Being nearly 18, there isn't a lot one can do. It was her time, and I am glad to say she got to die at home, with her friend curled near her. I said all the things I wanted to her before I left last night, and petted her. I told her we loved her, and she had been a good friend, and it was ok to go on. She put her head in my hand, and gave a little mew.

Pod and Hermoinie came from a New York City shelter shortly after Boss moved to the Midwest. They were always a little fearful of people and didn't like the large space of the house. Pod really didn't like it, and so we put her in my then bedroom and she lived with me, which we both liked. I had a bed with a high headboard which she would sit on until I moved while sleeping then POUNCE! Hours of fun, if not sleep.

After Maddy came along, it was clear Hermoinie did not approve. (We noticed this as she would poop in Maddy's bed.) We decided to give them their own space, where they could be alone, except for visits.

They became the Library Cats.

This made them very happy.

The vet came this morning, to look at Hermoinie. The good news is, tho old, she is a fine old lady, and we made some changes for her, to be more comfortable. She is really going to miss Pod.

I think, one of the hardest things I have had to do was picking Pod up this morning and taking her from Hermoinie. I won't forget that look in her eyes. She knew.

Her real name was Nocturne. We called her Pod until she might grow into it.

We had a thing, Pod and I. I know it was time, but I miss her.

RIP Pod...

Lorraine

In very exciting news today, I just took delivery on a Bobcat, or Skidster, as Hans calls it. I have no idea WHAT he is going to do with it, but it has a CLAW attachment, AND he is going to teach me to drive it up and down the driveway, engaging the claw in a Monster-like manner, which ought to make for some REALLY fun video.

I think he has a Plan. Seems to involve moving many trees, and some digging. More on this as it develops, as it were.

News Report on the Teen Party last night has no one dead, no ir-replaceable artwork (or any artwork) damaged, one Epic Water Balloon fight, a Slip-n-slide adventure and one small lesson learned, (at the expense of part of the ceiling downstairs,) about just how much water it is ok to use in the sauna.

Seriously, these are GREAT kids. They were frantic when the water came thru, and tried so hard to help anyway they could, and apologized many times over. It's my belief that getting upset and yelling at kids for something that they sure didn't mean to do, and was an accident, when they are already clearly sorry and upset and coming to you for help, would only teach them NOT to come to you when something bad happens.

I want them to come to me. If something bad happens, COME to me, and I will help. I want them to know they won't be "In Trouble" they will be getting someone who will help fix the trouble. A water spot on the ceiling can be fixed. Kids hearts, maybe not.

Small news today, if anyone in the Twin CIties has been wondering about Paul and I and Gigs, they start back up again in September. Just taking a bit of the summer off, to do summer. We've been playing pretty straight for three years, and it seemed like a nice time for a bit of time off, which isn't a euphemism for Band Trouble, really, just the cards fell that way, and we played them.

The big news for today is I've been asked, and agreed to be, a Guest at Octocon 2010! That would be the National Irish Science Fiction Convention, if you please. They had made some inquires about my Boss and as I was being the Princess of NO, I asked why no one ever asked long time Personal Assistants to come, as we were the ones who knew all the good stuff anyway. (Just trying to soften my NO, as they wrote a really great letter and seemed very nice, something which Boss confirmed when I wrote to him asking about this Con)

Apparently, they thought it over and decided I might well have a point, and now here we are, off to Ireland next year! (Hi Louisa! Finally we meet?)

I am wonderfully excited about this and can't wait. Handy me playing Irish Music all these years too, eh?

We're going to Ireland!

My ancestors would be proud. Not that they were Irish, just I think they would be proud.

Love and news of the Day,
Lorraine

It's really hot here. The kind of hot that makes you think your virtuous $$ saving No A/C rule is really stupid. What was I thinking? Who does that? A/C Rules! Up with A/C! At least for tonight, I need the sleep. Might have been a big part of the problem last night.

The Bengals are liking the A/C. Or maybe they just like tearing around the house crazily. Hard to say.

I've been trying to figure out what makes them so starving too, when I get home, or wake up. Or walk into the kitchen. This is not a "Say, I'm feeling peckish, how about a snack" kind of hunger. This is Jungle Hunger.

Jungle Hunger means Kitty is starving, and you look good. Real Good.

It's not like they are rationed. They have dry food all the time that they eat, and like. TINS. Lots of tins is what Bengals need. They tell me this every time I turn around. King Lear, aptly named "The Huge" gets TWO tins, morning and night. (Makes a total of four.) And he is not fat. None of them are. Maybe Magic a little, but hey, it might mellow him out.

Lear acts as tho I FORGOT to feed him. For days. Clearly starving. And eats like he is. I try and explain no one, least of all ME, is going to steal it.

Tins seem to cost as much as A/C. Both needed, but I may start buying chicken, and steak for them, and trying that. Be cheaper than tins and A/C. (Which after an hour in, I am NOT giving up.)

Any Bengal Lovers out there who know how to deal with The Jungle Hunger? Clearly I am not at all zen enough to deal with the heat.

Last night I dreamt I was doing e-mail ALL night long. Only gave up when I dreamt AFP wrote me asking for help launching her new Rubix Cube project. Clearly the result of sleeping in the heat with Starving Leopards.

But hey, it beats Simon Cowell..

If you will excuse me, I am going to get a blanket, just for effect.

Love A/C and Jungle Hunger,
Lorraine

Storms are popping up all over tonight! And we have a tornado watch, which means things might get interesting. Might not. But there's a chance. Cool. Had a great Weather Girl moment when I saw Western Minnesota covered in a tornado watch, and told The Birdchick I didn't get why we weren't too as it sure did FEEL like tornado weather, and an hour later, there we were.



Enough with the weather. Here's the Blue Ribbon Honey! We had a really fine time at the Fair today, The Birdchick and I. It was stormy then too, and we got into conversation with a sheriff's deputy who talked about the wall cloud that developed and the possibility of more storms (OK, so we are not done with the weather, what can I say, I like this stuff.) He said if it got any worse, he was going to commandeer the Mountain Dew Hummer, at which point I said he must deputize us so we could get in on that.

So he pulled out two "Honorary Sheriff Deputy" Stickers. Very cool.

Also I won a Kat Von D poster by shooting it with a Crossbow. Is this fair cool or what?



Our Fair has some strange things, as do most county fairs, I suspect. Here is a lovely lettuce. Third place. Don't know what beat it.



And 1/4th of an angel food cake. Not sure if it started out as whole and they needed to eat 3/4ths of it to judge, or if one can enter 1/4th of a cake.



This is the hive with the Bell Jar in it. There are three boxes, starting on the bottom, with brood and full of food and babies. As you move up, the two narrow ones are called Supers, and have Ross Rounds in them, for making comb honey, that will stay comb honey, in neat little circles. After that, the Bat Box and the one below it are for keeping the Bell Jar covered.



It's kind of hard to see here, but the Bees are starting to make comb in the Bell Jar, and will, we hope, fill it up. We watched them for some time today, and it was truly fascinating watching them carry wax and build. They haven't done much, but the Ross Rounds below aren't filled, so they are still working on filling that box, and then, will move more workers up as things get filled.



All in all, a fine day. I am hoping for cool storms tonight, and we will see what happens. It's so humid now my hair is curling. The Bengals had Tuna Night (always an event in the Spooky House) and are now sacked out. Underworld is on TV tonight which excites me, tho why I have no idea, not like I don't own the DVD.

But still.

Love and Fair, Weather, or Foul,
Lorraine

Lots of catching up here today, while I have a moment...

First off, the rain IS going to stop, and I am going to Irish Fair today. If you are in Minneapolis/St Paul, this is a really great, FREE, 3 day long Festival. Mainstage tonight starts a 4, The Eddies, Tim Malloys, Young Dubliners and Drop Kick Murphies. Three days of some of the best Irish (And Alt-Irish) going.

I'll be there tonight and there WILL be no rain. Come say hi!

I really want to go today, as this weekend is the last Tim Malloy's shows. Just heard the band is calling it quits with it's current line-up, and Adam Stemple is moving on to other projects. They play the Irish Fair at 5:30 today, and then Kierran's in Minneapolis tonight and Saturday night. If you'd like to catch them once more, or if you've never seen them, this would be the time for it.

Speaking of concerts to catch, I saw Tori's show the other night, and loved every minute. REALLY great concert. It made me happy. She's playing a lovely mix of old and new and sounds GREAT.

Tomorrow I am hanging with the Birdchick, always one of my favorite sorts of days. We're going over to the County Fair to take pics of our Two Blue Ribbons Honey and walk around proudly, and then down to the hives to see what's happening with the Bell Jar. Pics of that too, for you, and for Boss who is currently at WorldCon in Montreal.

I got asked to do an interview for a Brazilian site this week. My second this month. Apparently, I am huge down there. Go Brazil! I don't think it's in English, but if they don't mind I'll post it here too, as the questions are, well, not the normal sorts of questions I generally get. I think we'll be pondering the nature of good and evil, among other things.

The Royals managed to break two of their food dishes last night. A comment about SOMETHING I am sure, but what, I have no clue. Little Queen Mab is sleeping with me now, and Lear is doing drive-by bed from time to time. And they are blessedly quiet kitties. Little tiny mews when they see me, but not the non-stop conversation at top volume, like, say Magic. My neighbors three houses down have finally figured out he is my cat, and not some sort of weird new bird.

Think that's about it, except there is a strange light on my vacuum. I checked the handy manual and it seems the bag is full, which would explain why it no longer picks up the floor mess. In fact, it's kind of the opposite. It's depositing floor mess from previous vacuuming sessions. I'd THOUGHT it might be tidy of me to vacuum the bedroom floor, as my Cleaning Teen only comes every other week.

Apparently not.

Love and Mess,
Lorraine

Last week I put up a Birdfeeder for the Bengals. I mean, for the Birds. But I thought Venus and Mim might enjoy some Bird Watching too.Seems like they are, Mim hasn't left since she discovered them. Birds don't seem to mind.Venus was there for a while, but now seems to think that Destroying my manuscript I am reading is FAR cooler. (no respect for great literature, Bengals.)



Here's the new Sunroom, after my day long Must Change Everything last weekend. Floor is gone. I liked floor, but never felt like it really worked. The couches BELONG in there. I can sit on the real floor and type.



I also felt like the Romance Room lost it's magic, with the couches in it. Note to anyone considering re-arranging their entire first floor: Get some help. As in moving help. Doing it yourself will result in serious soreness.



The futon is under the LovSac, making a handy place for guests to sleep, since they can't use the Guestroom anymore due to the fact that there are the Royals up there now to consider. They Do Not Approve of anyone other than me. You will be glad to know tho, that we are getting on fine. Even Lear hops up on the bed and LOOKS at me. Just in case, one suspects, that I have secretly brought up meat. (which I have been doing, do I know how to win a guy over or what?)

I still feel like I made the right, and only, choice.



It's been a long week, and it's been so lovely to check in here and read all the chatter. (HOW you lot got onto Freud I will never know, but liked it anyway) Some weeks Assistanting can get intense, even with a Boss as cool as mine is, just from the sheer volume of things happening. You roll with it, deal with it, and make it all go right. Sleep when you can, and if you are lucky, have Fiends around when you come up for air.

As I do.

Tomorrow is a Massage, Judging at the Fair for the Honey and a Tori show.

All good in my world.

Love and Everything,
Lorraine

Well, this is shaping up to be an interesting day. To start with I seem to have had about 10 hours of sleep. That'll revive a girl. And secondly, I don't seem to have anything I have to do today.

I know, I know, and no it's not the Apocalypse. It just happened, honest.

No riding today, I just rode the last six days and there is a wedding out there.

E-mail doesn't seem all that much and can be dispatched quickly, tho more people are onto my secret working on the weekend to catch up theory, and tend to answer back more that they used to, still not so much.

I believe my Boss is thinking, once he wakes, which won't be for some hours, that writing is on the agenda. We do have the Plan to harvest a frame of honey and extract it for the Fair next week, but that is coming in under Fun, and not so much work.

A day for cleaning basements, cleaning out cupboards and drawers, and doing SOMETHING about the pile of clothes that is the lone closet in the house. A day for putting in order all the secret places, that no one but myself sees.

I think it is good to look in those Secret Places every so often, and make sure they are neat, tidy, workable and something that feels good, rather than bits that hang about on the edges adding wee bits of stress you never notice, but always seem to be there.

Life, and work can get pretty hectic. I've been talking this week with people in the same sort of boat. We've come to the conclusion that what we need is either extra days, hours or perhaps a PAUSE button, where you could push the PAUSE button and catch UP.

I think how absolutely serene it would be, if only for a day, to get the Inbox down to zero, to have every little thing packaged up, sent out, to get the To Do List ALL crossed off.

To look in the basement, closet and cupboards and not think "I so need to DO something about that"

That's what today is about.

I'll let you know tonight how close I get.

Ought to be fun.

Love and Pause,
Lorraine