Reached "The House of Tom Bombadil" last night about when Parental Control cut my music off. Did you know there's an audio alert as well as a pop-up window? Interesting dreams again--I think I was going to school with Trina, and we got in trouble about something, and then there was some sort of emergency--a flood?--and some chilled kittens. It was one of those dreams that makes perfect sense while you're in it, but when you wake up you have some questions.

I started on math about nine, and finished three problems by the time Karen, the Summit HHC nurse, came and took Grandma's INR. It was a little high, 4.5 I think, and they said to hold the Coumadin until they get back to us. Grandma had me walk the lark after she got here, and we headed out about ten-thirty with instructions to be back by eleven-thirty. We had to stop at the dig to ask for some tweezers, Lark having picked up some spines in her right hind. The professora found some tweezers in the first aid kit, and held Lark for me while I hunted spines. She asked my name and Grandma's, but I forgot to ask hers--something I have got to remember. The only name I know belongs to one of the guys, because one of the girls mentioned his cat in a conversation. Which reminds me--braids girl had her hair up today. I didn't recognize her at first, but the tattoos and highlights helped. Speaking of names I need to ask: she's consistently delighted to see Lark. Anyway, after prickly extraction we got going along the usual trail. We met one person, a young man who was cautiously approving of Lark. Which is to say he petted her but was cautious of me. :D Good attitude. On the way back we saw a deer, too. She froze as soon as she saw us, forestalling notice from Lark, but her bright red-brown against the trees caught my eye, and we observed one another for a few minutes. Lark never noticed, even when the doe began to move off. We went on. We were almost to the gate when she found a burrow to dig up. We worked on that awhile, but I gave up and leashed her. In the end we got home about noon.

We had Diane early this afternoon, after I'd done some more math. Unexpectedly I'm having more trouble with elimination by substitution than anything else.....and yesterday Sid forestalled me by saying she'd always been awful at algebra....maybe I should ask those students if any of them were good at high-school level algebra....but then they know how old I am, which is no fun....T_T......oh well.

Result of much time on IHAH:

see more dog and puppy pictures

On the other hand, I got all the way to the first Lol. After that I dropped in to the Derbyshire Writers' Guild. Been awhile.....and there's some pretty decent writing up. Better yet, some of 'em are nice and short. I don't feel like a five-page epic just now, so no full-length retellings, please. Something like this, in fact, is about right.....0.0 Scary thought, that....Also, they've been doing Twilight P&P....although I kinda liked the one where Lydia took up vampire slaying. Short and silly. Oh, man, elves? Somebody's been reading Mercedes Lackey lately....Forget this one. No way am I reading somebody trying to describe Elvish versions of Bingley and Darcy. 

Karen called back about five to tell us to hold the Coumadin until she comes out on Thursday. Okay, I can do that.

Oh, this is good. Doesn't quite qualify as fiction, but--nice. 

Whoo--hah. From An Unconventional Courtship by Mortie. Bweheh.

From a concealed pocket on her dress, Lizzy extracted a metal rod, approximately 30 centimetres in length and 5 in width; with the press of a button a concentrated beam of bright pink energy was formed and gave off a distinctive hum.

"Oh, no, not again!" Jane sighed. "Father forbade her from using her lightsaber after what she did to poor Mr. Collins."

"Not to worry, Darcy will not let her cause any harm. He's quite good himself."

As Bingley spoke, Darcy took his own lightsaber from his coat and activated it, the energy beam a vibrant green. While Jane and Mr. Bingley watched, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy engaged in a heated duel.

"I had thought you to be a more intelligent woman, Miss Bennett," Darcy said as he deflected a searing lunge. "One that would not place all her trust in a story told by one person when it involves more!"

The air buzzed as the two battled, with Jane and Bingley watching is apparent bored amusement.

"How am I to do otherwise, when the other parties will not tell their side of the story?" Lizzy whirled, her lightsaber a blur of bright pink, her target blocked by Darcy's weapon.

"Cannot you trust my word alone?" It was Darcy's turn to attack, though each swing was expertly parried.

"You, who have insulted me time and again? Who influenced his friend to extreme ends, resulting in mutual heartbreak?"

"Did I not amend that? Look, Bingley is even now standing beside your sister." Darcy's tactic worked, distracting Lizzy for just a moment. She was able to deflect his swing just in time, and the blade only singed her bonnet.

"Sir, you obviously do not trust me or hold my affections near enough to be able to divulge the information pertaining to Mr. Wickham!" In one move, Lizzy was able to knock Darcy's hat clean off and leave a long burn mark on his sleeve.

"What if," Darcy said, stepping back and deigning to pant a little as he was beginning to get quite out of breath, "I were to say that he has injured me in such a way that only God can forgive him? What if I were to say that he has taken advantage of not only my dear father's memory, but of my sister's innocence?"

"What?" Lizzy lowered her lightsaber and deactivated it.