Is that not the friendliest-looking, most sparkliest tiger you have ever seen?

Most productive day Saturday since March. I finally got those Shakespearian mouse postcards properly mounted in their ridiculously heavy frames, woo hoo! That's been on my to-do list forever. The little framers/art supply place just up the road is lovely, and they did while I went to the post depo, so I was able to pick them up an hour later, which I was very impressed with.

In the afternoon it seemed like everyone and their mother had descended on 'the coast' (i.e. my home), so I decided to head in the other direction and went to Salisbury. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did come home with some little bags, including what is possibly the tackiest thing I have ever bought (and that's up against some pretty stiff competition), a mosaic-style Chinese zodiac tiger, encrusted with mirrors and glass beads. I don't care, though, he's awesome. I spotted him right on the very top shelf of a new anime/manga/general Far Eastern goodies shop, and he's by far and away one of the most lifelike animal figures I've seen (and that includes the $$$ ones I can't afford). He's very cool. And he was only £9.99 and I my sign is the Tiger, so. I'll try to take a picture tomorrow, maybe with my new Chris Kirkpatrick doll which arrived this morning.

It's hot. Very, very hot. We've gone from grey and wet and 'better bring a sweater <i>and</i> a coat, just in case', to 'wow I feel kind of feverish, oh wait, no, that's just the air' in less than a week. I'm feeling oddly chipper and alert in spite of it, which is a nice change from the constant vague fatigue which has charactarised most of the last couple of months (yay proxy season). Might be that we're beginning to see the light at the end of the seasonal tunnel, either that or just the hysterical giddiness of total exhaustion setting in. On the other hand, hey, overtime!

All the lovely weather has spurred me to get moving with the garden. Rather than having a designated run, I've decided to just secure the entire space with Katzecure, which will hopefully keep the little buggers where they belong. I've had Pitchers' come round to do a quote, here's hoping it won't be too expensive.

Also, I've almost decided to name the kitten Agatha. I say almost, because there's always a chance she'll arrive and not be an Agatha at all, but for the moment I'm pretty set. I've always liked the name, it sounds sort of witchy and ancient and quirky, and she looks like she could wear it. And speaking of which, here she is at 6 weeks:


( I dare you not to aaaw... )

Went to the Isle of Wight yesterday to see the kittens. Was a lovely trip (great weather for it), but somewhat longer than expected, largely due to the fact that the island is somewhat (a lot) bigger than I had expected. I took the bus to Christchurch in the morning, then another bus from Christchurch to Lymington, then the shortest train ride ever from Lymington town to Lymington Pier (where the ferry goes from - biggest rip-off ever by the way, why can't they make a walkway?). The Wightlink port at Lymington is absolutely tiny, but surprisingly well designed, it had an almost Scandinavian feel to it. The crossing was lovely, bright, warm sun all the way, so I (and everyone else on board) sat on the sun deck. I spent most of it watching two little girls in front of me (one wanted to play, the other most emphatically did not), while listening to a very posh woman behind me congratulate someone on being made head of French at a private primary school. It irritates me that she got up before I did and thus robbed me of the opportunity to see if she looked as much like Fergie's daughters as she sounded.

Anyway, on the other side, the breeder's husband picked me up, and we had a very scenic drive around the back of the island to their home, which was quite a thing. I've never seen a house that looked so much like something out of an Enid Blyton book, all higgledy-piggledy with something going on in every corner, but very welcoming. The breeder was lovely, and she and I had a long chat about me and the cats, and then she left me alone with the kittens for a while. It was interesting to see that the American Turks she had were significantly larger than the European female. I ended up saying I'd definitely take one of them, but I needed more time to decide which one, so we left it at that and then the husband drove me back to the ferry. On the way, we talked about World of Warcraft and gaming in general, and he told me about RPGing in the eighties, by post! It was very cool.

The was a long wait for the ferry on that side, and by the time I got back to Lymington, it was six o'clock. At which point I discovered that, while there are busses from Bournemouth to Lymington until 19.20, the busses from Lymington to Bournemouth stop at 17.40. I probably should have looked that up beforehand, but yeah. I was going to see what I could do with trains, but then I remembered that Lymington isn't actually far from Christchurch, it's just that the bus goes all the way around the houses, so I ended up getting a taxi to Christchurch and then picking up the bus to Bournemouth from there (funnily enough the one I got was the 17.40 one from Lymington, haha).

Since then, I have thought it over and decided that the more independent, athletic kitten would be the better match, rather than the more people-focussed one, so I am hoping that this little lady will be our new companion:

( Click to see kitteh! )

Not sure what she will be called yet (her pedigree name is April Showers, but I'm not so keen on that). Ideas so far are Cecily, Eleanor, Arya, or Brill.

I'm alive! Just barely, though. The last couple of weeks have been really bad, work-wise. We're at the height of the financial season now, and it's every bit as bad as I remember it in terms of the sheer volumes of work. I'm in a much better place than I was this time last year, and in many ways it's actually kind of fun, but I'm still knackered and have been for weeks. I expect to be sucky with comments and emails for at least another six weeks.  >_>

Also, I've come to the conclusion that Socrates needs a new friend. I've woken up with him crying for company in the livingroom in the middle of the night, and it's just sad. So, after having gone back and forth with a few people, we've decided that it needs to be a female, adolescent or kitten. I've been looking at everything for about a week - moggies, rescues and purebreds - and on Saturday I thought I had found the perfect girl and was hoping to view and possibly collect her today, but when I was in the station and called to let the breeder know I was on my way, she told me someone else had already reserved her. To be fair, I had been warned that that was a possibility, but it was still very disappointing. On the bright side, at least I hadn't bought my ticket yet! I spent most of the afternoon online and calling people, though, and I think I may just have found something very exciting indeed. Won't say any more now for fear of jinxing it, but I'll be off to the Isle of Wight next Saturday, wish me luck! :p

BJD Quiz~
Taken from lots of people on LJ.

List your Crew!
Kei - Volks old FCS SD13 F-29 (modded)
Katai - Volks SD13 Shirou Tachibana
Link - Volks MSD Hewitt (modded)
Mehki - Volks FCS SD10 F-06 (modded)

Ivory Gold - Volks SD13 Cyndy
Harlowe Fitzjames - Volks MSD Hewitt + SDC body
Elsie - Volks MSD Toppi
Felian Tudor Rose - Volks SD13 Kaelin

Draco Edward Linn - Volks YoSD Neon
The Demon - Volks YoSD Shinn
"Mary" - Volks YoSD Tanpopo (I think?)
Bygg - SOOM TG Bygg

James - Volks SD13 Tony + SD17 body
Allisdaire - Volks FCS F30 + SD17 body

Harry - Volks SD17 Hijikata Toshizo + SDGr body
Draco - Volks FCS SDGr F31

Jay - SOOM MG Kremer
Dancer - SOOM MG Kremer

Warrior Dude - Iplehouse Akando


Who was your first doll? Do you still own him, her, or it?
Kei, and yup, still got him!

Who is your favorite doll?
They all represent very different aspects so it's impossible to pick, but I'd probably pick Kei if I could only keep one. There's a reason he was the first.

Which doll do you hope or plan to buy next?
I think for the moment I'm going to focus on upgrading some of what I've got. The heads will stay, but I'd like to move everyone currently on SD13 bodies to SDGr ones over time, and maybe get another SD17 body so Mike can have his back.

Quick! You’ve instantly got $800 and must choose a doll to spend it on right now or it’s gone forever! Who do you pick?
If it has to be a whole doll (i.e. I can't spend it on bodies), probably a FCS F16 or a Lucas. It's a classic and I love it.

Quick! You’ve instantly got enough money for any one and must choose a doll to spend it on right now or it’s gone forever, but this time you have to buy the doll for someone else! Who gets the dolly, and what do you get them?
Erm, not something I think about a lot, but I think I'd get an Iplehouse Superhero body for Misguidance, to be his He-Man.

Are you currently waiting on any dolls, heads, or bodies?
Jay and Dancer are out to be painted, does that count?

Do any of your dolls seem to like you to the point that they are infatuated with you?
No. Because, you know, they're dolls...

Do any of your dolls seem to dislike or even hate you?
See above.

Who’s your most expensive doll at the time you purchased them, not counting items you bought separately for them?
Head and body together, probably one of the SD17 boys. I can't remember what each of their heads cost at the time, but those bodies ain't cheap.

Who’s the least expensive doll you own?
Not counting gifts, I'd say one of the Kremers.

Is there a limit to what you’d spend on a doll?
There is a limit, but no number. If the price is more than I think it's worth, then it's above the limit.

Which doll did you wait for the longest for so far?
Probably Kei, because of the long wait for FCS orders at the time, and then the fact that he went via his first customiser on his way home.

Which doll had the shortest wait so far?
I honestly don't remember anymore.

Who’s the biggest doll you own?
Warrior Dude, by quite a lot.

Who’s the smallest doll you own?
In terms of height, any one of the Yos, in terms of mass, probably the Kremers.

Got any floating heads? If yes, how likely are they to receive bodies anytime soon?
Mike recently became one when James stole his body. Not sure what's going to happen with him. I definitely won't sell, because he's not worth much and was so difficult to put together, but at the same time I don't see shelling out for another SD17 anytime soon, and the character he was is effectively dead (not because MJ is dead, just because). He might borrow Allisdaire's bust, I think.

Got any floating bodies?
There's an extra SD13 boy body in oldskin white in a box for Kei, should anything on him ever break, so the replacement would be in the same colour.

Do you have any extra, unclaimed pairs of eyes? How many if so?
Not as many as some, probably about 10?

Do you have any extra, unclaimed wigs? How many if so?
Many. Many many.

Anything you’ve said “never” to in the hobby that you later gave in to?
I really didn't like several of the sculpts that I've ended up owning when I first saw them. And I hated the SD17 body when it came out.

Do you own dolls that aren’t BJDs?
A few 1/6 customs, two Pullips, two Enchanted Dolls and a handful of Monster Highs.

What was your last doll-related purchase?
A near complete first version Reisner outfit. Most of it will be for Allisdaire, but James may take some parts.

What do you expect your next doll-related purchase to be?
Probably something else for the pirate boys, or maybe something for the fairies. I'm trying not to buy too much right now, though.

What was the last doll-related thing to arrive to you by mail?
Allisdaire's SD17 body.

What was the last doll-related thing you purchased in person?
I've hardly ever purchased BJD stuff in person, so I guess the chair I bought in Berlin a couple of years ago?

Not counting floating heads, floating bodies, and anything on layaway (paid off dolls count), how many dolls do you own?
19, not counting Mike and assuming that I haven't forgotten anyone.

The quiz is over! Any last words?
How did this happen?!

It is so dark today that, when I woke up this morning at about 8:30, before looking at the clock, I thought it was still pre-dawn. I think today will be an indoor day. >_>

I dare you not to be oddly sniffly by the end.

It's late and I'm tired, so I'll just leave you with these:



( One more to show proportion, and a couple of James looking sultry and lionesque )

It WORKS! I totally didn't think it would, YAAAY! Three cheers for eLuts' funny little neckpiece thingie! :D

(There will be pictures to commemorate this occassion, but my camera battery is dead and I can't find the USB cable, so not right now.)

Socrates is now officially an only cat. So is Merlin, but in a different household. Claire and her eight year old daughter came over this morning to meet him, and ended up leaving with him. I went with them to the pet shop to help them pick out the bits and pieces for him, as well as some stuff for myself, and then they ran me back and took him home with them.

I'm sad, and probably will be for a while, but I do think it's for the best. In his new place, there will be someone home all day, and he'll have a lovely little girl and her friends to play with. Socrates, conversely, will not have to constantly fight for attention, and bear the brunt of his brother's boredom. I am a little worried about separating them, but so far Socrates seems quite content and isn't 'looking' for Merlin as I was worried he might. We'll see how it goes tonight, though.

One SD17 body officially bought and paid for! Allisdaire will finally have his body, after 4 years of sitting on variously a bottle neck an an N-Doll bust, and very occassionally looking very unconvincing on an SD13 body (not that I've been thinking of an SD17, this is new but it finally works!). Now, I really hope I haven't sold that first version Reisner coat I had for him...

Happy Easter everyone! :D

I just had the parents up for the weekend. Was a nice couple of days, plus we managed to get the rest of the boxes into the attic, yay!

Also, I am now officially in the market for an SD17 body, since the whole 'wait for Dolpa' thing isn't going to pan out, what with the new SD17 Shirou being Sunlight and all... Must have the new knees. If you know of one going, please do PM/email/whatever me!

My stomach is doing strange, strange things. Figures that it would be the day before the chocolateiest four days of the year.

In better news, I may be able to pick up Dancer earlier than expected, w00t! Also seriously considering using the extra I will make working bank holidays this season for something non-sensible. I'm giving up my free time for it, after all, so it seems only fair... :p

This weekend has been deeply unproductive. The only thing I've really managed to accomplish has been assembling my new desk chair (which has been in the hall for a week), and finding a nice new guild on WoW. I don't think this unproductiveness has necessarily been bad for me, last week was kind of a kicker, and thinking about Merlin was exhausting.

Speaking of which, they have, of course proved me wrong sinc my post yesterday by sleeping together, playing together, and generally being model kitty friends. Merlin has been perfectly respectful of Socrates's right to sleep on and near me, and has himself actually spent large chunks of time away from me while I've been home. I don't know if this is due to the Feliway, but as it is, I'm going to put a pin in doing anything right now. I need to try to work out whether he's actually happy like this, or whether he's just given up on anything better happening to him.

Also, I was a new doll. As I do every year at this time. I think it's something to do with the season. The Kremers will be turning up shortly (one had a failed delivery on Saturday, so I'll go pick him up next week, and one will be arriving with my parents on Thursday), so hopefully they will sate it! Although I think I will have to stalk the May Dolpa thread, just in case...

I've been thinking about possibly rehoming Merlin. I really don't want to and don't know if I will, but the fact that I'm even thinking about it is pretty huge. There's a lot of behind it which I'm too tired to write out, but it pretty much boils down to the fact that he's an extreme extrovert, who is forced to spend all his time, day and night, with the same two introverts (me and Socrates). It's always been like this, but now that he's older (and also, I suspect, now that he has spent some time in a very lively and mobile household), it's becoming more and more apparent, and he's started to take his frustration out on Socrates. At this point, Socrates is no longer allowed in the same room as me, and although when they fight Merlin is ostensibly still in play-fight mode, fur now flies (mostly Socrates's), and Socrates yowls and tries to get away.

It's very difficult to accept, but at this point I think I have no choice. I've tried tiring him out by playing on a regular schedule, but even when he's nearly passed out on the floor, he still mews pitifully as soon as I turn my back. It's not exercise he wants, it's attention. Whenever anyone comes over, whether it be a friend or someone new to him, he goes mad, practically falling over his own tail in an effort to get their attention. I'm currently trying those feline pheromone diffusers, which do calm him down a little, but the problem is that he's bored, not upset, so they don't really help. Plus, I can't help but feel like I'm drugging him as an easy solution.

So yeah, at this point I'm wondering if he wouldn't be happier in a bigger household, where he could be an only cat. Maybe somewhere with a kid. I don't know, not sure what'll happen yet, and I'm hoping that this is just moving nerves (nevermind that he was like this in the flat - I put it down to lack of space) but it's depressing. :(

Edit: I should probably specify that, if we did ultimately have to go down that route, he would only be rehomed to someone I know and trust. I can think of at least one family with a little girl who would probably love him.

Last week was another very long week, but on the plus side, hey, overtime! It was capped off with an early morning visit to the dentist yesterday (my first in four years, and yes, I will need to go back, but at least he seemed competent), and the news that one of my colleagues may shortly be leaving us. It's the right decision, the job is a lousy fit for him, but goddamnit, would it have killed him to wait another two months?!

I hate daylight savings, it always screws with my system. :(

I've just realised that, without a wig, James (Volks Tony) looks exactly like Tobey Maguire. I've also realised that, with a wig and on an SD17 body, he looks amaaaazing. Why did I not think of that before?

I'm pretty sure I know where my camera is now, so I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow. Also, anyone know where I can get miniature hair pins? Right now I just feel like stapling the $@&%ing stuff to the wig cap.

There is a 5th season of Futurama. Why was I not informed. Thank Jeebus HMV is open on Sundays.