A new look for the blog

This is why you shouldn't do a major blog revamp after you've had a few. Wait till the hangover at least!

The original image includes flashing effects. If you want to see what your blog would look like after an alcoholic overhaul, try Alcowebizer. It's enough to make you take to drink!

Happy New Year everyone!

Evil Editor Needs You

Evil Editor has a fun drinking game that he's setting up for New Year's Eve and he needs you to suggest titles for books about booze. Why not pop over there now and join in.

Meet Mac the Monkey

My sister came over on Boxing Day with her four dogs: three different sorts of chihuahua and a black Pekingese that sneezes wetly at people's faces; she's a gorgeous little thing with short legs and long hair so that she looks like a hoverdog. Two of the chihuahuas were rescued from a puppy farm and they come and plop themselves down on your lap and just cuddle. When they left I felt desperate for a small dog, although I know that wouldn't be a good idea because I'm barely coping with the cats.

Speaking of cats, they didn't share my view of the dogs and hid upstairs all day. Rufus crept down from time to time but when the liveliest chihuahua saw him he barked and Rufus fled.

After they'd gone, the cats came downstairs again but they were jumpy. I showed Rufus my new family member: Mac the Monkey, a present from my sister, and he leapt from my lap and looked at it in terror. I don't think I've ever seen him scared like that before, so the dogs must have really upset him.

Maybe it's just as well that I'm not up to looking after a dog. I don't think Bonnie or Rufus would thank me for bringing one into the house!

Happy Holidays!

picture by c_chan808

I can't quite believe that it's already Christmas Eve. My Beloved is at work and my main event of the day will be to walk to the doctor's for my B12 injection. We have no decorations or tree up yet and I feel like I'm waiting for something to happen. Actually, waiting for something good to happen is probably my definition of Christmas Eve and the best part of Christmas.

Both my sons and one nearly-daughter-in-law are home, and the other nearly-daughter-in-law will be coming over tomorrow evening. We may even see my sister and her four dogs on Sunday if the snow holds off. I think about who isn't here and feel sad but then I think about who is here and I'm glad they are. Not everyone is so lucky.

Whatever you're doing, I hope this Christmas time is a good one for you.

Snow Penguin

We have a snow penguin in our back garden, made by my younger son and his girlfriend. At least they used pennies not pound coins on it, so we won't have to ring the police if it gets stolen, like this woman did.

Hedgehog Time

I couldn't resist these gorgeous pictures of hedgehogs having baths. It might be cold and dark, and Christmas is coming at me far too fast and I'm not ready for it, but I can't help feeling happy when I'm looking at these cute creatures.

Edited to add this contribution from Richard (see comments below):

For anybody who's interested in hedgehog rescue, and also how best to care for wild hedgehogs that live in and around your garden, a friend of FH and myself runs a hedgehog rescue centre - and it has a website:

http://thehedgehog.co.uk/

The site is well worth exploring, because there's a lot to learn - and Derek is very approachable if you have any questions that aren't covered.

Aliens

This is what the aliens' faces look like in my Space Escape nanonovel, although their bodies are similar to spider monkeys'.

You can see more potential aliens here.

I'm not writing or editing and I haven't been around much because I've had a CFS flareup. I hope to be back to normal soon.

Bad sex

The winner of the Bad Sex Award 2010 as his "winning" speech said

There's nothing more English than bad sex, so on behalf of a nation, I thank you

I thought that was a rather gracious response to receiving an award that no one wants to win.

I was intrigued to learn that his story is

about how the scars of childhood abuse affect later relationships and it's based on two people's real experience

and I wonder how the lines that have been so often quoted would appear in context. I may have to get hold of the book to find out, so it's true what they say about publicity.

The article by the award winner is here. If you're at all interested in writing books then it's worth reading.