"Takes Direction Well"
Nov. 26th, 2025 02:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
cakewrecks_feedEver feel like you've lost your direction in life?
Do you find yourself wandering aimlessly through bakery aisles and back alley icing parlors*?
* I don't actually know if back alley icing parlors exist, but a girl can dream.
Are you stuck in the hangar bay of life, waiting for the pod bay doors of opportunity to open up and spit you out into the sucking black void of PURPOSE?
If the answer is yes, maybe, or "huh?", then have I got the job for you!
That's right, my friends, the time has never been riper to be a Wreckerator! Or a person who likes to mix metaphors badly, like a withered, overripe tree in space.
But let's focus on the wrecking thing for now, shall we?
We're looking for a few good pairs of hands (preferably attached to still-functioning torsos) that can follow directions TO THE LETTER.
And by "we" I mean "me."
And if you see something grammatically wrong with that statement, then I'm afraid you're already disqualified. Kindly collect your complimentary "Prefessional Baker" buttons at the door and show yourselves out.
Now, for the rest of you, just LOOK at all the exciting things your future could have in store!
The glamor! The excitement! The satisfaction of giving a customer EXACTLY what they ask for!
But the REAL cherry on top? Someday you, too, could write, "cherry on top" on one of your orders!
Consider this something to work toward.
Now, who here failed Biology?
Ah, excellent!
Because next up: baby shower cakes.
Thanks to Inge D., Stephanie S., Emily S., Stephanie H., & Sargam M. for being the wind beneath my leaves. Except there's no wind...IN SPACE.
*****
P.S. I found a book right up our wrecky alley:
A Wizard's Guide To Defensive Baking
I don't even need a synopsis. I'm sold.
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
(no subject)
Nov. 26th, 2025 06:13 amapod_feed
What did Comet Lemmon look like when it was at its best?
Anh Gets Something
Nov. 25th, 2025 08:28 pmquestionable_content_feed
she's a smart* cookie
*not actually smart
Survivalism PSA and writing report
Nov. 25th, 2025 04:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rolanniPSA RE: (1) Survivialism/Survivalist (2) Cancer Survivorship Program
. . . on account of I'm tired of answering the question "What is a Survivalist?"
Those who have been with me for a little while know that back in 2020, I was diagnosed with cancer and had my left breast removed. Just about a month ago, after about 5.5 years, my surgeon declared me "cancer free," and cut me loose from her care.
This makes me a Cancer Survivor (also, apparently, "a warrior"; make of that what you will).
At the Lafayette Cancer Center in Brewer, Maine, when one has achieved 5 years cancer-free, one is given over to the Survivorship Program, which files under Oncology.
The head of the Survivorship program has been called in my hearing the "Survivalist." At the Lafayette Cancer Center, this person is a Certified Nurse Practitioner; there is also a Nurse Navigator attached to the program, and of course the backing of the entire Oncology Department.
The mission of the Survivorship Program is to provide education and support to help cancer survivors maximize their health and quality of life after having had cancer and treatment for cancer. The program is individualized, and covers such things as a yearly examination -- physical, mental, and emotional -- referrals to other specialists sometimes needed by surviving warriors, such as psychiatrists or nutritionists; connections to social services, and support groups. Advice about diet, exercise, and all those other tiresome things is available.
The Survivorship Program also keeps track of my mammograms and orders the next one for me; and is just another cord in what is, in Central and Northern Maine, at least, a Very Thin social health network.
You now know everything I know about Survivalists, Survivorship, and Survivalism.
Here ends your PSA. We now return you to your irregularly scheduled flights of fancy.
#
Managed to trim +/- 2,000 words from a section of the WIP which probably needs to lose some more words. There's an "obvious" bit that I can rip out that will lose me another 500 words, but I'm ... reluctant to do that. It's more than I just like the bit (though I do, and "kill your darlings" is not Eternal Wisdom, so nobody go there, 'k?), so the bit gets to stay.
For Now.
Did a little bit of house straightening this afternoon and will shortly be heading out in the Stygian Darkness of 4:30 pm to go to needlework.
Tomorrow will be writing in the morning, some more straightening of the house, and a bit of playing with glass.
I'll say goodnight for now, and see y'all tomorrow.
Stay safe.
Here, have a picture of Rookie overseeing my shoddy impersonation of a working writer:
scalziwhatever_feed
Well, this is lovely: When the Moon Hits Your Eye made it into the final round of this year’s Goodreads Choice Awards, in the category of science fiction, along with the other works you see here. This is a very nice peer group to have, I have to say.
If you feel like voting for Moon, or, indeed any other book in this finalist group, here is the link for you to do so. If you vote for Moon, hey, thanks! If you choose something else, that’s cool too.
I’m actually very happy with Moon making the final cut here. It’s an unusual sort of book, both structurally and in subject matter, and it wasn’t 100% clear to me that readers would take to it. Getting to this round is encouraging. Let’s see where it goes from here.
In any event: Go vote!
— JS
Pan-Demonium
Nov. 25th, 2025 02:00 pmcakewrecks_feedToday's post is a little different, and doesn't quite fit my standard definition of a wreck - but it's just too darn funny not to share.
Today's post is also probably NSFW, and unless you want some really uncomfortable discussions with your children, NSFK, either.
So, assuming you're at home and have no kids around, YOU MAY PROCEED.
*****
In the spirit of Pan-Tastic, we here at CW want you to get the most mileage out of your shaped cake pans. To that end, allow us to present....er, this:
IT'S A LIGHTHOUSE.
Juuuuust a lighthouse.
("Be a beacon?!")
(If you get that reference, I will personally award you one million geek points.)
And also this:
Old Macdonald had a farm.
Which was clearly compensating for something.
Of course, your pan may be a slightly different model, so there's also this option:
Those pesky UFOs - always taking off to the right.
Or this:
I'm coocoo for COCONUTS!
(Coconuts. Seriously. THESE JOKES WRITE THEMSELVES.)
By now I'm sure you're wondering where all these brilliant designs came from. Well, would you believe there was a whole website dedicated to finding alternative uses for that most distinctive of shaped cake pans? 'Cuz there was, and I think you'll agree that blogger/baker Holly was a veritable WIZARD at making me bust a gut laughing:
You'll never hear a reference to Mr. Wizard the same way again.
And here's one final option, spotted at an actual baby shower:
There's something ironic about using this particular pan for a baby shower cake. Or is it appropriate? Ironically appropriate? Whatever. IT'S FUNNY.
My thanks to Thomas S., whoever it was that originally sent me the link to Holly's site, and the rest of you for not yelling at me in the comments about how these aren't professional or at ALL appropriate. I KNOW.
But to be fair, neither am I. ;)
*****
P.S. It is possible our obsession with gnomes has gone too far?
Gnome Refrigerator Handle Covers, Set of 8
... or not far enough?
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
White bird dreams of the aspen trees
Nov. 25th, 2025 08:48 amrolanniTuesday. Chilly and dim. Trash and recycling at the curb.
Breakfast was cold pizza. A milestone. I had what I believe to be my first pizza since Steve died on Sunday night, post-interview. It would have been something we might have done. This being so, I had cold pizza for breakfast, also for the first time in more than a year. ... It was good. Pairs well with Scottish Morn tea.
Woke up this morning with a short story in my head, so I need to map that out before I hit the WIP.
I have finished writing the Holiday Letter; it is now cooling before I reread and (probably) revise. Firefly helped me find the cards, and then we all had to sit around and explain to Rook about cards, and let him sniff them. He got green glitter on his nose.
Still reading The Thursday Murder Club (yes, yes: slow reader). One of the things I'm especially enjoying is the acknowledgement that all of the club members had Done Stuff -- even a lot of stuff. They did not just manifest one day as Old People, their pasts either irrelevant or a blank.
And of course, it's wonderful to see them manipulate the "clueless and helpless old people" perception.
I'm a little scared of Elizabeth, though.
So! This evening is needlework. This morning is writing.
I'm gonna need more tea.
What's on your schedule today?
Today's blog post brought to you by David and Linda LaFlamme, "White Bird"
DO NOT DISTURB THE POND WITCH
Nov. 25th, 2025 01:47 amscalziwhatever_feedMan, the things you see at local parks.
— JS
There are stars in the southern sky...
Nov. 24th, 2025 05:55 pmrolanniMonday. Bright and cold.
Breakfast was two eggs scrambled with leftover cauliflower and broccoli, with sausage, and a piece of whole wheat toast. A Big breakfast, but it's a biggish morning.
Trash and recycling are in the garage, preparing themselves for tomorrow's journey to the curb. Dishwasher is doing its thing. Cats suspect that Something Is Up.
I'll be getting on the road to the cancer center and my chat with the Survivalist as soon as I finish my second mug of tea. I'll be early, but I don't have Steve's genius for split-second timing, so better early than late.
I'm having a lot of fun with the Thursday Murder Club, and having never seen the show, only read complaints about how it "did not live up" to the books, despite the excellent cast -- I have Some Thoughts About that.
The voice of the book -- aka "the narrator" -- is hysterical and unless the show (again, never seen it) has a voice over telling you what, oh, Ian's thinking, and how he's thinking it, viewers are missing an important facet of the story, and expecting the actors to carry the whole weight themselves isn't really fair.
. . . and that's my second mug empty, so I'm off.
I hope everyone's having a good morning. I'll see you on the flip side.
Back, having gone the long way home -- through Bar Harbor. I had somehow expected the town to be open. I mean, people live on the island. To be fair, some things were open, for instance the Village Green Cafe, where I got my lunch (grilled ham and cheddar on multigrain with blueberry ice tea), but I hadn't expected the relative emptiness.
Also, I had not come dressed for ocean-side chill, so my window shopping was limited. However, I'm glad I did not just go Straight Home like a Good Do-Bee. And, besides, I need to keep in practice with driving longish distances (that was, eh, 220 miles on the day). She said virtuously.
The Survivalist is a dream. We have a yearly check-in plan in place, as well as an agreement that I may call upon her for various things, and reassurance that I had NOT screwed up by wearing my compression gloves when my hands hurt. And I got points for asking a good question.
I believe I have all my Stuff for Thursday in-house (well, except flowers. I forgot flowers. Oh, well.), so that's good. I haven't gotten a wreath, either, because I just can't make myself buy a wreath before Thanksgiving. It's just ... wrong.
The cats inform me that I missed three -- or possibly four -- check-ins today and that they are not disposed to be lenient. I was immediately tasked with rubbing Tali's ears, and scrubbling Rook's belly, and picking up Firefly for an All-Grown-Up Hug. I draw the line, however, at moving Happy Hour up by an hour and a half.
What did y'all do today?
Today's blog post title comes from The Eagles, "Seven Bridges Road," which I can never resist singing along with the acapella parts, though I really ought to always resist singing.
A forthcoming treatlet
Nov. 24th, 2025 02:44 pmthe_comfortable_courtesanYour amenuensis is pleas'd to announce that there will be a little Christmas treat this year: The Cathcart Apocrypha: Volume 6: Times Changing Belowstairs will be downloadable from the website from 24th December:
Clorinda Cathcart, now the widowed Marchioness of Bexbury, has undergone a radical change of circumstances. These changes have not left her household unaffected; nor have events in their lives stood still.
Enjoy!
Er Mah Gourd!
Nov. 24th, 2025 02:00 pmcakewrecks_feedEek! I think I’ve forgotten to mention this year what is possibly the most popular indicator of Fall - you know, the one you see in every coffee shop, restaurant, and bakery across the nation.
Yep, I'm talking about that ubiquitous Fall flavor:
...Poop brûlée
Kidding, kidding. We all know the actual flavor of Fall is pumpkin:
...with poop on top.
Or on the side!
Or just washed down the edges.
Or whatever is happening here.
And when bakers aren't grossing us out with log-a-riffic "stem" action on their pumpkin cakes, they're busy gleefully spitting in the eye of Mother Nature:
I can just imagine them dramatically twirling their mustachios now:
"Take THAT, nature, with your natural shapes, and your natural colors, and your sickening lack of spikes and crappy silly string. HA. Haha! AHAHAHAHAHAA!!"
"Oh, and I always wanted my pumpkins to have a sphincter, so there."
Now, you might be questioning whether that is actually supposed to be a pumpkin.
First of all, NEVER QUESTION THE JEN.
Lest she speak of herself in the third person.
And second of all, of COURSE it's a pumpkin.
Can't you see that it's orange? And green? And brown?
WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT, YOU UNGRATEFUL PEOPLE PUMPKIN EATERS?
Ah.
Well, don't you worry; the turkey cakes are coming.
Thanks to Carol W., Rheanne K., Dawn R., Brady, Julie P., Holley R., Jessica S., & Lisa S. for the excuse to type the following: Ermahgourd! Permpkins!
*****
P.S. Here's a great book for those of you with kids around the house this Thanksgiving:
How To Catch A Turkey
The illustrations are fantastic and it's especially fun to real aloud:
****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Sunday Sweets: I'm Your Maître D'
Nov. 23rd, 2025 02:00 pmcakewrecks_feed(Extra points if you "hear" this in the Genie's voice!)
Well, Ali Baba had them 40 thieves
Scheherezad-ie had a thousand tales
But, reader, you're in luck 'cuz Sunday Sweets
Has gorgeous cakes that make all others pale
You've got some flowers in your corner now
Every single cake here is a champ
They've got punch, pizazz! Yahoo and wow
By Take the Cake in Chicago
Hey, this cake looks like a Tiffany lamp!
Now I say...
Sunday Sweets reader, please
What will your pleasure be?
By Jacques Fine European Pastries
Let me take your order
Something brown?
By Cakework
You ain't never seen cakes like these
These aren't in restaurants
They're here on Sunday Sweets!
C'mon, whisper what it is you want
You ain't never seen cakes like these!
[blinking 'Applause' sign]
Happy Sunday!
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Dione and Rhea Ring Transit
Nov. 23rd, 2025 06:23 amapod_feed
Seen to the left of Saturn's banded planetary disk, small icy moons
Small victories in writing a novel
Nov. 22nd, 2025 05:30 pmrolanniCat Tax first! Firefly decided to sleep in this morning.
Lunchtime report: I do believe I'll finish my business with the words that are already written today. Which means that my next 6-day writing sprint, starting Wednesday will be all about writing new words!
Guess I'd better in a box or two, so I don't run out.
End of Day report: And that? Is the correx entered. I still may need to trim the front, but for now, I think I have all my avians in a row, and can go, more or less confidently, forward.
So! The week coming.
Tomorrow morning, I'll finish up the Quick 'n Dirty chapter-by-chapter, just to be certain that the assertion made above is true.
Tomorrow afternoon, I have a Zoom interview with the Baen Free Radio Hour, in which we'll chat about I Dare. I'll let y'all know when that will air.
Monday morning, I need to go to the cancer center to get a blood draw and talk with the Survivalist. I may or may not do some other errands while I'm out. Tuesday evening is needlework. Thursday, I'll make myself a nice meal and Friday morning Sarah will be by to clean for me. This means I'll have a large portion of six days (not six entire days) to write new words, which is Extremely Cool because I have reached the stage of being So. Sick. Of. This Book.
Right on schedule.
I guess I should wash the pots 'n pans before it's time for Happy Hour.
The cats and I may watch another episode of Maigret this evening. Firefly quite liked last night's episodes.
Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I'll check in tomorrow.