The Half Blood Prince's Potions Book

Hello all the new people who have added me. I would pimp the Bleach meme, but actually, you're mostly from there anyhow. You're thinking - I kind of get who this person is, but I might hate them after I start reading your journal. Be not afraid -- I'll try not to frighten you away just yet.

( Cut for length. Follow the cut for a proper introduction! )

Here's the news bit, so I don't post twice.

I took Soraya out today on a longer ride than I really intended when I left. Mother and sister drove out looking for me because they were worried, but on the other hand, I got her across the motorway, and I was so pleased with her when we got to the other side that I really didn't mind when she acted flirty with the horses further along the path. She definitely needs to be shod this year, because the ginger-stepping on the stones isn't doing her much good, and it isn't doing my bones much good, either. It's really hard to ride when you're constantly taking all your weight on one of your own hips so that you don't end up in the ditch. Considering she's not been shod for ten months now, I was rather hoping to keep it that way.

However, that aside, the ride went blissfully well, even when two deer ran out of the wood just ahead of us, and she thought they were going to eat her. Even when the cars went underneath her. Even when we walked past a cow that was actually birthing on the edge of the field. Not even a blink. We even chivalrously fetched a baby-bottle that had been dropped in the grass by a family on a fishing trip. I had a great time, and I'm looking forward to more rides like it.

Oh, and Soraya looks so awesome now. Her fur's almost shed out and she's looking sleek and athletic. With a summer of work under saddle, I think this is going to be a superb year. Not for my hiney, though. My hiney aches. I haven't gone on such a long ride for way too long.

This evening, now it's cool and before the aches set in, I'm working on a mock-copy of Ulquiorra's outfit. Since I'm working on something that is spoilery, I'll cut it short and simply say that I want to get the main copy right. This one, however, I'll be able to test and play with it and still have something I can actually wear when I'm done. That rarely happens in cosplay. How do you wear Vincent's cape out, anyhow? I have this lovely blue diagonal stripe fabric, and we'll see how it turns out.

I hate getting the cold. I hate it with a venegeance. I sometimes think of it kindly in a backwards glance, but I forget how awful it is to have my nose rubbed raw and my throat torn to shreds and every breath weighing heavily on my chest like a vice. I hate sneezing so much that I make myself cry. I despise breathing through my mouth because my nose is blocked and tickley and having every damn breath grate down the back of my abused and dry throat. I hate having the choice between suffering and taking so much medicine that I can't process normal thought. And I can't stand menthol and eucalyptus.

This is just to remind me, next time I'm thinking 'Oh, colds, they aren't that bad -- I bet I could handle it a lot better than you are' that it is NOT TRUE.

And naturally, getting cramps at the same time does absolutely no good.

*cries*

In other news, before I take some more cold capsules, I have discovered that I actually have some time to do some writing/cosplaying. Yesterday I made Hitsugaya's 10th squad haori for my brother: http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/regasssa/josh1.jpg , which was great fun and diverting. I can't believe it only took a day - hahah - if I'd told myself I could do it in a day last year, I would have probably laughed and shook my head. A week - that's more like it. I want to finish Ishida's bow today before the sun vanishes forever, but it's going to have to be dismantleable, which makes things a bit more complicated. It will involve a pillar drill, I suspect.

Writing is...going to happen. It's going to rain like hell over the next few days, I think - the temperature's dropping and the sky's filling up with clouds. I hope it hits sooner, to be honest, because it will cause less damage to the plum and magnolia blossom while it's still young and strong. That way they'll last longer, and I'll get to enjoy the way the garden smells fantastic for the Easter holidays.

Um...oh yes - my brother vomitted on my bed. Fun.

I've been long reining Soraya - for those who aren't familiar with it, it looks like this: http://www.luxury-accommodation-bay-of-islands.co.nz/images/farmstay-3-lrg.jpg . She didn't quite get it to start with, but when she worked out that the cues are exactly the same with the reins as the legs, she picked it up pretty quickly. What I did work out is that I need a surcingle to run the reins through, because otherwise she tangles me up every time she stops to eat grass *not amused*