Thanks, chaps!

[blamebrampton]

Wow, that was a lovely birthday! I am dying of cake (my third favourite way to go), and very cheered.

Thank you so much to anthimaeria for my cake, to the sweet thady for the balloons, to romaine24 for the delicious lollipop, and to bryoneybrynn for the preserved organ, you guys are generous darlings with only the slightest touch of gothic. And to calanthe_fics and jadzialove for the cards! Touched and moved in the happy and spiritual non-public-transport fashion!

And then there were creations! jadzialove surprised the hell out of me with a wonderful Drarry -- she is my Snarry friend! Ginny Potter is frustrated at her ex-husband's inability to move on. She needn't be, all it will take is a cunning plan and some industrial infrastructure. Two men walk into a Ministry lift, each a bit screwed-up. Forty minutes later, the up is altered and the boys realise just how much they owe the women in their lives. A Fickle Fate is delicious and fun and ... just pop by and read it, there are too many good jokes for me to relate.

leochi reached my prompt in her 50 kisses art table (flocked), and painted a very sweet and loving morning kiss between Ron and Hermione, it is so right and so smile-inducing.

enchanted_jae must be the fastest talent in fandom, because 36 hours after I left her the somewhat deranged prompts of sword and finger, she popped up with this lovely ficlet on the effect of Draco's fencing practice on his young man: Swordplay, it's hot and clever and fabulous! And then complications_g created some gorgeous icons out of some of my fave pieces of leochi art!

As to the birthday wishes! Fandom, you are so much better at remembering than my RL friends. Thank you to the very speedy under_an_oak, sansa1970, Cal, lilian_cho, frayach, lackofmendacity, christinefic, ciel_vert, sesheta_66, house_illrepute,  brandil, alex_s9 (the SHINIEST birthday wish ever!), no_mad_skillz, winnett, and my lovely Team EWE – I am sure I am forgetting someone important ...Hugs and kisses to all of you!

In other news, I ran into a dear friend I hadn't seen in years on the street today and she followed me home for tea and Diana Wynne Jones bookswapping (I have had four of hers waiting to be returned since I last saw her, she now has five of mine, plus hers). Another friend cooked dinner for me, J and some of our friends, and a publishing house rang to offer me some freelance, I'll find out tomorrow if the redundancy or another gig is in the offing (I hope for the former). Now back to sewing and tidying so our house sitter isn't horrified when she comes in on Friday.

It was a good day! Thank you all for making it so! (And now I am off to hoover with my Dyson handheld. Do not judge me for the fact that I love domestic engineering porn, I gave J a full-sized one for his 30th birthday (he asked!))

Comments

[norton-gale.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, but you have someone else to thank for the balloons, birthday girl!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Argh! LJ hasn't told me anything about them! I have mystery balloons! Maybe they were from LJ ... I worked out how to work it out! They're from Thady! Off to edit!
(I'm a little excited, it's very hot here and there was a lot of cake)

Birthdays, Prompts & The Need to Learn Cantonese and/or Mandarin

[under-an-oak.livejournal.com]

Wonder what I did for my birthday...oh yes. My friends treated me for a sushi dinner and we then hung out at a Chinese cafe where a guitar-strumming duo entertained the crowd.

*pauses*

This is significant because I'm Malay and know heck-none Chinese and my Chinese friends who were with me can't speak their native language for crap *grin*. You gotta love the new, faux-gen ethnicity.

PS: How can I get prompts (from you, or anyone else mad enough to give me prompts)? I'm in a serious Sahara of fics. My muse dies a horrible death each day, with every email demanding to know, for example, what the hell happened to their salary or why won't the company offer this benefit as opposed to that benefit...HR. It gives new meaning to the word 'hellish'.

Re: Birthdays, Prompts & The Need to Learn Cantonese and/or Mandarin

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It was you! You were the important person I forgot! Because I am vague and slightly idiotic! Thank you again, I was so cheered!

We all need to learn Cantonese and/or Mandarin. I am so embarrassed that I know about ten words and these include the Cantonese for happy new year and crispy skin chicken. But I have to remember French first!

OK. Some prompts. Hmmmmm. Your last fic gives lie to the idea your muse has deserted you, BTW, and I cannot believe I missed it, will try to write a coherent comment before I fall over in a heap ... however ...

The war is over and Malfoy Manor has been burnt to the ground. Harry appears to return Draco's wand and finds him looking at the ashes of his childhood.

Hermione is stuck in a tent with her best friend and without the man she loves. She has a lot of time to think. She's very glad no one can see those thoughts ...

The war has been over for two months. It's Harry's birthday. A small group of his friends are there to celebrate with him. He blows out his candles and makes a wish ...

Neville Longbottom is not used to all this attention. There he is on the cover of the Prophet posed with a sword and snake-head. At least his grandmother is happy his hair is neat.

And remember; most people who are in HR are not there to help people. They are there because serial killing is illegal. Do not be brought low by psychopaths!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAHAHAAA! Thanks, James, and D! I will now be cheking that the letterbox is intact, I've heard about James Potters. (Did I tell you there was a woman on the train with three children, Harry, James and Lily? I really wanted to talk to her!)

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! Wish you lots of fun!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Cheers, ears! It was great, and I plan to continue celebrating till midnight Hawaii time!

[empress-jae.livejournal.com]

i didn't forget!!

we just became friends and i getting to know each other, but i wanted to wish you a very happy birthday! i've been in meetings all morning (hence the lateness...oops.), but it's still the 29th in MY part of the world. :D

anyway...HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

♥

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oh it would have been fine if you had! Hordes of my RL friends do every year! Thank you very much for the best wishes, and I look forward to chatting through the coming year!

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

*hug* Happy belated birthday! :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oooh ... icon love! Thank you, m'dear. I continue birthdaying till midnight in Hawaii, it seems fairer that way ...

[fourth_rose]

Darn, I missed it! Belated happy birthday, dear! *hugs*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think I am still having a birthday in Hawaii (my father always said you should start your birthday on New Zealand time and end it on Samoan!)

The hugs are welcome! Have some back!

[romaine24.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday!

I would love to write you something, however besides doing birthday drabbles, I'm crumbs at it. Poor Alaana I still owe her a story from Nov.

Have a great day and I look forward to getting to know you better this next year.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Write some of your new fic for me instead; I enjoy reading all of your stories! It was a lovely day, and today I came home from my redundancy meeting to a two-month booking at a publishing house I like, to go with my big cheque. This has all been a very good one!

I look forward to getting to know you better, too!

[thady.livejournal.com]

You're welcome!

Happy birthday! I wish you a lot of fun! :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Cheers dear! It was great!

[emerald-dragon8.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday for yesterday, hon! I did remember, but I was out all day until about 11pm, when I completely crashed. But I'm only... 7 and three quarter hours late, so it doesn't matter too much...does it?

Anyway...would you like some birthday art? If you would, give me a prompt and a pairing/fandom. :)

*hugs*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Doesn't matter at all! At different times both my father and mother forgot my birthday, so I'm never fussed if friends do.

Ooooooh ... I love art, but it's fest time and I know how busy everyone is. I have an idea, what about the links to your favourite three artworks of yours?

[pushdragon.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! I'm glad it was lovely. I am buying you an imaginary pina colada. Or would you prefer I bought an actual one and drank it for you? :-)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You should definitely drink it for me after my disgraceful episodes with The Drink last week (sack journos, watch bar tabs soar!!)

Thank you, m'dear. I have a redundancy cheque winging its way to me which will pay for a visit in which we can meet up for an actual drink!

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

Happy belated (?) birthday!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

The 29th is still going strong from San Francisco to Samoa! thank you!

[cinnatart.livejournal.com]

my sincerest apologies, I've never been really good with remembering things like b-days. belated Happy Birthday! I'm glad your special day was a good one.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oh don't be silly! Thank you so much for your good wishes! My parents both forgot my birthday in different years. It worked out well when my dad did it, since I ended up with a new pony (his parents breed horses), but it means I never mind when my friends forget!

[raitala.livejournal.com]

Firstly, it is still the 29th here, so Happy Birthday!

Secondly, I have just read Sins of the Fathers and have come to prostrate myself at your feet. *prostrates self*

That was the best new piece of fan fiction I have read in ages! Why had I not heard of it before? I know I live in a remote and sparsely populated corner of the internet, by why has no one come and hammered down my door and said YOU MUST READ THIS!

I am a-buzz with the warm fuzzy joy of it and rendered slightly teary by the emotional truth of the writing, so please forgive this random attack of gushing.

I loved it - all of it. I don't feel up to being properly coherent, but I have to say I was gripped by the story and how subtly you explored the themes. I loved the humour you brought to it alongside the more serious and tender elements. All the minor characters and I mean ALL OF THEM, which is a spectacular feat, were captivating, as well as the main ones, who were fantastic.

I loved Lady-Killer!James and Scheming!Lily and Rules?-What Rules?!McGonagall and Neville! Lady-Killer!Neville with his six girlfriends. Scopius and Al were so perfect. I read the sequel too and the exchanges between Harry, Draco and Ron were just perfect, the best kind of funny writing, perfect, unlaboured banter. And I loved the little details, like Harry busting in all virilely into Draco's office and having to quickly tone it down because Hermione is there. And Narcissa! *pauses for breath and realises that is probably enough for now*

Thank you so much for writing this and thank you to whoever made you take part in hd_hols, so that I could meet you. *leaves quickly before gushing starts again*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Cheers dear! It was a very happy day indeed!

Thanks so much for your kind words! But no prostrating -- it is terrible for the knees!

I have to blame my family for the humour. We're infamous for it. Our Finnish friends gave up trying to work out what was satirical and what was straight and just assumed everything was satirical unless we gave the "Serious" signal.

It was nqdonne, she cajoled and threatened alternately, I thank her, too!!

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

So very glad you had a great birthday! :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Your icon is hysterical! Thank you very much!

[rossurus.livejournal.com]

Thirteen minutes late english time!

Happy birthday sweetie...hope you continue to be wonderfully positive about the world!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's still the 29th in Samoa! Thanks, matey! It's either be positive and take up arms and by opposing, end it. And I only half-know one low-rent Russian arms dealer ...

[shadowclub.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday!!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[jadzialove.livejournal.com]

It is 11:36pm and so it is still you birthday here.

I am dying of cake (my third favourite way to go),

Okay, my guesses for the other two are: chocolate and kindness

Happy Birthday one more time!

::hugs::

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Nah, chocolate and sex -- kindness never killed anyone!

Thanks dear, I LOVE MY FIC! (and go and read Jae's fic if you haven't, it's gorgeous, too!)

[scrtkpr.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday! ♥

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[frances-veritas.livejournal.com]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Belated, but I hope it was a good one! :-D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It was great! I think I may at last be up to another slice of cake ...

[kayleigh-jane.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday! A bit late, but sincerely nonetheless.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I believe that it was still my birthday in Samoa at the time, so that totally counts! Thanks!

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

omg, i'm torn between ironing my ears for being so lame as to remember and forget your birthday before i managed to wish you a happy one about a dozen times yesterday and today and just staring in awe at the swath you've made in h/d fandom in the short time you've been here (i've been writing and posting h/d for nearly 3 1/2 yrs and only managed to garner 11 happy bdays, you've been here for what? 6 months and your comment list here is like a who's who of h/d [*boggles*]). you are an amazing thing and i'm downright bereft that i have yet to meet you. a force of nature you are and we all want a piece of you. amazingly, you seem to want to share yourself with all of us too. how brilliant is that?

someday soon i am going to hunt you down. [*cackles*]

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

happy belated birthday, btw [*headdesk*]

[who_la_hoop]

*offers belated birthday hugs*

(What is your second favourite way to die then, hmmm? Death by custard? :D)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Cheers dears!

(Chocolate. I nearly died of custard when I was hit in the head with a taxi then the face with a major thoroughfare in quick succession. Broke several face bones and was forced to live on soup and custard for a few weeks. After day nine, I hunted down a child and said "Do you like custard? Would you like two litres?"

Of course, the child looked at me, screamed, and ran away. So then I had to find a more gruesome child who would say "Wow, cool bruises!")