I'm being held up as a bad example! Yay!

Family gathering for one of the uncles' 50ths. Plus the in-a-few-days 15th of a cousin.

Fairly pleasant, lots of relatives by marriage I'd never met, other family, talking, food, etc. (including three types of jelly and a bunch of marshmallows from hallowe'en.) Also fireworks.

Anyhoo, the 15 year old has got to that stage of trying out different stuff and having arguments with her mother. This includes wanting to dye her hair black, which the mother is dead set against. (she's planning to go emo. I told her that she would be mocked for this, and tried to encourage her to incorporate some Sparkly!Goth into it.) We all reckon she's going to do it anyway sooner or later and mummy will just have to accept it. The conversation also incorporated piercings that she is SO NOT being allowed until she's older, and *definitely* not tattoos. And then the words 'like Heather' were included. Along with disapproving looks. I enquired whether I was being held up as a bad example that she should not aspire to, and was informed that I definitely was and that Leonora should *not* be attempting to emulate me in any way when it came to body modification.

I find this somewhat amusing, having always pretty much been the quiet, mild child - no acting out, no staying out late, etc... just happened to acquire the rep as the weird member of the family due to the tats and piercings and the predilection for sci-fi geekery.

I'm so proud. And Leonora gleefully informed me of an interesting way of gauging whether or not to get something done - ring up, tell them you've had it done, then check how bad their reaction is before deciding whether to go ahead with it.

Had utter drought when I got home re: writing, then it flowed. *Just* ahead of the day-count, but it's getting done and the next bit is vaguely planned out.

we're in it for the pyromania

Sometimes I love being British. We have a non-religious celebration that though it was originally a politically-mandated thing, we kept *way* past its expiry date (we did cut his son's head off) for the completely self-interested reason of 'we like setting things on fire and blowing stuff up. nyaaaah.'

I just want to be there when the anthropologists start trying to pontificate on the fact that it's clearly close to the equinox, so of course must be a 'bringing in the light and warmth as the winter starts to kick in' (I've yet to see a *warm* November the 5th. Even when it's like this weekend where it's been ridiculously warm, everyone was bundled up in coats and scarves this morning.) While all the island dwellers stare at them whilst licking their toffee apples and going 'noooo, we just like setting stuff on fire and going 'ooooo' at the big bangs'. Seriously. According to the parentals, Hallowe'en nearly died out in their youth, but everyone was very happy to set stuff on fire a few days later.

So yes, happy Burn the Catholics/Terrorists day. We're in it for the pyromania. And the half raw half burnt sausages in a bun. Also the sparklers. We get very pouty if there are no sparklers.

Poking the nano.

Also, Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker! is visiting Wimbledon in the first week or so of February. How many tickets do I need to book for?