I'm currently on on a let's-lose-weight vacation with my mother (said activity takes place within Franconia, but not in my hometown), and in between dieting and doing more sports than I did for eons, I can't get online that often. Also the internet connection is shaky, so apologies in advance for any late replies.

Hastily browsing the net this evening, I noticed someone did a pod fic version of Smoking on the bus, which aside from being a great X-Men story from back in the day (i.e. it's partially AUd now, but still very much worth reading/listening too, taking place post X2 on the one hand (mainly Xavier and Rogue interaction) and in flashbacks during early days for Charles and Erik on the other) is also a great case of nostalgia for me, since I remember writing feedback for this story and thus "encountering" artaxastra for the first time. As it turns out, we shared several fandoms and a passion for history. (Still do.) Also, she's one of the kindest person on the net and without fanfiction, we'd have never known each other, so there you are.

Also noted in haste: there is a Tumblr devoted to Martha the sheepdog now, which in addition to posting photos also has some great art, like
this one, and and this priceless bit, but my absolute favourite is one linked from another blog, to wit, this drawing (since I always knew Martha was a secret superhero and John's expression cracks me up).

Your daily dose of pre-Christmas sentimentality comes in the form of a pic spam around the theme of Beatles, children and an adorable dog (because Martha witnessed it all).

Firstly, other than the final rooftop concert, the one sequence in Let it Be which is decidedly on a light note instead of falling apart gloom is when Paul's soon-to-be-adopted daughter Heather shows up one day during the sessions and has adorable interaction with all four Beatles.

( Proof )

Secondly, there's the White-Album-immortalized Martha. Who other than inspiring a song also is the only pet to keep showing up in group shots of the Beatles, from the highlights Sgt. Pepper to the very last one in the summer of 1969 at John's estate, Tittenhurst Park. Given that Virginia Woolf once wrote from Elizabeth Barret-Browning's dog's pov, and Marilyn Monroe's pet Maf has now his very own novel, I'm surprised nobody ever got the scoop from Martha.

( Check out the opportunities! )

And now for random awww-inducing pics.

( Are these men kissing? )