It is 30 degrees F outside. The poolhouse is heated but the water temp is only 79 degrees F. I have four more hours of swimming to go.

So why is it now that my writing mojo (which I swore I would never, ever refer to as a muse until it disappeared on me recently) has decided to completely by-pass the WIP I've been struggling with and present me with a delicious little addition to the Cabin series with a Christmas theme, complete with scenes and dialog and Christmassy team goodness? When I cannot possibly work on it for at least 48 hours!

Will the magic still be there then? Stay tuned to find out...

And yes. I am bored. And very, very cold.

Addendum: I just got home after a very long and cold day (though a little heartwarming in that a client said it did her heart good to see her dog swim--it made her feel like she was doing something to help him). It never got above 32 degrees, even though the forecast was for 40. My fingers are like little popsicles and I've been eating dry cereal by the fistfuls on the way home from the grocery store--yes, I am that hungry!

And what do I find waiting for me on LJ? Snowflake cookies from equusentric and lavvyan ! Which will go perfectly with the cup of hot cocoa I'm about to make for myself. You guys are just too much! *smishes everyone I know in a burst of holiday feeling*

Why oh why do so many of my LJ friends have birthdays at this time of year?  :-)  I wanted so very much to post something for each and every one of you, but am so far behind now that I fear I will never catch up.  So I am making this a blanket birthday post for the three most recent birthdays that I have already or almost missed: zinfic , neevebrody and bluespirit_star .

You guys (as well as everyone else on my f-list) have greatly enriched my LJ experience and my life. You've been wonderfully supportive and you are all extremely talented.  I wanted so much to provide each of you with an individual gift, but the older I get the more I come to the realization that if you don't have time to make homemade cookies, stop by the bakery and buy some.

Well, I didn't 'buy' this ficlet, but I am asking you to share.  :-)  I hope you all had wonderful birthdays and are looking forward to the upcoming year.

It's not much *places cookies on a dish to pretend they're homemade*, but I hope you like it!

Story title: Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
Part of the Cabin Series
pairing: McShep
rating: R
word count: 1,188
Summary: Rodney was determined to win this argument, but John was terribly...persuasive...when he wanted to be.

So I was over at melagan 's BJ Fridays and the prompt for this week was 'Baby, it's cold out there' and other weather related/inspired BJs.  OMG.  That just pings all the right buttons for me.  But what I had in mind grew beyond all belief (no, really?) and so I'm posting it here instead of as a comment there.

It ended up being a ficlet in the Cabin Series.  It takes place between the first story in the series, Exile and the second, Reinstatement.  It helps if you've at least read Exile first.  If you're not familiar with the Cabin series, it started out as a birthday gift for the_cephalopod that included some meta-rant at the cancellation news of SGA last year.  And then it grew from there.  There are something like 6 or 7 pieces now, and the series has been nominated for the 2008 McShep awards.  I've contributed to the series several times since the nominations were closed, so if you are at the awards perusing stories, please keep in mind that only the first 5 are actually up for consideration.  :-)

A special hug to vida_boheme today, who is feeling under the weather and could probably use a little porny PWP with elements of comfort as well.

The entire series takes place after the last episode, the pairing is McShep and the rating is NC-17.

I can't believe it's been a year since the cancellation news of SGA and the various reasons I was motivated to pen the first in the Cabin Series, Exile. 

I posted that story as a birthday ficlet for the_cephalopod, not realizing that it would spawn an entire series of stories!  Once again, it is Cep's b--day.  I wanted to have a fic for her ready to post, but sadly I only have this snippet so far.  Consider it a teaser with more to come (eventually).  Happy birthday, Cep!  And happy birthday in advance (9/19) to mary_russellas well.  You guys make me smile!

What follows is a G rated ficlet entitled Paradise Found.  It's McShep and the latest in the Cabin series. And at the moment, unbeta'd and incomplete.
EDIT: I added a small addition after I posted this--the perfect solution to Rodney's fears having come to me during the night.  Hope you all enjoy!

I started this a while back--it was intended to be a 'feel-good' fic for vida_boheme , who was going through a rough time.

Sadly, what was supposed to be a light little addition to the Cabin series, developed a mind of its own.  It did not want to be all lighthearted.  It wanted to take the Cabin series in a new direction.  It *kicked* my ass.  I had other fics I needed to be working on and this one *ate* all my time.  And then had the nerve not to be the light-hearted gift I meant for it to be.

Not to mention that the original reason for writing it had long passed, though I'm sure anyone could use a pick-me-up fic at any time.  Only problem is that I'm not sure that is what it is anymore.  *sigh*

At any rate, it is an addition to the Cabin series, so it probably would make more sense if you've read at least Small Sacrifices and Saving the Universe first.  If you've read any Cabin fic then you know it was my way of dealing with the cancellation of SGA and the announcement that MGM was launching SGU in its place.  The Cabin stories usually contain a Rodney meta-rant at the PTB at some point in the story.  Snide commentary takes a bit of a back seat here as the series moves forth in a new direction.  I hope you enjoy it.  (Honestly, I think the only reason I continue it is because it is the only set of stories in which I depict Rodney and John in an established relationship, which allows for a different scope of story-telling from time to time)

EDIT: in all the story posting trauma (this is the second time LJ has scrambled sections of a story that I've posted), I forgot to thank the_cephalopod  for the excellent beta job--not only did she correct my tenses and hold my hand but she also suggested a plot point that really did add to the story overall.  Thank you, thank you!

Author: sgamadison
Title: Repatriation
paring: McShep
rating: NC-17 (to be safe)
spoilers: through season 5 and beyond
summary:  Snide commentary takes a back seat as the crew of the Fortune head off a new direction.
warnings:  Things look really bad there for a moment.  Really, really bad.  But this is *me* we're talking about here, so even though it looks bad, you can be pretty sure it will turn out alright in the end.
disclaimer: Not mine. As if. I wish.

( Repatriation part one )

 

 

Title: Saving the Universe

Author: sgamadison

Pairing: McShep

Rating: NC-17
Word count: 6400
Summary: Rodney wasn't very good at this whole relationship thing

Spoilers: takes place sometime after the end of season five and before the launch of SGU

Warnings: a lightweight story masking snide commentary

 

A/N: This is another in the Cabin series, during which I take more pot shots at the series Stargate Universe via a Rodney rant. No, SGU has not aired yet; I am being snotty solely based on the impressions I’ve received from press releases and statements made by TPTB. 

 

While the Cabin series is a set of stories, it is not necessary to have read all the stories in the series first—however, this story might make more sense if you read Small Sacrifices , as some events in that story are relevant to this one.
Much thanks to

the_cephalopod</lj>

 for her excellent combination job of serving as beta while hand-holding!
 

 

Because the Cabin series is currently nominated for the 2008 McShep Awards, I am not linking this story to that archive until the voting has closed.

 

( Saving the Universe )

I was working on another in the Cabin series when I realized 48 hours ago that it would be a perfect gift to the incomparable bluespirit_star  for her birthday today!  So I rushed to finish, only to have the characters and story itself take an unexpected turn and go off in wild directions on its own.

Apparently, Fortune favors the bold.

Anyway, here is a little McShep R-rated ficlet along with more snide commentary on TPTB and their ridiculous ideas as to what their viewers want.  Oh wait, that's right, I forgot.  They aren't interested in what I want.

The first two stories in the Cabin Series are Exile and Reinstatement.

Have a great birthday, bluespirit_star  and I hope you have a great holiday next week as well!  This Cabin series owes much to your Beach House Series!

(Much thanks to the_cephalopod  for giving me an overnight beta!)

( Small Sacrifices )

LJ assures me that the posting problem I've been having should resolve with their latest upgrade.  Never mind that it took them weeks to get back to me on that...but regardless, I am crossing fingers and toes that today's post will go through without incident.

It's McShep, it's a sequel to "Exile". It would probably make more sense if you read that one first.  It's also NC-17 and about ~5,000 words. *smirk*  The Cabin series owes part of its inspiration to bluespirit_star 's lovely beach house series, for depicting the boys in such a sweet state of retirement.

the_cephalopod did a quick and dirty beta job *from the airport no less* while waiting for a delayed flight.  She's an angel!  I dedicate this fic to her since the orginal was a birthday fic for her as well.  Good luck on your venture, honey!  You'll do *great*.

EDIT: Eureka!  The LJ cut option WORKED!  *glee*!

( Read Reinstatement here )

I penned a little ficlet for the_cephalopod, whose birthday is TOMORROW. I was going to wait and post it after midnight tonight, so she could find it first thing in the morning, but my schedule is scary-crazy for the next few days and I think it would be best (given my current LJ problems) if I posted it now and made sure all the bugs were out while I have the time to fix them. :-)

You will have to blame the premise on the fact that I've been watching Teh Hewlett in "Ice Men" as well as season one of Due South. :-) And because I'm still grousing internally over the cancellation of *my* show. I gotta add too that in part, the sense of peace and togetherness the boys achieve was inspired by bluespirit_star's series of beach house stories, which depict the boys in a lovely state of retirement. This story is McShep and NC-17.

This is for you, Cep! I hope you you enjoy this little offering and that you have the best b-day ever. You deserve it!

( Read Exile here )