C.E. Murphy's Blog, page 29

Agent Carter Kisses

I have, from time to time, made noises about how much I wanted the Agent Carter kit from Besame Cosmetics, all with a “maybe someday I can buy it” wist.

Well, some of my friends conspired and got it for me as a birthday gift! In fact, I got the package from the Lead Conspirator, my friend Mary Anne, and I thought “???” and turned it to see ‘cosmetics’ written on the customs form, and, as Young Indiana will attest, said, “Oh, she didn’t,” right out loud.

But she HAD! Along with two other frien...

hell hath no fury

Years ago, when Ted was at his last job, which was a 40 minute drive from home and which had an acre-wide open floor plan for its call centre, one of his coworkers, whom we’ll call Mike, LOVED my toffee. Loved it with a love beyond reason. (It’s as good as my fudge.)

One evening Mike frantically waved Ted down as Ted was heading out the door, already late bc he was always late, bc he couldn’t leave until his last agent was off their last phone call.

Ted, concerned that something was wrong, tr...

several THINGS

Thing One: Ruth Negga is performing the title role in Hamlet in Dublin this fall AND I HAVE TICKETS FOR OPENING NIGHT.

I am trying to convince myself I shouldn’t also buy tickets for closing night, to see how the performance has matured. I really want to. But they’re more expensive. :(

Indy said, “Tickets for HAMLET? Is that like HAMILTON!?!?!?!?!” and was very disappointed to hear that no, it was not, and also that it wasn’t appropriate for 8 year olds. :)

Thing Two: I got the return addres...

the to-do list goes ever on

I opened up Workflowy and Skedpal on Sunday and discovered, to my horror, that I hadn’t logged into Workflowy since FEBRUARY. That’s how far behind I am.

The good news was most of the February stuff was done…? :}

Anyway, I basically spent Monday afternoon doing triage and figuring out what needed to be done and when and trying to lay out a vaguely realistic schedule for the next couple months. Of course, some of the realism of it requires me getting up to work at 6am, and so far this week I h...

Going to Infinity War with my sister

8:30pm: the phone rings.

Deirdre: I’m thinking of spontaneously gong to the 9:30 showing of Avengers! Wanna go?

Me: that’s a terrible idea! It’s 2.5 hours long! It has 25 minutes of commercials! You have to stay through ALL the credits! I’ll meet you there!

Deirdre: *peals of laughter*

The movie begins. Doctor Strange comes on screen.

Deirdre (whispered): Who’s that?
Me: Doctor Strange. He’s the magical protector of Earth.
Deirdre: ‘k

Spider-Man comes on screen.

Deirdre: Who’s that?
Me: Spide...

i adulted again today

I made a list of three house things and three writing things I needed to do today, and then went and bought and assembled a cat tree, which was on neither of those lists. We hope the cat will use it. Mostly to pop her claws on (it’s got a great wide tall popping board, which was specifically why I got it: she has no use for small cat trees).

After that I thought I wouldn’t get anything done, but I finally dragged myself up to the bedroom, changed the sheets, and emptied two boxes like I put o...

trying to adult but it’s so hard

We’ve Finished Moving & Now I Will Focus On Fitness & Friendships: the (perennial) Catie Murphy Story

Step 1: I have to cook now bc Ted has a job again (*quiet,distant sobbing*), so I’ll follow in his footsteps over the past 8 months & do lots of vegetarian cooking

Step 2: Open His Cookbooks

Step 3: *sobbing intensifies*

Step 4: Wail to Ted that there are TOO MANY INGREDIENTS

Step 5: Wait for him to stop laughing bc it’s so true

Step 6: google ‘lazy vegetarian recipes’

Step 7: sob more

Step 8...

Moving 2018: Goodbye, Manor House

Things have not gone particularly right today.

Bank would not allow a standing order of sufficient magnitude to be set up online to pay rent. Went to bank.

Ran into friend on the way. Lovely to see her! 20 minute delay on way to bank.

Cannot set up standing order at bank kiosk either. Eyed customer service. Concluded they were the wrong people to talk to. Went to cashier.

Stood in line several minutes for cashier. Turns out I should have gone to customer service. Customer service helps me. ST...

Moving 2018: The Induction Conundrum

So Monday night (we have no internet access and won’t for another week, if we’re lucky; if we’re not lucky, it’ll be longer) I set forth to Make Dinner in the new house.

Except the stove wouldn’t work. Which was to say, it was obviously turning on and stuff, but not heating up. And that was how we discovered induction cook tops require pots with a certain iron content, which ours lacked.

Tuesday, Indy and I marched all over hell and breakfast looking at induction-compatible cookware, much of...

we’ve moved house!!

HI EVERYBODY EVERYTHING IS INSANE WE’RE MOVING AND AAAAGH IT’S ALL GOING BADLY!

So my husband got a new job in Dublin (yay!) and we found a house to move in to (yay!) and, uh, the moveing van was only big enough to take HALF our stuff (boo!) and we can’t afford to rent another one and so I’m running a nutzoid, “pay what you can, throw it in the hat, in time there will be A NOVEL TO THANK YOU” kind of paypal-based fundraiser thing to try to help cover moving costs.

I’ll be writing a sequel to...