I've Been Giggled and Butterfly Surgery

Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at 59th, where, I assume it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake - as almost all hats are. ~Nikolaus Laszlo, Nora Ephron, and Delia Ephron, You've Got Mail

I have always sort of hoped that I'd fly under Mrs. Giggles radar. "One Love for Liv" apparently did, but "Kitchen Matches" didn't manage the feat.

It got Giggled.

When the notification showed up in my inbox, I didn't want to click through... I was terrified. But, it's a little like a car accident, you just can't look away. So I clicked.

And?

And it wasn't as bad as I imagined it could be. Keep in mind -- I love this story. I don't know what it was about it that etched itself in my heart, but I couldn't let it go away.

It got a 78.

Here's the entire review. But, I'll share a couple bits from it, just because I can:

The good:

I find that the author has an easy sense of humor that works on me.

The bad:

I definitely believe that Cori can do so much better than the boring Micah.

The (surprisingly not very) ugly:

I like Ms Arkins' style, but this short story is a pretty so-so read.

Phew....

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On a side note, I rec'd my print galleys yesterday for "Liv". It's a little surreal. The official release date from Samhain says December 30th -- which is a sucky date, IMHO. Wish it was December 15th. I think I can get my author copies a little in advance though...

Oddly enough, BN says the release date is December 1st : One Love for Liv -- available for preorder from Barnes and Noble!

Hope they are right.

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We had much butterfly drama yesterday. Pete the pet pillar (who is now Petra) hatched and promptly fell off her chrysalis. She was one lucky pillar, tho, cuz DD happened to be staring at her when it happened and scooped her right up. Problem is, they have to hang upside down for their wings to form properly and Petra the PP wouldn't cling to our fingers! She fell off again and again. DD finally just held the bugger's legs while I went on the search for a stick with much texture.

That worked. She clung and hung and dripped red goo (someday I'll go see what that is). Finally she got squirmy, so I popped her back into the box and onto the netting until her wings appeared to be dry.

DD decided to release her outside, so out we went. Picked up the butterfly and she flapped and ... fell to the ground. All four wings were flapping separately ... I'd never seen that before.

I know that monarchs are pretty hardy so I had DD hold her by the legs and body while I looked. Turns out they were in the wrong order. The top wings are supposed to lay on top of the bottom ones. Maybe it happened when she fell the first time, when her wings were tiny, crumpled things?

There was nothing else but a little butterfly surgery to be done -- she had dislocated wings! With DD holding the critter by the legs, I tugged first one wing, and then the other, back into place. I don't think I've been so nervous in my life!

I am here to tell you: Monarchs have some TOUGH wings. I didn't even rub any feathers off. Still, I think she was traumatized. She didn't even want to try to fly, so she's back in the box, and will head out later today when it's warmer out.

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