I owe so many things - like fics, reviews of fics, review replies to fics, any fic things I haven't covered but probably owe anyway, news posts and New Year greetings. The catch-up post will have to wait a little longer, but I have owed this birthday drabble to katyscarlett76 for far too long.

Title: A Very Proper Wife
Author: gilpin25
Rating: G
Format & Word Count: Drabble(ish), 200 words
Summary: It struck her then how unequal their knowledge of each other was.
Author's Notes: For the lovely katyscarlett76, who requested a Brandon/Marianne drabble, for the prompt dance. This is my first ever attempt at the world of Jane Austen and am not sure how I feel about the result, though the long sentences were at least familiar, lol. Feedback is always appreciated, if only to tell me to quit at one... ;)

( A Very Proper Wife )

Back soon, hopefully with another birthday fic if I can get it to behave.

to molly_coddles! Hope you've had/are having a great day.:D

Wishing one of my favourite people and LJ friends drumher A Very Happy Birthday!!!

I owe you thanks for so much, not least recently giving me a 'Brief Encounter' with a good-looking American through a Bat Bogey (will anyone else ever understand this sentence?), and giving me much pleasure with your art, cute cat pics and complete understanding of the joys of a black Quiksilver jumper in a large size. I hope you're having a really great day:D

I promised you a fic. There is one but not quite as promised as I know you're still working on A Little More Love so I've put that one on a rain or sun check, and I've had to rush the replacement today and it's still not tweaked or arranged in coherent sentences. It's also short, not very exciting (let me know when I've sold this to you), and I hope you'll forgive me if it doesn't appear until tomorrow because of all that and the fact that I've been stuck on the phone most of the night instead of doing the tweaking. But after mrstater's stickboobs anything else would be a total anti-climax, lol. So until tomorrow, apologies for tardiness and best wishes for the year ahead. I was going to say something about hopefully taking up your offer one day of board, lodging, cat entertainment and a US tour guide as well for free, but I don't want to ruin your birthday. So I'll go start to tweak instead. ;)

I'm slightly early for a Saturday birthday, but as I may not be around till very late on tomorrow - Many Happy Returns of the Day to the awesome hrymfaxe! I hope you have a great day, Marie, and I've really enjoyed getting to know you and the lovely art you draw this year.:D

I've posted a fic at gilpins_tales as a birthday gift. I seemed to have the Beatles stuck in my head, for some reason, when it came to chosing a title! ;) Hope you enjoy it.

Title: With a Little Help from My Friends
Genre: Humour; drama; a dash of romance
Ratings & Warnings: PG-13 (Mild swearing)
Word Count: 6985
Summary: There’s something the Marauders wouldn’t be caught dead reading in public, but in private it’s a very different matter. After all, it’s the only way to try and come to terms with the complex mysteries of the opposite sex. (Remus, Sirius, James, Peter and … R/T)
Author’s Note: This is a sort of prequel/outtake to a fic called The Measure of a Man, but should make sense on its own. It’s set in the sixth year. In it a reference was made to the above guilty secret of the Marauders; hrymfaxe and a couple of others rashly expressed a wish to read it and, as I rather fancied writing it, it’s now dedicated to her for her birthday with my best wishes.:D

bratanimus!

Please carry on writing some of my favourite ever R/T fics (and R/L;)), and hope you're having the Great Day you deserve.:D I want present details, day details, detailed details etc etc... ;)

...of the day to:

sea_thoughts!

May you have a great time and hope the year ahead means you get the opportunity to write more 'differences' for a certain couple. ;)

mrstater! Have A Wonderful Day!

Thank you for being such a wonderful friend. I thought long and hard about an appropriate Birthday quote and came up with this:

"When I left Queen's my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla." (Anne of Green Gables - L.M.Montgomery)



Picture found by me when procrastinating; words skilfully put there by the ever helpful and obliging ladybracknell.