Clock of the Hurt

Remember that clock in Molly Weasley's kitchen that has a hand for each member of the family, and spots around the dial marked "At Work", "Travelling", "Home", "Mortal Peril", that kind of thing? Well, this morning while driving the kids to Grandma's I was suddenly beset by an image of Maud having a clock like that in her kitchen, with just one hand for Snape, and the spots marked "Peril", "Extreme Peril", "Mortal Peril", and "Just Having a Bit of an Off Day".

Hee.

REC: "The Perilous Point" by Natasha S.

Those in search of clever, witty, literate mid-length Snapefics with solid characterization, a dash of romance, some intriguing new concepts (as well as a fresh take on some old ones), and a satisfactory resolution, should definitely take a look at Natasha's two stories about Charms professor-in-training Cassiopeia Clemmens, Here Then at Home and The Perilous Point, now complete. If I'd been able to write half this well at fifteen, I can't imagine where I'd be as a writer now...

And once you're finished reading them, do leave a review, won't you? With so much dreck out there, good writing -- especially from such a young author -- deserves encouragement.

This and That

Thanks again to Tiffany for leading me to This or That, which not only provides a nice substitute for last week's missing Friday Five, but gives me a wonderful excuse not to write anything of substance:

1. Fast-food or regular (sit-down) restaurant?
Sit-down greatly preferred, although every now and then I have a craving for fast-food (I'm still bemoaning the loss of our local Harvey's -- nobody else makes real hamburgers in this town).

2. If or when you go to fast-food places...drive-through or walk in?
If it's just me, walk in. If I'm with Hubby, drive-through.

3. Any restaurant food...eat in or take out?
Both, depending on occasion. I prefer to eat in, though. I figure, if you're going to eat somebody else's food, why not do it at their place, enjoy the change of scenery, and let them handle the cleanup?

4. You are at a restaurant and are too full to finish your meal. Do you leave it, or ask to have it wrapped up to go?
Oh, definitely the doggy bag. I hate wasting good food, especially dessert. But I'm not going to stuff myself if I'm already full, so I'd rather come back to it another day.

5. Where does most of your food come from...restaurants or the grocery store?
Grocery store. We go out to a restaurant maybe once every two months -- once a month at most. Besides, I like cooking.

6. Do you shop for food at a supermarket or a convenience store?
Definitely supermarket. Thanks to my mother, I am an inveterate bargain-shopper. I refuse to be fleeced by Joe-on-the-Corner, or even to shop regularly at one of the high-end grocery stories. It's Food Basics for me, even though it means not always being able to find everything I want, and having to bag my own.

7. You have 13 items in your cart. Do you try to go through the *12 Items of Less* express line or grit your teeth and get into the regular line?
Depends. How long is the regular line? No, seriously, I probably wouldn't even count, and would go to the regular line automatically.

8. If you shop at a store that has them, do you use the regular or self-scan checkouts?
Depends on which one looks like it's going to be fastest. Usually it's self-scan, though, because I like to play with the scanner.

9. Paper or plastic - Part One...what kind of bags do you take?
Don't have a choice at any of my local grocery stores. I buy the plastic bags at cost from Food Basics. Then they pile up in my closet and overflow their box, because I never remember to re-use them.

10. Paper or plastic - Part Two...which payment method do you use when buying food?
Plastic, almost inevitably. I never carry that much cash.