Therealsnape

Our Dear Friend lash_larue ...

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 15:47:50 GMT

Dear Friends,
After my previous post of January 26, I’ve been in regular contact with Lash’s wife. She has read all your messages to Lash, who was very touched and very happy to know so many people cared about her.

But over the next week, Lash’s situation grew steadily worse. The drastic measure of intubation was taken, and she was kept sedated. Then it became a roller coaster of first doing better, with higher oxygen levels, and then doing worse again, with a fever and a new course of antibiotics.

And now the unthinkable has happened. Our dear friend lash_larue passed away on Tuesday afternoon. P was with her, and the end was very peaceful.

Lash was one of the most extraordinary people I have ever come across, and I consider myself very fortunate to have met her both on LJ and in real life. As I reflect on our times together, I remember her wicked sense of humour, and her uncanny ability to tell a funny story against herself. Lash’s Helpful Household Hints were the stuff of legend. As were her tales of the outrageous things she got up to.

While we were staying at Crone Manor, those stories got even better in telling than they were in writing. Especially when Lash and her soul-sister redbeargrl remembered their youthful exploits. We relative youngsters sat at their feet in awe and we learned and listened, smiling.
I particularly recall the story that combined magnesium and gasoline, and most of us still listened smiling, except for albalark, our resident scientist, who listened with a look of absolute horror.

So here is another Helpful Household Hint: Do not mix these ingredients and then set fire to them..

Everyone who was at one of the two Crone Manors in person will recall those halcyon days and will have memories that will last a lifetime, and Lash was the one who made it all happen. She prepared everything, organized everything, took care of everything and was everywhere at all times to look after our comfort, to the point where we had to use physical force to make her sit down, relax, and enjoy the moment.

And in the world of LJ/DW, too, Lash was a friend extra-ordinaire. She was interested in everything we did and always left a comment to our posts. Frequently, hers was the first comment to appear. She sent supportive messages and her loving presence did so much to turn our LJ circle from a group of assorted Potter fans into a true online family.

Lash was also an extra-ordinary writer. She could do every genre. She wrote light-hearted femslash, but she was also a leading light in the Old Lady Smut Brigade. And she wrote a Fenrir Greyback story that managed to show his human side without excusing him, a feat I’ve never seen repeated.

Was there anything that Lash couldn’t write? We never got the chance to find out. She was game for every challenge. Someone mentioned femslash between two pianos once (believe me, there was a reason) and Lash delivered. She even managed a Dolores Umbridge/Percy Weasley story, and if you haven’t heard Lash doing Umbridge’s voice on a balmy Florida evening at Crone Manor, you haven’t lived.

With her unfailing loyalty, support and kindness, she was a moderator’s dream. In the fourteen years of hoggywartyxmas she took part in every edition, commented to every single entry, beta’ed countless stories, and was the life and soul of the Grand Opening.

It was only occasionally that we got glimpses of just how much our little circle meant to her. Lash’s path through life was not always an easy one. Her greatest source of happiness was, first and foremost, her beloved P, who was her sun, her moon, and her bedrock, too. But for Lash, our LJ circle was a source of profound happiness as well, a safe space, a refuge where she could be exactly who she was, and where – she never stopped to marvel at it – she was loved exactly as she was.

The Crone Manors made that beloved, safe space a living reality, and they meant the world to her, as did all of her LJ/DW friends.

I’m so glad she heard all of our messages and knew she meant the world to us, too. I will always remember her friendship, her sense of humour, her warmth and love.

Perhaps the final lash_larue Helpful Household Hint should be:

Whenever we are in trouble, whenever bad things happen to us, let us remember our friend and think, ‘How would Lash respond to this?”

A great light has gone from our world, but as long as people are remembered, they are not truly gone. Let us all keep Lash alive in our memories, and remember our wonderful friend.

Any memories, messages, or thoughts you wish to share will be passed on to P. I know from personal experience the comfort such messages can bring.
>.

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Language Geeks, Unite!

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 12:02:31 GMT

This is your chance to do your bit for the Greater Good today.

In a few weeks, I have to teach my teacher training course in English, for a school that offers bilingual education (meaning the majority of the lessons is taught in English).

I'm now busy translating my course material into English, as the teachers who work there aren't fluent enough in Dutch to follow a Dutch training.

I need a good word for stappenplan. The stappenplan is the very foundation on which our didactical approach is based, so it is rather important to get it right.

This is how a stappenplan works:

You have this particular type of exam question that you need to answer. This is your plan, your approach:

step 1: Do this.
step 2: Do this.
step 3: Do this.

Thus we break down the process of finding the right answer into easy, clear, precise steps (stappen) that our students must follow. Hence the word stappen-plan. The idea is that for every exam question they have a clear plan of approach: the thing to do is to follow step 1, step 2, etc.

Any suggestions for stappenplan? The current suggestion is 'step by step plan'. The word 'approach' was suggested, but given the fact that the students are Dutch, we'd like to keep the word 'plan', since that is also used in Dutch.

My second question: do you have one word (verb) for 'surreptitiously telling a fellow classmate the correct answer'?

As in, Harry doesn't know what to give a person in case of poisoning. Hermione does, and softly whispers "Bezoar, Bezoar" in the hope that Snape will not hear this but Harry will.

We have one word for this, and I use it frequently. Is there one in English?

Thanks a million, dear flist, for your input!

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Merry Christmas to Everyone!

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 08:26:29 GMT

Here's a Christmassy image by one of my favourite Dutch artists, Anton Pieck. The lines in his work remind me of the curlicues in mywitch's beautiful medieval border (see yesterday's ravings about my 25 Days of Christmas gift. Taking into account how many drawings this man produced in his lifetime, each so very detailed, in a time-consuming ink and watercolour process, he must have worked like a medieval monk. All day long, and just as carefully.

I think it's ink and watercolour, by the way. That's what sigune used for Rejoicing in the Greenhouse. One sees the same curly lines, and I referred to Pieck in my mails. Sigune knew all about him and confirmed the influence. And she did her beautiful piece in ink and watercolour.

Also, this is a drawing of the artist at work! Tip o'the wand to those generous and talented artists who work in the Potter fandom.

*both on LJ and DW*

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The Most Wonderful Thing in the World

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 16:10:35 GMT

I'm the happiest fangirl alive. The fabulous mywitch, who is doing her 25 Days of Christmas at the moment, has gifted me with the most fabulous art possible.

I'd suggested an illustration for what I think, in my heart of hearts, is the best story I've ever written, Above, Beneath, Betwixt, Between, the history of Cuthbert Binns and Helena Ravenclaw.

You must all go and look! mywitch has taken the bits about Helena wishing to be an illuminatrix, and admiring the Limbourg Brothers, and she has turned it into the most perfect illumination for the story I could wish.

I'm so incredibly happy with this gift. You'll find it here.

*hopping around in happy dances both on DW and LJ*

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Fri, 08 Jul 2022 06:20:38 GMT

Facebook suddenly showed this on my feed, saying they thought I would enjoy it. Which I certainly did.

Good thing there are so many book-related things on my facebook page. They are usually good for a couple of smiles a day, but this little gem I wanted to share.

*in a world where everything moves some things still have to be hand-copied to LJ*

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Happy Birthday, dear minervas_eule!

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 07:18:56 GMT

What's happening? What?

What??

A party?

Where's the party? Get us to that party!

It's minervas_eule's birthday!

Many happy returns from all of us, and have a wonderful day!

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Happy Birthday, dear magnetic_pole!

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 13:43:49 GMT

The happiest of birthdays, dear magnetic_pole. I hope you'll have a lovely day with the Better Half.

Now that you haven't had your fair share of travels and interesting architecture all over the world this year, I thought you might like a few pictures Lord S took in Beijing. Had you gone there, I'm sure you would have checked out this building, too.

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Today Is A Good Day!!!

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 18:25:46 GMT

I'm just so happy! Off to have a glass of bubbly with my dinner.

Wonderful news.

I'm so happy for my USA friends, and so happy for us in Europe, too.

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Shaken, Not Stirred

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 18:10:25 GMT

Sad tidings: Sean Connery has passed away.

This does feel a bit like the end of an era. There are quite a few films, the Indiana Jones one among them, that were worth watching just because he was in it - only because he was in it, even, as far as I'm concerned.

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Happy Birthday, dear Tetley!

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 09:03:03 GMT

Here's a little flower tribute from the Lowlands, and I hope that the Lady Travellers will soon be able to return for things like windmills, tulips, and rice tables!

Have a wonderful day,
Hugs,
TRS

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Happy Birthday, dear minervas_eule!

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 08:15:50 GMT

Have a wonderful day, dear Minnie, and I hope the coming year will be a better one with less boredom. And, who knows, perhaps a year in which we can both make a new collection of birthday pics!

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Feeling lonely and isolated? Come to the Covid Coffee Corner !

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 15:23:53 GMT

Everyone, gather together. The lovely magnetic_pole and I were talking on my DW/LJ about missing our friends and what to do about it, I mentioned a friend in the same neighbourhood and I have a daily Covid Coffee Corner, and she said, "Let's do this online."

Great idea.

So now the comm is up, and everyone who wants to join can do so. It's on DW. If you neither have nor want a DW account, you can probably still comment anonymously. In that case, please do sign your comment with your LJ name so that we know who you are.

There will be a post at least once a day, made by various volunteers. You can sign up for a post, or just join in the commenting and conversations.

It's certainly a time when we should all stick together and keep in touch with one another.

And, it'll be great fun.

So come all and join the group at covidcoffeecorner. For LJ users, the ink is HERE

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Happy Birthday, dear magnetic_pole!

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 14:51:57 GMT

Dear Maggie,

The happiest of birthdays to you! Here's a picture of a geyser at Yellowstone Park - not a building this time, but I thought you might like it. It was one of Lord S's favourites.

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Happy Birthday, dear Tetley!

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 13:22:07 GMT

Dear Tetley,

Sadly, the Keukenhof didn't have a display that incorporated poffertjes. Still, I hope you'll enjoy this excessively Dutch picture.

Have the most wonderful of birthdays!

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Internet problems

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 06:17:15 GMT

We have internet problems at Spinner's End. Posting, commenting, and reading mail will all be irregular. Whenever I get the chance, basically.

They may even be serious internet problems, and we already have a serious maintenance problem with the shower.

Very unfunny, all of it. But there it is. And in the great scheme of things, these are luxury problems, I know. But still seriously unfunny.

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Fly By Rec

Thu, 16 May 2019 06:27:03 GMT

There's a delightful art up at femmefest, showing scenes in the lives of Minerva and Rolanda.

So glad to see the OLSB isn't quite dead yet! Hop over and see - there's much to enjoy.

A New Kittyhawk Work!

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update

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 19:23:14 GMT

For those who don't have access to French newsstreams: the reason they don't use firefighting helicopters is that the jets of water from a helicopter are that strong you can't use them on such an old building. The structure would not survive.

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NOOO!

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 17:59:04 GMT

Notre Dame de Paris is on fire! The images are so devastating. This masterpiece will be lost. I can't believe it. I can't believe what I'm seeing.

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Happy Birthday Dear Shadowycat!

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 16:46:52 GMT

This is not a Van Gogh.

It is, however, a bunch of flowers straight from the Low Lands, to celebrate your birthday. Have a wonderful day, my dear! shadowycat.

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Quick Rec

Mon, 03 Dec 2018 08:33:36 GMT

The ever-productive mywitch (I don't know how she does it!) has started her 25 days of drawing over at LJ.

Each day there is a lovely Christmassy drawing. Here's the one of the living nativity scene at Hogwarts - Albus thought it was a lovely idea and made sure everyone joined in. The staff has their own opinions.

Nativity Scene

mywitch's 25 days of Christmas are the best advent calendar ever, in my humble opinion. Go and give yourself a daily treat.

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Happy Birthday, dear Magnetic_Pole!

Fri, 23 Nov 2018 09:54:22 GMT

Dear Maggie,

Last year's birthday card worked wonderfully well: you saw it and a few months later you came to visit. A result above and beyond expectations.

I couldn't find a building quite as spectacular, but I hope this take on the delights of Spinner's End in winter may tempt you some day. We could see this view from my regular watering hole - the one with the Rembrandt on the back wall - and then we'd stroll over the market and have all kinds of wintery fun!

Have a lovely day with the better half and a hug from both of us!

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Happy Birthday Tomorrow, Dear Tetley

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 14:14:04 GMT

You'll get your birthday wishes one day early, for tomorrow I have a training course with long hours traveling, and I'm afraid I might forget it once I'm home.

( Here's a Dutch take on Schubert )

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Happy (belated) birthday, dear dreamy_dragon73!

Tue, 08 May 2018 06:08:46 GMT

The post was here yesterday, but I forgot to fill in the header. Sorry, my dear.

The happiest of birthdays to you! Norbert joins me in wishing you the happiest of days. (The cake is from Madam Puddifoot, btw, not made by Hagrid).

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For Shadowycat from Horace

Sun, 11 Mar 2018 13:46:04 GMT

Dear Shadowycat,

My warmest congratulations on this, your birthday! May the new year be filled with laughter and sunshine.

And perhaps this little gift of mine will be a first step towards laughter, or at least a wry chuckle ...

It's not much of a story. It all started back in September, when TRS approached me, all starry-eyed enthusiasm, with a request to use my correspondance in a story for you.

Of course I acquiesced. I like that little Christmas do of hers, and one always tries to contribute. And I also thought it would not be a bad thing if you were to think of me a bit more - Minerva and Severus may be famous war heroes, but there are more stories to tell, and, perhaps, pictures to show.

You'll forgive an old man his vanity, I'm sure.

But alas, the story was beyond TRS's meagre talents, and she, too, ended up scribbling about what we oldsters begin to call The Golden Duo.

For your birthday, I've selected some of those letters I gave TRS. Together, they offer a little vignette - it really isn't much more than that, but one hopes to please, regardless - of a small yet not quite insignificant thread in the grand tapestry of Hogywarts' History.

Enjoy, my dear Shadowycat, have a wonderful birthday and a wonderful year! TRS joins me in the congratulations, of course.

Yours most fondly,
Horace Slughorn

Title: How Gilderoy Got Hired
Summary: assorted correspondance of Horace Slughorn, edited by TRS and properly edited by kellychambliss, who did a brilliant job. All remaining flaws are TRS's. What can one say? The poor thing really tried.

Below the cut you'll also find the wonderful illustration shadowycat did for this story.

( How Gilderoy Got Hired )

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Snowflake Challenge, Day 4, 5, 6

Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:18:27 GMT

Day 4
In your own space, create a fannish wishlist. No limits on size or type of fanwork; just tell us what you’d like to see.

I would really love to see a next installment of the Adela series by kellychambliss. There is this hint that Adela, Pop, and Dad may visit Hogsmeade and that story so needs to be written.

Kindly do not procrastinate over this one, Kelly. It's my only fannish wish. Surely you won't deny me my only fannish wish?

Switching the topic completely, I just might run Hoggywarty the 9th, and then I hope that everyone will be as lovely and cooperative and generous as they were this year. But that's not really a wish, because all the Hoggywartians are great; they'd do that anyhow.

Day 5
Recommend a fannish or creative resource.

My favourite source for fanfic research is still the Harry Potter Lexicon. I use it all the time when writing fic.

Day 6
Leave feedback for a fanwork. Or multiple fanworks.

I just commented to all the Hoggywarty entries, does that count?

Day 7
In your own space, create a love meme for yourself. Let people tell you how amazing and awesome and loveable you really are.

This sounds like the 'applause for yourself' so beloved by Dutch motivational speakers - and perhaps the contagion has spread worldwide. Ridiculous. But I have sworn to do all days of Snowflake, so there you are.

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