I finally have this all typed in and can share it! I hope you enjoy it. *g*


Title: Mission: Retrieve Coulson Redux
Author: Spikedluv
Fandom: Murder, She Wrote (tv)/The Avengers (2012)
Rating: PG13/Gen(/Het/Slash)
Pairing/Characters: Jessica Fletcher & the Avengers (Cameo by Michael Hagarty; appearances by Pepper, Nick Fury and Maria Hill; background Clint/Coulson and Tony/Pepper)
Length: 13,760 words
Spoilers: Complete AU for Murder, She Wrote; takes place post-The Avengers.
Summary: Steve Rogers is pulled out of the ice and aliens attack Manhattan. And Jessica’s nephew, fellow agent of SHIELD Philip J. Coulson, is killed by Loki. Or is he?
Author’s Notes: Team fic. Tower fic. Fix-it fic. This fic is part of my Jessica Fletcher, Agent of SHIELD series and takes place several years after Mission: Retrieve Coulson.
Feedback: Would be greatly appreciated.
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me.
Posted: August 23, 2025

Read Fic @ AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/69680196

I hit Price Chopper and the Pharmacy while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. I also went to the lab for blood work as I have an appointment with my PCP next week.

I did a load of laundry (washed, dried AND folded), hand-washed dishes, took Grant for a short walk, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, paid some bills online, placed an online order, hard boiled some eggs, and showered.

I also went for a walk with Pip and the dogs when he got home. I'm trying to get more walks in because I've been slacking even though I haven't been spending entire days with mom. Today I managed just over a mile, so I'm hoping to increase that before winter hits and my walks also take a hit. o_O

We had BBQ chicken quarters for dinner! This time I picked them up. I made sure it was okay with Pip to have it again and he agreed. I like chicken and I'm happy to not have to cook, so win-win for me! *g*

I visited mom, read more in Hatshepsut, and watched some HGTV programs.

Temps started out at 48.9(F) and reached 82.3. It turned out so nice!! However, the TWC app is calling for ~80 today and tomorrow, then mid-70s for two days, then mid-60s for two days, then temps in the 70s, slowly moving from 71 to 78. Except for two days when the overnight low will reach 60, it will be ~50. I don’t like this. (TBF, I love the temps of fall, but not at the expense of summer, and also, I’m sorry fall, but you get a bad rap because you lead right into winter.)


Mom Update:

Mom did not feel well at all today. ( more back here, including the mention of vomiting, though no details )

I managed a no-shopping day, but I did get in a walk around the park while I was downtown. I visited my aunt, hand-washed dishes, went on a couple short walks with the dog/s, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, placed an online order, and scooped kitty litter.

I visited mom, read more in Hatshepsut (and a little in the Kindle fantasy I’m re-reading), watched some HGTV programs, and typed in the last of my fic, another ~3,100 words! I apparently underestimated that pretty badly. o_O

Temps started out at 54.5(F). I didn’t realize it was misty until I left the house. Also foggy. And still so dark out. I’m already hating how it’s darker in the mornings, and it’s only August! It was only 59 when I got home mid-morning and it seemed like there was no way it was going to reach the forecasted 70. But it did! It warmed up, the sun came out, there was a nice breeze. Perfect! Temps reached 73.6.


Mom Update:

Mom was still very weak, but was doing better. ( more back here )

Blackberries! I think it's cool that you can see the entire progression here, from green to red to black.




( 15 more back here )

Between Midnight and my bladder, I was up before 4am this morning, over an hour before the alarm went off. The original plan was to go back to bed, but I didn’t think I’d get back to sleep so I just stayed up and fed the cat. (So if you saw an early post and/or comments from me, that’s why.)

I had chiropractic and dental appointments this morning. I hit the Pharmacy while I was downtown, but decided not to walk around the park in the rain. Because I might melt. *g*

I did two loads of laundry (both washed, dried AND folded!), hand-washed dishes and emptied the dishwasher, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals and cut up some of said chicken for said meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I made cornbread to go with the chili. I also did some banking for mom.

I visited mom, read more in Hatshepsut, watched some HGTV programs, and got ~3,500 more words typed in! I had some extra time between appointments this morning, so I spent it typing. Based on the number of hand-written pages left, I’m estimating ~2,000 more words need to be typed in. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Temps started out at 57.6(F) (and according to TWC app, the high today is supposed to be 57, so not only is it going to be cool, it’s not going to get any warmer!). It started raining about 4am and rained most of the day. The heavier rain was in the morning while the afternoon was mostly sprinkles and drizzles. Despite the all day rain we only got about an inch. Temps topped out at 54.5. Yep, the temps just went down from the morning. I actually turned on the furnace for a short time to get rid of the chill/damp in the house. (Pip even turned on the oil burner at work!)


Mom Update:

Mom was a bit better today.( more back here )

A rollicking history of England's earliest kings and queens, a story of narcissists, excessive beheadings, middle-management insurrection, uncivil wars, and more, from award-winning British actor and comedian David Mitchell

Think you know the kings and queens of England? Think again.

In Unruly , David Mitchell explores how early England’s monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects’ destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky bastards who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear to us today in their portraits.

Taking us right back to King Arthur ( he didn’t exist), Mitchell tells the founding story of post-Roman England right up to the reign of Elizabeth I ( she dies), as the monarchy began to lose its power. It’s a tale of bizarre and curious ascensions, inadequate self-control, and at least one total Cnut, as the English evolved from having their crops stolen by the thug with the largest armed gang to bowing and paying taxes to a divinely anointed King.

How this happened, who it happened to, and why the hell it matters are all questions Mitchell answers with brilliance, wit, and the full erudition of a man who once studied history—and is damned if he’ll let it off the hook for the mess it’s made of everything.

A funny book that takes history seriously, Unruly is for anyone who has ever wondered how the monarchy came to be—and who is to blame.

Obviously, this isn’t a comprehensive look at a thousand years of English history; more a collection of anecdotes regarding some truly terrible behavior. As Mitchell notes at the beginning of the book, unless you already know something about these (mostly) men, the book might not make a lot of sense. As far as he’s concerned, you pass the test if you know that, in 1066, William the Conqueror became king of England.

The book is mildly humorous, as Mitchell points out the rulers’ foibles, though their accomplishments are mostly overlooked. Which sort of placed basically good rulers (Henry II, Edward III and IV,) which some really bad ones (John I, Edward II, Henry VI.) I thought the book would have been better with a more balanced view.

What the book does best is show how the idea of kingship came about, and how, and why, it’s evolved over the years. The years covered are those when the power was nearly absolute and stops when that’s coming to an end.

Of course, much of this is his opinion, which seems to be not very good when it comes to professional historians, so there’s that. Some of what he wrote I thought spot on. Some, not so much. The book comes in long at slightly over 400 pages, but it’s an easy read and, while not as funny as I thought it would be, still entertaining.




( Mount TBR 2025 Book Links 1-35 )


36. The Regulators by Richard Bachman (Pseudonym), Stephen King
37. Islands of Abandonment: Nature Rebounding in the Post-Human Landscape by Cal Flyn
38. The Nun's Story by Kathryn Hulme
39. The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune
40. They Thirst by Robert McCammon
41. Blue World: And Other Stories by Robert McCammon
42. Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens by David Mitchell












AUG - “Vacation Location”: Read a book that takes you to a location you’d love to visit OR read a book that explores elements of that place or culture.

Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens by David Mitchell

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Answers in the Ashes (The Inn at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley, Once Upon a Mystery (The Bookstore at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley, Halloween Moon & Thanksgiving Past (The Cottage on Goosberry Bay) by Kathi Daley, Opera and Old Lace (The Bistro at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley, and some fanfic.


What I am Currently Reading: Still working on The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney. I also started An Archer's Awakening (Of Crowns & Quills) by Casey Morales as my ‘light’ reading to go with the heavier reading of Hatshepsut.

(Funny thing, I didn’t remember the book when I read the blurb, but apparently I’ve already read it. o_O Some of it came back to me when I started reading it, but not enough for me to feel comfortable going on to the second book. So I’m actually re-reading this one. So many books, too little brain.)


What I Plan to Read Next: I have some library books out, so one of those. Probably the next Amelia Peabody.

I hit Price Chopper while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park.

I did a load of laundry (washed, dried AND folded, though I had to make myself complete the task), hand-washed dishes and did a load in the dishwasher, took Grant for a short walk, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.

I also hit the bank on my way home from mom's and browned ground beef to put together chili for tomorrow’s supper. Tonight, at Pip’s suggestion, was sausage and eggs.

I visited mom, read fanfic, and typed in ~1,200 more words on my fic! Finally! It’s been a while since I’ve typed in anything.

Temps started out at 48.9(F) and reached 75.4. Today was not nearly as nice as yesterday because it was very cloudy all day. There was some spots of blue sky and hints of sun, but overall, clouds. We’re supposed to get rain starting at midnight and lasting all day tomorrow through to 8am Thursday morning. We’ll see.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay today. ( more back here )

Bidding at sunflower_auction, to benefit Ukraine, is open!

My offer is HERE.

(There are only 10 offers, so it's very easy to scroll down to see them. Some are offering fic, and some art. Please go check them out!)

I hit Walmart and the Dollar Tree while I was downtown. (I also stopped in at the Shoe Department to see if sneaker companies had magically started making women’s 10 1/2 or non-ugly men’s sneakers. They had not.) (Later on I stopped at Sunnycrest to see if they had the beef sticks Pip likes; they did not.)

I did two loads of laundry (including bed sheets, so also stripped and re-made the bed; both loads got washed, dried AND folded), hand-washed dishes and emptied the dishwasher, took the dogs for a couple walks, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and shaved.

I read more Hapshetsut and watched some HGTV programs.

Temps started out at 48.6(F) and reached 73.2. It was sunny with a light breeze, which was perfect. Needless to say, I did not wear the shorts and tank top I had laid out last night. This morning definitely called for capris and a t-shirt. And a sweatshirt, natch.

Since the high for today was only supposed to be 70, I turned off the AC (we only have one in the bedroom) and opened windows to get some of that cooler air inside the house in the morning. Hopefully we won’t have to turn the AC back on for a while. That would be nice. While I appreciate the cold temps the AC provides when it’s 90+ out, I really do prefer a nice fresh breeze if I can get one.


Mom Update:

Mom was not doing great. ( more back here )

Another Photo Flashback post. I posted a couple lilac photos back in May, but didn't continue, even though I took several photos every day or every couple of days. I decided to choose one photo from each day to show the progression.

Seeing them here I'm remembering how wonderful they smelled and the times I'd go outside and bury my face in them (after checking for bees first o_O).




( 9 more back here )

I went down to mom’s earlier today than usual because Pip needed to use my car in the middle of the day (he took his dad to a local annual “antique power days”, basically an antique tractor show). I only stayed for about an hour and a half, with plans to return later in the afternoon to check on her again. (More about my visit below.)

I did a load of laundry (Pip’s uniforms, so washed, dried and hung up), hand-washed dishes and ran a load in the dishwasher, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, changed kitty litter, and showered.

Pip brought home chicken dinners that we had for supper, lol!!

I read fanfic and more in Hatshepsut.

Thank you to cornerofmadenss and tinny for the birthday wishes!

Temps started out at 61.5(F) and reached 92.3. So much for low 80s. Again, no rain, unless it eventually came in after we went to bed.


Mom Update:

Mom was about the same today. ( more back here )

Posting this now for two reasons. A) so the book meme isn't overflowing with books and B) because I'm hoping to read something by an author who is not Kathi Daley next as my light reads along side Hatshepsut.


Book 89 of 2025: Answers in the Ashes (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

I mostly enjoyed this book. ( spoilers )

This book was pretty good; I’m giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

(There are two more books in this series listed on Amazon, but they aren’t due to come out until September and October.)

---

Book 90 of 2025: Once Upon a Mystery (The Bookstore at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

This book is the first in a series that spins off from the above series. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like reading about another main character. It was alright. ( spoilers )

The thing that interested me about this series is that they eventually form a group that solves murders/cold cases, and that sounded good. Also, the bookstore showcases some cats from a cat rescue, how cute is that?!! But I didn't enjoy this book enough to continue with this spin-off series. I’m giving this one three hearts.

♥♥♥

---

Book 91 of 2025: Halloween Moon (The Cottage on Gooseberry Bay) (Kathi Daley)

I enjoyed this book. I had forgotten that we met the main character in the Inn at Holiday Bay series, so this is also a spin-off. ( spoilers )

This book was pretty good; I’m giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

---

Book 92 of 2025: Thanksgiving Past (The Cottage on Gooseberry Bay) (Kathi Daley)

I enjoyed this. ( spoilers )

This book was good; I’m giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

---

Book 93 of 2025: Opera and Old Lace (The Bistro at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

This is another spin-off from the original Inn at Holiday Bay series I read. It was pretty good. ( spoilers )

This book was okay, but I’m starting to wonder how many murders (aka, spin-off series) a small town like Holiday Bay really needs? I’m giving it four hearts, but I don’t expect I’ll read more in this series.

♥♥♥♥

I hit the Bakery and Agway while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. I stopped at the bank on the way home and at the library on the way to mom’s. (I also stopped at the garage on the way home because someone brought in eggs. Even though the price has dropped substantially (and I just bought an 18-pack this week), you don’t turn down free eggs these days!)

I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, took the dogs for a short walk (where I got more pumpkin photos!), cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, and scooped kitty litter.

ETA: I forgot to mention that I grilled burgers last night to have with the macaroni salad I made. Yum!

I visited mom and read more (some in Hapshetsup and some in two different Kindle cozies).

Temps started out at 62.7(F) and reached 90.5. So much for cooler temps. It was overcast on the way downtown, so I checked the weather app. Forecast now called for a chance of rain today and tomorrow. Whether we actually get it or not is a different story. Check back later. *g* Later: In shocking news, we did not get any rain today.


Mom Update:

Mom was still feeling weak today. ( more back here )

From the battlefields of a Vietnam veteran's memory to an old-time movie hero's search for a serial killer, from Halloween in a special town--where the rules of trick-or-treat are written in blood--to a Texas road where a wrong turn leads to a nest of evil, horror master McCammon is at his terrifying best in this collection of stories.

I was rather disappointed with this collection. While there are some stories maybe worth reading (He’ll Come Knocking at Your Door comes to mind,) they’re not the majority.

There were those like Pin, that I thought was just weird, or I Scream Man, which wasn’t much better. Even Make Up, which is a side story to They Thirst didn’t do it for me. The rest were sort of in between. Not terrible, but note worthy, either.

I have to admit to not being a huge fan of short stories, but I’d come to expect more from McCammon. Because I have read some short stories that I actually really enjoyed. Unfortunately, none were in this book.




( Mount TBR 2025 Book Links 1-35 )


36. The Regulators by Richard Bachman (Pseudonym), Stephen King
37. Islands of Abandonment: Nature Rebounding in the Post-Human Landscape by Cal Flyn
38. The Nun's Story by Kathryn Hulme
39. The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune
40. They Thirst by Robert McCammon
41. Blue World: And Other Stories by Robert McCammon







AUG – Side, World, Sound, Trial, Word, Hotel, Now, Say⁠

Blue World by Robert R. McCammon

Here are the garage cats (who have moved to the deck for the summer, almost like snowbirds heading to Florida) making themselves comfy on the deck. They're very brave, but the dogs mostly leave them alone now that they're getting used to them.





( 10 more back here )

I hit Price Chopper while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. I also met my used bookstore friends for breakfast! (It was nice to catch up. They treated me for my birthday. They also gave me more GCs! One for the Bakery and one for my favorite local pizza place.) I hit Stewart’s on the way home (for gas and milk).

I did a load of laundry (washed, dried AND folded – I’m on a roll with this!), hand-washed dishes, took Grant for a walk, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. ETA: I also boiled macaroni and eggs, diced veggies, and stirred up macaroni salad.

I visited mom and called her in the evening; read more in Hatshepsut; and finished the current Kindle cozy and started another (in the same series; I might stick with this one).

Thanks to mistressofmuses for the birthday wishes!

Temps started out at 57.6(F) and reached 84.2. It’s not in the 90s, but it still felt very hot out.


Mom Update:

Mom was still very weak and easily exhausted today. ( more back here )

I realized, as I looked back at my photo posts, that I never posted any photos of the apple blossoms! Granted, I was still wearing a walking shoe/boot at this time (and if I recall correctly, it was soaking wet all the time), so I couldn’t take any walks through the orchard, but the apple trees in front of the house blossomed nicely. Here are just a few pics from the early days. (All were taken on 5/6/25.)




( 8 more back here )

I didn’t have to do any shopping this morning, but I did go to the bank for my aunt and got in a walk around the park while I was downtown. I dropped off a book at the library on my way to visit my aunt and talked to the librarian about it (and picked up another book). I did a load of laundry (washed, dried AND folded), hand-washed dishes, took Grant for a walk, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, and scooped kitty litter.

I visited mom, read some fanfic, finished the Kindle cozy and started another, and read more about Hatshepsut. (I have already concluded that this is not a book I’m going to be able to just sit down and read through. My plan is to read a little bit each day, and read something light in between.) I also received another GC (the Bakery) for my birthday! And tomorrow is breakfast with my used bookstore friends to round out the celebration.

Temps started out at 63.5(F) and reached 88.7. Today was supposed to be the first in a string of (supposedly) cooler days. o_O


Mom Update:

Mom was doing better than yesterday, but not great. ( more back here )