The Golden Neep IC

Spring is just around the corner and I've started re-planning my garden beds. I had a design set in my head this past autumn, but I find my tastes have changed over the winter.

[Fraser and Jason]
Well after last week's kerfuffle with an angry bitter old woman, it's pains me that I feel the need to say this, but I am fully committed in helping you organise the fundraiser for the addition of a mental health component to the Montrose Clinic.

Jason, if you would prefer to delegate these matters to another official within Uplift, I will direct my inquiries that way.

Who: Family, Friends, Furbabies, Teammates... oh, and probably Ada and Alasdair.
What: ENGAGEMENT PARTY
When: Saturday, 17 March 2000. Evening. backdated
Where: A&A's home on the outskirts of Dunvegan, Skye.
Warnings: Drinking. Language? (Hopefully not the latter)

( time to celebrate these two lovebirds making a move )

[Jamie]
You need to come home. Now.

[Mel & Lex]
Did either of you get an owl howler from Iphigenia?


[Edited to add:]

[Public]
It takes a very small person to attack a child.

Howlers sent Tuesday morning, 13 March:
Warnings: offensive Anti-muggleborn language; purists being dicks

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Montrose Magpies (9-0-0 1.000) versus Wigtown Wanderers (4-5-0 0.444)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Play Started:2000-03-11 at Scottish National Stadium at The Lamb
Snitch caught in : 6 hours, 0 minutes
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Montrose Magpies : 950
Wigtown Wanderers : 940
Congratulations, Montrose Magpies
( It's always a sad day when they don't let us out of the stadium until after happy hour ends... )

Does anyone have a solid contact inside the Department of Magical Transportation?

[WARD to MONTROSE ALL]

My family has expressed interest in coming out to the Wigtown match on Sunday. I believe some of you may have met them at the Solstice Sprint. They have a limited working knowledge of the sport, but want to come see me play to support me. Especially as they are not able to join me in Sweden.

My father is an engineer and will bore anyone and everyone with maths and physics questions about quidditch. It also my niece’s first birthday. She is adorable and may steal your birthday thunder, Florrie. I am sorry.

[//WARD to MONTROSE ALL]

[WARD to AUGUSTUS PYE]

Pye, I had an interesting meeting the other day with Fraser Macmillan. I had asked if the Macmillan Foundation would be willing to support a Mental Health Practice at the Montrose Free Clinic, specializing in War Trauma. There is a lack of training programs and specialists to treat the issues are facing as a community and I think this could be a solid solution.

I know you deal in the other kind of trauma, but can you think of anyone who might be interested to sit on a committee to make this happen or even serve as director?

This is just in the idea phase right now, but there is momentum. I want to capitalize.

[//WARD to AUGUSTUS PYE]

[WARD to MONTE & JUSTIN]

I met with Fraser Macmillan on behalf of Montrose ownership and the Macmillan Foundation. Uplift is going to be entering into a partnership with them, hopefully to start a mental health practice at the Montrose Free Clinic. I think we can all agree that this is something we need.

I have also asked that someone either among ownership or BIQL publicly come out against what happened with Flint.

If you feel comfortable, I would appreciate if you accepted the invitation. I think it could give a good amount of weight to our movement.

[//WARD to MONTE & JUSTIN]

[WARD to DUNBAR]

I have been having some interesting conversations. What do you think QUABBLE can do to address hostile work environments in the league? Specifically with bullying among players. The Flint incident is not an isolated event, but surely there needs to be policy in place. Thoughts? Anything in the works?

[//WARD to DUNBAR]

As the only BIQL commissioner for Scotland, I look forward to the existence of the Scottish Office and wish Desmond Parkin and his team well as he builds the institutions of government for the Coven of the North.

[Macmillan Clan]

I've been speaking to Jason King about Uplift and I'm putting together a proposal for the Macmillan Foundation to fund a Mental Health Practice at the Montrose Free Clinic. The idea is that it provides services to war trauma sufferers, and ideally be open to whatever that may mean, but with the goal of helping people who are hurting in ways we can't see.

Uplift would stay involved, advising on muggle and muggleborn health issues. Jason is looking for a recommendation to the foundation for a director.

This is directly in line with long-stated Macmillan Foundation goals and is complementary to the Montrose Free Clinic.

As such, we've invited the board of Uplift to attend the Wigtown match with us in the box, and that this may include their friend Monte Cameron, formerly of Falmouth.

At some point, perhaps when we have a director, we'll host a charity reception to kick things off. That will probably be post-finals, but some organizating will have to happen sooner.

[Ana Abercrombie]

Hey Ana,

How are you feeling about charity organizing these days?


[Montrose Management]

In a show of unity with our players and friends, Montrose is inviting the board of Uplift to attend the Wigtown match as guests of the Macmillans. We are honoring their mission and are planning how we can work together on areas of mutual interest. Monte Cameron and Justin Finch-Fletchley should be invited as well, but we don't want them to be uncomfortable, so no publicizing that. We'll just let other people see who we do and don't consider our friends.

Alex, I know you can put something together based on that. The Uplift board is Nobby Leach, Hermione Granger, Mary Cattermole, Jeremy Goodwin, and also Emerson Harper and Caroline Knightly. Pink Red Carpet treatment, please. The invites should come from Una, Bertie, and Charlie. Yes, they are aware of it. :)

For longer term use, the current working cooperative plan is to expand on the Montrose Free Clinic by adding a Mental Health practice that specializes in war trauma, because it's both clearly in line with Macmillan Foundation goals and it's also sadly needed. There are lots of people who came back from the war, but brought part of the war with them in their heads, and if we can get them help, we'll be doing some real good.

Anyone who needs to know what the extent and limit of wardrobe creativity allowed by BIQL and DOMGAS rules should ask here. I happen to know. And for anyone who wants to know, alterations may not 1) use other team's colors in an attempt to fool the opposing team. 2) cover or obscure the player's team colors on more than 50% of the uniform. 3) be made without prior approval of the team's manager. So, unless you fly out in a Harpies robe, and it's at least half black and white, nobody can get fashed.

[Monte Cameron]
On behalf of the Macmillan family and the Montrose Magpies, you are invited to be our special guest in the Montrose Box for Sunday's match against Wigtown. I know you're in great demand these days, so I wanted to give you a heads up before the owl arrives. Jason King will likely talk to you about it, but we had to go ahead with the invite because of the time.

[Ainsley]
I think I need some pink clothes.

[Hamish MacFarlan, Saxon Lethbridge]
We absolutely must come out against bullying before the end of the block. If you don't want a continuing pink revolution, we have to come out as even handed. I've got players coming to me complaining about 'hostile work environment' and 'harrasing behavior within other teams'.

Even if we do nothing, we have to disapprove of the term 'mudblood' about one of our players. If something was done to that idiot Flint, say so publicly.

( Not an IC cut. )


Pink clothing felt like cheating since I wear it all the time, so I came up with something new!

Aureliana

Congratulations on escaping Montrose. I hope this gives you more time to focus on your family and your interests. Thank you for stepping in when Mother asked.

[Macmillan-Savage-Yaxley Cousins]
Thank you very much for coming last night. It was lovely to see each of you in a more relaxed setting than that of recent months. I do hope we will be able to do that again soon.

[Alex Winters]
I was very impressed with your recent work. I was wondering if I might be able to speak about a potential opportunity for you.

[Edited to Add: Shona McGonagall]
I may have a potential candidate for my replacement. His name is Alex Winters. I awaiting his materials, but thus far I have been impressed with his work with CLAMS and other charities.

WHO: Yaxley-MacMillan-Savage Cousins (and significant others, if they so choose)
WHEN: Evening, 21 February 2000
WHERE: Little Wood, Jamie and Aureliana's home
SUMMARY: Dinner Party in honor of Aureliana's birthday. Gifts not required.
RATING: Low

( This Isn't a Birthday Party )

Who: Mel Yaxley, Lex Yaxley, and Ana Abercrombie
What: The Yaxley sisters descend on their hospitalised brother
When: Sunday night, 4 February 2000 (after the book biting incident at the Priory, during the stuff in the comments.)
Where: St Mungo's, Artefact Accidents
Warnings: None significant

( If that was supposed to make her feel better, the explanation did the exact opposite. )

My eldest has learned the not so subtle art of negotiating. we have resisted the idea of getting a dog, so now set his sights on a dragon, despite the fact that it has been explained that we cannot own a dragon. I think that fact has sunk in because now he's focused on Aethonans.

My middle child has taught my youngest the word bum, far sooner than I would have cared for.

[Montrose]
I know Valentine's Day is coming up. While I do want to respect your privacy, I only ask that if think there is going to be any stories that the press may find interesting that you alert me before hand.

Otherwise, please enjoy the day with your friends and/or loved ones.

Out of curiosity and in the interest of being well informed, what does one exactly need when adopting a dog?

[Macmillan-Yaxley-Savage Cousins]
I would like to invite all of you over for dinner. I do not have an exact date, but it should be around my birthday. Of course, if any of you have any obligations, I would like to schedule around that if possible.

[Mel]
I have a favour to ask of you, if possible. Jamie and I are looking to possibly get away for a few days in the near future. Iona would likely spend the time with my mother-in-law, but we need someone to watch the boys. I was wondering if you might be available?

However, I know you are likely settling in to the house. So please feel free to tell me no. I will inquire if Jamie's sister might be able to take them.

TO: Maddock & Ellie
FROM: Aureliana Abercrombie
WHEN: Friday Morning, 26 January 2000

( Happy Housearming )

We have a new round of begging for a dog at our house. The boys saw signs advertising for an adoption drive for pets without homes in Montrose. I wasn't sure if I should be glad that their reading skills are coming along quite nicely or resigned to the pleading for a pet.

[Working Mothers with Children Under Hogwarts' Age: Gabi, Shona, Gwen, Lorna (and anyone else I'm missing)]
How do you do it?

I know I have spoken with some of you in the past about the difficulties of having social events and activities for children not yet old enough to attend Hogwarts. Normally, I would be among the first to organise such events or opportunities, but my priorities time has been more limited of late.

I was wondering if there was still any interest in this.

( Delivery to the Magpie offices for Aureliana Abercrombie )

Original art from here

WHO: Mel Yaxley and Aureliana Yaxley
WHAT: Brother and sister share a quiet moment during Christmas Eve
BINGO Christmas Eve
WHEN: Christmas Eve, 1992
WHERE: Yaxley Manor
WARNING: Mentions of DEs and prejudicial language
RATING|STATUS: Complete

( Christmas was just something else entirely )

WHO: Florinda McGonagall & Aureliana Abercrombie
WHAT: Aureliana does her best to gift the perfect gift.
BINGO: Gifts
WHEN: December 20, 1999 (Before the party!)
WHERE: Montrose offices, Florrie's clinic
WARNING: None.
RATING|STATUS: Complete, Rated G for Gifts.

( Now, however, Aureliana found herself in the position of giving a gift to a coworker and that's when she found herself slightly flummoxed. )