From metafandom circa 1856

Was linked Silly Novels by Lady Novelists by George Elliot and was put very much in the mind of snarkily amusing but overgeneralising (EDIT: and problematic) posts about Mary Sues and the portrayal of women off metafandom. Probably got her lots of narky comments letters, too :)

Lots of dodgy gender and class issues (she is such a grammar snob. Sadly we cannot see what I get the impression was some amusing satirical typesetting) but she puts in some digs against sexism and classism too. She even take a dig at American vegetarians. I looked it up and at that point she was not only not out as a woman, but hadn't actually published anything yet, which puts her choice to rant about women writers in a different context.

Having read a bunch of modern romances set in the 18th/19th century it's always interesting to read snark about romances from those eras written by a contemporary (see also "Northanger Abbey").

Grant industries gardening

Since I know other people have had trouble getting gardeners who are interested in actually turning up to do ones gardening(*): I just got my garden weeded and reticulation fixed by Grant Industries in Bayswater, and they were quick friendly and cheap ($35 an hour, and didn't charge me extra when it took an hour longer than they estimated) 0415819908 or 92754154

He didn't quite do all the things I expected to get done, but did do all things I asked for so I guess that's my fault for not being clear.

I think the trick is to use the local paper not the yellow pages.

(*)I'm pretty sure that every single time I have left my number with a gardener for them to call me back it wasn't returned.