iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Tea with husband, now writing. Got very little sleep last night because I was editing in my head, which turns out is not very productive as you wake up after a few hours sleep to find nothing is actually edited...

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Today I'm starting a new notebook! Washing is on the line, and husband and son are doing painting, because sunshine - so it's just me. I have no excuse, and must write...

Three notebooks with a teapot, cup and milk jug on a café table

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

At the hospital, but not for me! Promised I'd walk up with son for his Dexa scan (bone density) so I'm in the coffee shop and he's in radiology.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Tea with husband. One good thing about feeling under the weather is sleeping VERY well. I went to bed early, and when I got up during the night, I went straight back to sleep afterwards. Stayed away from the gym this morning, and just did a spot of gentle editing. Now to write new words!

Two cups of tea with teapots and milk jugs on a round table

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Today this is the advice I need, but is it advice I can follow? I got my tea, got my notebooks out... And remembered that I was supposed to be in Boots, getting my flu jab. But bless them, they made another tea for me when I dashed back to the coffee shop all hot and bothered later ❤️

Notebooks on a round table with cup, teapot and milk jug

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

This morning was bitty, but necessary. I started compiling a style sheet for my book, for instance, what is capitalised and whether they were hyphenated. That's the trouble with inventing two new religions and a whole Church setup - I can't Google how to refer to these people!

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Crazy warm today. Come on folks! This is September! The TREES know it's Autumn...

Large horse chestnut tree against a blue sky.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Not really feeling the writing today. I hope once I start I'll get into it, but there's far too much real life stuff in the way. It would be so much easier if I could stay permanently in my other world, ghastly as I've made it, and not have to deal with health etc.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Husband joining for tea in a bit. In two minds whether I need to write by hand or type up stuff more, but decided bringing the laptop into town on a Saturday might be a bit fraught...

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Started today with the six-monthly epilepsy phone call. I got the most junior team member, which is fine - I know what I need to change, she passes it on. She asked me to tell her what it was like. Now I'm feeling sick and tearful, but I'm still glad I helped educate her. So... Tea and writing.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Tea with husband. Was talking to my copy editor friend at the gym this morning, who was telling me a load of stuff about publishing, and it all sounds very difficult and I just want to write a book, not 'produce a product' 😭

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Just tea for me today, which means I have no excuse, and must get straight on with the writing. It's a bit slow going ATM, because I really want to be writing something a few chapters on that's playing in my head on repeat 😆

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Tea with husband. Spent this morning inflicting smallpox on one of my characters, and now I need to start with my new, invented disease on some more of them 😆

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Tea with husband. Now he's back to work, so I'd better get on with putting my characters in mortal peril...

Teacups, teapots and milk jugs on a café table. Notebooks not yet in evidence!

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Killing off my population going well. I've worked out who is immune, and who isn't. But really I'm just doing this because I've forgotten my good pen, so I'm stuck with the grubby pen from the bottom of my bag. My characters should have reminded me about bringing my Parker if they wanted to live!

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Waiting in M&S for the tills to open. We're having son and DiL over for a roast tonight, and it's still strawberry season, so...

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

By my lonesome again, but honestly, this writing means I'm no longer fit for company. If I'm not thinking about the latest chapter I'm writing by hand, it's the one I'm typing up, or future plot devices, or how I can use my research... I am like the mad relative in the attic in a gothic story 😆

Two notebooks on a café table with tea things.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Tea with husband. Son is supposed to be joining me later to do a bit of book criticism, although he's been VERY busy at work this week, so we'll see. In the meantime, working out how to kill all my characters in the most horrible way..

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Waiting in the hope that my Zumba class will actually happen. Turns out the teacher has pneumonia! Did not know that could happen to people who weren't old. Hoping she gets better very soon, but also that they have cover for today...

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

This looks restrained, right? What I DIDN'T show was the massive baked potato covered in cheese and coleslaw that was lunch, when I met husband in Basingstoke 😆 Physio diagnosed a touch of sciatica to add to the list of conditions, and has sent me back exercises to stop that progressing 🙄

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Back at the physio for a routine appointment to go through what's been happening over the summer, and all my fun new symptoms.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

So far today I've ticked gym, nails, and a little research off my list (thank you for your science help, @rjthomasson.bsky.social !) Now to write some new words, because I'm feeling a lack of forward momentum with this story. I'll go back and shoehorn in the plot points later.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Tea with husband. There's much rain here (yay!) but because I'm not used to it it kept my awake last night and I'm shattered (boo!). Is it bedtime yet? 🥱😴🫩

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Time to write down some of those words I thought up this morning!

Tea things and notebooks on a café table

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Son and husband have been building son's new computer desk. It has the tall back and sides so he can put up pictures that he can't attach to the walls of their rented flat, but it makes it look like we have a voting booth in our garden!

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Brought in the whole of the printed-out story so far, and going back into it to add some major plot points/ edits. The notebooks are for whole extra chapters to insert. Now I'm 68,000 words in, I've had some surprising developments, where my history has expanded, and my characters have messed up!

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Should have taken a picture of the gorgeous autumn day, but I was enjoying it too much! Now for planning - I've destroyed my characters lives, so time to build them up/ deal with the aftermath.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The frame for my new @stephencollins.bsky.social print has arrived! Then I just have to find a place for it. Obviously it should be in the room with the Tom Gauld print and John Kovalic original artwork, but I'm very tempted to put it somewhere where it'll enrage all non-woke visitors 😆

Comic of a National Trust 'Autumn Gammon trail' where the children have to spot the gammons complaining about woke things, and writing columns for the Telegraph

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Brought the printed out version of the story with me today for some more input from son. While he's doing that, I need to do a bit of planning.

A blue ring binder with many coloured tabs in it to show all the chapters I've written! Tea in the background.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

More typing up to do. I've got ahead with my writing-by-hand (fights! revelations! sex!) and need to catch up with typing up equally important but slower-paced chapters.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

More typing up to do. I've got ahead with my writing-by-hand (fights! revelations! sex!) and need to catch up with typing up equally important but slower-paced chapters.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Taken my laptop to the coffee shop today, because I really need to get some typing up done - we're catching up with daughter tonight, so I can't do it then. Husband is back at work (and frantically busy) after DIY week. The dining room is not back to normal, but it's clean and livable in for now.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Dinner out to reward husband for spending all week on the DIY. It was a little bit noisy, and the food was adult prices but designed for kids, but everyone enjoys burgers followed by ice-cream at some point. It made a nice change, anyway.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

This morning's quick trip to the shops included some yellow-stickered strawberries. Love a good bargain, me, so LOTS of strawberries tonight!

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Lunch out with husband and son. DiL is elsewhere, so sorry, she missed out. Husband went for full English, which he totally earned this week of DIY.

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Lunch out today, because I've nothing in the house - but still the same view. Husband is staying home because son is turning up at some point to help with the increasingly destroyed dining room. Finished typing up a chapter today by lying on the floor and acting out a fight 😆

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

This should be the last time that I'm getting my hair coloured, to help with the growing out, and I'll go totally grey after. I'd forgotten how dry the bleach made my hair - needs washing now often now. Time to get some writing done!

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Things are no longer toxic at home, if challenging (chemicals all done). Goodness knows when it'll be finished - weeks at this rate! @rjthomasson.bsky.social has helped me hugely with my army structure (not directly necessary, but so many other things are based on it) so now I can just... Write ❤️✍️

Two notebooks, a teapot, cup and milk jug on a round café table

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Been sent out of the house. Nasty things are happening involving spraying chemicals 🤢 So I have my laptop, my notebooks, and have just bought the latest Robert Harris - and later there will be cake. It will be a GOOD afternoon!

Robert Harris book, Agrippa, in front of a table with teapot, cup and milk jug

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

And this is the picture son took while he was under our floorboards! Can quite see why he then went for a bath, and borrowed some different clothes to go home in. Look at those mould spores! 🤢

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Whatever horrible DIY job they've been up to, husband has just had to vacuum son off - I think he might have been under the floorboards 😆

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Today is a two notebook day, as yesterday I planned out the next nine chapters, and I need to refer back to all the plans. I didn't take a picture of the DIY, because husband already shouted at me for moving something I didn't move - you can tell how well it's going!

Two notebooks, a cup, a teapot, and a milk jug on a round table

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Buying emergency snacks for son, in the expectation that he'll be helping husband rather a lot this week.

A shopping basket filled with gluten free products

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

My son is all growed up! They took us out for dinner tonight, and insisted on paying for everything. They told me that the calories don't count if someone else is paying, and I'm counting on that, as I also had chocolate mousse 😋

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

DIY is happening. I offered to go away this week, but husband said not to. Is this job larger than he expected? Of COURSE it is. The house is wrecked, and what they've uncovered is grim. Son is helping, so stopped husband melting down. I've run away!

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Husband helped me navigate how to get online whilst out - far more difficult than it had any right to be! But now I can write with added internet (and yes, I have a VPN).

Laptop with Coffee#1 webpage open, teapot, tea and milk jug on table

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Husband meeting me briefly, and then son is coming to read some more of my story, and offer his critique. I'm now starting to write with him in mind 😆

Two cups, teapots and milk jugs on a round table

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

I TRIED to go to the gym today - I really did, here is the photo to prove it! If I breathed a sigh of relief that I would be disturbing a police investigation so to do, I don't think that makes me a bad person 😆

Police cars and a pop up police awning outside my gym, which is cordoned off by police tape

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Usual coffee shop full (and by 'full' I mean all my favourite tables) so I have a (slight) change of venue. Having to deploy the emergency cardigan, as they have fierce air conditioning 🥶

A pair of feet in big boots stretched out next to a table on which there's a teapot, cup, milk jug and notebooks

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Virginia she/ her @virtuallyv.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Loved the clouds in the sky on my walk home. I even felt a couple of tiny spots of damp on my skin. It would be an exaggeration to call it rain - or even drizzle - but I'll take anything on offer!

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