Ally Lester
@cogenthippo.bsky.social
Writer of queer romance, often historical and/or paranormal. Reader, gardener, knitter, early tech adopter. Parent, spouse, disabled, carer. No longer keeps poultry. They/them. Also writes as Frances Fox. https://lnk.bio/gjD5 🏳️🌈 ✒️ 🏳️⚧️
In other news, Frenchie, the stomach on legs, ate a £26 packet of functional mushroom gummies yesterday morning.
Was she very cheerful and focused all day? Yes. Was her bottom very sad? Also yes, but that might have been down to the Bertolli spread she stole from the fridge and hid in the garden.
Was she very cheerful and focused all day? Yes. Was her bottom very sad? Also yes, but that might have been down to the Bertolli spread she stole from the fridge and hid in the garden.
November 8, 2025 at 7:55 AM
In other news, Frenchie, the stomach on legs, ate a £26 packet of functional mushroom gummies yesterday morning.
Was she very cheerful and focused all day? Yes. Was her bottom very sad? Also yes, but that might have been down to the Bertolli spread she stole from the fridge and hid in the garden.
Was she very cheerful and focused all day? Yes. Was her bottom very sad? Also yes, but that might have been down to the Bertolli spread she stole from the fridge and hid in the garden.
I may also have purchased a pair of dinosaur dungarees from Vinted.
October 31, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I may also have purchased a pair of dinosaur dungarees from Vinted.
We are dogsitting for my sister. I had to stay in bed for an extra hour.
October 28, 2025 at 9:13 AM
We are dogsitting for my sister. I had to stay in bed for an extra hour.
I haven't written for two years, since Littlest went in to hospital with her final illness.
However, I can feel new stories starting to brew inside me now, so maybe I'll be writing soon? In the meantime, you can find my queer romance at allester.co.uk (and contemporary at francesfoxbooks.co.uk)
However, I can feel new stories starting to brew inside me now, so maybe I'll be writing soon? In the meantime, you can find my queer romance at allester.co.uk (and contemporary at francesfoxbooks.co.uk)
October 22, 2025 at 6:53 AM
I haven't written for two years, since Littlest went in to hospital with her final illness.
However, I can feel new stories starting to brew inside me now, so maybe I'll be writing soon? In the meantime, you can find my queer romance at allester.co.uk (and contemporary at francesfoxbooks.co.uk)
However, I can feel new stories starting to brew inside me now, so maybe I'll be writing soon? In the meantime, you can find my queer romance at allester.co.uk (and contemporary at francesfoxbooks.co.uk)
This is in my town. Looks cool.
October 21, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This is in my town. Looks cool.
Today's Top Find.
I'm nearly at the end. There's only the kitchen left and that's going to be hardest as it's the room that most reminds me of Mama. Piles of papers etc.
For now though, let us gaze upon this in all it's glory.
I'm nearly at the end. There's only the kitchen left and that's going to be hardest as it's the room that most reminds me of Mama. Piles of papers etc.
For now though, let us gaze upon this in all it's glory.
July 3, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Today's Top Find.
I'm nearly at the end. There's only the kitchen left and that's going to be hardest as it's the room that most reminds me of Mama. Piles of papers etc.
For now though, let us gaze upon this in all it's glory.
I'm nearly at the end. There's only the kitchen left and that's going to be hardest as it's the room that most reminds me of Mama. Piles of papers etc.
For now though, let us gaze upon this in all it's glory.
I need some help with today's find. It's pretty, but is it valuable?
It's an Erika three-bank portable with a German keyboard. That probably means it's Model 4 or earlier, pre 1928. I can't find a serial number. @danieljowen.bsky.social, @seanh.bsky.social says you might be the person to ask?
It's an Erika three-bank portable with a German keyboard. That probably means it's Model 4 or earlier, pre 1928. I can't find a serial number. @danieljowen.bsky.social, @seanh.bsky.social says you might be the person to ask?
July 2, 2025 at 3:25 PM
I need some help with today's find. It's pretty, but is it valuable?
It's an Erika three-bank portable with a German keyboard. That probably means it's Model 4 or earlier, pre 1928. I can't find a serial number. @danieljowen.bsky.social, @seanh.bsky.social says you might be the person to ask?
It's an Erika three-bank portable with a German keyboard. That probably means it's Model 4 or earlier, pre 1928. I can't find a serial number. @danieljowen.bsky.social, @seanh.bsky.social says you might be the person to ask?
Today's find. A wind up gramophone that I assume was made by our grandfather, the engineer. Part of it is a hacksaw blade. The box is crumbling to dust but the parts are fine.
June 29, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Today's find. A wind up gramophone that I assume was made by our grandfather, the engineer. Part of it is a hacksaw blade. The box is crumbling to dust but the parts are fine.
Yesterday's find. Elderly copper electric kettle, with what I assume is the original wiring.
June 28, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Yesterday's find. Elderly copper electric kettle, with what I assume is the original wiring.
We've had a day off from burrowing through cupboards today -- it was TC's Award Ceremony for their King's Trust course. I can't tell you how proud I am.
Here is a cute picture of Tuz, to celebrate.
Here is a cute picture of Tuz, to celebrate.
June 25, 2025 at 7:20 PM
We've had a day off from burrowing through cupboards today -- it was TC's Award Ceremony for their King's Trust course. I can't tell you how proud I am.
Here is a cute picture of Tuz, to celebrate.
Here is a cute picture of Tuz, to celebrate.
Today's find. Our grandfather's gallstones. (He died in 1972)
June 23, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Today's find. Our grandfather's gallstones. (He died in 1972)
Yesterday's find. My mother's grandmother.
Her blitz diary, which she wrote at the age of ninety whilst running her first aid station in London's East End is in one of the brown suitcases tied up with string in my future. (See ALT-TEXT for more)
Her blitz diary, which she wrote at the age of ninety whilst running her first aid station in London's East End is in one of the brown suitcases tied up with string in my future. (See ALT-TEXT for more)
June 23, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Yesterday's find. My mother's grandmother.
Her blitz diary, which she wrote at the age of ninety whilst running her first aid station in London's East End is in one of the brown suitcases tied up with string in my future. (See ALT-TEXT for more)
Her blitz diary, which she wrote at the age of ninety whilst running her first aid station in London's East End is in one of the brown suitcases tied up with string in my future. (See ALT-TEXT for more)
I used to run with a pretty tough gang when I was younger.
The gang:
The gang:
June 23, 2025 at 6:24 AM
I used to run with a pretty tough gang when I was younger.
The gang:
The gang:
I found this really pretty Japanese coffee pot in my Mama's sideboard. There are little cups. I think it was my grandmother's.
I think I'm going to open an Etsy shop or something similar to sell all the pretty bits and bobs that we have no emotional connection to.
I think I'm going to open an Etsy shop or something similar to sell all the pretty bits and bobs that we have no emotional connection to.
June 21, 2025 at 4:40 PM
I found this really pretty Japanese coffee pot in my Mama's sideboard. There are little cups. I think it was my grandmother's.
I think I'm going to open an Etsy shop or something similar to sell all the pretty bits and bobs that we have no emotional connection to.
I think I'm going to open an Etsy shop or something similar to sell all the pretty bits and bobs that we have no emotional connection to.
Came back to add these... I took them this morning.
May 23, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Came back to add these... I took them this morning.
Today I am grateful for Tuz the Psychocat, who sat on my chest for forty minutes this morning and allowed me to share energy with him, and did not savage me. He's such a pickle of contradictions.
March 18, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Today I am grateful for Tuz the Psychocat, who sat on my chest for forty minutes this morning and allowed me to share energy with him, and did not savage me. He's such a pickle of contradictions.
I sold lots of shrimp this weekend. Aren't they pretty! They breed like mad.
February 23, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I sold lots of shrimp this weekend. Aren't they pretty! They breed like mad.
I just remembered I have a short story that is end-of-January appropriate!
St Dwynwen is sometimes, mistakenly, called 'the Welsh St Valentine and her day is 25th January.
"Obviously cock-jokes were out. The telepathic chicken didn't like it".
books2read.com/playingchicken
Gay romance, 99c.
St Dwynwen is sometimes, mistakenly, called 'the Welsh St Valentine and her day is 25th January.
"Obviously cock-jokes were out. The telepathic chicken didn't like it".
books2read.com/playingchicken
Gay romance, 99c.
January 30, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I just remembered I have a short story that is end-of-January appropriate!
St Dwynwen is sometimes, mistakenly, called 'the Welsh St Valentine and her day is 25th January.
"Obviously cock-jokes were out. The telepathic chicken didn't like it".
books2read.com/playingchicken
Gay romance, 99c.
St Dwynwen is sometimes, mistakenly, called 'the Welsh St Valentine and her day is 25th January.
"Obviously cock-jokes were out. The telepathic chicken didn't like it".
books2read.com/playingchicken
Gay romance, 99c.
I call this 'Still life with cheese'.
December 22, 2024 at 12:11 AM
I call this 'Still life with cheese'.
I have developed a new hobby/obsession/distraction since Littlest was discharged from hospital in January. Tropical fish. And the plants -- it's like having an indoor garden you never forget to water.
November 17, 2024 at 10:28 AM
I have developed a new hobby/obsession/distraction since Littlest was discharged from hospital in January. Tropical fish. And the plants -- it's like having an indoor garden you never forget to water.
Here's a proof of life photo. I am absolutely not back on my game, I haven't managed to even send a newsletter for months, let alone write anything. But the terrible days are getting a bit less frequent. They seem to clump together.
November 16, 2024 at 10:45 AM
Here's a proof of life photo. I am absolutely not back on my game, I haven't managed to even send a newsletter for months, let alone write anything. But the terrible days are getting a bit less frequent. They seem to clump together.
Result. Dog is hiding, embarrassed.
August 18, 2024 at 8:58 AM
Result. Dog is hiding, embarrassed.
Today's task: give Frenchie a haircut.
August 18, 2024 at 7:02 AM
Today's task: give Frenchie a haircut.
This morning I will mostly be sorting out the fish. Floating plants grow like nobody's business in a week, and I think the red rili shrimp have had babies.
August 14, 2024 at 9:41 AM
This morning I will mostly be sorting out the fish. Floating plants grow like nobody's business in a week, and I think the red rili shrimp have had babies.
Mr AL has purloined it to read in his downtime today, so I've got to wait for him to finish 🙄
August 10, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Mr AL has purloined it to read in his downtime today, so I've got to wait for him to finish 🙄