War Is Upon Us

I'm pleased to report that though the wheels of politics turn slowly, they do indeed turn, which means that another season of Diplomacy is upon us at last. I drew Russia this time around, which is quite exciting because a) I've never played as Russia before, and b) I get to style myself as Empress and Imperatrix of all the Russias.¹

Today is the first day of my summer vacation. I am celebrating by wearing a sundress. It is gloriously sunny here, and thankfully no longer humid. I was struck by a sudden and overwhelming urge to finish some ongoing projects between last night's insomnia and this morning's awakening, so I now have a Baby Sweater on Two Needles (better known as the February baby Sweater) and a Pembroke vest that are finished except for buttons. I have also, at long last, cast on for my mother's Rogue sweater.

I am hoping the rest of my vacation will be as productive.

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¹ Technically, the full title is: Empress and Autocrat of all the Russias, of Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod, Tsarina of Kazan, Tsarina of Astrakhan, Tsarina of Poland, Tsarina of Siberia, Tsarina of Tauric Chersonesos, Tsarina of Georgia, Lady of Pskov, and Grand Duchess of Smolensk, Lithuania, Volhynia, Podolia, and Finland, Princess of Estonia, Livonia, Courland and Semigalia, Samogitia, Belostok, Karelia, Tver, Yugra, Perm, Vyatka, Bulgaria and other territories; Lady and Grand Duchess of Nizhni Novgorod, Sovereign of Chernigov, Ryazan, Polotsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Beloozero, Udoria, Obdoria, Kondia, Vitebsk, Mstislavl, and all northern territories; Sovereign of Iveria, Kartalinia, and the Kabardinian lands and Armenian territories - hereditary Lady and Ruler of the Circassians and Mountain Princes and others; Lady of Turkestan, Heir of Norway, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn, Dithmarschen, Oldenburg, and so forth, and so forth, and so forth. I'm not using the full title because it's long and because some of those territories are up for grabs on the board--maybe I'll start adding them in as I claim them for myself.