Kage Baker was always astounded by the support and love of her friends. She got insane amounts of letters in her final days – wonderful, encouraging, supportive and accepting letters (some from you, our Dear Readers) and they surprised the dickens out of her. She loved them: but they surprised her. Those letters were paramount in convincing her, at her life’s end, that she had done something significant with her life, and was loved.
Even more, Kage learned that she had succeeded in what she meant to do and wanted to do. And that, she felt, was the biggest, best, and hardest to win lottery going in the Big Casino of Life.
“I threw blank dice and they came up aces,” she said, content at last.
“That metaphor sucks,” I sniffed.
“Oh, screw you … ”
The last couple of days you have gifted me with a similar revelation. Blind-sided by an accusation from a direction in which I had never erected any defensive walls, I just wanted to make my confession before it blew up any further. I underestimated your understanding, your affection and your ferocity. Thank you all, so much.
So now let’s just settle down and get back to our shared life on this site. Peculiar as it is, we’ve built something strong and good here, Dear Readers. On with the story!
Kathleen, Kage and the Company 
Angle brackets got read as code and the contents cast away, Silly WordPress. What I said was:
great big fierce and slightly embarrassing hugs
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HTML and its ilk are not WordPress’s forte, I have noticed. Unabashed thank yous back at you!
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I was stunned and heartbroken to read about the in-law stuff. I am sorry. I was treated like a daughter by my godfather and now that he’s passed, his children [my godsisters] continue to do the same. I can’t imagine how it would feel to be suddenly treated as an outsider. One of the things I have loved about your writing is how – even though it’s your unique voice – you sound like your sister. Because that’s what you are in every meaningful sense of the word.
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Yay, very happy for you. Here are more {{{ Hugs }}} and good wishes for going back to the positive side of things.
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Your minions have your back.
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