#Addington Hills

[insidecroydon]

Council failed to apply for HMO licence for Heathfield House

CROYDON IN CRISIS:  The conversion of a council-owned, listed Victorian villa on Gravel Hill into a ‘house of multiple occupation’ was done without any licence application and without planning permission. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Sorry state: Heathfield House, photographed last year, showing the signs of decades of neglect from owners, Croydon Council Heathfield House, the council-owned listed…

[morgana-larkin]

Love your work, i think ive read all ur melissa x reader fics😭. So yk how melissa says “youse”? I was wondering if u could make a fic where reader is a new teacher and shes from the south and constantly says “ya’ll” instead. Idk what after that tbh

Girl next time I'll need a bit more than that. And really happy that you love my work and thank you for the prompt. Not edited in the slightest and I hope you like it!

On another note: I'm finally getting to all your prompts, so if you sent one, it's coming soon! I believe I have 5 other Melissa ones and 1 Chessy prompt.

Southern Girl

Warnings: Fluff, Reader having doubt

Words: 2k

You walk into the doors of Abbott all excited. You’ve been subbing for a year now, mostly at Addington Elementary, the charter school down the street. Now you’re Abbott Elementary’s new art teacher. You check in at the office and get your classroom key and badge with the photo from the interview a week ago. 

“Alright newbie, you’re here. Follow me to the teacher’s lounge and I’ll introduce you to the ones that I tolerate here.” Ava pipes up from behind you and you follow her there.

You both walk in and 8 sets of eyes fall on you two. 3 from a corner in the back, 3 from a table near the window and 2 from a table near the fridge. 

“Newbie this is where you introduce yourself.” Ava tells you as you were shocked with the sudden spotlight on you.

“Oh right, hi y’all my name is Y/n Y/l/n. I’m the new art teacher here.” You introduce yourself, your southern accent visible. Two teachers come bouncing over to you and talking a mile a minute. The things you got were Janine Teagues, second grade teacher as well as Jacob Hill, 8th grade teacher. The rest you didn’t catch at all as it was a lot before 8am.

“Janine dear, why don’t you and Jacob give her some room, she just got here.” One of the women from the table near the fridge says. “Hello dear, I’m Barbara Howard, kindergarten teacher.” She says gently as Janine and Jacob go to sit down. Barb then softly nudges the woman next to her and gets a weird look from the ginger. You have to admit that this nameless ginger is very attractive. “You should introduce yourself.” Barb tells her and she sighs.

“But she’s from the south, for all we know she can be a cowboys fan.” She says to Barb.

“The girl from south is right here and can hear you. And are you talking about the Dallas Cowboys?” You ask and she quirks an eyebrow at you.

“So youse a fan?” She asks and crosses her arms.

“Of the cowboys, no. Never really been a fan until I got here to be honest. It was all the rage when I got here so I looked into it, the Eagles aren’t bad of a team.” You tell her and you see the slightest smile on her face. 

“I’m Melissa Schemmenti, 2nd grade teacher.” She introduces herself and you freeze.

“Schemmenti? Why does that name sound familiar?” You say and she sighs.

“Have you been to Addington?” She asks and you nod.

“Quite a bit actually.” 

“You might have met my sister Kristen Marie there then.” She says and you widen your eyes.

“Of course, I do know her. Her and I are texting buddies, we text about once a week. I honestly forgot about her last name.” You tell her and she shakes her head. “Wait you’re Melissa, she’s mentioned you a few times.” You add.

“All bad things I’m assuming, knowing my sister.” She says and you shake your head.

“No, not bad at all.” Mostly embarrassing things, but you ain’t mentioning that to her. “Well I’d love to stay and chat with y’all but I gotta skedaddle. Lots to do in just a week.” You tell them and then leave the room. Everyone turns to look at Melissa and while she doesn’t see it, she feels them all staring at her.

“What are all youse looking at?” Melissa says without turning to look at them.

“You gave your name so… willingly.” Janine says confused.

“You heard her, she doesn’t mind the Eagles, she seems alright.” Melissa says with barely a thought to the answer.

At the end of the day you go to turn into the teachers lounge to get your lunchbox, only to run into Melissa, physically run right into her.

“Oh I’m so sorry Melissa, you ok?” You tell her while you have your hands on her arms to stabilise her. 

“Ya I’m fine kid, are you alright?” She asks you and you nod. You go to get your lunchbox from the fridge and when you go to leave, she’s still there, waiting for you.

“Should I be flattered that you’re waiting for me?” You joke with her and she chuckles.

“I think so. I mean, I’ve never done it for anyone else before.” She says and you smile.

“Well considered me flattered then.” You tell her and she smiles at you.

“Well let’s, what did you say earlier? Skedaddle?” She teases you and you laugh. You both start to walk to the parking lot.

“Why Melissa, I hope you’re not making fun of the language of the south.” You joke with her and she laughs.

“Wouldn’t dream of it southy.” 

“Oh I get a nickname too? You’re too sweet.” You say and she playfully shoves your shoulder with hers.

You reach the parking lot and then you both walk to her car which was right next to yours. 

“Well I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” You ask her, not wanting this moment to end. 

“Ya, you will kid.” She tells you with a smile then gets in her car.

2 months go by and it’s safe to say you’re settling in pretty well. You’ve gotten support from your coworkers and your students are loving your classes. There’s one specific coworker that stands out to you and that’s Melissa. You’ve found yourself admiring her a couple weeks now. Ever since you were able to watch her teach, you’ve been wanting to again. At lunch, she offered you a spot at her and Barb’s table, which apparently has never happened before, and you find yourself staring at her when she’s talking. When she comes to drop her kids off at your class, you make yourself more presentable before she gets there, you quickly brush your hair, reapply lip balm, just anything to make yourself look better for her. You got looks from people when she invited you over to her house for the first time and you loved every second of it. You’ve also gotten weird looks from Barb and the trio lately and you have no idea why, until Barb talks to you. 

“Hello dear, can I come in?” She asks from your doorway and you look up from your sketchbook.

“Barb, hi. Ya of course.” You tell her and she smiles as she walks in and closes the door. “What’s up?” You ask as you put your pencil down and lean back in your chair to look at her. 

“I’ll be blunt with you.” She starts and you tilt your head at her in question. “You have a crush on Melissa right?” She asks and you widen your eyes. “We all see it, you’re not good at hiding it.” She adds.

Well no use in trying to cover it up. “Oh god, does that mean that Melissa knows?” 

You ask her and she shakes her head.

“No, Melissa won’t ever think that you’ll like her. The only way she’ll know is if you tell her.” She says and you sigh.

“Well that won’t ever happen?” You say and she tilts her head at you.

“Sweetheart, what reason can you have to not want to tell her?”

“Many reasons. About to start with the fact that she’s straight, she’s my friend, she’ll never be into me, she’s out of my league, and did I mention that she’s straight?” You say and she smiles at you.

“You did mention it. Dear, I have known Melissa a long time, and what I can tell you is that you’ve caught her eye. I’ve seen how she is when someone catches her interest and how she is with friends. She treats you differently then how she treats me and the rest of the Abbott crew, and everyone else she has ever befriended. What I’m saying is, I think if you told her about your feelings for her, you might be surprised of her answer.” Barb says and you look at her stunned. 

“I’ll- I’ll think about it.” You tell her.

“I wouldn’t take too long, Gary has his sights on her too.” She tells you and you widen your eyes.

“The vending machine guy?” You ask and she nods.

“Well she might be better off with him.” You say casually.

“Why do you say that? Why wouldn’t she be happy with you?”

“Cause I’m me.” You tell her and then get back to your drawing. Barb walks up to you and puts her hand on your shoulder.

“Yes you’re you, and Melissa likes who you are.” Barb tells you and then leaves.

At the end of the day you finish cleaning up the art supplies, then you grab your stuff and leave and you bump into someone on the way out.

“Oh sorry hon.” Melissa tells you.

“Oh Melissa, hi.” You stutter. “Wha- what are you doing in this corner of the school?” You ask her, considering her classroom is on the other side of the school.

“I came here to see you.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t see you at lunch today, or barely at all today actually.” She says.

“Melissa, are you saying you missed me?” You tell her in a teasing tone.

“I did actually, if you must know.” She says and playfully shoves your shoulder. “Something happened at lunch actually.” She adds and you tilt your head to let her continue. “Gary asked me out.” She says and you stop breathing for a second and widen your eyes.

“Oh.” You say, you stayed in your classroom at lunch today going over what Barb told you before lunch. Now it seems you missed your chance.

“I turned him down.” She says and that snaps you out of your head.

“What? You said no?” You tell her and she nods her head. “Why?”

“Because I don’t want to go out with him. I’d rather go out with someone else.” She tells you and she takes a step towards you. You’re breathing quickens as you look into her emerald green eyes that captures you in them. Your faces are close together, as you’re the same height, it wouldn’t take much to lean forward and kiss her. You gulp as you realise she’s waiting for you to say something.

“And who is it that you’d rather go out with?” You ask and you glance down at her lips before looking into her eyes again.

“You.” Is all she says but it still leaves you breathless. You see her glance down at your lips briefly before looking into your e/c eyes. Without thinking, you lean forward and kiss her fiercely. She kisses you back with just as much force and she grabs the back of your head with both of her hands. You place your hands on her waist and press her up against the wall and you both continue kissing each other as if your lives depended on it.

 “Should we stop them? I mean it is still school property.” Janine says as the trio, Barb, Ava and Gary are watching you two make out down the hall.

“I think we should let them enjoy today. Then if we catch them making out again, then we can stop them.” Barb says, glad you both finally took the chance. “And Gary, thanks for asking her out, I knew it would make Melissa finally admit her feelings.” Barb tells him and he nods at her.

“Glad I could help.” He says and they all leave.

You both pull back to catch your breath. Melissa giggles as you look at each other. “Did you kiss all the southern girls that told you they have feelings for you?” She asks with a smile.

“I never liked them back so no.” You tell her and she cups your cheek. You surge forward to capture her lips on yours again, never wanting to pull back.

Taglist: @esposadejoyhuerta

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@sexysapphicshopowner

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Let me know if you want to be added!

[camisoledadparis]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … November 5

1698 – England: William Minton, a 19 year old servant, is used as bait to entrap Capt. Edward Rigby, the first homosexual victim of entrapment by the Society for the Reformation of Manners. He was tried for sodomy. These Societies were formed in tower hamlets, London, in 1690, with their primary object being the suppression of bawdy houses and profanity. A network of moral guardians was set up, with four stewards in each ward of the City of London, two for each parish, and a committee, whose business it was to gather the names and addresses of offenders against morality, and to keep minutes of their misdeeds. By 1699 there were nine such societies, and by 1701 there were nearly 20 in London, plus others in the provinces, all corresponding with one another and gathering information and arranging for prosecutions.

1884 – Born: James Elroy Flecker (d.1915); English poet, novelist and playwright. Born in London, and educated at Dean Close School, Cheltenham, where his father was headmaster, and Uppingham School, he studied at Trinity College, Oxford, and Caius College, Cambridge. While at Oxford he was greatly influenced by the last flowering of the Aesthetic movement there, under John Addington Symonds.

He died of tuberculosis in Davos, Switzerland. His death at the age of thirty was described at the time as "unquestionably the greatest premature loss that English literature has suffered since the death of Keats".

His Collected Poems (1916) were published the year after he died at age 30. His poetry shares one trait in common with that of his contemporary, Rupert Brooke: the sexuality is ambiguous. There is no question, however, that Flecker was Gay. His lover was the classicist J.D. Beazley, one of the world's great authorities on Greek vases.

His most widely known poem is "To A Poet A Thousand Years Hence". The most enduring testimony to his work is perhaps an excerpt from "The Golden Journey to Samarkand" inscribed on the clock tower of the barracks of the British Army's 22nd Special Air Service regiment in Hereford.

Bryan Lourd (R) and husband Bruce Bozzi

1960 – Bryan Lourd is an American talent agent. He has been partner, managing director and co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) since October 1995.

Lourd was born in New Iberia, Louisiana. His brother, Blaine Lourd, is an investment advisor. He attended New Iberia Senior High School, where he played the lead in several high school musicals. He earned a degree from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in 1982.

Lourd and actress Carrie Fisher were together from 1991 to 1994. They have one daughter, actress Billie, born in 1992. Lourd married Bruce Bozzi, the co-owner of The Palm, on October 12, 2016, and Lourd legally adopted Bozzi's daughter, Ava. They divide their time between a penthouse apartment in the West Village, in Lower Manhattan, New York City and a house in Beverly Hills, California.

Lourd was elected to the board of trustees of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2011. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. He was appointed to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities in 2009 by President Barack Obama and to the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2015.

Lourd 's clients include George Clooney, Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt, Robert Downey, Jr., Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon, Matthew McConaughey, Sean Penn, Madonna, Naomi Watts, Natalie Portman, Robin Williams, Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Duchovny, Helen Hunt, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Taraji P. Henson, and Peter Jöback.

1969 – The Homosexual Information Center protested at the offices of the Los Angeles Times to protest the newspaper's refusal to print the word "homosexual" in ads after it refused to print an ad announcing a group discussion on homosexuality.

1979 – Leonardo Nam is an Australian actor. He made his breakthrough as Roy in The Perfect Score (2004), and gained further recognition for his roles as Morimoto in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) and Brian McBrian in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008). In 2016, Nam began starring as Felix Lutz in Westworld (2016–present) which brought him widespread recognition.

Nam was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to South Korean immigrant parents. At the age of six, he moved to Sydney, Australia. Nam attended Sydney Technical High School and studied architecture at the University of New South Wales. Nam left Sydney to follow his dreams of an acting career in New York City, United States, at the age of 19. He studied with several acting teachers in New York, including Austin Pendleton and William Carden at HB Studio.

Before his Hollywood success, Nam travelled to New York City to pursue his acting career. His first few nights he slept in Central Park and then found jobs working as a waiter and bartender. His breakthrough role came in his performance of Roy in The Perfect Score (2004).

He had a small role in the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants as Brian McBrian, a hardcore gamer. He played Brian again in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2; in the sequel, his character has a larger role. In 2016, he joined the cast of the HBO series Westworld. In 2018 he was featured in the music video "Waste It on Me" by Steve Aoki featuring BTS.

Nam is married to Michael Dodge. They have twin sons (born 2017) together. The family lives in San Diego.

1983 – Andrew Hayden-Smith, born Andrew John Smith, is a British actor and television presenter best known for his work with CBBC.

Auditions for popular CBBC children's serial drama Byker Grove were held at his school and he won the part of Ben Carter, making his first appearance in the eighth series of the show in 1995.

Initially just using the name Andrew Smith, he appeared as a guest on Saturday morning CBBC show Live & Kicking with several other characters from the show. Smith soon became a regular guest on the show. This led to appearances on other shows and also in teen-magazines, as well as two pantomime appearances. In 2001 he applied for Equity membership and was accepted under the name Andrew Hayden-Smith (Hayden being another surname in his family), as the name Andrew Smith was already taken.

In 2004, the ex-Byker Grove actor and CBBC presenter Andrew did the unthinkable for a young man on kids' TV - he told the world he was gay. At the risk of being outed by a newspaper, he beat the tabloids to the punch and did an interview with Attitude magazine:

"Coming out is pretty scary. It's bad enough when you're almost certain that the majority of people around you will be totally cool with it. I was 21 and presenting kids TV at the time and was commended for what everyone kept saying was such a brave step."

It did his career no harm, and he's proved an inspiration - and eye candy - for young gay men across the country.

Andrew has since appeared regularly on stage and in Doctor Who. Hayden-Smith appeared in the episodes "Rise of the Cybermen", "The Age of Steel" and "Doomsday" as Jake Simmonds in the 2006 series of Doctor Who. He returned to CBBC having completed the filming, but decided that he wished to concentrate on acting. His final day of presenting was on 7 July 2006, the day before his third and final Doctor Who appearance.

[sapphicbookclub]

Simply the Best by Karin Kallmaker

Simply the Worst…Alice Cabot’s only great love is science, but a lapse in judgment has exiled the New York journalist to the glitzy Gallerias and vapid bubble-babble of Beverly Hills. The assignment to do a flattering feature series on Simply the Best and the superficial nonsense it sells threatens to crush what little is left of her spirit.

Simply the Best…Pepper Addington can’t believe she’s moved up from grunt intern to personal assistant for Helene Jolie, the celebrity socialite founder of SimplytheBest.com. Succeeding at the job she worked so hard to get is her only priority. Keep a cynical know-it-all reporter in check? She promises Helene that she can.

Simply Irresistible…Expecting nothing but games from the beach-blond surfer girl that Helene Jolie has assigned to keep an eye on her, Alice is fully prepared to resist any and all of California’s charms. Or so she thinks.

Genres: contemporary, romance

Get the book from Blackwell's with free worldwide shipping here!

[notinmyvocab]

Summary: Melissa Schemmenti meets the music teacher at Addington and gets invited to a performance.

Warnings: T, unedited, milfs

Okay, so Addington Elementary was a nice school. A really nice school… but Melissa didn’t take any less pride in Abbott just because Addington had a rainbow stripe running down the hallways.

She shifted the box against her hip, the books growing heavier by the second. “Oh, ���scuse me,” Melissa said, grabbing the attention of a young woman passing by.

“What can I do for you?” the young woman asked. Her smile was kind, and she smelled of Spring. Her French bob was perfectly messy, and her lipstick the perfect shade of red.

“Um, yeah, I’m Melissa. Schemmenti. Melissa Schemmenti.” Melissa attempted to hold out her hand and nearly dropped the box of books. “These are yours. I mean, maybe not yours. But they’re for your school. Not your school. Unless it is your school?”

She was rambling like an idiot. What the hell was that about?

Thankfully, the woman laughed. “No, no I’m just the music teacher. Do they happen to be music theory books?”

“History books.”

“Darn, I was hoping to get those theory books in early. Well, I can take those books off your hands.”

The young woman held out her arms, ready to take hold of the box. But Melissa kept it out of her reach. “Heavier than it looks. Just show me where to go.”

“Oh, okay! Follow me.”

The long hallway made it perfect for conversation. Melissa learned that the woman’s name was Helene, and she just started working at Addington that year after moving here from Vermont. And she was funny, god she was funny.

Helene came to stop in front of a classroom. “Knock knock!” she called out in a singsong voice that Melissa would normally find annoying, but the melody was soothing. It seemed Helene was a singer. “Miss Thompson, your books are here. Special delivery.”

Melissa was relieved of the box of books. So that was that. Except it wasn’t. Helene walked Melissa to the front door, keeping up light and pleasant conversation the entire time. And it was so easy to talk to her.

“And I figured, hey, if I become a music teacher, then I can perform all the time and not have to audition.”

“And you like teaching music?”

“Love it. I didn’t expect to, but when the kids hit the right notes and harmonize? It’s nothing short of miraculous.”

“I’m sure. Music, it’s great stuff. Not much of a player, but I love listening.”

They stopped at the front doors, but Melissa wasn’t so quick to leave. The two of them stood in the hallway, neither of them particularly eager to end the conversation.

“Oh, actually,” Helene said suddenly, “um, I’m in a band. And we’re performing tomorrow night. You should totally come check us out. Since you love listening.”

“Yeah,” Melissa replied eagerly. Too eagerly? “Yeah, I’d like that.”

Helene smiled warmly. “Awesome. We’ll be set up at Waterworks at about nine. Bring friends if you want,” she added. “Or don’t. Whatever you want.”

Did she want to bring friends? Melissa wasn’t sure. On one hand, bringing a group with her might ruin the mood. But showing up alone might make her look like a total loser, which she definitely didn’t want.

So she made it an open invitation.

“Tomorrow at nine,” she told the break room. “Anyone in?”

“You said at Waterworks?” Jacob asked, stirring sugar into his coffee. He then gave a giggle.

“Yeah, you got a problem with it?” Melissa challenged. “Not classy enough for Jacob Hill?”

“What? No!” Jacob insisted. “It’s just that… Melissa… Waterworks is a gay bar.”

Melissa froze for a moment. A gay bar? A bar for gay people? “Yeah, I know,” she said quickly. “Duh, everyone knows that Jacob. I’m going to support a friend.” That was all. “They don’t call me an ally for nothing. Now is anyone else in?”

“What kind of music?” Barbara asked. She wasn’t one for going clubbing, but she did enjoy a good music event.

“I dunno, probably some acoustic Zooey Deschanel ukulele thing.” Melissa shrugged. Helene was soft with the pinkest auras and a light voice; a walking flower. She imagined an indie version of a Sondheim number. It wasn’t to her taste, but Melissa was just going to support a new friend. That was it.

But she was still going to a club. And that meant tight leather pants and a low cut cheetah print shirt. She felt good. She felt really good. Her hair had the perfect wave to it, her waist had the perfect definition and damn, her tits looked especially good.

Waterworks was packed and for a moment, Melissa worried that she would get lost in the crowd. But she shoved the fear aside, finding it irrational. Who cared if Helene saw her in the sea of people or not?

Jacob was here somewhere. He was the only one who said he would join her, and he seemed to know the place pretty well. Jacob being here meant she wasn’t such a fish out of water. And maybe she could get him to pay for her drinks.

The band came out and began setting up. Melissa saw drums, a bass, an electric guitar; definitely not a ukulele deal.

And then Helene was onstage, only she didn’t look like the Helene from the day before. Melissa recognized the French bob and red lipstick, and she could have sworn that even this far away from the stage, she smelled Spring. But she wore all black and her shorts were so short it seemed impossible that they were covering anything.

Helene grabbed the mic and smiled when her gaze landed on Melissa. She gave a little wave and for a moment, Melissa saw the sweet girl she met before. And then the guitar cut in with a catchy riff, the drums creating a heavy but steady beat. Headbanging music.

“I’m not shy, I’ll say it: I’ve been picturing you naked. I’m a little faded. You look like a fuckin’ paintin’,” Helene sang in a voice much lower and more sultry than Melissa expected.

She stared in disbelief, barely noticing that Jacob was next to her holding out a drink. “Oh my gosh, this song is so catchy,” Jacob said as Melissa took the beer he got her.

“You know it?”

“Of course. It’s ‘Slumber Party.’ I mean, not the original version. The original is very overproduced, in my opinion. I guess her band put their own rock twist on it. I like it! It’s less tailored to the masses, but I think music shouldn’t be about—“

“Jacob, sweetie, shut up.” Melissa chugged half her beer, focusing on the stage as the people around her danced together, either grinding on one another or pumping their fists and jumping up and down.

It was, admittedly, intoxicating.

And then Helene made eye contact again. In the crowd of tens, maybe a hundred or more, she only focused on her.

“Matching pajamas, birthday suits, her spit taste just like juicy fruit. She do that thing she usually do: spell my name with her tongue like uh-huh. Me and your girlfriend playing dress up at my house. I gave your girlfriend cunnilingus on my couch. She cute; kawaii! Hentai boobies that excite me. I think she really likes me, asked politely can I ooh-ooh-ooh.”

A music teacher who spoke so passionately about her job, wore florals and was like the personification of a lily, was now onstage in ripped clothes, singing about eating out another girl.

Dammit. Melissa had fallen. Hard.

[wankerwatch]

Lords Vote

On: Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill

Lord Gascoigne moved amendment 1, before clause 1, to insert the new clause Purpose: improvement of passenger railway services. The House divided:

Ayes: 187 (67.9% Con, 22.5% LD, 4.3% XB, 3.2% , 0.5% Green, 0.5% UUP, 0.5% DUP, 0.5% PC) Noes: 132 (90.2% Lab, 9.1% XB, 0.8% ) Absent: ~510

Likely Referenced Bill: Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill

Description: A Bill to make provision for passenger railway services to be provided by public sector companies instead of by means of franchises.

Originating house: Commons Current house: Lords Bill Stage: Report stage

Individual Votes:

Ayes

Conservative (127 votes)

Ahmad of Wimbledon, L. Anelay of St Johns, B. Arbuthnot of Edrom, L. Arran, E. Ashcombe, L. Attlee, E. Balfe, L. Bellamy, L. Bellingham, L. Berridge, B. Blackwood of North Oxford, B. Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist, B. Booth-Smith, L. Borwick, L. Bourne of Aberystwyth, L. Brady of Altrincham, L. Brady, B. Caine, L. Caithness, E. Camoys, L. Camrose, V. Clarke of Nottingham, L. Courtown, E. Crathorne, L. Cumberlege, B. Davies of Gower, L. De Mauley, L. Dobbs, L. Dundee, E. Effingham, E. Elliott of Mickle Fell, L. Evans of Bowes Park, B. Evans of Rainow, L. Fall, B. Fookes, B. Foster of Oxton, B. Fraser of Craigmaddie, B. Fuller, L. Garnier, L. Gascoigne, L. Geddes, L. Goldie, B. Goodman of Wycombe, L. Grayling, L. Hamilton of Epsom, L. Hannan of Kingsclere, L. Harlech, L. Hayward, L. Helic, B. Herbert of South Downs, L. Hodgson of Abinger, B. Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, L. Holmes of Richmond, L. Hooper, B. Horam, L. Howell of Guildford, L. Hunt of Wirral, L. Jackson of Peterborough, L. James of Blackheath, L. Jamieson, L. Jenkin of Kennington, B. Jopling, L. Kirkhope of Harrogate, L. Lamont of Lerwick, L. Lansley, L. Lea of Lymm, B. Leicester, E. Leigh of Hurley, L. Lexden, L. Lilley, L. Lucas, L. Magan of Castletown, L. Mancroft, L. Manzoor, B. Markham, L. May of Maidenhead, B. McColl of Dulwich, L. McInnes of Kilwinning, L. McLoughlin, L. Morris of Bolton, B. Moylan, L. Moynihan of Chelsea, L. Murray of Blidworth, L. Naseby, L. Neville-Jones, B. Neville-Rolfe, B. Newlove, B. Nicholson of Winterbourne, B. Noakes, B. Northbrook, L. Norton of Louth, L. Owen of Alderley Edge, B. Parkinson of Whitley Bay, L. Penn, B. Pidding, B. Polak, L. Porter of Fulwood, B. Porter of Spalding, L. Reay, L. Redfern, B. Roberts of Belgravia, L. Roborough, L. Sanderson of Welton, B. Sandhurst, L. Sater, B. Scott of Bybrook, B. Shackleton of Belgravia, B. Sharma, L. Sharpe of Epsom, L. Shinkwin, L. Stedman-Scott, B. Stowell of Beeston, B. Sugg, B. Taylor of Holbeach, L. Trefgarne, L. Trenchard, V. True, L. Vaizey of Didcot, L. Vere of Norbiton, B. Verma, B. Waldegrave of North Hill, L. Wei, L. Williams of Trafford, B. Wrottesley, L. Wyld, B. Young of Cookham, L. Younger of Leckie, V.

Liberal Democrat (42 votes)

Addington, L. Alderdice, L. Barker, B. Beith, L. Benjamin, B. Bowles of Berkhamsted, B. Brinton, B. Bruce of Bennachie, L. Burt of Solihull, B. Clement-Jones, L. Featherstone, B. Foster of Bath, L. Fox, L. German, L. Hamwee, B. Humphreys, B. Hussein-Ece, B. Janke, B. Kramer, B. Ludford, B. Marks of Henley-on-Thames, L. Newby, L. Oates, L. Palmer of Childs Hill, L. Pidgeon, B. Pinnock, B. Randerson, B. Rennard, L. Russell, E. Scriven, L. Sheehan, B. Smith of Newnham, B. Stoneham of Droxford, L. Storey, L. Teverson, L. Thomas of Gresford, L. Thomas of Winchester, B. Thornhill, B. Thurso, V. Wallace of Saltaire, L. Walmsley, B. Wrigglesworth, L.

Crossbench (8 votes)

Alton of Liverpool, L. Bilimoria, L. Chartres, L. Craigavon, V. Finlay of Llandaff, B. Freyberg, L. O'Loan, B. Somerset, D.

Non-affiliated (6 votes)

Altmann, B. Ashton of Hyde, L. Fox of Buckley, B. Morgan of Cotes, B. Paddick, L. Warsi, B.

Green Party (1 vote)

Bennett of Manor Castle, B.

Ulster Unionist Party (1 vote)

Elliott of Ballinamallard, L.

Democratic Unionist Party (1 vote)

Dodds of Duncairn, L.

Plaid Cymru (1 vote)

Smith of Llanfaes, B.

Noes

Labour (119 votes)

Adams of Craigielea, B. Alli, L. Anderson of Swansea, L. Armstrong of Hill Top, B. Ashton of Upholland, B. Bach, L. Bakewell, B. Bassam of Brighton, L. Beamish, L. Berkeley, L. Blackstone, B. Blake of Leeds, B. Blower, B. Blunkett, L. Boateng, L. Bradley, L. Browne of Ladyton, L. Bryan of Partick, B. Campbell-Savours, L. Carter of Coles, L. Chakrabarti, B. Chandos, V. Chapman of Darlington, B. Coaker, L. Crawley, B. Davies of Brixton, L. Donaghy, B. Drake, B. Dubs, L. Eatwell, L. Evans of Watford, L. Falconer of Thoroton, L. Faulkner of Worcester, L. Foulkes of Cumnock, L. Gale, B. Giddens, L. Glasman, L. Golding, B. Goldsmith, L. Griffiths of Burry Port, L. Hannett of Everton, L. Hanson of Flint, L. Harris of Haringey, L. Haskel, L. Hayman of Ullock, B. Hayter of Kentish Town, B. Hazarika, B. Healy of Primrose Hill, B. Hendy of Richmond Hill, L. Hendy, L. Hermer, L. Hodge of Barking, B. Howarth of Newport, L. Hughes of Stretford, B. Hunt of Kings Heath, L. Jones of Whitchurch, B. Jones, L. Jordan, L. Keeley, B. Kennedy of Cradley, B. Kennedy of Southwark, L. Kinnock, L. Knight of Weymouth, L. Lawrence of Clarendon, B. Lennie, L. Leong, L. Liddell of Coatdyke, B. Liddle, L. Lister of Burtersett, B. Livermore, L. Mandelson, L. McConnell of Glenscorrodale, L. McIntosh of Hudnall, B. McNicol of West Kilbride, L. Merron, B. Morgan of Drefelin, B. Morris of Yardley, B. Murphy of Torfaen, L. Nye, B. O'Grady of Upper Holloway, B. Pitkeathley, B. Ponsonby of Shulbrede, L. Prentis of Leeds, L. Prosser, B. Ramsey of Wall Heath, B. Rebuck, B. Reid of Cardowan, L. Rowlands, L. Sahota, L. Sawyer, L. Shamash, L. Sikka, L. Smith of Basildon, B. Smith of Cluny, B. Smith of Malvern, B. Snape, L. Spellar, L. Stansgate, V. Stevenson of Balmacara, L. Thornton, B. Timpson, L. Touhig, L. Tunnicliffe, L. Turnberg, L. Twycross, B. Vallance of Balham, L. Warwick of Undercliffe, B. Watson of Invergowrie, L. Watson of Wyre Forest, L. Watts, L. Wheeler, B. Whitaker, B. Whitty, L. Wilcox of Newport, B. Winston, L. Winterton of Doncaster, B. Wood of Anfield, L. Woodley, L. Young of Old Scone, B.

Crossbench (12 votes)

Aberdare, L. Bull, B. Clancarty, E. Hayman, B. Hogan-Howe, L. Jay of Ewelme, L. Laming, L. Meston, L. Ravensdale, L. Rees of Ludlow, L. Vaux of Harrowden, L. Wheatcroft, B.

Non-affiliated (1 vote)

Patel of Bradford, L.

[manfixplumbing]

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[atlanticcanada]

Man charged after breaking into Pictou County home, fleeing from police: N.S. RCMP

A Cape Breton man is facing charges after he allegedly broke into a home and fled from police in Nova Scotia’s Pictou County Thursday night.

Pictou County District RCMP responded to a report of a break-in at a home on Granton Abercrombie Road in Abercrombie, N.S., around 7:35 p.m.

Officers learned that a man had broken into the home about an hour earlier and drove away in a black Volkswagen Beetle that had been stored in a garage on the property.

Police say, at the same time, an RCMP Northeast Traffic Services member found the vehicle travelling on Highway 104 near James River, N.S., about 60 kilometers away.

Police say they tried pulling the vehicle over, but the driver fled before the officer could speak with him.

Another officer then found the same vehicle on Highway 104 near exit 31 in Addington Forks, N.S.

The police officer tried to pull the driver over again, but police say he refused to stop.

The officer then followed the vehicle, which left the highway at exit 33 in Beech Hill, N.S.

The vehicle, which police say appeared to have mechanical issues, began to slow down while on Beech Hill Road.

An RCMP Police Dog Service team arrived on scene and the vehicle was “successfully disabled,” according to a news release.

Police say Kevin Walters, 45, of Sydney Mines, N.S., was arrested.

They say Walters was showing signs of impairment and gave a breath sample, which he failed.

Walters was taken to the Antigonish RCMP detachment, where police say he gave additional breath samples that were more than twice the legal limit.

Walters was then taken to Pictou County District RCMP cells and held overnight.

He has been charged with break, enter and commit.

Police say charges of flight from police, impaired operation of a conveyance and impaired operation of a conveyance equal to, or more than, 80mg% will be laid at a later date.

Walters appeared in Pictou provincial court Friday and was remanded into custody.

He will return to court Tuesday morning.

Police say their investigation continues.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/1SXvVPZ

[wjbsart]

At the Addington Hills viewpoint place, you can see a lot of London and the surrounding areas from up here.

[ellacott-photography]

Photo: Cityscape of London as seen from Addington Hills, Croydon

Date Taken: 13th September 2017

[insidecroydon]

Long-neglected Heathfield House being rented out as 17 rooms

Rooms to rent: Heathfield House is now being rented out piecemeal CROYDON IN CRISIS: Unable to find an approved bidder or use for the Grade II-listed building, the cash-strapped council has got agents to rent out single rooms to ‘guardians’. EXCLUSIVE by STEVEN DOWNES Listed building Heathfield House is being rented out on a room-by-room basis by agents on behalf of owners Croydon Council, an…

[alexsmithson]

Addington Hills / 25.2.2019

Addington Hills / 25.2.2019

Almost 5 years since I last visited Addington Hills/Shirley Hills, I paid a visit there after a long time away, and because the weather was wonderful for the last week of February, which was a first considering a year before we had heavy snowfall, I couldn’t help but notice the skyline was slightly misty further into the distance, but the scenery was absolutely beautiful.

Seeing the skyline…

[p-isforpoetry]

"The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" by Edward Lear (read by Sir William "Billy" Connolly)

I. The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea   In a beautiful pea-green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money,   Wrapped up in a five-pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above,   And sang to a small guitar, "O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,    What a beautiful Pussy you are,         You are,         You are! What a beautiful Pussy you are!"

II. Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl!   How charmingly sweet you sing! O let us be married! too long we have tarried:   But what shall we do for a ring?" They sailed away, for a year and a day,   To the land where the Bong-Tree grows And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood   With a ring at the end of his nose,             His nose,             His nose,   With a ring at the end of his nose.

III. "Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling   Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will." So they took it away, and were married next day   By the Turkey who lives on the hill. They dined on mince, and slices of quince,   Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,   They danced by the light of the moon,             The moon,             The moon, They danced by the light of the moon.

Source: The Poets' Corner

"The Owl and the Pussy-cat" is a nonsense poem by Edward Lear, first published during 1871 as part of his book Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets. Lear wrote the poem for a three-year-old girl, Janet Symonds, the daughter of Lear's friend and fellow poet John Addington Symonds and his wife Catherine Symonds.

[squirrelly831]

Proposal [Mark and Jaebum]

Remember how it was noted that Jaebum almost lost Yuna? Well this was one of the two times. The first was when she wouldn't even give him a chance to date her. This includes some angst, but not enough to have a trigger (: just a good old punch in the face (don't really punch your friend in the face--unless they deserve it) (:

xoxo

Mark

Christmas was Marcie’s and Mark’s favorite time of year. Not only was it near their anniversary since they began to date, but it was a time they both got to see their families for a big reunion. Christmas in LA was always fun for them as their families would spend the day together as a happy family for the past four years. However, this year, the families spent Christmas in snowy Colorado at Marcie’s and Mark’s vacation home. To Mark and Marcie, family was important which was why they were so important with their next step.

Mark had planned proposing to Marcie for the past six months with the help of their parents. Marcie was on an expedition in the United Kingdom and was due to conclude it a week before Christmas. The distance was what made Mark more sure of proposing. Being away from Marcie was normal in their relationship due to their jobs, but he hated being home alone. Mark also feared that one day, Marcie may realize how much better she was without him and leave him.

Marcie was getting out of the airport with her cart of luggage from her several month long trip. She tucked herself deeper into her winter coat as she looked for her family. Her body was sore from all the bending and digging, but it gave her a sense of satisfaction as they may have discovered more history about Stonehenge.

“Ciecie!”

Her head whipped around to see Mark with a giant poster with her parents and his. Forgetting her bags, she ran up to Mark and threw her arms around Mark’s neck. Her father retrieved her bags as Mark held her tightly in his arms taking in her scent. Marcie loved the adventure her work gave her, but she loved her home with Mark so much more. “I love you” she whispered in the crook of his neck.

“I love you more” he kissed her head before she pulled back and he gave her a kiss on the lips.

The family spent the week before Christmas catching up with Mark and Marcie as well as McKenzie and Changkyun who had stopped in to visit and announce their wedding plans for the following year. Marcie was asked to be McKenzie’s maid of honor which Marcie immediately accepted while Changkyun asked Mark to be one of his best men which he readily agreed. Due to the wedding announcement, Mark debated on proposing after their news, but with a push from both their parents and McKenzie’s not so subtle threat, he pushed forward.

Christmas Eve, the families attended church so that Christmas Day, they could spend it together. Everyone was opening presents dressed casually minus Mark and Marcie who had plans afterwards to go celebrate their anniversary. Done with the presents, the parents cleaned up the wrapping paper and subtly moved as McKenzie grabbed her phone and hit record. Mark and Marcie were the only ones by the Christmas tree and Mark couldn’t help the smile that grazed his lips.

Marcie stood to move, but he caught her hand stopping her as he reached for the final present, “This one is for you from me.” A blush crossed his face as Marcie took the small bag.

Cooly she pulled out the gift paper and found a jewelry box. She smiled expecting another ring or earring to add to the collection Mark had already given her. However, when she flipped open the box, she let out a gasp before looking at Mark who was kneeling before her.

Mark cleared his throat as he felt nervous. “I found the reason for my smile, the day I met you. You complete me, make me, and fulfil me. So will you marry me, Marcie Delilah Addington?”

Marcie’s shaky hand was over her mouth as tears fell down her face. Words would not form and she nodded her head. Mark stood up and took the ring out the box and placed it on Marcie’s finger as the family cheered. He wiped her face of the fallen tears before he kissed her.

Jaebum

To say Jaebum took Yuna for granted was an understatement. It’s not that he meant it on purpose, but he was so used to her being there by his side. At least she had been until she walked out the door of their shared apartment with a small bag of clothes. The slamming of the door was the only noise that was made. Jaebum sat on the couch unmoved from his position. The emotions in him swirled, anger, sadness, betrayal, but most importantly emptiness. Yuna walked out on him. The woman he promised his life to stabbed him in the back-- and it was all his fault.

Yuna wiped a tear off her cheek as she tried to maintain her calm exterior. She was broken inside, but as she walked down the hall past the neighbors she sure heard their shouting match--she held her head up high. She wouldn’t cry. Not there where people would judge her. Where people would assume he left her. Paparazzi would eat up that story and his fans would believe it as they have always hated her. The elevator opened and shut once she was inside. When she was finally alone, her tears spilled and she let out a sob down ten floors of their apartment complex. Her heart felt like it was being ripped apart as she descended down to the main lobby. When she was free from the elevator, she fled no longer caring for the stares of others as she raced out to her car.

A week of silence from Jaebum is what led the others to investigate starting at his apartment. Mark punched in the code to the apartment and opened the door to darkness. The guys rushed inside and saw Jaebum on the couch fast asleep with his phone clutched in his hand. “Jae?” Mark approached him and gave him a shake.

Jaebum shot up, “Yuna!” He exclaimed but his sadness returned when he saw the guys, “It’s just you guys.”

“Just us?” Jinyoung’s eyebrow rose, “You haven’t answered our texts in over a week and that’s your response to us?”

Jaebum rubbed his eyes, “That’s not what I meant… I just--I expected Yuna to come home and she hasn’t.” The men went silent and tension rose. “She left me” Jaebum explained, causing them to exhale as they had feared something had happened to her.

“Why? Out of all of us, we wouldn’t have expected you two to break up?”

Jaebum felt a wave of guilt, “It’s my fault… I told her I didn’t need a paper to tell me we were in love--”

“Oh no you didn’t” the guys groaned their complaints. “Why would you tell her that? She’s been waiting to be your wife since well forever!” Bambam huffed.

“I know, I didn’t think of that when I said it. Of course, I wanna marry her, but we’re so young…”

“Have you even proposed to her?” Mark countered and Jaebum fell silent. A deafening answer to them and they shook their heads. “You haven’t even bothered to make your relationship serious, dude. No wonder she left.”

Jaebum jumped from the couch and caught Mark by his collar, “I AM SERIOUS ABOUT HER!”

Mark swatted his hands off him as his anger grew, “Really? Where? Fuck, Jaebum we’re all engaged or married and you’re still fucking dating.”

“I know that. I was just waiting for the right time to propose…”

Mark gestured around the dark room, “I say the perfect time has sailed. She’s gone, Jaebum. And instead of going after her, you let her walk out!”

“I KNOW--”

Mark swung at Jaebum, punching him in the jaw. The others reacted as BamBam and Yugyeom grabbed Mark from swinging again while Youngjae and Jackson rushed to Jaebum’s side and Jinyoung stood between them. “Stop moping around and fucking do something.” Mark easily shoved Bambam and Yugyeom off him and he turned to leave. “Get your head out your ass. You aren’t the only one remotely suffering.”

Mark left, leaving the others and Jaebum alone. Jaebum’s hand cradled his jaw as his other hand clenched, “I know he’s right.. I just don’t know what to do.”

“I think you do know what to do, hyung,” Yugyeom replied. And the truth was Jaebum did know but was terrified.

Another week had gone by before Yuna heard any word from Jaebum asking to meet him in their favorite spot--the hill that had a view of the sky. At first, Yuna was going to chuck the letter and tell him to go to hell, but she missed him. Maybe she had over reacted that they were still just boyfriend and girlfriend. Yes, she wanted to be his wife. She loved him so of course she wanted to marry him. She reluctantly gathered herself and got her makeup on before she headed out to the meeting place.

Jaebum checked his watch again for the hundredth time as he moved the bundle of pink roses in his hand. A throat cleared and his head shot up to see Yuna in one of her favorite sweaters and skirts. He had a chance to make up with her! Had this been a breakup, Yuna would have gone a full 9 yards to show what he was losing--something she had done with men who never had the fortunate chance to be with her. The words he had practiced for over a week were gone as he stared at his girlfriend.

“Well? I didn’t come here to be stared at” Yuna scowled. “I was going to meet up with the real estate agent” she lied. She saw the flicker of hurt in Jaebum’s eyes and she began to feel guilt build, but she shook it off. We’re not staying with him if he won’t look to a future with us, she coached herself as she crossed her arms.

Jaebum bit his lower lip as he held out the flowers, “I just wanted to talk to you…” Yuna took the roses and pressed them to her. “You were right.”

“About?”

“Everything. How I was selfish about not wanting to get married and how I only thought of myself.” His hands felt clammy as he tried to speak. “You chased after me for so long and compared to that, the amount of chasing I’ve done has been nothing. But I love you, you have to know tha--”

Yuna pushed her hair off her shoulder, “It’s not enough.”

Jaebum’s shoulders slumped, “I know... “

“You can love me now and eventually find another woman who you love more. Someone you’d want to start a family with. I could be too annoying to be a wife to you…”

Jaebum’s eyes met her in a panic, “I was a kid when I said that. I never--” No, back then he meant it.

Yuna took a seat on the bench as Jaebum watched her, “It’s stupid. We were kids, but to have the guy you were obsessed with at one point to say that to you, even as a kid, is a hit to your ego. Who’s to say you wouldn’t feel that way again?” Yuna sighed. “Maybe we should just call it quits? With GOT7 and your work, doing this” she swung her finger between the two of them “is just going to make your work so much harder.”

She gave him one of her fake smiles and Jaebum wanted to scream. He saw the pain he brought her, the uncertainty she had due to him unable to make them official. Jaebum knew this was more than something he said as a child. This was her love language, she needed action. Words only meant so much to her compared to actions and Jaebum failed. “Don’t you see, you leaving me will make my life harder” he shook his head, “I wouldn’t be able to function without you.” Yuna sighed as she went to stand, but Jaebum placed his hand on her shoulder as he knelt in front of her. “I know I suck sometimes. I don’t show you that you’re the only one for me, but you have to believe me when I say that. You’re as important to me as the boys if not more.” He pulled out a ring box from his pockets and opened it. Yuna’s eyes widened as a gasp escaped her lips. “And I know this is a pretty shitty way to propose, but I had to show you that you are the only one I want. Mook Yuna, will you marry me?”

Yuna’s eyes watered as she looked from Jaebum to the ring. “Idiot…” Jaebum chuckled as he took out the ring and placed it on her finger. “You’re such an idiot.”

Jaebum pulled her into his arms as she cried. Her fist hit him in the chest a couple of times before it stilled and her left hand wrapped around his neck. “I still need an answer.”

“You wanna die? You put me through all this stress and you want an answer?” She pulled back with anger in her eyes. “I should kill you! I’ve lost years off my life because of you. You sho--”

“Oh shut up” Jaebum rolled his eyes playfully as he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers to silence her complaints. He could have sworn she cursed him under her breath, but when she kissed him back he knew he got the answer he needed.

Part II || Part III

Credit to gif owners

Written & revamped by Squirrelly831

♕ REQUEST

☮ GOT7 MASTERLIST

∞ ULTIMATE MASTERLIST

[upsettingandunfortunateclasshate]

‘In Croydon, they create a skyscraper tomb town, dedicated to the soulless pursuit of commerce and administration… while on the Surrey hills, hidden away out of sight, they built an estate called New Addington… a dumping ground for the working class”

[tinytourist]

Milk Stout, No Trout

For Greg’s 25th birthday, we planned a surprise reunion trip with the American crew. All Greg knew was that he needed to pack a bag and prepare for all activities. On Thursday morning Greg was instructed to drive to the airport where he discovered the first destination of the trip, Christchurch.

When we landed, Porter surprised Greg with a hug and the trip was off to an exciting start. We picked up Evan and drove to Lyttelton for a tasty brunch at the Coffee Co. It was a sunny winter day in CHCH so Evan recommended that we walk on the aptly named Coastal Path to Pony Point Reserve.

We scooped Alison before heading to the Port Hills to watch sunset. It was such a serene and relaxing spot, that I didn’t even mind the cold. When the sun dipped beneath the mountains, we went to Pomeroy’s for dinner. The restaurant had a cozy vibe to it with wood panelling and plaid wallpaper. There, we ate, laughed, and sang Happy Birthday to Greg. The guys and I spent the rest of the night chatting back at the hostel.

In the morning, we had brunch at Addington Coffee Co-op. I thoroughly enjoyed my Asian fusion style mushrooms on sourdough.

Evan wanted to go fishing at our next destination, so we popped in to a shop to get information. As we were leaving, the shopkeeper wished us luck and said “that’s a long way to go not to catch fish”. That was Greg’s first clue that we had a big trip ahead.

Evan was bursting at the seams and could not wait any longer to tell Greg where we were going. Porter helped him out by saying that we had to “Tek a po-lice escort” to get there.

Eventually, we made it to the bouldering gym, Uprising, where we met Evan’s friend Josh. We all had a quality climbing sesh before heading to Hagley Park to sling some frisbees. When Al was ready, we quickly packed up the car and hit up the Countdown for supplies before beginning the journey to Tekapo.

We were all impressed by how nice the Airbnb was. It was equipped with two sitting rooms, a fireplace, gas stove, telescope, and 3 bathrooms! We made use of that stove immediately and got to cooking a pesto pasta with Brussel sprouts and mushrooms. We ate and hung out for a while before passing out.

In the morning, we awoke to breathtaking views of the lake and snow-capped mountains. We faffed around for a bit, planning our day, cooking brekkie, and prepping sandwiches. Eventually, we left the house and went down to the lake. At the beginning of the walk we stumbled on a playground with a scenic flying fox. Naturally, we had to stop and play for a while before carrying on with the walk.

We passed by the Church of the Good Shepherd on our way to the frisbee golf course. There, Evan and I played one of our best rounds. We had lunch at the house and then drove out to the Pukaki Canal. Al and I dropped the guys off to fish, and went to the Kettlehole track. We drove through the clouds and began to hike our way through the fog to clear skies with a beautiful view of the lake and mountains at the top.

Al and I went back to the fishing spot to meet up with the guys and watch sunset. Unfortunately, they didn’t catch anything; however, the views more than made up for it. Back at the house, we had some drinks and made a delicious spread for tacos. We were all stuffed but we did our best to sit up and play spicy uno.

The highlight of the night was the stargazing Summit Experience at Mt John Observatory. We were given jackets from the National Science Foundation US Antarctic Program and taken to the top of the mountain. We lucked out with having one of the clearest nights to view stars. With our naked eyes we were able to see two galaxies outside of the Milky Way called the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds!

Our guide pointed out Alpha and Beta Centauri, the closest stars to earth outside of our solar system. Then, we got to look through the huge telescopes to see Saturn and Jupiter. It was hard to take it all in. We made the most of our last night there and stayed up late playing games.

We slept in a bit, packed up the house, and made huevos rancheros out of the leftovers. Then, we went back to the base of Mt John and hiked to the top. Another clear day presented us with exceptional views. It was interesting to get both the day and night perspective from the top.

After the hike, it was time to head back to Christchurch. We stopped for pies in Fairlie, unpacked the car at Evan and Al’s, and went to dinner at Cassels. There, we all ordered the Styx Mill pizza and appreciated the roasted garlic cloves. Just like that, the trip had come to an end. We said our goodbyes and headed off. I felt so lucky that everything went smoothly and that we got to enjoy perfect weather throughout the entire trip.