#Cayman diary

[culturesfinest]

Cayman islands grand cayman spiral notebook light Shopping lists, school notes or poems - 118 page spiral notebook with ruled line paper is a perfect companion in everyday life. The durable printed cover makes the owner proud to carry it everywhere. .: 118 ruled line pages (59 sheets) .: Front cover print .: Dark grey back cover Discover the essence of the Cayman Islands with the Grand Cayman Spiral Notebook, a perfect blend of functionality and island-inspired beauty. This notebook is more than just a stationery item; it’s a gateway to the serene and vibrant world of Grand Cayman, a place where the azure waters meet pristine sands and stunning landscapes inspire creativity and relaxation. Whether you’re jotting down thoughts, sketching your next masterpiece, or planning your next island getaway, this notebook is your ideal companion. Crafted with attention to detail, the Grand Cayman Spiral Notebook boasts a high-quality spiral binding that allows for smooth page turns and a flat-lay design, making every writing or sketching experience effortless. Each page provides a blank canvas for your ideas, thoughts, and dreams, encouraging free-spirited expression and creative exploration. The pages are made from premium, eco-friendly paper, ensuring a delightful writing experience with minimal ink bleed-through. The cover of the notebook is a testament to the enchanting beauty of Grand Cayman. Adorned with a captivating image of the island’s iconic Seven Mile Beach, it instantly transports you to a world of sun-drenched shores and tranquil turquoise waters. The vibrant colors and stunning imagery evoke a sense of wanderlust and adventure, making it an inspiring and motivational accessory for anyone with a passion for travel and exploration. Ideal for students, professionals, artists, and travelers alike, the Grand Cayman Spiral Notebook is versatile in its use. It serves as an excellent tool for organizing your daily schedule, taking notes in meetings, or capturing spontaneous ideas and inspirations. The durable cover ensures protection for your notes and drawings, while the compact size makes it perfect for carrying in your backpack, handbag, or travel case. Beyond its practicality, this notebook is a celebration of the unique culture and natural wonders of the Cayman Islands. It embodies the spirit of the island’s rich heritage, vibrant marine life, and lush landscapes, providing a constant reminder of the beauty that lies beyond the horizon. For those who have visited Grand Cayman, it serves as a cherished keepsake of their adventures; for those yet to explore, it’s an invitation to dream and plan for future journeys. The Grand Cayman Spiral Notebook also makes for a thoughtful gift for loved ones. Whether for a birthday, holiday, or special occasion, it’s an exquisite present that combines practicality with a taste of exotic allure. Each time the recipient opens the notebook, they’ll be reminded of the island’s warmth and charm, encouraging them to capture their own stories and memories. Additionally, this notebook aligns with a commitment to sustainability. The eco-friendly paper and durable materials ensure that your purchase supports responsible manufacturing practices, emphasizing the importance of protecting the natural beauty that inspires this product. By choosing this notebook, you’re not only embracing a piece of paradise but also contributing to its preservation for future generations. In summary, the Cayman Islands Grand Cayman Spiral Notebook is more than a writing tool; it’s an embodiment of island life, creativity, and sustainability. With its stunning design, high-quality materials, and versatile functionality, it stands as a testament to the allure of Grand Cayman. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler, a student, or simply someone who appreciates beautiful stationery, this notebook is sure to inspire and delight. Let it be your canvas for dreams, plans, and reflections, as you carry a piece of the island’s magic with you wherever you go.

[world-of-wales]

PRINCE OF WALES DIARIES ♔

14 MARCH 2024 || THE DIANA LEGACY AWARDS

The Prince of Wales attended the Diana Legacy Awards on Thursday 14th March at the Science Museum in London. Upon arrival he met key staff and supporters of the Diana Award, before joining the ceremony where he heard about the recipients' work. He made a short speech giving tribute to his late mother and presented the Legacy Awards to this year's winners. Following the ceremony, he met and spoke to all the award winners who have travelled from around the world, representing countries including Australia, Bangladesh, the Cayman Islands, India, Indonesia among others. The Diana Legacy Awards take place every two years and celebrate the achievements of 20 exceptional young leaders who are inspiring the next generation to follow in Diana, Princess of Wales' footsteps and make a positive difference to the world. This year's event marked the 25th Anniversary of The Diana Award.

[brookston]

Holidays 6.14

Holidays

Baltic Freedom Day

Ban Live Exports International Awareness Day

Blood Type Awareness Day

Caldecott Day (Literature)

Congressional Baseball Massacre Day

Day of Memory for Repressed People (Armenia)

Day of Mourning and Commemoration (Estonia)

Family History Day

Flag Day (US)

Freedom Day (Malawi)

Green for Grenfell Day (UK)

Hydranencephaly Awareness Day

International Bath Day

International Steampunk Day

Jasmine Day (French Republic)

John McCain Day

Kiss Day (South Korea)

Leinapev (Day of Mourning  and Commemoration; Estonia)

Liberation Day (Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands)

Lunes Siguiente a la Festividad de San Antonio (Ceuta, Spain)

Magic Circles Day

Monkey Around Day

Mourning and Hope Day (Lithuania)

National Hoe Day

National New Mexico Day

National Skunk Day

National YWCA Greater Los Angeles Unsung Heroes Day

No Mailing Children Day

Obama Day (a.k.a. Obama Appreciation Day)

Own Your Share of America Day [Weekday closest to 6.14]

Pahaliraja (a.k.a. Pahili Day; India)

Pause for the Pledge Day [7 PM EDT]

Pig Callers’ Day

Pop Goes the Weasel Day

Queen’s Birthday (Anguilla, Australia, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands)

Raja (India)

Sandpaper Day

U.S. Army Birthday

Women's Day (Iraq)

World Blood Donor Day (UN)

Yesterday and Today Recall Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Chicken Marengo Day

National Bourbon Day

National Strawberry Shortcake Day

World Cucumber Day

2nd Wednesday in June

National Time Out Day [2nd Wednesday]

Worshipful Company of Vintners of the City of London Annual Procession [2nd Wednesday]

Independence Days

Kopernik (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Arthur Davis (Artology)

Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea (Christian; Saint)

Bourbon Day (Pastafarian)

Burchard of Meissen (Christian; Saint)

Castora Gabrielli (Christian; Saint)

Caomhán of Inisheer (Christian; Saint)

Docmael (a.k.a. Toel; Christian; Saint)

Elisha the Prophet (Roman Catholic and Lutheran)

Fag Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Fortunatus of Naples (Roman Catholic)

Francisca de Paula de Jesus (Nhá Chica; Christian; Blessed)

Harry Nilsson (Humanism; Saint)

Joseph the Hymnographer (Roman Catholic: Orthodox April 3)

Louisey (Muppetism)

Media Ver VIII (Pagan)

Methodios I of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Muse’s Nativity Day (Celebrating their mother, Mnemosyne; Ancient Greece)

Nennus (a.k.a. Nehemias; Christian; Saint)

Nicolas Bentley (Artology)

Psalmodius (Christian; Saint)

Quintian of Rodez (a.k.a. Rodez; Christian; Saint)

Richard Baxter (Church of England)

Rufinus and Valerius (Christian; Martyrs)

Valerius and Rufinus (Christian; Saint)

Vidar (Norse festival to the Son of Odin)

St. Vincent de Paul (Positivist; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 27 of 60)

Premieres

Bosky the Sheep-Herder (WB LT Cartoon; 1933)

The Bourne Identity (Film; 2002)

Daydream Believer, recorded by The Monkees (Song; 1967)

The Dragons of Eden, by Carl Saran (Science Book; 1977)

1st entry in The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank (Diary; 1942)

Flags of Our Fathers, by James Bradley with Ron Powers (History Book; 2000)

Fort Apache (Film; 1948)

The Gong Show (TV Game Show; 1976)

Kind Hearts and Coronets (Film; 1950)

King Tweety (WB Animated Film; 2022)

The Last of Us (Video Game; 2013)

Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane recorded (1923) [1st country music hit]

The Massacre at Fall Creek, by Jessamyn West (Novel; 1975)

Man of Steel (Film; 2013)

Men in Black: International (Film; 2019)

Murder Mystery (Film; 2019)

The Parallax View (Film; 1974)

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (Film; 1991)

Scooby-Doo (Film; 2002)

Shaft (Film; 2019)

She, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1999)

Stealing Beauty (Film; 1996)

Tarkus, by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Album; 1971)

Tibetan Peach Pie, by Tom Robbins (Novel; 2014)

That Touch of Mink (Film; 1962)

Wallace and Grommit Festival (Animated Film; 1996)

Wild in the Country (Film; 1961)

Workingman’s Dead, by The Grateful Dead (Album; 1970)

Today’s Name Days

Hartwig, Meinrad (Austria)

Elizej, Rufin, Valerije, Zlatko (Croatia)

Roland (Czech Republic)

Rufinus (Denmark)

Leina, Leine, Leini (Estonia)

Kielo, Pihla (Finland)

Élisée, Valère (France)

Hartwig, Meinrad (Germany)

Elissaios, Nefon (Greece)

Vazul (Hungary)

Eliseo, Valerio (Italy)

Kitija, Klitija, Saiva, Sentis, Tija (Latvia)

Almina, Bazilijus, Digna, Labvardas (Lithuania)

Erland, Erlend (Norway)

Bazylid, Bazylis, Eliza, Justyn, Justyna, Ninogniew, Walerian, Waleriana (Poland)

Elisei (România)

Vasil (Slovakia)

Anastasio, Digna, Eliseo, Félix, Metodio (Spain)

Håkan, Hakon (Sweden)

Vladyslav (Ukraine)

Basil, Basilia, Jaren, Jaron, Jarron, Vasily (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 165 of 2024; 200 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 24 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 3 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ding-Si), Day 27 (Gui-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 25 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 25 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 15 Sol; Oneday [15 of 30]

Julian: 1 June 2023

Moon: 13%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 25 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Vincent de Paul]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 5 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 86 of 92)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 24 of 32)

Calendar Changes

June (a.k.a. Iunius; Julian Calendar) [Month 6 of 12]

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 6.14

Holidays

Baltic Freedom Day

Ban Live Exports International Awareness Day

Blood Type Awareness Day

Caldecott Day (Literature)

Congressional Baseball Massacre Day

Day of Memory for Repressed People (Armenia)

Day of Mourning and Commemoration (Estonia)

Family History Day

Flag Day (US)

Freedom Day (Malawi)

Green for Grenfell Day (UK)

Hydranencephaly Awareness Day

International Bath Day

International Steampunk Day

Jasmine Day (French Republic)

John McCain Day

Kiss Day (South Korea)

Leinapev (Day of Mourning  and Commemoration; Estonia)

Liberation Day (Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands)

Lunes Siguiente a la Festividad de San Antonio (Ceuta, Spain)

Magic Circles Day

Monkey Around Day

Mourning and Hope Day (Lithuania)

National Hoe Day

National New Mexico Day

National Skunk Day

National YWCA Greater Los Angeles Unsung Heroes Day

No Mailing Children Day

Obama Day (a.k.a. Obama Appreciation Day)

Own Your Share of America Day [Weekday closest to 6.14]

Pahaliraja (a.k.a. Pahili Day; India)

Pause for the Pledge Day [7 PM EDT]

Pig Callers’ Day

Pop Goes the Weasel Day

Queen’s Birthday (Anguilla, Australia, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands)

Raja (India)

Sandpaper Day

U.S. Army Birthday

Women's Day (Iraq)

World Blood Donor Day (UN)

Yesterday and Today Recall Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Chicken Marengo Day

National Bourbon Day

National Strawberry Shortcake Day

World Cucumber Day

2nd Wednesday in June

National Time Out Day [2nd Wednesday]

Worshipful Company of Vintners of the City of London Annual Procession [2nd Wednesday]

Independence Days

Kopernik (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Arthur Davis (Artology)

Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea (Christian; Saint)

Bourbon Day (Pastafarian)

Burchard of Meissen (Christian; Saint)

Castora Gabrielli (Christian; Saint)

Caomhán of Inisheer (Christian; Saint)

Docmael (a.k.a. Toel; Christian; Saint)

Elisha the Prophet (Roman Catholic and Lutheran)

Fag Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Fortunatus of Naples (Roman Catholic)

Francisca de Paula de Jesus (Nhá Chica; Christian; Blessed)

Harry Nilsson (Humanism; Saint)

Joseph the Hymnographer (Roman Catholic: Orthodox April 3)

Louisey (Muppetism)

Media Ver VIII (Pagan)

Methodios I of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Muse’s Nativity Day (Celebrating their mother, Mnemosyne; Ancient Greece)

Nennus (a.k.a. Nehemias; Christian; Saint)

Nicolas Bentley (Artology)

Psalmodius (Christian; Saint)

Quintian of Rodez (a.k.a. Rodez; Christian; Saint)

Richard Baxter (Church of England)

Rufinus and Valerius (Christian; Martyrs)

Valerius and Rufinus (Christian; Saint)

Vidar (Norse festival to the Son of Odin)

St. Vincent de Paul (Positivist; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 27 of 60)

Premieres

Bosky the Sheep-Herder (WB LT Cartoon; 1933)

The Bourne Identity (Film; 2002)

Daydream Believer, recorded by The Monkees (Song; 1967)

The Dragons of Eden, by Carl Saran (Science Book; 1977)

1st entry in The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank (Diary; 1942)

Flags of Our Fathers, by James Bradley with Ron Powers (History Book; 2000)

Fort Apache (Film; 1948)

The Gong Show (TV Game Show; 1976)

Kind Hearts and Coronets (Film; 1950)

King Tweety (WB Animated Film; 2022)

The Last of Us (Video Game; 2013)

Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane recorded (1923) [1st country music hit]

The Massacre at Fall Creek, by Jessamyn West (Novel; 1975)

Man of Steel (Film; 2013)

Men in Black: International (Film; 2019)

Murder Mystery (Film; 2019)

The Parallax View (Film; 1974)

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (Film; 1991)

Scooby-Doo (Film; 2002)

Shaft (Film; 2019)

She, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1999)

Stealing Beauty (Film; 1996)

Tarkus, by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Album; 1971)

Tibetan Peach Pie, by Tom Robbins (Novel; 2014)

That Touch of Mink (Film; 1962)

Wallace and Grommit Festival (Animated Film; 1996)

Wild in the Country (Film; 1961)

Workingman’s Dead, by The Grateful Dead (Album; 1970)

Today’s Name Days

Hartwig, Meinrad (Austria)

Elizej, Rufin, Valerije, Zlatko (Croatia)

Roland (Czech Republic)

Rufinus (Denmark)

Leina, Leine, Leini (Estonia)

Kielo, Pihla (Finland)

Élisée, Valère (France)

Hartwig, Meinrad (Germany)

Elissaios, Nefon (Greece)

Vazul (Hungary)

Eliseo, Valerio (Italy)

Kitija, Klitija, Saiva, Sentis, Tija (Latvia)

Almina, Bazilijus, Digna, Labvardas (Lithuania)

Erland, Erlend (Norway)

Bazylid, Bazylis, Eliza, Justyn, Justyna, Ninogniew, Walerian, Waleriana (Poland)

Elisei (România)

Vasil (Slovakia)

Anastasio, Digna, Eliseo, Félix, Metodio (Spain)

Håkan, Hakon (Sweden)

Vladyslav (Ukraine)

Basil, Basilia, Jaren, Jaron, Jarron, Vasily (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 165 of 2024; 200 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 24 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 3 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ding-Si), Day 27 (Gui-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 25 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 25 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 15 Sol; Oneday [15 of 30]

Julian: 1 June 2023

Moon: 13%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 25 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Vincent de Paul]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 5 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 86 of 92)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 24 of 32)

Calendar Changes

June (a.k.a. Iunius; Julian Calendar) [Month 6 of 12]

[fatehbaz]

Crocodiles vs. Christopher Columbus and Francis Drake: “... very vgly and fearefull beasts to behold ... strawnge kindes of beastes ... There weare Crocadiles which did Incounter & fighte with vs ...”

The Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) is now critically endangered, with less than 3,000-ish alive in the wild, living only in a small population at Zapata Swamp (Cuba) and an island offshore. But it turns out that the Cuban crocodile used to live across Cuba and also elsewhere nearby in the Caribbean, including the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. European settlers arrived and killed most of the crocodiles within the past few centuries. Although the larger American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, still lives on the saltwater and estuarine shores of some of the Cayman Islands, recent re-evaluation of fossils and colonial records show that some crocodiles living on land or at inland sites were probably Cuban crocodiles.

See: Gary S. Morgan and Nancy Albury. “The Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) from late Quaternary fossil deposits in the Bahamas and Cayman Islands.” A bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History from 2013. Here are some of the first European/colonial descriptions of the crocodiles. Excerpt:

[Quote]

This species [Cuban crocodile; Crocodylus rhombifer] survives today only in Cuba and Isla de la Juventad [...]; the populations in The Bahamas and Cayman Islands are locally extinct. [...] In his diary (diario), Christopher Columbus reported the capture of a 5.7 foot crocodile in a freshwater lagoon on Crooked Island (Bahamas) in October 1492, and Martin Alonso Pinzon, captain of the Pinta, killed a second crocodile of similar size on Crooked Island the next day [...]. The historical occurrence of crocodiles in the Cayman Islands has been of great interest to herpetologists, paleontologists, and historians alike, as the name of the island group suggests the former presence of crocodiles despite their current absence there. The Spanish word caiman (from the Carib cayman) is one of several terms applied to tropical American crocodylians. The Spanish name for the island group is Islas Caiman or roughly translated as “Crocodile Islands.”

The earliest historical documentation of crocodiles in the Cayman Islands was in 1586 on one of Sir Francis Drake’s West Indian voyages. The following historical quotes are presented exactly as they appear in Drake’s original journals (abstracted from Keeler 1981) [...]. A quote from Drake’s journal (from Keeler 1981:68; called the “Map Text”) is as follows:“The 20 of Aprill [1586] ve fell with two Ilands called Caimanes, vhere we refreshed our selues with many Allagaitas [alligators] and greate Turtoises [sea turtles], being very vgly and fearefull beasts to behold, but we made good meate to eate ...” This same quote with slightly different word usage has also been attributed to Walter Bigges (1589). [...]

A third account of Drake’s same 1586 visit to the Cayman Islands stated the following (in Keeler 1981:203-204; called the “Primrose Journal”) “... the xxij [actually the 20th] of Aprill [1586] we fell with an Ile that had no people in hit. There wee fownde strawnge kindes of beastes & killed more than xx [20] Alligatos [alligators]. Those bee suche serpentes as have bin in London to be seene. There weare Crocadiles which did Incounter & fighte with vs, they live bothe in the sea & on lande. We tooke divers & made verie good meate of them; some of the same weare ten foote in lenghte.”

“Allagaitas,” “Alygathaes,” and “Alligatos” are archaic English spellings of alligator but almost certainly refer to a crocodile. [...] This is consistent with the abundance of fossil crocodiles on Grand Cayman [...]. In his history of Jamaica, Edward Long (1774) noted that crocodiles were living on Grand Cayman. These historical records document that crocodiles inhabited Grand Cayman until at least the late 18th century, after which they apparently were eliminated by European colonists. [...] Moreover, the widespread occurrence of fossils of Crocodylus rhombifer [the Cuban crocodile species] on Grand Cayman discovered since 1979 confirms the historical accounts that documented the abundance of crocodiles on the island when European explorers first arrived in the 16th century.

[End quote. End of excerpt.]

---

“... There weare Crocadiles which did Incounter & fighte with vs ...”

[sa-waai]

THIS IS THE REASON WHY THERE ARE NO

BLACK PLAYERS ON THE ARGENTINA TEAM

Found this article on the internet by Jude Idada

As I watched the Argentina and Iceland match today and wondered why there were no black players in the Argentinean team when other South American teams had black or biracial players, I remembered a conversation I had last year.

It was while I was on a cruise from Florida to the Grand Cayman Islands in the Caribbean.

Between an Argentinean doctor and myself, who had walked up to me during lunch one day and struck up a conversation with me.

There was no hiding the attraction.

We had bonded much to the chagrin of her three Argentinean friends.

On the deck of the ship that day, she kept going on about how she loves black men and looks forward to traveling so she can meet them.

I asked her.

"Don't you have black people in Argentina?"

She said with a matter of fact candour.

"No. Long time ago, after slavery, we killed them all."

I was taken aback.

She smiled.

And continued.

"Very bad. I am ashamed of my people. It was very systematic though. Very well thought out. First they forced most of the men to fight for Argentina against Paraguay. They knowingly sent them into battles that were poorly planned so that the Paraguay army will do for them what they couldn't themselves do. Kill the blacks. Most of them died there. The remaining of them they forced to live in this province were there was a plague. A disease that the government refused to curb so that it can also do for them what they couldn't do. Kill the blacks. The refused to set up hospitals, clinics, adequate shelter, food outlets, nothing. They created the best environment for the disease to thrive. It killed the rest of the men that had survived the war. The darker you are, the higher the chance they will send you to that place to live or to the war to die. The lighter skinned women they forced them to sleep with the white men, so that their children are biracial, then they forced the children when they grew older to sleep with white men, so that the blackness of the skin of the children became whiter and whiter until there was no longer any visibly black people seen. It was so bad that blacks fled to Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and even Paraquay where they were better treated even though not as well as they should be treated as human beings deserving full equality. Atleast those ones did not want to kill them and accepted to give them protection and a means of livelihood. As a matter of fact in Chile, there was a city called Arica where Black people were so accepted and respected that in the 1700s two black free man, one called Anzuréz were elected mayors. But the white colonial masters from Spain came six months later and nullified the elections, they were afraid of other cities giving black people too many rights. But the blacks who had found succour did not complain, they sent word for others to flee Argentina and come join them. Afterall what was cancelled elections compared to certain death?"

Then she went silent as though trying to replay the magnitude of the crime in her mind again. Then she said it in a sombre tone in order to drive it home to me.

"The ones the Argentineans did not kill through war or disease, and rape and impregnate, fled the country and ultimately we got rid of the blacks."

I listened in rising sorrow.

She continued academically.

"So although they abolished slavery in 1815 in Argentina, it continued until 1853, after that the main preoccupation of the leaders was how to get rid of the black slaves and their descendants. Our president who ruled us from 1868 to 1874, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, wrote in his diary in 1848, this was long before he became president and slavery ended that - 'In the United States… 4 million are black, and within 20 years will be 8 million…. What is to be done with such blacks, hated by the white race?' - It shows that he was already thinking of how to eliminate black people before he became President and when he became President, he succeeded."

"Didn't the world say anything?"

"No. They ignored it. I am sure most of them wanted to do the same thing but failed. At that time, they admired them. I remember when I will go to Brazil as a child, my father's friend will say in disgust as he looked at the black Brazilians - we should have had your guts and finished them off. All of them. Make Brazil white just like Argentina."

"And the Europeans?"

She laughed.

"It is an open secret, just like King Leopold and his genocide in Congo. No one talks about it, but they know about it. Atleast the older ones do. The younger ones not so much. Why do you think all the Nazis ran to Argentina after World War 2?"

I was silent.

She continued.

"Because it was the perfect place for the most evil racists in history to live."

Then she looked out to the infinitely blue sea around the ship and sighed audibly before she continued.

" Sadly, to some extent, it still is welcoming and accomodating of racial hatred. We took the Tango from the African slaves and made it our own. In Argentina, not one person will tell you the true history of that dance. They don't want to associate it with Africa. In fact if you ask them about black people in Argentina they will tell you that there has never been black people in Argentina. They teach them in schools. They rewrite the history. They make it all white. And as I said it is all underneath the surface. They never come out and say we hate black people. Argentina is only for whites or anything like that. They have just fixed the country to only be for white people."

I looked at her friends, Argentineans like her, who were lounging on the chairs on the deck, clad in their tiny bikinis, drinking pina coladas and smiling.

She followed my gaze and then turned to me.

"Don't be fooled by all those smiles, scratch the surface and you will see that all they want is for you to disappear.”

[asrisgratitudejournal]

25-28/09

Wow, betul-betul ya the power of procrastinating tuh dan how to build a habit out of something susah banget. Sekali udah ditinggalin, pasti keterusan buat nggak ngelanjutin. The same thing happened to me with running and exercising in general. Tiba-tiba lihat kalender, nah loh, sudah tanggal 28 aja sodara-sodara. Terakhir nulis savouring & journal padahal 24.... ke mana 4 hariku hilang? Ok baiklah, mumpung masih ingat, yang savouringnya w skip aja ya. Ini lebih ke 5 things to be grateful for everyday dari 25-28 hari ini:

25/09

1. Grateful for the fact that I could wake up late? Mulai minggu lalu, pagi-pagi udah ngga ada kelas DD dan SMA16 lagi soalnya KSN-Pnya sudah selesai, jadi bisa bangun siang. Eh tapi ujung-ujungnya bangun pagi juga deng, karena jam 0730 ada seminar kuliahnya Prof. Koesoemadinata jadi kebangun pagi sambil dengerin beliau di zoom terus malah dichat sama Mas Probo jadinya, Alhamdulillah ya sekalian menyambung silaturahmi lah ya.

2. Grateful for the badminton session! Cuma ber-3 main sama Archu dan Baron, Brigita salah baca court jadinya dia ga dateng, tapi senang, at least I could let out of sweat and get some endorphin lah ya.

3. Grateful for... being able to cook and enjoy my own food(?) kalau gasalah abis badminton laper banget terus masak nasi+kaldu ayam walaupun kebanyakan air, terus buat tahu-udang-mussel-salted egg, dimakan bareng abon, dan bikin minum teh tarik juga. I think sambil makan sambil telponan sama mita juga waktu itu(?) lupa :(

4. Grateful for apalagi ya... just the fact that it's weekend I guess? Jadi lebih relax dan ga stres dan anxiety aja

5. Grateful for... my existence.... gatau lagi mau nulis apa karena lupa details hari sabtu kemaren tapi yang jelas for the fact that I exist aja dengan kondisi sehat sudah amat sangat bersyukur. AH! Inget! Kayanya there's something to do with duolingo sih, tapi iya senang karena I think I climbed up the rank or something? Yah semacam itulah. So... kesimpulannya adalah I am living a good life

26/09

1. Grateful karena bisa bangun siang lagi yey! Masih sama seperti yang no 1 di tanggal 25

2. Grateful for the fact that my mom and dad and sister are all healthy back home. Got to talk with mom a bit, and I'm just so happy to hear from her that everything eventually gets better back home in Indonesia(?) If we keep it up at this rate, I think we'll definitely go back to pre-covid earlier than predicted!

3. Ke London sorenya! Tadinya mau berangkat abis lunch jam 1-an gitu. Udah booking Tate museum juga at 1500 tapi ujung-ujungnya karena rumah lagi agak rame jadi antre kamar mandi (ini excuse ajasih) akhirnya baru jalan dari rumah jam 1430 HAHA dan sampe London jam 1630. Langsung jajan ShakeShack (which makes me very happy)

4. Grateful for the fact that I'm an ARMY too! Di London langsung ke BWON, ini resto Korea gitu, terus ada event birthdaynya NJ dan JK diadakan oleh @minaluvchim. Di sini ketemu teman-teman ARMY baru dan senang aja, senang gaksih ketemu orang-orang yang passionate with the same thing as you are?? Wow, I wish I feel the same towards people in my department though. Harusnya gitu sih, tapi entah kenapa geology now feels more like burden to me rather than passion :( Terus senang bangetnya juga karena ku datengnya di slot akhir, ku bisa stay lama-lama di situ. Karena awalnya galau kan, mau take shelter di mana karena si Kings of Convenience-nya baru perform at 2030. Yah.. intinya bersyukur sekali ngga perlu lantang luntung kebingungan di London sendirian...

5. Grateful for the free ticket from Nugi to watch Kings of Convenience performance @ Royal Festival Hall! Sesungguhnya lagu KoC yang ku tahu cuma Cayman Islands doang (help?!), but I always appreciate music & art anyway, jadi walaupun folk guitar is not a thing for me, I'd still be happy kalau ada yang ngasih tiket gratis buat nonton such great artists (or just any artist sesungguhnya). Udah deg-degan kan awalnya pulang malem karena kupikir bakal lama konsernya, tapi ternyata jam 10 udah beres(?) akhirnya dah sampai rumah deh jam 12 malam.

27/09

Kemarin. I feel like I failed myself every weekdays. You can tell from my writing, most exciting things happened over weekend. But anyways I still feel very grateful though, dikasih waktu yang banyak sama Allah. So, 5 things to be grateful for yesterday:

1. I have so much time. As usual, weekdays is a nightmare for me, but I can always take things slow. Pagi-pagi ngopi, makan roti, sambil nonton apa ya kemaren? Lupa. Yang jelas I watched quite a lot of things kemarin, salah satunya We K-Pop di mana Prince Khun menjadi salah satu MC dan bisa melihat dia berinteraksi dengan idol-idol kesukaanku. Intinya makasih YaAllah dibuat bisa menyukai sesuatu yang mana ga semua orang bisa punya interest sebesar itu towards things.

2. Masih punya nasi yang masak Sabtu abis badminton itu, jadi bisa makan enak tanpa masak.

3. Kelas SeedWISE! Got to meet another fellow di departemen2 sebelah yang mengalami struggles yang sama dengan diriku ini. And how they encouraged me a lot. Walaupun ku masuk kelasnya telat sih karena lupa wkwkw.

4. Just to be able to wfh I guess? Karena tiba-tiba kemarin Senin dan hari ini cuacanya buruk aja, the sun was out but only for like 5mins? Sisanya hujan dan angin huft. Nevertheless, I am still grateful for being able to experience UK weather though.

5. Kalina cerita di perempatan Headington situ ada yang habis meninggal kecelakaan sepeda ketabrak lorry gitu umur 32 tahun woman :( sedih banget terus Kalina bilang "Asri, just dont ride a bike" :(( tapi emang di sini safety buat cyclistnya kurang banget sih, terutama kalau udah versus HGV atau kendaraan bermotor :( yaudah intinya ini bukan bersyukur karena ada yang meninggal sih, tapi lebih ke bersyukur karena selama 1 tahun di sini I am still intact dan gapernah mengalami kecelakaan sama sekali alias Alhamdulillah (apalagi melihat nature w yang butter finger dan clumsy ini)

28/09

Wow. Hari ini. Another failure of the day I think. Mungkin nanti malam atau besok akan ku-edit tapi ku-list dulu sampai jam 1444 ini apa yang sudah disyukuri:

1. Tadi pagi bikin sarapan enak. Masih punya roti tapi butter dan jam abis, akhirnya bikin sarapan ala-ala English breakfast lah: ngegoreng suny side up + sosis + toast roti. Senang banget makannya HUHU

2. WFH lagi(?) jadi gaperlu merasakan dinginnya angin dan hujan di luar. Tapi ya kekurangannya memang jadi less productive aja sih. But let's see what I can do after this. Plannya juga sebetulnya mau belanja ke luar karena susu, butter, egg, dan roti sudah habis... tapi mager banget ngeliat kondisi di luar huf

3. tba

4. tba

5. tba

Dah sekian dulu diary PR kelas coursera saya selama 4 hari terakhir. Sebetulnya ini kan PR week 2 ya, harusnya udah beres sih, cuma disuruh 7 hari doang, but I think I'd keep it up setiap hari akan nulis 5 things to be grateful for ini. Maafkan kalau terlalu sampah untuk teman-teman semua karena gabisa relate at all dan sangat personal aka TMI, but I need to do this just for myself actually. Mungkin suatu saat nanti akan membuat tulisan berfaedah macam "Jardine" atau "Akses" yang gain traction cukup banyak. Tapi sepertinya untuk sementara ini, masih di sini saja dulu kualitas pos tumblr saya. Ciao!

28/09 1448 pm Woodlands Close 9

[amey-winehouse]

My safe place 😌🏝

[fionadevietnamese]

Febuary 2️⃣6️⃣th, 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣1️⃣

🐾 Today I decided to stop posting on Instagram and Facebook =(( It's a hard decision but hope it's gonna worth it. I'll try to post on Tumblr as often as I can to update my life like a short diary 🥰

Love y'all, Fiona ☺

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 6.14

Holidays

Baltic Freedom Day

Blood Type Awareness Day

Caldecott Day (Literature)

Day of Memory for Repressed People (Armenia)

Family History Day

Flag Day (US)

Freedom Day (Malawi)

Full Moon [6th of the Year] (a.k.a. ...

Blooming Moon (Traditional)

Cold Moon (South Africa)

Dyad Moon (England, Wicca)

Festival of Goodwill, Festival of Christ & Humanity [Full Moon between 5.20-6.20]

Green Corn Moon (Cherokee)

Hatching Moon (Traditional)

Honey Moon (Traditional)

Horse Moon (Celtic)

Hot Moon (Alternate)

Lotus Moon (China)

Mead Moon (Traditional)

Planting Moon (Neo-Pagan)

Poson Full Moon Poya Day (Sri Lanka)

Rose Moon (Alternate, Colonial, North America)

Ryan Moran Day [1st FM in June]

Southern Hemisphere: Cold, Long Night’s, Oak

Strawberry Moon (Amer. Indian, Traditional)

Windy Moon (Choctaw)

World Invocation Day (a.k.a. Gemini Full Moon Festival)

Hydranencephaly Awareness Day

International Bath Day

International Steampunk Day

Leinapev (Day of Mourning and Commemoration; Estonia)

Liberation Day (Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands)

Lunes Siguiente a la Festividad de San Antonio (Ceuta, Spain)

Magic Circles Day

Mourning and Hope Day (Lithuania)

National New Mexico Day

No Mailing Children Day

Obama Day

Own Your Share of America Day [Weekday closest to 6.14]

Pause for the Pledge Day [7 PM EDT]

Pig Callers’ Day

Pop Goes the Weasel Day

Queen’s Birthday (Anguilla, Australia, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands)

Sandpaper Day

U.S. Army Birthday

Women's Day (Iraq)

World Blood Donor Day (UN)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Chicken Marengo Day

National Bourbon Day

National Strawberry Shortcake Day

Second Tuesday in June

Call Your Doctor Day [2nd Tuesday]

National Forklift Safety Day [2nd Tuesday]

World Pet Memorial Day [2nd Tuesday; also 2nd Sunday]

Feast Days

Annie Sprinkle Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea (Christian; Saint)

Burchard of Meissen (Christian; Saint)

Castora Gabrielli (Christian; Saint)

Caomhán of Inisheer (Christian; Saint)

Docmael (a.k.a. Toel; Christian; Saint)

Elisha the Prophet (Roman Catholic and Lutheran)

Fortunatus of Naples (Roman Catholic)

Francisca de Paula de Jesus (Nhá Chica; Christian; Blessed)

Harry Nilsson (Humanism; Saint)

Joseph the Hymnographer (Roman Catholic: Orthodox April 3)

Methodios I of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Muse’s Nativity Day (Celebrating their mother, Mnemosyne; Ancient Greece)

Nennus (a.k.a. Nehemias; Christian; Saint)

Psalmodius (Christian; Saint)

Quintian of Rodez (a.k.a. Rodez; Christian; Saint)

Richard Baxter (Church of England)

Rufinus and Valerius (Christian; Martyrs)

Valerius and Rufinus (Christian; Saint)

Vidar (Norse festival to the Son of Odin)

St. Vincent de Paul (Positivist; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 27 of 60)

Premieres

Daydream Believer, by The Monkees recorded (Song; 1967)

1st entry in The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank (Diary; 1942)

Fort Apache (Film; 1948)

Man of Steel (Film; 2013

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (Film; 1991))

Stealing Beauty (Film; 1996)

Tarkus, by Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Album; 1971)

Workingman’s Dead, by The Grateful Dead (Album; 1970)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 165 of 2022; 200 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 24 of 2022

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 5 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Púyuè), Day 16 (Wu-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Tiger (until January 22, 2023)

Hebrew: 15 Sivan 5782

Islamic: 14 Dhu al-Qada 1443

J Cal: 15 Sol; Sunday [15 of 30]

Julian: 1 June 2022

Moon: 100% Full Moon

Positivist: 25 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Vincent de Paul]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 84 of 90)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 24 of 30)

Calendar Changes

June (a.k.a. Iunius; Julian Calendar) [Month 6 of 12]

[formanava704748]

The Ultimate Grand Cayman Bucket List - Island Diaries by Kate

A list of the top 30 island activities for both visitors and locals of Grand Cayman | The Ultimate Grand Cayman Bucket List

[wuthering-thoughts]

She has that heart, whose love you read in theory, scared to face in reality. She bleeds a thousand words every night, she sings a thousand songs in her bathroom and keeps sshh about her cries.
She dreams of stars and silver linings, lives in a dreamy paradise.
But time and again she is broken and crushed and pushed to places she is afraid to move.
You wouldn’t want to meet her, she’ll never impress you, she shows like she doesn’t care,
but, she does like you, just a little afraid to be close to someone again, just a little more happy in her loneliness than with you.
She is now a lone wolf, and every night, she opens her old diary made of handmade sheets, smells the pages, scribbles her pains with her dark pencil, draws her signs, smiles and then is lost in her paradise gazing the moon under the moonlight. (at West Bay, Cayman Islands)

[meeyahliessa]

In the Cayman Islands! Follow my Instagram @kellymboykin for my mini travel diary!!

[izatrini]

Shenseea to represent Caribbean at Campari Red Diaries Milan launch - Loop News Cayman http://dlvr.it/QyZSzm http://dlvr.it/QyZSzm

[dontbeallupinmyfriesdawg]

Ooh I've got a cute idea. What about a little reunion between Caroline, Bonnie, Elena, Tyler and Matt, a few years after TVD and they're all alive and happy and talk about their relationships (KC, KB, Stelena back together, Liz is revived and Matt can either be with Bekah or a human OC). Elena could be a writer and someone could be engaged... I just want all my babies to be safe and happy and for my ships to live.

A/N: A thousand apologies to the person who sent me this prompt ages ago. This is pure and beautiful and I’m honoured you sent it to me. I’ve just had so many exams and I only got around to writing this. I hope I’ve done your vision justice.

*For argument’s sake were gonna say that Klaus didn’t kill Tyler’s mom. Just the hybrids.

Thank you @purestheartslove for being my beta.

“I’m so glad you guys could make it!” Caroline exclaimed happily, nearly over-pouring Tyler’s glass of champagne in her excitement.

“Well your invitation was both heartwarming and semi-threatening so it wasn’t like we could say no,” Tyler teased, earning him a half glare from Caroline.

“All that matters is that you’re here,” she chided him. Raising her voice over the buzz of chatter in the living room. “Not my methods,”

“‘Car’s parked,” Both of them turned at the sound of Liv’s voice behind them. “What did I miss?”

“Caroline has alcohol as promised on the fancy invites,” Tyler smirked, looping his arm around Liv’s waist as she drew closer.

Caroline smiled softly at the couple. Thinking back to years ago, nearly a decade now. After she and Tyler had ended things and they were still raw and uncomfortable between them, he’d broken her heart and she’d shattered his in return. Never in a million years did Caroline think she’d be able to talk and joke amiably with him in her living room - the in the house she shared with Klaus no less.

They had both moved on and were living happy lives with other people, whom they respectively adored. Caroline had always inwardly taken pride in the fact, that she’d had a hand in bringing Tyler and Liv back together.

Despite what Tyler claimed.

Okay so, maybe it had had something to do with the fact that Liv’s brother had risen from the dead, hell bent on making Jo’s big day the wedding from hell and threatened everyone’s lives but somewhere along the lines, Caroline was certain Tyler had caught her memo about being adults and talking through his problems. So she afforded herself a pat on the back all the same.

After both reapplying to Whitmore and graduating, Tyler and Liv had decided to New York. They’d also decided to elope. Liv detested any sort of large scale function that involved her whole family - especially after the last time - and Tyler equally hated any kind of fuss and frills so, of course, it had seemed like the obvious solution.

Caroline had been thrilled for them, despite the party planner inside of her mourning the missed opportunity of arranging a spectacular ceremony.

At the mention of alcohol, Liv’s face perked up with interest.

“Good, I hope it’s something strong. That plane ride was hellish,”

“Just champagne,” Caroline replied, holding up the bottle and shaking her head. “How bad are we talking?”

“Try the fact that we were trapped between this sweaty-ass guy, who weighed about 300 pounds and a newborn that spent the entire flight screaming its ass off,”

“I got the screaming baby,” Tyler interjected, smiling humorlessly.

“If that wasn’t enough, our pilot decided to fly us through a tornado,” Liv deadpanned.

“The turbulence wasn’t that bad,” said Tyler, taking a swig of champagne. “She’s being dramatic,”

“Psssh, that’s easy for you to say. You, we’re snoring like crazy through the entire flight,”

“I didn’t snore!” Tyler protested.

Liv snorted.

“Why do you think the baby was crying?”

“Okay, well, drinks will help! Strong ones.” Caroline said, cutting into the couple’s playful bickering. “I think I have something better than this in the kitchen, I’ll be right back,”

“Oh by the way!” she added turning back around. “Is Luke coming?”

Liv chuckled and rolled her eyes.

“Luke is with his new fitness instructor boyfriend in The Cayman Islands- But he sends his best.”

Caroline nodded and headed out of the room, leaving Liv and Tyler to continue their spirited debate about who had the worse experience on the plane.

She wagered that antisocial hybrid of hers would be in their kitchen somewhere; lurking about, attempting to hide from what he described as a deplorable mixture of his relatives and Caroline’s friends. No doubt, he’d gotten through half their supply of bourbon already, Caroline mentally decided to stake him if he’d ignored her instructions and opened the good scotch she had been saving for the toast.

A smile formed on her face, as Caroline drew closer to the kitchen and she could distinctly hear the deep undertones of Stefan’s voice mingled with Klaus’ raucous laughter.

“You’d better not be up to no good in here,” Caroline called out, rounding the corner and coming face to face with a smirking Klaus and a slightly guilty looking Stefan.

“Are we ever, sweetheart?” Klaus grinned, knocking back the glass of brown liquid in his hands.

Seeing Caroline’s intent stare Klaus grabbed the near empty bottle of 1978 brandy from behind and showed it to her.

“Worry not love, it isn’t the good stuff I promise,” He strolled over to where she stood and placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead.

“I was just making sure our old friend had something substantial to drink while the two of us caught up.”

At the mention of Stefan, Caroline turned and flashed him an apologetic look.

“I am so sorry I haven’t had time to catch up with you and Elena since you arrived, I’ve just been so busy trying to get everybody comfortable that I just completely spaced. You guys must think I’m so rude-”

“Care, Care, slow down okay?” Stefan interjected. “Nobody thinks you’re rude, I’m sure it’s not easy playing hostess, especially to a bunch of vampires.”

“Ugh, you have no idea,” Caroline said, slumping down into one of the stools by the counter. “Where is Elena, anyway?”

“Uh, the last time I saw her she took off to go find Matt. Probably to grill him about his new sweetheart,” Stefan answered, taking a sip of his drink.

“Ooh, have you met her yet?”

“No, but considering we’ll only be able to see her two, maybe three more times before she gets suspicious that none of us are ageing, I’d better do it while I can.”

Caroline shrugged. “So we’ll compel her not to notice,” Noticing the pointed look Stefan was giving her she added. “With Matt’s permission… obviously.”

Klaus, who was rummaging around in the fridge for another bottle, laughed at that, prompting Caroline to glare at his muscular back.

“So how are you and Elena doing?” Caroline asked, changing the subject swiftly. “I hear her books doing well.”

“Number 1 New York times best seller,” Stefan replied, beaming proudly.

As Caroline had predicted, Elena saw sense and gave up on her ‘dream of becoming a new-age Meredith Grey, instead reverting back to her first love; writing. Under the pseudonym L.J Smith, Elena had released the summer’s hottest teen novel ‘The Vampire Diaries’. The story of Helen, a teenage girl struggling with the knowledge that vampires exist, while attempting to juggle school, family and love.

Was it predictable? Yes. But Caroline had to admit, Elena was a good novelist. In fact, she’d purchased a copy out of pure curiosity and found herself completely hooked and anticipating the next instalment, which Elena (or L.J) had promised would be released in the Fall. Caroline’s favourite character in so far had to be Carrie, Helen’s blonde, tenacious, fearless, best friend who reminded her of a certain someone. Although Klaus was less than impressed when informed of one of the story’s main villains, Nikolaj. A fearsome vampire hybrid, who could turn into a fire breathing dragon at will.

Caroline, needless to say had found that particular part hilarious.

“I haven’t had a chance to congratulate Elena in person,” Caroline mused, pouring the remaining bit of champagne in her hands into a glass.

“Hmm, yes nor have I,” Klaus interjected closing fridge. “Especially considering all the suggestions I have for Elena’s next book.”

Caroline turned and shot Klaus a warning glare as Stefan snorted in amusement.

“Well I’d love to sit here all afternoon and chat but I have a party to host,” Caroline said, swinging her legs off the stool and sweeping her hair out of her shoulders, exposing the diamond earrings Klaus had purchased for her birthday to the fluorescent light of the kitchen.

“And also the hostess with the mostess needs to tinkle so-”

“Okay, well we’re glad you invited us Care,” Stefan said coming towards her for a hug. “Hopefully you and Elena see each other at some point she’s been dying to catch up with you,” he hummed placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Hmm I hope so too,” Caroline smiled pulling back. “Hey, keep him in line the rest of the evening for me okay?” she asked pointing over to Klaus.

Stefan glanced at him over his shoulder and laughed.

“I’ll do my best.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

As Caroline headed up the stairs, she idly wondered if it was time to change the wallpaper in the foyer. Coming to a stop at the top, she frowned, hearing voices from the bathroom.

“Hello?” Caroline called out in confusion.

The voices stopped abruptly and then to Caroline’s surprise Bonnie emerged from the bathroom.

“Bonnie! Oh my gosh. When did you get here? Where have you been? I’ve been texting you, Bonnie!-” Caroline half chastised, half squealed pulling Bonnie into a tight hug.

“Oh!- Wow, hey Care. Yeah, I know I’m so sorry. I got here and I needed to freshen up so I just went straight to the bathroom,” Bonnie said, hurriedly attempting to answer all of Caroline’s questions.

“I’m so glad you came!” Caroline exclaimed, proceeding to hug the life out of her best friend.

“Are you kidding, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.” Bonnie beamed, easing herself out of the hug.

“So where is he?” Caroline asked, a knowing glint in her eyes.

“Where is who?” Bonnie asked, shifting slightly on the spot, a faint blush on her cheeks.

“Kol, obviously,” Caroline said. “I know he’s here, he told Klaus on the phone last night he would be, he also said something about us preparing to have our entire liquor supply drained.”

“Mmm, well… you know Kol,” Bonnie chuckled, nervously rubbing the back of her neck.

“Bonnie are you okay?” Caroline asked, eyeing her, the tone of her voice shifting into one of concern. “You look weird.”

“Jetlag,” she replied quickly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, definitely- uh, do you wanna go downstairs and get a drink?”

Before Caroline could answer a voice sounded from the other side of the bathroom door.

“Does that mean I can come out of here now?”

“Kol!?” Caroline said incredulously. Bonnie winced as she turned to look at her.

“What is he doing in there wh- what were you doing in there Kol?” Caroline demanded as Kol pushed open the door. Inexplicably, Caroline’s eyes were immediately drawn to the zipper on Kol’s jeans he was frantically attempting to do up as he emerged from the bathroom.

Only then did Caroline take notice of Bonnie’s rather dishevelled appearance; Caroline’s eyes darted between them and the widened in shock at the realisation.

“Were the two of you in there…. doing it, in my bathroom?!”

Judging by the smug look on Kol’s face and how embarrassed Bonnie looked in comparison, Caroline knew she had her answer.

“Seriously!?”

“I’m sorry, we got carried away, we’re sorry aren’t we Kol?” Bonnie insisted, elbowing a very un-sorry looking Kol in the chest.

“Ow! Bloody hell, fine I’m sorry. I promise Bonnie and I will replace everything we broke during our rampant love-making.”

“You’ll do what!?”

“Kol!” Bonnie shouted, scandalized.

“What’s all the screaming about up there?” A shrill voice demanded from the bottom of the steps.

Rebekah’s long legs, encased in a pair of ten-inch heels came into view. Looking up at the three of them with an unimpressed look she held up an empty bottle.

“You’re out of champagne Caroline. If I can’t drink I’ll be forced to socialise which if I remember correctly you insisted I didn’t do.”

“And I still am.” Caroline deadpanned, throwing Kol and Bonnie one last disparaging look before heading down the stairs, pointing her index finger at them threateningly. “I’ll deal with you two later.”

“Really?” Bonnie hissed at Kol, “You couldn’t have stayed in there three more seconds!?”

“What can I say,” he shrugged mischievously. “I like to make an entrance. Besides you weren’t complaining while we were in there.”

“Where’s your useless boyfriend,” Caroline asked Rebekah. “I sent him to get more drinks ages ago.”

“Honestly Caroline, if the responsibility of hosting is too much for you, perhaps you ought to leave this sort of thing up to the professionals.” Rebekah sang-song patronisingly.

“Oh, and that would be you I suppose.” she said dryly, eyebrows raised slightly.

“All I’m saying is, at my parties the guests are never dying of thirst.”

“At your parties, you compel a bunch of people to do all the work for you,” Caroline fired back.

Before Rebekah could fire a response the door was flung open and Enzo walked in holding ice and a large crate in his hands.

“Champagne on ice, just as her majesty ordered.” he quipped.

“Yeah, well, ‘her majesty’ ordered it about an hour ago so good job,” Caroline answered sarcastically.

“Lorenzo I could murder you,” Rebekah grumbled.

“Wonderful,” Enzo said. “Between the time I left and now, I’ve somehow managed to anger both of you.”

“You left me here, for God knows how long, with Caroline’s insipid guests-”

“-Don’t insult my guests!” Caroline gritted out.

“Women eh?” Kol interjected, strolling nonchalantly down the stairs. “There’s no pleasing them.”

“For my own safety, I’m not answering that,” Enzo replied as the two men shared a conspiratorial grin.

“I have other guests,” Caroline said, exasperated. “Enzo put that in the kitchen, Bonnie keep Kol away from people and Rebekah-”

Caroline angled her head towards the blonde original, her voice on edge and demanding. “-A smile wouldn’t kill you.”

______________________________________________________________________________

“Oh my goodness it’s beautiful!” Caroline squealed admiring the sparkling engagement ring, encased in a red velvet box in Matt’s hand.

“D’you think she’ll like it?” Matt asked, referring to a petite, honey blonde women in the middle of the room, making small talk with some of the other guests.

“I think she’ll love it.” she confirmed with a smile. “You know I’m really happy for you Matt and really proud.”

“Thanks, Care, I just hope this goes well,” he paused and flashed Caroline a bashful smile. “I really love her.”

“I can tell.”

“So does she know about us?”

Matt face contorted in confusion. “Caroline that was nearly fifteen years ago?” he whispered.

She nearly choked on her drink attempting to hold back her laughter. “No, Matt. I don’t mean us us. All of us.” Caroline said, gesturing to the scattered figures of their friends.

“Oh. No. No way.”

“Matt-” she began.

“It’s safer this way Caroline.” he insisted, stuffing his hands defensively in the pockets of his jeans.

“That’s a pretty big part of your life to withhold from someone,” Caroline gave him an imploring look. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Matt nodded. “I love you guys but I don’t really want her involved in all of this. I just wanna live a normal life, y’know?”

“Sure,” Caroline nodded “I understand,”

Although it was a lie, really. If Caroline was honest, she hadn’t thought about the prospect of living a life anywhere near normal in a very long time. Honestly, there wasn’t much about being human that she missed. Certainly not ageing. At that thought and seeing the laugh lines beginning to form in the corner of Matt’s eyes now that he was entering his thirties was a particularly surreal wake-up call. Eventually, Matt would settle down, lead his perfectly normal life and have kids.

And age.

And eventually, die.

Like all humans did.

One day, so would Bonnie and even Tyler. Even her immortal friends like Stefan and Elena may be living such different lives in 50 maybe 100 years from now. Who knows the next time they’d all be in the same place together.

______________________________________________________________________________

“Excuse me,” Caroline called out, tapping her spoon daintily against her glass. “Hello, can I get everyone’s attention please?”

“Here we go,” Rebekah muttered, downing her 3rd glass of champagne in the last hour.

“Vampire hearing, Rebekah,” Caroline whispered under her breath, invoking an eye roll from the Original.

“I would like to thank all of you for coming.” The attention of nearly all occupants of the room turned to Caroline.” Some us in this room have been through so much together and although a lot has changed and our lives have definitely panned out differently than we imagined I’m really proud of the people we’ve become and what we’ve managed to accomplish. I love all of you so much and hope that whatever happens next, I hope we’ll always remain a part of each other’s lives. So… here’s to us. Cheers.”

As a chorus of the same sentiment echoed around the room Caroline looked up and noticed Klaus smiling at her from across the room. She returned it and tilted her flute of champagne towards him, smiling at the irony.

Review Here.x

[barpurplewrites]

Siri Stress

It had to be done. It was the 21st century in the Land without Magic, (although why that was important Rumple had no idea), but apparently his trusty flip phone was no longer the thing to have, according to Henry it had never been the thing to have, so Rumple was now the dubious owner of an iPhone 6.

Henry had been very patient explaining the basic functions, (his grandson was a much better teacher than he was, Rumple would have ripped out a heart or two after the first half hour), but he could now make calls and send text messages. His grasp of the camera function was still a little shaky, but Belle had found the off-centre ‘selfies’ he had taken adorable.

He had to admit the sleek phone did fit in his top pocket better than his old one ever had. The problems didn’t start until a one quiet afternoon when he was puttering around in the shop. Belle had never been comfortable with him using magic at home, but they had reached a compromise that the shop was the best place for his spell books and potions. Everything was going well until his pocket chirped into life.

“I am sorry I did not understand that.”

Rumple frowned and carefully placed the vials he was holding on the workbench.

“Please rephrase the question and I will try again.”

He pulled his phone from his pocket and frowned at it.

“What the hell?”

“Did you mean the town of Hell in Grand Cayman?”

The screen lit up with pictures of a tropical destination. Rumple shook the phone but all that did was switch the images around.

“What do you think you are doing?”

“What you are doing today. I have no diary entries for you today. Would you like to add one?”

“No I bloody wouldn’t would you shut up!”

For a brief instant there was blissful silence.

“There are several blood drives in your area, shall I book an appointment for you?”

Rumple jab a finger at the screen hoping to land on the button that would shut the infernal contraption up. He managed to make the damn thing bleep a lot, but didn’t stop the voice responding to his increasingly frustrated curses.

“Oh just fuck off.”

“I would never speak to you like that.”

Being chastised by an electronic voice was the last straw for Rumple.

Belle arrived in the pawnshop an hour later to find Rumple humming serenely to himself as he tinkered with a timepiece. His new cell phone was on the workbench, pinned to the workbench by a dagger through the screen in fact.

“What happened, Rumple?”

He glanced at the stricken phone and shrugged; “The voice in the box was being rude and unhelpful.”

Belle walked back into the front of the shop and called Henry.

“We need to go with cell phone plan B for Rumple.”

“Ah, I wondered why he wasn’t answering my texts. What happened?”

Belle smiled at the curtain and lowered her voice; “I think Siri started replying to his monologuing.”

From the back room Rumple shouted; “I do not monologue!”

His denial might have been convincing had Belle not been able to hear him muttering to himself. Henry laughed; “I’ll pick up a new phone for him and I’ll disable Siri this time.”

“Thank you Henry.”