#I went to a garden and beach 😁

[shatterthefragments]

Thoughts (from last week taken in a note throughout the day instead of spamming here though it’s my blog I’ll do that if the Vibes of The Day call for it) (but uh they still apply?)

Thoughts

Pulling a vessel with the way my (loose ass) pants (with stuff in pockets) are coming down my hips

Maybe my hands shouldn’t go numb when say. Holding a coffee cup for Time.

Hearing running water and the birds chirping is SO GOOD.

And then!!! The waves crashing on the shore!!!!! So perfect~ even if it’s fairly calm right now.

Truly “feed your gut flora” (well “feed your gut flora a diverse range of things for a healthy microbiome”) has helped change the way I think about food

Even when I use spices that come from plants to get a bit more biodiversity (and flavour) it’s something!!! (And if it’s not ok not sure I want to know differently!!! It’s ground up plants and fungi!!!)

The temptation of BEACH TIME vs the reality of This Should Be In A Fridge. (I might have enough thermos bags it’ll be okay? Though if I do some beach before I go pick up dinner or something)

I can’t remember the last time my jaw was *this* unclenched.

How quickly having to deal with mum changed my entire outlook on the day (I told her if she messaged me I’d bring home food) (I have quiche leftovers so I wasn’t going to cook regardless after cooking at least two things for the past four days but as long as she pays me back for this… (she did)

“Where are you going?” “Outside while it’s still nice (and to get away from you)”

(I got an appetizer I can eat with a spoon :) though I’ll go back inside if I want any chicken wings.)

God. I guess he is kinda The Main Character Huh. (Unspecified)

It’s not worth it

It’s not worth the stress you cause

It’s not worth it

I can only put up with it for the reimbursements

How long do I pay with my health rather than. But debt is also stressful. And at least I don’t have to worry about money as much here even if I don’t budget properly and treat myself too often…

But anything that keeps you from killing yourself is worth it.

God if you collect all that data anyway could you at least use it to not advertise sales with stores that don’t have any clothes that fit me??? One place’s sizing for xxl is too small and they don’t even stock it and I feel bad about it even though I shouldn’t and each brand has their own sizing and I don’t *need* to have that pattern of pants even though I *really* want them but each time I check to see if a pair of pants will go in a size big enough I get a bit sad even though I’ve mostly made a quasi semi peace with my body.

And like?!?

She’s a foot taller than me and a bit bigger bc it’s almost like she’s proportionally stretched taller and it’s. I’m bad at guessing weights. But bc I weight what I do and she’s THAT MUCH TALLER in my head I had a number because they were talking about high weights and I’m just over here like 😬 please don’t try to guess me too. But given the height different and that I can squeeze into certain places she can’t I thought there would be a little bit more of a weight difference.

Also working in a bakery where people are always talking about diets is probably. Very Bad for me but alas. I’m currently in an alright place? Like I’ve never been this Not Horrible about food and my body right now?

(And I do feel good about my body today!!!!!!!!)

[theonottsbxtch]

THE OTHER GUY PT.6 | FC43

an: and we've reached the final part of the series! i hope you guys have enjoyed this as much as i have, it was very fun to write and i can't wait to write something soon :) remember my requests are always open!!

part one | part two | part three | part four | part five |

ynpiastri

liked by oscarpiastri, logansargeant, landonorris and 30,382 others

spain, i'll miss you 🥲

*tap to load more comments*

userone: spain yn was my fav yn

usertwo: is that franco? 👀

userthree: it's probably oscar or logan

oscarpiastri: i have an idea, i pay you to stay in spain for the rest of your life and you never come to the track again

logansargeant: i need her there, you're not a reliable source of gossip

ynpiastri: if you don't invite me, i have other ways of being there

userfour: franco? 👀

userfive: your honour i love them

lilyznimer: can't wait to see you again

ynpiastri: @/oscarpiastri HA SHE LOVES ME MORE THAN YOU 😹🫵😹🫵

usersix: yn, we're all here for franco confirmation. give it to us.

twitter

francolapinto

liked by alex_albon, williamsracing, ynpiastri and 985,352 others

back to work, i hate this country 🌧️

*tap to load more comments*

alex_albon: next time take me to spain too

francolapinto: yes boss

userone: no yn confirmation ☹️☹️

williamsracing: franco...

francolapinto: no amount of media training will make me lie about this country

usertwo: where's yn?

userthree: we want to see FRANYN!

userfour: she's in his likes. im connecting dots.

userfive: stop being delusional, you ain't connecting shit.

twitter

ynpiastri

liked by oscarpiastri, logansargeant, francolapinto and 29,453 others

me when i remember that i actually have a big girl job and living off of oscar's money in his spare room isn't actually what i do with my life.

*tap to load more comments*

userone: wife

usertwo: she has a job?? i thought she just went to gp's with oscar

ynpiastri: SHE has a masters in engineering design and technology 💅

userthree: cleared

oscarpiastri: move out please

ynpiastri: no 😁

userfour: still no franco

userfive: girl they both have full time jobs

usersix: MOTHERRRRR

logansargeant: you're a psycho for bringing your laptop to the beach btw

ynpiastri: i don't think i asked for your opinion, hope that helps lo! 😘

interview with franco colapinto

twitter

ynpiastri

liked by oscarpiastri, logansargeant, mclarenracing and 31,439 others

supporting my favourite mclaren driver (not oscar)

*tap to load more comments*

userone: I WANT TO BE HER

usertwo: I WANT HER

oscarpiastri: funny joke

logansargeant: or is it..👀

userthree: imagine living her life

landonorris: i thought your favourite driver didn't race for mclaren [this comment has been deleted]

userfour: she's so pretty

userfive: still no sign of franyn

twitter

twitter

francolaptino

liked by williamsracing, alex_albon, ynpiastri and 924,235 others

the only women in my life btw (not that anyone asked)

*tap to load more comments*

userone: oh😀

usertwo: i don't believe it

alex_albon: this guy

userthree: he's so unintentionally funny

williamsracing: how cute

imessage between logan and yn

twitter

twitter

ynpiastri

argentina

liked by oscarpiastri, logansargeant, francolapinto and 31,435 others

would rather date traffic cone (holiday dump coming soon x)

*comments have been turned off*

offseason 2024

The golden Argentinan sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, amber glow across the quiet, coastal villa. His family home sat nestled on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the endless blue stretch of sea. The scent of saltwater drifted in on the breeze, mingling with the fragrant citrus trees that lined the garden.

You and Franco sat on a cushioned wicker sofa in the sunroom, the wide-open windows framing the breathtaking view. The room had a rustic charm—whitewashed walls, terracotta tiles, and soft, earth-toned furniture. His arm was draped lazily around your shoulders, pulling you close as you both idly scrolled through your phones, the sounds of crashing waves and distant seagulls filling the peaceful silence.

But neither of you were really focused on the phones. The fan speculations and social media drama had become a background hum—amusing, but distant. For months now, you’d both kept this secret relationship hidden, playing the game of cat-and-mouse with the public, teasing and trolling them into thinking you were still enemies.

“Do they really still think I hate you?” you muttered, your lips curving into an incredulous smile as you glanced at a fan comment. “I’ve done too good a job convincing them.”

He chuckled, his voice low and smooth as he leaned in closer to peek at your screen. “Well, you have been pretty savage online. You didn’t hold back with that last post, hermosa.”

Your eyes flicked up to meet his, playful. “Says the guy who told the press I’d have to beg for a date. I never forgot that one.”

He grinned down at you, his light brown eyes twinkling with amusement. “I mean, to be fair, you did tweet that you wouldn’t date me if I were the last man on earth.”

You rolled your eyes, nudging him with your elbow. “Touché.”

His laughter faded, replaced by a softer, more thoughtful expression. His fingers tracing slow, absent-minded circles on your arm, and his gaze shifts from the ocean outside back to you. The silence stretched out between you for a moment, and you could feel the weight of what’s unspoken.

“We can’t keep this up forever, you know,” he finally said, his voice quieter now, more serious.

You paused for a second, his words catching you off guard. You’d grown so used to the secrecy, to sneaking around and playing up the rivalry for the fans. It had become a game, but now, here in the warmth of his family’s sunroom, with the sea breeze gently ruffling your hair, the reality of your relationship felt different. Realer. More solid.

You sat up a little straighter, turning to face him fully. “What are you saying?”

He met your eyes, his lips curling into a small, meaningful smile. “Maybe it’s time we tell everyone. Stop pretending.”

Your heart skipped a beat. The thought of going public, of finally letting the world see what’s been building between you, sent a thrill through you. But it was also terrifying. What would people say? How would the fans react? You’ve been holding onto this secret for so long, the thought of exposing it felt almost... vulnerable.

Still, as you sat there with him, in this secluded little bubble away from the world, the idea didn't seem so scary anymore. It felt exciting. Liberating.

A slow, playful grin spread across your face. “If we’re going to do this, we have to do it in the most ridiculous, out-of-pocket way possible.”

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Like what?”

You leaned back against the sofa, the sunlight warming your skin as the wheels in your head begin to turn. “Something so cheesy and over-the-top that people won’t even know if we’re serious or still trolling them.”

His lips quirked into a smirk, rubbing his chin as if considering it. “What, like one of those cringey TikTok couple challenges?”

You nodded eagerly. “Exactly. The kind of stuff that makes people cringe, but they can’t look away.”

He let out a low chuckle, clearly warming up to the idea. “You mean the ones where people do those obnoxiously cute couple things, like finishing each other’s sentences?”

You grin. “Exactly. Go so hard that no one can tell if we’re serious.”

He leans forward, grabbing his phone from the coffee table. “I like it. Let’s do it.”

You blink, a little surprised at how quickly he’s jumping on board. “Wait, right now?”

He shrugs, that familiar mischievous glint in his eyes. “Why not? We’ve kept this quiet long enough. Let’s have some fun.”

Your pulse quickened with a mixture of excitement and nerves as you both adjusted your positions on the sofa, sitting up a little straighter, leaning in close to each other. His arm slid around your waist, pulling you just a little closer, and you could feel the warmth of his body against yours. The soft hum of the waves and the distant calls of seagulls faded into the background as the moment intensified.

“Alright,” you said, barely keeping a straight face, “let’s do this.”

He raised his phone, the camera pointed at both of you, and the screen lights up, casting a soft glow on your faces. “First question,” you began, doing your best over-the-top rom-com voice. “Who said ‘I love you’ first?”

He smirked, nudging you playfully. “Easy. You did.”

You gasped dramatically, placing a hand over your heart. “I did not! That was totally you.”

The playful banter flowed easily, the chemistry between you undeniable. The air between you crackled with tension, but the laughter kept things light. Each question grows sillier than the last, your teasing jabs masking the real emotions simmering beneath the surface.

As the game continued, the joking faded. The answers become more meaningful, more intimate. He reached out and takes your hand, his thumb brushing over your knuckles, and the teasing spark in his eyes shifted into something softer.

Then, as if the playful mood couldn’t hold any longer, he lowered his phone and set it down on the coffee table, turning to face you fully. His gaze was intense, his eyes locking with yours in the fading sunlight. “Maybe we should stop messing around and just... tell them.”

Your breath caught in your throat. “For real?”

He nodded, his voice a little quieter, a little rougher. “Yeah. I’m tired of hiding. I want people to know.”

You hesitated for a second, the weight of the official decision settling in. But then, a surge of boldness rose within you. “Okay. Let’s do it. But first—” You held up your phone, turning off notifications before tossing it onto the sofa. “I don’t want to deal with the chaos immediately.”

He chuckled, grabbing his phone, posting the video and then,following your lead and shutting off his phone. “Smart. We’ll get spammed for sure.”

Once the phones were off and forgotten, you exchanged a glance, and then both of you dissolved into laughter, the weight of secrecy lifting off your shoulders. The relief, the excitement—it was overwhelming in the best way.

As the laughter died down, the air between you shifted slightly, becoming heavier, charged with something far more intense than before. His eyes darkened as they traced the curve of your lips, and your breath hitches, feeling the pull between you like a magnetic force. Neither of you speak for a long moment, the silence thick with unspoken desire.

Without warning, he leaned in, his hand sliding up to cup the side of your face, his thumb brushing tenderly along your cheek. The touch sent a shiver down your spine, and your heart pounded in your chest, anticipation crackling in the air around you. He was so close now that you could feel the heat radiating off his skin, the scent of his cologne mixing with the salty sea air.

Your pulse quickened as his gaze locked with yours, and for a second, time seemed to stop. Then, he closed the gap, capturing your lips in a kiss that was slow and deliberate, yet filled with an undeniable hunger. His lips were soft but firm, moving against yours with a heat that left you breathless.

You responded immediately, your hands gripping the fabric of his shirt as you pulled him closer, needing more. His kiss deepened, and the intensity built. The taste of him is intoxicating, like you had both been waiting for this moment for far too long. His other hand snaked around your waist, pulling you flush against his chest, and you could feel the strength of his body against yours.

The kiss grew more urgent, your bodies pressed together as if the space between you was unbearable. His fingers threaded through your hair, holding you in place as he kissed you harder, deeper, like he couldn't get enough. You lost yourself in the sensation—the way his lips devoured yours, the heat of his breath mingling with yours, the low, barely audible groan that escaped from deep in his chest.

As you kissed him back with equal fervor, your entire body tingled, your senses overwhelmed by him—the way his hands gripped your waist, the way his lips tease and explore yours.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead resting against yours, both of you were panting, your hearts racing in sync. His eyes, dark and full of desire, met yours, and a slow, satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Guess I can do that more often now,” he murmured, his voice husky and low.

You smiled back, your lips still tingling from the kiss. “With my brother in that same paddock? Not a chance?”

francolapinto and ynpiastri

liked by logansargeant, schecoperez, oscarpiastri and 984,348 others

it wasn't a joke btw

*limited comments only*

williamsracing: franco...

oscarpiastri: that's my sister pal

francolaptino: oops?

logansargeant: this hurt more than my replacement

ynpiastri: shut up?

logansargeant: yes ma'am

the end.

taglist: @iimplicitt @isaadore @iamred-iamyellow @justheretoreadthxxs @obxstiles @how-what-why-huh @raizelchrysanderoctavius @sainzzreputaticn @xxx-betty @dukeofjjune @dejavuontrack @littlegrapejuice @mxdi0 @st4rgirl-ellie @dullypully @cinderellawithashoe

[icouldntfindquiet]

How's your trip going?

It’s been good! The weather hasn’t been the best but at least it’s not raining all the time. The ocean is nice (but too cold for swimming), the city center is cute, I found a cute garden, and I went tide pooling for the first time yesterday. 😁 I think today will be more exciting because we’re visiting Cannon Beach (a popular tourist attraction) at low tide so I’m excited to see some stuff. I’m traveling with a big group with two kids (ages 2 and 3) so I’m limited in what I can do/see but I’m having fun. Thanks for asking and here are some unedited pics. My videos are better but I have too many. 😁

^ Stingray at the saddest aquarium I’ve ever seen says hello. 😆 The fish didn’t look too happy. I thought some were dead but they’re alive and not moving much. 🙈

[nomattertheoceans]

May I ask what else did you already sew? And how did you started? 😁

Of course you may ^^ I love sewing so I'm always down to talk about it!! I'm sorry, this got kind of long xD I hope you don't mind!!

So I started over a year ago. My mom has a sewing machine so I started with her, she taught me the basics of how to use it (how to install the thread, how to change a needle, how to select the stitch you want, how to hold the fabric,...). Then after about two months I bought my own machine because it was a bit restrictive to have to go to her house and everything! The machine cost me around 70 euros, so I'd say it's a manageable investment if you enjoy sewing! But in general if you can't afford it, you can find someone to lend you their machine, or even clubs that have machines available.

I started with very easy things. My very first alone project was just to make little pouches, then I tried a cushion cover. Basically, I sewed two rectangles together and tried to make the stitches go in a straight line (not as easy as it sounds 😂)

Then I graduated to slightly more complex projects: scrunchies and snoods that I made for Christmas. Still pretty easy but with a few more steps.

Then I... went a little crazy 😂 and decided I would try to make a dress without a pre-existing pattern (a pattern is a set of instruction that you have to follow, as well as lifesize representations of the pieces of fabric that you need, I don't know if that's clear haha but it's a guide basically). It did not go well xD it took me and my mom over two months to complete despite being a really simple dress, and I had to ask my grandma for help a few times (she's been a seamstress since she was 16 so she's really good!! But she doesn't want to teach, sadly. The only way she helps is if I go with a very specific question and then she answers me haha). We completed it in the end, but it wasn't an experience I wanted to try again soon lmao so I bought patterns for the dresses I made since then ^^

Since then I've sewn a lot of different projects!! Basically I always try to push the boundaries of what I can currently do, cause at first I wanted to only try things I was already good at (I was afraid of wasting fabrics if I messed up), but obviously when you do that, it's almost impossible to improve. So I try out new things and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and I have to start over, but I still learn something when it doesn't work.

If you want to know what kind of things I made, here's a non comprehensive list

about five dresses (if I could I would only make dresses!! but it requires a lot of fabric and fabric is kind of expensive..!)

one skirt

a few tote bags/beach bags (those are fun cause once you figure out the steps to making one, the others are similar and you can play around with colors and patterns and stuff)

a hair towel

a messenger bag for my boyfriend (a very simple one, though, for gathering mushrooms, nothing fancy)

aprons for a friend's daughter (one for gardening and one for baking ^^ they were so cuuuuute! Sewing for a four year old is the cutest thing kajsjdhja)

A Christmas hat ^^

Right now I'm working on a mobile for my cousin, she's having a baby! So I'm making animals and trees and clouds out of felt. I'm only in the beginning of the project though

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures, it's literally the middle of the night right now and I'm min bed writing this xD

Overall, I'd say you have to be patient and handle frustration well if you want to sew. It's a very methodical hobby! You follow a procedure, you try to picture in what order you have to work for the project to work out. Since I don't take classes, sometimes I spend an hour looking up tutorials for a specific technique and then another hour trying it out on scraps of fabrics, just for one detail in a project. I also bought a few books that explained sewing techniques and stuff, so I spend a lot of time on that, too. Also, the reality is that you don't spend that much time using the machine, overall, cause the most time-consuming part is cutting the fabric, pinning it, ironing it,....

But it's also very satisfying when the project comes together!! And as someone who generally has issues staying focused, I've found that I can spend an entire day sewing and not see the time go by!

I'm sorry this got so long, I saw in your tag you were interested so I went a little overboard!

[enelea]

Welcome to the Kruger family.❤️😃😁

The back story: Shelby used to deliver mail. She wasn't used to any man paying much attention to her, until strapping Ross White swept her off her feet. She had no idea that h was married to Jane (Jane from the Zanobi family we just played). Shelby imagined their engagement and wedding with stars in her eyes. She got pregnant and had little Shelly. She was sure Ross would marry her once Shelly was born.

One evening Ross came to visit at her apartment. Things got all romantic on the sofa, when suddenly a pregnant black haired woman stormed in and slapped Ross, screaming that he was a cheat and breaking up with him right then at there. Ross explained how his relationship with his wife was on the rocks for a while and that he had planned on leaving her for Shelby for a long time. While Shelby didn't want to be a homewrecker, she fell for Ross' story. Partially blinded by love and partially because of her naive nature.

The couple moved to a nice family home at the beach and went on to have Sharon, their second daughter. Shelby had no idea that Ross had been cheating on her and was absolutely oblivious to all the obvious signs.

The couple was invited to a family wedding 💒. An attractive doctor kept making eye contact with Shelby. She felt huge attraction towards him and had trouble not to return his flirtatious looks. He strolled up to Shelby and told her that she was simply the most beautiful woman that he had ever laid eyes upon. Shelby tried to compose herself planning on saying that she was spoken for, but she never got the chance. Ross made a major scene. He loudly accused her of being a slut and tart, cheating on him. He promptly broke up with her and told her to take the kids and get out of their family home as soon as they got home. Humiliated and distraught, Shelby had nowhere to go. Crying in the garden behind the chapel, the attractive doctor eventually found her.

He apologized for wrecking her relationship and said that he had had no idea that she wasn't single, otherwise he would never have approached her. He offered her and the girls his home and said that he would sleep in the spare bedroom or even with a friend, if she preferred. Shelby accepted the offer and said that she knew of him through friends and family. He was a man with a decent reputation and didn't need to go sleep over at a friend. She would stay only until she could get a place of her own.

As time went by, their relationship blossomed. He was everything a woman could dream of and romantically he did not try to pursue or push her in any direction. They got to know eachother as friends first. Having relaxing conversations and spending time with the girls. Ross' family reached out to her and the kids to make sure they were alright, but Ross never seemed interested in how they were. In retrospect Shelby realised that Ross had been waiting for an opportunity to get rid of her and that the events at the family wedding had presented him with just such an opportunity.

One evening, when the children were a sleep, Benjamin sat down on the sofa next to Shelby. He took her hand in his and said, " I never want you to feel like I am pushing you into any direction, but I also need to be honest with you. I have been holding back, because I respect you a great deal." He paused, lifting her chin with his finger and searching her eyes. " I have fallen madly in love with you and I want to marry you and take care of you and never ever let you go." Shelby was elated, she flew into his embrace. " I thought you would never ever ask! I love you too Benjamin and I can't wait to marry you!"

The couple had a quiet wedding, with only very close relatives present. By now their friends and family had realised that Ross had been the unfaithful one not Shelby and her reputation had been repaired.

Shelby and Benjamin Kruger are now happily married and have a cute little boy of their own called Ben.

One afternoon, as Shelby walked past a home near the beach after visiting a friend, a woman got out of a car, wanting to go into the home. Their gazes met and she saw a flicker of recognition and a fleeting look of resentment in the woman's eyes. She looked familiar. Could it be Ross' ex-wife? It looked like her, but Shelby couldn't be sure. She hurried away, unsure of the look she had received from the lady. Shelby decided that it didn't matter and pushed all thought of it from her mind.

Later that week, Shelly brought a friend home from school. It was a lovely little girl with thick, black hair called Danja Zanobi. The girls had a great playdate together and both Shelby and Benjamin found her father Dawson Zanobi to be a pleasant man. They had a nice chat with him, while the girls said their goodbyes and made plans for more playdates.

Little did they know that Danja's mother, was none other than Jane... The woman who was Ross' wife at the time when Shelby unknowingly was his mistress. Only time will tell what will take place, when both parties realise..

(Just a sidenote: I did not orchestrate Shelby passing by Jane Zanobi's home or Shelly bringing Home Danja Zanobi from school.😅😂so this story sort of wrote itself 😂😂)

[fleurcareil]

Northwest Ontario: 2nd time's a charm

The route from Winnipeg into Ontario and eastward to Espanola is the only section of my trip that I've driven back & forth on the same road (apart from the Kenora-Thunder Bay stretch where I did take a different way back) as the rest of the 20k drive has really been one big loop across the country, hence 2nd time's a charm! 😀 Having assumed that the weather would be worse in September, I had taken my time going west, camping in beautiful provincial & national parks, so check out those earlier posts to see the full beauty of this region. Now on the way back, I tried to see a few new places and/or revisited some of my favourite spots.

It felt really good to see the Welcome to Ontario sign, as it meant I was heading home... all provinces have their own charm, but Ontario I know best, so that will always remain "my place".

Staying in Kenora for the night, I had contemplated to go see the sunset over Lake of the Woods, but instead I just stayed at the motel trying to fix the pump hose for hopefully a few more paddles. 🤞

In the morning, I took the highway south to Fort Frances, which is an hour longer to Thunder Bay then east to Dryden but has the benefit of not having any trucks. The road is curvy & hilly so that means it's difficult to bypass slow drivers, but I had it mostly to myself to take in the beautiful Canadian Shield and all the lakes - Ontario at its best! 😍

At Sioux Narrows provincial park, I did a small hike up a viewpoint of Regina Bay, the most eastern arm of Lake of the Woods. This was one of those viewpoints where the trees are blocking most of the view 😂 but it felt good anyway to be in the fresh-smelling forest. I surprised a deer that was on the trail nibbling at tree branches so that reminded me that I needed to make some noise from time to time - I was still in bear country after all!,

A bit further south, I had a nice 1.5hr paddle at Caliper Lake provincial park along the shoreline and around a little island. I usually start paddling against the wind to make life easier on the way back, however I had misinterpreted how the wind was being deflected around a hill, so suddenly it did a 180 on me and I got the wind against me also on the way back! 😆 less relaxing than I had envisaged!

Fort Frances is the main town in this corner of Ontario, sharing a river as border with the US similar to Niagara Falls. I had thought of breaking for lunch here, but the waterfront did not really appeal to me, so I drove on and stopped instead at a viewpoint of Rainy Lake, another one of those massive lakes.

For the night, I stopped at a motel in the middle of nowhere 😁 midway to Thunder Bay, where the owner had made pretty flower gardens out of reclaimed wood. Living in Toronto, I had always thought that Kenora and Thunder Bay were kinda in the same neighbourhood "out there", whereas in reality they are over 500km apart, so I was glad to split the drive in two! As a bonus, the motel was across the road from a beautiful lake so happy to sit in a chair taking in the last sun rays of the day. 🥰

In the morning the water was still calm, so I used the motel's dock to launch my SUP and went for a great paddle around several little islands. For me, this is as close to paradise as it gets; blue water, blue sky and some little rocky islands with trees in between them 💖💖

After leaving the motel, it was only a short drive to Quetico provincial park, famed for its backcountry wilderness canoeing... something I was clearly not going to do now, but I still wanted to get a sense of what it looked like. Did a small hike around a swamp which was nothing special, so sat for a bit on a rock overlooking the lake and empty beach... travelling after Labour Day is sooo nice as the crowds disappear and calmness returns. 😍 There was a whole flock of larger brown birds walking around, which looked a bit like grouse but those tend to stay in the trees, so at the visitor centre they told me they were partridges!

After Quetico, it was another 3-hour drive to my motel in Nipigon, and adding the final hour of time difference made the day go by fast! In total, I've had eleven time-changes during this trip (+1-1+1+0.5 from Ontario via New Brunswick & Quebec to Labrador, -1.5 back to Quebec, then -1-1-1 to BC, and finally +1+1+1 to Ontario), all in the same country! 😄

Just before getting to Nipigon, I had a quick stop at the Red Rock marina, where the view of steep hills was pretty enough, but the redness of the rock was masked by vegetation 😅. The scenery in this area is very pretty though, and the next day I really enjoyed the drive out of town - there's not many rest places along the highway to take pics from but hopefully you get the jest!

I had wanted to revisit Neys provincial park to hike up a hill to an overlook of a famous Lawren Harris painting of Pic Island, but I had been slow to leave in the morning, first sorting out things online and then waiting for my car to get an oil service. So instead, I repeated a small hike to a rocky point with a stunning view of the lake and sat there (in my coat & headband for the wind) for a while, chatting with a few friends online.

All through Canada some of my best cell phone reception was either on top of a hill or on a rocky outcrop (basically anywhere without trees) so I often would sit there to read email, research things online and chat with friends & family. 😂 It hadn't really bothered me to have poor/no reception for most of the time (sometimes for days on end), but now I was going home there was a lot to sort out, so it became more frustrating.

Staying that night in an airbnb without kitchen, I prepped a salad on the beach's picknick table, and then made my way over to Marathon for some cozy streaming of the Amazing Race while lying in bed 😊, a definite advantage of staying in a building rather than a tent! In the morning, I quickly checked out Marathon's Jellicoe Cove, which is undoubtedly a great place to be on the water in high summer.

Just south of Marathon, I also revisited Pukaskwa national park, which was as stunning as on the way up. It was much greyer now though, so check out the pics from my previous post to truly appreciate its beauty. I redid the Southern Headland Trail and then added the Manito Mikana trail which I hadn't had time for previously... the little islands, the vast water expanse, the beach... all pretty and with starting fall colour changes! 😍

Temperatures were less fun; 4 degrees in the morning and only warming up to 8-12 degrees in the afternoon, so after a cold day, I got myself in Wawa a chicken noodle soup & yam fries to warm me up! Arriving early at my cabin, the same where I had stayed years ago on a Thanksgiving trip up here, I cranked up the heat and snuggled in front of the tv. 😊

Next day, I hiked the Nokomis trail in the northern part of the Lake Superior provincial park, which has stunning views of the surrounding forest and of Old Woman Bay...which I had a harder time to see as I was stung by two wasps on the way up! 😫 Stopping to take off my sweater, they suddenly stung me on the arm and eyebrow before I even realized what happened. I picked up my stuff and ran away 😅. Not surprisingly, my entire eye got swollen so once I was back down, I took some rest on the beach before hitting the road again. Au, it hurt!! 😮

Driving went ok but it was very tiring, so I had another break at the lovely beach of Pancake Bay provincial park to eat something and soak up the sun with my eyes closed. I was surprised that Lake Superior has such large sandy beaches as most of the shoreline consists of Canadian Shield rocks... they are a bit out of the way for city folks from Toronto 😉 but great places for locals from Sault Ste Marie!

In that town, I spent some time getting ready for the next phase of leaving Canada; I washed my car so that it's a little more presentable 😅 (got also a deep-clean booked to get rid of all the sand) and spent my remaining gift cards and Shoppers points... don't want to lose any freebees! 😄

Checking in at the motel in Thessalon, I was relieved to be able to sit and not get up for a while... If we all could see such a sunset each day, the world would be a more peaceful place! 😍🥰

Wildlife: 1 deer at Sioux Narrows, 15 partridges at Quetico, 1 partridge at Pukaskwa, 2 wasps at Lake Superior

SUPs: one at Caliper Lake, one at the motel (Niobe Lake)

Hikes: one at Sioux Narrows, one at Quetico, one at Neys, one at Pukaskwa, one at Lake Superior

Distance driven since last map: 1,572km

[starry-nights12]

👤-Bladebabies

✍-Dunebabies

👑-Steambabies

Omg! Thank you for the ask!🥺😁

Me and @a-hams-art share custody of these kids❤❤❤

Original ask meme:

👤 - What's the origin behind their name? [either within or outside of their lore]

Since Yue means moon. I absolutely LOVED Nanurjuk, since it means The Star.

✍️ - What do you like about them/what would you like about them, if they were a real person?

I like how Gyasto II is fun-loving and playful. She inherited it from Aang. She likes playing pranks on her friends and family.

With Lobsang, although, she is kind and bubbly. She can also be belligerent and direct like Toph.

She was taught to be a pacifist by Aang and the monks at the Southern Air Temple; but her Mom taught her that's it's okay to be combative. She's not afraid to use violence as a last resort.

👑 - What's their favorite childhood memory? if they didn't have a childhood, would they like to have one?

Iroh II's- He and his twin were 5 years old. Their Uncle Aang and Aunt Toph were visiting them at the Palace with Lo(7) and Gya(3).

Toph let the girls play in the rain in the garden while he watched on the steps.

When Kya II and the Beifong sisters went inside, he stayed outside with Katara to watch the rain.

He pretends the rain on his hands is him waterbending. Katara smiled softly. With her arm around his shoulders, she brought him closer to her.

Kya II's- Katara dedicates her time in meetings to help impoverished villages, donate clothes, blankets, and toys, repair houses, and give them food.

When she was 12 years old, they were visiting a village when a moo-sow broke loose from the farm.

The farmers and some villagers try to help catch the animals. They were genuinely surprised when Katara rolled up her sleeves and try to get the moo-sow.

Kya II and the rest of the villagers cheered her on as she tried to catch it. Kya II even laughed when she fell in the mud during the chase.

She eventually does and is able to calm the wiggly creature. She lifted the animal over her head with victorious grin.

The villagers laughed and cheered. Everyone is just surprised and amused because former Fire Ladies would never.

Azusa's- Her favorite butterflies are monarchs. When it was her 9th birthday, her parents surprised her by taking her to a butterfly garden.

When they arrived home for her birthday party, Zuko gifted her a glass display case of monarch butterflies to hang on her bedroom walls.

Lu Ten's- (He's 6) Katara's and Zuko's friend, Jiang, visited them. He was in absolute shock when his Mama and Jiang revealed that they were pirates.

They go to the beach for a treasure hunt with a map the women drew and he's immensely excited!

His parents siblings are part of his crew with Azusa as his first mate while he's Captain.

Him and Azusa dig up the treasure chest filled with jewelry and chocolate coins. After that, Zuko treats everyone to ice cream.