#Mat is great at being a heater in the winter

[sparrowwritings]

Writing Challenge Day 23: Warm

Day Twenty-two -- Masterpost -- Day Twenty-four

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Matilda giggled as facial hair of her tickled the side of her face. Strong arms were also wrapped around her waist as she continued to mix the ingredients of dinner together. 

Daeglan responded by burying his face into the side of her neck. “Trying to absorb the warmth,” He responded. She could feel more than hear his voice, quiet as it was at the moment. Looking outside, she noticed the dark grey sky and wondered if the weather was calling for snow. 

Mat naturally produced more heat than her boyfriend did. This was a fact that hadn’t been noticed until very recently--when they two had started spending more time in his home than her own. Luckily winter was approaching, so the ex-military man had been taking full advantage of her living heater status. Jerran, his 5-year-old son, had also been taking to using Matilda to warm up. In the past few days she’d learned that napping on the couch was an invitation for everyone to join her in them. She also learned--once again--that both of the Faires could be pretty clingy when they wanted to.

Not that she minded. Matilda had been flustered at first, but the attention and physical affection was much appreciated.

Even if it meant she had to take longer to cook as of late. “I’ll still be warm when I’m finished here, Dae.” She giggled as he held her a little tighter. “So unless you want feta cheese all over your sweater, I think you’ll have to let me go.”

“I can take that risk.” Daeglan mumbled. 

“What about when I have to put the layers into the pan? Or set it into the oven?”

He gave a slight whine. “If I have to I’ll move...” In this moment in particular it was hard to remember that he’d been through any hardships in his lifetime. He sounded like it would take a herculean effort to separate from his girlfriend, when in reality it only took one thing in particular. 

With a gentle sigh, Matilda put the bowl she was holding on the counter in front of her and turned around her boyfriend’s arms to face him. “Just one kiss, then I have to go back to making the lasagna.” 

She’d barely made it through the sentence before Dae had pressed his lips against hers. They were slightly chapped, probably from the weather, but not unpleasantly so. Mat let herself relax against him for just a moment before finally pressing her fingertips against his shoulder and separating from him. He gave her a wide, lazy smile as his arms fell away from her. She couldn’t help but smile back.

“It’ll just be a few more minutes.” Matilda teased as she started to prep the pan. “Surely you won’t freeze in that amount of time.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see, then.” Came the automatic response. 

[skygirl5]

12 Prompts of Christmas - #9 Eggnog

This is a continuation of the previous chapter’s universe (behind the jump due to length) 

NINE - Eggnog

On his first morning waking up in the isolated cabin, Rick wished to sleep late, but he couldn’t because he woke up before dawn absolutely, positively freezing. His normal sleeping attire for winter was boxers and a t-shirt because he generally kept his apartment fairly warm. He’d thought the blankets on the cabin’s bed would keep him warm enough, but evidently that was not the case; all his extremities felt like ice. Rick shivered so bad he could hardly pull on his jeans and button-down from the prior day before hobbling to the potbelly stove in the main room of the cabin and fiddling with it for ten minutes before he could figure out how to get a fire going inside of it once more.

Knowing warmth would soon come, Rick grabbed a blanket and tried to lay on the couch, which was the closest place to the stove on which to lay, but he was too miserably cold to fall back to sleep. Figuring maybe an afternoon nap would be more productive, he made coffee and sat with it cradled in his hand while wearing a blanket as a cape as he tried to warm up.

Though it took an hour, the cabin soon almost became too warm, but given how cold he had been Rick chose not to mind that too much and did his best to get some writing done. He wrote a few pages, but soon found it difficult to focus, and decided to go on a walk around the lake for a distraction. He also thought perhaps he might run into Kate, the intriguing woman whose mitten he found the day before, but he sadly did not. He did bump into an older couple who had a very friendly yellow lab and chatted with them for about ten minutes, but that was all the human interaction he had.

Back in his cabin, he called Alexis once it was a reasonable hour on the west coast. Unfortunately, their conversation was quite jumbled due to very poor reception, but he was at least able to confirm that Meredith had picked her up from the airport and was taking her shopping that day.

Since speaking with his daughter reminded him once again that she was not going to be with him for Christmas, Rick distracted himself by eating the pre-made salad he’d purchased for lunch and turned back to his writing, which was actually successful that round. He found himself so “in the zone” that he didn’t even notice how late it was getting until he got out of his chair to go to the bathroom and realized most of the cabin was completely dark.

Satisfied with the amount of work he’d done, Rick decided it was time to make himself dinner. He’d purchased some chicken cutlets which he planned on stir-frying and with some vegetables he purchased and so he began rummaging in the kitchen cabinets for the tools he’d need. He found a cast iron skillet and cutting board to use to prep his food. He’d purchased oil just in case the cabin didn’t have any, which ended up being a good call because he didn’t find any in the small pantry.

After pouring the oil into the skillet, he set it on the two burner stove so that it could heat up, but when he turned the knob to ignite the burner, he heard a click, but no flames appeared. Twisting his lips to the side in concentration, he crouched down and proceeded to fiddle with the knobs and burner for several more minutes to no avail; he could not get the stove to turn on.

Not too worried at that point, Rick decided that the best thing to do would be to call the cabin’s owner, Chip. He was a friendly older gentleman who had talked to Rick for nearly an hour when the cabin booking was made. Evidently the cabin belonged to Chip’s father, who was an avid fisherman. After his father passed, Chip inherited the place, but didn’t enjoy fishing as much, so he mostly rented it out. He’d told Rick not to hesitate to call if an issue arose, and Rick decided to do just that—even though it was technically Christmas Eve.

Rick walked over to where he’d left his laptop at the table. There, he’d left his phone as well as the contact information for Chip. Before he’d even begun to dial, Rick frustratingly realized his phone displayed a “No Signal” error. It hadn’t been that long since he’d spoken to Alexis, though admittedly the call had been cutting in and out at that time.

Figuring the reception had to be better outside, he put on his heavy coat and then dialed Chips number on the phone but didn’t hit the “send” button. Then, he stepped outside the cabin and was immediately knocked back by a wall of bone-chilling cold. The stinging temperature of the air was so great that he actually yelped, but then tried to recover as quickly as he could so he could get his phone call over with. Rick wandered around the area in front of the cabin for several minutes with his phone above his head waiting for the “No Signal” to vanish and bars to appear, but they never did.

Frustrated, Rick stomped out further into the yard, chasing an elusive signal. Just one bar!! He only needed one bar!!

He was about fifteen feet away from the house when he realized that small snowflakes had begun to fall from the sky above. He glanced up briefly, but that far after dusk it was almost pitch black outside. He was stumbling around only from the ambient light of the cabin’s exterior lighting, which at that distance was minimal at best. Yet, Rick remained determined to get a cell signal.

“Uhh Rick? Are you okay?” Rick heard after about seven minutes of wanting around in the freezing cold darkness.

“Wha—huh?” Startled he spun around until he saw the beam of a flashlight approaching, though due to the darkness he could not see the face of the person speaking to him.

“Are you okay?”

“I—who are you?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” The woman moved the flashlight beam from the ground to point straight upwards. It barely illuminated her face, but he recognized her immediately. “You found my glove yesterday; I’m-”

“Kate,” he breathed, still a bit shocked to have met up with her by the lake near his cabin. “Yeah, I remember.”

“So…are you alright? You don’t have a flashlight…”

He grumbled. “I didn’t mean to walk this far from my cabin I just—I’m trying to get some cell reception.”

She hummed. “Well, you might not have too much luck with that, especially with this snowstorm coming in.”

Rick frowned. “Oh…I…hmm…sorry,” he added quickly when he could see Kate’s brow tightening in confusion. “The stove in the cabin stopped working and I tried to fix it, but, frankly, I have no idea what could be wrong, so I thought I’d call the cabin’s owner but…”

“Right.” Kate nodded. Then, after a beat added, “I can take a look if you want. I was just taking a little walk so it’s not big deal.”

“Oh—oh!” his tone elevated with surprise when he realized she was offering to help him, a total stranger, without being asked. Then again, he had found her glove earlier, so they weren’t total strangers, just mostly strangers. “Sure. That would be—that’d be great, thank you. Thank you so much.”

She shrugged and the followed him across the crisp ground towards the cabin. “It’s not a problem. The stove my parents had for years was…something. Probably a terrible fire hazard, to be honest. I finally made my father replace it a few years ago, because I was convinced one of the times he tried to fry up one of the fish he caught the whole place would go up in smoke.”

“Fair enough,” Rick chuckled as they reached the cabin’s porch.

He led the way inside where Kate scuffed her boots against the welcome mat and unzipped her coat as she slipped through the narrow doorway. She gazed around for a moment, but then immediately walked into the kitchen on the left. “Oh, yeah, this one is just like ours—only smaller,” she proclaimed upon looking at the stove.

“So you know all its secrets,” he concluded, hopeful.

“Let’s hope so,” she said, smiling at him over her shoulder before setting to work. Rick tried to ignore the tingles that smile sent down his spine as he leaned against the kitchen table, wanting to stay out of her way and feeling a bit awkward that he was unable to assist.

Rick watched as Kate checked dials and plugs and arched her body over the top of the range unit so she could presumably check the wall connection. Then with a quick, “Be right back,” she walked outside the cabin once more and he could see her walking around the house through the small window above the kitchen sink. She was outside about five minutes before she returned with a frown.

“Well, I have good news and bad news.”

Suspecting he knew the bad news, Rick concluded, “You know what’s wrong, but can’t fix it.”

Giving him a sad smile, she said, “No, I can’t. For whatever reason this stove uses a different fuel tank than the one hooked up to the water heater and furnace and that fuel tank is very empty. The owner must have forgotten to have it refilled; I’m sorry.”

Rick huffed out a breath. “Well considering its Christmas Eve I don’t think I’m going to get a fuel delivery

“No, I don’t think so.” After a moment she suggested, “You could make a fire?”

His immediate reaction was to cringe. “Ah… at the risk of sounding unmanly: I don’t know that I could successfully cook chicken that way without either burning it or giving myself food poisoning.”

She laughed and nodded, “Yeah, I guess I couldn’t either.”

They stood side by side in the tight kitchen silently for a moment before Rick said, “Well, that’s okay. I’ll just cut my trip a little short and go home first thing tomorrow morning, but I really appreciate your help, Kate.”

She stared at him for a few seconds before trapping her bottom lip between her teeth and glancing over to the kitchen counter, where his packet of chicken and vegetables were sitting beside the stove, waiting patiently for him to finish prepping them. After nearly twenty seconds of silence she finally concluded, “C’mon—grab your food; you can use my stove.”

Now taken completely aback, he held his one hand up defensively and stammered, “Oh—I—I wasn’t-”

“I know, but it’s Christmas, right? C’mon.”

Nodding, he hurried to the counter and began gathering what he could and shoving it back into the shopping bag it came from. “Thanks—thanks so much. Should we drive to your place, or…?”

She nodded. “Might as well. It’s only going to snow harder as the night goes on.”

Ten minutes later, after grabbing his food, other necessary cooking items, and his coat, Rick was following Kate’s directions to navigate his Mercedes towards her family’s cabin. The journey was short and she soon was leading the way into the warm, rustic space. Her cabin was significantly larger than the one he was renting. The living space was more expansive and from the length of the hall he could see in the rear, he guessed it had three bedrooms not just two. Unlike his cabin, which was decorated with mostly generic fishing or rustic décor, this was clearly a family cabin with knickknacks and family photos adding to the warmth.

“Oh, wow this is really nice.”

Kate shrugged as she took off her coat, “It isn’t much…mostly just a little escape.”

“Yeah, but it’s still great—homey.” He smiled at her for a few seconds then put his grocery bags down while he took off his coat, too. “Well, uh, I won’t take up too much of your time. Can I make you something, too? As a thank you.”

“Oh, um…” she hesitated for a moment then threw her hands out to the side in a ‘giving up’ gesture. “Sure, why not. I saw you had chicken and vegetables…”

“Yeah, I was going to put them all together in a stir fry.”

“I have some rice to make.”

“Perfect!”

For the next few minutes they both busied themselves in the tight kitchen. It was a delicate dance as there was not too much counter space around the stove, even though it did seem, as Kate had implied, that the space had been renovated recently. They managed it well enough, and after Kate started the rice, Rick chopped the vegetables and dumped them into the skillet before turning to the chicken cutlets and slicing them as well.

“So, tell me Kate, what is it that you do?”

“I’m a police officer.”

His brow arched as he pushed the chicken off the cutting board and into the pan. “Really? So you’re used to saving people in distress?”

She laughed airily. “Something like that.”

He washed his hands at the kitchen sink and then, after turning off the water, he told her. “I’m an author.”

“I know.”

Startled by her words, he did a double-take in her direction and nearly dropped the towel he was using to dry his hands. “You…do you read my books?”

Kate’s cheeks turned slightly pink as she confessed, “I might have skimmed through one or two.”

Assuming her dismissive comment was just meant to be a way to avoid some embarrassment, Rick smiled as he turned to their skillet meal, picked up a spatula, and began pushing around chicken and vegetable pieces so nothing burned.

So, Kate was, presumably, a fan of his books. How else would she have recognized him from just his first name? That also made sense. Since she was saving him from going hungry that evening he hadn’t wanted to question it, but he did find it slightly odd that a young woman such as herself would invite a strange man back to her cabin, which was isolated in the middle of nowhere. Maybe that was just his writer’s mind used to spinning dark scenarios but…well, thinking about his daughter, he hoped that she would not make the same decision in a similar circumstance for the sake of her safety. Finding out she was a police officer made a bit more sense; her training presumably made her feel more comfortable with self-defense, but if she knew him as a public figure, she would have been more likely to feel safe around him—not that he would have ever thought of hurting a woman, but sadly he knew that was not always the case with others.

Feeling in the mood to tease her a little bit more, he said, “So that’s why you wanted to have dinner with me? Because I’m one of your favorite authors?”

When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw that she eyed him skeptically. “I’m not sure that’s what I said.”

“It was implied.”

She laughed. “I see.”

Silence hung in the air for several moments before he changed the subject with, “So you live around here?”

“No, Manhattan.”

Now even more pleasantly surprised he proclaimed, “Oh! You’re NYPD?” After she confirmed with a nod, he said, “That’s amazing. How long have you been on the force?”

“Oh, not long. I graduated the academy in August.”

“Ahh well if you’re willing, I’d be all too happy to hear all your rookie stories as we eat.”

Ignoring his question, she instead offered, “Do you need help with anything? I feel bad I’m just standing here.”

“Nonsense,” he said casually. There really wouldn’t have been room for her to join him at the stove; the space was too tight. Besides, he didn’t mind. “I really enjoy cooking; it helps me think and plan my writing usually.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, because it keeps my hands busy, but my mind free to wander.”

“Hmm…makes sense.”

A few minutes later their meal was complete. Rick divided the stir fry and rice between two plates and then carried them over to the small dining table tucked in the corner of the room. As he set the plates down, he noticed a photo hung on the wall of a family: a man and a woman with a young girl about seven or eight standing in between them. The photo was clearly older and faded, and both adults wore sunglasses, but the woman had long dark hair and distinctive jawline and the man lighter brown hair and a soft smile. All three wore lifejackets and the lake—presumably the one located just a few feet away—could be seen behind them.

“This is you and your parents, I assume?” he asked, thumbing towards the photo.

“Yeah.”

“Where are they at? Don’t tell me they took a tropical vacation without you?”

She gave a soft smile as she picked up her fork and began to eat. “No, nothing like that.”

“You’re lucky, though—getting Christmas off,” Rick said in between bites. He didn’t imagine that was common for a rookie officer.

“I have to work Christmas day in the evening. And…I’ll be in Times’ Square on New Year’s Eve,” she explained.

“Oh! And you’re…not excited about that?” he guessed based on her tone. She gave him a look and he let out a small laugh. “Ah, right, I suppose not.”

“It’s only supposed to be fifteen degrees out!”

He nodded, sympathetic. “I know, I know; I don’t envy you at all. I’ve done it a few times as a spectator and it was never too bad as long as I’d had plenty of alcohol to warm me up.”

“I’m sure.”

They ate quietly for several minutes before Rick asked, “Did you spend your Christmases up here when you were little?”

“Mmm no. This place was usually my dad’s escape. His father and uncles purchased it when they were all young men. Now, they’ve all passed, and the cabin became my father’s, so he’s the one with the most connection to it. We used to come up here at least one week every summer to do things with the lake and just get out of the city, but almost never in the winter.”

Rick considered her comments as he slowly chewed his meal. He wondered why, if Kate’s father was so connected to the cabin, the elder man hadn’t joined her for the holiday? Furthermore, why hadn’t her mother? Sensing the question may have been a bit too personal to ask with that moment, he decided on a slight change of subject.

“I, um, I think I need to come up with some good holiday traditions for my daughter. I used to make sure I got her picture sitting on Santa’s lap every year, but this year she outright refused because she’s figured out that Santa isn’t real, so she’s a little salty about the whole ritual and refused to humor me. That’s literally what she said to—‘Dad, don’t expect me to humor you.’”

Kate laughed. “How old is she?”

“Six.”

Kate laughed again, harder that time. “Six?!”

“Yeah: six going on twenty. I think she’s already too smart for me and I fear that will soon be a pretty big problem.”

Kate nodded. “Yeah, it might be. Where is she spending Christmas?”

Sighing, Rick set down his fork and said, “With her mother. Last year, we’d just separated, so we tried to have a joint Christmas and it…didn’t go so well.” He involuntarily shivered at the memory of the wildly inappropriate phone conversation Meredith had with her new lover during their shared meal and their fight thereafter. “So, this year we decided to split the winter holidays: I got Thanksgiving and Meredith got Christmas.”

She nodded and said, “That must be hard.”

Unable to verbalize just how much his heart was breaking, Rick tried to stay positive. “I suppose it’s unfair of me to complain. I have primary custody, so I have Alexis nearly all the time, but Christmas…it’s my favorite holiday. My favorite time of the year. What’s worse is I had to send her to California by herself. I did get to take her through security to the gate and the assigned chaperone was extremely nice and gave her a candy cane but��� it was still really hard to walk away.”

“I can’t imagine,” Kate said. When he met her sympathetic gaze, Rick did have to admit to feeling slightly better. Still, his heart was heavy.

“Sorry to bring the mood down.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t even worry about it.”

Finishing his glass of water, Rick continued with, “It’s, ah, why I came out here. Being in my apartment without her just felt like something that was too sad to bear.”

“I get that. It’s one of the reasons I’m not doing Christmas in the city this year.”

Surprised, his brow rose sharply. “You have a child?”

“What? No—sorry. Sorry. My mother…died.”

His eyes widened and his chest constricted with sorrow. Though he knew he didn’t do it directly, Rick did feel bad about bringing up a subject that was sensitive. “Oh—oh Kate I’m so sorry.”

One corner of her lip tugged upwards in a sad half-smile in acknowledgement of his comment. “This is the fourth Christmas without her. She, ah, died in January. Just after the holidays and…and my dad and I haven’t really celebrated since. He…we don’t even talk about it. We just don’t celebrate, which is…well, it is what it is, but being in the city makes it harder—walking past all the places where we made memories together as a family. And then this year…” She paused for a moment and took a deep breath, almost as though she needed to reset herself. “The reason I even got to take off work at all was because I had to take him to rehab.”

“Oh god,” Rick sighed, now feeling even worse. There he was complaining about not getting to spend a few days with his kid, who would be back before New Years’, and poor Kate had lost one parent forever and the other was struggling to the point where he was unavailable to her as well. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Kate.”

She gave him an appreciative smile. “It’s been bad for a while. I knew it. We both knew it. He’s been trying to get a handle on it on his own and been insisting he didn’t need an in-patient program, but it just wasn’t working, you know? Finally, I got him to agree to go as a Christmas present to me. Some present,” she added wryly.

“It will be if it helps him,” Rick pointed out in a soft tone.

“Yeah. Yeah, I know that. It’s just…hard.” She sat for another moment before pushing herself up out of her chair suddenly, walking over to the refrigerator and pulling out a cardboard carton, which she held up to him. “Want some?”

Even from that distance, Rick could clearly read the word “Eggnog” printed on the side and said, “Sure. Why not? It’s Christmas Eve.”

Kate poured two small glasses and handed him one. At the first sip he choked, his palate shocked by the alcohol, which he hadn’t expected since she poured it from a store-bought container and to his knowledge the store-bought kind was alcohol free. “Wow,” he croaked. “Your recipe could give my mother’s a run for her money.”

“Sorry—I should have warned you. I, uh, got a little heavy handed last night when I poured the whisky in the container.”

He shook his head in as an indication he didn’t mind, but he did make sure to take a more delicate sip the next time.

“So, your mother—will you see her for Christmas?” Kate asked.

“Ah, no, actually. She’s an actress and she’s touring with a holiday production. Their shows run through January second and she’ll come back home after that.”

“And your father?”

“Never met him,” Rick replied casually, taking another sip of eggnog.

Kate’s eyes widened. “Really? Never?”

Rick bobbed his head, knowing his untraditional backstory was a bit hard to process for most people. “Yeah; I don’t even know who he is. I was the, ah, product of a one-night stand.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

Rick shook his head. “’s okay. I’ve had over thirty years to process it.”

“Still…to never know a parent…I can’t imagine.”

He nodded. “Most can’t—and I’m glad. It’s certainly not something I would wish on anyone, but yet it’s also something that made me who I am.”

She nodded approvingly. “That’s a very healthy attitude, Rick.”

He raised his glass in salute. “Well, thank you.”

For the next three hours they drank the remainder of the quart of eggnog and chatted about an amalgamation of subjects: their jobs, the holiday season, life. Though he didn’t exactly acknowledge it at the time, looking back Rick was almost stunned how easy it seemed to talk to her about anything. Over the course of his life, he’d found himself having quick and easy connections to people he met several times, but each one was unique in its own way. With Kate, their conversation flowed effortlessly. They bounced around to a variety of topics and then back again without feeling like the conversation was too disjointed or nonsensical. It was all smooth and connected, like she was one of his oldest friends in the world instead of a woman he’d met by pure chance the day before.

Once the eggnog was finished, Kate offered Rick some water since he was driving, but he declined when he realized how long they’d been talking. By traditional standards it wasn’t that late, but he felt as though a holiday such as Christmas Eve had an exception. He didn’t want to displace whatever existing holiday plans she had for herself that night, particularly since she was returning to work the following day.

“I appreciate it, but I really should get out of your hair.”

“Ahh, yeah okay. I…I don’t think I realized what time it was,” she said with a light laugh.

“Yeah me neither. I, um, I really appreciate you letting me use your stove.”

She nodded. “Of course. Thanks for making dinner. It was…nice to have someone to eat with.”

Smiling, he agreed with, “Same,” and then stared at her for a moment, unsure of the proper way to say goodbye. A handshake seemed far too impersonal, but would a hug be too much? Deciding he shouldn’t over think it and that it was probably okay considering the intimacy of their conversation, he stepped up and gave her a brief one-armed hug, which she thankfully reciprocated. “Merry Christmas,” he said as he backed his way to the door, where he’d left his coat.

“Yes, Merry Christmas.”

Now zipping his coat, he reached for the door handle and smiled back over his shoulder at her, “Goodnight Kate.”

“Goodnight, Rick,” she echoed. Then, with a nod of his head, he disappeared out into the freezing snow-covered night.

[doberbutts]

On Crate Training

Let’s be real here, there are about to be a lot of puppies in my house. A frankly ridiculous amount of puppies. Way too many puppies.

And so, the blog gets to be topical regarding my current situation.

I maintain that a crate is the best tool for a new dog someone could possibly have. Besides the obvious use- having a contained place for the dog to be- there are plenty of other reasons to crate train a dog. Many surgeries and injuries will require the dog to be contained, usually kenneled or caged. Travelling in a car is safer in a crate, and if you fly with anything besides a service dog, the dog will need to be contained somehow there too. If dogs aren’t getting along, or if someone needs a break from someone else, a crate’s a great tool to manage that issue. It can cut down on potty training problems and destructive behavior. Finally. a crate can keep your dog safe in situations where they will be unsupervised for long periods, which is great for people who work or attend classes.

And a lot of people who crate train puppies will retire the use of a crate after the dog is a certain age! Some dogs will always be safer crated- these are dogs who are destructive or aggressive but are contained and safe within their box. But some dogs will be able to go crateless and never see it again. Creed, for instance, is crateless in my room and is generally only crated in the main house if he has aggravated his shoulder injury, if he’s overly hot and needs to cool down (or just after eating for bloat prevention), or if we’re switching around dogs who don’t get along or who resource guard. This is the way it’s been for him since he was about 2.5 years old, and would have likely been sooner if we did not live with a dog that was less than half his size but still wanted to eat his face.

If you’re really not comfortable with crating, you have two other options: xpens, or gating off a puppy-safe puppy-proof room and hoping your flooring and walls withstand the wrath of a bored and sad dog while you’re out of the house.

Something I did with Tiki, which I don’t commonly do with dogs, was hook an xpen to her crate so she could decide to go in there if she wanted, or she could hang out in the bigger “freedom” of her xpen. Tiki was a special case, because she was very sick and also had no ability to control her bladder for longer than an hour or two, so she needed access to her potty pad while I was at work and also needed the option of sleeping in a bed right next to a space heater so she could be warm. I’ll probably do something similar with Fae until I know her schedule, though I ended up not liking that I had gotten lazy regarding taking Tiki out (especially at night in the winter) and thus her outside potty training had taken longer than it needed to because I was heavily relying on her just going on the pad.

Mocha, my parents’ chow mix, seems to be claustrophobic and will panic and injure herself against the crate no matter how much we tried to make the crate a safe place for her. She’s also not comfortable with any sort of restrictive training device, being restrained, or being confined to other tight spaces like a bathtub or a closet or under a piece of furniture. As a result, we completely dog-proofed a room in the house for her, took off her crate’s door so she could still have the option of laying in it without scaring herself if she wanted, and left her to it during her young puppy years. If your dog truly won’t crate train, this is always a fine alternative if you have the ability! We had also tried this with Queenie, my childhood german shepherd, but she destroyed the flooring and door of that room, so when she passed and we had to renovate it for Mocha, we ended up having to fix a lot of that damage. YMMV- Queenie was incredibly noise sensitive and would panic and hurt herself in thunderstorms or during fireworks.

In any case, no matter what avenue you end up choosing, a few things to keep in mind are:

make it a positive place! This is not a place to be put as a punishment, but somewhere the dogs should want to go. I almost exclusively feed my dogs in crates until they’re old enough to be crateless. As a result, the dogs see me get their food bowls out of their crates and run in wagging their tails because they know food’s about to come. They get special crate-only toys and treats and beds too, so if I hand Creed a kong while he’s out he’ll go looking for a crate to hide and enjoy his treat without the other dogs bothering him.

make it a safe place! Unless the crate is more than big enough for it and both dogs get along with absolutely zero tension, I treat crates like personal bedrooms. My dogs are crated separately and they know which crate to go in without having to be directed. Dogs don’t bother you while you’re in the crate, and they can’t get you in there. If your dog wants to stay in their crate, don’t drag them out.

make it cozy! If the dog can be trusted with a bed, give them something warm and soft to lay on! In the summer, put a cooling mat in there! If your dog likes privacy, cover it so it’s nice and dark and comfortable. If your dog likes to feel like they’re part of the household, put the crate uncovered where there’s a lot of people that hang out (our dog room is right between our office and our living room). Some people like giving their dogs things like calming scents/oils/sprays/toys, or they play music or white noise, or they put a hot water bottle in with the dog (I don’t do this with weaned puppies), or they use one of those heartbeat snuggle toys (I also don’t do this with weaned puppies).

make it fun! Look up crate games and practice a few of them! Put going in and out of the crate on a cue, or throw a treat or toy in there and play crate-fetch, or play the in-out game, your choice. Make the crate a good and fun place to be, so that your dog understands that it’s not bad to be in there.

make it fair! Like all tools, it’s possible to misuse or overuse a crate. People who work 10+ hours a day for instance should look into other options- perhaps a dog room or xpen, or hiring a dogwalker/dogsitter to come by a few times a day to let your dog out, or figure out a schedule where you can come home between classes or shifts to do it yourself. I had a brain injury a few years ago and was confined to my bedroom for much of my recovery, and I definitely began to resent that my world was so restricted. Imagine how your dog feels, restricted to a small box for a large portion of their day. There’s only 24 hours in a day, if you’re out of the house for 8 hours and also asleep for 8 hours, that leaves a third of the day (but probably less with commutes etc) for your dog to have some “out” time. If you’re out or asleep for any longer than that, it’s even less. People who work 10 hours, with an hour commute, and also sleep 8 hours, leave their dog with just 4 hours of “out” time per day. It’s little wonder why these dogs hate their crates or why they’re wild when you are home.

tough it out! Don’t fall into the common trap of letting the puppy out of the crate every time it squeaks. Don’t fall into the common trap of only ever putting the puppy in the crate when you’re about to leave. Don’t fall into the common trap of yelling at your puppy for being sad that you locked it in a box. These are all things people tend to do when crate training and they all make this take much longer than they need to.

A roommate just got a standard poodle pup they’ll be showing in conformation, and we’re going over all of this even with this puppy. Right now he’s hanging out and having a nap in his crate with the door wide open. He was crated due to being unsupervised, and then the door was opened and he chose to stay in there and go back to sleep. That’s okay! If he decides he wants to leave, he can. He’s learning that we won’t bother him while he’s in there (outside of emergencies of course), but also that that’s where he goes if he can’t be watched, even if he can still hear and see his owner. He has some puppy-specific treats and toys in there, and the door’s open so of course the established adults would really like to steal them, but we’re enforcing that that’s not allowed either.

So now we have two established adults just hanging out and leaving him alone (even though both would really like to play Squish The Puppy) and the new kid in the house sprawled out in his open crate being left to his own devices. Dogs are den animals, and the two adults that are hanging out are used to this type of training. That’s his den, so they’re not invited in there, so they leave him and his stuff alone.

And, eventually, he might join the established adults and be crateless too when he’s old enough and knows some house manners. Right now, though, it’s an important tool to both keep him safe and also show him that he’s allowed to ask for a break from us just like we might put him in there so we can have a break from him.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This 160 sq. ft. Vardo is situated in a British Columbia Cedar forest and was built with a little ingenuity and a lot of recycled materials. 

It’s meant to be an artistic space with everything that one person or a couple would need. It certainly is cozy.

The curved countertop is made from reclaimed wood and the lovely round window is actually made from an old picnic table top. 

The exterior shingles cost nothing but elbow grease and an artist’s eye. The shingles are made from spruce guitar top 'seconds’ halved and split with a hatchet.

The tatami mats are inlaid in the lounge/sleeping area. The opening windows are set at eye-level and look out over the hillside to the lake.

The small three burner propane stove/oven was recycled from a camper van. Aficionados of the growing-in-popularity microhome movement are well versed in sourcing these small components for the home.

With the lexan skylights and a plethora of opening windows, being in the wagon is like being outside, very close to nature. I notice they didn’t do a great job in taping the wall boards, but, it’s okay.

The heart of the home is the dwarf-sized “Intrepid” wood heater, capable of creating a cozy space in under 20 minutes, even in the coldest of winters. Very cozy DIY.

https://inhabitat.com/

[fletchphoenix]

Sweet As Sugar, Right As Rain

Chapter 3 of the Varigo Coffee Shop AU! Yay! Thanks so much for all the support I’ve been receiving on this fic, I’ve enjoyed writing it so so much! It’s just been amazing (considering this is my first time EVER writing a fic so aha, I really appreciate the support!) Enjoy! <3

Word Count : 3809

TW - Strong Language

---------------------------------------  

  Sunlight beamed through the windows, the rays penetrating the temporary shield of his curtains and straight into his eyes. Hugo let out a loud groan and raised his arm to shield his eyes from the blinding light, however his attempts were futile. He resorted to pulling the emerald sheets over his head with a groan. Birds outside had other plans however, singing and tweeting right outside his goddamn window to ensure he couldn’t go back to sleep. Hugo shoved the sheets back in frustration, kicking them off him and letting them fall into a bundle on the floor. “Note to self. Buy some shutters.” he muttered, propping himself up on his elbows and reaching out for his glasses on the bedside table. 

  As everything came into focus, he took a second to look into the mirror. “Holy fucking shit.” he complained. Blonde locks jutted out in every direction imaginable, sticking up unnaturally. “Okay then. Shower time.” he said to no one in particular, shuffling off his bed as it made a painfully loud creak once his weight left it. Squeaking and shuffling sounded from the cage across his room, catching his attention, and he glanced over. A smile quickly took over his face.

  “Olivia! Hey there girl.” he jogged over, sitting at his desk and opening the top drawer of his desk to take out a packet of sunflower seeds. He tipped a few out of the packet, examining them in his hand before placing them in the cage in front of her. She inhaled the seeds, chittering and scurrying around in the cage happily after her breakfast with an energy unlike any other he’d seen before.

  “Yeah, yeah. I get it. You’re excited. But I’ve gotta go get ready, sweetheart.” he muttered, moving to stand. He gave in to his urges at her pouty face (could mice even pout? He’d have to google it later) before reaching into her cage with his finger and running a finger over her smooth, golden fur. “Okay, NOW I’ve gotta go.” he told the mouse sternly, pushing the chair away from the desk and moving to his feet. Arms made their way above his head in a long stretch as he made his way through the tiny apartment to his bathroom. 

  He should be grateful, he thought, that Donella was kind enough to let him live alone, but god, this place was less than satisfactory. The window panes were cracked in their frames and never really shut properly - making winters like these with their incessant flurries of snow the worst in the world. Banging and screaming always sounded from above him, with his neighbours being possibly the most dysfunctional couple in the history of romance. The walls were paper thin too - he could hear whenever his frat-boy next door neighbour bought a girl round, dreading whenever he did, and he wasn’t even allowed to keep any real pets! It took MANY hours of seducing the landlord to be allowed to keep Olivia in the apartment with him. And don’t even get him started on the rip-off rent costs. Alas, it was home and he couldn’t bear to live with Donella again. She was a great woman, taking him in when he was young and supporting him, but she was terrible when it came to motherly duties and..it was pointless to expect that from her. 

  The bathroom wasn’t much to brag about, either. A lime mat covered most of the tiled floor with a heater barely peeking out under the mass of towels placed carelessly on top of it. Reaching out, he turned the handle and let the water run, so it could heat up gradually. He tapped his foot as we waited, checking his phone. 11:15am. Why did it feel like he was forgetting something? It was probably something Donella told him to do. She did that sometimes - springing plans onto him out of nowhere. As if he didn’t have a social life at all. So inconsiderate, he mumbled to himself. It didn’t matter anyway, the shower water already at the right temperature. He stripped out of his pyjamas and hopped in.

  After his shower, Hugo finished drying his hair, tied it up and quietly changed into a light yellow shirt, blue jeans and his signature green jacket. He loved that jacket dearly, it being one of the first gifts Donella ever got him that wasn’t second-hand. (“Your clothes look ratty,” she’d said, trying to suppress her soft smile with a hardened expression. “I got you new ones. Maybe now you’ll look even slightly presentable.”) At least she was trying, he’d told himself as he started to fix his hair in the mirror. 

  Once he was fully satisfied, he set his course for the kitchen. In the hall, he passed various framed posters on the walls along with newspapers and small sticky notes with his engineering questions noted down on them. (All green, of course, because what was he, a monster? He had an aesthetic to uphold and he was determined to do so, goddamnit!). Shelves also littered the wall - containing various books on topics like engineering, chemistry, biology and physics. Donella had given him them too, so he had something to read growing up and to entertain himself while she was away on her business trips with her friend, Ulla. Sure, she’d be gone weeks at a time, leaving Hugo with Cyrus to be taken care of, but at least he had someone there to take care of him.

  He trailed his hand to the doorknob and twisted it, pushing the door open and walking into the room. It was slightly bigger than the other rooms in the apartment - counters along the walls with a small table in the middle. A clock sat on the wall as well. 12:26pm. Why did it still feel like he was forgetting something? A string of curses left his mouth after he, in his distracted state, stubbed his toe on the chair, “Motherfucker! Ow!” he cried out and hopped awkwardly to the coffee machine which was, not surprisingly at all, fern green. 

  Hugo let the machine do its thing, taking the cup of absolute joy after it was done and adding some sugar. Black coffee was his saviour on a morning - especially after he’d had a party the night before. The bitter taste flooded his mouth and tickled his nose, him letting out a content sigh of happiness. This was it. The freedom he’d always wanted. He let the serenity of the moment relax the tension in his shoulders and allowed himself a moment where he could just be alone. 

  The moment was broken by a bleep on his phone.

  “For fuck’s sake..” Hugo muttered as he checked the time again. 12:47pm. Shit, had it really been that long? Oh well..not as if he had anything to do today. His eyes scanned over the text he had received. 

Cyrus : Hey bud. Have a good time on your date today. Remember - Donella needs you at the workshop by 17:00. Don’t be late.

  Shit.

  He’d forgotten. How had he forgotten he was meeting up with Varian? He was such an idiot! He’d scored a date with the most handsome boy on the planet and somehow he’d forgotten! In his panic, Hugo tipped the coffee down the sink and rushed to the door...stubbing his toe again and slipping over. “FUCKING CHAIR!” he yelled and scrambled to his feet, scurrying and sitting on a step to lace up his shoe. His wallet and keys sat on the table by the door, his hand hurriedly scooping them up, shoving them into his pocket and racing out the door.

  Lungs gasped for air and burned as he sprinted down the street, dodging people on his journey to the coffee shop. The sun shining in the sky was deceiving, the bitter winter air biting at the back of his neck. He should’ve bought a scarf. It was too goddamn cold out here - the December airs howling past his ears. He should’ve bought his headphones too. Oh god, he hoped Varian hadn’t bailed on him. 

  He fell through the doorway, gulping at the stares he received as he made his way through the people in the shop in search of one boy in particular with the beautiful blue streak in his raven hair. He stuttered apologies before his eyes found what he was looking for. Making his way over, he began to apologise. “Hey hairstripe, sorry I’m late. I was-”. His words died out as he made his way closer.

  There, in the same booth as before, sat perfection in its finest form. Varian. His azure eyes were focused outside, gazing and half lidded but looking at nothing in particular. His ebony hair blew slightly in the slight breeze created by the fan in the shop, with the blue streaks sticking out against it. Freckled skin had a slight shine to it from the sun’s rays that provided perfect lighting and bringing out his soft features. His cyan sweater complimented the rest of his outfit, the headphones hanging around his neck matching the colour of his sneakers. It was like a movie scene - absolutely perfect. His mouth felt dry as the boy turned his head and gave him an excited smile and Hugo could swear he felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of it. 

  “Hugh! Hey!” Varian said, waving his hand and watching Hugo as he moved to sit in the booth opposite him. “It’s fine, you don’t need to apologise. I got here early anyway so I was just listening to some music.” he added onto the end, leaning against the table with a grin on his face. “Love the jacket by the way, really compliments the shirt.” 

  “I-thank you. I could say the same for you though. That sweater really brings out your eyes. And your hair.” he reached out his hand, running the strands between his fingers before pulling his hand away. He let out a chuckle at the sight of Varian’s flushed face, eyes fixated on the younger male as he tucked his hair behind his ear and fiddled with the hem of his shirt stuttering out explanations. “Hairstripe, calm down. It’s just a compliment. Anyway, what do you want? The drink is on me.” 

  “Oh, um -a vanilla latte again. Please.”

  “Don’t miss me too much.” he grinned with a smug expression, laughing when Varian pushed him playfully before walking off to order. He let out a content sigh and glanced back at Varian as he ordered their drinks. The boy in question was playing with his hair as he read a chemistry textbook that he must’ve placed on the table when he left. He looked so beautiful, just sitting there without a care in the world. Hugo could just watch him forever, a red tint starting to build on the tips of his ears and cheeks as he realised just how long he’d been staring. He tore his eyes away from the breathtaking boy near the window and brought his attention back to the barista.

  “Vanilla latte and black coffee for Hugo?” the chestnut haired girl questioned, placing the drinks on the side and allowing Hugo to pick them up. He nodded graciously, flashing her a smile before returning to his seat. Leaving a $5 tip in the jar on the way, he sauntered back to the table with the drinks in hand and a smile on his face. 

  “Lord Varian, your drink has been served by your humble servant. I am forever in your debt.” he laughed and sat down opposite the boy again as he pulled his drink close to his chest and took a sip. Hugo looked out of the window with a smile, eyeing the people walking past in the freezing weather, holding hands with their loved ones and cuddling them close to ward back the December breeze. He wished he could do that with a certain obsidian haired boy sitting across from him reading a chemistry textbook like the adorable nerd he was. “So. How’s your week been? I saw you were in the library yesterday. You did look great by the way.” He smirked and winked in his direction.

  “Oh! It's been fine, Hugh. I do tutoring with Nuru on Wednesdays. We look after the sweetest boy in the world called Yong. He’s seriously the smartest kid I’ve ever met, but he gets so nervous to show it, y’know? And Nuru...god, she’s an amazing girl! Intelligent, yes, but just so mature and caring towards everyone! She’s a sweetheart really. How about you? Why were you there yesterday?” Varian asked quizzically, giving Hugo a little head tilt that made his heart soar. Fuck, he loved this boy. 

  “Me? Oh well, I was just picking up some books and doing some studying. I have an essay due in a few weeks and I just needed to look up some things.” he lied through his teeth. It was TOTALLY not because he wanted to see the other teen again before their date. Nope. No way. Nuh-uh. 

  “If you want me to, I could help you with your-”

  “NO!” He yelled out, leaning forward against the table before flushing red and moving back into his seat, composing himself and tapping his leg rapidly to calm himself down. “I’m sorry, I uh-I think I’ll be fine on my own. Thanks for the offer though.” he chuckled awkwardly, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Sorry...I’m just really awkward.” he apologised, sliding back in his chair and covering his face with his hands. Great. Perfect. Absolutely swell. He’s just embarrassed himself in front of the boy of his dreams like an absolute idiot. If whatever god there was could just strike him dead right now, that would be fan-fucking-tastic-

  A giggle followed by laughter and snorts broke him out of his spiral of self hatred. Varian’s hands wrapped around his wrists and gently lowered them, the most loving smile Hugo had ever seen plastered on his face as he dealt with the aftershocks of his laughing fit. “It’s okay. It was cute.” the boy commented, Hugo’s face twisting into a smile as well before joining him in his fit of laughter. 

  They must’ve looked like a strange pair - two boys laughing so hard they were in tears at a coffee shop in the middle of December, but neither of them cared. They were happy and that was all that mattered. Both took a sip from their coffees as they kept their eyes locked on each other. “Yep.” Varian thought, “Coffee does taste better when I’m drinking it with Hugo.” he concluded. He shuffled over in his booth, allowing Hugo to slide in beside him and look at the textbook to help with his questions. 

  Hugo tried his hardest to ignore how close Varian was, but after a few hours it became harder and harder to focus, with their shoulders pressed against each other and leaning forward with their eyes fixated on the book. A deep red flush developed on his cheeks yet again. Any closer and they’d be…Hugo tried not to focus on that, his gaze directing to Varian’s hand. He slowly and shakily took the younger’s hand in his own.

  Hugo turned his head to look at Varian, the younger boy coincidentally doing the same thing at the same time. Their noses almost touched, but both of them were too lost in the moment to bother pointing out the awkwardness of the situation, with Hugo intertwining their fingers under the table. “Hugo?” the younger whispered. Hugo could feel the tantalizing breath on his lips, intermingling with his own. Just a little closer. He tilted his head, leaning in and..

 His phone rang.

  Hugo snapped back to reality and moved away from Varian, letting go of his hand, much to both boy’s disappointment, and picked up his phone to answer it. “Hello?”

  “Hugo.” Donella’s rough voice replied, and boy howdy, did she sound pissed off. He was in trouble for sure this time. “It's 5pm. Where the hell are you.” she growled through the phone.

  “Shit, Donella I’m sorry. I forgot all about the time. I’ll start heading over now, I promise-”

  “Hurry up then.” she commented before hanging up, leaving no time for discussion. Hugo turned to see Varian - the hurt on his face wounding Hugo’s heart. A kicked puppy would probably look less hurt than the boy did in that moment. And he put that look on his face. He really was the worst wasn’t he? 

  “Hey-write down your address. I’ll pick you up at 5 next Thursday-” he began to say, Varian’s face twisting in confusion before grabbing a napkin and handing it to Hugo. “Alright, I’m sorry to cut this short.” he sighed and gathered his things together. Hugo turned to leave, before he felt a hand grab his wrist and a kiss was placed on his cheek. 

  “Thank you.” Varian looked at the floor, his face flushed red however a smile was still evident on it. Hugo’s mouth felt dry yet again as he froze for a second, a now all too familiar heat covering his face. He nodded in response and headed out the store, where he immediately leant against the wall and placed a hand on his cheek. 

  “Holy fucking shit..” he whispered to himself. “I’m in love with Varian Ruddiger.” He let himself get lost in the moment before another bleep reminded him of where he had to be. Shit. He started sprinting down the street, his path illuminated by streetlights as he passed them with a smile on his face. Well…

Next week was gonna be interesting.

  He opened the door to the workshop Donella ran, passing her henchmen as if they weren’t threatening at all. They fixed their glares onto him - okay yep, he was definitely in trouble for being late. He pushed open the doors, putting on his smug facade as he made his way to Donella’s desk. “Hey Donella, I’m here.” he declared, placing his hands on the desk and leaning against it. “You needed me?”

  “Yes, I did.” she frowned at him and gave him her infamous death stare. He cowered back slightly before regaining his composure again. “I trust this won’t happen again..?” she questioned, a slight smile tugging on her lips at the frantic nod he gave. “Good. Now get to work. We have an important client who requested specifically for you to make his product so..get to it.” 

  He hurriedly left her office, heading to his workspace and pulling on his goggles and gloves. Sheesh, that woman could seem evil sometimes - he bet in her past life, she was probably a supervillain. Maybe in an alternate universe, she was. He let out a breathy chuckle, glancing over the blueprints. Hm. Looked difficult, but he could do it. He set the paper aside and began to work, the incident from the coffee shop still playing on his mind. 

He couldn’t wait to see Varian again.

  Meanwhile, Varian packed his things again and began his walk home. Was Hugo about to...kiss him? Did he seriously feel the same as he did? It made him feel giddy just thinking about the way Hugo’s cold hands felt against his warm ones, the closeness that made his heart pound and ache for more contact, the way Hugo leaned in and tilted his head...wow. Hugo liked him. And he liked Hugo. 

  He pushed open his door and, once again, fed Ruddiger before heading up to his room. The cat purred gratefully and ate before following his master, lounging across his bed as if he owned the place. The audacity of the fat bastard! “Sometimes I wonder why I feed you.” Varian wondered aloud, grinning as the cat meowed back and swatted V’s hand as he tried to pet him. “Ow! Okay! Geez, I get it!” he laughed before reaching over and grabbing his phone to see some texts from Hugo.

Hugo : Sorry for leaving so early, short stuff

Hugo : My mom needed me for something and I completely forgot

Hugo : But hey, next week you’ll have me all to yourself ;)))

  Varian scoffed and looked at Ruddiger, who he swore had a disgusted expression as he read the phone screen. “I know Ruddiger. Absolutely disgraceful, isn’t it?” He chuckled, but..deep down he knew he wasn’t opposed to the idea of having Hugo all to himself...He shut that idea down fast, typing out a sarcastic response as he tried (and massively failed) to feign annoyance.

Varian : You wish I’d want that, you twerp

Hugo : Oh I don’t wish, I know ;)

Hugo : also, V? 

Varian : What is it now, Hugh?

Hugo : Thanks for the kiss. Didn’t get the chance to say that earlier but..thanks

Hugo : Anyway, I’ve gotta go. Mom wants me.

Hugo : See you next week, sweetie <3

Varian : No problem, Hugo. See you next week =)

  Varian set his phone aside and sat up. He completely forgot. He kissed Hugo’s cheek. Oh god, please don’t make it awkward, he internally begged. He didn’t want things to become weird between them. He really...really liked Hugo and just didn’t wanna mess this one up. He changed into his PJ’s and shuffled under the covers, reading through their conversations.

  “Goodnight Ruddiger..” he muttered as he turned off the lights and closed his eyes, trying to drift off to sleep. He sighed in frustration and brought out his phone, turning it on quietly and typing out 3 words. 

Varian : I Love You

  His lips twitched into a frown as he stared at those 3 words. They held so much weight - had the power to change the course of his and Hugo’s relationship as soon as he sent them. He thought back to their meeting. Was he just being friendly? Did he just get distracted? Did Hugo actually like him? A hand reached up to run through his hair. What if he was just misreading the signs? 

  What if Hugo found out? What if he found out about all the terrible things Hugo had done? The people he hurt? How badly he messed up? Varian bit his lip so harshly the metallic taste of blood flooded into his mouth. Hugo would never love someone like that. Someone who did everything that he did. Tears he didn’t even know had developed fell onto his phone screen, to his surprise. He quietly set it down and wiped his eyes. Not tonight, he thought.

  Varian held his finger down, erasing the text and setting his phone aside. He tucked his knees into his chest and looked at the wall. He had to tell him one day. Not now, but one day. He slowly started to drift to sleep, the thought of their date still fresh in his mind and the remnants of a smile on his face.

[inugirl]

Inu-Secrect-Santa @iyfss @inusecretsanta

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~Kotatsu~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It was times like this when Kagome wished she was more prepared for her indefinite arrival in the feudal era of Japan. If only she had an emergency bag packed with survival necessities and the simple casualties of her time, she wouldn’t be huddled so dangerously close to the fire pit within her home ready to kill for an overstuffed parka. After living two winters with Inuyasha at her side she would think that she would be able to adjust to living the hot summers with no air conditioning and the cold unforgiving winters without a heater, or in her case, a longed for kotatsu.

Kagome, home alone and itching for some company frequently eyed the entrance of her hut. The bamboo door thick with its winter coverings to keep the icy winds and snow out of the hut. She was waiting for Inuyasha’s return of, god only knows what. The half-demon refused to tell her where he was headed; only for her to stay home and he’d be back shortly. Kagome debated at this time whether to find some enjoyment and warmth in Sango’s hut.

“No, he’d get mad. Plus I really want to know where he went.” Kagome mumbled to herself.

Sitting in front of a cozy fire with no one to talk to, Kagome began thinking of many things. Her future as the priestess of this village, her future with Inuyasha and of course her future in handling winters with no kotatsu. Soon enough she drifted to sleep in front of the fire, unconsciously leaning to her side to lay down.

If someone were to ask her how long she slept, Kagome wouldn’t be able to give an answer. The warmth of the fire on her front and a welcoming direct heat to her back, Kagome felt as if she was under a kotatsu in her living room. The stress of the winter beyond her reach as she laid under the thick blankets while listening to her grandfather ramble on about spirits and demons. It was in that moment that she knew something was wrong. As if it no longer hers to have. Reluctantly Kagome sat up from her blankets and looked to her grandfather. He hasn’t aged in the slightest and as she watched him speak about a family heirloom his voice drifted to nothing, but his mouth continued to move. That’s when Kagome realized she was dreaming. She wasn’t back in her childhood home listening to her grandfather as she rested under a kotatsu. She was in her home in the feudal era in front of a fire pit in her hut.

Kagome slightly stirred awake, coming to her senses that she did dream of being under a kotatsu, but she still felt as if she was under one; she was just so warm. It puzzled her considering how cold she was before she fell asleep in front of the fire. Under her blanket she shifted warming herself away from the fire and to the other source of heat. Realizing what she was doing, Kagome shot her eyes open and looked behind her, warm golden eyes putting her at ease immediately. Inuyasha laid beside her, under her blanket, warming her backside.

“Good morning sleepy head.” Inuyasha teased with a grin at her surprise.

“Inuyasha! When did you get back?” Kagome quickly turned to face him but keeping close for his warmth.

Inuyasha laughed aloud, a sound Kagome would never be able to get sick of. “Well I’m not sure when you had fallen asleep, but I’ve been keeping you warm for about an hour now.” Kagome smiled at him, happy for his return.

“We have mats ya know. You don’t have to sleep on the hard floor. I wanted to move you, but you just looked so comfortable that I couldn’t bring myself to move you.” Inuyasha sheepishly grinned and nuzzled close to her neck.

“Awe,” Kagome cooed. “Well I’m glad that your back. I fell asleep because I was dying of boredom, and I couldn’t even go visit Sango and her girls cause you wouldn’t let me. Plus it is freezing!”

“Sorry, I didn’t think it would take me as long as it did. The snowfall is pretty heavy outside. You walking to Sango’s hut would have been very dangerous. I had to dig out a path so the snow would stop falling through the mat. I’m surprised you were able to sleep at all.”

“I haven’t looked outside much, I don’t even want to be near the walls right now. Honestly it’s so cold that I’d kill for some insulation.” Kagome chuckled. “But why were you out for so long? What were you doing?” Kagome stayed close to him still, but sat up slightly to look around their hut for anything out of place.

Inuyasha smiled again and pulled her back down to him to burrow his face to her neck again. He smiled against her neck as he heard her giggle at his actions.

“Can’t tell you just yet.”

“Ohh come on Inuyasha! That’s not fair.” Kagome sat up and unconsciously Inuyasha followed suit and grabbed their blanket. He pulled her to his lap and wrapped the heavy cloth over her front and behind his shoulda as much as he could.

“I was all by my lonesome; so cold and waiting for my love to return.” Kagome dramatically loosened her position against Inuyasha so she laid across him, a hand gracefully against her forehead.

Earning a laugh from Kagome’s childish antic, Inuyasha bent over to lightly kiss her chin. “Well you warmed up pretty well to me. I thought I was going to wake you when I got under the covers, but you clung to me pretty tightly.”

Kagome laughed and sat back up to snuggle closer to him so her back was against his chest. “Well no wonder I was having such a comforting dream. I dreamt that I was back at home, and I was listening to my grandfather go on and on about demons and the shrine and family heirlooms, but I was under a warm kotatsu that I didn’t mind it at all!”

Inuyasha grinned slightly at her dream. A pang hearing her speak of the family she left to be with him.

“But it was so weird.” Kagome continued. “I was very comfortable under the kotatsu, it was as if I was back in high school, grandpa looked as if he hasn’t aged at all. I realized I was in a dream because of that. I guess I was so cold I dreamt of being under a kotatsu.” Kagome laughed slightly.

“Kagome, what’s a kotatsu?”

“Oh!” Kagome stifled a laugh, “of course you don’t know what that is. I’m not exactly sure when they were made, but it’s this lovely thick blanket combined with a short table with a heater or hot coals under the table. It’s mostly used in the winter. It’s a great way to keep warm during this type of weather.”

Inuyasha smiled, but it didn’t reach his ears and his lively golden eyes held a seldom look of regret.

“Eh? Inuyasha what’s wrong? Do I need to explain it better?”

“No, no I think I get what it’s supposed to look like.” He mumbled and brought his face closer to her neck. He inhaled her scent deeply and with a shaky exhale, he nuzzled deeper onto her neck that, so much so that it concerned Kagome. She leaned away from his warm touch confused at his sudden change in demeanor.

“Inuyasha? What’s wrong?”

He shook his head slightly mumbled a lazy ‘nothin’.

“Oh don’t give me that attitude Inuyasha. What’s wrong, your mood just suddenly changed? Did something happen?” Kagome’s usual concern for his well being struck him differently than the times when she would treat him for minor wounds. Inuyasha felt obliged to answer.

“It’s nothin’ I tell ya. I just feel bad is all cause…” Kagome stared at him, her eyes burying themselves within his own in complete undivided attention. He scoffed slightly, “...it’s just cause you left the comfort of your time to come here, and I can’t give you the things you used to have to keep you comfortable. Your family too, you can’t see them anymore. The last time you saw them is how you remember them.”

Kagome’s chestnut colored eyes widened in surprise. “I-Inuyasha.” She stuttered. “How-I thought you stopped thinking like that along time ago?” She balled a fist and lightly hit the top of his head in retort.

“Silly dog boy.” With her eyes closed, she affectionately placed her forehead to his together and exhaled a small sigh. Opening them slightly she gave a small smile. “Inuyasha, if this is something I’m going to have to repeat on a yearly basis, it’s going to get annoying.” She chucked slowly. Inuyasha tried to keep his eyes to hers, but in an unusual manner, he looked away.

“All jokes aside Inuyasha, I don’t regret my decision to leave my time to come here. I wanted to live the rest of my life with you. Yeah, I miss the advantages and technology of my time, but it’s nothing if I can’t be with you. As for my family, I do miss them terribly. I want to see my mom and see how much taller Souta has gotten. I want to know if my grandfather got anymore wrinkles and if Bouyo got any chubbier. Of course I want to see them, they are my family. But you are my family too…”

Inuyasha finally made eye contact with Kagome’s. His deep honey gold eyes danced with hers, as if seeing her for the first time.

“I missed you in a different way than I currently miss my family now. I longed for you Inuyasha.” A cold brisk of wind made its way into their hut and onto the side of Kagome’s face. She shivered slightly and smiled. “It’s like how the trees outside miss the sun. In order to grow and thrive they need the sun, you are my sun Inuyasha.”

Kagome blushed deeply at her own sappy analogy, but smiled sweetly to him nonetheless. “It’s not as if I was miserable with my family, but those three years without you was difficult. I even wondered to myself if it was all a dream. I was suddenly ripped away from you, it was traumatic honestly.”

“I may be wanting a kotatsu or some air conditioning, but those mean nothing if I don’t have you by my side.” Kagome wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her head to the crook of his neck. She could feel his chest sink in with a deep exhale and it relaxed her. She changed her position again to lay her head on his chest, the blanket still warmly wrapped around them. “And besides, I still have my experience from my time. There are traditions we adopted from other countries that we do as well. Like around this time during the winter, there is a holiday called Christmas. We don’t celebrate it the same way or reason the Western countries do, but it is a fun to practice still...especially with a lover.”

No matter how many times they’ve kissed or lusted towards one another, Inuyasha still easily blushes at the mention of their relationship, especially when she was the one to mention it so innocently.

“Oh yeah? And what do lovers do on this ‘Chrissymass’?” He seductively squinted his eyes and lifted the side of his lips to a classic smirk.

Kagome giggled, “Well usually gifts are exchanged and cake will be eaten, but for lovers, I’d assume they did whatever they desired when they had the privacy. I only ever did gift exchanges and ate cake with my friends. Kinda like those sweets I would bring Shippo except it’s a bread.”

She raised her head towards his face and pressed her lips against his. Their kiss was passionate with need, a hinted suggestion at what’s to come. Kagome enjoyed the warmth he gave off as she cupped the sides of his jaw, where his neck met. She brought the kiss in deeper, Inuyasha holding her tightly around her waist and back.

“Wait-” Inuyasha broke the kiss to Kagome’s and his own disappointment. “You said during that...time gifts are exchanged? Like actual gifts right?” Kagome nodded her head, confused at his wonder.

“Sorry, but wait right here!” Inuyasha quickly got up and wrapped the blanket around Kagome and left the hut as quickly as he had said it. Dumbfounded Kagome sat on the floor by herself again, the comfort of her own kotatsu gone.

“Wha? Inuyasha where are you going?!” Kagome yelled and tried to remove herself from the comfort of her blanket, but found it nearly impossible as the cold air struck her. She groaned loudly and with a huff wrapped herself back in the blanket.

“Here I go again, playing this unknown waiting game.”

The said game didn’t take nearly as long as it previously did. Within minutes Inuyasha was making his way back inside their hut, shoveling through the excessive amount of snow outside; back inside and shook off whatever snow still stuck to him. Grinning like a child ready to show their mom a cool trick, Inuyasha turned to Kagome and rushed to her side. Quickly they were back to cuddling the cold away. Kagome, back in his lap smiled to him eager at his own excitement.

“Inuyasha! Where did you go?”

“I stopped by Miroku and Sango’s. I had to pick something up.” Inuyasha’s grin still stupidly amorous on his slightly flushed face.

Kagome laughed in bewilderment. “Inuyasha what in the world is going on? I’ve never seen you act this way, you’re so excited! And why were you able to go to their home? The snow is seriously deep!”

Inuyasha said nothing and reached for both of her hands which laid on his chest. Her smaller hands covered by his, he brought them to his mouth and blew his hot breath onto her hands. “It’s dangerous for you stupid, ‘sides, I had to pick something up from them. If I knew I was going to give it to you today, I would have brought it straight home rather than hiding it at their hut.”

Kagome could only stare at Inuyasha. A tint of blush to her cheeks she stayed silent as a million thoughts of what’s to come ran through her mind.

“So I don’t know exactly how this Chrissymass thing you said works, but I do have something I can give you.” He released one hand from her and reached into the inside of his haori and pulled out a small chain. He heard Kagome gasp in surprise. They made eye contact and Inuyasha pulled out the rest of the thin chain to reveal to her a necklace. He held it to her and in awe Kagome gazed at it. Her eyes followed the thin chain link down to the shine of the crafted silver pendant. The pendant resembled that of a large tree, the details well proportioned and organized finely within the metal. The branches thick and wide filled with detailed leaves and a little indention of what looked like a scar on its trunk.

“I-Inuyasha, is this...how did you get this?” Kagome stuttered as she eyed the necklace. Carefully, she held the pendant of the necklace in her palm, reveling in the detail embedded within the metal. Hearing his chuckle, Kagome’s eyes finally left the beauty of the pendant and connected to his. A smile graced his face and he wrapped his arms around her again.

“This is why I was gone, Totosai had it ready for me but didn’t want to travel through the winter storm to give it to me. It took a lot of persuading to get him to make it. The old man never made anything like this before. And there was work on my part too, had to get someone to draw the tree to show him how to make it.”

“You did all of that? Inuyasha...I love it. I absolutely love it, but I’m still wondering why? This is…” Kagome exhaled loudly still in shock at the homemade jewelry. “...it’s beautiful.”

“It’s because I saw you one day, at the Goshinboku. It was during the summer; I was out with Miroku taking care of a demon and when I came back, you weren’t in the village. For some reason, I just knew where to go to find you, and I did. You were sitting under the Goshinboku, and you just looked so beautiful. And then a thought occurred to me; the Bone Eaters Well wasn’t the only connection we had to one another. The Goshinboku is alive and well in your time too. We both have a connection to the tree and for some reason or another we end up visiting it. But during times when you can’t go to the Goshinkboku, like today, I still wanted you to still be able to see it. Honestly the urge to make this for you was sudden and strong. It was just something I had to give to you. Other than the well, the Goshinboku is a connection for both of us as well as the start of a new life.”

Inuyasha took the necklace from her and placed it over her head to hang around her neck. Moving her hair from under the chain, the pendant laid beautifully on her chest.

“Inuyasha, I’m speechless! I love it so much. This is just so...spontaneous!” Even as Kagome rose herself to him to try and give him a passionate kiss, her smile did not leave her face. She could feel her tears pool to the ends of her eyes and fall, staining the sides of her cheeks. Their kiss continued to grow and Kagome’s mouth finally relaxed and their kiss deepened as their tongues lapped over the other. Soft moans emerged from Kagome as Inuyasha hands moved around her waist and back as if searching for a way to expose her skin.

“Wa-wa-wait...Inu-yasha...wait.” Kagome mumbled through their kisses. Begrudgingly he obliged and released his mouth from hers.

“What’s wrong?” He asked as he nuzzled her neck.

“Well, it’s just that I didn’t get anything for you. I didn’t realize that we’d be doing this and I feel bad now.” Kagome’s face flushed as she felt the warmth of his his bare hands find their way past her clothing.

“Don’t worry about it. You being here with me is a gift all on its own. But if you really want to give me somethin’,” Inuyasha whispered into her ear as if other people were in the room.

“I could hold you to it right now.” He lightly licked her outer ear. Earning a small shudder in response he grinned and adjusted himself so she laid under him.

Kagome smiled up at him as her arms were wrapped behind his neck. Pulling him down close to her lips she said to him, “As long as you continue to keep me warm, my kotatsu.”

Inuyasha smirked and quickly pecked her lips.

“With pleasure.”

[niiwa-angel]

A Cold Winters Eve

//Authors note: this was based off a headcanon from @musekicker who was very kind in allowing me to write a fic for it. I sincerely recommend you check out their blog and I hope you enjoy this fic. Feed back is always welcome and if you have suggestions I would love to hear them. BTW the cat and the bread thing was inspired because my cat STOLE AN ENTIRE LOAF OF BREAD!//

Skylands was well known for its winters, they always had lots of snow and ice every season, as a hatchling, Spyro had grown up playing in the snow and on the ice. However, the problem with having no hair, and being reptilian is that you're cold blooded, so every winter, Spyro would bundle up as much as he could while still being able to move. Then he would venture out into the sub-zero semi tundra that was Skylands in the winter time.

This really didn't help at night, when even the steady hum of the space heater in his room couldn't give him the illusion of enough warmth to chase the chill from his bones. So most nights, he tucked his blankets into a tight nest, with heated bean bags (authors note: those bags of something that you stick in the microwave? Great for cramps? What are they?) And hot water bottles that inevitably grew colder throughout the night. Overall, Spyro liked winter, just not as much as warmer weather, like late spring, early fall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stealth Elf was born in the warmer parts of Skylands, and was quite accustomed to a milder climate, so when she first went to the academy, she was woefully unprepared for the frigid temperatures come winter. Still, she attended all of her classes, spent time training, and perfected her teleportation. And if she got a little homesick alone in her room at night, nobody needed to know.

Unfortunately, when the cold got a little bit to much, she really contemplated just going back home, she didn't like how her hair was always cold after a winter training session, she didn't like how her room was always just a little to cold, and she didnt like how the outside paths became a twisted game of "the floor is lava" when they froze. But she made a commitment and she was going to stick to it (regardless of how awful she felt when the north winds brought snow) she would be a full fledged skylander and then make her own team somewhere warm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eruptor came from a very hot place, being born from a volcano, and was always excessively hot, and as such, was not affected by the cold temperatures of winter at Skylanders Academy. He did however notice, that his housemates might not be so lucky, based on how sluggish Spyro moved, and how down right depressed Stealth Elf was. He had brought it up with Professor Jet Vac, who had simply put it "they just aren't used to the cold, I'm keeping an eye on them, don't worry."

But when two of the happiest people you know are going to be down for an entire season, you worry. So Eruptor took it upon himself to try to cheer them up. Knowing how warm he was, he would go out of his way to be close to them in class and training and occasionally sling an arm over their shoulders. It was sort of working, but their house was still drafty, and the classrooms were still cold, and Eruptor felt an odd kind of helplessness knowing he couldn't make his friends feel more comfortable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spyro was recounting the stars outside his window for the umpteenth time, completely unable to sleep from the bone chilling draft in his room despite the heater, blankets and water bottles. He was tucked as tightly as possible into his selfmade nest and eager for this blasted winter to be over. With a groan, he pushed himself out of bed and wrapped five of his fluffier blankets around himself. If he was going to be cold, he was at least going to read his comics. Walking as quietly as he could down the hall, he bumped into Elfie, slipping out of her room in what was clearly very fuzzy pajamas, sheep slippers, and a forest green house coat. Her ears were drooping and her normally pristine braid was undone and slightly matted.

"Can't sleep?" Spyro whispered, trying to keep his voice low so as to not wake Eruptor, who could be heard snoring from his room across the hall. Stealth Elf shook her head.

"Too cold." She tucked the robe tighter around her shoulders.

"Tell me about it," Spyro snorted, peeking into Eruptors room, "jeez he seems warm."

"Good for him." Elfie snarked, popping up beside him. Eruptors room was warmer than most rooms in the house, simply because of its occupants higher than average temperature. Spyro walked a few steps into the shadowed dorm and deeply inhaled.

"What are you doing?" Stealth Elf hissed, watching Eruptor as If her glare alone could keep him asleep and their trespass a secret.

"Trying to warm up," Spyro quietly replied, stretching his wings, seemingly soaking up the warmth of the room, "look he's still asleep." Spyro crept to his friends sleeping form, and leaped onto the bed with the grace of a nimble house cat stealing a new loaf of bread off the counter and effectively ruining your dreams for a sandwich.

As he curled up on Eruptors feet, Stealth Elf crept closer, her concern for ruining her friendship with the volcano being showing in her pupilless eyes. "If he wakes up, he'll be so mad!" The thought of once again being friendless and alone wouldn't have normally made her eyes tear up as they did, but she hasn't been sleeping and the cold was grating on her emotional stability. Despite her efforts to conceal it, Spyro noticed.

"Hey Hey, whoa! Elfie come on! He's out, and I'm just on his feet. Come on, warm up for a few minutes, then we'll leave." Spyro gently pulled his tired friend closer to the bed, urging her up. Stealth Elf crawled up and leaned against Spyro and Eruptor, shifting to face Spyro, she pointed a finger in his face.

"Five minutes! Five! And then we leave and never do this again!" Spyro rolled his eyes and nodded, comfortably curling tighter around Eruptors feet. Stealth Elf sighed and leaned back, basking in the warmth her friends provided, between the much needed heat and the weeks of poor sleep, her eyelids slowly closed.

~~~~~~~~~

Eruptor blinked his eyes open, instantly aware of an unfamiliar weight on his bed, pinning him to his mattress. A quick glance around found the cause, Spyro was curled up near his legs like a cat, while Elfie was snuggled into his side. It was kind of cute, but not enough to not tease them.

"Hey! I am not a space heater!" He yelled, with faux anger, rousing his sleeping friends, who looked better rested than they had in weeks. Spyro lifted his head, tried blinking the sleep from his eyes, and curled back up.

"Well obviously, space heaters aren't nearly as loud." He murmered, as Stealth Elf grinned into his side.

"Seconded." She said, her voice muddled by her friends warm body, Eruptor snorted, before sitting up to drag Spyro closer to his pillows, citing a ramble of incoherent protests from the purple dragon.

"Oh hush you, if your going to sleep in my bed, you might as well be comfortable." He said as Spyro adjusted to his new spot.

//I suppose there are worse things in the world.// Eruptor thought to himself as he snuggled between his friends, and drifted off back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jet Vac was worried about the lack of movement from Stealth Elf, Spyro, and Eruptors dorm and peeked in to investigate. He had noticed how down two of them had been the past few weeks and was worried that this was the breaking point for both of them. Having been raised in the colder parts of Skylands he was quite accustomed to the weather and his feathers offered more than enough insulation for him, but with Stealth Elfs milder background and Spyros reptilian biology, he was worried for his students. His concern only got worse as he found empty room after empty room, and was about to call an alarm before peering into the last room in the hallway. Before him slept all three trainees snuggled together on Eruptors bed. Biting back a laugh, he snapped a quick picture and closed the door, leaving them to rest. They were all good students, and a little extra shut eye was going to do them no harm, Jet Vac chuckled to himself and walked away smiling.

Fin.

[navienmate]

Is Navien Mate Safe For My Child?

Winter storms have hit some of the states hard recently. For some families, this means there is a need for supplementary heating systems while they fix the damage in their homes including their heaters. These supplementary heating systems include thick bedding or home appliances such as a water-heated pad.

In the Mom communities online, you can see mothers asking whether the material of water-heated pad is okay for children to use and whether there is no danger of being exposed to electromagnetic waves.

We answer these questions in this article and share how to use Navien Mate safely 

  What should the temperature setting be when using a water heated pad for my child?

Our water-heated pads can be used by all age groups, but there are different age groups that need special attention. For infants under 6 months, be careful with the temperature setting. The commonly used “hot” temperature can be dangerous for infants and toddlers who are unable to turn over. They may suffer low temperature burns even at a temperature of about 37℃ similar to their own body temperature. Low temperature burns are burns that occur when the skin is exposed to temperatures ranging from 40 ℃ to 60 ℃ for a long time. Because low-temperature burns progress slowly, unlike general burns, it is often difficult to recognize the symptoms immediately. In addition, infants and toddlers are not able to express when they feel hot, which can lead to more severe burns if they are exposed to heat. Normal body temperature by age groups: • 0~yrs: 36.4°C ~ 38°C • 3~1yrs: 36.1°C ~ 37.8°C • 11~65 yrs: 35.9°C~37.6°C] As you can see in the above chart, children's body temperature is usually higher than that of adults. Newborns, toddlers, and children have a higher metabolism rate, so their basal body temperature is higher than that of adults. Therefore, when using a water-heated pad with a child, the temperature must be set differently on each side of the bed so that both mother and child can enjoy a comfortable sleep. 

  Which product is good to use with children?

Navien Mate has strict standards to ensure sleep safety for all age groups. Both the 1mm ultra-slim mat and the cushion mat passed the skin irritation test and cytotoxicity test in accordance with the excellent experimental testing standards of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition, the cover is made of 100% pure, unprocessed natural cotton, so it can be used by sensitive children and will not cause skin irritation.

In addition, you can use it with peace of mind because it has obtained electromagnetic field (EMF) safety environmental certification. There is almost no electromagnetic wave in the mat part above the bed. The electromagnetic wave may be generated in the boiler part slightly, thus, when using Navien Mate, it is recommended to place the boiler part about 30cm away from the human body.

Navien Mate has safety devices installed to protect children from possible risks

After confirming safety from electromagnetic waves, it is good to check whether various safety devices come with the product. Navien Mate is equipped with multiple safety devices to safeguard from any possible dangers that may arise while using the product with children. High temperature mode notification function When the temperature of Navien Mate is set above 38 ℃, it checks the set temperature once more through a notification, and the high temperature lamp turns on. Therefore, it allows you to prevent low-temperature burns on children, as explained earlier. Child Lock- Safety of Children Children's curiosity may cause them to press buttons on electronic devices. Navien Mate is equipped with a child lock to prevent accidents from happening. If you press and hold the child lock button, a lock appears on the screen and the lock function is set. You can rest assured that none of the buttons will work until you unlock it. Personalize your own sleep temperature. As explained earlier, parents and children with different normal body temperatures have different ideal sleep temperatures. In such a case, the “separate heating” of Navien Mate is what gives us great advantage. It is possible to finely adjust from 28 to 45°C in 1°C increments for the left and right side of the bed, so both parent and child can sleep well by setting the temperature that suits each individual.

Knowing all these, you can be assured that Navien Mate is committed to your safety and to helping you and you child get quality sleep, night after night, with confidence.

source https://www.navienmate.com/blogs/navien-mate-heated-mattress-pad-news/is-navien-mate-safe-for-my-child

[marybromley]

Brian Minter: Gifts for gardeners that will help bring meaning to their toil in the soil

Almost everything about Christmas will be different this year, so finding the most meaningful gift for someone special may take a little more consideration.

It’s also helpful to give some extra thought when choosing gifts for gardeners, whether they’re long-time pros or just discovering the many values of this activity.

That word — gardening — I’ve always thought it was inadequate and quite limiting in its perceived scope, considering all it comprises and contributes. Gardening involves a broader relationship with nature. It necessitates an understanding of the role of wildlife, especially birds and beneficial insects, like bees and other pollinators. It requires a connection to the soil and to organic soil regeneration. Gardening surrounds us with natural beauty. The tremendous number of trees and shrubs gardeners have planted provide shade, privacy, attract wildlife, absorb pollution and give out oxygen. “Gardening” encompasses so much.

When choosing a thoughtful gift for a gardener, it’s important to weigh all these connecting parts in our relationship with nature.

Quality, home greenhouses and well-constructed cold frames make welcomed gifts that allow for extended growing seasons, meaning produce can be enjoyed earlier and far longer, and some plants can be overwintered. Many exotics are now being grown locally, instead of being imported, and a greenhouse or cold frame is certainly helpful when growing these more tender crops. The standard of construction and weather tolerance are important considerations, so deal with a company that specializes in greenhouses because there are many factors to be considered.

Continually changing weather plays a key role in when and how we garden. Maximum/minimum thermometers are useful in determining how cold it gets at night, which is essential information in early spring. We have so many microclimates around this region that weather reports can’t factor in all of them. So accurate cold and heat readings are very important. Rain gauges are also helpful guides in knowing the true level of moisture in our soils.

The love affair of starting your own plants from seed is not going away anytime soon. Propagation supplies, like seed starting kits, heating mats and grow lights all make the process easier and more successful. A proper watering can, like the English Hawes watering can, is ideal when watering young seedlings.

Birds, our great garden allies, help control insect populations and they can be encouraged to spend more time in your garden if you put up good quality bird feeders and supply the right type of food for the species you want to attract. Gifting a berried plant, such as pyracantha or deciduous holly (Ilex verticillata), both natural winter food sources, would also help attract local, over-wintering birds. Birdbaths are an important source of water during dry spells, and they are an attractive feature in almost any garden. In colder weather, birdbath heaters will keep the water open.

Anna’s hummingbirds winter here and providing them with a feeder is an important winter food resource. Keeping the liquid food in the feeders unfrozen when the temperatures drop is vital, and there are heaters available that will do just that. For many seniors who are shut in because of the pandemic, a bird feeder or hummingbird feeder can provide some much-needed enjoyment.

It is important to keep in mind the value of pollinators. The secret to attracting mason bees to your garden is to provide them with specialty bee houses as nesting sites. They are wonderful gifts, and their popularity is growing rapidly. Pollinator plants also make great gifts and help our pollinator populations, especially those plants that flower very early or very late, like winter-flowering heathers and the winter rose (Helleborus niger).

For many seniors, gardening is one passion they are reluctant to give up. Fortunately, today there are many gardening aids that will really help those stiff knees and sore backs. Garden kneelers are invaluable for getting up and down to plant and weed. Designed in B.C., EZ-Riser is gaining traction as a simple, one-handed mobility tool. Ergonomically designed tools and long-handled trowels and forks make gardening easier and would be much-appreciated gifts.

The pruning season is now in full swing and will continue into late winter. A new pair of quality shears, loppers or pole pruners will make this annual task much easier. Ones with extendable handles can lessen the need for ladders.

A stylish garden bench, a subscription to a garden magazine, a good gardening book or, for a bit of whimsy, rain chains to enhance eavestroughs and melodic wind chimes to add sound and movement can all be treasured gifts. While it would not be easy to fit a favourite tree or specimen plant under the Christmas tree, a gift card for one from a favourite garden store would work nicely.

Recent research has discovered that 80 per cent of those folks who began to garden this year during the pandemic, either to improve the beauty around their home or for food security, intend to garden again next year. So a gift card would certainly help them out next spring.

Finally, connecting with and having a deeper appreciation and respect for nature is an important issue for more and more people. Hopefully, these gift ideas can be part of this evolving process.

Related

Brian Minter: Hot new plants for collectors

Essential tools for a new gardener

Brian Minter: Shrub dogwoods offer up some vibrant colours at a dull time of year

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Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.

Brian Minter: Gifts for gardeners that will help bring meaning to their toil in the soil published first on https://weedkillerguide.tumblr.com/

[dragon-temeraire]

Snowbound

Summary: Derek and Stiles + a cabin in Michigan + a lot of snow = Pining

Notes: This post made me want to write a fic that had snowed in, bed sharing, and mutual pining. Though I am by no means claiming that this is a god-tier fic! (On AO3)

“What the hell?” Stiles grumbles, watching the snow fall outside the window. It’s very beautiful, but also very unwanted. “It’s April.”

“Sometimes it snows until May here,” Derek says, and Stiles scowls.

“Well, if this trip is good for anything, it’s for showing me that Michigan is an awful place,” he huffs. “So much for having fun up here. I wanted to see the Mystery Spot!”

“The Mystery Spot is pretty lame,” Derek says, sitting on the couch next to him. “It’s just a crooked building on a hill.”

“Dude, there’s a zip line,” Stiles says, because he has his priorities in order. “But now we’re gonna be stuck here, in the middle of nowhere, for who knows how long.”

Derek looks vaguely guilty for a moment. “Look, the Northeast pack offered to let us use this cabin as part of negotiations. So we had to come, or else they’d think we were being rude,” he says neutrally.

“Yeah, but it should have been Scott and Kira here. Being snowed in would be super romantic for them.” Stiles knows he’s whining, but he can’t help it. He’s gonna be stuck in a cabin with the werewolf of his dreams, and there’s no way it’s not going to get awkward.

“They still had several pack meetings left to do,” Derek says logically.

Though he wants to resent it, Stiles does appreciate how level-headed Derek has become over the years.

“Besides,” he finishes, “you did agree to go.”

“Yeah, to fulfill a lifelong dream of driving my jeep cross-country!”

And he’d actually had a lot of fun road tripping it up here with Derek, both of them taking turns behind the wheel. They’d managed to make in across the Mackinac Bridge before it had started to snow, but by the time they’d gotten to the cabin it had been coming down heavily. They’d hurriedly grabbed all their stuff and hauled it inside, and Derek had gotten a fire going in the living room fireplace.

And Stiles discovered that, while this cabin might be rustic, it at least had electricity and running water. It actually seemed pretty nice, but Stiles had chosen to sit on the couch and complain about the weather, rather than see the rest of the place.

He’s pretty sure they’re not going anywhere anytime soon, so he might as well remedy that.

“I’m gonna look around,” he says. “Check out our new digs.”

“Oh, boy,” Derek says, like he’s expecting the worst.

Stiles elects to ignore that.

He pokes through the cupboards in the kitchen first, and is relieved to see that they’re well-stocked with food. So they probably won’t starve.

Derek had told him the nearest town was only about ten miles away, but that seems way too far in this kind of weather. Though if he had to, Derek could probably make the walk, even in a blizzard.

He looks in the bathroom next, and is pleased to see that there’s a big tub. He might have to try a nice, relaxing soak later.

Just down the hall is the bedroom, and Stiles peeks inside, curious. This is evidently where Derek had put some of their luggage, because it’s arranged neatly against the wall. But he can’t help noticing that in the middle of this lovely, spacious bedroom is only one bed.

“Fuck,” he mutters.

He briefly considers sleeping on the couch, but he knows he’d be way too cold, even if he got up every few hours to add wood to the fire. And he’ll be perfectly cozy if he shares a bed with Derek, because Stiles knows for a fact that he puts out heat like a furnace. (He may have fallen asleep on Derek during a pack movie night. Maybe.)

This is what Derek’s expecting him to make a fuss over, and he refuses to do it. Even if he is freaking out on the inside.

He’s been wanting to end up in bed with Derek for ages, but not like this.

This is going to be awkward.

He goes back into the living room with a smile pasted on his face. “Guess we’re gonna be snuggle buddies,” he says brightly.

Derek shakes his head, but he looks amused. Then he goes to back to working on the crossword puzzle book he bought at the last gas station they visited.

What a dork.

Stiles digs through his bag, looks at all the books he brought, and sighs. None of them are calling to him right now. Knowing that they’re stuck here is beginning to make him feel restless and agitated.

When he says as much to Derek, he cocks his head and says, “We can’t drive anywhere, but you can still go outside. Just bundle up.”

Stiles grimaces at that, because he certainly didn’t pack any snow gear. He was expecting nice April weather. He ends up borrowing some stuff from Derek, layering a few of his shirts over his own.

When he walks back into the living room, there’s a flare of something in Derek’s eyes, just for a second, when he sees Stiles wearing his clothes.

Whoops, maybe he should have asked first.

“I see you decided to steal some of my clothes for this winter outing,” Derek says neutrally.

“The word is borrow, Derek,” Stiles says, hoping to make him smile. “I swear you’ll get everything back. Eventually.”

And if he’d happened to actually steal one of Derek’s thumbhole sweaters right out of his closet, well, he just really hopes Derek hasn’t noticed yet.

Derek makes a snort of disbelief, then goes back to his puzzle.

Stiles takes that as his cue to leave, and he shoves his hands into his gloves as he pulls the front door open. The cold is a sharp shock to his exposed face, and he blinks rapidly as the wind stings his eyes. He’s not sure this was such a great idea.

But then he imagines how smug Derek will be if he goes back inside after two seconds, and it strengthens his resolve. He walks carefully out to the middle of the yard, liking the way the snow crunches under his feet.

It’s already almost up to his knees and still coming down, so fast that he can only see a few feet in front of him. He tips up his head to watch it fall, and can’t resist sticking out his tongue to catch some of the tiny flakes.

Everything seems so quiet and still out here, and the snow smells crisp and clean. He stands there admiring it for a while, breath streaming out in front of him, before he decides to do something.

He doesn’t have much snowman building experience, so he makes a tiny one first. Then, because it’s so cute, he makes another. It turns out kind of lopsided, and its head is too big, but he likes it anyway.

Though he is tempted to wrap a scarf around its neck and call it Isaac.

He snickers to himself, picturing it, then decides he’s going to make a snowman for everyone in the pack. When he’s done, he’ll take a photo, and he can joke that they were all really here with him after all.

He works on his technique until it gets dark. He’s feeling pretty chilled anyway, so he figures it’s time to go back inside.

The heat briefly smothers him when he steps through the door, and makes him shiver a little. He hangs his jacket up by the door, and after a moment of consideration, leaves his snowy boots on the mat. The cold feels like it’s clinging to his layers, so he slips off his outer pair of pants, too.

“Did you have fun?” Derek calls from the kitchen, and Stiles goes to investigate.

“I did, yeah,” he says, and sees that Derek has soup heating on the stove.

“I’m glad,” Derek says, giving him a little smile. “And you had good timing, dinner’s almost ready.” He softly touches Stiles’ arm, and guides him to the kitchen table. “Have a seat. I’ll bring you some in a minute, it’ll warm you up for sure.”

Stiles grins, feeling warmer already.

 *

 He’s in his pajamas, his teeth are freshly brushed, and the floor is icy-cold even through his socks, but he still hesitates.

Derek looks up from his book, and catches him lingering in the doorway. “Well?” he says, lifting the blankets on the other side of the bed, and his eyebrows mock Stiles.

He ends up practically vaulting into the bed, wiggling under the covers as fast as he can. Derek has several quilts piled on, and Stiles figures that’s mainly for his benefit. It’s pretty cozy, and he squirms around a bit, getting himself tucked in nicely.

When he’s finally comfortable, he catches Derek eyeing him in amusement. “You good?” he asks, and Stiles can almost hear the laugh in his voice.

“Very,” he answers, feeling contented and sleepy. “I apologize in advance if I kick you,” he mumbles. Or if I accidentally touch you.

“It’ll be fine,” Derek says, and turns off the lamp.

Stiles drifts off to sleep, reminding himself to stay on his own side of the bed.

 *

 And when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he’s still right where he’s supposed to be. But despite being under the covers, he’s absolutely freezing. He tries to burrow in deeper as he curls into a ball, but it doesn’t help. His feet feel like ice blocks.  

Fuck.

And there’s no way he’s getting out of this bed to bank the fire.

So there’s only one other option—get closer to the natural heater sharing the bed with him.

Stiles stretches out onto his side, and then slowly, carefully inches back toward Derek, hoping not to wake him. In the dark, it’s difficult to estimate how much space is really between them, so he startles a little when he actually bumps into Derek.

Well, it is warmer already. He edges away, then tries to lean into Derek’s space without actually touching him. He’s concentrating really hard, so it takes him by surprise when Derek suddenly slings an arm over Stiles and pulls him back against his chest.

“You cold?” he asks sleepily, his hand pleasantly warm against Stiles’ stomach.

“Yeah,” Stiles says, but he’s definitely feeling better now.

“Mmm. Thought so,” Derek mumbles. Then he’s moving again, fitting his legs right up behind Stiles’, his hips settling softly against Stiles’ ass.

It’s actually…really nice, being the little spoon. He feels warm and safe, surrounded by Derek like this.

He lets Derek’s heat seep through him, lets his tense muscles loosen up, and drifts back to sleep.

 *

 When he wakes up in the morning, they’re in pretty much the same positon, but there’s a little more space between their bodies. What had seemed like a good idea at three in the morning seems dangerous now, but the feeling of Derek’s arm curled over his side is too good for Stiles to actually move.

Though being awake while this close to Derek is making him a little too warm. His jackrabbiting heart must give him away, because Derek stirs a few moments later.

It almost feels like he nuzzles the back of Stiles neck, and his hand skates across Stiles’ ribs before he rumbles, “Good morning,” and rolls out of bed.

There’s an inrush of cold air under the blankets, and Stiles yelps and quickly cocoons himself up, ducking his head under the covers, too. There’s no way he’s getting out of this nice, warm bed. He lives here now.

There’s a long lull where he starts to doze off, then Derek says, “I got a fire going in the living room, it’s nice and toasty in there.”

Stiles doesn’t budge.

“So you can get up now,” Derek says pointedly.

“Don’t wanna,” Stiles mumbles.

“Why not?” Derek asks, clearly humoring him.

“I’m warm in here,” Stiles says from his blanket nest. “It’s cold out there.”

There’s some noise, then something lands on top of the covers. When he peeks out, he sees that it’s one of Derek’s soft, cozy sweaters.

Oh, so Derek’s volunteering his clothes now. Stiles can’t help feeling pleased.

He emerges enough to wiggle into the sweater, pulling it on over his pajama shirt. When he looks back up, Derek is watching him, one eyebrow cocked.

“Well?”

“Still not getting out of bed,” Stiles says cheerfully. “I’m too comfortable to touch that ice-cold floor.”

Derek sighs, but he starts digging in his bag again. After a moment, he grabs something out and tosses it over. It bounces gently off Stiles’ chest and lands in his lap.

“Ooh,” he says when he realizes it’s a pair of the thickest, snuggliest socks ever. “Wow, I’ve never seen these before,” he says, carefully unfolding them. They feel like a soft cloud.

“They’re from when I used to live in New York,” Derek says.

“Oh.” Stiles tries not to react. Derek never talks about New York. “They must have been great for the winters there.”

“Yeah, I loved them,” Derek says. And though he’s smiling, he looks a little bit sad. “We used to have about fifteen pairs, one in every color they made.”

Stiles isn’t really sure what to say, because he doesn’t want to upset Derek. He never wants that. Instead, he just quietly says, “Thank you.”

Derek nods. “I’m going to get breakfast started,” he says.

After a few moments, Stiles carefully, gently slides the socks on, then edges out of bed and joins Derek in the kitchen.

 *

 The snow is still coming down that afternoon, and Stiles decides he doesn’t want to go back out in it. Not today, anyway.

He gets bored, though, so he starts rummaging around the cabin instead. He finds a big box of craft supplies under the bed, and cackles gleefully when he opens it up.

“Hey, Derek!” he calls. “We’re allowed to use whatever we want, right?”

“Yes,” Derek says, but his tone sounds worried, like he thinks Stiles is going to get himself into trouble.

And that’s fair, really. But he’s not going to do anything that involves fire this time.

He’s pulling out partial skeins of yarn when Derek walks in. “Going to take up knitting?” he asks, smirking. “You know we’re not actually going to be here that long, right?”

“Says you,” Stiles grumbles. “It’s still snowing.” He shrugs. “Besides, I’m just working on a little project to keep myself occupied.”

“Okay,” Derek says, but he doesn’t seem convinced. “Let me know if you need any help.”

Then he goes back to the living room, probably to work on his crosswords, or maybe Sudoku. He likes all kinds of puzzles, Stiles has discovered.

After a few more minutes of sitting on the floor, Stiles decides to join him. Derek has a nice fire going in the living room, so he knows its way warmer in there.

He begins to wish he could knit as he carefully weaves and knots the yarn together. He’s only trying to make a passable miniature scarf, but it’s harder work than he thought it’d be. He catches Derek giving him amused looks from time to time, so at least his efforts are keeping them both entertained.

“Ta da!” he says delightedly when he’s done.

Derek looks over and laughs. “I don’t think that’s gonna fit you,” he says.

“It’s not supposed to,” Stiles says, laying the tiny scarf over the arm of the couch. He considers beginning work on a tiny bow and arrow for Allison’s snowman, but his stomach decides it’s time to eat instead.

He makes grilled cheese sandwiches while Derek warms up the leftover soup, and it feels nice. It’s pleasantly domestic to cook with Derek.

Stiles feels pretty lazy after that, so he opens up his laptop and sprawls on the couch with it. There’s no internet, but he still has Minesweeper and Solitaire. And it’s really easy to sneak peeks around the screen, catching glimpses of Derek’s concentration-face as he works his way through his puzzle book.

His little frown when he’s stumped is very cute.

 *

 Stiles pokes around in the bathroom after dinner, and is delighted to find a bottle of bubble bath. He decides he’s going to have a nice, long soak before bedtime.

He fills the tub and plays with the bubbles for a while, then settles in with as much of himself under the water as he can. He has his eyes closed, and is in a state of total relaxation, when there’s a tap on the door. He doesn’t move at all, just opens his mouth enough to say, “Come in.”

He hears the door open, and then Derek says, “I know you probably aren’t planning to get out any time soon, but I wanted to let you know that I found a chocolate pie in the freezer. I have it thawing now, so just keep that in mind.”

“Mmm,” Stiles says, smiling. “Well played. I’ll be out soon.”

It’s only after Derek leaves, and he manages to drag open his eyes, that he realizes the bubbles have almost completely disappeared. So Derek probably saw more than he was expecting when he opened the door. Oops.

 *

 Stiles does manage to get out of the tub eventually. It’s mostly because the water was getting cold, but Derek doesn’t need to know that. He towels off, then puts on his flannel pajamas, because he likes to feel cozy. They’re also plaid, which is sort of his trademark by now.

He sits at the kitchen table and eats the delicious pie with Derek. And honestly, Stiles just never gets tired of watching him enjoy the simple things in life. He deserves all those tiny joys more than anyone, he’s sure.

“So,” Derek says when they’re done eating. “While you were soaking, I found a space heater we can put in the bedroom. Maybe then you won’t be so cold tonight.”

He says it teasingly, so Stiles figures he didn’t actually mind the impromptu cuddling last night.

 *

 The space heater doesn’t work.

Or it does, but just barely. Stiles tries to put it right next to the bed, but Derek warns him that the sheets might catch fire. Stiles is very sure their situation won’t be improved by him burning the cabin down, so he quickly moves the heater back.

After he slides into bed, Derek immediately pulls him close, no pretense at all. Stiles lets himself relax back against Derek, liking the feeling of being practically covered by him. The warmth and the contact are making his heart race, though. He’s not sure how much of this platonic night time snuggling he can take. Not without breaking and telling Derek he’s in love with him.

Being held like this makes him feel…vulnerable.

“This okay?” Derek asks then, his arm already starting to lift away.

“It’s good,” Stiles says quickly, his hand curling around Derek’s wrist. He’ll savor this while he can.

There’s a long pause, and then Derek slowly unwinds again, curling up close to Stiles. “Okay,” he says quietly. “Good night.”

“Good night,” Stiles whispers back. He falls asleep surprisingly fast, and he doesn’t wake up cold even once.

 *

 When he wakes up in the morning, Stiles is delighted to find that it’s no longer snowing. When he says as much to Derek, he just shrugs and says, “Yeah, it stopped yesterday evening.”

“How was I supposed to know? We don’t all have werewolf senses.”

“No werewolf senses required,” Derek says, smirking. “You just had to look out the window.”

Stiles elects to ignore that, and starts cracking eggs for breakfast. Derek grins and starts cooking the bacon.

Since it looks nice out, Stiles decides to work on his project that afternoon. He bundles up, but is then halted at the door by Derek, who makes him tie trash bags to his feet.

“Those thick socks won’t do you any good if they’re soaked through,” he says sternly when Stiles tries to protest.

He did get snow in his boots last time, so he supposes Derek has a point. And he’ll be able to stay out there longer if he’s not freezing.

The snow is sloped up against the door, so Stiles carefully squeezes out, trying not to let too much get inside the cabin. Then he tromps out into the yard, and starts working on his first snowman.

Derek edges out the door a few minutes later, snow shovel in hand. He quickly clears off the porch while Stiles pretends not to watch. He’s never failed to admire Derek’s easy physicality.

Derek has a flush on his cheeks by the time he’s done, and Stiles can’t help being disappointed when he heads back inside.

Then he gets back to work, and tries to figure out if he can sculpt a snow wolf. Or maybe he’ll just make a life size snowman, and put Derek’s leather jacket on it. Either way, he’ll save that for last.

He gets the Isaac snowman done pretty quickly, despite his amateur skills. He pulls the tiny scarf out of his pocket, and wraps it carefully, stylishly, around the snowman’s neck. Somehow, it manages to look smug, and Stiles grins.

Perfect.

He quickly yanks off his gloves, and grabs his phone out as the cold bites painfully into his hands. He snaps a picture, then moves to a better angle and takes another. Then he shoves his gloves back on and starts working again.

He’s in the middle of making Erica’s snowman when Derek comes back out. “Stiles, come inside,” he calls from the porch.

“I haven’t been out here that long,” Stiles protests. “I’m not getting frost bite, I promise.”

“That’s not it,” Derek says quickly. “There’s another storm on the way.”

“Oh,” Stiles says, and suddenly realizes that Derek isn’t even wearing shoes. He obviously came out in a hurry.

Stiles drags himself out of the snow drift he was working in, and starts making his way to the porch as fast as he can in the deep snow. The wind starts picking up as he does, and a hard gust sends powdery snow right into his face.

He flails, trying to wipe it away, and ends up stumbling and falling down into the snow. He squirms, trying to get up, but snow is heavy. He feels like he’s stuck, and just as he’s about to really start freaking out, Derek grabs the back of his jacket and lifts him up, up, until he has Stiles slung over his shoulder.  

Then he wades through the snow, and doesn’t set Stiles down until they reach the front door.

Stiles, who got snow down the front of his jacket, shivers and hurriedly follows Derek inside. They stop at the big mat in the entryway and carefully take off their snow-covered clothes. For Stiles it’s just his outer layers, but Derek on the other hand—

Stiles has to quickly look away when he takes off his shirt and pants.

“Stiles, give me your stuff so I can put it in the dryer,” he says, and Stiles carefully hands everything over while continuing to avert his gaze.

Then he just keeps standing there, shivering, as Derek heads for the laundry room. A few moments later, a towel hits him in the face.

“You have snow in your hair,” Derek says helpfully, smirking at him.

Stiles is just relieved to see he’s put clothes on.

 *

 It doesn’t snow much more, but the storm blows it into swirls and eddies, makes it patter against the windows. Stiles has never been so grateful to be warm and dry.

Playing in the snow has tired him out, so before he even thinks about it, he slumps down on the couch, resting his head on Derek’s thigh. It hits him an instant too late that it’s probably a bad idea, but then Derek’s hand is settling in his hair, and he suddenly doesn’t care.

The fabric of Derek’s sweat pants is soft against his cheek, and he nuzzles in a little, letting his eyes drift shut. He dozes for a while, and when he wakes up, Derek has the little radio on the side table turned on. It’s too low for him to make out what’s being broadcasted, so he looks at Derek questioningly as he sits up.

“It’s a report on the storm,” Derek says. “It’s nearly over. They’re going to start clearing the roads tomorrow.”

“Sweet,” Stiles says cheerfully.

“Though we’ll still have to shovel out the driveway,” Derek adds pragmatically.

“Ah, you could get that done in twenty minutes,” Stiles says dismissively.

Derek raises an eyebrow. “You realize there’s more than three feet of snow out there, right?” he says. “Also, this cabin is really only equipped for summer use. There’s no snow blower, there’s only the shovel I was using.”

“So it’s going to take a little longer, is what you’re saying,” Stiles says, shrugging.

Derek nods, but he looks kind of…guilty.

Stiles narrows his eyes. “What is it? What aren’t you telling me?”

“Well,” Derek starts carefully. “They’re going to start plowing tomorrow. But they probably won’t get to this country road for another three days.”

“Three days?” Stiles repeats, shocked. “By then it’ll have started snowing again! We’re never gonna get out of here!”

He expects Derek to say something sensible or reassuring. Instead he just looks down and says, “I need to apologize to you.”

Stiles blinks at the non sequitur. “For what?” he asks, because he honestly can’t think of anything Derek has done wrong.

“For getting you stuck here, in the middle of nowhere,” Derek says quietly. “I knew it was going to snow—I could smell it in the air. And I was going to have you drive us into town, so we could stay at a hotel until the storm passed.”

“So why didn’t you?” He’s not angry, just curious.

“I had hoped,” Derek says, scratching his stubble nervously. “That if I spend some time with you here, I’d be able to work up the nerve. To tell you how I feel.”

Stiles swallows nervously, his whole body drawing tight in anticipation, and near-whispers, “How do you feel?”

Derek begins to smile. “I specifically requested that Scott send just you and I here. So I’d have the chance to tell you that I’m in love with you.”

Stiles grins back, his heart practically beating out of his chest. “And here I was worried this whole time that you’d figure out I was in love with you.”

“I—I didn’t know,” Derek says, looking genuinely surprised.

“Have been for a while,” Stiles says, leaning closer. “That’s why I was freaking out about being snowed in.”

“Because…you thought I’d find out about your feelings?” Derek asks curiously.

“Yeah, and then you’d turn me down, and then we’d be trapped here together while things got super awkward.”

“Well, in case you hadn’t noticed,” Derek says, amused, “you’re definitely not being turned down.”

Stiles rests his hand on Derek’s arm, and inches closer. “This doesn’t feel awkward, either,” he says.

“Not at all,” Derek murmurs, right before kissing him softly.

 *

 They don’t even notice when the roads get cleared, because they spend the next few days in bed. And Stiles decides that he doesn’t mind being snowed in after all.

Because it definitely has its perks.

 *

 Stiles does get his snowman version of the pack done before they finally leave. (As they’re packing up, Stiles tries to call Scott and tell him they’re snowed in again, but Derek catches him. And reminds him that he has a perfectly nice loft they can spend a lot of quality time in once they get back.)

Derek helps him build the snowmen, and even digs out snow-Isaac’s tiny scarf, which had been buried by the storm. They take several photos of the snow-pack, then they set Stiles’ phone on a timer and take a picture of them kissing in the snow. It turns out great.

When they return to Beacon Hills, Stiles distributes the pictures of the snow-pack to everyone. They smile and laugh, but Stiles knows they’re secretly pleased.

He prints the picture of him and Derek kissing in the snow, and hangs it on the wall of Derek’s bedroom. And he smiles, because it looks like it belongs there.

When Derek comes in a few minutes later, sliding his arms around Stiles’ waist and kissing the back of his neck, he definitely agrees.

[bestcartreviews]

10 Best Solar Pool Heaters for Inground & Above Ground 2020

Best Solar Pool Heaters in 2020 There cannot be anything more relaxing and comfortable than diving into a pool in the summer! But no one has a similar excitement for diving into a pool in winter. Have you felt nasty often while diving into your cold ice water pool? Do not have a water heater in your cold ice pool or the water heater you are using is costing you a lot? The expense of daily life is on the hike due to the more materialistic & comfortable life; everyone must be looking for a smart choice and decision on spending money on such things. But believe me, you can get a pleasant feel in your pool water while saving the expenditure of energy. If you are looking to make such a smart choice then you just need to choose an appropriate solar water heater for your pool. Nowadays, you have access to choose and utilize the benefits of the latest technology and become smart. There are different eco-friendly solar pool heaters in the market that will keep your pool water warm while saving the consumption of energy. Additionally, before you make a decision to buy the best solar water heater you must read this article. We have researched some interesting facts and figures in regard to different solar pool heaters in order to help you in making a smart decision and choose the right solar water heater for your pool. Comparison chart for top solar pool heater Product Link Ideal For Dimensions Weight Smartpool S601P SunHeater Solar Heating System for In-Ground In-ground Pools 48 x 1 x 240 in 29 pounds BEAR Fafco Solar Economy Heating System for Above-Ground Above-ground pools 55 x 15 x 15 inches 39 pounds HELIOCOL Swimming Pool Solar Heating Panel Above-ground pools 20 x 20 x 13 inches 6.99 pounds GAME 4721-BB SolarPRO Curve Solar Pool Heater Above-ground Pools and In-ground Pools 27.56 x 5.91 x 44.88 in 18.3 pounds GAME 4714 SolarPRO Contour Solar Pool Heater for Intex Above-ground pools 28 x 11 x 28 in 16.98 pounds SunHeater 2' X 10' Solar Heating Universal System In-ground Pools 48 x 1 x 240 inches 29 pounds XtremepowerUS Inground/Above Ground Swimming Pool Solar Panel In-ground and Above-ground Pools 240 x 28 x 3 in 15 pounds Doheny's Space Saver Solar Heating Collector Above-ground pools 5” x 10” x 2” ----- SmartPool S240U Pool Solar Heaters S240U Above-ground pools 240 x 27.5 x 16 inches 18 Pounds Intex Above Ground Swimming Pool Water Heater Solar Mat Above-ground pools 17.5 x 12.7 x 6.8 inches 11.75 pounds

Top Solar Pool Heaters (Researched and compared)

#1 Smartpool S601P SunHeater Solar Heating System for In-Ground Pools

Best Solar Pool Heaters for InGround Pools SmartpoolS601P is a very efficient solar heating panel for your pool, which provides you great value with fast-acting solar pool heaters for inground pools. Smartpool S601P is made up of tough polypropylene as a heat collector; polypropylene is a material that is corrosion-resistant. It uses the direct flow system of water - one header whole for each tube; thus, in this way, water flows through the solar collectors and gets heated. It raises the Pool Water Temperature 6-10°F (4-6°C). This solar heater for pool has a heating collector that measures 4 feet wide and 20 feet long, which can be easily placed at the top of the roof of your house or next to the pool. Also, the installation is easy and it requires you to follow three steps to install the heater without any professional assistance. This solar pool heater for inground pools reviews is lightweight with unique DIY designed for easy three-step installation without any professional, and it can increase the pool temperature up to 150C for the capacity of its specific dimension. It can make your swimming very relaxing, thanks to this effective and efficient solar pool heater.

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Best Solar Pool Heaters for Above Ground Fafco has the credit to be the first American company to develop the solar water heating system and is the largest manufacturer of solar heating panels for pools with a notable ten years warranty. BEAR Fafco solar water heater is an easy-to-install heater system of 20 ft. Long solar panel. Because being a premier quality developer from the USA of copolymer material by Fafco with a great reputation of the manufacturer makes it the most noticeable brand. Its sleek design with durable UV resistant material enables it with a unique feature. This best solar pool heater can be easily mounted above ground or on the roof, which can produce 80000 BTU's heat in 24 hours, it means it can easily provide up to 10 degrees warmer water on a pool of its size of 20 ft.

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Best Heliocol Swimming Pool Solar Heating Panel Heliocol swimming pool solar heater 1'X10.5' has a very attractive design that looks very cool and is extremely durable. I would like to say it as one of the best pool solar heaters for everyday use. It has single-piece construction with very lightweight and designed pretty well and also resists lifting in high wind. HELICOOL swimming pool heater with powerful solar panels and unique individual tube design provides higher temperature raise in your pool water with very constructive design. It seems one of the best choices for solar pool heaters in the market with smart engineering.

#4 GAME 4721-BB SolarPRO Curve Solar Pool Heater

GAME Solar Pool Heater Reviews - Best Solar Panels for Pool Heating Made for Intex & Bestway Above-Ground and Inground Pools, Includes Intex Adapters, 2 Hoses & Clamps The GAME 4721 solar water heater is one of the presentations of smart engineering among water pool heaters with curve and compact design manufactured by Great American Merchandise and Events. GAME 4721 has been designed for both above ground, and in-ground pools with its unique curve shape maximize the energy absorption. The product comes with the dimension of 27.6 x 5.9 x 44.9 inches and light in weight enables. It is made up of high-quality, durable materials that can hold up against regular exposure to the sun and other outdoor materials. GAME 4721 has adjustable legs, which enables it to adjust according to the sun for maximum exposure. You will notice in a couple of days it gradually increases the temperature of your pool water 5 degrees and provides you a pleasant condition. If you are looking for a product to raise your pool water temperature incredibly then, this is not the right choice for you. Additionally, if you want something compact with highly durable material with smart technology to maximize the sunlight absorption and its clear cover to lock down the absorption. GAME 4721 seems one of the most suitable variants for your autumn and spring seasons.

#5 GAME 4714 SolarPRO Contour Solar Pool Heater for Intex

Best Game Solar Pro Contour Solar Heater Reviews Another solar pool heater designed by the same manufacturer Great American Merchandise and Events (GAME) 4714 for you, if you are not satisfied with the above-listed product by GAME. GAME 4714 provides you probably the most compact and most unique design. You must consider this eco saver solar dome heater if you really wish to get an amazing compact design and able to compromise with the material and its durability. This GAME 4714 SolarPRO Contour Solar Pool Heater for Intex has a dome-shaped portable pool heater featuring a small panel able to heat the pool water. As you can read from the name the system, it is made for the Intex pool only for both underground and above ground pools. This above-ground solar pool heater reviews also heat the pool water gradually 5 degrees in a couple of days (7) for a pool 10,000-gallon capacity, even a bit slower than the previously described model (GAME 4721). In fact, I will say GAME 4714 solar pool heater is not the powerful pool heater, but it’s surely the smallest designed power heater with less expensive and easier to install. Similarly, like GAME 4721, GAME 4714 solar pool heater is also one of the most suitable variants for your autumn and spring seasons with an extraordinary compact design.

#6 SunHeater 2' X 10' Solar Heating Universal System

Best Universal Solar Water Heater Reviews SunHeater 2' X 10', the most popular solar heating system for pools having traditional panel design having a long panel collector for heating. A long panel full of tubes circulates water, and water gets heated. SunHeater 2' X 10' is a traditionally designed pool water heater. SunHeater 2' X 10'having long panel made of durable material that efficiently absorbs heat from the sun. SunHeater 2' X 10' is capable of raising water temperature up to 10-15 degrees F. Although having easy installation unit, it might be difficult to install without professional. SunHeater 2' X 10' suits for both underground and above ground water pool with an affordably low budget makes it efficient and versatile solar water heater.

#7 XtremepowerUS Inground/Above Ground Swimming Pool Solar Panel Heating System 28" X 20'

Best XtremepowerUS Solar Pool Heater Reviews & Price Xtremepower US inground/above ground solar panel for your pool heating is available for you at a very impressive budget and allows you to get one of the best water heater systems for your pool at a very low price. It is also designed like a conventional solar heating panel with high-grade materials and provides you a durable product at a very low cost. This solar powered pool heater is made using high-grade materials to provide it the capacity to tolerate harsh weather conditions. Being a lightweight product and relatively easy to install makes it very comfortable even after having long swimming pool solar panels. XtremepowerUS pool heater having a larger surface area to optimize the heat transfer. Each kit measures 2' x 20'ft panels, and like another solar system, water passes through the pump and gets heated. XtremepowerUS can provide you a comfortable swimming experience as it raises the temperature up to 15 degrees in just a day for your pool water depending on the condition and location. Without a doubt, the Xtremepower US pool heater is the cheapest solar pool heater, which delivers the performance like a high priced model.

#8 Doheny's 5' x 10' (Two 2.5 x 10 Panels) Space Saver Solar Heating Collector

Best Space Saver Solar Heating Collector Reviews The Doheny’s space saver pool heater is the best pool heater with everything! It provides you all amazing features with durable materials and its smart design able to fulfill all of the expectations for your pool. It is a space saver pool heater with a beautiful design that can heat up to an additional 15 degrees. Despite its size, it is an easily installable product from Doheny's. Although it has a relatively high price, it provides you great savings on utilities. It features a direct flow system MAX-FLO design to optimize the water flow. Doheny’s space saver pool heater surprisingly heats your pool water in a few hours and is able to maintain that temperature throughout. Doheny’s space saver solar heater for the pool is capable of raising the pool water temperature around a 15-degree addition in water temperature. The brand provides a five years warranty to give you additional confidence with its impressive features.

#9 SmartPool S240U Pool Solar Heaters S240U

Best SmartPool Pool Solar Heater Reviews As the name implies, it is compatible with every kind of swimming pool and pump system. SunHeater Solar Pool Heating System is Two 2’ x 20’ Panels – Solar Swimming Pool Heater Foringround and above ground pools. SmartPool S240U having propylene as heat collecting material keeps the pool warm, and the solar heater features two threaded elbow adaptors. The manufacturer provided a universal design and direct flow system, with optimized water circulating system, which has easy DIY installation mode for comfortable handling. This solar water heater for the pool raises the temperature of your pool water around 6-10°F and keeps it consistently warm with its unique design and effective tubes and solar panels, which have combined assembly to work together. It may cost a bit more than some of the other solar heater systems, but its performance won't let you feel unworthy.

#10 Intex 28685E Above Ground Swimming Pool Water Heater Solar Mat, Black (2 Pack)

Intex Solar Heater Mat for Above Ground Pools Review Intex 28685E above ground pool solar heater has a smart mat designed for above ground pool. You must not underestimate its efficiency because of its small size and mat design. It is designed far away from the traditional solar heating system. It has a sleek 17.5 x 12.7 x 6.8 inches dimension, which won't take up much space, and is very lightweight made by Intex. It directly connects to the Intex pump, raises the water temperature to 10 degrees by circulating water back into the pool in no time. It is a surprisingly low price pool heating map, which may lack some of the heating power provided by the above described solar heater, but its low price and efficient technology make it one of the popular choices.

Buying guide for a solar heater water pool

Before you buy a solar water heater for your pool, you must consider some of the below mentioned key features. To be a smart buyer, you need to choose carefully the suitable feature that suits you and your pool. After reading reviews about different solar pool. Pool size Desirable pool temperature you need. Average local temperature to consider the heat absorption material. Determine the size and efficiency of each solar system you are interested in and find out a suitable one for you. Determine the placing of the solar panel. Mounting type Compare the cost of the various solar systems. Utilities in the pack. Permit and regulation Pool Size Your pool size matters a lot before choosing a suitable solar water heater for your pool. For small pools, small and medium-size pools are more suitable while larger pools require a powerful heater. To determine your pool, you also need to see the depth of your pool. Temperature Raise The purpose of your buying a solar water heater is, of course, the degree in temperature raises it can provide. It depends on your desired temperature, and it might be dependent on your local area weather and condition. The different solar heaters provide different specifications in temperature level rise in a fixed time. The specific temperature rise also depends on the size of your pool. You will notice that different manufacturers ask your pull dimension to determine the number of solar panel/s required for your desired temperature level. Size and Performance of the Solar pool heater It is one of the most noticeable features to consider in a solar pool heater. You can make your own list based on review and decide what size heater is suitable for your pool and what its specific function is? The efficiency of the pool heater means how much solar energy it can collect. Material Quality To choose an appropriate solar pool heater, you must notice its build quality, which has an effect on its durability and efficiency of heating. Solar Pool Heater cost Of course, everyone must consider the budget before buying a water heater for the solar pool system. It is not a kind of cheap product. Thus, an individual must be very careful in comparing what it costs with the quality, capacity, and durability. In general water pool heaters cost 100 $-300 $ per unit, depending on the size of your pool. From the above review, you can find some of the world-class performances at an incredibly laughable price Warranty Warranty is an additional important feature to consider before buying a solar heater for your pool. The different manufacturer provides a significantly different warranty from 2-10 years. The benefits of a Solar heater A solar water heater provides you amazing benefits with an optimum temperature to your pool water. You can enjoy and relax in your pool water in every season without costing any expense of energy consumption. The solar water heater uses eco-friendly technology that complies with green energy in terms of sunlight. Solar heater absorbs sunlight and UV rays and uses the greenhouse effect to convert into heating. Thus, it is the best choice to protect the environment. Thus, undoubtedly a solar pool heater is the least inexpensive pool heater with eco-friendly technique to provide you with an amazing dive experience into your pool. Conclusion Nowadays, the solar water heater is in high demand for maintaining the cozy water for your pool. The solar pool heater is a must own thing for water pool owners having a modular approach heating system for pool water and maintaining its temperature. Solar pool heaters are designed with different dimensions, capacity, and suitability for different types of pools to fit your most amazing experience in your pool. Most of the solar water heating system is designed to install at a very affordable price easily. The one “Doheny's 5' x 10' (Two 2.5 x 10 Panels) Space Saver Solar Heating Collector" among all catches the eye very easily because of its smart design technology, which provides a rise in temperature up to 15 degrees in a short duration of time. Also, Read Relevant Best Product Reviews by BestCartReviews  Best Plug and Play Hot Tub Reviews for Cold Climate Best Electric Pool Heaters for In-Ground Pools Reviews Best Hot Tub Covers Reviews Sharp kb6524ps Reviews epson perfection v600 vs v800 brother mfc-j995dw review, brother inkjet printer mfc-j995dw review, brother j995dw review lego firehouse headquarters review 12 Best Shower Head Filter Reviews   Read the full article

[joycesinteriors-blog]

A Guide to Home Safety

Your home should be your comfort zone, the place you want to be, and the place where you feel safe. However, most accidents happen at home, often due to taking your routine and familiarity for granted. There are a wide variety of common dangers in the home, so it’s worth spending time and putting the basics in place, creating a safe space for you and your family. Poisoning

Your bathroom, kitchen cabinets and garage hold many highly toxic chemicals that could cause health problems and even accidental poisoning. Lock away toxic drugs, multivitamins, nail polish, dyes, varnish, and chemicals so that children have no ability to access to them. Some houses have been built with problematic materials such as lead or asbestos which are highly toxic. These can cause respiratory disease and cancer, so if you know you have them present, it’s good to get them professionally removed. Contact companies that specialise in removing these, as it is a job that requires knowledge and understanding. Formaldehyde is found everywhere, including insulation, fibreboard, panelling, carpeting, and fabric. While the chemical is found naturally in many ways (like pears), It causes many uncomfortable symptoms if fumes are inhaled. Be aware, especially if you’re renovating. Mould is another common problem in homes. The spores can be in the air even if you can’t see the mould itself. Air your home thoroughly, even in winter, and use white vinegar to kill mould spores (bleach does not kill the roots of the plant, so is an ineffective mould remedy). If the problem keeps reoccurring, there may be a leak in the walls or ceiling, so may be worth a building inspection to find the cause of the problem. Electric shocks Electricity can cause burns or even death, so it’s incredibly important to manage. Prevention is easy though: Avoid contact of electrical appliances with water Turning off circuit breakers before attempting electrical work Don’t overload power boxes/ extension cords Get electrical appliances checked for safety (particularly electric blankets) Slips and trips Slippery floor surfaces, loose carpet or mats and loose hardware such as nails or floorboards can cause slips and falls. Also, unexpected objects (such as toys) left lying around can be a trip hazard. Make sure that the house is obstacle free so that you can avoid accidents. Accidental falls, especially by senior citizens, account for more than 40% of all non-fatal home injuries. By making simple changes, you can lower the chances of you or another household member falling and being injured in your home. You can prevent a lot of falls by installing lights in the hallways and always making sure that there is access to a torchlight in the event of a power cut. Tape mats down so they don’t slide around, or the corners don’t curl up. Perform some basic home maintenance and repair timber or carpet flooring so there are no uneven surfaces. Declutter and don’t store objects on the floor. Make sure that loose extension cords aren’t lying around. Encourage children to put toys away after use. Drowning There have been many cases of people drowning in their own pools or even in their own bathrooms. Bathtub deaths have risen by a staggering 70% in the past ten years. Kids, in particular, can drown in even one inch of water. Drowning is the seventh leading cause of accidental death and even swimmers can get into very serious trouble when they encounter unexpected problems such as cramps. To prevent drowning, install a fence around the pool and make sure that a child is always supervised. Invest in a pool cover and pool alarm system. Always keep an eye on your child. Fire

This is a common cause of death, with four out of five fire-related deaths being caused at home. Because fire is silent, it’s especially dangerous when the family is asleep. Installing a smoke detector will saves lives. Be careful around matches, fires and heaters and make sure that children do not have access to any potential fire-creating object such as matches or lighters. Don’t hang towels or curtains over the stove. A fire drill at home is a good way to educate everyone. Walk through the house with the family, showing everyone that there are two exits to each room, and how to leave is one route is blocked. Also show how to douse yourself if your clothes catch fire, dropping to the ground and rolling over to put out the flames. This is also a great time to review your home and contents insurance. While it doesn’t prevent problems, it can save you a lot of heartache after the fact if you make sure you are covered. Making a few simple changes can save lives and prevent harm Accidents can be prevented if you are mindful and aware. Don’t think that home is always a safe place- there is so much that can go wrong. Take a few simple precautions and put in the time now to prevent accidents later.   Read the full article

[questtheandy]

If I had unlimited money?

-80 x 200 indoor- I like the size, lots of flexibility

-60 ft indoor roundpen? Winter is cold

-obstacle storage that doesnt take up space in the indoor (like for trail obstacles). Not sure how it'd work though. Keeps the clutter in corners and seating areas down

-good seating area with a good view

-a good set up for watering.

-good windows. Natural light is great

-good ventilation and fans.

-good heaters because winter is cold af

-a large/good sized viewing area and kitchen.

-set up for sound system

-maybe some sort of tie stall/horse standing area in the arena?

attached barn with:

-cement floors with drains in the center of the alleyways. No sitting water/pee outside the stall

-good mats in the stall that dont let pee under them. I hate stinky barns.

-big tack room. I collect wayyyy too much tack

-wash bay with stocks. Stocks for medical purposes.

-bathrooms. Good bathrooms. I judge every place I go by the bathrooms lol.

Most of these things are from being to a good few barns and cherry picking what I like. The weather factors in on a couple things.

I could keep rambling on about the barn though haha.

question for all ya’ll horseblrs on here

if you could build whatever size indoor arena you wanted how large would you make it and why? What added amenities would you add on to the structure?

[maskdirect]

17 Luxury Bathroom Ideas For Your Dream Bathroom Remodel

New Post has been published on https://treasuredspaces.com/luxury-bathroom/

17 Luxury Bathroom Ideas For Your Dream Bathroom Remodel

We all have that dream bathroom — the one with his and hers sinks, a jacuzzi tub, and professional salon-style lighting. Turn your outdated counters and bathtub into your dream bathroom with these luxurious remodel ideas. 

Floating Sink

Floating sinks can create the illusion of more space in even the smallest of bathrooms. By mounting the sink to the wall, it creates a lot of space underneath. You can choose to mount a sink only, with exposed plumbing, or a small vanity mounted as well, for minimal storage. Elevating the vanity off the floor makes it easier to clean your bathroom floors, and embraces modern minimalism in your new and improved bathroom. 

Backlit Mirror

Make wall sconces a thing of the past with a backlit mirror. Integrating lighting behind your mirror gives it dimension, by giving an even greater illusion of it coming off the wall. It also creates great lighting that makes doing make-up and shaving easier. It can create less harsh lighting than vanity lights as well. Install a dim switch for a nice calm bath, or brighten the lights for getting ready for a night out in the evening. 

Black Toilet and Sink

For a sleek, sophisticated bathroom – think about getting a black toilet and sink. A colored toilet may seem like a bit retro, like in your Grandma’s teal or pink 1970s bathroom. A black toilet, sink, and tub stand out as super unique, and super sleek. Some of the coolest bathrooms around the world showcase black ceramics as another option for a luxurious feel. 

Bidet

Oh yes, that’s right, get a bidet! Bidets were invented centuries ago in France, usually used by royalty and sophisticated members of society. Bidets have been making their way into homes everywhere with the invention of detachable bidets that can attach right under your toilet’s lid. No need to splurge on an actual new toilet if you don’t want to! Feel luxuriously clean with this addition to your new bathroom. 

No-Touch Faucet

If public restrooms get to have no-touch faucets, then why couldn’t you have one at home?! Touchless faucets can come in all the same styles and finishes as any other faucet, and help to keep your countertops free from water and wet handles. Keep a germ-free faucet, and wow your guests with your touch-free enhancement!

Rain Shower Head

Feel like you’re in a shampoo commercial with your very own rain showerhead. A rain showerhead can be installed in your new bathroom even without having to replace the entire tub or shower. If your ceiling is high enough, put an extension on your plumbing for the new showerhead and wash your hair in a blissful rain shower. They even come with integrated color-changing lights for a truly luxurious experience.

Heated Floors

In the dead of winter, we want to be nice and cozy in our homes, and especially in the bathroom. Stepping out of the tub or shower into the chilly air ruins the relaxation you just experienced. Imagine stepping on heated floors when you wake up in the morning, or step out of the shower into the cooler air — sounds amazing. Set your towels on the heated tile for a nice warm-up. Nothing says luxury like some warm towels! 

Recessed Lighting

Installing recessed lighting fixtures in your bathroom can make it feel upscale and sheek. They are really great to install in the actual shower, so no more shaving in the dark! They are easy to clean, and gather much less dirt and dust than a wall sconce or vanity light. Simply wipe the bulb clean every so often, and no need to unscrew and remove an entire fixture. These also work with dim light switches and can give a nice direct light, kind of like track lighting but less harsh.

Stand-Alone Tub

A stand-alone washtub or bathtub, if you have room, is a beautiful addition to any bathroom. Once a vintage look, the stand-alone tub is becoming more and more modernized with high walled, white ceramic tubs, that are not clawfoot. A modern hammered copper basin tub can give your new remodel the gorgeous rustic feel you always dreamed of. You can completely relax in your stand-alone bathtub knowing it is separate from where the entire family takes their baths and showers — it’s just for bliss and relaxation. What a dream!

Make-up Vanity

Doing your hair and/or make-up at the bathroom counter is not always easy, whether it’s poor lighting or very little space. Adding a vanity just for getting ready in the morning can make all the difference when it comes to starting your day right. A make-up vanity can also act as storage, and can make rushed mornings easier when you and your spouse are trying to share the same counter space. Plus, it just makes getting ready for a night out that much more fun. 

Chandelier

A chandelier in your bathroom does not have to be just a vision in your dreams – make it a reality! A chandelier in the bathroom doesn’t mean you have to get this giant, crystal piece either. People use chandeliers of all varying finishes, colors, and sizes to bring a beautiful spa-like feel to the bathroom. If you want to keep things simple, and uncluttered, a chandelier can act as a centerpiece for the entire room to bring it together. In those mornings when the sun shines in the window, you can have your very own prism rainbow to wake up to. 

Lounge Chair

Who says you can’t put furniture in the bathroom?! A lounge chair or chaise lounge in your newly remodeled bathroom can be agreat way to extend some “me” time, or turn it into the dirty laundry chair — whatever works for you. Back in the day, chaise lounges, or fainting lounges in the powder room were there for women to lay and catch their breath from their corsets being too tight. Now you can use it for resting while the kids take a bath, putting your socks on, or just waiting for your flat iron to heat up. It gives a nice homey feel to a room not normally used for relaxing — you can change that!

Fog-free Mirror

One of the most annoying things that happen in the bathroom is the mirror fogging up, which is especially cumbersome when you can’t fully reach the mirror to wipe it off, or you are left with unsightly streaks! No one wants that. So, some genius invented fogless mirrors. That’s right, no more wiping a space to see yourself on the mirror, or having to crack the door or window to release steam. But how do they work?! There are a few different kinds of fogless mirrors, equally as amazing. First, the hot water from the steam is redirected to behind the mirror, and used to raise its temperature to match the air — this means no condensation! The others either have thermal backings that heat the mirror to the temperature of the room, or are pre-treated with a chemical that helps resist the steam. 

Tile “Rug”

Are you planning on putting tile in your new remodel? Consider putting a tile “rug” design in the center. If you have a larger floor plan, you often place a rug just to fill the space, so it feels finished. However, rugs in the bathroom can get wet, gross, and have to be washed often. Designing a rug pattern in your floor tile can give the illusion of a rug, and really tie the room together without having to actually place a bathmat for aesthetics. Of course, it’s always nice to have a mat to stand on and dry your feet, but for a luxurious take on design – try a tile rug. 

Accent Wall or Ceiling

Every one always says that painting a small room with dark colors can shrink the space. This may be true, but that’s why an accent wall or accent ceiling painted a darker color can be the ultimate upgrade and compromise to adding a pop of color to your remodeled bathroom. Paint may not seem like something that screams luxury, but dark royal blues and greens can bring your bathroom up a few notches on the design scale. Add some vintage style molding to the ceiling, and paint it gold or light blue for a vintage powder room look. Curved moldings on the ceiling can also give the illusion that it is taller than it actually is, giving your bathroom a major upgrade!

Fireplace

The only thing missing from a candlelit bubble bath is a glass of wine, and a fireplace next to your jacuzzi tub. Fireplaces in the master bedroom are very 60s and 70s aesthetic, but they scream luxury and sophistication. In our cold winter months, how nice would it be to have your warm bath, with a few of the crackling fireplace from your pure relaxation zone – just to walk into your bedroom in a robe to that same crackling fire? If your remodel allows you the ability to put a gas or wood-burning fireplace in the bathroom, do it! There are also wall-mounted “fireplace” heaters that give the same aesthetic, without the hassle. Make your bathroom a rustic cabin feel with a fireplace, and you will be immediately transported to a remote cabin landscape. 

Art Pieces

The bathroom needs art just as much as the rest of your house. When you’re remodeling your bathroom, try installing some art installations on the walls, or shadow boxes where you can put small sculptures and moisture safe art pieces for you and your guests to enjoy. Ceramic and glass pieces work great in the bathroom, and photos or prints with a frame and sealed back are also great additions. Stay away from things like oil paintings or canvas — things that would be susceptible to mildew or moisture that could ruin the art. Plants can also be a great addition to your bathroom, giving it a natural aesthetic, that also allows tropical plants to thrive in warm conditions! Build your own oasis with beautiful art, plants, and design just the way you want. Don’t’ let the fact that it’s the bathroom be a deterrent from design and art. 

Your dream bathroom remodel is just a few updates away. Treasured Spaces loves to make people’s dreams a reality when it comes to your home. We can design a 3d rendering of your bathroom ideas, and include everything from the paint colors, to the plants you want, to your dream shower ��� give us a call anytime for a free consultation! 

[cleanallgroup]

PREPARE YOUR BUILDING FOR FALL AND WINTER WITH 4 MAINTENANCE TIPS

We would all be able to be somewhat guilty of having an untidy office now and again. In any case, a perfect working space ought to be a top need as it will help with worker bliss and increment profitability.

Before you know it, it'll be a great opportunity to change from the cooling unit to the heater. Maybe you've just made the switch! In northern atmospheres, the cooler temperatures in harvest time unavoidably lead to falling leaves and, in the long run, falling snow that can present difficulties for business building proprietors and maintenance teams.

Here are four areas we consider most noteworthy significance when planning for the adjustment in seasons as it identifies with protecting the appearance and neatness of your working environment and upgrading the workplace for your representatives by hiring a commercial cleaning company Sydney.

1.       Air Conditioning Cleaning

After some time, HVAC units and air conduits gather dust, pathogens, allergens and different contaminants that lessen indoor air quality and hinder appropriate airflow. Help your representatives inhale somewhat simpler by wiping out ventilation work, registers, and cold air returns, and clean or replace channels as required. Remember to look into; roof vents are infamous for social affair dust and if your workspace has roof fans, ensure the sharp edges are cleaned off.

2.       Secure Your Floors

Road salt, trash, and another dampness loaded slush effectively become trapped in boots and wind up being followed into structures, bringing about those natural white, pasty stains. Wet or dirty floor surfaces additionally can turn into a safety danger, and the synthetic concoctions, soil, and grime can scratch cleaned surfaces and profoundly work their way into rug strands, causing unsalvageable harm and abbreviated life expectancies.

To help forestall slip-and-fall mishaps and the harm brought about by winter's cruel conditions, plan to add uncommon outside floor mats to help catch the vast majority of the snow and ice before it gets into the structure, in addition to extra tangles that stretch out well into the passage to give further security.

3.       Make Way For Light

With the adjustment in seasons, your representatives may drive to work before the sun rises and head home after it sets. Permitting however much regular daylight into your work environment as could reasonably be expected can help support representatives' dispositions and make a progressively lovely workplace. Plan to clean your windows all-around before the snow flies, and furthermore clean your lighting installations to guarantee they sparkle splendidly.

4.       Give a Thorough Cleaning

One of the least difficult and most cost-effective approaches to counteract sickness might guarantee their the working environment is as free of hazardous germs and microscopic organisms as could reasonably be expected. Calendar a profound business cleaning to sanitize basic territories, for example, work areas, door handles, kitchens, restrooms, and other high-traffic areas.

At CleanAll Group, the leading Office cleaners Sydney, we remove the stress from giving a perfect domain and keeping up your building's appearance so you can concentrate on what's most significant — your organization's prosperity and that of its employees. Hiring our commercial cleaners in Sydney can enable you to return to the current business. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation and estimate.

[smilepeng]

How can I increase heat in Grow room?

Cold temperature kills plants. Specially indoor grow plants where ‘Mother Nature’ isn’t there to take care of them. And you as a smart grower must be acknowledged of it.

So, what are the threats when your grow room is too cold? To be precise, such critical fall in temperature may cause damage to leaves and roots that leads to less germination and eventually less yield.

None of us growers want that, right?

To deal with the problem, you might have already bought heaters or made a few changes to the growing system. But still, it’s too cold while the lights are off. Specially if your tent is located in a poorly isolated room.

However, we’ve been concerned about this very problem for quite a long and written a guide that’s going to bring the smile back for every grower. Take a moment and pat your back, as this article has got your attention. Get yourself a cup of coffee, take a breath and let’s start gliding through the whole post-

Why are you need increase heat in Grow room?

Plants and air temperature

Plants like their air to be kept reasonably temperate. As the colder weather begins to draw in, it can be difficult to keep the air around your plants in the sweet-spot of 23C – 28C (28C being the absolute maximum temp you ever want at the tips of the plant without CO2 supplementation).

23C-28C is the ideal temperature only during the lights-on period. During the dark-period a few degrees of temperature drop is a desirable thing (see below), although the temperature should ideally not go below 18C, and should never go below 15C (see below).

Obviously, a grow lamp creates quite a bit of heat. While this can cause problems of high temperature during the summer months, it is actually a very useful side-effect during the winter.

For most growers, the simple addition of a fan speed controller to reduce the amount of hot air being exchanged for cold air within the grow environment, is enough to keep the air within the right limits. As long as enough air is being exchanged to refresh CO2 levels and to keep humidity moderate then this approach can be a great solution to keeping temp in the 23C-28C range during the lights-on period.

When the lights go out

Temperature during the dark-period is something that many growers do not consider. Maintaining the right temperature during the lights-off period is just as important as getting the temps right when the lights are on. As stated before, while it is a good idea to have a temperature drop of a few degrees during the lights-off period, it is important to not let the temperature go below 18C and it is absolutely vital the temps NEVER go below 15C.

Plants sense the temperature even during the dark-period. A temperature drop during the lights-off period actually helps plants to respond better to the photoperiod. A drop of a few degrees when the lights go out will help kick plants into flowering/fruiting more quickly when they are switched to 12/12, and promotes stronger flowering/fruiting thereafter.

Brrrr It’s cold, winter must be coming, I think I’ll stop growing now…

Plants use temperature to sense when winter is coming. Plants also need certain temperatures for the biological act of living and growing. Plant growth goes down markedly below 18C and plants can “stall” (stop growing completely) below 15C. It may only take one or two cold (sub 15C) lights-off periods for the plant to decide that winter is coming. This sets off a process whereby the plant ends flower/fruit bud production, finishes-up the flowering/fruiting maturation process in a hurry, and then gets ready to die or recede until the springtime.

If plants “stall” in this way, it can take up to 2-3 weeks for them to get back to normal flower/fruit production. Usually, they will never recover what has been lost during the “stall” period. As I’m sure you can imagine, 2 wasted weeks out of an 8 week flowering or fruiting period will have a huge detrimental effect on the size of the final crop.

Grow Room Too Cold Symptoms

Placing a thermometer and acknowledging the best comfortable temperature range is the best way to identify a ‘too cold’ grow space. Apart from that, check for these following symptoms as well-

Small and Weak Growth.

Damp areas and unwanted mould.

Chilled out root systems(Hydroponics).

Bad taste, smell, color or density of grow plants.

Problems that A Cold Grow Room Suffers From

Among the plethora of issues that a ‘too cold’ grow room can suffer from, here are three of the most critical ones-

Low Germination

Most grow plants germinates well in between a temperature of 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Some warm-season flowers and vegetables like this range to be 80+ degrees. But with a grow tent cooler than 60 degrees, you can’t expect the plants to even start the process of germination. Eventually, leading to low and poor yield.

Higher Oxygen Concentration

Below-temperature of your grow space will chill the water, leading to a higher concentration of oxygen dissolved in it. While plants intake that through roots, it hinders the metabolism and enzymic processes of plants.

A Damp And Unhealthy Grow System

Low temperature may cause a few cold or hot spots popping up in some places of the entire space. That eventually creates a damp environment and unwanted mould. Both of the issues may leave your plants with severe damage and over-purpling leaves.

How to increase heat in Grow room?

Soil Mats

One of the first options available for heating your growroom is focusing on heating the soil rather than the air. Soil or seedling mats sit underneath your trays and pots to provide the warmth that growing plants need. These soil mats are a great option when you want that ideal soil temperature between 75-85°F but can’t imagine trying to keep the heat in your home or greenhouse at that temperature. Some people only think of this as a germination mat, but it’s valuable for heating plants that have already germinated.

Heat Lamps

Another option is heat lamps, but depending on your set-up, this may not be an ideal solution. Some people may opt for heat lamps rather than heated soil mats, but this can sometimes backfire. Depending on where you have it located in your set-up and how long it’s left on, the heat lamp can dry out your plants and result in burns to your foliage. When using a heat lamp, you’ll want to keep it on just for a short period of time and ensure that you’re checking the moisture levels of your soil. There’s a good chance that you’ll need to water regularly to keep the dirt moist.

Compost Generated Heat

It may sound crazy, but you can use compost to warm your plants. This option is one way to create a heat sink and is excellent for greenhouses and hoop houses. You can dig a trench inside of your greenhouse, and cover it with a type of removable walkway so it’s not a problem.

This compost will heat up thanks to your daytime temperatures and will release this heat later in the day. Plus, you’ll get the bonus of having all that black gold ready to add to your garden. Just keep in mind you’ll have to carefully consider where you’re going to put that mainly open compost pile.

Water Storage

Another heat sink idea is to store water around your greenhouse or hoop house. You want the water storage to be placed in an area where it can be heated by the sunlight during the day. Then, during the night, the heat energy will be released into the surrounding area as the water cools off.

This option offers the benefit of having water on hand for your garden, but you have to make sure that you add the water back in as you siphon it off. Removing the water means that you’re eliminating heat storage space.

A good starting place for this method is a 55-gallon barrel, but you can use whatever water storage containers you have handy. To help get the most heat absorption, use dark materials for your tanks.

Electric Room Heaters

A popular option is an electrical room heater. There are some horticultural options that are made explicitly for greenhouse heating, but others do use regular room heaters. This type of heater means that you’ll need either an extension cord or outlets in the area where you plan on using the heater. Keep in mind that you have to use these types of heaters appropriately; you don’t want to create a fire hazard because your heater was too close to flammable materials.

Circulation

One thing that you need to keep in mind when using any of these heat sources is to circulate the heated air throughout your space. You don’t want hot and cold spots popping up in your greenhouse. Plus, this helps with the condensation that can happen when heating an area in which you’re watering or growing plants hydroponically. Some heaters will have a circulation method, such as a fan, built in, but you’ll have to determine if you need additional circulation for your set-up.

Insulation

While insulation is a passive heater, it can make your efforts more worthwhile. Insulation may not be appropriate in every situation—like covering up greenhouse windows for insulation, as you’ll then be blocking the sunlight from coming in—but there are other areas where adding some insulation can come in handy. Gardeners that grow in basement areas or different rooms inside of their homes may find that merely adding insulation goes a long way towards keeping the chill out of the room and the heat inside.

The temperature that you need in your growroom is going to depend on what you’re growing and your current set-up. Once you determine what temperature you need to try to reach, you’ll be able to personalize your heating plan based on your needs. You may find that you need to mix and match some of these options to get the right level of heat in your growroom.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)

Question: What’s the best time for heating?

Answer: It depends on the temperature outside of the growing tent, and how much heat is demanded plants. Usually, it should be after evening, when it’s starting to cool down. However, in winter, heating quite often is an evil necessity.

Question: How to keep grow room warm when lights are off?

Answer: Use something like an automatic fan speed controller that works on whether the light of your grow room is on or off. While it’s night, it will automatically deduce the fan speeds, resulting in a gradual increment in temperature.

Question: What is the cheapest way to heat a grow room?

Answer: If you’re not interested to buy a whole unit of an electric heater, some cheaper options to get a water storage, soil mat or aquarium heater. Providing intake air from a warmer space is maybe the most cost-effective idea.