#Shopping centre roof leak

[lantrttsea]

The Role and Function of Rust Inhibitors: Protecting Metal Surfaces for Longevity

Rust, the bane of metal surfaces, poses a significant challenge to industries and individuals alike. From infrastructure to household appliances, the corrosion of metals not only diminishes aesthetics but also compromises structural integrity and functionality. However, in the battle against rust, a formidable ally emerges: rust inhibitors. These chemical compounds play a crucial role in safeguarding metal surfaces, extending their lifespan, and reducing maintenance costs. This article delves into the intricate world of rust inhibitors, exploring their mechanisms, applications, and significance in various industries.

[domesticandlovingmonsters]

Guard Captain Aram (M) x F!Reader (wip)

Because I feel bad with how long this is taking to come out, and I am currently stuck on how to proceed, I'm posting this as is.

I intend to complete it annd post it as a whole, but since I'm stuck, you got this. Consider this as a type of two-parter until I can work out how to write someone having a date and how conversations work. I swear I'm a good writer, guys!!! I know how sentences and dialogue works.

Words: 9.9k

Theme/Plot:  (Fantasy/Medieval)  You're a merchant, new to the city looking to start a business from the ground up. Having purchased a cheap, run-down building as your starting point, you work hard to make something of the little things you have. But after a string of robberies, you find yourself as the centre of the Guard Captain's attention.

The rain came down in pouring sheets. Deafening you inside your own dwelling as a year's worth of rain pummeled the tiled roof.

Thunder clapped overhead so close to the city roofs that the window panels shook in their frames.

It was a gloomy day. One that made the hours in the shop drag by at a snail's pace. Not a soul was out today. For good reason, or else they’d risk being washed away by the water flowing down the street drains. Thankfully, there was alot of old stock you needed to organize and catalog to keep you busy.

The storm was a blessing in disguise. Despite the chilly weather.

With the lack of customers to keep an eye on and take commissions for, it allowed you to tune up the shop within your actual work hours. And not drip over into the late afternoon like you dreaded.

And with the ample amount of downtime came the close inspection of how your little, ancient store held up in such a harsh rainstorm.

The last of your money had gone into buying this place. It was a cheap sale and the reasons for it were obvious. A small shop with a small dwelling connected to the back of it for residential purposes.

The paint on the front was peeling and much of the wooden beams needed some love and care. The windows had needed to be removed and replaced; they had been so grimey and cracked that it made the store look sickly from the outside. And dark and gloomy within.

Not to mention the rot within the wood in some places. Which had soaked up that lingering few coins you had after the sale. But it was better than leaving the place smelling like decaying wood and having openings for rats.

The roof seemed fine, the tiles were covered in moss and some were cracked, but you didn’t see any damage other than age.

It has been months since you bought it and this had been the first real change in sunny weather, so you were walking around the place constantly looking for leaks.

So far, nothing splashed against the wooden floor. Your little shack was holding up nicely under the rain, even if the walls groaned rather worryingly whenever the wind rushed through the city streets.

The shop was nothing spectacular, you knew that. But it was yours. And it was a much nicer place than the roadside stall you used to man while you traveled.

You glanced out the window as a flash of white light illuminated the dreary street outside. And winced at the image of you and your old horse and wagon in such weather.

Many times you had been caught out in storms like this. Losing stock to the water or your wagon’s wheels getting sucked into the muddy roads.

Looking back into your warm, dry shop; a new type of appreciation came to you with your decision to settle down. And you took a deep breath of dusty, humid air and smiled.

Your shop.

It still felt weird to say. But it was still just as exciting.

Over the thunder and tumbling rain, your shop-door’s bell chimed. Alerting you to two customers that all but barrelled into the dry space.

They were soaking. But smiled cheerfully as you greeted them. One had an umbrella that looked like the wind had torn it asunder and both their hoods were raised low over their faces. Leaving only their wide smiles for you to see.

“We are so sorry for dragging water in here.” One said, a woman. Rubbing her arms to retain some heat beneath the thick cloak. “But we’re in need of some alchemy ingredients, if you have any. You’re the closest store to ours and we’re low on some things to make cold remedies.”

The other customer, with the torn umbrella, looked around your small store with a grin. “You’ve really spruced this place up. It’s so much nicer here than what I last remember. The last owner did not care for this building at all.”

You smiled as their hoods were lowered. You recognized them as the potions store owners down the street. You spoke briefly once. They were nice people. But very busy. And their names eluded you, unfortunately.

“Welcome! And don’t worry about the water, it’s unavoidable at the moment. I think I tracked in half the realm’s mud this morning. Please, come in. What did you need exactly? I have a few stocks that might be what you need.”

The woman huffed with visible relief and hurried forward to your counter. Where you withdrew some small boxes of bottled ingredients and jars of various substances.

You didn’t sell anything but the basic materials. Your shop was more a general store than a particular theme. You still weren’t sure what you wanted to be in the city.

You’ve only ever known what you could carry. On the road, certain ingredients didn’t travel well. And jewelry or fine goods made you a target for bandits.

Here, within the safety of the city, you could be any type of trader you wanted. You just still weren’t sure what niche you wanted to be.

But your general goods were exactly what these two were looking for. And your eyes widened in surprise when they asked to buy your entire stock of your basic ingredients.

“I know it’ll put you out, but we’ll pay you an extra sum on top of the sale. Our next shipment of this isn’t for another week, and we have so many commissions coming in for cold remedies.” The man said. Already pulling out a large coin purse from his belt. “And you’ll be doing us a huge favor. If you need anything-”

“It’s a deal.” You said, waving away the man’s pleading stare. “We’ve got to look after each other after all. I was going to offer a discount since you’re buying such a large amount.”

The bell over your door chimed and you shifted behind your counter so you could see around the couple. A young woman shuffled into the store. Her eyes looked around the shelves with interest and a thin cloak was wrapped around her shoulders.

“I’ll be with you in a moment!” You called out to the woman. Seeming to startle her. But she smiled, it felt a little forced, and moved deeper into your store. Her eyes darted around and then back to you.

You were about to say something else when the potion’s woman handed you a sum of coins. “I insist. I know how frustrating it can be to be out of stock. Particularly ingredients like this. Please, take the extra sum. You’re doing us a huge favor with-”

The woman’s partner glanced over his shoulder as the woman at the back moved quickly towards the door. Her shoulders were hunched as she braced for the cold water to hit her as she opened the door.

“Hey! You, wait!” He shouted but the woman was already sprinting out the door. Almost slipping on the wet pavement outside. The potion’s man swore and handed his partner the purse. “That girl is the one who stole from us last week. Get the guards!”

Before you could react, the man was barreling out of your store and charging out into the rain. His partner seemed just as surprised as you but quickly pocketed the purse and looked at you.

“Do you have a way to summon the guards directly here?” You shook your head. Your heart was pounding in your chest. “I have one in my store. I’ll go call them. See if you can find out if that woman stole anything from you. I’ll be right back.”

The woman left her crate of goods behind as she hurried out of your shop. You were quick to follow, but went to where you last saw the woman browsing.

Your eyes flew from object to object. Taking note of any spots that seemed to have shifted or had missing stock.

Everything seemed fine. Until you noticed your small display of wands had been touched. These weren’t like the wands that witches and warlocks used. But temporary magical items that did various things depending on their make.

You had ordered these as a step into selling magical merchandise. To see how well they sold here. Kids adored the ones that created bubbles of light. And a few people purchased the design that acted as a quill that would write for you without you touching it.

You had recently restocked the display with other types. And there were two that were missing.

One was a water-make. Which either made water or removed it. Not enough to drain a lake or a pool, but a few buckets could be filled or emptied if needed.

And the second was a fire starter. Which spat sparks that would harmlessly bounce off of skin or clothes, but would light a small fire on even the most water-bogged logs or extinguish it.

You sighed. Already understanding why these particular items were stolen.

You’ve dealt with enough desperate people to know when it was necessity and not greed that pushed a person to steal.

You bit your lip. These wands weren’t expensive and were cheap stock to order.

Maybe if I’m quick I can stop the potions woman from calling the guards. You thought. But then you reminded yourself that the woman who stole from you, had also stolen from them. And over the first few months of owning and stocking this store, you’ve had more than your fair share of robberies and stolen items. If word got out that you let a person steal from you, this could spiral into something worse.

The best you could do for them was not press charges if the person is found.

You sighed again. Heavier than the last and moved through your store to get your cloak.

But on your way to the back, past a small lock-box display of jewelry, you noticed the glass lid had been pried open. The magical seal had been expertly dispelled and one of your silver rings, one that created a bubble of small protection, was missing.

You swore under your breath. Disappointment flooding through you.

Now you had to continue with the guards and hope they found the person.

That ring was an expensive item. The enchantment was a common one, but the ring amplified the bubble to be the size of a house. Something that was incredibly hard to do and would have taken alot of material to make such an enchantment safe and usable.

Hence why it was in a lock-box, under magical protection, and worth a decent sum of coins. Another one of your stretches into unknown territory with sales and items.

It was nothing so expensive that it would put a target on your store. But it was one of your pricier items, one that a customer had been eyeing off last time they passed through.

“They just had to steal that.” You grumbled. Slapping the lid back down on the lock-box. The seal buzzed as the box was closed again, letting you know the magic was once again activated. You gave it an experimental tug on the lid and when it didn’t open, without your key, you were happy enough to leave it.

You retrieved your cloak from the back of the shop and exited your store. Making sure the door was locked and hurried down the street to the potions store.

You were near drenched when you slipped into the two story building. But the moment your foot stepped over the threshold, you were flooded with warmth and your clothes tickled with magic that left you dry and comfortable.

You definitely needed that enchantment on your front door.

From behind the many shelves, the potions woman appeared, looking flustered as she hurried towards you. “The guards are on their way. Did that wretched thing take anything?”

“Some low magic wands and an enchanted ring.” You grimaced. “I don’t care for the wands, so much. But that ring is expensive. As long as I get that back, I’ll let it slide.”

The woman scoffed and gestured for you to follow her, leading you to the back of the store where a pot of tea and some small biscuits were waiting. “That woman stole two potions of healing and an iron-bark elixir from us. I know times are tough. And the potions were only small portions, not worth alot. But the iron-bark elixir is a very slow and ingredient heavy process. We can only make so many a month and they're in high demand with the guards and travelers. If she only stole the potions, we wouldn’t have pushed so hard to find her. But the elixir alone can fix us up for an entire month.”

Your eyes widened. “Those elixirs are that expensive?”

“Ours are, yes.” The woman said, a little proudly, as she poured you a cup of tea. “Ours doesn’t just give you thick skin and more strength, we’ve perfected a way that the aftereffect of the elixir doesn’t put you in a bed for a day. It’ll affect you for a few hours at best after you use the elixir but unlike our competitors iron-bark, you can get up and get ready for the day after a good night’s sleep.”

You whistled in appreciation for such craftsmanship. “That’s incredible. I can understand why she would try to take it then. Sell it off for some quick coin.”

The woman nodded. Sipping her tea after putting some honey in it and stirring. “I grew up very poor. I used to steal bread and clothes to get by. But stealing potions like ours? You put yourself at such risk for it. Even your ring! The wands can be overlooked. But something like that is just…silly.”

You stirred some honey into your own cup and allowed the conversation to fall away as you sipped. Thankfully, the potions man appeared in the doorway. Looking winded and red faced. “I couldn’t find her. The damn woman gave me the slip.”

“Better you don’t approach her, love.” The woman said, with a soft smile. “Let the guards deal with her. They’re on their way.”

The man nodded. Taking a deep breath that his body obviously needed. He looked at you and offered a smile. “I’m sorry I couldn’t catch her. Did she steal anything?”

You explained the stolen stock and the man tsked. Muttering about the lack of respect for shopkeepers; “Especially one such as yourself. You’re just starting out! I recall my first few years as a storekeeper, my Gods, the ledger was never full enough. And every piece of missing stock was precious.”

You nodded, chuckling along with the man as he shook his head. “Well, at least our sale will help me out until I can get a replacement or the ring is found. I’ll bring the stock over once we’ve spoken with the guards. I didn’t think to bring it over just now.”

The two waved you off. Saying they trust you enough to not skip their deal because of a distraction like this.

The three of you chatted idly while you waited for the guards to arrive.

And when they did, you immediately recognized three amongst them.

One was a tall elf woman by the name of Yesrie. Dark hair with sharp eyes but a warm smile.

The second was a human man named Smith. You never got his first name because everyone called him by his second. He had been in his first year in the Guard when you arrived; eager to help and prove himself, he had taken your reports on missing items like a personal attack. And hunted them down like he was the one who owned them.

Then the third, the Guard Captain’s right hand, Briar. A green lizardman built like a stone barn. They were a stoic type of individual. Had a sharp tongue when it came to humbling their guards but professional when it came to their work.

They all greeted you a little more warmly than they did with the pair beside you.

Your first few months here allowed you to become quite friendly with the Guard. Not by any intent of your own, but your new store in town got more attention than you bargained for. And not in a good way. Stolen merchandise meant the Guard got involved. And it happened so often within a few weeks that the Guard Captain had stepped in.

And with that sort of attention watching your store, the thieves dissipated quickly.

“(Y/N), why am I not surprised your shop was involved?” Briar asked, crossing their arms over their armor plated chest. Their iron gauntlets clinked against the metal. “I had hoped that the call meant a different store.”

You shrugged, sighing dramatically. “It wouldn’t be a Thursday without something of mine going missing.”

Smith and Yesrie laughed. Briar’s reptilian face rarely showed much emotion other than a hard stare. But you glimpsed their scaly lips twitch in amusement.

“Indeed. You know the drill, then. What happened? Every little detail, as you know, helps us out.”

You explained the events that transpired within your store. Explaining why the potion-store owners were involved, which gave them a chance to explain how they recognized the person who stole from you.

Briar nodded along, taking in everything you said. Yesrie commented they were the guard that took the potion store’s report and that this thief was targeting many stores in the district, not just a few.

Smith was writing down notes in a small notebook that was the size of his palm. Asking the usual questions like the woman’s hair color or description. Which you had to let the potion shop owners answer, because you didn’t really take notice of the woman.

Then when you got to the descriptions of the stolen items, Briar’s tail twitched in irritation. Nothing directed at you, you found out. “Well, that complicates things. Stolen magical items of significant power require a formal report issued by the owner. Meaning, (y/n), you’re gonna have to go to the Guard House and fill one out.”

You groaned in annoyance. You had to fill out a report once before. It took forever. And you really didn’t feel like going across the district to the Guard House in this weather.

But if you want that ring back, or at least be compensated for its loss, you’ll need to go.

“I’m guessing I’ll need the paperwork I received for purchasing the item to sell?” You asked and Briar nodded.

“Proof of purchase or the license which came with the item. Anything that has the item’s description and magic detailed alongside your ownership. And it’s something you need to do at the House, too. We can’t issue you one, since you need a scribe to sign off on it and witness you filling it out.”

“All that for a magical item?” The potions woman scoffed. “Damn, I’m happy we never got into that side of the business.”

You wish you could agree with her. But you were definitely going to make an adjustment to your stock and protection so you didn’t have to go through this again.

“Alright. Thank you for your time. Sorry you had to march through this weather for my store again.” You said. And Yesrie shrugged, glancing out the window as another flash of lightning lit up the dim street outside.

“The weather makes you appreciate the sunny days more. We’ll see you at the House, (y/n).” Yesrie replied. And the guards took their leave.

You soon followed suit. Promising the potion owners you would bring their merchandise around soon. But they waved you off. Telling you to deal with the reports and the guards first before worrying about them.

You were beginning to really appreciate them. And made sure to lower the price on anything the two needed in any later deals.

Back inside your shop you made quick work of finding the needed documents that involved any transaction or information of the ring.

Which you then wrapped up in a leather satchel that was worn and aged from many years on the road. An old trusty item you’ve carried with you everywhere before placing it in the drawer of your new work desk.

It would protect the documents from the rain and keep them nice and flat while you trekked the stormy streets.

You wrapped yourself up in as much water-proof clothing as you could. Your cloak was your best chance at keeping yourself dry but watching the sky still bucket down torrents of water, you doubted you’d stay warm for long.

As long as the documents were safe, you could endure the rain.

And walking through the streets was just about as miserable as you expected. You stuck to any type of cover you could as you walked. Storefront canopies or trees that were planted along the paths. The thunder felt like it was roaring directly in your ear as you braced against the chilling wind.

You wrapped your cloak tightly around you and pulled your hood down so low over your face you could only see the pavement in front of you.

Every glance up at where you were going was a risk of cold water trickling down your neck and into your warm clothes.

You zigged and zagged through the district until you came upon the large stone steps of the Guard House. The House itself was huge! Meant to house many of the district's officers and their cadets. This one also doubled as a school for fresh-faced persons looking to become a guard.

As you climbed the steps to the door, you could hear someone yelling at said cadets beyond the stone wall that secluded the training yards from the streets.

You grimaced at the thought of training in such weather.

As you stepped through the doors, the same magic from the potion shop passed over your clothes. However, this enchantment felt like it was spluttering. Parts of you were left dry while other sections were left merely damp.

You were warmer than before you stepped inside but your fingers still felt icy as you approached the receptionist at the desk.

You greeted them warmly and explained what you needed to fill out. And the receptionist motioned for you to walk down a hallway and then turn right, which would lead you to the scribes that would help you out.

You thanked her and headed in your pointed direction.

The House was bustling with activity. You passed many guards through the halls, swathed in armor and weapons. A few scribes hurried by and you even made room for a woman with a mean looking hound to pass you in the hall.

She thanked you as she kept the beast on a short leash. The hound didn’t pay you any mind so you knew it was more for your sense of space than the dog’s.

But you found the scribe room easily enough and the man behind the desk went through the process of the report.

It was a long document too. With a handful of pages that you needed to fill out and agree too. The scribe looked equally annoyed with the prospect, apparently he needed to go over it and sign off as you went. It would take time out of both of your afternoon’s. But he took you to the side to a desk so you could sit comfortably and fill it out.

Excusing himself and asking you to call him over when you got to a particular section before moving on through the document.

You hoped the scribe didn’t think your agitation was directed at him as you sighed and sat down. But you got to work, reading over the lengthy questions and paragraphs with a quill in your hand.

A few minutes later, Briar entered the room and went to the scribe desk, speaking softly. When the scribe nodded and disappeared through a door, their eyes passed over you once before snapping back as they spotted you. They came over to greet you. Their tail dripped a little with rainwater. “Ah, it’s good to see someone with initiative. You got here quickly.” Briar said, leaning against another desk to your left.

“Better to get it out of the way now than later.” You shrugged. “You wouldn’t have happened to stumble across my thief with my ring by chance? So I don’t have to do this?” You asked, hopefully. But Briar shook their head.

That twitch pulled at their scaly lips again as a hissing chuckle whistled through their sharp teeth.

“If only we were that lucky. I have to do my own paperwork about it, as well. I envy you. I’d rather do your documents than my own.” Like the scribe was summoned, he appeared and placed a thick folder of paper on the front desk. Briar thanked him gruffly and went over to scoop it up. Grumbling as he showed you the thickness of the folder. “See. No complaining from you about lengthy reports. I will probably beat you on every account.”

You laughed and nodded. “I do feel a little better about my report now. Thanks.”

“Here to help. Enjoy.” Briar said with a curt nod before leaving the room.

You refocused your attention on the documents in front of you. Calling over the scribe when he didn’t look too busy once you got up to the section he requested.

And while he looked over what you wrote and ensured everything was in order, you let your gaze wander. The scribe hall looked like a bustling library. Desks and chairs were scattered about the room. And behind the front desk were many, many towering shelves of books and scrolls.

Scribes appeared and disappeared behind each corridor of paper. Some carried in armfuls of paper or were discussing something with a guard.

It was all very busy here. But the chatter was rather quiet. You wondered if there was some sort of magic that kept the sound of the hustle and bustle at a low range.

“Scribe Harry, I was told that- Oh, (y/n), what are you doing here?” Your attention snapped to the door of the hall as your name was voiced.

Guard Captain Aram strolled over to where you were sitting. Making your heart skip a beat when he leaned over the back of your chair to inspect the report.

Aram was an orc with a heavy green complexion that contrasted the pale patches of skin on his body caused by vitiligo. His blonde hair was tied back in uniform to the neat standards of the Guard.

His tusks curved out from his lower lip, decorated by silver caps on the blunt tips. His thick arms were wrapped in thick leather that slid under a heavy metal chest piece with the Guard’s symbol carved into the steel. The patches on his shoulders displayed his rank, if the better armor and air of authority didn’t already display it.

“I was robbed again.” You sighed. Pushing down the sudden rush of nervousness as you turned your attention to the captain. “A magical item this time. Briar came and sorted it out and told me to come here.”

Aram’s brows knitted together and you could have sworn you saw a spark of amusement light in those beautiful emerald eyes. Before the stoic expression of a guard captain fell back into place. “Ah, yes, the grand paperwork involved with magic. I thought you said you wanted to keep simple stock for a time.”

You nodded. Having to pause your answer to thank the scribe as he pushed the report back to you to continue writing. “Yes. But a friend of mine had some stock they couldn’t move in the settlement nearby. So, I took it off their hands.”

“And then someone decided to take it from yours.” Aram said. He glanced over at the scribe as he moved some dropped off paperwork into the shelves behind him. “Hmm, this will go quicker if I take over for the scribes. The poor bastards have had their hands full recently.” Then Aram called out to the scribe nearby, Harry, who looked relieved when Aram explained he’d be taking over witnessing you finish the report.

“Do you mind if we do this in my office? The magic in here makes my ears ache.” Aram asked. And when you nodded, Aram escorted you through the building to his office. Which you had been in once before when Aram had taken over the investigation of why your store was being targeted so frequently.

He closed the door behind you and you took the offered seat in front of his desk. Which he then slid your seat closer to the desk and made space on the surface for you to start the next section of the report.

He moved your chair so effortlessly with you in it that it made your stomach flip a little giddily. But you hid your smile as you busied yourself with reading over the next section.

“I was recently thinking about you. And, uh, the reports you had to make on your store.” Aram said rather quickly, fiddling with some papers on his desk. “It’s been a while since your last break in. I thought my trick did the job, to be honest.”

“For a while it did.” You agreed. Pausing to write down the description of the ring. “The extra patrols you had around the place seemed to scare them off. And gave me enough time to better the security of my shop. I still spot Smith on occasion in the area. But he always seems busy. I hope you’re not working him too hard.”

Aram chuckled. Picking up a quill of his own and scribbling over some papers on his desk. “The boy is fine. He’s eager for the work. But, uh…” You tore your eyes off the paperwork long enough to see why Aram didn’t finish his sentence.

His eyes were narrowed and his lips were pursed in a poor attempt at looking angry, looking over your head to the windows behind you.

You turned your head. And you caught a glimpse of something quickly darting out of view of the office. The room was enclosed but anyone in the hallways had a clear view of you sitting at Aram’s desk. The Guard Captain grumbled and stood, clearing his throat as he flicked a small switch and curtains fell down over the windows leading to the corridor outside.

“Nosy bastards.” You heard Aram mutter. But you pretended not to hear him as he returned to his seat and continued working on whatever was in front of him. “I was going to say he wanted to be set in that district. Apparently, his aunt lives around there.”

“Aww, that’s sweet of him. I’ll be sure to annoy him any chance I get when I see him.” You said, refocusing on the paper in front of you. You reached the next spot the scribe had told you to call for him and offered the papers to Aram.

Who went over the report swiftly and then handed it back to you after he signed off on the part he needed too.

“A ring of protection, huh? That didn’t move at your friend's establishment?” Aram asked, surprised. And you shook your head, writing as you responded.

“Their town was going through a drought. Which is probably being washed downriver right now with this rain. But no one had the money to purchase a ring like that. I offered to buy it off them and then give them a percentage if I manage to sell it. We used to travel together before they bought their store. They helped me get my place. Since I had no idea how to purchase property.”

Aram made a thoughtful noise, watching you as you worked. “Why didn’t you buy a place outside the city? Probably would have been cheaper. And also get you a better place than that splinter shack.”

“Hey, that’s my splinter shack you’re insulting.” You playfully snapped. Which made the Guard Captain laugh. “But I wanted to try the city. I’ve never stayed in one for long. And I thought a change of lifestyle would be refreshing.”

“And is it refreshing?” Aram asked.

You paused to look up at him, smiling. “Well, the people are much more interesting.” You let the sentence hang in the air for a touch longer before continuing. “And there’s always something happening here. And the food! Oh my Lords, I’ve never had such a wide variety of food always available. Every morning I get a fresh coffee with a freshly baked bun. A much better change than living off of dried meats and stale bread with cheese.”

Aram grinned at that. His eyes seemed to sparkle in the candlelight. “So, you think you’ll stay here for good then. This string of robberies hasn’t scared you off?”

You scoffed lightly and shook your head. “I’ve fought off armed bandits and kobolds from my goods before. A few hooded figures isn’t going to scare me off. I’ve gotten too comfortable sleeping in an actual bed now to give it up.”

Your words seemed to widen Aram’s smile. “Well, good to hear. The city always needs more good people like you in it. It would be a shame to see you go.”

Something in the way Aram spoke made your pulse quicken. Or maybe how his fingers brushed over your hand as you handed him the documents again for him to look over.

Either way, you were suddenly very aware of how little room there was between the two of you. Even if the desk was large enough to sit such a big man behind it, it felt like Aram was close enough to touch.

And as you took back the paperwork, you thought it was silly of you to think that he was putting his hand directly so that your fingers brushed over his.

It didn’t stop you from feeling how warm his hand was. Nor notice how much larger his hand was compared to yours.

You felt your cheeks flush with heat and you tried very hard to concentrate on the papers in front of you.

It still took an hour to go over everything, but you managed to finish the documents required. Aram took it upon himself to file it away as soon as possible. And asked you a few more questions about the robbery before opening the door of his office for you.

“I’ll be in touch in a few days.” Aram said, leaning against the doorframe. “If we find anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Thank you for your time, Captain Aram.” You said and then added jokingly. “And I’ll be sure to let you know if something else goes missing from my store.”

Aram laughed. “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.” Then he glanced to one of the nearby windows as a crash of thunder sounded overhead “Have you got a way of getting back to your store? It’s still pouring outside.”

You grimaced and a shiver ran over you at the thought of the walk back. It was later in the afternoon now. The sun wouldn’t be set yet, but with the dark clouds overhead and closing to sunset, it was already pretty dark outside.

“No. It’s not that far of a walk, though. I’ll be fine.” You lied. And knew Aram would know this was your attempt at being polite and not complaining.

Aram’s warm smile dimmed and he shook his head. “I’m not having you walk home in this. I’ll get someone to drive you back.”

Your eyes widened and you tried to make an excuse that would justify not needing a driver. But Aram caught sight of Smith walking past and called him over.

“Yes, Captain?” Smith said as he approached. Looking between you and Aram worriedly.

“Get a carriage and drive (y/n) back to her store. And no side stops on your way back, got it.” Aram said, his voice harsh with authority as Smith’s confusion turned into something close to amused glee. He nodded and then looked at you.

“Your chariot is this way, ma’am.” He said with a little more bravado than needed. And you looked at Aram with a joking glare.

“You’re really going to subject me to this?” You asked. And Aram’s stern facade broke with a smile.

“I’d rather not hear that you got washed away by a river on your way home. Get her home safe, Smith.” Aram said before closing the door and leaving you to a beaming Smith as you followed him through the House.

“So, what did you and the Captain talk about in there?” Smith asked. Wiggling his shoulders in a teasing manner as he led you out into an enclosed barn connected to the Guard House. Where a carriage was currently being connected to two brown horses.

“He was overseeing the report I needed to fill out about the ring.” You explained. Ignoring the tiny flush of embarrassment that crawled up your neck. “The scribes were busy and he had time.”

Smith blew a harsh breath out of his lips. “Puh-lease, the Captain never has time.” And then so quietly you almost missed it. “But that seems to change for you.”

You chose to ignore him and wait by the House doors while Smith spoke with the person hooking the animals up. He then waved you over and opened the carriage door for you.

“My Lady.” He bowed his head and you tsked playfully at him.

“Stop that. It’s embarrassing enough as it is. Being escorted back home by a guard.” You mumbled as you climbed inside. Which got you a laugh from Smith.

“Come on, enjoy it! How many times have you been safely escorted home like the rich folk? Beat on the roof if you need me to stop for anything, alright?”

Smith closed the door once you were comfortably seated and you heard him clamber onto the front of the carriage.

The carriage itself wasn’t anything extravagant. The seats were plush enough to stop you from sitting on hard wood and there was enough space to fit four people.

It still felt a bit excessive for only you to be in here. But at least you weren’t going to be walking in the rain.

Your body lurched a little as Smith urged the horses into moving. And soon enough the carriage was filled with the deafening roar of rain pelting the roof above you.

You felt bad for Smith sitting up front. You had glimpsed a small canopy over the driver's seat. But that would be very little protection against the storm as it whipped around him outside.

You sighed. Relaxing against the seat as you glanced through the fogged window to the passing streets.

They were mostly empty. Apart from a few store fronts preparing to close for the afternoon. And some carriages that trotted past.

You haven’t gotten to experience a carriage ride in the city yet. You’ve been so busy with the store that any luxuries you usually would have gotten with your money were forgotten. Or spent on the store itself.

It was kind of peaceful watching the city pass you by.

You would definitely be sending another bakery basket to Aram for this. He had enjoyed the first one you sent after he helped keep your store safe last time.

I’m not having you walk home in this.

His words bounced around in your head like an endless echo. And you found yourself smiling.

And the way he had put his hand in the path of yours? It made your heart skip just thinking about it.

You shook your head. Trying to scatter the thoughts that were attempting to wriggle into your mind.

“Oh, stop it.” You sighed to yourself. “He’s just making sure you’re safe. That’s his job after all.”

You knew you wanted it to be a lie the moment you said it.

But you refused to think of any other reason that Aram would be doing this. You didn’t need something like that in your life just yet. You were busy as it was.

But…A small voice whispered. You definitely need something like him. Even only for a night or two.

Your cheeks burned as the thoughts spiraled and you shook your head again. Refusing to let those thoughts get any more traction than they already have.

It…has been a long time. But you were a business woman now. You had more important things at this moment than scratching that itch. Once the store was a little more organized and things calmed down, then maybe, maybe, you’d think about it.

You sat in your hurricane of a mind as Smith drove through your district and finally came to a stop just outside your store.

You went to open the door but Smith was already there. Drenched from head to toe but all smiles, bowing his head dramatically.

“My Lady! A pleasant ride, I hope.”

“Oh my Gods, you poor thing. Get back as quickly as you can before you catch a cold.” You gasped as you slipped out of the carriage. Hurrying to the safety of your store front.

“I’m fine. Get inside! I’ll let the Captain know you’re safely at your castle.” Smith called over the rain. And you didn’t even bother retorting, merely stuck out your tongue at him as you waved him off.

You heard him laugh and watched through your store windows as the carriage pulled away and disappeared into the heavy sheets of rain.

~*~

A few days later, the bell over your door chimed as someone entered. You called out to the customer that you’d be with them shortly and finished what you were doing in the back before greeting them behind your counter.

“Aram!” You beamed as the Guard Captain approached you. “What a surprise! Good news? Or bad news?”

Aram made a face like he was deciding, jokingly clicking his tongue as he leaned his arms on your counter. Crossing them over each other and coming down to your eye height.

“Which do you want first?” He asked.

You pursed your lips, hopelessly ignoring how Aram’s gaze flicked to your mouth before returning to your eyes as you said, “Good news first.”

“We found the woman who stole your items. Your ring is being processed and looked over to ensure it hasn’t been tampered with. It’ll take a few days to get back to you.”

You sighed with relief. “That’s good. But…the bad news?”

Aram’s grin made his eyes crinkle adorably as he shuffled his weight on his feet. He cleared his throat and it felt like he was forcing his gaze to stay on you. “The bad news is that I lost a bet involving the case. And you unfortunately will be put on the spot as I ask you out to dinner.” He cleared his throat again and stood at attention in front of you. Your heart pounded in your chest as he swallowed hard and said. “Would you like to go out to dinner with me?”

It was almost adorable at how worried Aram looked as you stared up at him. And it was even more so when relief washed over his expression as you nodded.

Before you realized you were even replying, you had said yes. You laughed sheepishly, shaking your head. “You lost a bet and you were forced to ask me out to dinner?”

“I wouldn’t say forced. That makes it sound like I didn't want to.” Aram replied. Scratching the back of his neck, under the thick braid of blonde hair. “I want to take you to dinner. I have for a bit now. I just…things got in the way and I wasn’t sure if you would be interested in me and…I’m sorry. I’m rambling.” He cleared his throat again. “This is me asking you to dinner, sincerely.”

“What would have happened if you didn’t?” You asked.

“Probably be called a coward by my men.” Aram replied. “Or someone would have done it for me, I’m sure. Or somehow talked you into asking me out. I don’t know. They’re very nosy. Very much like a bunch of highschoolers.”

“But they gave you an opening to ask me out to dinner. So, I would forgive them.” You said with a chuckle. And Aram visibly relaxed with the sound. “When would you like to set this dinner? I’m free most afternoons. I’m sure it’s your schedule we have to work around.” You said teasingly. And Aram nodded.

“I’ll free up my night next Friday, if that’s ok with you? I know it’s a while away but this week is choked up with work already.” When you nodded, Aram’s smile broadened and your body became heated under his sparkling gaze. You both discussed a place to eat, but since you rarely went out other than cafes and small take-away establishments, Aram promised he’d surprise you with a brilliant place to dine. “I’ll pick you up around seven? If the rain hasn’t stopped by then, I’ll bring a carriage around for us to use.”

You sarcastically rolled your eyes, “Please do not make Smith drive us. That was torture last time.”

Aram laughed but shook his head. “No, no. I won’t be letting those vultures anywhere near our dinner. I promise.”

Once you confirmed again the time and date, Aram excused himself, having to continue his patrol around the district. And the moment he left, your heart soared with excitement at the thought of dinner with Aram.

~*~

Friday couldn’t come any quicker.

The rest of the week fell into a snail like pace, dragging day and night until the morning of your dinner date with Aram.

The rain didn’t subside. Most of the city was now flooded or close to it.

You had braced your store for the worst. Purchasing new tables with waterproofing and protective surfaces, so if the water started to rise and your store was flooded, at least some of your merchandise would be saved.

Coincidentally, as you were unloading the transport carriage that had said furniture, three city guards came over to help unload them.

You didn’t know any of them, but you thought it was sweet that some passing guards saw you and the transport man struggling to move a table, and decided to help.

But that seemed to become a pattern over the course of the week leading to Friday.

You saw more guards than usual in the district and some greeted you as if you knew them. Smith came over to you whenever you were out. Conversing until he needed to leave for his patrol and you needed to return to the shop.

Briar dropped by and returned the ring to you. They was a lot more friendly than the prior meetings you had with them. They actually cracked a few jokes with you.

You finally caved when Yesrie just happened to be in the area on Friday morning. Popping by with a coffee for you. “Are all of you around here because I’m going out with Aram?” You asked. And Yesrie was terrible at feigning ignorance, even if she was joking the entire time she replied.

“You’re going out with my captain? That’s amazing! I didn’t know at all.”

You rolled your eyes and shooed her out of your store. Thanking her for the coffee and company before you needed to get to work.

But finally, the time came to close the store and begin getting ready for your date.

You chose something simple to wear but something to also make you look downright gorgeous. Being in the city had its perks and the ample amount of shops around allowed you to browse and pick something amazing for yourself.

You had half the thought it could be a touch overdressed, but you weren’t sure where Aram was taking you. And you did look good in it! So you wrestled down the nerves and waited for Aram to arrive.

You kept your hands busy with small things in your shop before a heavy knock sounded on your front door.

You quickly opened the door for Aram and he stepped inside wrapped in a thick cloak and hood sprinkled by the rain.

“Damn, look at you, (y/n).” Aram beamed. His eyes didn’t seem to know where to look. They definitely lingered along your chest and hips, but respectfully flicked up to hold your gaze very quickly when he caught himself staring. “I feel a little underdressed now.”

You glimpsed his attire beneath the cloak. Dark dress pants with a deep brown shirt that hugged his large frame snugly. He had decorative leather bracers along his wrists and his hair was neatly bundled up in a collection of braids. Each had small trinkets adorning the strands.

“Nonsense,” You said a little breathlessly. Have you ever seen this man out of uniform? “You look very dashing.”

Your words made his smile crinkle his eyes and he opened his cloak up to you. Nodding to the carriage waiting outside. “I forgot to bring you an umbrella.”

“Ah, yes. I also don’t own one.” You said, hoping the way you moved up beside him didn’t seem too eager.

And you absolutely had an umbrella. But you were not going to miss an opportunity to snugly press yourself against Aram.

Once you were standing against his side, Aram lowered his arm enough that the cloak surrounded you almost entirely. A sweet scent wafted off of him to you and you shivered as your arm brushed against his side.

He was so warm!

Together you exited the store, halting long enough to lock the front and then quickly dash to the carriage. Where a driver was waiting in the rain to open the door for the two of you.

You felt utterly terrible for the man. But as you clambered into the carriage, you caught a glimpse of your driver.

An automaton. A being made of metal and mechanical parts bowed their head as you greeted them. Their clothes were drenched but they didn’t seem to mind as Aram joined you in the carriage, taking the seat next to you, and the automaton closed the door behind him.

“Did you hire a driver for tonight?” You asked. Baffled by the beautiful interior of the carriage. It was much fancier than the one Smith drove you in. And the rain didn’t thunder the roof in this one. You could barely hear it as Aram responded.

“No. This is my carriage. Anthony out there works for me.” Aram said this as if it was a normal occurrence for someone to have an automaton driver. Or their own fancy carriage.

You tried not to balk at his words. Instead made room for him to remove the damp cloak and fold it on the seat across from the both of you.

“I didn’t know being a Guard Captain paid so well.” You teased. Watching Aram as he adjusted his shirt and ensured his bracers were still correctly placed on his wrists. There was a slight scruff along his cheeks and he had replaced the silver caps on his tusks with gold ones.

Damn, he dressed up nice.

Aram smiled and your heart shuddered when he winked at you. “It also pays to have been a successful adventurer beforehand.”

Your eyes widened and Aram laughed as you said, “Wait, you haven’t been a stuck up captain all your life?” Though your words were sarcastic, you couldn’t help but be impressed. “To be honest, I wouldn’t have guessed that was your past. Maybe a soldier of some kind? But not an adventurer.”

“You’d be amazed at how many guards of mine are retired adventurers or travelers looking to settle down. I knew the old captain before he retired. It sped up my promotions, I’ll admit, but I proved myself just like everyone else.” Aram admitted. Relaxing against the plush back seat of the carriage. “Chasing down burglars and walking the streets at night is a much better alternative to dungeon crawling.”

You hummed in agreement. “I do not miss the cold nights or falling asleep hungry. But there was definitely a charm to traveling that the city doesn’t have.”

It was Aram’s turn to agree with a grunt. “I do occasionally miss having the time and freedom to do whatever I want. But I wouldn’t give up my position for anything. Least of all, leave my Guards behind just to go treasure hunting.”

You caught a light twinkling in Aram’s eyes as he spoke. And his smile curled warmly at the corners. It was no secret that Aram was as loyal as any to the Guard, but there was definitely a type of kinship between them all as well.

“That does remind me,” You said, tilting your head teasingly at Aram. “Did you order more guards to patrol my district? I keep tripping over them everytime I leave the shop.”

Aram didn’t look surprised, but he didn’t look pleased about what you said either. “Ah, I was wondering why some of them took longer to return after their patrols.” You waited for Aram to say something else. And when he didn’t, you set a pointed stare on him, urging him to continue whatever thought was bouncing around in his head. Aram chuckled with a half roll of his eyes. “Alright, alright. This is a little embarrassing, but I believe they’re keeping an eye on you for me. On their own accord. I haven’t ordered anymore than the usual patrols in your district. But since…well, they’re a loyal lot and they want to make sure you’re safe.”

You laughed. It made sense why you saw Smith and Yesrie more than anyone else on your streets. “All because you asked me out to dinner?”

“Well…not just because of dinner. But that’s a conversation for later.” Aram said sheepishly. And he expertly changed the subject to your store and how it was faring in the weather. You let the conversation be swept into other topics, but you definitely would hold onto that little kernel of a question for later.

The ride through the city took a little longer than you expected. But soon, the streets outside transformed into a string of establishments on the docks. And the carriage was taken through a route that ran along the rough, crashing oceanside.

The beach looked absolutely ruined from the harsh tides. And the dark gloomy horizon was nothing more than a black screen of storm clouds.

Despite the rain, the street itself was bustling with activity. Lights illuminated the roads brilliantly in warm orange. And all along the sidewalk were canopies and large overhanging roofs to give shelter to the patrons that walked by.

Your carriage was taken to a restaurant that had a grand glass ceiling and a large balcony with many tables seated beneath it. Your table was directly next to the balcony edge, where a shield of magic protected you and Aram from the torrent of rain slashing down from above.

And you found yourself pleasantly warm as Aram pushed in your chair as you took your seat. The business must have heating enchantments placed around to keep their patrons comfortable.

“This place is lovely.” You said as your waiter passed you both a menu. Excusing themselves to give you time to look over their drink choice.

“It’s one of my favorite spots in the city. The ocean view usually is better, but I can at least trust the food will be good.” Aram explained, glancing over the railing to the harsh waves and dark waters. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all.” You quickly reassured him. “I’m just happy to have an excuse to go out. I’ve been putting off going out for dinner for a while. I don’t know alot of people here yet. I wouldn’t know where to start.``

“Well, I hope my choice becomes one of your favorites.” Aram smiled.

The conversation fell into a simple one of work. Aram asked more questions about your store while you prodded about his life in the Guard.

“Things have gotten better over the past few months.” Aram admitted, drawing idle circles on the condensation of his cup of mead. “But I’m sure…activities will pick up closer to the holiday season. I dread to think about that time of year. But it is at least never lacking on slow days.”

“I used to avoid cities during their festival seasons. As backwards as that is for a traveling merchant.” You said in return. “It always caused me more grief than coins. But I guess it’s unavoidable now that I have a permanent spot here.”

                ~~~~To Be Continued Because my brain is stuck~~~~~~

As always, feedback or suggestions are welcome!! 

[aercascade]

Introducing the Galleries in Aldershot, Taken August 2017. These are images I have kept on my DSLR for a while and thought I'd share.

Visiting Aldershot was a hugely drastic example of Urban Decay in action. It's clear the high street was at a breaking point during this year as even the plethora of discount stores were empty husks of their formerly bustling selves.

PoundWorld and PoundLand were both empty. A single chair occupying the now barren PoundWorld store. We call these "Chilling Chairs''

Death was inevitable, when even the discount stores couldn't survive. What hope is there for Antiques and Jewellers?

When taking this photo I was approached by a very kind gentleman who spoke about the sorry state of the shopping centre. Bringing up memories of a better time when the shopping centre was lively and busy.

It was at this point the hunger set in, I really fancied a bite to eat. I was reminded of the existence of the food chain "Wimpy Burger" . It was actually fantastic. I was still on my vegetarian kick so settled on a mushroom burger.

I would recommend visiting Wimpy... before you can't. The food isn't bad at all.

The Galleries were only partially open. Gated off was the second and barren half of The Galleries. The Roof leaking with wet floor cones trailing off into the distance.

For being devoid of any purpose here, this section of the galleries is surprisingly tidy despite the problematic ceiling. It's clear the ones still in charge are clinging onto a hope that maybe one day this forgotten space can be restored to its former glory.

Externally of the Shopping Centre was a sorry sight. The parking area was marked with warning posters and carried the same smell found in the Swindon Bus Station Toilets.

Even for 2017, there bore some archaic remnants of a past technology. Rusted, grotty and definitely not something I was about to verify if it still worked.

There were smaller shopping areas outside, for being a weekday in the summer holidays it was scarily dead. This was pre-pandemic, I can't imagine the state of Aldershot now but I would like to return again someday soon.

The last picture I am sharing, doing a bit of walking around I came across this abandoned building. I would never trespass into an abandoned building to show you all the inside, but the outside was sad enough.

I regret not asking the locals more about this place as I am not sure what it was before it became abandoned.



Thanks for checking out my post on Aldershot! I'll have some more content from other places including the Swindon Tented Market!

[classicpropertynz]

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Property Investments

Investing in real estate can be lucrative, but it has its pitfalls. Many investors make costly mistakes that can impact their returns and overall investment success.

In this blog, we'll explore some of the most common mistakes in property investments solutions in NZ and provide insights on how to avoid them.

1. Insufficient Research and Due Diligence

One of investors' most significant mistakes is jumping into property investments NZ without thorough research.

Researching the local market trends, property values, rental demand, and potential for appreciation is essential. Performing due diligence includes:

Market Analysis: Understand the current and historical trends in the local real estate market. Is it a buyer's or seller's market? What are the average rental yields and vacancy rates?

Property Inspection: Conduct a comprehensive inspection of the property to identify any structural issues, maintenance needs, or potential hazards.

Financial Analysis: Calculate the potential returns on investment (ROI), including rental income versus mortgage payments, property taxes, and maintenance costs.

2. Overextending Financially

Another common mistake is overextending financially by investing beyond your means. This can lead to financial strain if the property doesn't generate expected returns or requires unexpected repairs. To avoid overextending:

Set a Budget: Determine your budget and stick to it. Consider all costs, including down payments, closing, and ongoing expenses.

Factor in Contingencies: Have a financial buffer for unexpected expenses such as maintenance, vacancies, or economic downturns.

3. Ignoring Location and Market Trends

Location is crucial in real estate investments, yet many investors overlook its importance. A property's location influences its rental income potential, resale value, and overall desirability. Consider:

Neighbourhood Quality: Is the property in a desirable neighbourhood with amenities like schools, parks, shopping centres, and transportation?

Future Development Plans: Research any upcoming developments or infrastructure projects impacting property values.

4. Neglecting Property Management

Effective property management is essential for maximising returns and maintaining tenant satisfaction. Neglecting property management responsibilities can lead to the following:

Vacancy Issues: Failure to promptly address tenant concerns or maintain the property can result in high turnover rates.

Legal Compliance: Stay informed about landlord-tenant laws and regulations to avoid legal issues.

5. Underestimating Repair and Maintenance Costs

Some investors underestimate the costs associated with repairs and ongoing maintenance. Properties require regular upkeep to preserve their value and appeal to tenants. Budget for:

Routine Maintenance: Plan for landscaping, HVAC servicing, and pest control expenses.

Emergency Repairs: Set aside funds for unexpected repairs like plumbing leaks or roof damage.

6. Overlooking Exit Strategies

Having a clear exit strategy is essential in real estate investments. Whether you plan to hold the property long-term or sell it for a profit, consider:

Market Conditions: Monitor market trends and property values to determine the optimal selling time.

Tax Implications: Understand the tax consequences of selling a property, including capital gains taxes and depreciation recapture.

7. Relying Solely on Emotional Decisions

Investing in real estate should be a business decision based on financial analysis and market research, not emotions. Avoid:

Falling in Love with a Property: While it's natural to be attracted to specific properties, ensure your decision is based on objective criteria and financial viability.

Ignoring Red Flags: Be wary of properties with significant issues or questionable investment potential, no matter how appealing they may seem emotionally.

8. Not Seeking Professional Advice

Finally, not seeking professional advice is a common mistake among new and even seasoned investors. Consult with:

Real Estate Agents: Work with experienced agents who understand local market dynamics and can help you find suitable investment properties.

Financial Advisors: Seek advice from financial advisors or accountants to ensure your investment aligns with your financial goals.

Conclusion

Avoiding these common mistakes can significantly enhance your success in property investments NZ.

Conduct thorough research, manage finances responsibly, focus on location and market trends, and maintain effective property management to mitigate risks and maximise returns.

Remember that real estate investment requires patience, diligence, and a strategic approach to achieve long-term financial goals.

[kabbur28]

The best type of shower enclosure

The best type of shower enclosure

South India Agency (SIA), is a leading, fast-growing company that homes the best bathroom and hardware accessories of quality products, with an established and well-networked channel partners combined to provide unmatched service both for residential and commercial requirements, from wardrobe fittings and accessories to furniture accessories. SIA is known for innovative products from reputed Firms.

When it is about your new bathroom fitting or upgrading one in the existing premises, think only to install the best accessories and fittings. Daily, you are going to use it to freshen up your day. It is something you’re going to use every day for the next couple of years. A place to rejuvenate yourself in the mornings and allow you to unfold after a long tiresome day. From wash basin to the minutest detail fittings for your bathroom needs like Tooth Brush Holders, Shelves, Soap Dishes, Baskets, Dispensers, Tumblers, Bathroom Ceiling Lights & Wall Lights, Exhaust Fans, toilet paper holders, etc are available here.

Are you confused?

You can visit SIA, take their opinion, and see the multiple solutions. A diverse range of best bathroom fittings is available.

If you are looking for Shower enclosures, the right choice could be made from different types of shower enclosures like large showers to hinged shower enclosures depending on what suits your budget and the bathroom size. If the bathroom is spacious enough, then large and walk-in showers are preferred. On the contrary, smaller sizes of bathrooms can use quadrant corner shower enclosures, 3 Sided shower enclosures, Bifold shower enclosures or hinged shower enclosures, etc, which can be used based on the availability of space. SIA is well-known for its quality shower products, made with premium materials, ideal for creating high-quality bathrooms at an affordable price.

Bathroom shower cubicles are made of thick glasses that are sturdy and leak-proof. They also are easy to maintain, strong, and heat resilient; making them equally safe for kids and adults. The cubicles are kept in place using chrome-plated brass fixtures, which are rust-free and elegant. Other materials that are used include plastic and thin waterproof materials for the shower screen.

As cited here, there are different ranges of bathroom accessories in SIA and hence space in the bathroom is to be considered before purchasing any shower cubicles. Ideally, the shower enclosure could be near the bathtub, considering constraints of space. It can be in line with your bathroom style and other accessories. Sliding doors, when used in shower enclosures, are best suited for a rectangular bathroom where the allotted space is less. Sliding doors offer a comfortable bath without having to be concerned about the water splashing or spilling outside the enclosure.

Choosing the right shower cubicle as per your budget and matching your bathroom needs are of prime importance. At South India Agencies we have a wide range of bathroom fittings and accessories. Finding the right shower cubicle that fits your budget should not be a problem. Shower cubicles from South India Agencies are pioneered with precision and can be tailor-made so that your bathroom space and size requirements are met. A shower cubicle enhances the look and feels of the bathroom and blends into the color scheme. Our display center in Bangalore is a one-stop shop for all your bathroom fittings and accessories.

South India Agencies (SIA) is a Display Centre with a wide range of architectural and builders’ hardware associated with 80+ powerful brands, for all your requirements under one roof.

Do visit South India Agencies (SIA)

Call:  9901615115.

Website:  https://southindiaagencies.com/

Email: contact@southindiaagencies.com

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[has-gilgamesh-doneanythingwrong]

Just Another Day in Fuyuki

Follows the events of Fuyuki’s 5th Holy Grail war from the perspective of an ordinary student.* (also lmao i put it on ao3 too)

*(This idea was based off a hilarious YouTube comment I read)

The first time she realized that something was rotten within the town of Fuyuki was on a cool, midnight blue night. It was a night like no other, ivory rays of moonlight dancing atop her skin as she took a casual jog past the all-too familiar gates of Homurahara Academy.

It should’ve been a normal night, yet the streets were much more silent than usual. Before she could spin to the side to cross over to the next junction; a powerful array of red lights assaulted her eyes, darting around like spirits.

‘WHAT?’ As she looked back, she saw that the red lights were emanating from none other than Homurahara Academy itself! That was strange, she had never witnessed such an event before.

‘Looks like we’ve got a case of delinquents at our place as well, huh?’ All it took was a split second for her to turn her back against the bizarre sight, regarding it as no more than a minor prank. Well of course she did. It’s not as if anything exciting happened within Fuyuki, anyway!

Little did she know that such an action may have saved her very life...

‘Good morning. Recently we’ve been sighting reports of multiple gas leaks and bloodless murders. In addition to this, there’s recently been an online trend of blurry pictures of people wearing suspicious cosplay being shared online. Many sources suggest that...’

As the local Fuyuki news blared yet more macabre news surrounding recent incidents, the young girl slipped on her wood brown loafers, as she patted down her coffee brown school jumper.

The young girl’s name was none other than Sakaki Ayane; a student of Homuhara Academy. As she jammed her plain, homemade bento filled to the brim with Strawberry Cream Sandwiches and Fried Chicken Cutlets into her extremely ordinary school bag, and switched off the plain television with a bland remote, a singular thought passed her mind.

‘It really is just another normal day in Fuyuki today!’ Sure, the news was terrifying- but hey, as long as her daily peace wasn’t disturbed, she was fine! Slamming the door to her basic house closed, she skipped through the mundane streets of her hometown, warm sunlight beaming down on her face, as she bowed politely to  fellow shop-owners and neighbors.

See, her life was totally fine! There was no need to worry about the news, or that time she witnessed giant fireworks at her school, after all! Everything was definitely all-ok!

As she prowled past numerous mounds of identically-emblazoned students, and sat herself right in the middle of Fujimura Taiga’s homeroom class- students guffawing at their sensei’s top-notch sense of humor- she breathed a sigh of relief.

However once lunchtime passed, Ayane was shocked speechless by a minor change to her daily lifestyle. Just as usual, her orange-haired classmate- Emiya Shirou- had caught the entire hall’s attention, due to his lively interactions with a twin-tailed genius named Tohsaka Rin. Ayane was pretty used to their interactions by now- Emiya would bust out into an awkward show, whilst students would gasp, their faces marred with awe and jealousy. As for Rin, she knew next to nothing about the beautiful girl, except for the fact that she’d sometimes catch her mid-conversation with Emiya, using rather surreal vocabulary such as ‘holy grail’ and ‘mages’.

Thinking it was nothing much, Ayane was convinced that Emiya and Tohsaka were a bunch of Roleplayers or something. She didn’t know much about the genre, but found it to be quite fun to imagine scenarios such as being a mage fighting over holy grails, and fighting dangerous beasts- such as skeleton armies. ‘I mean, why else would they talk as if they’re in the middle of a quest?’ Taking another humongous munch out of her sandwich, shock finally settled into her pores once she noticed that something was a little off about their interactions this time.

‘Where’s Shinji?’ That greasy-seaweed-haired, smug little man’s features were very prominent in Ayane’s mind. Based on her assumptions, he was the kind of idiot who kept on trying to interrupt Emiya and Tohsaka’s Roleplay sessions- much to both their chagrins.

However, this time- he wasn’t here at all?! Where had he gone off to? ‘I guess they finally kicked him off their Roleplay club, once and for all.’ Ayane heaved a sigh at that. She had no idea why they’d accommodate such a selfish guy in the first place; seeing as he always kept on trying to centre their Roleplaying on topics concerning himself instead! ‘If I was a Roleplayer, I definitely wouldn’t want him on my squad!’ Incredulously tapping her feet against the linoleum flooring; she tried to think of various reasons as to why Shinji was kicked out of the gang.

But it was to no avail. Slamming her head against the tea brown shade of her desk, she groaned.

That was it! There was no choice but to catch the latest gossip! Packing up her lunchbox, she rushed out of the classroom like a blur of wind; leaving bemused classmates in her wake. Running as if her life depended on it, she leapt onto the school roof; caught sight of the local gossips- and pulled out a spare sandwich.

“I’ll offer you this sandwich! So, spare me the news, what’s going on with Shinji?!”

A bunch of confused girls, smack bang in the middle of a game of cards- looked up at Ayane, their faces confused.

“Shinji? Who’s Shinji again?” A girl with blonde hair and piercings shrugged her shoulders.

“You know, that rich guy? That one that has cash leaking outta his pockets.”

“Oh, that guy? Have no clue.”

“A friend of a friend of a friend dated him. Said he’s a pain in the butt to be around.”

“Yes, that’s the one!” Ayane pointed excitedly, as she plonked herself in between the girls, her body heaving with laboured breaths. “So, what happened? When did he disappear?”

“If you want details like that, you’re gonna have to offer more than a sandwich,” The blonde-haired girl whined. “You’re always asking us for gossip these days, Ayane.”

“A-ah, is that so?” Anxiously wiping sweat off her forehead, Ayane rummaged through her bag: oodles of paper; pretty rocks; textbooks and other strange materials clattering onto the stone ground. Eventually, she uncovered a small talisman from her bag, eyes gleaming with excitement. “How about this then? I’m sure this is worth quite a bit of yen!”

“Dude, my sister bought that for 500 yen the other day. No dice from me.”

“It’s pretty cute, though...I’ll take it!” As one girl happily exchanged it with Ayane, the others spun their heads in horror.

“Kikuo! You damn betrayer!”

“You can’t be human, accepting such a cheapskate offer!”

“Damn, though...I can relate. Who can resist cute things, amirite?”

As they began to squabble, Ayane laughed. Nothing beat a good gossip session!

The school day had finally ended, with only the loud cheering and yells of various school clubs filling the now empty halls of Homurahara Academy. As she pulled out her loafers from her metallic gray shoe locker; a conflicted expression crossed her face, as she recalled the events of her gossip session.

“Ah, that Shinji? Well, it was really odd, but he pissed off right after a major incident hit our school!”

“W-what happened?” Ayane was more or less right in the other girl’s face, her eyes bulging with curiosity.

“E-erm, well...” Blushing awkwardly, the girl scratches her face. “I mean, weren’t you there? It was kinda unforgettable.”

“Actually, I decided to take a day off school that day.” Ayane’s directness was like a major slap in the face for the others. “School can be really boring sometimes...”

“I had a feeling you’d say that...” Another sighed. “Well anyway, some HUGE shit happened. Like we were all sitting in class one second-”

“- and then there was this weird- ass red light-”

‘What is it with our school and red lights?’ Ayane’s gut instinct could tell that something was strange about this story. It felt unreal.

“-Yeah, and then like everything just blacked out. Like the only memory I have is of me waking up the next day or something.” The other girls nodded in assent. “It’s like some freaky curse possessed the shit out of Homurahara Academy or something!”  None of them were able to fill in the missing blanks about what happened; eventually blaming it all on poison gas.

“Well, anyway; Shinji disappeared from that day onwards. Not like that’s a bad thing, mind you.” And that was it.

As Ayane exited the gates, a heavy cloud permeated her mind. Time was certainly out of joint, for them to not even be able to recall what happened! ‘Maybe Shinji was possessed by a ghost...’ Strolling by the courtyard, she caught sight of a familiar purple-haired student.

It was Matou Sakura. Because Ayane was such a nosy student, she recognised her as that one shy girl who’d label her classmate-Emiya, as her senpai. As she passed the girl, she bowed ever-so-slightly in respect, as Sakura embarrassedly bowed back. Watching after her back, yet another terrifying wash of surprise crawled across her back.

Didn’t Sakura usually meet up with that one super-glamorous, plum-haired model-like lady on her way home? It was strange to see Sakura walking home alone.

‘Shit’s really hitting the fan now...’ Ayane mused, as she turned in the opposite direction. She needed an emotional escape to purge herself of the encroaching force of dread threatening to engulf her body. ‘Ah, that’s it! Let’s go to the harbour!’ Regaining her previous sense of joy, Ayane more or less sprinted to Fuyuki Harbour. Aside from a few guests, people going fishing- and the odd seagull- it was often quiet, making it the perfect place for silent contemplation!

She more or less flew towards the harbour, breathing in a deep gulp of the fresh sea air once she arrived. The harbour was like heaven, drifting clouds trundling overhead. Pointing exuberantly at that one special lighthouse perched far away, she grinned. ‘This is the best- OH?!’

Before she could release a scream of joy, she caught sight of something.

It seemed as if she wasn’t alone at the harbour, after all. Shielding her eyes from the billowing wind, she caught sight of a rather fit man in skin-tight black pants; and a figure-hugging white shirt. But what really caught her off-guard was his bold blue locks of hair.

‘Hey, wait a minute!! Why does he remind me of those blurry pictures of people wearing suspicious cosplay?!’ Clamping a hand over her mouth, she prayed to all of the gods and deities in the world to disguise her presence. Seeing as the man was looking so intently at the sea, she didn’t want to disturb his peace time. ‘What a shame...’ One of Ayane’s favourite hobbies was to scream at the harbour, where nobody else could hear her. However, she would be cordial to this visitor today. ‘You better watch out, blue hair!’ She declared in her mind; fists clenched. ‘I’ll be considerate today, but won’t be next time! If I see you again, you’ll definitely have to put up with me screaming at the sea!!’

As she moonwalked as silently as possible away from the sparkly man, a major thought hit her mind. ‘There sure have been a lot of beautiful people with stunning hair colours hanging out in Fuyuki lately...’ It made her somewhat excited yet terrified at the same time to see just how much her daily life was changing.

Oh well, there was no choice but for her to release her pent-up emotions somewhere else instead. As a rather detailed map of Fuyuki appeared within her mind, a lightbulb popped in her brain. ‘The Fuyuki City Centre!’ Nothing was better than throwing one’s emotions at a cup of ice cream. ‘I’m a genius,’ Ayane twirled down the road, pattering rays of sun following behind. After screaming at the sky in the park (startling a few children); and buying the biggest matcha sundae that she could afford, she was all set for the day and ready to go home.

Although today had been quite suspicious, things were finally settling back to normal. Or so she thought. All peace instantly came to a halt, as she bumped into something quite long. ‘Oh crap!’ Raising her head, she came face-to-face with none other than a human wearing a... strange combination between a... biker outfit and school uniform? ‘Never seen an outfit like that before.’ As she bowed in apology, a piercing gaze reminiscent of death itself froze her body to its very core.

“The humans of this era are such pathetic mongrels...” The voice trailed off, as the harsh man’s presence all but disappeared.

‘Err...What?’ Once he was out of sight, her legs buckled; as she fell to the ground- passer-by's sparing her disgruntled glances. ‘I’ve never felt a presence that scary before...’ Clutching her heart anxiously, the shadow of death curled itself around her chest; suffocating her breath. It would take until the pitch black of night for her to regain her composure again. As she trawled back home within the dark, Ayane exhaled painfully, clutching her head.

What a weird day this had been! ‘I’m so glad I’m home now.’ Relieved, she withdrew her jangling keys from her bag; overjoyed to be right in front of her basic house again!

“Yay, I’m home-?!!!!” The ground beneath her rattled ominously, as she toppled to the ground- her eyes rattling wildly. Powerful tremors rippled around her, warping Fuyuki into the most demonic rollercoaster ride she had ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

‘WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!!!’ Idealistic images of the bland, mundane Fuyuki that she loved were shattering, right before her eyes. As a mere human she was blissfully unaware of the blood-curdling terrors lurking right beside her, in this cursed town...This was the fate of those unaware of the events of the Fifth Holy Grail War.

THE END

(lmao Ayane is the weirdest original character EVER. However, I do wonder what random passers-by think about all of the strange crap occurring in Fuyuki!)

[entomancy]

(Fic) Daywalkin’ in Vegas

...let’s be honest, this ‘short backstory fics’ thing has done what my writing tends to do, and Escalted.  So let’s escalate.

Title: Daywalkin’ in Vegas (Wattpad) Setting: Increasingly not even serial-numbers-off-VTM. VTM infact exists in-world as a gaming system, which really annoys Fancy Vampires. Warnings: Gore; depictions of violence/ death against a child. Words: 6537 Summary: A failed siring gets the attention of two very different parts of Vegas Below; and a young blooded nosferatu puts herself in the centre of a dangerous balance.

-

Beep.

Twenty-eight forty.

Beep.

Thirty-one seventy.

Beep.

Nox watched the till display tick up, comparing the total to her mental tally.   She had enough; she knew she did.  It might have been in tattered bills, tarnished coin rolls and bits of change so old they were chipped like gears around the edges, but she was always real careful to plan these trips down to the grubby dime.  In and out, as unobtrusive as possible.

Beep.

A final bag passed, the green-yellow numbers flickering one final time.  The cashier smiled in customer service plastic as she read out the total, then followed it with a look of awkward concern.

“That’s all for you?  We - er – we have some good specials,” she said hesitantly, nodding towards the little stack of brightly-labelled packages beside the register. It was mostly sweets and tampons, and Nox bit back on a grin at the sight. Nice thought, but that hadn’t been her ‘bloody’ problem for a while now.

“That’s it,” she replied, adding: “Thanks, though.”   Sure, it was an upsell, but a kind one. The girl even managed to keep back any disgust at the state of some of the cash; it had been cleaned up, but people didn’t tend to drop crisp ones into a cup on the sidewalk.

Nox carried everything out to the repurposed shopping cart that she’d left just inside the little bodega’s doors. The thing was unbalanced and took corners like a drunk, but it was better than playing pack mule herself. The new bags settled down on top of the day’s earlier buys: bulk discount batches of toilet roll, bleach and superglue, along with cheap fabric for bandages. Plus, now, thirty-eight dollars and eighty-six cents’ worth of the cheapest mince and frozen shrimp available within a four-mile radius.

There had been a time when she’d had to worry about dietary fibre. Or vitamins.

The cart’s wheels creaked and rasped on sidewalk dirt as she headed it away, hunching down over the handle as she pushed; partly for more control, mostly to keep her face in shade. Her battered baseball cap and hoodie did a pretty good job – accompanied by garish plastic sunglasses and a stained bike mask – but every little helped. It also added to the overall ‘bag lady out on an afternoon shuffle’ aesthetic she was going for. The trick was to inspire just enough awkward pity to be invisible, but not enough to be a target.

Apparently, her act was off today. She’d just turned a laborious corner, distracted by trying to keep the bags all stacked, when she felt a hand clamp down onto the top of her head and yank hard. She didn’t move, but the hood pulled away and she heard a yelp of disgust even before she swivelled around. Two young men stood behind her, gawking in revulsion at the revealed state of Nox’s scalp, in all its piebald, peeling, erratically-thickened glory. A thin braid slithered down her face, torn too-easily free along with the hood.

She gave the scene one more heartbeat to really settle in, before grinning widely. Faced with a mouthful of teeth like broken ivory, the youths managed to look even more horrified.

“Aye, that’s how I caught it too!” Nox cackled theatrically, before snatching the hat back from now-unresisting fingers and jamming it back into place. “Don’t go scratching yerself anywhere pretty fer a bit, eh?”

The lad – and his already-retreating backup – hesitated, then let out a string of bravado-born obscenities. Freak – gross – blah blah blah I-have-a-tiny-dick blah. He kicked at the cart as he started follow his friend, and Nox let just enough spill out to sate the petty spite.

Once they had gone, she picked up the packets again and began to fix her hood. The exposed skin was stinging and smarting already, a poison-ivy prickle that calamine wouldn’t touch. At least it was late enough in the afternoon that she probably wouldn’t blister from the exposure. More annoying was the missing chunk of hair, and she probed at it gingerly. No deep wound, thankfully; which probably meant that the straggly braid had been almost ready to fall out anyway. She tended to keep about half a head of hair going, on average; so it’d grow back.

The lads were long gone by the time she was ready to set off again. With any luck she’d be nothing more than an awkward moment in a day of shoving their weight around; quickly forgotten. Being gross in the eyes of idiots wasn’t a Breech, after all.

The rest of the trip back was uneventful. Streets gave way to alleys, sidewalks to cracked paving, to rotting asphalt, and even the graffiti began to wane as she got closer to home. The main occupants of this ass-end of nowhere – a ghetto’s dumpster of a place – didn’t exactly make it their business to advertise where they were. Those that needed to know; knew. Those that knew, generally didn’t care – which was honestly a hell of a lot better than the alternative. Nox had heard the stories of what it had been like only twenty years ago. It was strange to feel that there was any sort of luck to her history, but six years wasn’t twenty.

Reaching a gap in an otherwise unremarkable wall, she glanced around quickly, making sure that no one was watching. Then she straightened up, gripped either side of the overloaded cart, and hefted it up through the broken brickwork in one smooth movement. She vaulted in after it, dropping down into cool shade, and let out a sigh of relief as the accepting touch of Karloff’s Invitation washed across her. The sense was like a door opening in welcome; like taking the first familiar turn towards home after a long day’s drive. It also meant no more unwanted attention – without that explicit permission, you’d never be able to recognise the entrance, or even keep your attention on what you were looking for. She was as invisible now to all other turned-aside eyes as everything else within the Invitation’s borders.

A few more rattling corners later, Nox finally turned into the Homestead grounds. The whole area had once been a crammed-in mess of squat apartment blocks, copy-paste civic solutions built without charm to fill the need for cheap rooms. The Homestead was the only one of its kin still standing, now surrounded by an opened-out area of recent amateur demolition and scrap-built fencing. Bright splashes of street art cut across sagging concrete and the blacked-out eyes of the windows, although the tags and themes chosen indicated the difference between these creators and the more standard ones of the world outside. Most of this had been painted at night, for example, with rather more variety on the theme of ‘hands’ grasping the tins.

There was a lot more inside, and below, but she felt a particular warmth at these murals. Out here, on the surface. Bright in sunshine that most of them could never see. The Nosferatu might be Vegas Below’s crusty little secret, but they were damn well there.

Bits of cracked paving clicked and skittered beneath the cart’s wheels as Nox made her way through the fences and to the big, bolted main doors. There was a rough porch built around the frame, mostly to give extra shadows, and she looked up at the tiny glints of watchful glass sunk into the surrounding wall. She waved.

“Dimestore-Blade’s grocery delivery,” she announced, and listened to the familiar rattle of bolts start on the other side of the door. A few moments later it swung open and a hunched figure peered out, wincing back from even the thick porch shade. This was Max; an older woman than Nox in both kinds of age, who managed her marks via a combination of extensive bandaging and even more extensive needlepoint. Watery black eyes looked past her, squinting through a gap in the heavily-embroidered scarf wrapped around her head.

“All okay?”

Nox nodded and lifted the trolley over the threshold.

“Fine.” She didn’t mention the youths. Didn’t seem a lot of point. “Let’s get this lot into the freezer before it can walk on its own, yeah?”

Safely inside the slightly-fetid gloom of the entrance, Nox took the opportunity shed her bag-lady layers. True, she couldn’t actually overheat, even on a Nevada afternoon, but being swathed in that many layers was still claustrophobic. Beneath the mismatched fabric strata was an increasingly-threadbare pair of yoga pants and a dark vest, and Nox gave a small sigh of relief as she folded up the rest of her daylight-drag, shoving it onto a shelf nearby.

“Right,” she muttered, as much to fill the air as anything else, and turned back to the trolley. Max had already transferred much of it into precarious piles in her own arms. Her scarf had slipped down, revealing a hairless head webbed with splitting skin; much of it made whole again with patterned patches of colourful thread. The fabric discoloured over time, of course, but it reduced the leaking.

Balancing their burdens, the pair made their way further into the Homestead. Closest to the entrance was the most decrepit part, occupied mostly by shelves and old furniture crammed full of clothes and patched umbrellas for venturing out, and with years of dumped debris building up in corners. Rooms with windows – even those as thoroughly blacked out or bricked up as these were – mostly housed the rat runs or storage, because no one wanted to spend a lot of time somewhere where crap mortar could result in dayburns. Similarly, the roof and most of the top floor was given over to pigeon roosts and No avoided them whenever possible. She’d never much liked pigeons before this, and she still held that even their vitae tasted of garbage, somehow. Still, they were much dumber than rats, and they did lay eggs, so that helped.

The really lived-in part of the Homestead was underground. Everybody knew Nosferatu lived in the sewers, right?  Okay, so Nox would admit she hadn’t much understood the difference between ‘sewer’ and ‘storm drain’ before her life had taken its scabby turn, but she sure did now. Vegas had extensive storm drains – large concrete tunnels that lay under much of the city, designed to quickly shift heavy rain away from the tarmacked surface above – and they were ideal: underground, dark, not monitored.

And not actually full of shit.

The arrangement used to be… messier, Karloff had told her. When they hadn’t been so organised; when they’d lived closer together with others who had slipped through the cracks Above. Some of the Family had started off as those same ‘unfortunates’ after all; those who were aftermath-sired in a broken frenzy, or from the bloody jaunt of some fuckfang cutting through the ranks of those who wouldn’t be missed. Splitting their claimed tunnels off from the main circuit and establishing the Homestead proper had happened later, after the Vegas Accord had given the Nosferatu a Clan-status, and hunting them for sport stopped being an acceptable weekend activity.

Six years sure ain’t twenty.

Max chatted away as they walked; an idle litany of gossip, social media tidbits and reports from watchers all over the city, woven together into what Nox tended to think of as ‘Radio Max’. Spying on people was apparently another nos stereotype; but honestly when you didn’t really sleep, were functionally invisible to large portions of society, and had worked out how to divert half-decent broadband from badly-secured leisure networks overhead, it wasn’t difficult to get ahead on current events.

Plus the rats, of course. 

Information was power, and they had precious little of any other. Although Nox sometimes wondered how much of those scant threads of power that Karloff put such value on would diminish if Clanpires in general figured out how to just Google things.

They had reached what she thought of as ‘mainstreet’ of the Homestead tunnels – a long space with concrete pillars linking floor to ceiling every thirty feet or so, quite cheerfully lit by a mishmash web of light fittings rigged up overhead – when yelling broke out further down. Nox and Max shared a look of alarm at the commotion, but it was when her name became suddenly clear in the shouts that Nox’s stomach dropped.

“Get this stuff away, will you?” she muttered, carefully setting her packages down beside Max, and turned to meet the oncoming figures. Even wrapped in a heavy coat and thick gloves, she knew the loping form of Skaad instantly.

With features which sagged so violently that his bruise-yellow skin frequently tore at the edges, and a mouth like a lipless sharps bucket, Skaad was nonetheless gifted with some of the keenest senses in the clan, plus a damn-near eidetic memory. Which meant he spent most of his time skulking in hidden places, listening to things he shouldn’t, and following people who thought they were alone in their secret business. Having him sprinting towards you, so fast his eyelids were visibly flapping, wasn’t a great sign.

Back in the world Above – before her life had gone to hell in a weirdly specific way – Nox had been a paramedic. It was useful in the day-to-day, being the closest thing this bunch of ragged immortals had to a resident doctor, but there was only really one sort of actual emergency left down here.

Skaad skidded to a halt, and grabbed her arm with a worrying urgency.

“Got a phresh one. Get yer kit!”

Fuck. A fresh one meant one thing: someone had found a dumped fledgeling, one who’d been showing signs of the Change going wrong and been tossed aside by their disgusted sire. Intervening quickly could help, particularly getting a pigeon smoothie down them fast, but the panic on Skaad’s drooping face didn’t line up with -

“What’s so – ?” she started, but he shook his head, steering her towards the plastic-covered tunnel they used as a makeshift clinic. He leaned in to shove her again, but lowered his voice and muttered just before he did – and the words sent ice down her spine.

“It’sh a kid.”

Oh no.

Oh fuck.

-

You didn’t turn kids.

When your working knowledge of vampires had been a general pop-culture miasma and some blurry memories of teenage Buffy marathons, finding yourself on the other side of the supernatural coin came as a shock in various ways. One of which was the weird sensation that you should have studied it all harder, somehow. Nox had certainly felt stupid, in her early days, as a man with a face like a charred wasps’ nest listened to her stutter her way through half-remembered fiction and worse-remembered reality. But she’d apparently got a few things right, and somewhere in that muddle had been the idea that you shouldn’t turn kids.

There were all kinds of theories as to why – from the debauched to the practical – but she found that in many ways it didn’t matter. Whatever fucked-up intention you had, it wouldn’t work. Too young just… didn’t take. And when a siring didn’t work, there was every chance the result would end up on her table.

She scrabbled through the assortment of old drawers and boxes that stored her gear, pulling out anything she thought might work. Bandages, thread, craft superglue, repurposed bottles of hard spirits that would do in a pinch for sterilising. The best-case scenario things. And the rest. Old herb pots of fine powders; thrift-store silver cutlery hammered and polished and changed into a very different set of tools. Sharpie-labelled bottles of liquids that moved weirdly in the light, and a range of refillable lighters that definitely didn’t contain hydrocarbons anymore. All the things she’d picked up in the last six years that fitted in with other sort of medicine.

The plastic curtain behind her was yanked back and a sound she had been trying not to hear finally demanded her attention. It wasn’t even a scream, and Nox hated, hated hated hated that she recognised the cadence there perfectly: raw, animal agony of sound torn from a throat that was violently reforming around it. She turned to see Skaad forcing flailing limbs down, looping thick restraints around rippling flesh, and finally allowed her full attention to turn down to the spasming form.

Gore looked different through vampire eyes. It was hard to describe exactly how – partly because wordsmithery had never been one of her strong points, but more because trying to compare feelings from now and then was always going to have a huge fucking hurdle of shifted species in the way. She’d still probably seen more human blood in nine years on the ambulances than during the half-dozen in and out of Vegas’ shadows, and but everything afterwards had been… different. Displaced. Detached. Just didn’t seem as visceral as it used to do.

But this did.

Acid tightened in Nox’s throat as she stared down at the shuddering mess in front of her. Blanched skin bubbled and writhed, tearing as it pulled away from the muscles beneath; themselves little more than contorting ropes of livid tissue that pulsed under dying heartbeats and spilled black fluid from ever-widening rents. The throat was gone, now a bubbling pit of desperate breaths, sucked past exposed tendons that wriggled like furious worms. Half-clotted ichor was pooling from gashes along the arms, down the stomach and further: the marks of peri-sire wounds, those that had been still fresh as the invading blood forced itself into collapsing veins. The eyes were side-to-side a sickly crimson-yellow, bloating out from a face that was collapsing in on itself, and throughout it all, the kid screamed.

It was revolting. Nox had to bite down on the vicious spikes of fight-flight that were going off in her mind, so violently she could feel her hands trembling from the horror and her disgust at her own reaction. It was an instinct, an unbidden response to a failing siring – she knew that – but understanding it didn’t make it easier. Everyone down here had ‘gone nozz’ during their own Turn. Hell, a few of those brought to her were walking around now, not seeming any weirder than any of them, but she’d still felt that awful surge of fundamental wrongness about them before they stabilised.

Nox gritted – all of – her teeth, and slammed her kit down on the table.

Instincts can fucking blow me.

“Let’s see what we can do.”

-

It turned out what they could do, wasn’t much. Cleaning, sewing, cutting, sealing – nothing held. Stitches fell from uncertain skin, or tore great new holes as fresh spasms pulled at the edges. Wet rags soon littered the floor, sodden with black and yellow fluids that turned the rough concrete into a slippery, stinking mess. The bleeding wasn’t slowing, even as the body seemed to be crumpling in on itself, gradually liquefying around the bones.

The sound had gone quieter, if not softer, and Nox didn’t have much hope it would stop soon. It might be days yet, before the final sparks of vitae or life or cruel continuation finally went out.

Too young. The kid – the girl, most likely, going by anatomy – had been just… too young.

They had to have known that.

“I’m outa tricks,” she said, although the words felt thick and sharp in her mouth. She wanted to keep going. She wanted to, so fucking much. But somebody had done this. Somebody who knew this would happen.

“I’m gonna make her comfy,” she continued, then hesitated even as she pulled out the frankly-horrific cocktail of morphine and street drugs that might make a dent in a system caught somewhere between undead and alive. Skaad looked at her, and held out a clawed hand.

“Want me…?”

“Nah.” Nox shook her head, and swallowed. “You can get the others outta upstairs, though. I need to – to make a call.”

Skaad stiffened, his jaundiced eyes flicking between her and the table for a moment, before he let out a low hiss and ducked away through the curtain. Nox administered the mix and tried to convince herself it would have any sort of palliative effect. Then she went back to the drawers and rummaged again, right at the back, until her fingers closed on the ridged plastic of an old nokia.

There weren’t many numbers in the phone, but it was the first one she selected, under B.

- SUMFCK SIRED KID. ITS BAD -

She threw the phone back into the drawer and hurried out, past the plastic sheet and into the tunnels, leaving sticky footprints in her wake. Not a great look, but everyone would already know what was happening. Nosferatu gossiped like – well, like a society of insomniac, semi-immortal shut-ins.

Overhead, an erratic cluster of repurposed pipes trailed down through the domed roof, emanating from the rat runs above. Drainpipes, corrugated plastic, bits of plumbing, and all of them shaking slightly with the constant pass of tiny feet within. They opened out onto tiny highways of shelving that lined the walls, all heading in the same direction as she was. Pairs of black-beady eyes glanced at her as they passed, and with so many concentrated here, she could feel the faintest flick of Attention in each one. They were all headed to a squat metal door at the end of an offshoot passageway. The rats passed freely back and forth narrow holes punched in either side of the door; but Nox knocked. She knew she was already expected and entered after a respectful moment.

Karloff’s chamber was bigger than it looked like it would be from the doorway. Nox wasn’t sure what the space had originally been – some kind of maintenance room? – but it was now dark, and warm, and smelled less of rats than might be expected given the constant rodent tide. Shelves lined the walls, full of books and occasional pieces of recycled pet furniture. One floor-ceiling tower was filled entirely with old radios, police scanners, walkie talkies and the like.

The old man himself lay where he usually did, propped up in a nest of pillows and blankets in a box-like bed in the centre of the room. He presented an impossibly gaunt figure: papery-brown skin layered like peeling paint across sharp bones, with eyes so thickly clouded they sat like grey-milk marbles in unclosing sockets. His face looked scorched, blackened at the edges of the old dry wounds that had taken his nose, torn away most of his lips, and presumably shattered the broken fangs that jutted from his mouth. There was – as usual – a huge white rat lazing across his chest, nearly the size of a terrier and wearing a dark silken ribbon, and its sharp crimson eyes fixed on Nox as she entered.

She bowed her head, and tried not to leave bloody footprints on the rug.

“I need a temporary Invitation,” she said. It was blunt, but there was no point in dancing around it. He’d already know anyway. As she spoke, the huge rat sat up. It’s pale paws were clasped in front of it, folded in a strangely human-like gesture, but Karloff himself turned his head only slightly.

“’Belton,” he said softly, in the throat-based hush of his voice, and Nox nodded. Her fingers twitched into fists, and she felt the sticky remnants of gore slide between them.

“I… I’m running out of options, and she – ” the words were sticker than her fingers, getting caught on her lips “ – she’s real bad.”

The rat cocked its head and Karloff drew a slow breath.

“You will not do it?” he asked. Nox’ throat tightened.

“If I gotta. But I want him to see her, cos I – I could do this, but I ain’t got a snowball’s chance of doing anything about it.”

Karloff’s head turned further, and the clouded eyes passed over her with an intensity that Nox could feel, as if they skipped sight entirely and went right into her heart instead. There was another stretched moment of silence, then the pressure dropped and the rat turned away, curling itself neatly under its master’s chin.

“It is done,” Karloff said. The long fingers on one hand twitched slightly, and the faintest hint of a frown dug into his face. “...take care with the old death. You have seen little of him.”

“Yeah, I know. Thank you,” Nox added before she headed out again; first to check that the cocktail of drugs had at least calmed the kid’s screams, then back into the upper house. A few rats followed her as she slid into the squeaking, busy dimness of the runs to use the sink that still stood in one corner, using brownish water to at least scrub some of the stains from her hands. Then she set to wait, pacing with nervous energy.

No one joined her. By now, everybody would know what was happening, and no one wanted to be around when he came calling.

The problem – okay, so one of the problems, in a dreadful, tangled ball of ever-more layered problems – was that it was very, very difficult to kill a fledgeling in any way that could be considered humane. A body already in the process of tearing itself apart was resistant to most damage for the same reasons that you couldn’t punch a fog. Getting any kind of drug to land in an even-partly vampiric system was difficult enough at the best of times, and this…

Well, there was sunlight, but everything about Nox’s very being baulked at the idea of using that method. She knew with personal, hellish intimacy that the agony from that would get through even a Change. Torturing someone to death with one of the few things worse than what they were going through was really not the point.

Plus, there was a tiny, tiny part of her mind that hoped she was wrong. She’d only been dealing with this stuff for a handful of years, and while rumours varied widely about how old Belton actually was, he’d seen a lot of shit. Maybe she’d missed something. Just maybe…

It seemed to take an eternity before the roar of an engine outside broke through Nox’ whirling thoughts. She hurried to the door, took a careful breath, and peered out through the little viewing slot. Not that anyone else would have been able to ride a motorcycle up to the Homestead without the permission of Karloff’s Invitation, but it never hurt to keep caution.

A huge bike was settled just beside the front steps. It was black, but in the way a magpie’s wings were black, with oil-slick iridescence hinting around the edges. The rider – dressed to match, in that seamless continuity of clothing that Nox had started to think of as ‘vampire sunscreen’ – had already dismounted and was stood beside his bike, the raven-sheen of his helmet turned towards the door. There was no visible gaze to meet, but the weight of his attention was like ice down her spine, and she opened the door as deliberately as she could.

“She’s downstairs,” she said, as the figure came up the steps. The sun was already going down, barely spilling dying light over the surrounding wall of buildings, and the porch shadow was very deep there. It only got deeper as the big man stepped into it – and then paused, right on the edge of the frame.

“May I enter?” His voice was never as heavy as she expected, with a melodic edge that absolutely did not match what she knew lay under that helmet. Nox rolled her eyes.

“I texted you, and you’re here, right?”

He was always so… old fashioned about this. It wasn’t like it was a general requirement. Nox stepped back, gesturing inwards.

“Come in already,” she added. The man might have been big – although ‘fucking enormous’ would be a better description, needing to visibly turn and duck to get through the doorframe – but he moved deceptively fast, and was well inside the hallway, starting to remove his helmet before she had had time to shut the door. She turned to look, not even pretending not to stare as he unclipped all the security bits and lifted it smoothly free. The dramatic effect was only slightly spoiled by the oddly-bulging balaclava he had on underneath – but Nox supposed that if her ears could meet at the back, she’d want to keep them restrained inside a helmet too.

Belton looked… well, he looked like Belton. There just plain wasn’t anyone else like that. The best description she had ever been able to come up with was that he looked like someone had tried very hard to make a bat in the character creation screen of a pro-wrestling computer game. It was as if the underlying architecture that should have made a human skull had been stretched and tweaked and twisted into something approaching Chiroptera from the other side.

It probably said something worrying about her own psyche that – somewhere in the mess of emotions that Belton inspired – a part of her really, really wanted to see an xray of his head.

No time for this.

“C’mon,” she nodded him to follow her back down the Homestead’s passageways. The rats watched them from every surface; their skittering highways unusually still as the majority of glinting little eyes were fixed on the visitor. They were the only visible watchers, and Nox tried not to notice how empty every space they passed through was. It added another level of eeriness, with the just-abandoned debris of life seeming like some extremely localised Rapture. Even Nox’ rapid explanation of the situation fell muted around them; for his part, Belton just listened and nodded every now and then. He didn’t look around.

How familiar was he, with this place?  He’d come a few times since she’d been here – and of course, that first time meant he’d sure known where it was. Nox’ gaze slid sideways. Belton had removed his gloves by now, and the hands revealed couldn’t even remotely be thought of as human; the fingers were too long, bone and tendons standing stark beneath mottled grey skin; capped by black claws that curled from the nailbeds, polished to an obsidian gleam.

How many times had those hands run across the outer walls of the Homestead; at Karloff’s limits; searching for a way in?  How many times had those claws torn into sagging flesh, or crushed furry watchers into broken blindness?

How many times had he come before he had brought her here; a crispy mess of fledgeling coated in sand and gravel and gore, spat out by the desert and into hands that immortals feared…?

The plastic curtain seemed to rise up like an exclamation, a cold shot of right now breaking her thoughts, and Nox came to a sharp halt. There was still sound from inside: a bubbling, slurred collage of moans that had made it past the drugs, and her hand froze halfway to the curtain. The swell of renewed, visceral revulsion felt like she’d choke on her own fucking hypocrisy, and she couldn’t suppress a slight hiss.

“It’s – ” she started, through gritted teeth, but cut out as Belton gently touched her shoulder.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Nox’ fingers twitched, then she turned away, moving until she could lean heavily against the nearest concrete pillar and rested her forehead against the pitted surface. The groan might as well have been coming out of the air. It pressed down around her and her skin crawled.

She hated this, and she hated that she hated it like this. Some depraved motherfucker had dragged a fucking child into very literal hell and she’d tried, she’d tried with every stupid, macguivered bullshit tool she’d put together out of garbage; she’d tried everything and it was never going to have meant a damn thing and all she could focus on, really really focus on right now was how fundamentally disgusting that fucking sound was –

And then it stopped.

Nox physically sagged against the pillar, relief and nausea chasing each other through a stomach that was dropping into her boots. There was only one reason for the sudden silence, and she let her eyes slide closed, muttering the same half-wordless prayer she’d always used when a case went bad, or a patient flatlined in the ambulance. Whatever that meant now, she’d never been sure, but it still sort of fit.

She’d known. She’d known when she picked up that damn phone.

But fuck me if hope isn’t a bitch.

It wasn’t long before there was the faint brush of plastic again and Nox opened her eyes to see Belton smoothing the curtain back behind him, covering the sudden stillness. There was a long moment of silence before he turned to her. His eyes were the most human-looking part of his face, and the grey gaze sought hers.

“I’ll be on my way, then.”

Nox nodded numbly. They went out the way they came; still alone, still watched at every step by a hundred rodent stares. Back up, back to the door and out into the thickening dusk of the evening – and it wasn’t until the porch steps were creaking under his boots that Nox’s nerve rose again.

“Hey – Belton?” she managed, and the big figure paused. He looked back at her and one curled brow raised, moving an ear with it. Nox pulled the Homestead door shut behind her as she sought the right words. “This… ain’t your job, right?”

“I don’t have a real tight specification,” he replied, then shrugged. “But broadly?  No. To be honest with you, my boss couldn’t give a rat’s twat what happens with the Nosferatu.”

“So why’d you come?” Those words came fast, but Nox didn’t try to stop them. Belton paused again, then hung his helmet and balaclava over the big bike’s handlebars. He sat down on the steps, hunching a little in that strange shape his back took when he wasn’t standing, and Nox slid down beside him at the unspoken invitation.

Belton shook his head, what might have been a wry smile tugging at the edges of his too-wide lips. Glints of needle teeth flashed in the dusk.

“It’s a question of perspective, see,” he said quietly. “For someone like you?  This’ll ruin your whole year. Getting all Lady Macbeth with the inevitable. But for me?” He held up a hand and slowly flexed the clawed fingers. Once; twice; and Nox couldn’t draw her gaze away from the mottled skin as it shifted over his bones. Belton sighed. It was an old sound, so old that any hint of what it might contain had worn away like stone under rain.

“What’s one drop in an ocean?  Don’t get me wrong – ” he added, with the edge of smile falling away again “ – I’ll feel bad about it; but I’m not losing myself any sleep.”

She should have been angry. She wanted to be angry, at the casual way this bat-faced bastard just said it; as the so-recent feel of the kid’s crumbling flesh slammed against her thoughts and ghosted under her fingers, and bile she wasn’t even sure she had anymore swirled at the back of her throat. She should be angry.

“...thank you.”

“No need for that,” he replied – but Nox shook her head.

“Nah; there is. Things need saying.” She fidgeted with the hem of her pants for a silent moment, before continuing. “Don’t believe you actually sleep, though.”

This time there was no mistaking that Belton grinned; and the resulting expression was exactly as unpleasant as it sounded.

“No?  Not even if I say I’ve got little bats on my pyjamas?”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“Now that there’s uncalled for.”

Nox grinned, and even as she did she could almost hear Karloff’s voice in her head. Be wary of the old death. 

And yet…

There was another long silence, although this one felt less tense.

…fuck it. When am I gonna get this chance again?

“They found her in the desert,” she said carefully, scuffing dust across the steps with one toe as she spoke; an idle motion to distract herself from the nerves inside. Belton nodded.

“Aye. Letting lady sun do the dirty work. It’s an almost foolproof method, really.”

Nox looked down at her own hands; where the patchwork of thickened tissue traced patterns like dry riverbeds over her pallid brown skin. The sun burned bits went blistered red, then dark and crackly, then sickly pale when that peeled; slowly edging back to her default. It sure as hell wasn’t pleasant; but it wasn’t the chemical-melting collapse of flesh that she’d seen on others.

“So, that make me a fool or an outlier?”

“I said almost.” Belton leaned back a little, looking up into the dark expanse of sky. “Always going to take a risk when you don’t stay to watch. Although I’ll admit it takes some big balls to stick around for that sort of disposal. What with the deeply ingrained phytophobia of your classic vampire, and everything.”

Nox raised her most intact eyebrow.

“This is more about your junk than I want to know.”

Belton laughed. Really laughed; the kind of melodic tone that bordered on a snatch of song and that was so very out of place coming from within that face.

“Oh, I’m not claiming that kind of testicular fortitude. Sunlight scares the piss out of me as much as it ever did. Don’t think it’s the kind of thing you can get over. Built-in, you know?”

“You ride about in the day,” Nox pointed out, and Belton waved a hand back towards his helmet.

“I’ve got some really bespoke protective gear, see. Amazing what’s been done with polymers in the last thirty years.”

Nox blinked.

“…you’ve got bike pleathers?”

“Technically I’ve got an integrated neo-polymer baselayer,” Belton stopped and his nose crinkled – which was quite an extensive expression. “…ah fuck, that sounds like I’ve got plastic pants, doesn’t it?  Keep that one to yourself, will you?”

“Sure.” Nox’s shoulders sagged again as reality dropped back suddenly. She decided to just go for blunt. “With… the kid. Someone did that, and before that they – ” her words choked again, at the thought of where some of those peri-sire wounds had been.

“I know.” The amusement had gone from Belton’s voice as he stood up, heading back to his bike rather abruptly. The engine roared into life as he swung himself astride it, folding his ears into their cover, and Nox had to shout to be heard above the rumble.

“Do they… just get away with this?”

“There’s plenty that think they should,” he replied calmly; oddly easy to hear over the din, as he slid the helmet into place. “It was like that for a long time.”

Nox’s lips drew back, almost of their own accord, working to some defiant instinct she only had partial control over.

“And you?”

“Me?  I’m a monster on a chain that I put there.” Belton looked up, and just before the visor snapped closed, there was a flicker of crimson in his eyes.

“But I’ll see what I can do.”

-

[lindoig7]

Friday-Sunday, 10-12 July

Friday

Did a few more small tasks in the morning but during the afternoon, we went for a drive with the intention of doing a couple of short walks advertised in one of the local brochures. It is surprisingly easy to get to places like Noojee (much closer than I imagined), but again, the dearth of adequate signage and the abundance of unreliable and confusing signage had us heading into unexpected detours and back-tracks on several occasions.  Our plan was to do a 3-4 click walk to the Ada Tree, but we were unable to locate the start of the walk, so we travelled a lot of kilometres until we found the Ada Tree itself – only to find the whole area was closed.  I think it had to do with the 15 kilometre social distancing rule.  Certainly, apart from us, there was nobody within 15 (probably 50) kilometres of us.  For those who may not know, the Ada Tree is thought to be the biggest tree in Victoria. It is very old and we have actually seen it before without being overawed, but by the time we found it, it was time to head back home – this time via Moe and the Freeway.

Saturday

We did a bit of shopping in the morning, mainly to redress the implications of Melbourne’s lockdown. When we left home, we expected to return for a few days some 3 weeks later.  With this in mind, we chose to leave a number of items (mainly the roof-rack and all the items we expected to carry in it during the rest of our travels) in our storage bay in Burwood, intending to collect them before setting off to more remote places.  Alas, we won’t be risking a return to Melbourne to collect them for fear of not being able to leave again so we have had to purchase a few things to compensate for our inability to retrieve our gear from Burwood.  The main things we needed was a new set of bog-mats (called recovery boards around here) and a few tie-down straps to attach things to the roof-bars rather than using the cargo nets over the roof-rack.

We also arranged to have a minor repair done as we leave Warragul next Friday. There is a slight leak from our water inlet that could possibly be fixed by me by simply tightening a plastic fitting with a spanner – but the plastic looks very suss to me and if it disintegrated when I tightened it, we would have no fresh water until it was replaced.  It is getting progressively worse and we don’t want to head too far from a good water supply until we know it is all secure.  Also, since putting the two spare wheels on the back of the car, our reversing camera is hidden and useless.  The wheels also prevent me using the overhead camera to connect up the van so we have arranged to have the reversing camera repositioned so it is between the wheels and over the ball on the drawbar – that will be done on Wednesday arvo.  It won’t resolve our inability to see much when reverse-parking but will help a little. When we are back in Melbourne, we will simply remove the left-hand spare and parking should be fine – and when we have the caravan connected, it won’t matter much anyway – especially because we avoid reversing as much as possible with the van connected.

We came back to the van after our shopping expedition and had lunch before going for a drive not too far from where we went a couple of days ago – roughly in the direction of Noojee but not so far.  A lot of the area was forested and it was a really lovely drive.  We found the Nangara Reserve and the Kurnai Trail and did a couple of walks – one longish, the other shorter – through the forest. Both were really great, walking around a former quarry with lots of lush ferns, frogs and fungi in towering trees, then later following a creek in slightly more open country with quite a few birds perched high in dead trees.  We would have loved to explore a bit more in the area, but by then it was getting dark and we decided to return to the van, calling in at Ginny’s Fish and Chip shop in Drouin (recommended by the manager of our caravan park) for some exceptionally generous and tasty dinner.  A really wonderful afternoon of exploration – all the more interesting because the weatherman got it wrong again.  The BOM has predicted rain every day this week, but we have had a few cold damp days, but with little more than morning fogs and occasional misty areas when driving in the clouds on some of the higher roads – but virtually no rain.

Sunday, 12 July

The weatherman did a better job today.  It started raining, just a bit more than mist, around 7am and it has been patchy ever since – clear skies, sunny periods, wispy clouds and a few short showers. We have been in the van most of the day, often with the air conditioner on to keep us warm, and enjoying the sound of the rain on the roof every now and then.  It has a wintry feel (it is mid-winter in 3 days’ time after all!) but it’s very cosy and snug hiding out inside our cubby.

One really important thing we achieved in the afternoon was to get our new drone working.  At one time, we were really opposed to drones because we saw other people with them making nuisances of themselves, particularly overseas.  In Armenia, we had an ethereal, almost spiritual, experience in an ancient ruined church when our wonderful guide sang a love song in her native tongue in the centre of the church with the stone walls echoing back and surrounding us with wonderful bell-like sound – it was a truly unique and very beautiful experience. Utterly divine – almost literally. Then we went outside and almost got bombed by this guy flying a big noisy drone in the churchyard.  It really spoiled the whole ecstatic experience for us – very disappointing and it set us against drones for several years.

Having recently seen a few films where images from a drone added a lot to the impact, we decided to swallow our sensitivities and buy a little one and try it out for ourselves. We went for a modestly priced one rather than splashing 10 or 15 grand on a supersonic amphibious version with night vision, all terrain and underwater capability and a red and yellow stylised ‘S’ on a blue flag.  I worked on it for quite a few hours on and off, updating the firmware (several times), charging (and recharging) batteries, reading dozens of pages of Chinglese/Arabic User Manual and continually getting stuck when it said to press the non-existent ‘Connect’ button on the aircraft to connect to, and activate the controller.  Interestingly, when Heather and I worked through the same process together, the whole thing worked without ever getting to that point – it simply connected automatically, so we took it outside and it worked.  All we did was to take off and land it.  The rules about drones in Australia are much stricter than those overseas and we decided not to do any more than that until we were out in the Never-never which is really what we bought it for.  As to the hi-res photos and video promised by the drone, you will simply have to wait until we are ‘out there’ and can experiment much more fully.

[y4s2-20192020]

Theyingi market is Myanmars foremost textile market and an important national retail and wholesale outlet for acheik textiles. Located between the quarters of the City historically inhabited by Indian and Chinese migrants the market has also traded fabrics from these countries since it’s construction in 1905. Market traders rent stalls still fitted with the original teak joinery fabric shelves and cupboards.

My preservation project looks to illuminate this historic textile market as a living heritage. A cultural practice that captures a body of knowledge and provides continuity, dynamism, and meaning of social life to generations of individuals, social groups, and community. A bridge between traditional and contemporary cultural values as defined by UNESCO.

Earlier, I was influenced by the writings of the architect and preservationist Evgenii Mikhailovskii who wrote of the ephemerality of preservation and that the aim of preservation aesthetics was not to change monuments but rather to change the viewer’s understanding of them, And that’s pretty much of what I intend do. My preservation project looks to enhance a historic textile market as a living heritage, seeing it as a new bridge between traditional and contemporary cultural values. 

Myanmar has a long history of making yarn, fabric and garment. However there are threats to the markets which they have been traditionally traded. Handmade fabrics are often expensive and raw materials for the yarns are in declining availability. 

It is essential that Such traditional cultural practices need to be sustained through greater global visibility and commercialization and not rely on tourism and nostalgia. Therefore, I propose to augment the existing market activities with a college of textile design, aiming to attract and give the younger generations a shout to the creative possibilities of yarns and weaving techniques. 

Site Analysis

As you may know, the studio site is based in Yangon Myanmar. And the particular site I’m looking at is a market called Theingyi Zay. Theingyi Zay or Theingyi market is Yangon’s biggest textile trade hub for more than a century. This atmospheric shows the building with its existing surroundings.

These 5 blocks of markets lay in between the indian and chinese community, offering a very unique atmosphere as it vividly represents the life and diversity of downtown Yangon in such a very dense space.

As Yangon can be regarded as a melting pot, the downtown area of Yangon is spatially characterized by ethnic groups and religious. However,Theingyi Zay assembles a mixture of this diversity as the market is operated and used by people with Burmese, Indian and Chinese ancestry as well as people with different religious backgrounds. This diagram shows the different religious buildings around the site. As you can see there are buddhist, Chinese, and Hindu temples as well as mosque and churches.

There are 5 distinct blocks named alphabetically from A to E . Each block sells different types of commodities. But This project will focus only on The building B, which is an important national retail and wholesale outlet for textiles.

Building Analysis

Located between the quarters of the City historically inhabited by Indian and Chinese migrants the market has also traded fabrics from these countries since its construction in 1905. Market traders rent stalls still fitted with the original teak joinery, fabric shelves, and cupboards.

The existing market is organized as a front building to the South - that accommodates some shops at ground level and market administrative offices at the upper level. Two tall parallel market halls extending back northwards either side of a central circulation spine which has a raised roof and clerestory windows.

There are 544 shops in total. Each shop block is divided by a lane that connects to the entrance door. I was especially interested in the long side elevations to the market halls which conceal a 2-layered façade inhabited with peripheral shops, cafes and small businesses that support activities in the market halls. Also significant are the original braced teak trusses that span the tall market halls. 

Established by an indian building company, the indian architectural elements such as Jali screen, symmetrical proportion, and ornament  is clearly visible on all its exterior facade.

Plans

For the Preservation plan, In many instances, I’ve felt that  Heritage preservation in Yangon focuses mainly on tangible heritage which tries to protect the old, aesthetic and important buildings. Yet, there is no specific regulation to protect the intangible aspects of it. So In this project, I want to preserve beyond the physical elements of the building, considering  the new intervention that will not only maintain the life and characteristics within the building but also introduce the new program that can still fulfil its historical purpose.

As mentioned before, I’m doing this textile college on top of the existing Market. Additional mezzanine floor levels will be inserted in places of the tall existing market halls to provide space for the new college.

The current issue is the existing roof covering and clerestory glazing is dila-pidated and leaking in places. Building B is one of the only 2 original buildings that still remains. The new intervention also offers an opportunity to renovate the impaired part of the building that has not been maintained properly. 

 So here’s a diagram showing what to keep, add, and remove.

And this is the overall concept diagram of the project. The purpose is not to preserve the building the way it is but more like to supplement its original intention for a contemporary audience.

The physical preservation including the skin and structure of the building.  The skin consists of all sides of the facade and Jali screen on the secondary wall. Also the structural elements including column, beams, and the most importantly, teak roof structure. 

The impaired roof will be removed and replaced with the new one, and the Additional mezzanine floor levels will be inserted above the market.

The new mezzanines are not continuous but multi-level with cutouts and breaks to give cross views to the textile market activities below. The intention is to allow the sights and sounds of the market intrude into and define the open work spaces of the college, drawing direct connections between design, prototyping and commercial trading.

Construction and Technical Plan

The new mezzanines will be inserted in 3 phases in order to try to keep the market running during construction. The new mezzanines are to be constructed on large steel beams fixed to and spanning between existing reinforced concrete piers in the perimeter walls and the reinforced concrete portals of the central spine. By reducing alteration to the existing fabric the new intervention has a suggested temporality, and reversibility - in the event that the intervention ceases to be meaningful to a future audience.

Phase1

Phase2

Phase3

A new roof covering will be placed on top of the retained existing trusses and introduces new rooflights that modulate the level and quality of light entering the college spaces and market halls below. It also brings a new roof line to the urban landscape and provides stack-effect natural ventilation through the floor levels.

Spacing and Program

The college incorporates studio spaces and specialist weaving, printing and dyeing workshops that will combine traditional equipment as well as state-of-the-art digital looms and silk screen printers. Toward the front building escalators bring students and the public up to an information centre dis-seminating knowledge about traditional and innovative emerging textile design and manufacture techniques. The openness of the college is intended to retain the linear flow of the existing market halls. The workshop area is An area of co-working space which intends to encourage entrepreneurial students to channel some of their creative energies towards commercial opportunities for spin-off businesses.

The circulation will mainly happen at the central spine of the building connecting the left and right wings together by ramps and steps due to the difference of floor levels. The fourth extra floor is introduced on top of the spine. This full length glazing offers maximum sunlight to get in the room. These two extra floors can be entered from behind the staff office and the center back staircase.  And there’s an elevator to ship the material up to the storage room at the back end

[lantrttsea]

Liquid Rubber: Versatility in Protective Coatings and Sealants

Introduction

In the realm of materials science, few substances offer the versatility and utility of liquid rubber. A synthetic elastomer, liquid rubber exhibits remarkable properties that make it invaluable in various industries, from construction and automotive to marine and aerospace. Its ability to form a flexible, impermeable barrier has led to its widespread use as a protective coating, sealant, and adhesive. This article explores the characteristics, applications, and benefits of liquid rubber in modern engineering and manufacturing.

Characteristics of Liquid Rubber

Liquid rubber is typically derived from synthetic polymers, primarily silicone or polyurethane. These polymers undergo a curing process to transform from a liquid state to a solid elastomeric material. One of the most notable characteristics of liquid rubber is its flexibility. Even when cured, it retains its elasticity, allowing it to withstand movements and deformations without cracking or losing its integrity. This flexibility makes it ideal for applications where traditional rigid materials would fail.

Additionally, liquid rubber exhibits excellent adhesion properties. It can adhere to a wide range of substrates, including metals, concrete, wood, and plastics, forming a strong bond that enhances durability and longevity. Its ability to adhere to both porous and non-porous surfaces makes it suitable for sealing joints, seams, and cracks in various structures.

Moreover, liquid rubber is highly resistant to water, chemicals, UV radiation, and extreme temperatures. These properties make it an ideal choice for outdoor applications where exposure to harsh environmental conditions is inevitable. Whether used as a protective coating for roofs, pipelines, or industrial equipment, liquid rubber provides reliable protection against corrosion, leaks, and degradation.

Applications of Liquid Rubber

The versatility of liquid rubber lends itself to a wide array of applications across different industries:

1. Roofing: Liquid rubber coatings are commonly used in commercial and residential roofing systems to provide a seamless and waterproof barrier. Applied as a spray or brush-on coating, liquid rubber forms a monolithic membrane that effectively seals joints, seams, and penetrations, preventing water ingress and extending the lifespan of the roof.

2. Automotive: Liquid rubber sealants and adhesives find extensive use in the automotive industry for various purposes, including gasketing, weatherproofing, and vibration damping. Whether sealing windows and doors or adhering trim components, liquid rubber offers superior performance and durability compared to traditional rubber gaskets and adhesives.

3. Marine: In the maritime sector, liquid rubber coatings are utilized to protect ships, boats, and offshore structures from corrosion, fouling, and abrasion. Applied as an anti-fouling barrier on hulls or as a protective layer on decks and equipment, liquid rubber helps maintain the structural integrity of marine vessels and infrastructure in harsh marine environments.

4. Construction: Liquid rubber is indispensable in construction for waterproofing basements, foundations, tunnels, and retaining walls. Its seamless application and excellent adhesion ensure effective moisture protection, preventing water infiltration and structural damage in below-grade structures.

5. Electrical: Liquid rubber coatings are employed in electrical insulation applications to provide moisture resistance and electrical insulation for wires, cables, and electrical components. The flexible nature of liquid rubber allows it to conform to irregular shapes and provide a protective barrier against moisture, chemicals, and electrical hazards.

Benefits of Liquid Rubber

The widespread adoption of liquid rubber can be attributed to several key benefits:

1. Seamless Application: Liquid rubber can be applied seamlessly to surfaces of any shape or size, eliminating the need for seams or joints that can serve as potential weak points. This seamless application ensures uniform coverage and consistent protection against leaks and corrosion.

2. Flexibility: The inherent flexibility of liquid rubber allows it to accommodate movements and vibrations without cracking or deteriorating. This flexibility is particularly advantageous in dynamic environments where structural elements are subjected to thermal expansion, contraction, or mechanical stress.

3. Longevity: Liquid rubber coatings and sealants offer long-lasting protection against environmental degradation, extending the lifespan of the underlying substrate. With proper preparation and maintenance, liquid rubber can provide decades of reliable performance, reducing the need for frequent repairs or replacements.

4. Environmentally Friendly: Many liquid rubber formulations are solvent-free and low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), making them environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional solvent-based coatings. These eco-friendly properties make liquid rubber suitable for use in green building projects and sustainable development initiatives.

5. Cost-Effectiveness: While the initial cost of liquid rubber may be higher than that of conventional materials, its long-term benefits, such as reduced maintenance and energy savings, often outweigh the upfront investment. Additionally, the seamless application and ease of maintenance can contribute to lower installation and lifecycle costs over time.

Conclusion

Liquid rubber stands as a testament to the ingenuity of materials science, offering a versatile and reliable solution for a myriad of engineering and manufacturing challenges. Its unique combination of flexibility, adhesion, and durability makes it an indispensable component in protective coatings, sealants, and adhesives across various industries. As technology advances and new formulations emerge, the potential applications of liquid rubber are likely to expand, further solidifying its position as a cornerstone of modern materials engineering.

[hellohenrry-blog]

How to choose the best family tent?

The tent is the most important camping equipment, which you need to consider when planning a family camping trip. Having the best family tent will ensure not only your family’s comfort but also their safety.

Family tents come in all different shapes, types and sizes with lot of various features. Finding the best family tent is a big hassle and your money may not spent more or less intelligently.

Sometime ago, I decided to buy a family tent for our summer camping holiday. Being a kind of person, who once has decided to buy something, I like to search all the best ones in the market. I spent so many hours on the internet, looking in camping stores, talking to people, looking through catalogs, reading books in search of useful information about what is the best family tent. I have included the most important information in this article, and I hope to be helpful if you are also looking for a good family tent and other camping gear.

I want to emphasize that the above matrix use just number of important attributes about family tents. Choosing the proper family tent takes a lot factor that differs from person to person according to size of tent you need, budget, brand preferences, special features and other needs.

Family Tent Comparison Guide and Key

Included in the matrix are 6 columns:

·         Family Tent pictures , Brand name/model, Price

·         Size – Number of people fitting

·         Description – Main features

·         Centre Height Type – in feet , inches

·         Sleeping Area –in  feet , inches

What to consider when looking for the best family tent

1. Size

One of the key factors to consider will be how many people can fit in a tent. It is a good idea to choose a tent that has a larger capacity than you are actually looking for. That means, if you are only going on holiday as a family of four, find a tent that has a capacity of five to six at least. This will give you plenty of room and comfort space. Having some extra room allows everyone to spread out a little and also provides some space for your gear.

2. Budget

Family tents come in different price scales:  You can pick up a cheap budget tent for under $100. If you are looking for something decent, it’s easy to spend $300-$500. And if you really want to look at an expedition kit you could surely end up paying up to $1000 or more.

·         If you’re with is to go on an occasional summer weekend camping, you will be fine with a budget tent.

·         if your plan is to do a long camping trip, camp out of season or where the weather may be unexpected or thinking of camping often in holidays then consider paying more to get something more durable , weatherproof and robust.

·         If you think you are a serious camper, its ok to go for the most expensive kit you can afford. The overall quality of construction, zips, poles, materials, pegs, ventilation and also the insect mesh will be much better. This means fewer problems in the camping field.

3. Materiel

There are a number of materials used to make tents but you will probably be looking at nylon or polyester one. These tents are considerably lighter, but can be hotter. So make sure your tent has good sufficient ventilation. Tent material is important to ensure it stays dry, particularly if you plan to tent in the off-season.

Tents made out of canvas are durable. However, they are heavier and do need to be dry before you fold them, otherwise you risk damage to the tent. They are normally watertight and, if the seal is ever compromised it is easy to re-seal using silicone based water repellent.

4. Setup Effort

If you don’t have previous experience in pitching tents then it is extremely important that you consider how easy setting up the tent is going to be. Many of the family tents can be easily put up these days. For most tents, allow at least 30 minutes although if you want it a bit quicker, some of the best family tents can be put up for less time than that. Some ‘pop up’ tents and instant tents literally take seconds to pitch, and some regard them as the best family tents. Most simple dome and tunnel tents can be pitched in five to ten minutes, once you’re familiar with the technique.

5. Strength and durability

The best family tent will be something that is strong and durable both against bad weather and the stresses and strains of energetic kids and adults. These cheap construction probably fail easily when kids are running, bouncing around inside, zipping and unzipping, or when pitching or removing the tent.

6. Waterproofing and ventilation

Staying dry is everyone’s wish when it comes to camping in tents. When shopping for a family tent make sure you get a tent that is waterproof, not only just water resistant or shower proof. Most tents are not built with this in mind; I have seen that some are little more than sunshades.

Ventilation is an important feature to look for when shopping for a tent. It’s no fun being cramped in a bad ventilated tent on a summer night. Luckily enough, most tents are now offering lot of no-see-um netting for ventilation and also protection from bugs. When a tent is tightly sealed up, there can be problems arising with condensation inside the tent. But when you have a good ventilated tent you will avoid these problems. However if you are planning camping in only cold weather, this feature won’t be a must.

All these qualities needed for the best family tent on the market are essential to make your family holiday as relaxing and as fun as possible!

Four Best family tent Reviews

1.    Coleman Sundome 4 

Based on overall rating, and reputation of the maker, the Coleman Sundome is one of the best family tents for 4 persons that anyone could own.  A generous 9’ x 7’ interior gives campers 63 square feet of space. The dome-style roof allows 59 inches of height, giving an excellent amount of headroom even for tall people.

Coleman Sundome 4 tent is thoughtfully designed and like most Coleman tents, it is priced to appeal to a wide variety of campers.

Coleman are known for their quality of design and workmanship.  Coleman Company is founded in 1900s and been in camping business since that time.  The tent currently has received 4.5 star ratings from those that have reviewed it on Amazon.  So, if you are looking for the quality 4 person best family tent, don’t just take our word. 

2.  Coleman WeatherMaster Screened 6 

Coleman Weatehr Master Screened 6 is ideal for family car campers & for long term camping excursions. In this Tent 6 people can sleep comfortably in two rooms; it has a footprint of 17′x9′ and a centre height of 6’10″.

With the WeatherTec system, your tent is made of different types and concentration polyester as well as a unique interweaving mesh system so you can be sure that rain won’t be any problem as long as you’re all inside the WeatherMaster 6 Tent. Even after a week of non-stop rain and strong winds, this tent didn’t crumble, seep, or leak. It really lives up to its name as the WeatherMaster.

3. Mountain Trails Grand Pass

Mountain Trails Grand Pass is a 9 Person family tent with a more attractive price tag.  At around $ 129 on Amazon, this is a solid tent that just about anyone can afford for the next family camping trip.

The Mountain Trails Grand Pass is a good choice for larger families.  The 76 inch center height will allow most people the ability to stand up, which isn’t always an option with dome tents. Setup, take down, and storage are a breeze with the “Stow ‘n Go” duffel system.

Mountain trail Grand Pass is the best value for money if you are looking for a tent that comfortable sleeps 7 people.

4. Coleman Instant tent 8 

This spacious 8-person, 2-room tent is designed for quick assembly. In less than a minute you can set this up and take it down also on the fly!  With base measures 14 by 10 feet; centre height of 6 feet 5 inches. The ventilation is a great deal, the wide windows on 2 sides, on the back part and on the front are very comfortable, and enable you to get a lot fresh air inside.

[yogaadvise]

The four main bandhas

What are bandhas?

You know those little mixes locks you obtain when travelling? You pop them on your bags, with the loopholes of your zips, to keep the contents in and also secure as well as secure? Well, your body has comparable locks, called bandhas. 'Bandha' actually implies lock, to tighten up, to close-off and also block. There are 4 main bandhas in the body:

Mula Bandha - the root lock

Jalandhara Bandha - the throat lock

Uddiyana Bandha - training of the diaphragm lock

Maha Bandha - all 3 locks at the exact same time

So what is the factor and also objective of shutting off the throat, having and raising the abdomen as well as of attracting internal at the centre of the pelvic flooring? Both individually, as well as all at the same time?

Essentially, bandhas are engaged to get control and lock your energy - prana, being vital force - the means you desire. The locks are utilized to attain control of your energy system, and to route this energy to the parts of your body where you prefer it to go and also whatever action you want to perform.

Essentially, bandhas are involved to get control and lock your energy - prana, being vital force - the means you want.

Where are the bandhas located?

The root (Mula) and throat (Jalandhara) bandhas' function are to seal the upper as well as reduced end of the spine. Jalandhara bandha temporarily protects against prana from going up, while Mula bandha blocks the down activity of energy and draws it back in the direction of the navel region. When both are engaged with each other it is like 2 sticks being massaged together - with the application of the belly lock also, multiplying it to create the fire of warm.

Bandhas are usually initial discovered as well as involved during techniques of kriya and pranayama as well as when mastered can be administered in asana method also. Keep in mind, it might take some practise till you're able to engage your bandhas to one of the most refined level. While Mula as well as Jalandhara bandhas can be performed both after inhalation as well as exhalation, Uddihyana as well as Maha bandha are just taken part in Bahya Kumbhka - external retention.

The advantages of engaging bandhas

So why is this securing up so valuable, when yoga exercise is obviously everything about opening?

Well, bandhas are incredibly fruitful for the brain centres, the nadis (channels whereby prana streams) as well as the chakras (power centres). They purify, remove blockages and harmonise as well as stabilize the self. Bandhas briefly stop the streaming of blood, so when released there is an enhanced flow of new blood. This flushes away the old, dead cells and also activates the body organs to strengthen, restore and also invigorate as blood circulation is boosted. Engaging the bandhas also educates as well as enhances single point focus, the consistent as well as regulated breath and also a clear, tranquil mind. It assists in regulating your interior systems, from sexual to hormonal to metabolic and also digestion.

It's advisable not to involve Mula bandha during menstruation (the initial 2 to 3 days) or when applying Ashwini mudra (a kriya workout where the anus is clenched and also unclenched).

How do we find the bandhas?

Mula bandha - the root

If the bandhas were to be clarified in 4 steps, Mula bandha would be the first. Men can locate it by getting the location between the rectum as well as the testes. For females - contract the muscular tissues at the bottom of the pelvic floor behind the cervix. In the beginning, the anal sphincter will likewise 'lock up', but with time and also with practise you will discover to differentiate and focus on the specific location of the root. As well as a much easier means to nail it? Well, three different pointers:

First: look at the suggestion of your nose - you will instantly really feel the experience of the Mula holding. Second: for women; if you've ever worried that you've leaked through during 'that' time of the month - the training feeling you make is locking Mula in. The muscular tissues you contract to hold in what is desiring to stream out is the Mula region. Third (though this may take a little bit of creativity!): rest cross-legged and also make to rise to the skies - instant Mula activation!

Mula bandha likewise naturally enters into play during lots of everyday tasks, climbing stairs, riding a bike, bring shopping bags home. Engaging your Mula bandha during your yoga exercise method enables your energy to stream up, not down and out, making it grow manifold and also leaving you with that said 'floaty' sensation. You will be lighter on your limbs, lighter on your floor covering and also lighter in yourself.

Want to recognize even more concerning Mula? Read: Mula bandha - origin lock

Practise in class with Andrew Wrenn: Core Support and Mula Bandha

Jalandhara bandha - the throat

'Jal' means throat, 'Jalan' means net and 'dharan' means flow or stream. Therefore, Jalandhara can be taken the locking of the energy flow through the nerves and also vessels of the neck area. When involved with Khecari mudra (crinkling the pointer of your tongue back to the roofing system of your mouth), its impact wonderfully increases.

To discover Jalandhara, sit tall and cross-legged. With your palms pressing into your knees, breathe in through your nose and bring your chin in the direction of your neck. Align your elbows, pull your chin back as well as involve the muscles there so you feel them tighten up, then preserve. It's the double chin you do want!

Jalandhara isn't typically done alone, instead, it is executed in mix with the various other secure breathing techniques. It presses the sinuses as well as primary arteries of the neck, taxing the throat to balance the thyroid and regulate metabolic process. And also, it relaxes you and also minimizes stress.

Uddiyana bandha - the 'false inhale'

'Uddiyana' suggests to fly or increase up, as well as is all concerning doing simply that with your diaphragm. To discover to do so, it's valuable to stand with your feet carry distance apart, bend ahead - with a straight back - and position your hands on your knees (or shins, if your hamstrings allow).

With a 'incorrect' breathe in (that is, the action of taking a breath without actually taking air in), make an upward activity as well as feel your abdominal wall and body organs raise and in the direction of your back, sort of like a suction back and also up of all your withins as if you're trying to make your waistline smaller.

Your ribs need to be protruding over as well as in front of your abdominal muscles. You hold this for as lengthy as you can, leaving by launching your hold, breathing in (constantly with your nose) as well as cleaning.

Uddiyana relocates energy upwards with a lot even more pressure than a pure Mula bandha alone. It creates a soft massage for the deeper inner muscles of the reduced back, and also is a fantastic solution for stomach and also belly troubles, in addition to a stimulant for digestive system juices.

For much more on Uddiyana Bandha, reviewed Uddiyana Bandha - Upward Flying Lock

Practise in course with Nichi Eco-friendly in her Prana Flow 4 Core class

Maha bandha - the 'ultimate' bandha

To do the supreme of the bandhas? Initially involve Mula, totally breathe out as well as turn on Jalandhara, after that flex onward and also 'suction up' to hold Uddiyana. This is Maha bandha. To launch, do so in the reverse order you involved (Uddiyana first, Jalandhara second and finally Mula bandha).

[summervanlife]

12 July

The drizzle was back this morning for a short time. Not long enough to inconvenience us, and it was still warm. We had breakfast and headed to the Callanish visitor centre allowing the weather time to improve further. It wasn't until we had entered the gift shop, that the visitor centre disclosed entrance to the exhibits would be £15. Instead we browsed the gift shop and read the guidebook. Then, reasonably knowledgable, we took a walk up to the stones. Callanish stone circle was built in about 3000BC. It underwent a few changes, and over the centuries a lot of peat developed to the extent that in the 1800's over 5ft of peat was removed from the stones and various excavations occurred later. The stones were between 2 and 3 metres tall. The centre stone being the largest. A circle of 13 stones at a radius of about 20ft surrounded it. Spokes stretched out to the east, south and west. An 'off' north avenue branched away from the centre. The best theory we heard was that describing lunar worshippers. The moon appearing to give birth to a star just off north every 18 years in the line of the avenue. We enjoyed checking the angle of the spokes with a compass and eavesdropping on the various tour guides! Next on the list was the 2000 year old Duone Broch; a small twin walled cylindrical castle with a staircase in between the walls to the 10m wall tops. Sounds amazing, but we were only able to get to about 200m from the ancient monument. Time for lunch. Further up this coastline we came upon the blackhouse village (so called due to the interior becoming soot coated resulting from burning peat). We got our first look at a tweed loom here. The operator was at lunch when we got there, but we got to have a good look round the 100 year old machine. When Alug returned he talked us through the process - but not in a dull way, he waited for our questions and then let rip. He was great and completely engaged with us. No-one else was there at that point, he sort of let on that he'd had a belly full of coach parties that morning. Perhaps he preferred a smaller audience. Once we had roughly got our head around the complex machine he started weaving - what a din! At one point a damaged shuttle shot from the contraption at 70mph and missed Jay's head by a few centimetres! Lucky! Alug wasn't deterred, apart from the fact his shuttle was damaged and they cost over £100 each! The rest of the exhibits were good, but we missed Alug. We watch a film about peat cutting and enjoyed roaming around the purposefully sloped blackhouse (designed so that the water from the leaking roof ran out of the bottom door and into the animal shed.) Alug had convinced us that we should find a couple more things in the day. Closest was a restored archway made from the jaw bones of an 82ft Blue Whale. It had drifted into the area dead, having being harpooned at sea elsewhere. The local boatman towed it ashore where it began to rot and stink out the village. In the end, locals were permitted to dispose of the whale - tapping through the skin for blubber mainly. The local postmaster decided to use the jawbones as an archway to his house - which is where they remain today, with the deathly harpoon hanging as a gruesome centrepiece. We chose to tick off the most northerly point on the Hebrides - The Butt of Lewis. On route we found ourselves at Port Ness. A lovely little village and harbour, even the man fishing off the end of the pier was nice and offered us some of his pollock and mackerel catch! It was already 1800hr. A finger post pointed towards The Butt of Lewis 3km away and we followed it on foot. Then we realised the reality of the time and decided to enjoy the view off the very high cliffs before returning to the van in order to cover the distance in the van. The road took us all the way to the lighthouse where we scared ourselves at the height and the soaring birds below us. Whilst trying to decide where to stay for the night, Clare suddenly remember Alug's suggestion of St Moluag's church ("All stone expect for the bible") - not to stay in, just to visit. So at 1930hr we set off in search of the stone church. We found it. However, the 'all stone' claim was a little far fetched - sure, the walls were stone, but that was it - slate tiles, wooden rafters, wooden pews, flowery flowers. The bible wasn't even there! So we couldn't check to confirm it wasn't made of stone. It seemed like a nice church though and had a pin board that people could put prayer requests on for people they knew - which we think is probably a good thing. We eventually decided to return to Port Ness for the night and found an ace spot above the harbour. Cian and Jay explored the harbour and found a lady balancing boulders and stones on the beach in a most impressive way. Then Nia tag teamed with Cian who went to help with the cooking. Jay and Nia sat on the harbour wall watching the birds feast on shoals of sand eels (Arctic terns, Fulmars, Black Backed gulls, Gannets and Guillemots). A local fisherman headed out in his small wooden boat, exited the breakwater, turned back and hollered to Jay and Nia "Wanna come for a spin?" We declined - dinner was nearly ready, but what a nice offer. We had dinner, had some book and then went to the local toilet adjacent to a cafe. They had been locked! But we were in 'Nice Town' and the cafe lady spotted out retreat, raced out and called us back saying she would unlock them for us. We glad we're here tonight - this village seems to exude the kindness, common in so much of the Outer Hebrides!

[grant-spiraltf]

The Summer Is Magic - Prologue

Finally! After almost 9 months of waiting, a beautiful multi-coloured mist started leaking from under the door that lead to the overgrown solarium, indicating that the concoction in the cauldron was finally done. When I opened the room I was met by a lovely vanilla smell and the mist cleared up, revealing a lovely spiral swirling in the centre of the room. A plethora of colours were dripping over the edges, evaporating when they hit the floor and becoming part of the mist. It was time.

I opened the glass roof with a flick of my wrist and a delightful mid-night breeze stirred up the mist. The full moon was a nice touch to the scenery, giving me a very witchy vibe. The violent swirl calmed down to the point where it wasn’t spilling any more so the mist started to dissipate, allowing the flowers and vines to soak in the moonlight. I grabbed a bottle which reeked of sweat and held it over the potion, little droplets falling into the cauldron.

1...

2...

3...

I backed off and waited. Suddenly the spiral stopped twisting and the colours formed circles. It slowly started to bubble again, growing more and more restless, like a volcano waiting to erupt. I grabbed both sides with my hands and started my incantation. “My colleague transformers are what you seek. So to the sky now, my beauties and make them squeak!” The second the last syllable rolled from my tongue, the mixture exploded and 15 wisps in varying colours soared towards the heavens, seeking out their targets. I was content. The spell had worked perfectly and now all I could do was sit back and relax. The solarium was a mess, but I’d get a servant to clean that up. I shut the doors and warped back to the store front, where a very dishevelled Chris Evans was waiting for me. “Back for another session Chris?” Instead of replying, Chris fell to his knees and started worshipping my feet. “Well you’re lucky I’m done for the day. Let me close the shop and we’ll get to playing, okay?” Chris eagerly wagged his ass like a dog while I magically flipped the sign to ‘Closed’. It was great to get a reward like this after another successful spell.

[safeenaposts]

Best type of shower enclosure

The best type of shower enclosure

South India Agency (SIA), is a leading, fast-growing company that homes the best bathroom and hardware accessories of quality products, with an established and well-networked channel partners combined to provide unmatched service both for residential and commercial requirements, from wardrobe fittings and accessories to furniture accessories. SIA is known for innovative products from reputed Firms.

When it is about your new bathroom fitting or upgrading one in the existing premises, think only to install the best accessories and fittings. Daily, you are going to use it to freshen up your day. It is something you’re going to use every day for the next couple of years. A place to rejuvenate yourself in the mornings and allow you to unfold after a long tiresome day. From wash basin to the minutest detail fittings for your bathroom needs like Tooth Brush Holders, Shelves, Soap Dishes, Baskets, Dispensers, Tumblers, Bathroom Ceiling Lights & Wall Lights, Exhaust Fans, toilet paper holders, etc are available here.

Are you confused?

You can visit SIA, take their opinion, and see the multiple solutions. A diverse range of best bathroom fittings is available.

If you are looking for Shower enclosures, the right choice could be made from different types of shower enclosures like large showers to hinged shower enclosures depending on what suits your budget and the bathroom size. If the bathroom is spacious enough, then large and walk-in showers are preferred. On the contrary, smaller sizes of bathrooms can use quadrant corner shower enclosures, 3 Sided shower enclosures, Bifold shower enclosures or hinged shower enclosures, etc, which can be used based on the availability of space. SIA is well-known for its quality shower products, made with premium materials, ideal for creating high-quality bathrooms at an affordable price.

Bathroom shower cubicles are made of thick glasses that are sturdy and leak-proof. They also are easy to maintain, strong, and heat resilient; making them equally safe for kids and adults. The cubicles are kept in place using chrome-plated brass fixtures, which are rust-free and elegant. Other materials that are used include plastic and thin waterproof materials for the shower screen.

As cited here, there are different ranges of bathroom accessories in SIA and hence space in the bathroom is to be considered before purchasing any shower cubicles. Ideally, the shower enclosure could be near the bathtub, considering constraints of space. It can be in line with your bathroom style and other accessories. Sliding doors, when used in shower enclosures, are best suited for a rectangular bathroom where the allotted space is less. Sliding doors offer a comfortable bath without having to be concerned about the water splashing or spilling outside the enclosure.

Choosing the right shower cubicle as per your budget and matching your bathroom needs are of prime importance. At South India Agencies we have a wide range of bathroom fittings and accessories. Finding the right shower cubicle that fits your budget should not be a problem. Shower cubicles from South India Agencies are pioneered with precision and can be tailor-made so that your bathroom space and size requirements are met. A shower cubicle enhances the look and feels of the bathroom and blends into the color scheme. Our display center in Bangalore is a one-stop shop for all your bathroom fittings and accessories.

South India Agencies (SIA) is a Display Centre with a wide range of architectural and builders’ hardware associated with 80+ powerful brands, for all your requirements under one roof.

Do visit South India Agencies (SIA)

Call: 9901615115.

Website: https://southindiaagencies.com/

Email: contact@southindiaagencies.com

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[things-to-do-worthing-sussex]

Worthing Sussex – a great place to raise a family

I think that Worthing Sussex is such a great place to raise my family. Property prices are highly affordable compared to other sites in the United Kingdom. There are plenty of good schools in this place like which are so perfect for my children growing up. Some great schools in town are Bramber, Davison CofE, Durrington High, Worthing High, Broadwater CofE, St. Andrews CofE High for Boys, etc. For college, Northbrook College has two campuses in Worthing, and they have the West Durrington campus known as the University Centre Worthing. I am looking to this school to send my children when they go to college in the future.

Maintenance Services in London

The top-notch company for maintenance services in London is Safe House Services. This company's maintenance services will help you keep your home comfortable and stress-free. They specialise in building and property maintenance services throughout London and the south of the UK. They help landlords, property owners, and clients who want their properties to be well maintained. They also carry out repairs and building and construction services. They are trusted professionals who can care for your repairs, new improvements, and planned maintenance. They undertake all types of property maintenance and repairs, from roof replacement, plumbing, drainage, gas and boiler services, decorating, glazing, replacement flooring, building services, renovations, and landlord safety checks. For more information, call 01903 372137 or 0930 1221250.

Heating engineers in London

The No.1. heating engineers in London is Safe House Services. This company provides a complete range of professional tradespeople, from decorators, plumbers, and heating engineers to roofers. They offer a full range of plumbing services that clients can trust and rely on. Their teams of plumbers in London and the south UK can help you with any leaking taps to block drains to complete kitchen and bathroom installations. The trained plumbers from Safe House Services are experienced and fully equipped for any plumbing emergency. They are the best heating engineers in London, and they offer not only plumbing services but also gas services, electric services, and maintenance services. For more information, call 01903 372137 or 0330 1221250.

  Worthing Beach in Worthing Sussex

Worthing Beach in Worthing Sussex is such a vibrant area. Worthing is a vibrant seaside with many shops, and there’s no shortage of places to eat and drink. One of the things to do in Worthing Beach is going to the Dome cinema by the seafront, the oldest working cinema in the country since its opening in 1911. There’s also a festival held annually in the last two weeks of July. There are so many things to enjoy at Worthing Beach. You can also walk by the Worthing Pier and enjoy the beautiful view or go to the café and have some fun. 

Worthing dad saves pensioner from drowning.

I was delighted when I read the news that a dad from Worthing saved a pensioner who almost drowned while swimming off the Worthing coast. The Worthing dad was Henry, 37 years old, who noticed the pensioner Lesley Clark, 84, in distress. Henry jumped without hesitation to save him from drowning. When this happened, he was basking in the sunshine by the pier with his mum, wife, and two children. He managed to pull Lesley ashore, and the Worthing Borough Council’s Coastal Office took over to give him first aid. I like how Henry managed to save him, and I’m so proud of what he did.

Link to Map

Driving Direction

Worthing Beach

Marine Parade, Worthing BN11 3QA, United Kingdom

Take Marine Parade, A259, A24 and Sompting Ave to Upper Brighton Rd/A27

9 min (2.3 mi)

Turn left onto Upper Brighton Rd/A27

 Destination will be on the left

9 s (135 ft)

Safe House Services

7 Downlands Parade

Upper Brighton Road

Worthing

Sussex

BN149JH