#Tamise

[carbone14]

Des observateurs scrutent le ciel depuis un fort maritime Maunsell dans l'estuaire de la Tamise - 19 novembre 1943

Photographe : Lieutenant Tanner

©Imperial War Museums – H 34542

La photo est prise depuis la tour d'éclairage pour le tir antiaérien. A l'arrière-plan on remarque les tours équipées de batteries antiaériennes.

Le fort Maunsell de Red Sands dans l'estuaire de la Tamise au nord des côtes du Kent - 20 août 2011

©Russss

[fidjiefidjie]

Bonjour, bon Dimanche ☕️ 🥐 🥝

Amoureux ,quai de la Tamise 🇬🇧 Londres 1954

Photo de Kurt Hutton /Getty Images

[2t2r]

La station de pompage de Crossness : la plus belle station d'épuration du monde

Nouvel article publié sur https://www.2tout2rien.fr/la-station-de-pompage-de-crossness-la-plus-belle-station-depuration-du-monde/

La station de pompage de Crossness : la plus belle station d'épuration du monde

[reitsportportal]

David Will siegt in der zweiten Qualifikation zum Großen Preis von Donaueschingen 2024

[magics-neptunes-things]

The City (One Love 10)

Hi guys :)

I haven't post since forever and I'm sorry. I started to work again and my brain wouldn't let me write. I didn't want to force me to write, so you had to wait a little bit.

Here is a new chapter for the serie "One Love" but you totally can read it without having read the others.

Also the title is because I was listening to Ed Sheeran while writing it.

Please enjoy ♥

As soon as they arrive in London, Lucy takes the lead about everything. She drags Ona through the airport to take their suitcases easily and find them quickly a cab to go to her apartment. The sight of it isn’t new for Ona, she already came here since Lucy lives here. Lucy never came back to Barcelona for now and she really looks to be able to do it soon.

But Ona has ten days of recovery offered by Barcelona, where Lucy doesn’t. She has training with Chelsea starting very soon and they both decided that Ona would come here to pass time with her girlfriend when she will have finished her training. They happened during the morning, that let them all the rest of the day to enjoy things together. And like that, Ona will be able to sleep in during the mornings.

Lucy laughs when Ona let herself fall on her stomach on the couch the second they enter the apartment, rolling her eyes playfully.

“You slept during almost all the flight and dozens of in the cab, Bonita. Aren’t you a little bit dramatic here?”

Ona grumbles something in Catalan for any answer, making Lucy’s smile wider. She loves to see the frame of the Spaniard in her apartment, even if it’s not ideal, it’s kind of remembered her the first days of their relationship. Ona coming discreetly in Barcelona and herself coming in Manchester. Less discreetly though, because she literally got caught on television while watching Ona playing with Manchester United.

Ona having only clean clothes in her suitcases, Lucy drags them to her bedroom before joining Ona on the couch. Sitting near her hips, she slowly strokes her hair. She was joking earlier, but she never seen her girlfriend as tired as she is right now.

“Would you like to sleep one hour before going to the restaurant? Or we can order in and go outside after if you don’t feel like going out” she proposes with consideration.

But Ona rolls as much as she can on her side, finishing with her back pressed against Lucy.

“No, I will have plenty of time to sleep when you’re not here. But would you mind if I take a shower before?”

“Not if I have the right to come with you” Lucy smirks back.

Several hours after, they are going out of the restaurant Lucy reserved for them. Ona has never been a big fan of the English gastronomy (apart from the Sunday Roast of her mother-in-law), but she has to admit that the meat pie she just ate was pretty amazing.

“Oh look, e-bikes” Ona points suddenly.

Lucy smiles softly, remembering how much Ona loves to use them near the beaches in Barcelona. Still, she wasn’t expecting the gaze full of hope from her girlfriend when she looks at her.

“Do you want to use them?” Lucy asks slowly.

“Yes?”

Ona was frowning, not understanding the surprise easily visible on her girlfriend’s face. They have made a lot of strolls with them in Barcelona and as far as she knows, Lucy loves it too.

“You just come out of weeks of training for the Olympics, and you want to ride a bike?”  Lucy explains her point of view with a smile.

“Oh” Ona realizes, before smiling and shrugging. “Yes, if you don’t mind. I still need to stay in shape”

“You are very in shape, don’t worry” Lucy smirks cockily.

It makes Ona laughs, and she rolls her eyes before hitting Lucy playfully on her arm.

“Alright Lucy Bronze, get us two of those and we can flirt all you want while we pedal, yes?”

Being the one living here, Lucy takes the lead once again, taking Ona through London. Maybe not on the places full of tourists, even if they passed next the Tamise or other places like this. Ona takes advantage of their stroll to take so picture of her girlfriend. She even posts some of them when they are back home, Ona comfortably cuddling in Lucy’s arms.

“What are we doing tomorrow?” Ona yawns after having put her phone somewhere between two cushions.

“Well tomorrow morning I have training so you can sleep until I come to wake you up. Then I organized a creative activity, if you are up too.”

“What kind?” Ona asks with curiosity.

She seats a little more next to Lucy to have a better look at her. She never has been good with surprises, loving to know what will happen. She likes organizing them, though.

“You’ll see, Señorita Batlle. And while you are here, you will have a lot of surprises so you must learn to enjoy them”

Lucy giggles when she sees the pout on Ona’s face, who is however quickly erased when she kisses her.

“Let me take care of you, yes?” she whispers against her lips.

Ona hums, but she’s not sure about what anymore. She missed her girlfriend, but her girlfriend touch too and she might be more interested in Lucy than in the film in the TV.

Two days later, Lucy comes back home after training to find only silence. Yesterday, Ona was up when she came back but it looks like today it’s not the case. The living room is exactly like she let it before leaving this morning. She doesn’t mind though, and she happily take the direction of her bedroom.

She finds Ona dead asleep in her bed, her face hidden between her cushion and her messy hair. The sight makes her smile, and she use all of her discretion to crawls under the sheets without waking Ona.

The Spaniard still stirs when she feels Lucy passing her arms around her waist and kiss lovingly her jaw.

“Bon dia Bonita” Lucy whispers before kissing her again.

Ona mumbles something that Lucy doesn’t understand, she even wouldn’t be able to recognize the language Ona used. But she lets Ona turn in her arms and hides her face in her neck.

“Did you sleep well?” Lucy asks after several minutes.

“Better when you were here” Ona answers.

Lucy smiles one more time and strokes Ona’s hair softly, letting the younger one waking up slowly. Her gaze stops on the painted bears they made yesterday, standing proudly on the dresser in her room, next to one picture of her and Ona.

“What are we doing today?” Ona asks.

“Nice try” Lucy smirks before kissing her. “First you can go take a shower while I cook us something. Then we will go out”

“No, first cuddles” Ona decides.

Lucy obliges with pleasure, making the Spaniard laughs when she rolls on her, crushing her deliberately in the process.

“Lucy I can’t breathe” Ona managed to say still laughing, despite the attack of kisses that Lucy lays all over her face.

Lucy puts a last kiss on Ona’s nose with a noisy “Muah” before sitting on the bed. She feels her heart fluttered when she looks at her girlfriend, lying on her back in her white sheets with her hair spread all around her head.

“How can you be so beautiful?” Lucy sighs softly.

Ona rolls her eyes when Lucy strokes her cheek, but then Lucy slaps playfully her nose. They kiss for some minutes again, before Ona eventually gets out of the bed to go on the shower. Lucy takes advantage of it to make the bed and then go to the kitchen, making a brunch for both of them.

She pulls the bacon out of the pan when Ona joins her, getting on her tiptoes from behind to be able to kiss her neck. Lucy smiles before turning in her arms, not even mentioning the fact that Ona is literally wearing on of her shirt. To be fair, she’s actually wearing herself a white shirt who is at Ona, that Ona was wearing on a picture she posted on Instagram several days before.

“That smells good” Ona smiles, looking with at the food with appetite.

“With some luck it will taste good too”

Ona grabs the drink while Lucy takes their plate to eat on the balcony of the apartment. At London Lucy might have more trouble to be on it unless it’s during the Summer, but she wanted to have a balcony anyway. Lucy sits as close from Ona as possible, their chair glued to each other.

As always, the small talk is great, funny and interesting. After the breakfast they both clean the kitchen and the dishes before getting ready to leave the apartment. Ona still don’t know where they are going, but she follows happily Lucy to her car. Even if she almost sits on the wrong seat, the conductor being on the other side in England.

“How was training?” Ona asks during the trip.

“Pretty great. They made me answer some questions, I have to lie about one thing” she rolls her eyes.

“About what?”

“They asked me who is the last person I called. It was you obviously, but I answer my mom.”

Ona snorts at that, rolling her eyes before looking by the windows. They decided to be less secretive about their relationship, but she will probably answer the same thing if Barcelona ask her the same question in several days.

“You aren’t mad, are you?” Lucy asks nervously after realizing that Ona stayed silence after that.

“Of course not” Ona smiles softly, stroking Lucy’s neck with her fingers.

It makes Lucy shiver and Ona smiles. The Spaniard decides to continue to play with Lucy’s hair here while they start to talk again about something else. A little while after, they arrive in front of a building, and it would be hard for Ona not to understand what they will do.

“Golf?” she asks, arching an eyebrow. “I know we didn’t know each other at that time, but haven’t you seen videos of me playing golf before?”

“I did” Lucy chuckles before getting out of her car. “But I’m sure you will be great with a good instructor.”

Ona hums, not really believing it. But if playing golf makes Lucy happy, she will play golf. Ona grabs Lucy’s arm while they go to the reception, taking the reservation Lucy made several days before, when she prepared everything.

She lets Lucy talk with the woman behind the desk, looking with distraction at her, just to be sure that she won’t be hitting on the English woman. But she doesn’t and several minutes later they are going to one of the booths with thousands of balls and several golf clubs.

“Come on, show me what you can do” Lucy smirks.

Not being the one to take offense, Ona smiles and rolls her eyes once again before choosing a ball and a club. She then puts herself on position, looking the different targets on the green. Taking a big breath, she closes her eyes when the club hits the balls.

A metallic sound makes her understand that her ball didn’t go far, but Lucy’s laughs could have made her understand alone. When she turns in her girlfriend’s direction, the brunette was taking a picture of her.

“Stop making fun of me” Ona smiles. “Where’s my instructor anyway?”

“You are looking at her right now, Princesa” Lucy rolls her eyes while coming closer to Ona. “Like I was going to pay to watch someone putting their hands on you. Now, behave.”

Ona smiles, always amazed to see that her girlfriend might be jealous about her. She willingly let Lucy puts her in the position she wants, smirking when she feels almost all of Lucy’s front pressing against her back.

“Is it really professional, miss Bronze?” she teases.

“Mh, probably not” Lucy smirks before kissing Ona just behind her ear.

Ona smiles too, turning slightly her face to look at her. She could feel Lucy’s breath on her skin like this.

“Behave I said” Lucy smiles, turning softly Ona’s face on the right direction.

Ona smiles and let her girlfriend do once again. She listens with attention when Lucy gives her some advice about how to hold her club, trying to mimic her moves. She presses herself a little more against Lucy, unable to resist at her envy. Of course, Lucy feels it and she bites her neck softly, making Ona gasp.

“You’re such a tease” Lucy smiles against her skin.

“Not my fault if the instructor is hot as hell” Ona smirks.

Her smile gets wider when Lucy kisses her right where she had bite her, before releasing her. Lucy misses Ona’s body against her almost immediately, but they are in public, and she really wants Ona to be able to send this ball on the other side of London.

“Come on, make me proud”

Just to tease Lucy, Ona bows her ass a little more than necessary. She doesn’t have to look back to know that Lucy’s eyes are probably glued to it, before taking all of her concentration to hit the ball the right way. Lucy told her not to close her eyes so she lets them open and just like that she’s able to see that her ball fly way away than before.

“Vamos!”

Ona raises her fist with a big smile, before turning to Lucy, who smiles at her with a mix of pride and fun. The older one comes closer to Ona, careful to the club.

“Told you” Lucy smiles at Ona before kissing softly her cheek.

Ona hums happily before she hands out the club to Lucy who doesn’t hesitate before she takes it. And when Ona is fully allowed to check her girl out when she prepares herself to shoot, she tells herself that golf isn’t actually that bad.

“Lucy”

There is a moment of silence.

“Lucia”

Lucy groans and stirs in her bed, before rolling on Ona, preventing her from making the slightest gesture. But the Spaniard just laugh, stroking Lucy’s naked back with her fingers.

“You’re going to be late for training” Ona whispers.

“Don’t have training” Lucy grumbles, her head hidden in Ona’s hair and neck.

“You didn’t tell me” Ona frowns.

“Surprise. Now sleep.”

Almost two hours later, it’s Lucy who wakes Ona up with tender stroke in her face. She’s actually tracing her freckles together and kiss the corner of Ona’s mouth when she realizes that the Spaniard is awake.

“Hola Princesa. Time to wake up.”

Ona sighs and stirs in the sheets, and she wonder if she already felt so comfortable and warm.

“Why aren’t you naked anymore?” Ona frowns when she realizes.

“Because I went to take some pastries, couldn’t do it undress, could I?”

Ona groans possessively at that. It makes Lucy smiles, and she kisses her softly, her thumb still caressing her jaw softly.

“We will need to eat and drink on the car though, we have to leave in thirty minutes” she adds, looking at her watch.

“Where are we going?” Ona asks with interest.

“Somewhere where you will be able to relax entirely” Lucy answers, taking Ona’s hand to make her sit on the bed.

“I’m totally relax now, just like I was last n…”

Ona begins before Lucy puts her finger on her lips to makes her quiet.

“No talk about sex otherwise we will need to start again, and we don’t have time for that now”

She smiles in front of Ona smirks but still gets up to grab a sport bag in her cupboard and leave the room.

“Twenty-eight minutes, Bonita.”

Twenty-four minutes later, they are in Lucy’s car, Ona freshly showered even if Lucy told her that it wasn’t necessary. She still wanted to feel fresh and comfortable. She’s drinking her coffee, trying to guess where they are going. Lucy’s Spotify being wracked with Spanish songs, they have Rosalia singing in the background.

“When will we be able to see each other again, after that?” Lucy asks softly.

She wanted to let that question for later, not wanting to kill the mood of the day. But the question is still in her mind pretty much all the time.

“I don’t know” Ona sighs softly. “We have our games almost always the same days. I won’t be able to watch you play often…”

“Well at least it means that we will have two days free at the same time” Lucy shrugs.

She was right. Ona nods softly, trying to remember the planning of their games. It hasn’t been posted online officially, but the team already have it.

“I will come to Barcelona next time, if that’s ok for you?”

“Of course it is” Ona smiles. “I miss having you there”

Lucy smiles softly at that. She hasn’t left since a very long time, the season hasn’t even started yet. But she understands very much what Ona means. She loves London, but she would have preferred to stay in Barcelona. They badly couldn’t assure her what she needed so here she was, but she’s longing to live with Ona again.

They arrive soon after at the right place, Ona looking around with a little smile.

“A Spa?”

“A Spa Day for my very talented and very tired girlfriend, who needs to be taken care of” Lucy confirms before stopping the car.

“I’m already very well taken care of, thanks to you” Ona smiles.

Lucy smiles back and leans between the two seats to steal a kiss. Ona seems indeed very much relaxed and rested than when she arrived at London several days before. But it was in Lucy’s plans, and she doesn’t have training today so they will have all day to enjoy it together.

Lucy passes her arm around Ona’s shoulder to take her in the main building, taking their bathrobes and everything they will need during their time here. It was during the week so not a lot of people are here, which is pretty enjoyable.

They start with the hot swimming pool before going to the massage Lucy asked for. Then, both of their stomachs start to groan, and they decided to go to eat something in the restaurant of the place.

“Thanks for all you organized during my stay” Ona says, above her burrata salad.

“It was the least I can do, Bonita. You really need to rest, or you will end up injuring. I can say it now, but I really was concerned about you.”

“I know”

Ona sighs softly, playing with a piece of tomato and her fork. She didn’t say everything to Lucy because she knows that the older one was already worried. She didn’t want to worry her even more.

“The hardest was to be mentally tired” Ona adds softly without looking at her girlfriend. “I felt like we weren’t considered at all. I don’t understand why the staff wanted to try new things every time and not going for things we know would have worked.”

Lucy hums only. She has a lot of ideas about it, but it’s maybe better for now not to add fuel to the fire. Ona is out of it for now and Lucy really hopes that Montse Tome will leave soon for someone better.

“Maybe when you will stop playing, you can become Spain’s coach” Ona says suddenly.

Lucy almost chokes on her food.

“I’m pretty sure Leah would ask for my name to be erased from all the cups and wins we’ve won since I’ve played” Lucy rolls her eyes.

Ona smirks, thoughtfully chewing her food. She never really met Leah, the last time she saw her was on a pitch and it was when she did her ACL. And for the coaching, she was joking, of course. Lucy isn’t really interested in becoming a coach after her career, she knows it. Plus, she’s not sure that the coach is allowed to have a relationship with one of her players.

When they finish their meal, Lucy proposed to Ona to go for a jacuzzi. They have the possibility to have a private room with one in it, as long as one is still free. Luck seems to be on their side because they managed to find one who is empty. Lucy steel pouts when she sees that they have a view on the swimming pool.

“They were some of them with the view on the park” she explains.

But Ona doesn’t seem to mind, shrugging before taking her bathrobe off. A smile had been on her face all day, much for Lucy’s pleasure. Ona’s smile is definitively one of her weak spots.

Well, Ona is her weak spot, she thinks when she sees her girlfriend coming closer to her before passing her arms around her neck.

“It’s perfect like this. With you next to me, I have the most perfect view anyway”

Lucy can only smile too, kissing her girl softly. That day is perfect, but just like the entire stay of Ona. They both know they will need to say goodbye to each other in several days, but everything is perfect for now and they couldn’t ask for more.

[muspeccoll]

Winter storms are on their way across the Midwest, so make sure you're as stocked up with reading material as Louis Bosch, Curé of Tamise! He's shown here with his library in his very own custom-engraved bookplate from around 1750. It's affixed to the copy of Pius II's Epistolae familiares that is now part of our incunable collection.

Stay warm and safe!

[fluffykiddosstuff]

Their opinion on face sitting (NSFW)

Warnings : sexuals content, face sitting, handjob and many mores

--------

Markus

- please just sit on this androids face, he would do anything to pleasure you.

- don't mind about sitting on yours but is kind of nervous because androids are heavier so he makes sure he doesn't put all his weight

- doesn't jerk off while eating you out tho, he will just grab your tights to focus to give you pleasure

- buuuut if it's you who is jerking him off then this poor man is gone

- his skin features probably peels off whenever your skin and his touch, even tho you can't interface it's a reflex for his body.

- if you can't stop moaning his name, he will overstimulate you until you can't cum anymore

- your first time while face sitting would be after the androids got their rights, he was still a leader but he had less on his shoulders to carry (except you wink wink)

-after the androids law being accorded he had took you to an hotel, the time he could get some paperworks done before going back to Carl but.. This night wasn't about papers at all

- you took him on the bed because he was stressing himself too much and before you could know it you were already making out in the bed and seconds after he make you sit on his face

- he said it was the better reward for being the android leader

Connor

- this poor Android doesn't understand the need to facesit, he took a while to understand that you wanted proper sex with him but if you don't say verbally that you want to sit on his face he will not initiate it at first

- when you finally said it, he makes researches whenever he can to understand what you mean by that, he tried to ask hank about it first to seem more human but when the poor old lieutenant cough so hard that he couldn't even breath he quickly got that it wasn't the best approach to get more informations

- once he collected enough data he would organize a date (I know androids can't eat but I saw a headcanon where they eat thirium food and I thought it was really cute), after the date would take you at a hotel

- "do whatever you want but not in my house kid" that's what hank said to Connor before he got to your date and after giving money for the hotel "it would be rude to take the people you date to their own house" he said patting connor's head

- once you got into the room you couldn't keep smiling and he took a room with petals on the bed forming a heart and tamised lights too

- first it was like usual, kissing, love words exetera, then he layed down on the bed after undressing you and you sat on his face

- God he didn't imagine how good it could felt for you, would maybe want to try it out but would'nt ask for it before some time

- this tongue isn't just to take samples ;)

- let's say that for the rest of the night you didn't slept

Ralph

- at first the poor boy didn't even knew what you were talking about

- sex? Face sitting? What's all of that?

- but once you explained everything calmly to him and that he got that it wasn't hurtful for any of you he accepted

- first you got to your house because doing that at the squat was.. Weird

- you just begin with little kisses on his face and scars but before you could see it, he rolled over and make you sit on his face after ripping whatever clothes was between his mouth and his goal

- you didn't knew a such precious being could be so wild but you didn't mind tho

- would ask if you could do the same for him because he wanted to know how could it feels since he saw how you were excited

- "Ralph likes y/n like this.. He wants to know how it feels too!"

- now it's one of Ralph's favorite activities to do with you

Hank

- you were dating with hank for a little while and you hesitated to ask him if you could practice facesitting and that he would say "Jesus y/n I'm too old for these things!"

- but when you actually asked him about it, it was an another story

- if you asked him in a public space he would murmur in your ear "tonight at my house, Connor will be at Markus place" or if you are both home and that Connor is gone for the day he would say : "c'mere" and start doing the job

- he is quite experienced, he was married after all

- you would probably have red tights because of the friction of his beard but you don't mind, he finds that quite erotic too

- don't ask him that he sits on your face tho, he doesn't like that

- one or two round is enough, after all he is human and old, yes he likes it but he doesn't want to get killed by you sitting on his face (even tho he says while laughing that it could be nice to die this way)

-since of his age, he can't do things like he could when he was in his 20's so facesitting is one of his favorite things because he knows that he can handle it and make you feel good at the same time

Gavin

-wow wow wow wow hold there a second

-what are you asking ?

-would'nt be for it at first maybe says things like "na it's for pussy's anyways i like my way of holding things better"

-buuuut if you insist..he would consider it

-but don't talk to anyone about this, no matter how much he loves you he's gonna kill you if you don't shut your mouth

-actually is pretty aroused when he ears you whimper on top of him, he could cum only from that

-but don't ever tease him about that because either he will make you sexually frustrated for who knows how long or would have to punish you somehow

-if one day, ONE SINGLE DAY, he let's you eat him while he is sitting on your face, told yourself your lucky

simon

-would be so glad that you ask him directly, to him that means a lot and plus it's a sign of affection so why not ?

-man he is so sweet please just praise him already

-wouldn't mind to try, but if he doesn't like it he will tell you

-would be scared when you start to tremble because of overstimulation, but once you reassure him that it's all about pleasure, he is glued to you for some time

-caresses and soft words are his love language so he will most likely caress your tights and anything that reaches his hands

-he looks at you like your some sort of divinity while having you on his face, please don't stop him

nines

-like connor pretty confused about anything sex-like (like he doesn't know yet how to initiate it), but he would get the little hints you give him

-doesn't ask anything to anyone, he doesn't need it, he is cyberlife most avanced android right ?

-many, too many researches (even at work or at night)

-he wants you to be bold with him and sincere so don't be afraid to tell him exactly what you want (if you come with a plan or a kamasutra to show him how is facesitting, would register everything in his cpu)

-wouldn't sit on you, he isn't comfortable with that yet ( at first he says that he is made to help humans and not to be pleased)

-would close his eyes during the "processus" likes he calls it,he is deviant but that serious part of him is what attracted him to you after all

- doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy it tho, every sounds, moves, spots and picture he register of you is in his cpu and whenever he is bored and want to try new things (like masturbation) or maybe just because he wants to see how marvelous you are, he will read those files

-would maybe try to tease you (i sais try, doesn't mean he is good at it) and would continue or not, depends on your reaction

-leaves marks and bruises on your legs and stomach

kamski

-FUCKING FINALLY

-he was waiting his whole life that you ask him for that

-prepared everything in advance

-if you put lingerie or anything sexy on, oh god have mercy he will not leave you for a while

-doesn't mind receive but likes more giving

-could keep on for hours, he can't get enough of you really

-he saw you as a masterpiece, so he is honored to as you on his face

-but before or after, would ask if he can take snapshots of you and both of you, he is the creator of androids but he like these old techniques and he thinks you both look like gods from ancient greece

-he keepts these snapshots on him every single time and when he as to go for something, brings them with him to remember how much fun you will both have when he gets home

-makes you a bath and ask chloe for diner,pampers you, don't want to leave you until you are asleep

[hartzvillerangleterre2024]

Nous avons remonté la Tamise jusqu'à Tower Bridge que nous avons traversé et la Tour de Londres. Maintenant direction la Cathédrale St Paul près de laquelle se trouve le restaurant de ce soir.

Ils auront bien marché !

[transparentgentlemenmarker]

Dimanche 12 mai 2024 à 5h45, deux Autrichiens ont réussi l'exploit de traverser le Tower Bridge de Londres en wingsuit. Les deux parachutistes Marco Fürst et Marco Waltenspiel ont sauté d'un hélicoptère au dessus de la Tamise à environ 1000 mètres de hauteur et ont traversé le pont à 246 km/h. Un vol en wingsuit qui n'a duré que 45 secondes et a demandé 2 ans de préparation et 200 sauts d'entrainement.

[anticbrvtalist]

La mort de John Balance

« Le pouvoir occulte et magnétique de l’Angleterre » ! Où donc ai-je lu ces mots ? » (Léon Bloy)[1]

Nous ne croyons pas à la mort accidentelle de John Balance ; nous pensons seulement qu’il sut prendre congé à temps. Sans doute était-il fatigué de tituber dans un monde qui meurt. Dès la fin du siècle dernier, Londres n’était plus la capitale du Royaume-Uni, mais un cratère foré par l’économie monde, plongeant à pic dans le tiède enfer du non-lieu global. Même Ian Sinclair se lassera – certes, quinze ans plus tard – de longer la M25, le London Overground, d’invoquer les esprits de son occulte psycho géographie, d’exposer aux non-initiés ses cartes imaginaires dont la topographie n’évoquera bientôt plus rien à personne. Nous fûmes victimes d’une illusion d’optique : le capitalisme ne sévit pas à l’état liquide mais gazeux : tout ce dont il a épuisé la valeur d’échange s’évapore, disparaît. Même les ruines.

            John Balance le savait : ce Londres occulte, dont il partageait la fascination avec quelques grand initiés, Allan Moore par exemple, le Londres de Jacques l’éventreur, d’Austin Osman Spare, de William Blake, d’Arthur Machen, de la Golden Dawn, de Thomas de Quincey et sa chère Ann, ce Londres s’était tout entier évanoui ; et bientôt, ferait défaut jusqu’à l’humanité encore accessible à de tels souvenirs. Il aura vu le dôme du « Millenium » émerger, les quais de la Tamise se border de buildings en verre, leur enfilade de docks, de hangars désaffectés, se muer en malls, en galeries polaires, en lofts pour yuppies. Sans doute s’effrayait-il d’y voir son avenir, d’imaginer Coil diffusé dans une quelconque annexe de la Tate Gallery, distraitement écouté par des hordes de touristes asiatiques ou de jeunes cadres apatrides de la City, sujets au burn-out, rompus au binge drinking, tous d’une désespérante tolérance. Il le devinait : jamais plus Londres ne serait « la cité des résurrections »[2]. Cette ville lui était à ce point devenue étrangère qu’il ne pouvait plus suivre à l’instinct les affluents de la Tamise, ces méandres aux propriétés magiques jadis cartographiées par John Dee : la Fleet, la Tyburn, les rivières de Stamford brook et de Walbrook. Désormais incapable de soulever les strates de l’histoire immédiate, mais toujours possédé par son Londres mythique et souterrain, John Balance se sera, à quarante ans, enterré vivant. 

L’un des derniers albums de Coil, Times machines, fut la première tentative musicale de dissoudre le cours du temps. Peut-être Balance avait-il le pressentiment d’une prochaine catastrophe dont il désirait, de toutes ses forces, différer l’avènement. Peut-être devinait-il que Londres, puis l’Angleterre tout entière, allait devenir telle qu’elle figure dans la série Black mirror : le cadre d’un nouveau cauchemar dystopique sur le point d’envahir le globe. D’instinct, en bon britannique, et donc un peu chauvin, il savait que l’Angleterre, depuis le XVIIè, énonce l’ordre du monde, Rule the world. La mission historique d’Albion s’achève, mais reste son imagination, suffisamment fertile pour nourrir les cauchemars du monde entier : « England has a black earth ».[3]

             « Les poètes sont toujours les premiers à s’en aller » remarquait Ian Sinclair. John Balance fut un précurseur : aujourd’hui, c’est le peuple britannique tout entier qui tâtonne vers la sortie, cherche machinalement son âme comme on s’assure de la présence d’un membre fantôme. Le Brexit, bien sûr, ne résoudra rien. Le Royaume-Uni, hier galion corsaire cinglant à l’avant-garde, aujourd’hui vieux rafiot à la remorque des États-Unis, tourné vers l’ailleurs, le grand large, l’Océan Pacifique peut-être, pour une dernière aventure.   

NO SOCIETY 

             John Balance, c’est avant tout l’homme en marge. Il n’eut pas assez de sa courte vie pour apprendre à se défaire du monde. Très jeune, il comprit qu’il est vain de pester contre le « système », de fantasmer un grand soir, aussi n’ayons pas le ridicule d’en faire un nouveau « suicidé de la société » : cette dernière, il sut la tenir à distance, cultivant l’art de la clandestinité, luttant constamment contre toute forme imposée ; et cette lutte lui fut source de bonheur – « Disobediance is the key of joy ». Dans la lignée d’un Pasolini ou d’un Genet, Balance vécut son homosexualité comme une malédiction, un défi, trop orgueilleux qu’il était pour quémander la reconnaissance des foules, de l’État. Pourquoi briguer une impossible normalisation, source certaine d’un supplément de souffrances ? Inutile de se rassembler, d’exiger de nouveaux droits : aujourd’hui comme hier, toute singularité draine la vindicte. Le seul acte militant de Coil, la reprise de Tainted Love assortie d’un clip horrifique, suffit, dès 1984, à écarter tout malentendu : les niais partisans de la cause arc-en-ciel, glacés, passèrent leur chemin.

                  Bien plus qu’un simple pas de côté, la vie de John Balance fut esquive, dérobade radicale. De la société, il se retrancha, mais de biais, faisant sien l’enseignement d’Austin Osman Spare : le monde ne se comprend qu’appréhendé latéralement, surtout les êtres humains, dont on ne peut saisir quelques parcelles d’âme que lorsqu’ils ne vous voient plus, vous ont oublié. Cette approche oblique strictement observée, la politique et le social ne survivent qu’à l’état de souvenir, de vague rumeur ; une rumeur, c’est-à-dire un bruit, un son, que l’on peut prélever, domestiquer, puis torturer à loisir avant de le restituer, méconnaissable, à la société épouvantée.

À force de pratiquer « l’usage agressif de la fantaisie »[4], Coil avait acquis dans certains milieux londoniens une étrange réputation qu’ils cultivaient avec malice. Christopherson, alias « Sleazy », faisait parade d’un sadisme bonhomme et discret, évoquant à mots couverts auprès d’un auditoire choisi certaines chambres de sa maison de Chipswick, une notamment, entièrement peinte en noir, les murs tapissés d’images des 120 jours de Sodome, une autre encore, où il enfermait de jeunes hommes pour les piquer d’aiguilles. Ces étranges inclinations vinrent aux oreilles du cinéaste Clive Barker qui leur offrit de composer la bande-son de son film Hellraiser avant de se rétracter, effrayé. Pourtant, à les voir, rien ne laissait deviner de telles dispositions : quelques photos nous les présentent de noir vêtus, cheveux ras, encapuchonnés dans d’informes sweat shirts, soit la défroque ordinaire de la tourbe des « teufeurs » de l’époque. C’est qu’ils étaient passés maîtres dans l’art de l’infiltration, pour preuve, dès 1991, ils avaient déjà, par les albums Love is a secret domain et The snow, corrompu la techno. Le dancefloor, par eux investi, devint expérience claustrophobique, se changea en caisse à stridences psychiatriques, infernale chambre d’échos balayée de part en part d’un souffle d’outre-tombe.

Un député tory, bien sous tous rapports, les traita de « naufrageurs de la civilisation ». « Les gens comme il faut » sont tels car inaptes à l’introspection ; n’examinant jamais leurs pensées, ils sont bien incapables d’identifier la racine d’une dé-civilisation dont ils déplorent incessamment les effets : cette passion maniaque de l’homogénéité qu’ils possèdent tous en propre. Les membres du Temple of the psychic youth, en dépit d’un mode de vie suicidaire, jalonné d’expérimentations sordides et dangereuses, eurent d’emblée le pressentiment de l’avènement d’un monde unidimensionnel, hostile à toute intériorité. « Nos ennemis sont plats » scandait P-Orridge, faisant inconsciemment écho aux paroles d’un Barrès, qui, à l’apogée de son « culte du moi », au début du XXè  siècle, déclarait : « Les barbares veulent nous fondre en série ».

MAGICK

          Coil, en anglais, signifie rouleau, spirale, nom à la fois banal et le plus occulte qui soit : la spirale est lieu de réversion, premier point d’attache des cycles qui se fondent un instant pour nier le temps ; son centre est aussi point d’infini qui abolit l’espace. Coil fut la quête de ce vide qui est puissance absolue mais aussi sens premier, originel. Effet du hasard ? le symbole de la spirale ornait déjà les couvertures de la revue Le Grand jeu, soixante-dix ans plus tôt. L’histoire révèle à périodes régulières quelques jeunes gens suffisamment mécontents pour oser, par leurs propres moyens, forcer le monde invisible à rendre son secret. John Balance s’identifiait à René Crevel mais ce serait plutôt à Roger Gilbert Lecomte qu’il faudrait le comparer, Gilbert Lecomte, comme lui poète égaré dans son inlassable quête d’« états de stupeur fixe ». (...)

[raisongardee]

"Une autre colonisation de la France est en marche depuis environ 20 ans: c'est le rachat par des étrangers des beaux bâtiments français laissés à l'abandon par les propriétaires du sol que les impôts ont ruiné. Cela se vérifie partout. Ces colons-là rachètent nos biens non pour les farcir de leur culture à eux, mais pour les refranciser le plus possible par rénovation en l'état originel. Exemple de la Dordogne anglaise : les Britanniques ne transforment les maisons qu'ils achètent ni en Yorkshire Cottage, ni en style Stuart ni en Georgian. Ces étrangers s'attachent à retrouver le plus exact style périgourdin. Observons encore l'œuvre des réseaux néerlandais sur la France, investisseurs spécialisés dans l'achat locatif touristique, demeures anciennes converties en chambres d'hôte, etc. Enfin les réseaux allemands et scandinaves sont eux très branchés sur les bâtiments traditionnels collectifs : phalanstères, béguinages, pensionnats, monastères. Non seulement ces hommes rénovent de fond en comble et à leurs frais le bâti traditionnel français, mais en plus ils retournent le terrain alentour pour le semer, le tamiser, le passer au rouleau, et un an plus tard voici qu'a poussé sur les lieux d'un terrain vague encerclant de ronces une ruine sordide, de ravissants jardins à la française autour d'une maison blanche comme la neige au soleil."

Lounès Darbois, 2022.

[detournementsmineurs]

"Sur la Tamise" de François Flameng (1856-1923) au sein de “La Piscine” de Roubaix - Musée d'Art et d'Industrie André Diligent - de l'architecte Albert Baert (1927-32), octobre 2024.

[secretsdeblackthornhall]

De Emma à Bruce

Cher Bruce,

J’espère que tu ne m’en voudras pas d’être un peu méditative aujourd’hui. Il ne reste plus personne à Blackthorn Hall à part Julian et moi, et une sorte de paisible silence règne sur la maison. Jules est à l’étage dans son studio et je suis assise sur le lit, en train d’écrire et de repenser à ces derniers mois.

Quelque chose prend fin, Bruce. Il se passe encore beaucoup de choses qui ne sont pas résolues, bien sûr : Kit qui est menacé par le Royaume des Fées, et ce qu’il peut bien se passer avec la Cohorte à Idris. Alec a établi un contact restreint avec eux, mais qui sait comment ça va évoluer. Néanmoins, au milieu de tout ça, quelque chose prend fin pour Julian et moi, et je ne sais pas ce qui va suivre.

(Ah, donc on fait dans le dramatique, Emma ? J’ai une petite idée. Lis la suite.)

Peut-être que c’est simplement parce que les entrepreneurs sont partis alors que je m’étais habituée à les entendre s’affairer toute la journée. Round Tom nous a fait un discours d’adieu lyrique qui (a) a duré cinq bonnes minutes, ce qui est très long pour que quelqu’un dise au revoir, et (b) était à la fois très aimable et incluait la phrase : « La passion et l’aventure vous accompagnent toujours, et je ne suis qu’un modeste constructeur d’habitations, j’espère donc ne jamais revoir aucun d’entre vous de toute ma vie. »

Ça a contrarié Julian. Je lui ai fait remarquer que les elfes ne pouvaient pas mentir, et il m’a fait remarquer que Round Tom n’avait pas du tout besoin de mentionner ça. Très juste. Julian a ajouté que ce n’était pas comme si le travail habituel de Tom pour les membres des Cours était dénué de rebondissements. Un autre bon point pour Jules. Les elfes sont les Créatures Obscures les plus mélodramatiques. En tout cas, plus dramatiques que les vampires, et ils passent leur temps à dire « oh je suis un mort-vivant, oh je suis maudit, que je mette plus d’eyeliner ».

Enfin bref, nous ne cherchions à devenir des amis proches de Round Tom. Il a fait du bon travail, et il s’est montré poli concernant la joie qu’il avait de quitter cette maison.

Une fois que lui et ses ouvriers étaient tous partis, nous nous sommes baladés un peu dans les jardins, mais Julian avait l’impression que chaque détail de la maison et du terrain était gravé dans son cerveau. Nous avons quitté la maison un moment pour aller le long du fleuve.

Il y a un petit parc en face de Chiswick de l’autre côté de la Tamise : c’est un réservoir naturel qui s’appelle le Leg O’ Mutton Reservoir, entouré d’une jolie promenade. (D’ailleurs, n’est-ce pas le nom le plus anglais que tu aies jamais entendu ? Pourquoi y a-t-il tant de trucs aussi charmants dans Londres ?) C’est un peu pénible parce que nous devons marcher plus d’un kilomètre et demi jusqu’au Barnes Bridge juste pour aller sur l’autre rive, mais c’était une agréable chaude soirée et c’était sympa de marcher, Julian et moi nous baladant tranquillement, l’une des choses que je préfère.

Julian avait préparé des sandwiches au poulet, et nous avions aussi emmené de la limonade. (Bruce, il se peut que j’aie développé une dangereuse addiction à la limonade britannique. Je suis certaine que c’est possible d’en trouver à Los Angeles, non ? C’est possible ?!) Nous nous sommes assis sur une petite couverture à côté du réservoir et avons regardé les cormorans qui pêchaient.

J’étais sereine, paisible, alors bien évidemment c’était le moment idéal pour tout gâcher en abordant un sujet désagréable. J’étais trop détendue pour me souvenir de m’en inquiéter.

- C’est tellement beau ici, ai-je commencé. Mais…

Julian s’est tourné vers moi, pas soucieux, simplement curieux, alors j’ai continué :

- Je ne suis pas sûre de vouloir vivre à plein temps à Londres. Je sais que nous venons de passer du temps, de faire des efforts et de dépenser de l’argent pour rénover le manoir de ta famille et tout ça.

J’ai cru que Julian allait être en colère, ou triste, alors je ne m’attendais pas vraiment à sa véritable réaction, que je décrirais comme un air « dérouté ».

- Je n’ai jamais pensé que nous vivrions ici à plein temps, a-t-il admis, comme si cette idée ne lui était jamais passée par la tête. J’ai supposé que nous partagerions notre temps entre LA et ici. Mais seulement si c’était ce que tu voulais.

Je ne sais pas pourquoi il a dit cette dernière phrase, mais il voyait certainement que je n’étais plus inquiète mais plutôt sur le point de l’embrasser.

- C’est-à-dire, moitié-moitié ?

- Peu importe, ce qui nous conviendra, a-t-il répondu avec un haussement d’épaules. Los Angeles quand il fait froid et qu’il pleut ici, Londres quand le soleil est brulant là-bas.

Et je l’ai embrassé à ce moment-là, alors je vais faire une ellipse sur les cinq minutes qui ont suivi, qui ne t’intéressent sûrement pas, Bruce. Il y a eu beaucoup de baisers au gout de limonade puis Jules m’a embrassé l’oreille (ce qui crée à chaque fois un feu d’artifice le long de ma colonne vertébrale) en disant :

- Chez moi, c’est là où tu es, tu le sais, ça ?

- Bien sûr.

C’était mignon et romantique de sa part de dire ça, mais il avait l’air plus sérieux.

- Non, je veux dire… a-t-il lâché en secouant la tête. Ce n’est pas comme si nous allions partager notre temps entre ma maison ici à Londres et ta maison là-bas à Los Angeles. J’ai aussi une maison à Los Angeles. Et tu as une maison ici. Blackthorn Hall appartient à ma famille et toi, Emma, tu es ma famille. Et nous serons toujours ensemble, a-t-il ajouté avec un regard intense. Sauf si ce n’est pas ce que tu souhaites. Tu es la seule personne pour qui j’aie jamais eu des sentiments, Emma. Et je veux que ça soit vrai pour le reste de ma vie.

Je n’ai pas eu à prendre le temps de réfléchir à ce que j’allais dire.

- Moi aussi.

J’avais déjà pensé à ce que ça signifierait pour nous de nous fiancer, mais j’ai l’impression que c’est trop tôt. Ce genre d’engagements, ces promesses, me semblent justes.

Il a souri et expiré, comme s’il avait été un peu nerveux. Puis il s’est levé et m’a tendu la main pour m’aider à me relever.

- Rentrons à la maison. J’ai quelque chose à te montrer, a-t-il annoncé.

- Je n’en doute pas.

D’habitude, quand je dis quelque chose comme ça, sur ce ton-là, ça nous mène à cinq autres minutes que je ne vais pas détailler ici. Mais tu sais, c’est Julian, il était obnubilé par cette idée, et nous sommes rentrés à la maison un peu plus vite qu’à l’aller.

Une fois arrivés, il est tout de suite monté dans la salle de bal. Je savais ce qu’il tramait, bien sûr : son projet secret sur lequel il travaillait depuis que nous sommes ici. Je l’avais un peu oublié, entre le fantôme, la malédiction et tout le reste, et je ne m’étais pas rendu compte qu’il avait continué pendant tout ce temps. Certainement tôt le matin avant que quiconque (ou le soleil) ne soit levé.

Il avait accroché un grand rideau devant, le blaireau, et j’allais me moquer de lui quand il l’a décroché, et j’ai vu la fresque en entier. Ça recouvre l’intégralité du mur et c’est magnifique. Toute la famille est là, tous les Blackthorn. Chacun est…

Non, ce n’est pas exact.

Parce que je suis aussi dans la fresque. Je suis juste là avec le reste de la famille, entourée. Chacun d’entre nous est au milieu de fleurs. Des fleurs blanches pour tous ceux qui ont disparu. Même Rupert est là, et les parents de Julian, dans un cercle de pétales blancs. Et Livvy tout en haut, enveloppée dans des ailes blanches.

Et des fleurs rouges pour ceux qui sont toujours là. Helen et Aline, Mark, Ty, Dru et Tavvy…

Je me suis mise à pleurer presque instantanément, tu vois, ces pleurs de joies, d’amour et d’émerveillement quand on est submergé par l’émotion.

- Ça te plait ? a demandé Julian.

Oui, ça me plait. C’est tellement beau et parfait pour ce moment, où des choses prennent fin et de nouvelles choses vont commencer. Et ça fait de cette maison Blackthorn Hall à juste titre… la maison des Blackthorn que je connais, que j’aime, pas les gens bizarres du siècle dernier qui étaient responsables de ce qui est arrivé. Ça me donne l’impression qu’une immense roue a tourné et que nous sommes à la fois au début et à la fin de quelque chose de nouveau et d’exaltant. Pour la première fois depuis que je suis arrivée ici, je suis allée m’assoir dans la chambre pour t’écrire et je me suis dit « Je suis dans notre chambre dans notre maison » et j’en suis contente.

Bonne nuit, Bruce. Je vais te poser sur une étagère quand j’aurai fini, celle de mon côté du lit. Félicitations : maintenant tu fais aussi partie de Blackthorn Hall.

Emma.

Texte original de Cassandra Clare ©

Traduction d’Eurydice Bluenight ©

Illustration d’Audrey Estok ©

Le texte original est à lire ici : https://secretsofblackthornhall.tumblr.com/post/697740081442832384/emma-to-bruce

[2t2r]

Les tours du fort Red Sands, reliquats des forts Maunsell

Nouvel article publié sur 2tout2rien: https://www.2tout2rien.fr/les-tours-du-fort-red-sands-reliquats-des-forts-maunsell/

Les tours du fort Red Sands, reliquats des forts Maunsell

[pestpruf]

Consider Tissot’s Sur la Tamise (Return from Henley).

[ditesdonc]

Les financiers

Recette de Sébastien Rubio

Il s’est dit que ces petits gâteaux ont été inventés près de la Bourse, à Paris, au XIXème siècle, pour plaire aux hommes de finance qui ne voulaient pas se salir les mains… Une même légende précisa que l’idée de la forme rectangulaire, imitant un lingot d’or, était un même clin d’œil à ces clients en cols blancs. Le financier qui, d’ailleurs, a pu être aussi, en Bretagne, une financière, s’avérait longtemps avant, au Moyen-âge, une visitandine, tombée en disgrâce car l’odeur de l’amande rappelait trop celle du cyanure… poison fatal !

Non mais quel chemin tortueux pour une si petite douceur dorée, pas vrai ?!

Finalement, peu importe que ces origines soient avérées ou non. Ce qui est sûr, indéniablement, c’est que le financier est plus généreux, plus tendre et plus fondant quand il se présente comme une œuvre pâtissière.

Merci à Sébastien Rubio, de la Maison D’S-R à Trept, pour sa recette. Il n’a pas le temps d’en préparer pour ses clients, ses autres confections grand luxe l’occupent bien assez. Alors il nous offre un peu de ses secrets. Un précieux cadeau gourmand !

Ingrédients pour 5-6 gâteaux

125g de blancs d’œufs (environ 3-4 œufs)

150 g de sucre glace (parfumé à la vanille par des gousses broyées ou simplement par un peu d’arôme de vanille)

50 g d’amandes en poudre

50 g de farine

85 g de beurre fondu

Et pour une éventuelle garniture :

Un peu de confiture de framboise ou des framboises fraîches…

Des amandes effilées ou des noisettes broyées…

Préparation

Au bain-marie, mélanger délicatement les blancs d’œufs avec le sucre parfumé à la vanille en veillant à ce que la température reste bien tiède.

Tamiser ensuite les amandes avec la farine et faire fondre le beurre.

Incorporer le mélanger amandes-farine au mélange œufs-sucre, puis ajouter le beurre fondu.

Remplir les moules dédiés (rectangulaires) et enfourner environ 10-12 minutes dans un four préchauffé à 170°c, en surveillant la coloration.

Pour une variante plus gourmande : avant d’enfourner, en utilisant une poche à douille, mettre dans chaque portion une petite dose de confiture de framboise ou une framboise fraîche (voire d’autres fruits frais ou au sirop), et quelques amandes effilées (ou noisettes broyées).

Et voilà !

Avec une boule de glace à la vanille et une pointe de chantilly, mouah…un délice !

Recette de Sébastien Rubio, de la boulangerie-pâtisserie Maison D’S-R, 204 Grande Rue 38460 Trept- 04-74-92-83-46