#Touch Screen Electric Fireplace

[ojcommerce-blog]

Finding the Right Fit: How to Size Your Electric Fireplace for Any Room

Here’s what you need to know to find the perfect fit for your electric fireplace.

Why Size Matters in Electric Fireplaces

Electric fireplaces come in many shapes and sizes, each suited for specific room dimensions. Choosing the right size helps ensure efficient heating and prevents a mismatch between the fireplace’s appearance and the room’s aesthetic.

Step 1: Measure Your Room

To get started, measure the length, width, and height of your room. Room size influences the heating capacity needed from your fireplace. For instance, electric fireplaces with 1,500-watt heating can typically heat up to 400 square feet, making them suitable for medium-sized rooms.

For accurate placement, measure the wall area where you plan to install or place your fireplace. Consider adding a few extra inches around the unit for an unobstructed view and ease of use.

Step 2: Understand Heat Output and Room Coverage

Electric fireplaces are rated by British Thermal Units (BTUs), which measure heating output. Here’s a basic guide to matching BTU output to room size:

Small Rooms (up to 150 sq. ft.): A unit with approximately 2,500 BTUs works well.

Medium Rooms (150-400 sq. ft.): Look for models with about 4,000 to 5,000 BTUs, which is ideal for bedrooms and smaller living rooms.

Large Rooms (over 400 sq. ft.): Select a fireplace with 5,000 BTUs or more to ensure sufficient warmth.

It’s important to keep in mind that electric fireplaces function as supplementary heaters, so if you have a large space or live in a particularly cold climate, you may need additional heating support.

Step 3: Choose the Right Size by Room Type

Different rooms require different fireplace sizes, both in terms of heat output and design. Here’s a breakdown of ideal sizing by room type.

Living Room

The living room is often the largest space in the home and a central gathering place, so consider a statement fireplace that complements the room’s dimensions and layout. Wall-mounted or built-in electric fireplaces work well here, as they can be large and become the focal point of the room.

For a standard living room:

Recommended Size: 50 to 60 inches wide

BTU Output: Around 4,000-5,000 BTUs

Finding the Right Fit: How to Size Your Electric Fireplace for Any Room

[bremser]

Berenice Abbott at 18 rue Servandoni

The portrait on the cover of Julia Van Haaften's 2018 biography "Berenice Abbott: A Life in Photography" and at the top of Abbott's wiki page is by an unknown photographer. It was taken for the small newspaper Paris-Midi, published June 14, 1928. Keystone France agency, and now Getty owns the rights and incorrectly dates it as 1927, while Wikipedia dates it as "1930s."

At the time, her studio was at 18 rue Servandoni in Paris, we see the fireplace and door in the background in other portraits, such as the portrait of James Joyce's daughter, Lucia. There's a classic Atget at 15 rue Servandoni, but it's from 1903-4. Atget died in 1927 and Abbott, along with Julien Levy, saved his archive. By 1930 she was in New York City, where Walker Evans made his great portrait of her.

Van Haaften writes that in search of lower rent, Abbott moved to the rue Servandoni studio in early 1928. Abbott kept a clipping of the newspaper, but there's no further detail about the portrait session in the biography.

I was curious about the photographer of the portrait and found Getty has a handful of other frames from the same session that I'd never seen.

Most interesting of those frames is this contemplative shot showing the windows of her studio, maybe some photo chemicals on the table. A puff of smoke emanates from Abbott's cigarette in the same place where someone has left their fingerprint on the negative or print. There's a strong reflection or light leak in the top left corner of the frame. Van Haaften describes the rue Servandoni studio offering "beautiful north light."

Looking at the building on Google Earth, there is one north-facing spot that has the large windows similar to the 1928 portrait, seen in the center of the screen grab below.

Another detail Van Haaften mentions is that it took Abbott months to install electricity. An electric spotlight is on a tripod behind Abbott in the standing portrait. In the alternate angle you can see a not-to-code wire dangling.

So, who made these portraits? The Keystone France agency was an off-shoot of a popular stereoview company based in Meadville, Pennsylvania, hence "keystone." If you've ever flipped through old stereoviews at a vintage shop, you recognize this brand. The French agency was founded by Alexandre Garai in 1927 (whose brother Bertram started a related Keystone in London in 1914). The Met has one photograph by Alexandre Garai, taken in 1927. The jpeg is tiny, but indicates a modern perspective. While it's possible Garai is the photographer, his brother's ethos seems to have been to be the boss ... and never touch a camera.

The identity could be buried deep in Getty's London warehouse, which stores 80 million photographs and negatives. When these frames were scanned and metadata added to Getty in 2010-2016, if there was a name on the back of the prints, it probably would have been added then.

From the photos themselves, it's difficult to say if Abbott had a rapport or was familiar with the photographer: her default intensity is remarkably consistent her entire life, up until the last portrait of her in 1991.

(left, rue Servandoni 1929, right: Hank O'Neal, Berenice Abbott, Last Portrait, Monson, Maine July 17, 1991)

From the resolution, the depth of field on the lens, these are probably shot with a 4x5 or larger camera. It looks like the photographer shot the lens wide open, the camera in the standing portraits looks very much in focus, while Abbott's face looks slightly out of focus.

Two of the four frames have similar damage, could be a development problem, but could be mold later while in storage. Abbott's Paris portraits of the period were shot on glass (as much of Atget's body of work was), though by the late 1920s glass plates had mostly been replaced by film. Annoyingly, Getty is one of the best places online to see her Paris portraits, but the Steidl book is highly recommended. Seen together, you realize why Man Ray felt threatened, or at least annoyed, by his former assistant.

The photographer was either challenged or in a challenging environment. Abbott was often a withering critic, one can imagine a green photographer shows up to make portraits and encounters a prickly subject. With the seated portrait above, at first glance, I thought maybe the print has a piece torn out of the left side? Or is it a modern lamp intruding on the composition?

It's difficult to tell with the window portrait how much of it is a metering mistake or the potential development issue, but it looks several stops overexposed to be of use in publication of that time. Today, with our phone cameras taking three frames and digitally merging exposure, we can romanticize the top half of her body dissolving into the light is as the "magic of film."

I'm calling this the "last" frame of the session, based only on the fact that her pose and facial expression has shifted from intensity to a mix of boredom and exasperation. The photographer told her to sit on the day bed with tea and a book, "look relaxed," but she wants nothing to do with it.

[quietwingsinthesky]

In spirit of all your posting about Cain today, I request Lucifer/Cain content please 👀 my evil disaster duo

Yeah sure I’m insane enough about them. Although, note, but I’m not sure how well this reads as shippy? It’s definitely. There’s something here. There is something between them. Ah well. You’ll see, you’ll get it.

~1700 words

The devil is on Cain’s doorstep.

He’s imagined this meeting happening a thousand different times in a thousand years. None of which looked like this. The screen door is a sheer barrier between the angel that unmade him and his last refuge. Lucifer doesn’t open it and let himself in. He lingers on the threshold like a vampire, not one from the real world, the kind Cain has met and had meals with and killed, but one from a romantic myth, gentle-voiced and waiting for an invitation. He looks Cain over, one slow sweep up and down, like he’s surprised this is the body Cain remains in.

He never tried to take another. It was a fitting casket for a damned soul. The curse he carried could not be tricked into being left behind.

“Can I come in?” Lucifer asks. He looks tired.

That may just be what immortality does.

Cain stays silent, one hand on the door handle. He has a stew coming to a boil in the kitchen. He has a fire to feed in the living room. The wind outside rattles the screen door but doesn’t dislodge it. Lucifer has melting snow in his hair and collar, like he walked all the way here.

“How did you find me?” Cain questions, needlessly. In answer, Lucifer lifts his own arm and touches exactly where the Mark scars Cain. He leaves his fingers there, his eyes not dropping from Cain’s face.

They are not Lucifer’s eyes. It is not Lucifer’s face. In Abel’s voice, Lucifer told him that his brother was screaming for Cain to put the jawbone down, and that he would spare him hearing that but only if he struck quickly. It had never seemed like mercy, only a way to keep Cain from saying goodbye. He left Cain alone with a body already going cold and Hell to pay.

Cain’s fingers tighten on the doorknob. He has never tried to kill an archangel.

Lucifer tilts his head. “Something’s burning,” he says. His eyes leave Cain’s for only a moment to look at the home behind him, and then they’re fixed on his again. Neither of them need to blink. Cain can smell the acrid warning coming from the kitchen as well as Lucifer can. With one movement, he shoves the screen door open an inch and turns his back on Lucifer to go back to his pot. He sees the tips of Lucifer’s fingers curl around the side of the door, and that’s all.

He grew up eating pomegranates and apples and lamb. It seems too recent that he learned to cook with corn and potatoes. He reserves no chopping board for meat in his kitchen.

The stew is piping hot. He flavors it to the dulled pleasures of a demon, too strong for most humans to handle. Colette used to-

He ladles the stew into a bowl for himself. All of her is his alone to know.

He doesn’t bring Lucifer a bowl.

The devil sits on his sofa comfortably, watching the snow fall outside. His shoulders are damp with it. He hasn’t bothered to dry them with whatever power he has. He looks up at Cain’s approach, down at the bowl, and then frowns, as though he expected to be treated like a guest. Cain ignores him. He sets his bowl down to poke at the logs in the fireplace, crackling with heat, laced through with veins of burning wood. The flame-light dances across the living room, more wild than the electric lights but just as well contained.

“Are you going to tell me why you’re here?” he asks Lucifer. He takes his time the same as the devil does, waiting, but someone has to make the first move and Lucifer seems content to watch him eat.

“Atonement,” Lucifer answers. Cain sets down his bowl and wipes his mouth.

“No.” Lucifer frowns.

“Not forgiveness.” He repeats, “Atonement.”

“And I said no.”

“You don’t know what I’m offering to do.” Cain drinks. The stew burns the roof of his mouth, and it heals, and it burns, and it heals.

“We’ve made one deal. That was enough for me. I will never escape it.” For the first time, Lucifer can’t look him in the eye. His gaze drops to Cain’s arm and remains there. It feels like having his skin peeled off to reveal what’s beneath. Cain bears it with a clenched jaw. The Mark growls against his bones like a hibernating bear, glutted, but at any moment, ready to wake hungry for more blood.

“I can’t give you your brother back,” Lucifer says, apologetic, like he understands the loss. He never sounded anything like that the first time they met. Absently, his hand rises to his chest, fingers sweeping across his heart and then falling to a tight fist in his lap.

The devil is good at appearing like a broken man.

“I don’t want my brother back,” Cain tells him. There’s another thing that surprises Lucifer; Cain can see it in his eyes. All angels are poor liars. They don’t have a demon’s intuition when it comes to handling meat. Cain doesn’t owe him an explanation, but he has no one else to tell. No one who would understand what he means. If nothing else, they share the same curse. “I’m not the man I was when I picked up the blade. I’m the monster I became when I chose to wield it after. I wouldn’t want my brother to see me now, and I wouldn’t want to know what I made him when I cut my love out of him.” Souls in Hell are torn apart. Souls on Earth linger and decay. Cain never thinks about souls in Heaven because he’s not sure they have it any better.

“What about her?” Lucifer asks. He tips his head towards Colette’s picture. Cain sets his bowl down loudly enough for the sound to echo. A few drops spill. There are no cracks in it. He doesn’t let that happen.

“If you talk about her again, I-“ Lucifer nods. Cain falls silent before he finishes the threat. That feels like mercy. He’s not sure whose. “What are you here for if all you do is tell me what’s impossible to have?” A half-empty bowl lies on the table between them. The wind howls. The fire draws shadows in the folds of Lucifer’s clothing like wounds.

“I came to take it back.”

Cain stares at him a minute, then bows his head and finishes his stew.

“The cost?”

“None,” Lucifer answers, then frowns, “that I know of. I can’t guarantee you would survive the exchange, if I uproot every tendril of it from your veins.” Cain’s expression asks plainly if Lucifer thinks this is something that would matter to him. Lucifer’s answers with understanding. “It was meant to be my curse.”

“And if you take it, it will devour you the same way it did me.” It’s not a question. It’s a fact. Cain has lived with the Mark longer than a hundred repeats of his life without put together. He knows it. He has heard the scratching behind the door that only death silences, for heartbeats of time.

“That isn’t your problem.”

“You made it my problem.” A rise to his voice he hasn’t allowed in a century or more. Lucifer is unfazed. Anyone else who knew what he was would be begging by now.

“I’m sorry.” The bowl is empty. Cain breathes out heavily through his nose.

“It isn’t enough.”

“I know,” Lucifer says. He looks towards the fire. It doesn’t reflect in his eyes. They are too bright from within. “I know,” he repeats, softer.

“Why now?” Cain asks. He doesn’t wait for an answer before going back into the kitchen and leaving his bowl in the sink. Lucifer stands to follow him. He inches too close to the unwashed dishes, staring at them like their presence irritates him. Cain is off-put for the first time by his behavior, by the devil standing over his sink like his hands are itching to reach in and scrape the crud off the silverware and douse the ceramics in dish soap. Lucifer finally looks at him again.

“Because I’m here."

“You have something good, and you want to ruin it.” He makes an archangel flinch.

“No,” he lies, “I want to fix what I broke.” He leans against Cain’s counter.

“If you love them, you’ll leave,” Cain says. Colette is watching them from the other room, forever frozen in a memory. “Let me be. The damage is done.”

He doesn’t want Lucifer to be happy. It’s not something he deserves.

He steps out of the way of the kitchen door. Lucifer doesn’t move. He won’t leave.

Cain knew he wouldn’t.

Bearers of the same curse and all.

“Give me the Mark, Cain,” Lucifer says. Cain rolls up his sleeve. He does it slowly, dragged inch by dragged inch of fabric, until the sharp slice of the scar shows itself. Lucifer looks at it like an old friend with a gun to his head. Cain extends his arm.

Lucifer’s palm is cold where he wraps it over Cain’s arm. He covers the whole of the Mark with one hand. It wakes up suddenly, furious as it is cut out like a cancer. Cain can feel it fight Lucifer as he brings it back into himself. Lucifer makes a pained noise in the back of his throat, his grip on Cain’s arm tightening. He shakes. Cain feels nothing, no pain, no relief. There’s an empty hollow in his being that once soaked the ground with poison. Nothing will ever grow there, but the ring of dead grass won’t grow wider. Lucifer lets go of Cain.

The Mark is gone, scar and whispering and urges and all.

The Mark of Cain no longer belongs to Cain.

Lucifer bears it on his own body’s arm now, and deeper, where it will begin to rot him from the inside. It’s an angry, throbbing red now like an infection. Cain spent all that time lulling it to sleep and now… Now, it’s not his problem.

Lucifer breathes heavily.

Cain crosses him, their shoulders barely brushing. The stew is still warm as he ladles another bowl and brings it to Lucifer. Lucifer cups his hands around it like it will bring him any comfort. Cain stares at him.

“I hope you never know peace,” Cain tells him. Lucifer shuts his eyes in acceptance.

[burnbrite-fireplaces]

Steel Screen Front Non-Reflective Electric Fireplaces

If you like the benefits of an Electric Fireplace, but want a more traditional look, then the Touchstone Steel Screen Front Non Reflective Electric Fireplaces would be the perfect choice.

Steel Screen Front Non-Reflective Electric Fireplaces offer several advantages:

- Traditional Look: The steel screen front without the reflection of glass gives these electric fireplaces a traditional look.

- Cool to the Touch: The front display remains cool to the touch, providing added peace of mind when using the fireplace around children or pets.

- Energy Efficiency: These fireplaces offer an easier and more energy-efficient alternative to a wood-burning or gas fireplace .

- Realistic Flames: They feature realistic LED flames that can be controlled by remote control or touchpad.

- Built-In Heater: They come with a built-in heater that can heat up to 400 square feet.

- Easy Installation: Designed with front heating vents, these units can be flush mounted into the wall.

- Versatility: They can be plugged in or hardwired 120v

These features make the Touchstone Steel Screen Front Non-Reflective Electric Fireplaces a great choice for those seeking the ambiance of a traditional fireplace with the convenience and safety of an electric model.

Shop at https://bit.ly/3HNAtoZ

[rj-drive-in]

It Never Rains But It Pours Department:

Somehow things never happen the way you expect them to.

PHOTO FINISH © 2022 by Rick Hutchins

On the best of days, the dome of the Beta Telescope at Hammil_U, Farside, was very much the textbook definition of unkempt, as one might expect of a lab used primarily by three grad students in astronomy and their professor. But on one particular day in December (it will surprise no one to learn that it was the sixteenth), it bore all the signs of a hovel that had not been attended by any efforts at housekeeping for at least a lunar month; which, in fact, it hadn’t.

The sole occupant of the dome, Arthur Minehead, was as unconscious of the empty pizza boxes and old candy wrappers as he was of the rather spectacular view of the towering crater walls several miles distant outside the dome’s portholes. His attention was solely focused on the screen of his portable computer, which was currently connected to the telescope’s memory core.

So preoccupied was he that he did not realize that he had company until his visitor cleared his throat and tapped lightly on the bulkhead with his knuckles.

“Hey, Arthur,” said the visitor, rather apologetically. “Sorry to interrupt. Er... the door was open.”

Arthur looked up from his laptop, blinking rapidly, his attention returning from a distance of quite a few light years. “Charles,” he said. “No, that’s all right. Come in. I guess I haven’t seen you in a few weeks.”

“Yeah, I’ve been pretty busy.” Charles Colombo was, like Arthur, a graduate student in astronomy; but his stomping ground was the nearly identical dome of the Alpha Telescope, almost a kilometer to the other side of the observatory quad. “We’ve been making some... uh... good observations over at Alpha.”

“Same here,” said Arthur. His eyes flickered to his portable comp and he quickly dimmed the screen– which Charles did not fail to notice. “So what can I do for you?”

Charles shifted uncomfortably and scratched his head. “Doctor Gernsback mentioned that you guys have called a press conference for this afternoon.”

“That’s right. Sorry, but I can’t give anything away ahead of time. It’s very hush-hush.”

“No, that’s not why I’m here.” Charles trailed off into silence and succumbed to another bout of foot shuffling and head scratching.

“Well..?” prompted Arthur.

“The thing is,” said Charles slowly, “we’ve called a press conference also.”

Arthur was slightly taken aback. “Really? You’ve got a big announcement?”

“Yeah,” said Charles flatly. “It’s pretty major.”

“That is bad timing,” said Arthur. “Look, I can’t really tell you anything, but you probably want to reschedule. I can safely say– and no offense– that you’ll be completely overshadowed.”

“I don’t think so. Like I said, we’ve got something pretty major. Trust me on this: Whatever you’ve got, this is bigger.”

Arthur chuckled. “I seriously doubt it.”

The two men stared at each other for several moments.

“How about,” said Charles finally, “if we grab a bite to eat?”

The central arboretum was only ten minutes down the tunnel by electric cart. Arthur and Charles spent the trip making small talk– mostly about sports as the Moon has no weather to discuss– and then parked at the food court. They picked up a bucket of crispy wings and two side orders of fries at Plato’s Man, grabbed a couple of cans of JJ from a vending machine, and then rented a small alcove at Somerset’s– Victorian style, with red bricks and a holographic fireplace.

Charles closed the privacy curtain as Arthur spread lunch out on the dark wood table between the luxurious armchairs.

“So,” said Arthur, touching an unobtrusive switch on the mantel, which caused the holographic fire to spring to life, “what have you got?”

Charles sipped his beverage and said, “You first.”

Arthur laughed good naturedly as he took a bite out of a crispy wing. “Nice try. But you came to me, so it’s on you.”

“All right. I’ll tell you. But Professor Campbell will go supernova on me if he finds out.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”

Charles leaned forward and dropped his voice to a whisper. “We’ve been photographing an extraterrestrial space probe within the solar system.”

Arthur’s jaw literally dropped, nearly into his fries.

“What?! I mean... what?!”

“It’s true. We first spotted it about a month ago, while we were collecting data on the new Green Spot on Neptune.”

“Do you mean to sit there and tell me that aliens have sent a space probe to study the Earth?!”

Charles sighed and shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. It’s an artifact. A relic. We postulate that it’s the alien equivalent of a Voyager or Pioneer, something that just passed on into interstellar space when its mission was over.”

“Well, go on!”

“As you can imagine, we know very little as yet. It’s crossing through the solar system at about 28 kilometers per second and its closest approach will bring it just inside the orbit of Mars. It’s about the size of a bus and pockmarked down to our best resolution. If there were ever any markings, they’re long gone, although we have hopes that an electron microscope will be able to read something.”

“Well, it must have been out there for... for...”

“Hundreds of thousands of years,” nodded Charles. “The most interesting thing is that Catherine thinks she can see the terminus of eleven tiny struts– evidence of a solar sail long since worn down by atomic hydrogen and dust. We’ll have to wait to confirm that, of course. What we can see are seven perfectly recognizable radio dishes. These people seem to have liked odd numbers.”

“Where did it come from?” “Very probably Tau Sagittarii. If not, then from somewhere very far away indeed.”

“Have you... er... listened..?”

“As a matter of fact, Tau Sagittarii has been checked a couple of hundred times over the years. It was the closest possible source of the Wow Signal back in 1977. It’s always been completely silent.”

Arthur shook his head. “Then the civilization that launched it is probably extinct.”

“Possibly. Hundreds of thousands of years is a long time and we have no way of guessing the typical lifespan of a technological civilization. But they may have just moved on to some other form of communication. Or they may simply have no interest in communicating with us. Or it may just not be possible for us to detect signs of civilization at that distance.”

“Oh, I think it’s possible,” said Arthur quietly. “Will we be able to recover the probe?”

“Certainly! We’ve calculated its path to the hundredth decimal place for the next several millennia. But there’s no reason to think we can’t customize a robo-probe and have it out there within a year.”

“This is uncanny!”

“So you see what I mean then?”

“About what?”

“The press conference. Obviously, you’ll want to cancel yours. Otherwise, whatever your announcement is will be lost in the rocket wash of the greatest discovery in history.”

Arthur stared at him a moment and took a deep breath. “Actually, Charles, I think we’ll go ahead with it.”

“You’re not serious.”

“I am.” This time it was Arthur’s turn to lean forward and lower his voice to a dramatic whisper. “You see, we’ve also been observing an alien artifact.”

“What?!”

“We spotted it last month during the Deep Sky Halo Object Survey.”

“But... but...” stammered Charles. “That’s just... just....”

“Uncanny. I know.”

“But this is too much. We can’t both have found extraterrestrial probes inside the solar system at the same time!”

Arthur shook his head. “No. No, this isn’t a probe. And it’s nowhere near the solar system.”

“Then what in heaven’s name is it?”

“It’s... it’s architecture.” He spread his hands as if at a loss for words. “I guess you could call it a work of celestial engineering.” He swallowed hard and when he spoke again his voice quivered with awe. “It’s a Klemperer Rosette, Charles. A Klemperer Rosette of six main sequence G-Type stars.”

A wave of dizziness hit Charles and he had to grip the arm of his chair to keep from falling over– it was several moments before he was sure that he wasn’t going to faint, and several more before he could speak.

“We’ve always theorized about the possibility of... but to actually know that it... you’re very sure?”

“Oh, there’s no doubt. No doubt at all. Each star is of precisely the same size, within two percent of the sun. Their spectra are identical. They’re spaced equidistantly at thirty-eight AU. There’s no way such a thing could happen in nature.”

“What’s holding it together? A black hole?”

“Presumably. But if there is, it’s a perfect naked singularity. There’s no sign of an accretion disk. No radiation at all. And we’ve calculated that each one of those stars has stable orbits in its habitable zone. And you can bet there are planets there– you can bet on that!”

Charles sat back in his chair and put his hand over his trembling stomach; he was sorry now that he had eaten. “So we’ve discovered one civilization that seems to have expired in its youth and another that has gone on to rearrange the very stars in the sky.”

“What a day, huh?”

“I think,” said Charles, “that we need to hold that press conference together.”

“Agreed,” Arthur replied. He reached out and the two men shook hands, with sweaty palms. “We’re going to go down in history, you know.”

“Gernsback and Campbell will go down in history. We’re grad students. We’ll be footnotes.”

“True,” shrugged Arthur.

They gathered up the remains of the food and other trash and dumped it in the waste slot beside the fireplace. Exiting the alcove, they walked back to the electric cart and drove down the tunnel back to the observatory in silence, each preoccupied with his own thoughts, until Arthur finally spoke.

“Mine is the more impressive discovery, of course.”

“But mine can actually be retrieved and studied,” countered Charles without hesitation.

And so it went until the joint press conference late that afternoon, when they and their colleagues, in a most gracious and collegial manner, announced to the world that the question which had most vexed humanity for centuries had finally been answered– twice in one day.

___________________________________

Long Day At The Office Department:

[spookyspaghettisundae]

Silent Screams in Your Eyes

Claws black with soot slid off the edges of a box wrapped in colorful paper. Where the claws grazed a bright ribbon, cheap plastic wobbled quietly.

Bright yellow eyes pierced the dimness of the den, scanning over twinkling electric lights, luster refracting off shiny tree decorations, glittering painted letters on the stockings hanging from the fireplace mantle, and sparkling tinsel draped along the shelves above the couch.

The creature shied away from glimpsing its own reflection in the unlit television screen.

Then its eyes came to rest on a lone glass of milk and chocolate chip cookies, sat squarely upon the table next to the couch.

Another open invitation.

Thin and chapped lips curled into a wide, almost feline smile, baring hideous teeth. Not pointy, yet long and sharp. Not yellowed nor decrepit, but strong and bleached like bone.

Claws clicked where they met atop a slender palm of ashen color. Fingers splayed in delight, closing in until they clutched one of the cookies, pinching it between two sharp talons.

They brought the cookie to those teeth. Those teeth parted and then chomped down. Crumbs crumbled down to the lush carpet, where taloned feet stood planted, framed by filthy crimson pants.

Eating. Chewing. Savoring that sweet flavor. A little treat, a tiny reward for a night of travel and toil. Even as dry and stale as the cookie had become over hours of sitting out in the open, a growling groan of almost feral pleasure followed.

Smacking lips froze. Floorboards upstairs creaked.

The yellow eyes darted about and shone in the artificial twilight of the den. The creature stared past the twisted iron balusters supporting a polished wooden railing.

Expecting some curious child to be peering down at it. A child in search of the creature's fabled master.

A black heart throbbed. Claws twitched in anticipation. It could almost taste the expectation of childlike curiosity, mirroring its own. It had never met one of the humans awake.

It waited longer, staring through the sparkling and the gloom.

Nobody arrived.

Chewing resumed until the cookie disappeared down a long and thin gullet. Then the claws gingerly gripped that lonesome glass of milk. The snacking gave way to teeth parting anew, to a long tongue slithering out, snaking into the hollow of the cup and lapping at its creamy contents, oblivious of how humans normally drank.

Lapping and gulping and lapping and gulping. Thlip thlip-thlip thlip thlip thlip.

After washing down the dry cookie crumbs, those taloned feet silently returned to the tree in a matter of wide and gangly steps. From a linen sack, the claws withdrew more gift-wrapped boxes, one by one. Placing them softly in a semi-circle, starting next to a careful arrangement of toy-sized figurines of a nativity scene that the resident family had set up.

After the fifth and final present, claws tugged preciously at another golden bow to ensure its neat and snug binding around the gift wrapping.

It all had to be perfect. This was their way. The transactional nature of emotions they feasted upon, more enticing than any edible treat. The sense of awe and wonder and pleasant surprise, as well as the envy or the upset or raw disappointment.

Every gift delivered… another carefully curated provocation, designed to elicit strong sentiments.

Satisfied with its work, the creature clutched its heavy sack. Other gifts shuffled and rustled inside its dangling bowels.

It sniffed the air.

Paused.

Lids blinked sideways over those yellow eyes.

One claw outstretched, thin and exacting, it wiggled playfully before aiming its tip at a figurine of the nativity scene. Connecting, touching the figurine, ever so gently. The figurine tipped one direction, then the claw retracted, allowing the tiny object to wobble back and forth until it tumbled onto a soft bedding of aluminum foil and shaggy carpet.

Repetitive wheezing followed. A short and delighted cackle.

The figurine would thus be left in disarray. Another reminder of its visit.

The gaunt silhouette garbed in dirty red garments snuck towards the dormant fireplace.

Yellow eyes went wide with surprise as they locked onto the gaze of a child's, peering down from the stairs, framed by those iron baluster rods. The expectation met, having arrived with delay.

The little child's mouth was wide open. Unable to scream. Instead, the little human child screamed silently with its eyes. Shivering all over.

Thin lips parted to give way to another hideous smile, all teeth and terror. A thin, black talon crossed them.

Hissing.

Shushing the child.

Shhh.

Then the figure melted backwards into the shadows of the mantle, until only the white of its teeth-baring smile and the yellow of its slit eyes remained. Unblinking, unerring, sneaking backwards and making nary a sound.

Until the darkness of the chimney swallowed even the eerie lights of its frightening visage, leaving only the dimness of the den and its decadent sparkling and playful glitter.

The child sat on the stairs, paralyzed by fear, stricken by the afterimage of the creature that had vanished into the chimney.

The linen sack rustled, a final gasp of the creature's presence. Soot rained down from the flue, a last sign of its departure.

No evidence of its appearance in its wake—not footprints outlined in grime, nor filthy fingerprints on the glass of milk—nothing but the toppled figurine of the nativity scene underneath the tree, the missing cookie, some crumbs on the carpet, and the six gifts left behind.

The child retreated into its bedroom, hiding underneath the covers. Shuddering at each sound of wood creaking, or branches whispering outside the house's windows.

Blind to the yellow eyes that peered inside from the treetops from afar, with sharp clarity. Where the filthy gaunt figure garbed in crimson perched like a bird of prey, smiling through the night.

Time ticked away like the hands of a clock, hours of the night melting away at a steady pace. Eventually, the child peeked underneath the bed to confirm no monsters were hiding there, only to hastily withdraw underneath the sheets again, to cower in fear.

Fear as potent and delicious as the sweet chocolate chips of that cookie.

The creature watched until time's ticking seized its senses.

Branches crackled and whipped around as the slender figure disappeared into the night, ready to visit the next house from which the horde had received mail and childishly scrawled wish lists.

Santa's little helpers had more homes to visit.

[icofriendly]

The Ultimate Home Maintenance Checklist: Keeping Your House in Prime Condition

A comprehensive guide to maintaining your home's exterior, appliances, heating and cooling, plumbing, security, and electrical systems.

Just like regular health check-ups are essential for our well-being, a home maintenance checklist and schedule are crucial for the upkeep of our houses. By consistently checking on various aspects of our homes, such as the exterior, appliances, heating and cooling systems, plumbing, security, and electrical systems, we can prevent breakdowns, save money, and keep our homes looking their best.

In this comprehensive guide, we will provide you with a monthly, seasonal, and annual home maintenance checklist to help you schedule necessary updates, repairs, cleaning, and other tasks. By following this checklist, you can ensure that your home remains in prime working condition, and if any repairs or maintenance go beyond your skill level, we recommend hiring a professional to assist you.

Monthly Home Maintenance Checklist

Inspecting your home and completing monthly home improvement projects will keep your maintenance schedule on track and easier to manage. Follow this comprehensive home maintenance checklist each month to help save time and money:

- Air Quality and Vents

- Clean the furnace filter to remove dust build-ups, regulate temperature, and decrease energy bills. - Vacuum heat registers and vents. - Check that indoor and outdoor air vents are not blocked.

- Plumbing and Water

- Check the water softener and replenish salt if necessary. - Clean the garbage disposal by grinding ice cubes, then flushing with hot water and baking soda. - Inspect tub and sink drains for debris; unclog if necessary. - Flush out hot water from the water heater to remove accumulated sediment.

- Home Safety

- Test smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and all ground-fault circuit interrupters. - Inspect electrical cords for wear.

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

In many regions, fall is the perfect season to tackle general home maintenance projects. The weather is usually dry, and temperatures are moderate. Before starting your seasonal home maintenance checklist, examine your home's interior and exterior.

Most of these tasks can be accomplished without professional help, but always call for assistance if a project is beyond your abilities. Here are our recommendations for fall:

- Landscaping and Yard Prep

- Rake leaves and aerate the lawn. - Remove leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts. - Practice pest prevention by keeping firewood away from the house, trimming shrubs, and repairing woodwork. - Drain and winterize exterior plumbing, including hoses and sprinkler systems.

- Home Exterior Repairs and Updates

- Mend cracks and gaps in the driveway and walkway. - Touch up exterior siding and trim with paint. - Power-wash windows and siding. - Inspect roofing for missing, loose, or damaged shingles and leaks. - Repair or replace siding. - Clean window and door screens. - Replace old, drafty windows with energy-efficient models. - Seal cracks and gaps in windows and doors with caulk or weather stripping. - Inspect exterior door hardware and fix any issues. - Wrap insulation around outdoor faucets and pipes in unheated garages.

- Interior Cleaning and Inspection

- Have the forced-air heating system inspected by a professional. - Check the fireplace for damage or hazards and have it professionally inspected. - Tune up major home appliances. - Replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. - Clean carpets. - Vacuum lint from the dryer vent. - Check the water heater for leaks.

Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

Winter weather can be harsh on your home, causing various problems such as frozen pipes and roof damage. To prevent winter harm and avoid calling a professional in the middle of a blizzard, be sure to check these items off your home maintenance checklist:

- Exterior Repairs and Updates

- Cover your air-conditioning unit. - Inspect the roof, gutters, and downspouts for damage after storms. - Stock up on sidewalk salt and ice melt.

- Interior Cleaning and Inspection

- Check the basement for leaks during thaws. - Vacuum bathroom exhaust fan grill. - Vacuum refrigerator and freezer coils and empty and clean drip trays. - Clean drains in sinks, tubs, showers, and dishwashers. - Set up mouse traps as needed.

Spring Home Maintenance Checklist

Once the ground has thawed and the trees begin to bud, it's time to prepare your home for spring. Use our spring home maintenance checklist to make sure everything in your home, from the basement to the roof, is in tip-top shape:

- Landscaping and Yard Prep

- Remove leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts. - Have a professional inspect and pump the septic tank. - Inspect roofing for missing, loose, or damaged shingles and leaks. - Inspect the chimney for damage. - Wash windows. - Power-wash siding. - Repair or replace caulking and weather stripping. - Remove insulation from outdoor faucets and check sprinkler heads.

- Interior Cleaning and Inspection

- Clean faucet aerators and showerheads. - Change the air-conditioner filter. - Polish wood furniture and dust light fixtures. - Replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. - Inspect sink, shower, and bath caulking. - Vacuum lint from the dryer vent. - Have the air-conditioning system serviced. - Drain or flush the water heater.

Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

When the sun is out and warm weather is finally here to stay, use our quick summer home maintenance guide to get the hard work out of the way at the beginning of the season:

- Interior Cleaning and Inspection

- Remove lint from your dryer vent. - Clean kitchen exhaust fan filter. - Clean refrigerator and freezer coils and empty and clean drip trays. - Check the dishwasher for leaks. - Check around kitchen and bathroom cabinets and around toilets for leaks. - Replace faucet and showerhead washers if needed. - Seal tile grout.

Regular home maintenance is vital for the longevity and functionality of your house. By following this comprehensive home maintenance checklist, you can stay on top of necessary repairs, cleaning, and updates throughout the year. Remember, if any tasks are beyond your skill level, it's always best to hire a professional to ensure the safety and efficiency of your home.

By investing time and effort into maintaining your home, you can save money, prevent breakdowns, and keep your house in prime condition for years to come.

[quietwings-fics]

Such Soft Decay

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Fandom: Supernatural Ship: Gen (Cain & Lucifer) Additional Tags: Mark of Cain (Supernatural), Angst, domestic angst, Past Cain/Colette Mullen, Regret, Alternate Universe Wordcount: 1749 Summary:

The devil is on Cain’s doorstep.

Prompt:

"In spirit of all your posting about Cain today, I request Lucifer/Cain content please 👀 my evil disaster duo"

The devil is on Cain’s doorstep.

He’s imagined this meeting happening a thousand different times in a thousand years. None of which looked like this. The screen door is a sheer barrier between the angel that unmade him and his last refuge. Lucifer doesn’t open it and let himself in. He lingers on the threshold like a vampire, not one from the real world, the kind Cain has met and had meals with and killed, but one from a romantic myth, gentle-voiced and waiting for an invitation. He looks Cain over, one slow sweep up and down, like he’s surprised this is the body Cain remains in.

He never tried to take another. It was a fitting casket for a damned soul. The curse he carried could not be tricked into being left behind.

“Can I come in?” Lucifer asks. He looks tired.

That may just be what immortality does.

Cain stays silent, one hand on the door handle. He has a stew coming to a boil in the kitchen. He has a fire to feed in the living room. The wind outside rattles the screen door but doesn’t dislodge it. Lucifer has melting snow in his hair and collar, like he walked all the way here.

“How did you find me?” Cain questions, needlessly. In answer, Lucifer lifts his own arm and touches exactly where the Mark scars Cain. He leaves his fingers there, his eyes not dropping from Cain’s face.

They are not Lucifer’s eyes. It is not Lucifer’s face. In Abel’s voice, Lucifer told him that his brother was screaming for Cain to put the jawbone down, and that he would spare him hearing that but only if he struck quickly. It had never seemed like mercy, only a way to keep Cain from saying goodbye. He left Cain alone with a body already going cold and Hell to pay.

Cain’s fingers tighten on the doorknob. He has never tried to kill an archangel.

Lucifer tilts his head. “Something’s burning,” he says. His eyes leave Cain’s for only a moment to look at the home behind him, and then they’re fixed on his again. Neither of them need to blink. Cain can smell the acrid warning coming from the kitchen as well as Lucifer can. With one movement, he shoves the screen door open an inch and turns his back on Lucifer to go back to his pot. He sees the tips of Lucifer’s fingers curl around the side of the door, and that’s all.

He grew up eating pomegranates and apples and lamb. It seems too recent that he learned to cook with corn and potatoes. He reserves no chopping board for meat in his kitchen.

The stew is piping hot. He flavors it to the dulled pleasures of a demon, too strong for most humans to handle. Colette used to-

He ladles the stew into a bowl for himself. All of her is his alone to know.

He doesn’t bring Lucifer a bowl.

The devil sits on his sofa comfortably, watching the snow fall outside. His shoulders are damp with it. He hasn’t bothered to dry them with whatever power he has. He looks up at Cain’s approach, down at the bowl, and then frowns, as though he expected to be treated like a guest. Cain ignores him. He sets his bowl down to poke at the logs in the fireplace, crackling with heat, laced through with veins of burning wood. The flame-light dances across the living room, more wild than the electric lights but just as well contained.

“Are you going to tell me why you’re here?” he asks Lucifer. He takes his time the same as the devil does, waiting, but someone has to make the first move and Lucifer seems content to watch him eat.

“Atonement,” Lucifer answers. Cain sets down his bowl and wipes his mouth.

“No.” Lucifer frowns.

“Not forgiveness.” He repeats, “Atonement.”

“And I said no.”

“You don’t know what I’m offering to do.” Cain drinks. The stew burns the roof of his mouth, and it heals, and it burns, and it heals.

“We’ve made one deal. That was enough for me. I will never escape it.” For the first time, Lucifer can’t look him in the eye. His gaze drops to Cain’s arm and remains there. It feels like having his skin peeled off to reveal what’s beneath. Cain bears it with a clenched jaw. The Mark growls against his bones like a hibernating bear, glutted, but at any moment, ready to wake hungry for more blood.

“I can’t give you your brother back,” Lucifer says, apologetic, like he understands the loss. He never sounded anything like that the first time they met. Absently, his hand rises to his chest, fingers sweeping across his heart and then falling to a tight fist in his lap.

The devil is good at appearing like a broken man.

“I don’t want my brother back,” Cain tells him. There’s another thing that surprises Lucifer; Cain can see it in his eyes. All angels are poor liars. They don’t have a demon’s intuition when it comes to handling meat. Cain doesn’t owe him an explanation, but he has no one else to tell. No one who would understand what he means. If nothing else, they share the same curse. “I’m not the man I was when I picked up the blade. I’m the monster I became when I chose to wield it after. I wouldn’t want my brother to see me now, and I wouldn’t want to know what I made him when I cut my love out of him.” Souls in Hell are torn apart. Souls on Earth linger and decay. Cain never thinks about souls in Heaven because he’s not sure they have it any better.

“What about her?” Lucifer asks. He tips his head towards Colette’s picture. Cain sets his bowl down loudly enough for the sound to echo. A few drops spill. There are no cracks in it. He doesn’t let that happen.

“If you talk about her again, I-“ Lucifer nods. Cain falls silent before he finishes the threat. That feels like mercy. He’s not sure whose. “What are you here for if all you do is tell me what’s impossible to have?” A half-empty bowl lies on the table between them. The wind howls. The fire draws shadows in the folds of Lucifer’s clothing like wounds.

“I came to take it back.”

Cain stares at him a minute, then bows his head and finishes his stew.

“The cost?”

“None,” Lucifer answers, then frowns, “that I know of. I can’t guarantee you would survive the exchange, if I uproot every tendril of it from your veins.” Cain’s expression asks plainly if Lucifer thinks this is something that would matter to him. Lucifer’s answers with understanding. “It was meant to be my curse.”

“And if you take it, it will devour you the same way it did me.” It’s not a question. It’s a fact. Cain has lived with the Mark longer than a hundred repeats of his life without put together. He knows it. He has heard the scratching behind the door that only death silences, for heartbeats of time.

“That isn’t your problem.”

“You made it my problem.” A rise to his voice he hasn’t allowed in a century or more. Lucifer is unfazed. Anyone else who knew what he was would be begging by now.

“I’m sorry.” The bowl is empty. Cain breathes out heavily through his nose.

“It isn’t enough.”

“I know,” Lucifer says. He looks towards the fire. It doesn’t reflect in his eyes. They are too bright from within. “I know,” he repeats, softer.

“Why now?” Cain asks. He doesn’t wait for an answer before going back into the kitchen and leaving his bowl in the sink. Lucifer stands to follow him. He inches too close to the unwashed dishes, staring at them like their presence irritates him. Cain is off-put for the first time by his behavior, by the devil standing over his sink like his hands are itching to reach in and scrape the crud off the silverware and douse the ceramics in dish soap. Lucifer finally looks at him again.

“Because I’m here."

“You have something good, and you want to ruin it.” He makes an archangel flinch.

“No,” he lies, “I want to fix what I broke.” He leans against Cain’s counter.

“If you love them, you’ll leave,” Cain says. Colette is watching them from the other room, forever frozen in a memory. “Let me be. The damage is done.”

He doesn’t want Lucifer to be happy. It’s not something he deserves.

He steps out of the way of the kitchen door. Lucifer doesn’t move. He won’t leave.

Cain knew he wouldn’t.

Bearers of the same curse and all.

“Give me the Mark, Cain,” Lucifer says. Cain rolls up his sleeve. He does it slowly, dragged inch by dragged inch of fabric, until the sharp slice of the scar shows itself. Lucifer looks at it like an old friend with a gun to his head. Cain extends his arm.

Lucifer’s palm is cold where he wraps it over Cain’s arm. He covers the whole of the Mark with one hand. It wakes up suddenly, furious as it is cut out like a cancer. Cain can feel it fight Lucifer as he brings it back into himself. Lucifer makes a pained noise in the back of his throat, his grip on Cain’s arm tightening. He shakes. Cain feels nothing, no pain, no relief. There’s an empty hollow in his being that once soaked the ground with poison. Nothing will ever grow there, but the ring of dead grass won’t grow wider. Lucifer lets go of Cain.

The Mark is gone, scar and whispering and urges and all.

The Mark of Cain no longer belongs to Cain.

Lucifer bears it on his own body’s arm now, and deeper, where it will begin to rot him from the inside. It’s an angry, throbbing red now like an infection. Cain spent all that time lulling it to sleep and now… Now, it’s not his problem.

Lucifer breathes heavily.

Cain crosses him, their shoulders barely brushing. The stew is still warm as he ladles another bowl and brings it to Lucifer. Lucifer cups his hands around it like it will bring him any comfort. Cain stares at him.

“I hope you never know peace,” Cain tells him. Lucifer shuts his eyes in acceptance.

(Enjoyed it? Any interaction is welcomed. You can even support me on Ko-Fi <3)

[becoration]

How to create a cozy atmosphere with a fireplace in your home

Post has been published on becoration

How to create a cozy atmosphere with a fireplace in your home

Fireplaces always bring a warm and cozy atmosphere to your home, and if you like this idea, then you’re going to like what we’re going to explain next. A fireplace not only provides heat, but also adds a touch of charm and elegance to any space. Get ready to enjoy unforgettable moments by the fire!

Choose the right type of fireplace

The first thing you should do is choose the type of fireplace that best suits your needs and lifestyle. Fireplaces can be wood-burning, gas, or electric, each with its own advantages and unique characteristics. Wood-burning fireplaces offer a more traditional and rustic ambiance, while gas and electric fireplaces are easier to use and maintain.

If you opt for a wood-burning fireplace, make sure you have a good supply of dry and quality wood. If you prefer the convenience of a gas or electric fireplace, make sure to choose a model that fits the size and style of your home. In addition, consider the possibility of installing a built-in fireplace or a freestanding one according to your design preferences and available space.

Design the space around the fireplace

Once you have chosen your fireplace, it’s time to design the space around it to create a cozy and appealing atmosphere. Place comfortable and inviting furniture, such as sofas and armchairs, around the fireplace to create a comfortable seating area. Add a soft and warm rug under the furniture to provide warmth and comfort to your feet.

In addition to furniture, consider adding decorative elements such as paintings, mirrors, and plants to add personality and style to the space. Place a side table near the fireplace to support books, drinks, and snacks while you relax by the fire. With a little creativity and attention to detail, you can create a space around the fireplace that is functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Maintain a warm and safe environment

Once your fireplace is installed and the space around it is designed, it’s important to maintain a warm and safe environment in your home. Be sure to follow all manufacturer’s safety instructions when lighting and extinguishing the fireplace, and never leave the fireplace unattended while it’s on. Keep a protective screen around the fireplace to prevent sparks from escaping and causing damage.

Additionally, it’s important to keep the fireplace and chimney clean and well-maintained to ensure safe and efficient operation. Regularly clean the fireplace and flue to remove soot and ashes. Also be sure to regularly check and maintain all components of the fireplace, such as the glass, burners, and pilots, to ensure optimal performance.

Enjoy unforgettable moments by the fire

Once everything is ready and the fireplace is lit, it’s time to enjoy unforgettable moments by the fire. Relax in your comfortable furniture, wrap yourself in a soft blanket, and enjoy the warm glow of the flames. Listen to the crackle of the fire and let your worries fade away as you immerse yourself in the tranquility and calm of the moment.

Invite your friends and loved ones to join you by the fire to share laughter, stories, and special moments. Host a movie or game night by the fireplace to create lasting memories and strengthen family bonds.

With a fireplace in your home, every day can become a special occasion to enjoy warmth and camaraderie by the fire. Enjoy your special moment by the fireplace.

Referrer: MiMub in Spanish

[burnbrite-fireplaces]

Touchstone Steel Screen Front Non Reflective Electric Fireplaces

Want an electric fireplace with a more traditional look? The Touchstone® Steel electric fireplace collection offers a steel screen front without the reflection of glass for that more traditional fireplace look. And with a cool to the touch front display, the Touchstone® Steel electric fireplaces offer an easier and more energy efficient alternative to a wood burning or gas fireplace.

Shop the collection at https://bit.ly/3Q8cSmM

[touchstonehomeproducts]

Want an electric fireplace with a more traditional look? The Touchstone® Steel electric fireplace collection offers a steel screen front without the reflection of glass for that more traditional fireplace look. And with a cool to the touch front display, the Touchstone® Steel electric fireplaces offer an easier and more energy efficient alternative to a wood burning or gas fireplace.

Shop the collection at https://bit.ly/3Q8cSmM

[evolutionfires]

How to Create a Perfect Media Wall with a Fireplace

Creating a perfect media wall with a fireplace can add a charming, comfortable and modern touch to your living space. With Evolution Fire's prebuilt media walls with electric wall-mounted fires, this project becomes much more manageable. This guide will walk you through the steps to create an engaging, functional, and cosy media wall in your home.

1. Plan your space.

Start by determining where you want to place your media wall. Consider the viewing angles, distance, natural light sources, and how the arrangement will affect overall room traffic. 

The media wall should be installed on a sturdy, flat wall. The TV should be at a comfortable viewing height. Typically, the middle of the screen should be at eye level when seated. The electric fire component should be placed where it's visible but not in a high-traffic area. This will give the illusion of a real fire and contribute to the overall ambiance.

2. Select the appropriate Evolution Fire media wall.

The company offers a wide range of prebuilt media walls with electric wall-mounted fires. Choose one that suits the size of your room and matches your style preferences. 

You can browse through the extensive range of colour choices or share a sample with the Evolution Fires team for a perfect match. Alternatively, if you'd like a more personalised touch, choose a ready-to-paint option that you can paint yourself. Don't forget to provide them with the dimensions of your TV and soundbar, too.

3. Evolution Fires designs and builds your media wall.

The design team creates detailed 3D CAD drawings of the media wall with a size chart and recommended socket positions. Hire an electrician to install these sockets before your media wall arrives. 

Your media wall is then meticulously crafted to perfection by Evolution Fires' skilled craftsmen at their UK production facility, ensuring the highest quality possible. Upon completion, it’s handed over to their 2-man delivery team. You will be notified via email with a tracking link, allowing you to easily keep tabs on the delivery. 

4. Evolution Fires delivers and installs your media wall. 

Evolution Fires’ prebuilt media walls with electric wall-mounted fires come with a complete fitting kit (including an 8mm drill bit, wall plugs, screws, and construction adhesive) to make the media wall installation a breeze. Installation should take an hour or less, provided that all recommended electrical sockets are ready.

Order the perfect media wall with a fireplace today!

Evolution Fire UK's prebuilt media walls with electric wall-mounted fires allow you to create a stunning and safe focal point in your room where you can enjoy your relaxing time comfortably. Explore the selection on the Evolution Fire UK website and start the planning process. 

[gellertsbumblebee]

Fire Safety Dos and Don’ts.

Do: 1.Memorize the phone number of your local fire department. 2.Memorize the meeting spots and exits. 3.Hold regular fire drills 4.Exit your room if you hear a smoke alarm, even if it’s just a test. 5.Exit the building calmly and bring your mobile phone with you, preferably one that has a tappable “Emergency Call” option on the unlock screen. 6.Wake up people by shouting about a sounding fire alarm if it sounds when the family’s sleeping, it also helps to have one in your room, the sound of the alarm going off wakes you, 7.Help any tenants with physical disabilites caused by a mental impairment. (IE someone with Asperger Syndrome is more able, so they can help someone with Down’s Syndrome exit safely if they’re not able to do this on their own.) 8.Use a carbon dioxide fire extingisher on fires caused by electricity, gas, grease or oil. 9.Stop, drop and roll if you catch on fire. 10. Blow out any and all lit candles and wet cigarette ends after you snuff them. 11.Unplug all electric applainces not in use. 12.Unplug any electronics you’re charging and their chargers once they finish charging. 13.Unplug your laptop when you’re not using it, one man had his apartment catch on fire because of his laptop. 13.Use a wet washcloth to avoid inhaling smoke, as the majority of deaths in fires are due to smoke inhalation injuries rather than the flames themselves. 14. Use a sheet or something else to alert the firefighters to where you are if you are unable to exit once they arrive. 15.Stay near the toaster or stove if you are using them to cook something. 16.Replace any frayed, damaged or melting electrical cords. 17.Replace the batteries in a smoke alarm if it makes a sound akin to a chirping bird when it’s tested, chirping indicates dying smoke alarm batteries. 18. Open the door if the knob or handle is cool to the touch, as a cool doorknob or handle means it’s safe to open the door. 19.Put wet towels or blankets under your door to prevent smoke from entering your room through the open spaces under the door. 20. Turn off all heat and air conditioning units to prevent smoke from entering your room through the home’s ventilation systems. 21.Use the stairs in a fire in an apartment, dayhabs with more than one floor, or multifloored hotels and corporate buildings. Don’t: 1.Panic, it doesn’t do well to panic in an emergency. 2.Run outside screaming like Freddy Kruger or Hannibal Lecter is somewhere in the building, always walk to the nearest exit in a calm and orderly fashion. 3.Go back in for items or pets, as nothing is worth more than your life since you’re irreplaceable. 4.Use water on fires caused by electricity, gas, grease or oil. 5.Leave the toaster or stove unattended when it’s in use. 6.Put any flammable objects on a stove, on top of or near a fireplace. 7.Go near open flames if you’re wearing anything that is flammable before it dries, such as hairsprays, colognes and perfumes. 8.Run if you catch on fire. 9.Leave lit fireplaces or candles unattended. 10.Leave your devices and their chargers plugged while you’re not home. 11.Put anything covered in grease or oil in a dryer, as this never fails to cause fires. 12.Plug in too many electronics at once, as this is the main cause of electrical fires. 13.Ignore sounding fire alarms even if they’re being tested, ignoring them during a fire will most definitely cost you your life. 14.Ignore damaged, frayed or melting cords, as these cause electrical fires without fail. 15.Throw a lit match anywhere containing papers, as they go up in flames immediately. 16.Leave candles lit when you are out of your house. 17.Smoke in bed if you are tired or near oxygen tanks, this will cause fires to start. 18. Set a previously lit match on anywhere lighter fuel or other flammable liquids have spilled. 19.Forget to help any physically diabled or physically impaired individuals whose impairments are caused by mental impairments. (IE the Mun has Asperger Syndrome and can easily help her housemate with Down’s Sydrome escape the house in a fire as she is more able, her housemate’s condition causes him to have mobility impairments.) 20. Walk to a door in a fire, always crawl to it as the freshest air in a room is closest to the floor because smoke rises. 21.Open a door if the handle or knob is hot or warm, as warm and hot doorknobs and handles indicate that fire is on the other side of the door. 22.Keep any running heaters and ACs on, as this allows smoke to enter your room via the ventilation systems. 23.Use an elevator during a fire in an apartment, a dayhab that has elevators, a multifloor hotel, or a corporate building, as elevators may stop at the floor the fire is on or malfunction. 24.Break a window and jump out of it unless your only exit door is blocked by a fire, in the mun’s case, she lives on the first floor and her room has only one door, if it’s blocked by fire she can easily land safely when she jumps out her window.

[kompacplus]

Benefits Abound With a Modern Kitchen

By basic interpretation, a modern-day cooking area is any type of kitchen area that uses electrical power or gas. So technically talking, I think every cooking area in the western globe is referred to as a modern-day kitchen. However for the objectives of this post, we're going to broaden the meaning and focus on the eases of contemporary kitchen area style as well as the benefits that you can potentially appreciate on a daily basis regardless of your way of living.

When you think of modern, no doubt you have a thrill of pictures from streamlined layouts to state-of-the-art innovation. Below are just a few groups to get you focused and slim your definition of contemporary kitchen area concepts.

Modern technology is generally the initial organization individuals make with the word 'modern-day.' And if you desire your kitchen to be technically advanced you will certainly concentrate on computer system damaged devices and also computer systems. Today devices utilize computer systems to establish temperature levels, timers, food expiry dates, and also informs for supply restocking. A contemporary kitchen may extremely well include a big flat screen television to present recipes, family schedules, house timetables, as well as it's definitely more fun to prepare while seeing videos, searching web sites, or listening to songs.

Solid top Malaysia

While modern technology can pose an image of cool as well as nasty, a contemporary kitchen accepts state-of-the-art development with traditional design ideas - tidy lines, clear kitchen counters, bold shades, contrasting design elements, as well as basic forms. A contemporary kitchen can be both a highly advanced and warm and welcoming area.

Cabinets of a modern deluxe kitchen area will definitely do not have extra attributes discovered in standard style layouts. A lot of contemporary cabinets are simple, square or rectangular shaped, without elegant door handles. Although 'simple' the look of the kitchen cabinetry is sleek, tidy, and very practical. The look is everything about working correctly and also showcasing your personal design. In fact, you may want to completely leave closet doors off for the sheer ease of accessibility and sexy open appearance.

Home appliances in your new kitchen need not be one of the most recent release from a significant home appliance company. While having the fancy new fridge or the most popular new 5 heater chef top may behave, does it suit your overall decorating system as well as spending plan? Believe it or otherwise, a retro refrigerator, if working appropriately, could be the right suitable for your brand-new cooking area. Even your cooking area hood exhaust fan from a various time period can work, as long as it works great as well as does not posture a threat to the rest of your residence.

Use this checklist for the appliances you have or could require to change:

Oven

Microwave

Dishwashing machine

White wine Cooler

Hood

Fridge

Washer/ Clothes dryer

Garbage disposal

Cook top

Freezer

Coffee Device

Instant Hot Water Tap

Sink & Touch

Fireplace/ Hob

Wet Bar

Mixer, Food Processor

Furniture in a modern-day kitchen should be basic fit, multi-functional, and also vibrant in color. Modern kitchen furniture will not consist of sculpted legs, multi-colored formed pillows, or seats made of many parts. Modern design by definition suggests full of straight line and also not a great deal of hassle.

Modern decor means little to no art work is required for a contemporary cooking area layout. The design is the furnishings as well as cabinets and it's generally restricted to a 1 or 2 color pattern. A one color design means whatever, cupboards, furniture, as well as appliances, is a single color. A 2 color pattern is one in which the wall surfaces and also cabinets are one color however the devices as well as furniture are a second color, usually a very different color.

Whether it's a couple of touches or a total brand-new kitchen, you can develop a modern kitchen area successfully as long as you reveal your individual design and the area makes you happy.

Renovating Advantages

compact top Malaysia

As the housing supply ages and also brand-new building prices climb, a growing number of individuals are remodeling their houses than any type of various other time in history. If you stay in a home that you usually like and also it's located in a desirable community, redesigning makes good monetary sense. What's the main benefit you might originate from a new kitchen?

1. Functionality - include a walk-in pantry, re-design counter space, and make room for your laptop computer and also printer - anything that enhances your way of life.

2. Communication - open up your kitchen to the other adjacent rooms, a brand-new island can be a comfortable area for early morning coffee chats and also late night red wine tasting.

3. Security - minimize threats of crashes and also make your much-used space safe. Modify countertop heights to reduce back stress as well as usage environment-friendly products to enhance indoor air top quality.

4. Storage space - a properly designed cooking area remodel can considerably boost your storage area and also capacity to keep arranged.

5. Amusing - appreciate the enjoyable of entertaining individuals in your new space.

6. Resale - According to realtors, the cooking area as well as bathroom are one of the most vital spaces in your house to possible purchasers. Records show that a cooking area remodel can return as much as 85% of its cost upon resale.

7. Style - it's everything about you as well as the stunning things you value. Make your kitchen area a happy place to spend time.

Whether practical, practical, or preferable, fitting your kitchen area with an upgraded appearance can make any old modern-day kitchen right into a new modern high-end kitchen specifically created for you. Nevertheless, modern technology awaits no person.

[teddi-too]

Male Minotaur x Gender Neutral Reader (NSFW)

A/N: Lemon, 18+, my goodness this plot doesn’t make sense but it’s just a vehicle to the spice, ya know? 

Finally, time away from the city, from work, from everyone. Sure some of your friends thought it was weird you wanted to rent a cabin in the woods for a week by yourself but it was heaven to you. Your job has been stressful lately and with working from home it never really felt like you got a break. You needed to get away, actually away. Out of your home. A chance to decompress and refresh. 

You brought several books with you, some playing cards, and your laptop for when you broke down and needed a screen. The nearest residence was the owner of this cabin and that was nearly a mile away on the other side of the property. You were deep in the woods and you felt comforted by the seclusion. The cabin had everything you needed, a small kitchen that you loaded up with groceries from the nearest town, a surprisingly large bathroom with a huge whirlpool tub, a cozy living room with a gas fireplace, and the bedroom was a cute loft that you had to climb up a ladder to get to. There was a desk near the front window that you could sit and eat or play solitaire at and a small table and chair on the front porch. 

You settled in and made yourself a cup of tea and sat on the porch. It was a long drive and by the time you had checked in, stocked up on groceries and unpacked, the sun was beginning to set. Instead of popping up to make dinner right away, you let yourself just watch the sunset sitting on the porch. The trees were so thick outside the cabin, you couldn’t really see the sunset but it was nice seeing the color change in the trees. The darkness seemed to swallow up the thick forest and you felt comforted knowing you were truly alone. 

The next couple days were simple and lovely just like you had hoped. You slept in, made good meals and laid on the couch reading. But your favorite thing to do was to sit on the front porch and stare out into the woods. There was something healing about breathing in the fresh air and letting yourself do nothing. 

The third day passed by just the same except when you were on the porch eating your dinner, you felt differently than you had before. You didn’t feel the same emptiness from the woods that you did before. It almost felt like something was watching you. You stared at the treeline, scanning for movement and trying to convince your quickening heartbeat that you were, in fact, alone. You stared at the treeline so long you must have gotten dizzy because you swear you saw some greenery moving on its own. A mossy mass of...rocks or something behind the trees looked like it had moved. But that would be ridiculous. Rocks don’t move, moss doesn’t breathe...even though that’s what it definitely looked like it was doing. 

Your throat was dry and even though you felt a little silly, you called out anyway. 

“Hello? Um...trees-forest? Are you...alive? Are you...watching me?”

What the fuck, you immediately thought. Did you just talk to the forest? You stood up and started to gather your plate and silverware. 

“I’m sorry.” You heard a faint, low voice respond. You froze in your tracks, eyes widening to try to see anything in the dusk. “I just liked watching you. Please, don’t be scared.”

Ok, yup. Three days in isolation and you have started hearing voices. You thought for sure it would take longer than that, you thought you could at least make it a week and be ok. You closed your eyes tight and then opened them to scan the treeline again. The mass of moss and rock you had eyed earlier was now gone. Your heart sank. You began to stop forward towards the edge of the porch. 

No, stupid feet. The other way. Inside. Inside! 

“Who are you?” you called again, your voice slightly shaky. You heard some trees groan, some leaves shook, and then out between two trees emerged the most beautiful creature you had ever seen. 

It was tall and broad, its body rippled with muscle and its skin was a cool greenish gray that mimicked the woods around it. It had the head of a bull, with ivory horns extending upward. It had a thick, shaggy mane framing its face that stretched down its neck and covered its shoulder. It’s torso looked like a human man albeit with more muscles than any action movie hero you had ever seen. Your eyes followed along its thick arms down to its hands which nervously turned over and over each other.It’s middle section melted back into the same mossy looking fur of its man and its legs returned to a more bull-like anatomy ending in large hooves. It...he...looked exactly like a minotaur out of a fantasy novel. His face was kind from what you could see, his mane hung shaggily over his eyes a bit. He had to be over seven feet tall. How he had hidden himself so well among the trees was a mystery.

“I’m sorry if I frightened you. You just are so beautiful...I couldn’t help but watch you.” he said, his deep voice getting smaller and smaller as he finished his sentence until watch you came out as a whisper.  You were so mesmerized by this creature any fear you had before subsided.

“It’s ok, do you have a name?” It felt like an odd question, considering it was clearly an intelligent creature that spoke your language but you didn’t know what else to say. What are you? seemed like a terribly rude thing to say. The creature shrugged.

“No, I’m…” he seemed to be searching for words, “the guardian of this forest. Which mostly means I just live here.” You chuckled and he looked at you with a small smile. You told him your name and explained that you were just visiting for a few days. The minotaur knew this cabin well, he liked to come and see who the visitors were. Though, you learned, most of them weren’t as quiet and respectful as you. Most of them came to binge drink and make a mess for a weekend. It made him happy how often you just liked to sit and look out at the forest, his forest. 

“You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. Are there more like you?” you asked, smiling. He seemed to light up at your comment for a moment before the spark dimmed a bit.

“You really think I’m beautiful?” he rubbed the back of his neck shyly. “I’m...the only one that I know of. I’ve been alone since I was a calf.” You frowned at the sadness in his voice. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” you said and began to walk towards him. He backed up a few steps as you got close. “I’m sorry, should I...keep my distance?”

“No, it’s just...most people are scared of me or...want to...hurt me.” he said while looking at the ground. He massaged his bicep and you noticed a dark scar stretching across his arm. “I usually stay away from people but…I feel drawn to you and I'm not sure why.” He didn’t move further back when you continued to step towards him. 

“I’m so sorry people have been cruel to you. I would never hurt you, I...you’re so…” your words trailed off. You felt drawn towards him too. You looked back at the cabin, wondering if he could even comfortably come inside. While you were looking away, he had closed the distance between you. You turned and looked up at him. You reached your hand out to touch him. There was tension pulsing between your bodies. You wanted him, you couldn’t explain why you wanted to give yourself so freely to him but you did. You were so certain of it. 

The fur around his neck and upper chest that had looked almost like grass and moss from far away turned out to be soft and thick and cool to the touch. Your fingers could nearly disappear into it. He lowered himself so that you were nearly face to face. You stroked him softly from cheek to chest playing in his fur. Your light, wanting touch seemed to relax him and he began to lean towards you. He snout nuzzled into the crook of your neck. He breathed in your scent deeply. You felt a long, thick tongue lick up your neck. It was warm and heavy on your skin. It caused an electric and staticy feeling to pool in your lower abdomen. You realized quickly how badly you wanted him--to explore him, touch him, feel him. 

He pulled away and looked at you earnestly with wanting eyes. His strong hands danced up and down your arms and you weren’t sure if he was reassuring you or himself. You smiled at him and nodded your head, closing your eyes and moving in to kiss him. He circled his arms low around your waist and returned your kiss. Before you realized it, he had pulled your feet off the ground and was holding you against him. He straightened himself and you put your legs around him. He so smoothly and effortlessly navigated your height difference to make it so neither of you were straining to meet each other. Pressing against his body, wrapped in a deep, sloppy kiss your body couldn’t help but react to him. Heat moved throughout your body, concentrating in your core and desire took over you. Holding tight to the giant creature, your hips began to writhe slowly against him. 

You broke from the kiss every so often to check in on him, cupping his jaw in your hands, placing small chaste kisses on his snout, moving your hands through his mane and rubbing his chest. Never parting for long before returning to his mouth. 

“I want you--need you,” you said breathlessly. He leaned over and layed you gently on the hard ground and crouched down onto his knees. He stilled himself for a moment and then reached out his hand to you. 

“I want you to touch me but...I know that I’m...different” he trailed off, his eyes breaking contact with yours. You sat up and closed the distance between you once again and kissed his chest and ran your hands over his muscled body. 

“Please, believe me when I say I want this...I want you. You’re beautiful.” You weren’t sure how else to convince him that you were being sincere so you took your hands away from him and began to remove your clothing. His jaw dropped slightly and his eyes moved all over your body as he took in the sight. He cooed compliments about your figure, your skin, your complexion, he babbled on and on until you were naked in front of him. When you had finished taking off your clothes you looked at him and noticed he was palming his crotch. You touched his arm gently and he moved his hand away to let you see. 

The bulge you barely noticed before had grown bigger and there was a small opening that wasn’t visible earlier. You reached out and traced your fingertips along the opening. It was warm and slick. You cupped the bulge in your hands and began massaging it. Looking up at his face, his eyes were closed tight and he was nodding his head compulsively. His fists were balled up, settled on his hips. He was used to his own hands being his only source of pleasure but he wanted your touch to be what undid him this time. 

As you massaged him, the tip of his penis began to push out of the sheath. The head was round and thick, red and glistening with his own slick. You continued to work the sheath, watching in awe as his full length pushed itself out of his body before falling heavily against his thigh. His cock was long and thick and your body pulsed with your need for it. He parted his thick, muscled thighs, spreading his knees apart further to give you better access. You took a deep breath and your body tightened at the sight wondering what it would feel like to be stuffed with his cock. 

You slowly trailed your fingers along the top of his hard cock before encircling it in your palm. It was heavy and warm, your fingers could barely meet around its girth. You dipped your head lower and dragged your tongue along his member. It was sticky with the cooled slick from his sheath. 

After teasing his length with your tongue, you took him into your mouth. He was so thick, the corners of your mouth felt stretched just taking the tip. You slipped your mouth as far down the shaft as you could and began to suck, bobbing your head lightly along his length. You breathed in through your nose, trying to relax your throat and mouth to take more of him but he was just so large. You resigned to focus in on the head of his cock where you could more easily create suction with your mouth. You stayed there teasing his tip until you could taste his precum begin to weep. His hips jutted forward instinctively, choking you on his length. You pulled away with a cough, drool falling from your mouth. 

You heard him clear his throat, attempting to regain his composure. You smiled up at him and began to move your hand up and down his shaft to extend his pleasure. You reached out with your other hand cupping his testicles and rubbed over one then the other with your thumb. The only sound you could hear was his heavy breathing and his choked back groans. His large hands reached down towards you, pawing at you with no real intention. He was overwhelmed with the sensation of your hands working him. 

His hand cupped your chin gently and pushed lightly on your shoulders to signal you to lay down again. Inching forward on his knees, he grabbed your sides and lifted you up onto his hips so he could reach your entrance more easily. You could feel his hard cock digging into your back and you laid, exposed and vulnerable against him. 

He took his large thumb and stuck it in your mouth, you sucked on it slowly moving your head in an exaggerated way that drove him wild. He pulled back his hand and used his wet thumb to start massaging your entrance; slow large circles just next to your entrance. A cool electric feeling stretched out from your sex throughout your entire body. After teasing your entrance, moving closer and closer with his thumb quickening his pace he moved his hand away, leaving your desire falling off a cliff. 

You whined at the loss of his touch and tried to move your hips to show your need. He smirked, moved your body up on him further and dipped his muzzle down towards your sex. His breath was hot and heavy as he moved his snout over sex wanting to take you in with all his senses. He nuzzled your entrance with his lips briefly before opening his mouth and laying his strong tongue against you. His tongue was wide and flat and moved over your hole with a heaviness that left you wordlessly begging for more. His drool mixed with your own slick left you sopping wet and pulsing with need. He worked the outside of your entrance for a dizzyingly long time before dipping his tongue into you. You could feel his cock twitch beneath you and you knew you both wanted all of each other. 

He tasted you, moving his tongue in and out of you, lapping over your entrance until he was confident you were ready to take his large cock. He longingly moved his hands over your body as he repositioned you. You reached for his cock and stroked it a few more times making sure he was at the same height of his desire as you were. You stared intensely at one another, your bodies pulsing with anticipation. 

He lined himself up with your entrance and you felt his thick cock press against you. 

“Please” you whined, not able to take the slow pace any longer. You knew he wanted to savor this but your body needed him so badly. He pushed into you slowly and you let out a loud gasp as your body clenched and spasmed trying to take him in. Your eyes stung with tears as he continued to move into you, stretching you to your limit. When he got to a place where he felt like he couldn’t push in further, he slowly moved out of you; then back in again. He picked up his pace just slightly moving in and out, working you open with his cock, pushing deeper in as he thrusted. 

He grunted quietly as he continued to move faster and faster and you returned with your own moans. The wet sucking noises of him fucking you filled the cool night and your body felt like it was swimming in pleasure. You tried moving your hips in pace with his to multiply the friction your bodies were experiencing but he was so big and you were so overcome with bliss you got lost in the feeling. 

Making you thunder back into the present moment, you cried out loudly as he placed the heel of his hand into your stomach rutting into you with even more strength than before. The added pressure of his hands on your torso made you see stars and your first orgasm ripped through you without any warning. Your body felt hot and sparks pricked all over your skin as he fucked you through your orgasm, never slowing down. You tried to catch your breath and steady yourself but he began fucking you even faster, pushing into you nearly past your limit as he chased his own release. 

“I-want to see me all over you” he stuttered out, a grunt and thrust punctuating each word. You nodded wordlessly, your head dizzy as your overstimulated hole spasmed around his cock. He pushed into you a few more times before he pulled himself out of you and let you drop roughly to the ground. His voice strained against his desire as he grabbed his cock and started stroking himself. Your body buzzed with anticipation and you started fingering your hole waiting for him to finish all over you. 

His head thrashed, horns cutting wildly through the air, suddenly reminding you of his bull upper half. His pace was erratic as he worked himself to the edge, he stuck his hips forward to move over your body and he came with a roar. Thick ropes of white-hot come erupted from his cock and landed on your torso. He continued to stroke himself, moving his hips as he came, sending his seed all over your neck, face and on the ground around you. His whole body seemed to spasm and he fell forward on to his hands, breathing heavily and hovering above you. The sight of him coming sent another shiver up your body as your hole pulsed around your fingers, desire still swimming around you. 

After pausing for a moment, both of you quiet in your blissed out state, he placed a hand on your chest, fingering his own seed admiring the mess he made of you. He placed a come covered finger over your lips and pushed into your mouth, watching your reaction as you tasted him. You sucked his release off his finger. 

“How many more days are you here?” he panted, still catching his breath. You laughed and put your arms around his thick neck. Your body felt completely drained of all strength and you weren’t sure you’d even be able to lift yourself off the ground right then. 

“Do that again and I might never leave.”

[joshuasgretafanfeet]

Home: Chapter 2

(December 24th)

There was an air of anticipation (and a little anxiety) as you whirled around the living room, preparing for the Christmas festivities planned the next day. Josh’s flight had landed and he was already on his way home, and your heart pounded in excitement. The last time you had seen him was in November, when you’d flown out to see him in concert and spend Thanksgiving with him and Michael. Now, you pushed aside the multitude of sensory toys Michael had scattered all around the living room to give the house some semblance of order. The faint smell of the chili and cornbread you’d thrown together wafted through the entire house: Josh’s favorite. The fireplace was empty, given that your once-tiny baby was now a chunky 14-month old, crawling and getting into everything. Instead, you’d jokingly put a Fireplace video on the large flat-screen above the fireplace. Josh’s favorite John Denver record was on as well, completing the perfect feel of home to greet him. 

Home.You grinned a little and shook your head, enjoying the irony of how deeply you enjoyed owning a home with Josh. Josh, the Josh; the one who “feared domestication”, who scoffed at the idea of being tied to a committed relationship. The same Josh who didn’t kiss you for two months in the beginning of your relationship, because he was nervous about “jumping into something serious so quickly”. Ok, Josh. 

That same Josh had begged you to marry him, burying his face in your waist as he knelt, a ring grasped tightly in his hand. Muffled words warmed your stomach with each breath. The poor boy had stumbled over his words, stuttering and swallowing until he was finally able to squeak out his proposal. Later, he’d confessed he’d rehearsed for months to work up the courage, but had forgotten the note card with his speech at home. “It just felt like the right moment,” he’d shrugged, “I figured I didn’t need a notecard.”

A car door slamming interrupted your thoughts; your heart leaped, and scooping Michael from his walker you raced to the front door. Swinging it open, your eyes caught sight of a warmly-dressed Josh, pulling a small rolling suitcase behind him and holding his laptop bag. When your eyes met, a huge grin broke out on his tired face, and he practically sprinted up the driveway plant a deep kiss on your trembling lips. “Hey there, mama.” His warm brown eyes had tears in them, an overwhelming combination of exhaustion, love, relief, and pure joy fighting for space in those glistening orbs. Michael babbled excitedly, clapping and holding out his chunky hands to fight his way into Josh’s arms. Grateful for the brief relief from holding your heavy son, you grasped Josh’s suitcase to roll it into the house before gently closing the door. His hand brushed against your waist and trailed across your stomach as he brushed by, chattering to his son (who chattered just as enthusiastically back). A small shiver ran through your spine and tickled the back of your head; Josh’s love language was definitely physical touch, and every touch was electric- meaningful and appreciative. 

His whole family was very physically and vocally affectionate, in sharp contrast to your extremely quiet, conservative family. It was a lot to handle at first; you had found yourself instinctively recoiling the first time you spent a holiday with Josh and his family- it had felt so foreign to be squeezed in a long hug from people you’d barely just met. Eventually, though, you had learned to accept the hugs, melting into the genuineness and love. Josh was definitely Karen’s son, you’d mused the first time you met her; his laugh, his chaotic humor, his empathy, his numerous tight hugs, and his wild way of gesticulating whenever he told a story were all traits carbon-copied from his mother. 

All of the boys had the same warmth and sensitivity as their parents, Danny included. In the years that you’d all known each other, you’d all supported each other through multiple highs and lows. Traveling with them on tour had helped you all become attuned to each other’s personalities and needs; the boys had always been able to tell when you were upset, and had always been willing to patiently listen while you frustratedly vented. 

“Jake, he just doesn’t listen, he gets so stubborn about things and there’s no reasoning with him!” Jake had laughed dryly, patting your knee affectionately. “I could have told you that, I’ve spent nine months more with him than anybody else has!” Giggling through the tears, you’d swatted him playfully. “I know, but you know what I mean. He gets an idea in his head and he won’t let it go.” 

What the argument was about, you couldn’t remember. You and Josh butted heads often, with your two stubborn, feisty personalities competing ; just as often, you completely forgot what you’d bickered about and continued on as if nothing had happened- a fact that the other boys poked fun at you two for all throughout tour. “Let me know when you guys have made up, mmk?” Jake feigned disinterest in the silent treatment you and Josh were giving each other. “Just set a timer for five minutes, they’ll be back to being gross by then,” Sammy called from the other side of the room, perched on the arm of the couch beside Danny, who shot them both a warning glance to accompany the glares you were bestowing on each speaker. Josh sheepishly snuck glances at you as he pretended to be interested in a People’s Magazine (a foolish choice, you knew he’d never seriously read one). 

“Smells so good in here, Birdie,” he gently nudged you with an elbow to catch your attention and press another kiss on your temple. “Cornbread?”. “OH SHIT!”, you clapped a hand to your forehead and sped-walk to the kitchen, praying it hadn’t burnt while you were lost in greeting Josh. Taking it out, you sniffed appreciatively; it was a little dark, but still looked (and smelled) amazing. Quiet footsteps tapped the floor behind you. “Did it burn?”, Josh queried, a humored look in his eye, though he tried to maintain a serious demeanor. “We can always just…use tortillas…” Whipping your head around to glare half-sternly at him, you couldn’t stop a smile from cracking as you both remembered the first time you tried cooking for him. 

“MMM….it’s… so good, Birdie!”, Josh animatedly bit into his slice of cornbread, chewing with his most convincing face. Not convincing enough. “Stop lying, it’s awful!”, you pouted. “I worked so hard on that.”. In a feeble attempt to convince you, this gorgeous boyfriend of yours took another huge bite to add to the bite he’d chipmunked into his cheek. “No, it’s delicious, Birdie, thank you for making it!”. Narrowing your eyes, you scowled. “Swallow it then!”, you challenged. Josh’s eyes widened, and with his best effort to remain animated and cheerful, he made a move to swallow the huge chunk of cornbread that puffed his cheeks out in a cartoonish manner. The motion was cut off quickly by a short, powerful cough that forced the masticated cornbread onto the table. “Shit, I’m…water, please, god…I’m so sorry, mama, I really tried!” Gulping appreciatively at the water you’d set in front of him, he sheepishly asked if there was any other bread in the house. Triumphant, though it was at your own expense, you disappeared into the kitchen. Moments later, a bag of tortillas landed in Josh’s lap with a decided *thwap*. “You want bread? Here. Have a bread product with your chili, Josh,” you’d remarked, voice dripping in mock (or was it real) hurt and sarcasm. Stubbornly, Josh opened the package and ate his chili with great gusto, foregoing a spoon in favor of pettily using his tortilla to scoop the warm substance into his mouth. The story was one that Josh relished theatrically reenacting for any audience that unsuspectingly asked about your cooking skills; years later, it remained a fond memory that you both laughed at each time you remembered. 

Fortunately, your skills improved massively, with Josh’s entire family teaching you kitchen tips and tricks. Even the notoriously self-proclaimed “solo chef” Sammy eagerly invited you to bake some new vegan recipe with him every so often. Josh’s hungry smacking from the opposite end of the table seemed to prove that at least your cornbread was satisfactory. “THis hits the spot, sweetheart….this is…amazing.” Swallowing hard so he wasn’t spitting crumbs, he continued wistfully. “It’s been for-fucking-ever since I’ve had a home-cooked meal.” Warmly, you nodded and hesitantly took your own bite, always worried that you’d be able to taste some mistake your hungry husband had kindly overlooked; you were pleased to discover his appreciation was warranted- everything tasted perfect. Michael was busily chasing the spoon his father steered towards him in a little game of “here comes the airplane”, apparently enjoying the chili you’d set aside and mashed before adding spice to the larger pot. 

Energized by the food, Josh launched into a lengthy monologue catching you up on all the eventful happenings from the band’s tour, story after story tumbling over each other until you lost track of time. Josh had cleaned up Michael and now held him on his lap, one hand securely wrapped around the chubby child, the other waving enthusiastically as he pointed in the direction of…well, where his bandmates would have been, had they been standing in your dining room. It was always amusing to watch Josh tell a story without his siblings there; free to dominate the conversation, he barely took a breath as he regaled his audience with stories. Now, when all three brothers were in the room, the environment was much more chaotic- Jake and Josh fighting for the metaphorical mic, and Sam riling them up by adding his two cents, eyes sparkling mischievously as he provoked more heated exchanges from his twin brothers. You and Danny usually exchanged a sigh and “oh boy here we go again” glance before settling in for the show. 

“That is absolutely not how it happened, Jake- listen, Jita, this is what happened.”

Contentedly, you settled into your chair, casting an amused glance at the four band brothers, well aware that no one would be getting a word in edgewise for a good while. Jake and Josh stuttered over each other, with Sam adding chaos with his own account of some humorous story from their tour. Mackenzi leaned against Danny, the two of them catching your eye and shrugging in sync.

You loved these dinners. Whenever possible, Mack and Jita would fly out to meet the you and the boys after a concert to spend a few days together. Conversation was always lively, and the drinks didn’t hurt. But together, it felt complete. Like your own little family was together, enjoying each other’s presence.

“So, see, it was actually his fault, Jita; your fiancé is an idiot!”

Smiling triumphantly, Sam gulped down the rest of his drink before pushing his chair away from the table. Josh scowled, but turned to his twin with a change in subject. 

“I’m gonna get us another round, Jake, care to help me?”

Defeated, Jake also stood up.

“All I’m saying is I think it was fairly obvious I wouldn’t have wanted you to actually do that on stage,” he muttered bitterly. Josh elbowed him, provoking a sharp poke to the ribs, that led to a…”Guys, go get the drinks and stop bickering before I ask Karen to come pick you both up.” Danny’s voice rose above the bubbling chaos to decisively end *that* argument. 

“You really need to stop stirring them up like that, Sam, at least in public,” you chided Sam, kicking his foot under the table. “I’m never going to hear the end of it now.” 

A powerful yawn from the heavy-lidded baby on Josh’s lap broke both your thoughts and his story-telling. “Daddy feels you, little man. How about a little early Christmas Eve bedtime,” he suggested cheerfully; “For both little man and mama-daddy.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. You laughed, standing to collect the tired boy from him. Turning your attention to Michael, “If daddy does allllll the dishes, mama might give him an early Christmas present!”. Giving an exaggerated bow, Josh quickly began clearing away the dishes, faster than you’d ever seen him do at the family gatherings when it was time for after-dinner cleanup. Jokingly, you pulled your phone out as if to record; “Wow, he does know how to clean! This is one I gotta show Mama K!” Rolling his eyes, he stuck his tongue out before turning to scoop a bean from the sink and toss it at you. 

You used to clean the kitchen together, after cooking all afternoon, enjoying each other’s presence and Josh’s extensive record collection. This afternoon in particular was delightfully rainy, the sky purple and the sun nowhere in sight. Occasional thunder clapped through the open balcony door, where the weakened storm was still blowing fresh rain-scented air through the house. It might have been chilly if the stove hadn’t been making your cheeks glow, and if the warmth of Josh’s body wasn’t a constant presence when he insisted on wrapping his arms around your waist and watching you cook. Cleanup that night took forever, partially because you two were messy chefs, and partially because Josh kept…distracting you: touching ice cubes to the back of your neck as you stood helpless with hands full of dirty dishes; blowing soap bubbles into your hair; splashing you with water from the sink spray. 

Most distracting were his remarks- constantly-whispered utterances in your ear, caressing your ego in the gentlest way. You weren’t so self-absorbed as to say the lyrics in their songs were written about or inspired by you, since you knew all four boys scribbled and hummed every time they were together. But it was those lyrics Josh whispered now, arms holding your waist tightly, lips tickling that soft patch of skin behind your ear. Desire dripped from his low voice, tangible and sensual. “Let’s go to bed, mama….”

“Let’s go to bed, mama.” That voice was standing in the doorway of Michael’s room, a silhouette outlined in the dimmed light of the hallway outside. Creaking the door open as quietly as he could, Josh crept in to kiss the back of your head as you watched Michael drift off. “You’ve done so good, sweetheart. He’s perfect, and you’ve been such a good mama….Im so…I’m so proud of you.” Voice breaking slightly, he brushed the hair off your neck to bring his lips to the exposed skin. You drank in this moment, hoping it stained your skin- you tried to memorize every molecule as it was in that moment. Perfect. Warm. Safe. Taking one last look at your son, you turned to face this eager husband of yours, his eyes wide to catch any sight of your face in the dark that he could. Wordlessly, you grasped his hand tight and crept out of the room to leave your son undisturbed, closing the door behind you.