#also it's -2 outside but feels like -6 and my bike cover has frozen over which is in general a sign to me that j shouldnt cycle

[ghosts-of-love]

:/

[obx-adventures]

The Introverted Twin

Summary - Being John B’s bookish twin isn’t easy. Especially with my best friend, Pope, being weird about me getting closer with JJ.

Flashbacks in italics

Warning: Mild smut at the end 😁

Catch up here: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4

——

Chapter 5

When I get back to the Chateau, I run inside to find JJ. John B calls out for me but I ignore him. I’m on a mission and not even my brother can stop me. Once I determine JJ isn’t at my house, I jump back in the van and drive to the beach. I finally find him 30 minutes later sitting alone on a pier, lost in his own thoughts.

I give myself a pep talk and remember what Sarah told me. I walk over and sit beside him, nervously reaching out to take his hand.

“Hi JJ,” I start tentatively. “I’m sorry I ran from you earlier.”

“It’s ok, Y/N,” he mutters. It makes me anxious that he is using my real name. “It’s probably best that you left.”

“J, what’s wrong?” JJ’s eyes are red and tears are streaming down his face.

“John B and I got into it after you left. He called me out on some stuff and then told me to leave.”

“Was it about me?” I whisper, afraid that I’m the source of his pain.

He doesn’t answer but turns to look at me. I reach out to brush away his tears and he shudders at my touch. We get lost in each other’s eyes for a few minutes. His are filled with emotion but he looks so conflicted. I’m overcome with the desire to kiss him, but I can’t risk doing that until I know where he stands.

“JJ, you’ve known me for a long time,” I begin anxiously. “You know that I have a hard time expressing how I feel, especially when it’s something big. But it’s you so I’m going to take a leap of faith. Is that ok?”

“Sunshine, you can tell me anything.” JJ gently squeezes my hand to encourage me.

“I… umm, shit, ok… I… damnit, I don’t know why I can’t just say what I want to,” I exclaim, frustrated with myself.

“How about I go first? Give you some time to find the words?”

I can only nod in response, frozen in my own anxiety. He’s staring into my eyes and it’s the most intimate moment of my life. It feels like he’s boring into my soul and I’m worried he won’t like what he sees.

“I want you,” he confesses. “All of you. Your amazing brain, your beautiful heart, your gorgeous eyes. I want every part of you even though I know I shouldn’t. I know that you deserve so much more than I can give you. You are supposed to be the one to get out of here and I would be an anchor around your waist. I’ve been trying to push this down and let you go. But then you look at me like you are right now and it takes everything in me not to kiss you.”

His admission gives me the boost of confidence I need to act. Before I can think too much about it, I lean in and kiss him. His lips are salty from the ocean and his tears, but they are soft and gentle. Our lips move together slowly at first and I feel his hand reach up to cradle my cheek. His thumb brushes along my jaw while he runs his tongue along my lower lip. I open my mouth to give him access and he deepens the kiss as my hands reach up to run my fingers through his hair. When we break apart to catch our breath, I lean my forehead to his and sigh in contentment.

“JJ, I think I’m in love with you,” I whisper.

“But I’m not good enough for you, Sunshine,” he whines as he pulls back from me.

“I’m the only person who gets to decide who’s good enough for me. And you’re the person I want. You pull me out of shell and pay attention to the details of my life. You planned this amazing trip to the planetarium for us even though I haven’t talked about going in at least a year. You can tell when and why I get lost in my own head and help me come back to reality. You make me laugh more than anyone else. You have this vision of yourself as a fuck up who isn’t worthy of love. But that’s so wrong. You are so amazing.”

JJ stares at me in awe. I can see that he’s trying to process everything I just said so I give him a minute. Without warning, he stands up and drags me up with him. He continues holding my hand as he walks down the pier back to the beach. We walk in silence for a while and I begin to get anxious. Suddenly, he stops walking and moves to stand in front of me.

“Sunshine, John B basically banned me from dating you,” JJ tells me as he looks down to the sand.

“Wait, what?! That chauvinistic ass! He does not get to dictate my life.” John B has always tried to protect me but this is way out of bounds.

“Let me explain a little better... After you left the Chateau, I went inside to find out where you were going. John B said he wanted to talk to me.”

“Dude, what’s the deal with you and my sister?” John B can’t unsee the confused expression on Y/N’s face when he asked if something was going on between them.

“I like her, JB, a lot,” JJ admits. “But nothing has happened between us. Sometimes I think she likes me too but then she pulls back. I don’t know, man.”

“JJ, you can’t fuck around with Y/N,” John B knows JJ wouldn’t intentionally hurt his sister, but he also knows that JJ has never committed more than one night to a girl. “You know her, and you know how you are with girls. You can’t just mack on her and then disappear. That would kill her.”

“Bro, that is not what I want.” JJ run his hand through his hair, trying to contain his temper. He can’t believe his best friend thinks that he would do that. “She isn’t the type of girl that you just mack on.”

“What happens when it falls apart? You’re my best friend but it doesn’t mean I won’t beat your ass when you hurt her.”

“Why do you think I’m going to hurt her? I’m not stupid. I know how special she is.”

“Right, she has a chance to get out of here,” John B responds quickly. He has always known that his sister’s destiny is outside the Outer Banks. “She’s crazy smart but once she commits to something, she doesn’t let it go. I don’t want her to get stuck here.”

“I don’t want to hold her back! I want more for her than this bullshit, scrimping and scraping all the time to make ends meet.”

“But she’ll stay” John B explains. “For you, she’ll stay, and she’ll never do all the shit she wants to.”

“I could go with her,” JJ pleads, unsure if he’s trying to convince his best friend or himself. “I could be part of that life.”

“JJ come on. You and I, we’re lifers here. You can’t drag her down to our level. Go think about it before you do anything stupid. I need to try to find my sister.”

I am shocked at my brother’s behavior. Shocked that he would say such hurtful things to his best friend. He knows the verbal abuse that JJ gets from his father. Why the hell would he add fuel to that fire?

“JJ, listen to me,” I tell him as I gently grab his cheeks. “Do you want to be with me? And I don’t want you to think about the reasons why you think you shouldn’t. Just a yes or no.”

“Yes, of course I do,” JJ replies earnestly. “But –”

“No buts, JJ. If you want to be with me and I want to be with you, that’s enough. The rest of the shit will get figured out.”

“What about JB and Pope?”

“I’ll deal with them. John B was right about one thing, though. Once I’m in, I’m all in. Before I fully commit, I need to know that you aren’t going to bail. Are you in this for real?”

JJ pulls me in for a passionate kiss. He’s holding my face gently with both hands and claiming me as his own. He tilts my face slightly to gain deeper access as he slowly slides one hand down to my neck and the other down to my lower back to pull me closer. With my whole body pressed against his and his tongue exploring my mouth, every part of me feels like it’s on fire. I place my hands against his chest and roam over his rippling muscles, trying to memorize every dip and curve. He slowly pulls back and returns both of his hands to my face.

“I am in, 100%. Let’s go back to my place to figure all of this out. My dad is out on a fishing trip so we don’t need to worry about him.”

“JJ, we can go to the Chateau,” I tell him, thinking he’s anxious about seeing my brother again. “I told you I’ll deal with John B.”

“Sunshine, can we just have some time together before we bring our whole world into this?” The idea of alone time with JJ sends a shiver through my body. It feels like we are in our own delicate bubble and I realize that I’m not ready for that bubble to pop yet either.

I nod at him and he pulls me along to the van. I don’t want to leave John B stranded at home, so he follows behind me on his bike back to the Chateau. I hastily write a note telling my brother that I’m ok and I’ll be back in the morning. I leave the keys and note on the driver’s seat and run over to JJ. I’m a little nervous about riding on his bike but don’t hesitate to climb on behind him and wrap my arms around his torso.

When we get to his house, JJ leads me by the hand to his room. Even though he knows his father isn’t home, he locks his bedroom door as a precaution. I haven’t been in JJ’s room since we were kids and I take a moment to explore the one space in the world that is completely his own.

I’m surprised to find so much of his personality in the room since he spends so much time at my house. He has a wall completely dedicated to the Pogues, covered in pictures and mementos of all of our adventures. I stop exploring when I see a piece of art that I don’t recognize. It’s a pencil drawing of me hunched over studying. I’m in profile, so he must have been sitting on the couch while I was studying at the table. My hair is thrown up into a messy bun, held in place by two pens. I’m wearing one of my dad’s old sweatshirts and have a pencil resting on my temple while I chew on my bottom lip.

“I didn’t know that you draw,” I say quietly as I continue to take in all the details of the picture.

“Only when I’m inspired. You were studying for the SATs the first time you took them. I think you sat in that position for 6 hours. I’m pretty sure you didn’t even know I was there. You were so focused and intent, I couldn’t help watching you and sketching. That was when I realized I have feelings for you.”

I turn to JJ and study his face. He looks vulnerable, something I’m not used to with him. I walk over and pull him into another kiss. This kiss feels different than the others we’ve shared today. JJ slowly walks me backwards until my legs bump into his bed. He guides me down to the pillow and settles next to me with one arm tucked under my neck. I turn so I can look at him and our noses are inches apart.

“You are so damn beautiful,” he whispers as his hand slowly glides down my cheek to feel along my neck. He traces his fingers along the exposed skin on my chest and I rest my hand on his waist, feeling his muscles contract as he breath shallowly. I move my hand slightly to get under his shirt and touch his soft skin. I smile when I feel goosebumps form. He follows my lead and trails his hand down my side, and I can’t help the small gasp that escapes as he brushes along the side of my breast. His hand continues down to the hem of my shirt and I sigh when his warm fingers touch my bare skin.

I lean towards his face and press delicate kisses along his cheek bones and down his jawline. I’ve never kissed someone like this, so I rely on instinct and JJ’s reactions as a guide. My mouth travels down to his neck and I slowly work my way up behind his ear. I lick along his ear lobe and he hums in response. I nibble gently along his ear and feel his hand tighten on my waist. I give him deep kisses down the side of his neck and then leave feather light kisses as I move back up to meet his mouth.

When our mouths connect, it’s like an explosion. His tongue slowly runs along my lower lip and then he catches it with his teeth. I moan as he tugs my lip slightly and I move my hand up his back. He swipes his tongue into my mouth and kisses me hungrily. I dig my fingers into his back, and he smiles against my mouth. He kisses along my cheek and then moves to the spot behind my ear. I shiver at the contact and scrape my nails down his back. He pulls me closer to him as his hand roams up my side, under my shirt. He hesitates before touching my breasts until I nod in consent. He then firmly cups my breast in his large hands and trails his finger under the top of my bra to brush against my nipple.

I throw my leg over his hip and use the momentum to flip him on his back with me straddling his lap. His hands automatically rest on my waist and his eyes are filled with lust. I grab the bottom hem of my shirt and pull it off in one smooth motion. I watch JJ take in my lace bra as his hands roam up to touch me. I lean forward and meet his mouth again as his hands explore my body. I feel his erection under my core, and I rock slightly against him, eliciting a moan.

He rolls us over and trails kisses down my neck and makes his way to my breast. He sucks my skin on the top of breast while his fingers tease my other nipple through the lace. I groan and arch my back to give him more access. He roughly pulls down the lace to swirl his tongue around my nipple while he continues to the tease the other. I drag my fingernails up the bare skin on his sides and feel him shiver. I move my hand along his waist band and hook my fingers into the top of his shorts to pull him closer.

“Wait, wait, wait,” he says as he pulls away.

“Did I do something wrong?” I ask timidly.

“Fuck no, Sunshine... we just need to call timeout.” I’ve never heard JJ sound so unsteady.

“You don’t want to keep going?” I can’t hide the insecurity in my voice.

“No, I definitely do.” He rubs my cheek tenderly with his thumb. “But I don’t want to rush into this. I want this to be different. I want your first time, our first time, to be special.”

“JJ, everything I do with you is already special,” I insist as I cup his face. “It’s not the circumstances that make something special, it’s the person that you do it with.”

“I know, I just want to do this right, is that ok?” I can tell from his voice and the way he’s looking at me that he’s as new to this as I am. He may not be a virgin, but this is still a totally novel situation for him.

“Of course, J” I cuddle into him and enjoy the feeling of his strong arms around me.

“Can I take you on a date tomorrow, Sunshine?” He traces his fingers over my still exposed skin while he awaits my answer.

“I would love that, J. I just need to go home first for a bit.”

“You going to talk to John B?”

“Yes, my brother and I will be having a firm conversation about his role in my life.”

“I don’t want to get between - ” I stop JJ with a kiss.

“Stop, don’t worry about me and John B,” I insist. “We’ll be fine. And you two will be fine.”

“What about Pope?”

“I’m not sure... The last thing I want to do is hurt him even more. He’s my best friend but I can’t make myself feel something that isn’t there.”

“He’s one of my best friends, too.” I hear the guilt in his voice. “But Pope is a good guy, he would want us to be happy, right?”

“I hope so. I’ll try to talk to him tomorrow too.”

We spend the rest of the evening talking and cuddling. I feel safe in JJ’s arms and fall asleep listening to his steady heartbeat as he combs through my hair with his nimble fingers.

Ch 6

Taglist: @agirlwholovescoffee @obxlife @meaganjm @kaelyn-lobrutto24 @velyssaraptor @lunaposey @http-cherries @prejudic3 @love-youu-softly @rudyismymanperiod @justcallmesams @celestialmaybank @yasminesameh @chaoticbisous @liloddcora

[momtemplative]

MASKED.

1.

In a house with two young kids, our quickest sanity-stabilizer in this COVID era was to head outside and go for a walk, or a bike ride, or to roller skate. We’d pay close attention to the proximity of passers-by, but typically the grassy fields by the bike paths were an open canvas for the kids to blow off some steam. And we’d all return home a bit winded and slightly more stable. 

Then, a little more than two weeks ago, a strong recommendation came from Governor Polis for everyone to wear masks in public. But what, pray-tell, was “public” referring to? 

Here’s what the CDC endorsed: wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

So that’s what we assumed Polis recommended as well. That night we even had a happy hour gathering with our neighbors, all at least 6-feet-away, but without masks. We didn’t feel like we were being sneaky or non-compliant, we were simply following the guidelines as we understood them. 

But then we started seeing people in their yards wearing masks, and on walks wearing masks— in addition to 6-feet! There was an eerie infiltration of mask-wearers, and, with that, the non-verbal communication of an abrupt change of protocol. Our sacred, oft-traveled, 1,000-step bike path that loops around the block started to feel unfamiliar, as if it were a movie set peppered with strangers, wearing homemade cloth curtains over their cheeks. 

We quickly felt like a minority out there with our bare faces.

2.

An afternoon walk was once a favorite time of day—quarantine or not. Quickly though, in light of the current mask situation, and before I began to wear one, my brain started to get stuck in a grinding pattern of managing everyone else’s whereabouts in accordance with my own. I noticed that I was judging those who were masked, at least in part because I was sure they were judging me. 

Their judgment and my judgment felt cut from the same cloth: judgement as a way of controlling the uncontrollable. There is so much confusion about protocols. So much fear of the radio broadcast of white noise and speculation that is to be our future. All these feelings get lumped together into just trying to do it right. I returned from one particular walk stiff as a board and deeply grumpy.

“Jesse,” I said, “I’m not going on a walk again without a mask.”

3.

I opted out of any domestic sewing of masks at first, and started with my old-lady cardigan tied around my face like a waist. I then upgraded to a bedazzled bandana that I bought to fill Opal’s Easter basket last year. I love the happy fabric, but it wouldn’t stay up over my nose for anything beyond the liquor drive-through (my singular biweekly errand). Store-bought masks are not an option. They’ve been back-ordered for weeks and if the stock is replenished, it needs to be saved for the blessed healthcare workers.

By the next weekend, Jesse and Opal wore masks that they made from a YouTube video, using mustard-yellow t-shirts and rubber bands, while on a bike ride. That ride turned out to be very brief because, according to Opal, it was so hard to breathe. 

4.

The solidarity and confidence that come from wearing a mask are helpful and significant, sure. But the act of wearing a mask changes the experience entirely. 

On a purely physical level, it muddles your peripheral vision, steams up your glasses, makes it hot and very hard to breathe. 

On a social-emotional level, the masks create a real separation between people. It feels similar to being at a costume party—even if the invite list includes most of your friends, everyone is suddenly anonymous. 

I walked behind two people (in masks) and a dog from a block away that I thought were my beloved next door neighbors. I even hollered at them. (They didn't hear me.) Then I got closer and realized it was a different dog and very much not my neighbors. It’s all very disorienting.  

5.

One week in, and Opal has taken Polis’s suggestion as gospel. Of course, I don’t blame her. Sometimes when we are out and about, so is the rest of the neighborhood. During those times, the mask feels safe and dare-I-say comforting. (Like we are good, complaint citizens. Go us.) But other times, there is nobody outside. I tell Opal, “Sweetie, we can keep our masks around our chins until we see someone (dozens of feet away!) and then put up our masks.” 

Opal’s reply: NOT A CHANCE.

I try to imagine what it would be like to experience all this at age ten. What other such details has her system become accustomed to over the last month? Zoom call playdates, online school, little sister around all-the-effing-time. Maybe some feelings come out sideways? Maybe everything seems overwhelming and busy even though very little is happening?

In the olden days, before COVID, any sort of outdoor trek was soul-nourishing for all of us. It ticks a lot of boxes: sunshine, fresh air, exercise for me and the dog and the kids, a brain reset. Now, masked, such an activity is beyond taxing. Ruth has no desire to keep her mask on and she’s a runner. We can bribe her with a lollipop to stay in the stroller, but the girth of the BOB, along with the leashed (80-pound) dog requires skill and intentional footing on an average day. Trying to juggle it all through a face-drape is the emotional equivalent of walking through tar. A guaranteed headache.

Returning to our backyard, with its creaky swingset and patchwork yard, and removing our masks (along with the associated invisible constraints) is beyond restorative.

“That’s the best part about a mask,” Opal said. “Taking it off and having the air taste so fresh and cold again.”

6.

On Sunday morning—a few days ago and two solid weeks into the mask-in-public rules of conduct—the kids were scattered on the floor watching Frozen while I folded laundry and Jesse tinkered away at the sewing machine. Project: to sew face-masks that fit each of us properly. It was a lovely scene of the times. I would imagine Norman Rockwell painting such an episode if he were alive during COVID. A family of four (plus cat, plus dog) in their natural weekend habitat. Slow to dress, sipping juice or coffee, and, sewing face masks.

“Ruth,” Jesse said, “Come on over here and try this on to see if it fits.” Ruth scurried over to him to try on her mask like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Later that day, I walked our dog wearing the mask Jesse so lovingly crafted for me (after three fittings). It was exquisite, hands-free, spacious around the mouth. He even used the sweetest yellow-petal, summer dress fabric. When I returned, I kissed him straight through the mask.

7.

In spite of a good fit, it still takes exponentially more effort to greet someone while masked—you have to yell or over-gesture to compensate for the fact that both of your faces are completely erased. Because we wear ours primarily outside, most people are in sunglasses with their masks. But if not, they are far enough away where eye-reading is not an option. It’s all a straight-up guessing game.

More often than not, for the sake of simplicity, it’s just me and the dog these days. Typically, I have my dog’s leash in my left hand, and a steamy bag of his shit in my right that gets carried for countless unpleasant blocks. This is due to the lack of public trash facilities on the neighborhood routes I find are easier to navigate within the guidelines of 6-feet-between. Bike paths are pretty tight if there isn’t open space to veer off on either side. And now I’ve got my mask on, and fogged-up sunglasses. The uniform is similar to that of someone on Halloween in a last-minute ghost-sheet costume, with just the eyes cut out, cobbling along with both hands full. This is not a “path is the journey” sort of moment. I’m lucky if I can twitch out a head-nod or an elbow-wave to a passer-by.

It feels important to counteract the separation that has become synonymous with health and life. But I’d be lying if I said I was able to muster a greeting every time.

8.

In our culture, masks (when not worn in a medical setting) often represent sinister actions—bandits or bank robbers or the KKK who want to hide defining features.

For many Asian countries, mask-wearing was a cultural norm even before the coronavirus outbreak. In East Asia, many people are used to wearing masks when they are sick or when it's hayfever season, because it's considered impolite to sneeze or cough in public.

The 2003 Sars virus outbreak, which affected several countries in the region, also drove home the importance of wearing masks, particularly in Hong Kong, where many died as a result of the virus. Says the BBC news: “One key difference between these societies and Western ones, is that they have experienced a contagion before—and the memories are still fresh and painful.”

I recently read a story about two black men who were wearing masks at Walmart—fully in compliance and trying to keep themselves safe—when they were accosted by police. It hit me like a whip how individualized each of us are experiencing this pandemic. I skoff at my mask because it’s a pain-in-the-ass. But I’ll never be faced with also having to weigh the risks of racial profiling.

Delving further, I read that to-mask-or-not-to-mask has become a way to take a political stance. Trump supporters carrying “My body, My choice” signs, with an illustration of a crossed-out mask—this is a common image to see in the media right now.

The Washington Post said: “Even as governors, mayors and the federal government urge or require Americans to wear masks in stores, transit systems and other public spaces to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the nation is divided about whether to comply. And it is divided in painfully familiar ways — by politics and by attitudes about government power and individual choice.”

So, clearly, it is about so much more than just a mask.  

9.  

This just in. 

In a press conference that took place a few days ago, April 20th, Governor Jared Polis and state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy outlined how life may change in Colorado as soon as next week, when “shelter-in-place” shifts to “safer-at-home.” They are essentially the same, just with a select few businesses opening with strict distancing rules and incremental shifts toward less physical distancing over all. Polis mentions nothing different about mask-wearing. Meaning, still wear them in public, especially if you can’t get 6-feet-between, especially if you’ve been exposed or have symptoms.

I noticed an immediate difference on my walk following his announcement. There was a family of four playing frisbee in an open space without masks! My initial feeling was wait, WTF? (And yes, I realize we are living in a strange state of affairs for my initial reaction to a beautiful family frolicking in a field to be contempt.) There was a man throwing a ball for his dog in a park that still had many visible CLOSED signs—also NO MASK. (Again, WTF??) I then gave a wide, grassy birth to a group of mask-free bike riders. 

I notice my mask feels more like a burden on my face without the unifying solidarity of everyone doing it. We all seem to be getting different memos.

There’s a huge relief that people are back to having faces, to be sure. I miss people. I love faces. But I have to admit that in spite of my hemming and hawing, I’d gotten used to feeling protected. It’s impossible to make sense of any of it. Even little Ruth came in yesterday and gave a tiny cough. “I’m sick,” she said, “Since I didn’t wear a mask today.” 

Circling back to the facts, the only thing worth grasping at right now, I am challenged to find any bit of news to suggest that our household need to be wearing masks while out on walks—under any level of regulation thus far. Neither Jesse nor myself are working outside of the house. We don’t visit with friends or family. (Big sigh.* We miss everyone terribly.) The odds of us being silent carriers are beyond slim. We are not immuno-compromised. So wearing masks these last few weeks—while still on socially distanced walks—could probably be categorized as an act of cultural alignment, an act of doing everything we can for the cause. 

As of right now, this moment, I do not see our mask-wearing as being impactful to our macro OR micro community. So, for the sake of preserving the sanity of our tiny culture for the long haul, I vote that we wear our beautifully-Jesse-crafted masks on our chins, like flattened feathers at the ready. 

“As it (the “safer-at-home” regulations) rolls off April 27, we need to figure out how to run the marathon now that we’ve run the sprint,” Governor Polis said in his most recent press conference. “I hate to break it to you, but the easy part was the sprint.”

[grannygremlinaudio]

the front half of my house reeks of skunk right now and I’m done

Fricken animals. 

The coons have been around since we moved in, but we haven’t seen them much (until this year) since they got evicted from the neighbor’s rear addition when the house sold (3-4ish years ago).  I haven’t seen an opossum since that one that froze to death under my basement steps one exceptionally harsh winter, like 9 years ago.  I’ve never seen a single skunk in the neighborhood until this year, but now they’re everywhere.  I’d be walking down the alley to the corner store and there they are, foraging in the bushes along someone’s property line.  I have learned to watch out, because they’re stupid and arrogant (true fact I found out recently when visiting a Raptor Sanctuary: they have no natural predators other than The Great Horned Owl - that’s because Owls have no sense of smell and the Great Horned is the only one large enough to carry one off  - and we have none of those in the city, obviously).  I mean, they can’t actually see very well at night, so many times they come around the fence/bush right into me.  If I am lucky I can see them coming a ways off and can make noise so they notice I am there before they get too close, so they bugger off another way.  I am starting to wonder if the neighbors think I’m crazy - all they hear is a guy talking angrily (cussing) but calmly to something they can’t see and probably don’t realise are animals.  I bump into (at least) one skunk in my own yard (which is tiny; downtown row house) at least every other night.  I have gotten pretty good at dealing with them, but still have had 2 close calls where the little shit (4 babies + mom; the youngins are pretty dumb - also more dangerous, like venomous snakes, because they haven’t learned to control the amount of shit they release) turned around and raised it’s tail at me.  I have never bolted so fast in my life.

Earlier in the year I was just seeing them in the alley.  Then they were trying to dig under the fence (right by the gate to the inner part of my yard from the outer/parking pad, so I would bump into them all the time) into the neighbors shed (which uses the fence as a back wall).  Had the neighbor give the all clear and I dug down deeper and stuck wood down there so they would give up digging and move on.  That worked, but then they found another spot, just across the back alley from there, again, digging under the fence and floor of my other neighbors outdoor closet/plastic shed thinger.  So they were still around my yard every dang night - but at least I could see them coming. 

I dunno how, but the neighbor evicted them.  Swore that they saw them move to a burrow up the street away from me, but I am seeing them in my yards (both front and back) even more now (them in the front is new).  The front is the worst because they poke out from the neighbors bushes literally a foot away from where I stand to smoke when it’s raining and I’m pinned against the wall/door (which I lock so the smoke don’t get in - not a good latch otherwise).

The other week I was trapped in my house - skunks front and back.  I was livid, like pick a fucking side; stay with your brother(s) you dumb fuck.

Then there started to be incidents.  I guess they’re meeting some of the other local wildlife (in my anger at skunks I totally forgot to mention that I had an opossum almost run right into me last night; apparently they’re pretty blind too.  I was grooming my tomato and bean plants out back, yes I am a nighttime gardener - that’s the time I have available, when I saw something in my peripheral vision, turn around and there’s an opossum there, litterally flipping over in the air within my reach as it realised it was running straight into a larger animal, me in case that wasn’t clear, and freaked out at it’s own stupid, scampering off back the way it came.  I had also seen it, or another, in the alley skulking slowly along the fence a few times this year, which is crazy because the thing about opossums is that you tend to never see them; they are good at the not being seen; their signature move as it were, but back to the skunks).  Had an incident where I was going out back for a smoke, opened the door and nope - there’s that smell - lets go out front instead (yes, one popped it’s head out the bush/picket fence but it was alone so I was able to scare it away with my voice; still had to retreat myself though because the assholes just come again after a few minutes when they think you’ve gone and I’ve been too lucky already).  But it was weak/normal; gone the next morning.  Then I went to the store one time and once I got around the corner in the alley I smelled it.... but then I still smelled it when I got to the store (google claims that’s just < 1/4 km) so it musta been a large, ahem, discharge in an open space (such as that T intersection of the alley) for it to spread like that.

Then last night, somewhere between 3:30 and 5 I got woke up by the stink drifting in.  At first I thought I was dreaming, because I’m inside in bed.  AC so no doors or windows open.  One of the juvenile skunks must have just blown his entire load somewhere under my front deck.  I know houses aren’t perfectly airtight, but damn, it smells so very strong in my bedroom, the front foyer, and the basement below, as if the little shit sprayed inside.  Oddly it is not traveling any further into the house, though I suppose we’ll see what the status of that is when I get home from work.

On the plus side, it covers up the dead animal smell that started from that same area a few days ago... oh wait, fuck shit ass!:

“ stronger skunk smells that have worked their way into fur, clothes, or carpeting can linger for several months to several years if immediate action is not taken. If a skunk has died near or under your home, skunk scent will linger far longer. “ from here

So yeah, this is now going to be the 4th larger mammal (mice don’t count - it’d be double or more) that has died on my property since I’ve lived here (< 15 years).  When I moved in there was a dead cat (orange tabby) under my neighbors front deck, literally just on the other side of the wood separating it from my basement steps.  That was not so bad a smell, and went away quickly (due to neighbor with issues that cat was not removed until the house was sold many years later - that’s one pissed off kitty ghost and it freaked me out occasionally to know there’s a kitty mummy right there... also it was weird because apparently it may have been his cat).  Then the aforementioned opossum under the steps (I actually opened the basement door the night before - it hissed at me so I just went ‘nope’ and went out the back instead; I wonder if it would have survived that frigid night if I had fed it).  Then I was cleaning under my back deck one time, and nearly put my hand into a dead racoon (hilariously posed as if playing dead, on it’s back with it’s tongue hanging out one side of it’s mouth and arms perched up like a TRex; cartoonish aside from the signs of decomposition, which were super gross; the abdominal cavity... never mind you don’t wanna hear it, just feel lucky that you have not seen what cannot be unseen).  I could not get out from under there fast enough let me assure you (and I was a good 5 meters in with only belly crawl room; couldn’t even turn around).  Took me a few hours to chill out, get suited up/supplied and get back under there to remove it (animal control won’t do it for you - you have to bag it and they’ll come get it from the curb; I’m a seasoned veteran by now).  Luckily I had a system down since the opossum (under the steps in a tight spot); garbage bag over a snow shovel, scoop it up and then pull the bag back over the carcass and tie it off in a hurry; coveralls, bandanna, goggles, dust mask and my dad’s old full grain leather engineers gloves.

This dead animal (I know that smell; also the flies - so many flies) is worse than before.  The cat smelled a bit for a while (would come and go with the hot weather the first summer we lived there).  The opossum not at all (frozen solid) and for some reason the racoon didn’t smell that bad either  except right up close (I mean I nearly stumbled right into it without smelling it).  But this is rank. It probably does not help that the death occurred at the start of the biggest fricken heat wave we’ve had so far this year.  The problem is (with all the smell avoidance tricks I know, and a flashlight in the daytime) I was not able to locate the source; no body... so days later the smell is still there (taking my bike in/out to go to work is such a horrible experience, I can’t even put it into words).  The skunk smell is actually a relief in comparison, but not strong enough to cover the death stench when outside the basement door (it does if you’re by the main front door on top of the front porch). ... though the rotting carcass smell does not creep inside like the skunk does, so bit of a trade off there.

Anyway, I know the undersides of both my front and back decks are animal highways at night.  Something died under there, and then a skunk came across it a few days later, and/or another live animal checking it out (apparently, opossums do eat carrion, so that’s my theory), and literally shit it’s pants, and now my life sucks so much more.  I fucking hope that corpse is your mom asshole.

It pisses me off though, because I helped my neighbors get rid of their animal invaders (see above about the  wood preventing the skunks getting in to one neighbor’s shed, and a recent post about helping the other neighbor get rid of a racoon in his porch roof) and the city won’t let me cut down the trees on the rear property line (the corners actually) that prevent me from building a fence (tree growth knocked down the old fence that used to be there). Even though they are nuisance/weed species - a Tree of Heaven (ptui! - one of them ironic names) and a Manitoba Maple.  So on my short street (6 houses) I’m the only one with open entrance, grass/plant life (rest are patio-ed/graveled) and actual full grown trees = wildlife magnet. Like literally we’re an urban mammal oasis and I am so tired of it.  This is even more annoying because the development just N of me was allowed to chop down 5 mature trees (developers can afford the ‘construction’ tree removal permit = close to 10k per tree all in after the fees and replacement costs etc vs 2k for a removal with cause, which I am starting to think they reject 100% of the time to get you to pay more) and the neighbor, where the house was sold, clear cut his rear (over 5 trees, just not mature so the regulations don’t prevent the chop... or they got away with it, whatever).  Even after 1/3rd of the Tree of Heaven fell on my (at the time) new (to me; bought used) car (10K worth of bodywork; glad it was insured).  It is not my job to bear all the responsibility for hosting all the floura and fauna on my tiny block.  I do not concent to this burden! 

In addition to the wildlife, we now have homeless people starting to congregate behind the shelter at the bottom of the street.  I was trying to be cool about it, cuz, you know, I get it, but now they’re doing drugs in broad daylight or defecating as I or my wife walk the kids home from school.  Just everything at once.  There’s screaming and fighting and fucking at night too, though luckily not in the last week or 2.  Not being able to fence my yard also means I have them (and drunken folks from the bars etc) coming in my yard to pee/litter.  I once found stolen property hidden behind my car (a bike), and the junkies (not the shelter party people; different people) try robbing us all the time (have found the car tossed because my wife, in her coming home stress, forgets to lock it; they’ve tried my rear door a number of times, a few successful (I am up late so I have also had altercations I could have lived without). 

[maritimemac-blog]

Map of Points of Interest for Saint John

If I had been the young man from the cruise ship in my story Your Travel Wish List Should Include…, what points of interest would make me want to say, “I can’t wait to get to Saint John?” This was my three day list:

Find the breakwater to Partridge island – done

See the Hula mural on the pier – done

Climb up to the Saint John sign

Find hanging place of James Cane (murderer of Maggie Vale) behind old courthouse – done

Locate remnants of the 1877 great fire in King’s Square – done

Go to Miller Brittain art studio AKA Brits Pub – done

See Deanna Musgrave’s murals – done

Get photos of the harbour lighthouse and Coast Guard lighthouse – done

Walk the alleys in the city of stone, especially the building along Prince William Street – done

Get photo of Trinity Anglican Church, a national historic site – done

Locate Fort Charnisay national historic site

Go to Barbour’s General Store. and sit with John Hooper’s People Waiting sculpture – done

Find the Three Sisters Gas Light – done

Have lunch at the Reversing Falls restaurant

Hike to the caves in Rockwood park

Go to Netherwood School, where the movie Children of a Lesser God was filmed.

I squint at my scribbled list of must-see places. I still have 3,  11, 14, 15, and 16 to complete. It snowed overnight, and I am going to start the day with a hike through the fresh powder.

#3 — Saint John has a famous landmark sign on a hill above the city, just like Hollywood. It was my feature image My Quest for the Forbidden in Saint John. Approximately a five-kilometre drive from downtown, it is visible to all the cruise ships in the harbour. I park in a snowbank just off Osborne Street and hike upward. I’m laying down the first tracks in the snow and I feel like a kid. I’m half tempted to plunk down and do a snow angel. Fort Howe national historic site is also at the top of the hill.  I pass the blockhouse and stone cairns of the historic plaque. I have taken pictures of both in warmer weather. Today they are covered in snow.

    Fort Howe Plaque, Indian treaty Plaque, Majour Gilford Studholm honoured plaque

Fort How Block House

When the path divides, I take the southern branch. I am excited to see the sign up ahead. It is very big — I wouldn’t be able to get a selfie alongside it.  The fence is very close to the edge of the cliff and the snow is hiding the footing so I stand safely back a few feet and admire the view of the city. The cloud cover has a silvery tint and the sun is trying to make an appearance. I have arrived at a good time.

Saint John sign

City view from the Saint John sign.

#4 — I  didn’t tell you in my last post, The Art of Saint John, that I looked behind the old courthouse to see if there was a dedication or plaque marking the spot where James Cane was hanged for murdering Maggie Vale.  The area is fenced off and under construction so finding #4 is a scratch. Here is the courthouse in pictures I took on a previous visit; the photo on the left is the front of the building, right is the back of the building

    The Old Court House a National Historic site the rear of the building is fenced off and Inaccessible, just a bit pile of dirt.

read of The Old Court House a National Historic site the rear of the building is fenced off and Inaccessible, just a bit pile of dirt now

#5 — In King’s Square there is a blob of melted metal that is said to be all that remains of a machine of some sort found in a hardware store.  You can see gears, nuts and bolts within the mass. History buffs like myself will find the blob underwhelming, but imagine that so little proof remains of a fire so catastrophic that it levelled the town.

Plaque reads: This mass of metal was found in a hardware store following the Great Fire of 1877

#6 — I told you about this one in The Art of Saint John. Miller Brittan was a famous Canadian artist from New Brunswick, and his former studio is now Britts Pub and Eatery.

    Britt’s Pub

#13 — After my pint at Britts pub  I headed down  Prince William Street to walk off the beer buzz and to check off #13, The Three Sisters Gas Light. The light was placed to help sea captains safely find their way into the harbour. The light aligned with the steeple of Trinity Church. If all three globes were visible, the approach into the harbour was correct; if only one or two were visible, captains knew they needed to adjust their course for safe passage.

Three Sisters Gas Light at the end of Prince William Street.

#9 and #10 — I strolled around the alleys and streets looking at the stone buildings of the Prince William cityscape, and I also got a look at the Trinity Anglican Church, which was mentioned in my story On The Trail of Loyalists.  

After the great fire 140 years ago, all new buildings were required to be built of stone, brick and mortar. The regulations were meant to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again, but it makes for a lovely old-world appearance.

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#7 — Back to the pedway at Market Square to see Deanna Musgrave’s newest mural, Nest. The pedway passes over Chipman Hill Road which is very helpful when strong winds blow onshore and it gets really cold downtown. Deanna’s second mural, Clouds, is located in the Hans W. Klohn commons at the University of New Brunswick-Saint John Campus, which is where I finish my first day.

  Deanna Musgrave’s Mural Nest inside the pedway from Market Square.

Clouds by Deanna Musgraves In the Hans W. Klohn Commons at the University of New Brunswick Saint

Day 2: Just four places left

#11 — Old Fort Charnisay is widely unknown to the general public, but it too is a national historic site and the last one I need in order to have seen all those in the Saint John area.  Last night I asked my hostesses at my Air BNB if they knew where it was located. I brought up a picture of the plaque on my tablet, and showed them. One of the women promptly told me the gazebo is in front of the Carleton Community Center. That is where I am headed next.  I have passed it many times but it is sitting at the end of the road — not where I expected.  I sweep off the snow and read the plaque, which states:

In 1645 D’Aulay de Charnisay built a small wooden fort near here before seizing and destroying Fort La Tour…

Old Fort Charnisay, a national historic site located in the front garden area of Carleton Community Center

It is not on my list today but just down the street in Queen Square is the celebration monument of Pierre Dugua Sieur de Mons (1558-1628). He was founder the first permanent French — or Acadian — settlement in Canada.  He was the first governor of Acadia in 1604 along with cartographer Samuel de Champlain. I am sure I came across a similar plaque with Michel LeNeuf  De La Valliere, Seigneur of Chignecto, also claiming to be first governor of Acadia at Tonge Island (see my post Searching Around Sackville Part 2).

Celebration of Pierre Dugua Sieur de Mons, first governor of Acadia, 1604 monument located in Queens Square, west Saint John.

Carleton Martello Tower National Historic Site is also nearby. It is currently under restoration and you can’t go into the tower,  but you can still walk the grounds and get some great photos.  I love the historic stone architecture and it has great views in all directions. This photo is from 2016.

Carleton Martello Tower national historic site.

#14 — It is nearing noon, so I’ll scratch lunch at the Reversing Falls Restaurant off my list.

Reversing Falls is a beautiful place. It is at the confluence of the Saint John River and the Bay of Fundy, so when the tide is low the river runs out to the ocean, but when the tide comes in it is higher than the river’s discharge, so rapids, whirlpools and eddies form.  I walked into the restaurant and, since the place was empty, I asked the server if I could look around.  She says, “For sure, take your time!”

The view to the river and bridge is excellent. I take the best seat in the house, table number 106.  I order a bowl of squash soup and a veggie wrap.  I say, “Isn’t this view amazing?”  My waitress nods in agreement and says, “Sometimes we stand here and watch the harbour seals.” She says she never gets tired of the view. Who could? This video is from my seat looking at the transition from slack tide to high tide.

Reversing Falls 

With my appetite satisfied,  I head to Rockwood Park. I mentioned the sculpture Sunshine and Moon Light Over Saint John by sculpture Hiroyuki Asano of Japan located in the park  in my story It All Started With Love. The park has seasonal camping,  canoeing on the lake, and is park of the UNESCO GEOPARKs of New Brunswick. There is a sculpture for unions outside the Frank Hathaway Center, year-round hiking and mountain bike trails. and wildlife viewing.

Ducks resting in the snow on side of the partially frozen pond

Board walk along the lake of the UNESCO GEO PARK location

Deer on the trail in Rockwood Park

The lady at the interpretive center tells me if I follow the Fresh Air trail, when I cross the bridge over the brook I should be able to see a series of small openings into a crevasse that is an underground cave system.  “It was the last place to find resident bats up till two years ago, the white nose fungus has killed them off.” She mentioned they don’t tell people about the caves, they don’t want people spelunking in them. I promise I am not a cave dweller, but having something to look for while snowshoeing will make for an interesting adventure.

I park in the busy lot and strap on my snowshoes.  There are lots of ducks at the feeder and several people feeding them.  Deer had been here with in the last fifteen minutes.   A skier has broken a trail, so I start a snowshoe trail off to the side.  Half a kilometre in I start to see the openings,  where the snow has collapsed down inward..

Cave opening through the snow cover

Cave openings

Now that I know where there are, I may return in the summer to have a better look.

#16 — After snowshoeing, I set off for the Netherwood School in Rothesay, the set location of the 1986 movie Children of a Lessor God starring William Hurt and Marlee Matlin.  The snow in the trees looks very pretty. I drive up the curved road and see an enormous mansion. The building are posh and I feel out of place. I snap a quick picture of the school sign and leave.

Rothesay Netherwood School

On the way, I pass a park by the water, it looks beautiful and I have to stop.

East Riverside Kingshurst Park, Rothesay

East River side Kings Hurst Park

All in all, it was another great day of searching around Saint John.  I am sure next trip I will have another full list of points of interest to see. This time I was lucky to find everything but the gallows location behind the courthouse. Cheers to the rest of the story of Saint John and happy travels from Maritime Mac.

  Saint John: The Rest of the Story Map of Points of Interest for Saint John If I had been the young man from the cruise ship in my story…

[youmeandwinona-blog]

We apologize for the delay in posting; it has been a busy (in a good way) last couple of days.

Jess has just notified me that she does not apologize.

On Wednesday, February 22, we spent the day at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure using our full day two-park pass. For those of you who are not familiar, these are essentially two separate parks. Universal Studios is known for its classic movies and shows like the Simpsons, Shrek, and Revenge of the Mummy, while Islands of Adventure has more of the epic sagas like the Marvel storylines, Jurassic Park and King Kong. Both of them have children’s sections but overall, Islands of Adventure is more teen-friendly while Universal is more family-friendly. 

Recently, Harry Potter world was introduced and eventually placed in both parks. They are connected by the Hogwarts Express in order to get people to pay for both parks! ;)

Anyways, it called for rain for most of the day so we figured that there would be less people. I am also quite scared of roller coasters but Jess and I spent the previous evening preparing me with Youtube videos of the rides and a route that started with light attractions that got more and more intense.

The main three big rides we were building up to were:

3. Rip Ride Rockit (Universal) - big drop, lots of twists

2. Dragon Challenge (Harry Potter, Islands of Adventure) - two rollercoasters side by side, very twisty and upside down most of the time

1. Hulk (Marvel, Islands of Adventure) - very powerful, fast, many loops

9:00 AM

We got there early to avoid any line-ups; although, as we expected, there were none. Our game plan was to start in the Islands of Adventure section of Harry Potter World when it was less busy, take the express to Universal, where the rides are less intense, and then train back over to Islands of Adventure and do the two big rides (amongst other things, of course). 

Walking into Harry Potter world was unbelievable; the castle was so well done and all of the rooftops were covered in snow with Ollivanders, Honeydukes, and other adorable little stores amongst the rides.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Jess remembered that this ride had a really long line in the past so by speed-walking across Islands of Adventure, we weren’t in line for more than 10 minutes. The storyline behind this 4D was that Harry, Ron, Hermione and the gang urged us to skip class to see a Quidditch match. But, things went awry went they realized that the dragon was on the loose. During the ride, we were strapped in and experienced flying around Hogwarts, the Quidditch field, and running away from the dragon.

Hogwarts Express

The train took us from Hogsmeade Station to Diagon Alley. In a way, this was its own little ride because it too had a story. In a train compartment with 4 other people, we witnessed the trip from Hogwarts to London’s dark alleys within King’s Cross station. The window was really a TV screen showing us the forest, Hagrid following us on his flying motor bike and the scenery leading up to the city. The doors to our booth were also TV screens; we could see the shadows of Harry, Ron and Hermione talking to the confectionary lady as the chocolate frogs they’d purchased also hopped along the sliding door to our compartment.

Exiting from King’s Cross into Universal Studios, we had to find the rest of Harry Potter world (because Diagon Alley is hidden from the muggles)! You can see how realistic (or magical) both renditions of Harry Potter World were from the pictures we posted earlier. 

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringott’s

This was probably the longest line we waited in for the whole day - only 30 minutes! It’s a new ride so this is expected. Also 4D, this ride had a similar story only this time we were taking a tour of the vault, but the gang was breaking into the vault (like they did in the seventh movie). There was a dragon. Shocker. Plus, Voldemort also made his appearance. Jess was happy that I liked these rides so far. When we exited the ride, the rain had started.

So, we booked it to...

Revenge of the Mummy

Jess had loved this ride when she was a kid apparently, so I had a good feeling going in. I knew that this ride had a drop somewhere in it, but I didn’t know what to expect. This ride was completely in the dark and surprisingly short. It was very obviously based on the movie. There were a couple parts where we were going backwards, and there were a couple of drops, but I loved it in the end! (And, Jess did too of course.)

We went to check out the Rockit as our next ride, but it was closed due to the rain.

The Simpsons

This ride had a lot of TV’s showing old episodes the whole time, so our 25 minute wait was a breeze. The premise of this ride (which was stationary and mainly the 4D experience) was that we forget who was out to destroy the rollercoaster we had just boarded and Homer was trying to save us. But in the end, Maggie saved the day and we won’t tell you how. :) 

For some reason I ended up feeling quite nauseous after this one, most likely from all the jolts and the extreme drops in the movie we watched. But, it was lunch time so I had to power through.

12:00 PM

Krusty’s Burgers

To pass the rain, Jess plowed through her pizza and I had a grilled chicken sandwich plus the carrots we had brought. 

Shrek 4D

To seek more refuge from the cold weather, we decided to partake in this show. Shrek, Fiona and Donkey try to hide from the ghost of Lord Farquaad but they face a couple of challenges along the way. This ride featured some spurts of water representing Donkey and/or Shrek’s spit and a lot of moving around in our seats!

I had now built up the courage to skip the third most intense ride (which was the Rockit) and go onto the Dragon Challenge back in Islands of Adventure.

Dragon Challenge

After another ride on the express, I got quite nervous about this rollercoaster! The wait time was only 5 minutes which did not give me any time to freak out before the ride (which was probably a good thing). So, after a (unnecessarily long) stroll to the front of the line, we sat in the blue dragon. 

Side note: This ride has a cool design; it is basically two dragons that ‘battle’ with each other. Jess told me its even cooler when they set off the dragons at the same time because there is one point in the ride where we can see their feet flying when we are upside down! 

Back to the ride.

After being strapped in with no escape, I tried to act all confident to make Jess think I was fine and also because we were sitting in a row with two young teenagers and didn’t want to embarrass myself. But I was not fine. The click click click of the rollercoaster felt as if each following click was slower than the last. When we got to the top, we twisted off to the side right away, and dropped HUGE. The rest of it was just a series of screaming, constant change of scenery between sky and ground, and catching my breath. 

But it was so much fun. 

So we did it again. This time, on the red dragon. Jess was so soososoosos proud of me!

We decided against the third time in a row because we were feeling quite woozy, so we went out to get some butterbeers that we were eyeing before.

The guy working the butterbeer stand didn’t seem to be enjoying himself at all. Which doesn’t make sense because what he was selling was soOO good. It basically was a caramel, vanilla and root beer slushie that was smooth and frozen through-out; no extra ice at the end. Even though we were dripping wet from the rain and freezing from the wind, it was perfect. 

3:00 PM

Poseidon’s Fury

Next, we decided to slow things down by attending a show. Here, in a room full of other tourists, the host was an archeologist named Taylor who told us that the professor he worked with would be back shortly! He told us about the room we were in, and excavating, and how it was Poseidon’s chamber. I don’t recall the full story, but Taylor had gotten us into a pickle and also got us out by helping Poseidon fight his fiery counterpart - the evil Lord Darkenon - by finding his long lost trident. We walked through a spinning water tunnel to see the crazy finale where Poseidon and Darkenon fight with fire and water explosions! 

After this, we walked back around through Harry Potter world to access the rest of Islands of Adventures. Along the way, we picked up some treats from Honeydukes: a lollipop and some fudge! To get to our next ride, we passed by Jurassic Park to get to...

Skull Island: Reign of King Kong

There was basically no wait here either! The ride involved our sitting in a safari truck throughout the rainforest. Unfortunately, Jess and I were seated in the front seat right in front of a canvas. This was because the driver’s cabin was right in front of us. It was difficult to move our heads left and right to see all of the action! The 4D part of it was cool though; King Kong fought off a bunch of dangerous dinosaurs to save our lot of helpless humans!

We walked through Toon Island, where we decided against all the water rides because it was already freezing outside, and made it to the final Marvel section.

4:30 PM

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

This was my favourite ride! Here, you are journalists meant to take pictures of Spiderman’s victory in stopping Dr. Octopus and his accomplices from stealing the Statue of Liberty. The makers of the ride did a very good job of keeping Spiderman’s story true to the comics and less about the movie; it was also very interactive.  

The last big ride we were going to do, the Hulk, was also closed which was a bummer because I got really excited after my successful experience with the other rides.

That concludes the end of our trip to Universal + Islands of Adventure! We walked the way back to our car and then spent an hour in traffic.

6:15 PM

Once we got home, Jess napped, I made dinner and then I got her started on Are You The One. It is a really good-but-bad MTV reality TV show, as well as my guilty pleasure.

- Maria