#and clove is able to climb it!!!! i got it just for her actually

[swagging-back-to]

just (as in since 2pm. its now 9) deep cleaned the ladies tank. cleaned the pee off their platforms and bridges. and then i cleaned out the aquarium completely bc the last fish finally died and it was starting to stink so so bad.

[princessjungeun]

Cat Ladies: Lisa X Reader

Request: may i please request one where the reader doesn’t like cats but she’s lisa’s girlfriend and lisa is determined to show the reader that cats aren’t scary so she takes her to a shelter and they volunteer with kittens and weeks pass and eventually the reader ends up adopting a cat that she got attached to 🥺

It was absolutely no secret that Lisa loved cats and kittens. She was literally a cat lady, have four of her own. Everytime she saw you she had a new picture of Leo or Lily to show you, or a video of Louis and Luca.

The one thing was, you absolutely hated cats. It all stemmed from one bad experience with a cat as a child, and you’ve never quite recovered from it.

You were about six years old when your neighbor asked you and your older sister to cat sit while she was on vacation. You were in charge of changing the litter box, your older sister tricking you by saying that it was like a treasure hunt. I mean she wasn’t exactly wrong...it was just a really gross one.

You had been in the bedroom where the litter boxes were all by yourself. Your sister keeping the one kitten busy with toys while you sifted through mountains of kitty litter. A low purr resonated through the silent room, coming from right next to the bed. You knew the older cat was grumpy and actually quite mean. Your neighbor went telling you not to mess with him for too long.

On their first day you realized maybe the old cat wasn’t as fun as the little kitten, especially after he hissed at you when you tried to pet him.

Nevertheless the stepped closer to the bed, looking for the old grumpy ass cat. As you wondered if he was hiding by the pillows you felt something sharp scratch your foot underneath the bed.

You didn’t give it a second thought, running out of the room with the small bag of litter box waste in one hand. As you cried loudly, your older sister threw away the bag in your hand, trying to get you to tell her what happened. When she found out, she just laughed in your face. After all you were perfectly fine, it was just a small scratch, even a bandaid would be over dramatic.

Since then you have sworn that you’d never be in the presence of a cat by choice. When you met Lisa and she told you she had cats, you were actually considering telling her that the relationship wouldn’t work out. But she wasn’t the type of person to let that happen.

So she would always put her cats away in whatever room when you came over. After about three times you felt bad, especially hearing Lily’s soft meows from the other side of the door.

As a result, you told her to just come over to your place. The only pet you had was a little turtle so it wasn’t like you had to lock her up somewhere.

It had been Lisa’s goal from day one to get you over your fear of cats, or at least kittens. Which is exactly why your girlfriend brought you to an animal shelter that focuses on caring for abandoned and abused cats and kittens.

“Lisa where are you making me drive to?” You asked, not taking your eyes off the road.

Your girlfriend replied, “stop asking questions and drive.”

You told her, “I swear Pranpriya ‘Lalisa’ Manoban if this address is another fricking cat café- I will literally bust your knee caps.”

She threw her head back in laughter as she remembers the time she’d dragged you to a cat cafe. You sat outside the cafe as she was inside enjoying herself surrounded by cats.

She put her hand on your clothes thigh, “it’s not. So don’t worry.”

When you arrived and read the sign above the door you told her, “I better be reading the sign wrong. If I walk in there and there’s a bunch of cats...Lisa I swear to God you know I can’t do cats.”

She could tell by the tone in your voice that you were actually scared and not mad at her. She told you, “this is my favorite place to come when I can. It’s a shelter for cats and kittens that have been victims of some sort of mistreatment or abuse. All of the animals here are so sweet. To be honest...unfortunately most of them will probably be more afraid of you than you are of them.”

You nodded, “alright...but if I don’t like it I’m gonna come back and sit in the car and wait for you.”

Lisa nodded and said “alright are you ready?”

You nodded and followed her out of the car, her hand in yours as you walked into the building.

“Hi Mrs. Kang!” Lisa chirped to the woman behind the desk.

The older woman smiled, “ahhh Lalisa! It’s so good to see you, and I see you brought someone along this time.”

Lisa nodded and said, “this is my girlfriend Y/N. Y/N this is director and owner of the shelter Mrs. Kang.”

You smiled and bowed, the woman doing the same for you.

She told Lisa, “we got two new kittens early this morning. One is at the vet right now but the other is in a pen by herself. She’s still very small, but very friendly already. Other than that you can go on back and play with the older cats. A few litter boxes might need to be cleaned as well.”

Lisa nodded and put on an apron, handing one to you as well. The second she walked through the large doors that opened to the back of the shelter, you felt your hesrt sink in fear. There were so many cats of all breeds and sizes.

Your girlfriend pulled you to her side, lets go find the baby hmm?”

No nervously nodded and followed her, stopping at a small pen where the sleeping kitten was. The name plate over the pen reading:

Clove: Russian Blue (pink)

Delta: Russian Blue (purple)

Lisa looked at the hot pink collar around the kitten’s neck, “hmm Delta must be the one that’s away right now then.”

She opened the pen and picked up the other kitten gently, immediately she curled into the warmth of her body. Your girlfriend cooed and rubbed the kitten’s head, almost dying of cuteness.

“Do you wanna pet her?” Lisa asked, moving closer to you. You hesitated but then decided one little pat couldn’t hurt.

It was less of a pat and more of a poke, right on the side of the little kitten’s head. She let out a soft meow and your heart instantly melted.

Lisa handed you the towel she was wrapped in before passing her to you. You held the small kitten in your arms and mumbled to her softly, “you’re not so scary after all huh?”

Your girlfriend pointed you to a chair and made sure you were set before moving around to do whatever work Mrs. Kang threw at her. Lisa worked quickly, as if she actually did work here full time. She knew the other people and volunteers that worked there and they knew her. They cracked jokes as if they’d been friends for years and worked well together like colleagues.

At the end of the day you were sitting outside, the kitten still in your arms. Lisa came and sat next to you.

Your girlfriend asked, “soooo...kittens aren’t so scary huh?”

You shook your head and said “no, not at all. I like this one. She’s cute.”

Lisa replied, “well it’s time to say goodbye, we have to head home now. I’m glad you had fun with Clove today though. And i’m very proud of you, you came a long way in 8 hours.”You nodded, smiling as you still looked down at the little kitten in your arms.

•

•

•

Weeks passed and you found yourself going to the shelter to volunteer a few times a week. Each time you went you made sure to visit Clove and Delta for a bit. The kitten’s both took a liking to you, and you quite frankly adored them.

You brought up adopting Clove and Delta to Mrs. Kang a few times and she was more than happy to help you with that process. It wasn’t until you saw someone come and take a look at the two kittens that you realized you needed to adopt them.

So you did, and no, you did not tell Lisa.

You called you girlfriend over the day you adopted them, not able to contain your happiness any more. When she walked through your apartment door she walked straight past Delta and Clove, not noticing them at all.

Until she heard a soft meow, and felt a tail brush her ankle. She looked down then up at you, “oh my god, YOU STOLE CLOVE AND DELTA?!”

You sighed and said, “Lisa- I- You- NO! I didn’t steal the babies, I adopted them dummy.”

She exhaled and said “oh...well that’s less fun. WAIT- You actually adopted them? They’re yours now?!”

You nodded happily as Clove climbed up onto the couch and into your arms, Delta settling in Lisa’s. Your girlfriend stated, “I guess we’re both cat ladies now huh?”

[sekhisadventures]

Zhan-Min's Elemental Brews

Zhan Min is a shaman who uses the elements for beer making as much as combat. By imbuing elemental energies into the keg-maces he uses as weapons, filled with hops and barely and other such ingredients, he creates unique brews that are not only flavorful and strong, but actually magical in nature!

Some of his more successful flavors are as follows:

Earthshaker Stout

A deep brown liquor with a lot of foam, bottles of it seem to tremble slightly every so often.

"One of my earlier experiments, imbuing my brew with the ol' Rockbiter trick. Earthshaker is right though, a few swigs of this and you'd swear you're in an earthquake with how hard it is to stand up! Though once the dizziness fades I find that I'm a lot sturdier than before. My tummy is iron normally, but after a mug of this its solid steel! Come at me and see what I mean!"

Flamebreath Ale

A reddish liquid that seems to glow, bottles are always warm to the touch, even if left packed in snow.

"Fire went into this one, if the name wasn't a hint. Its a spicy thing, tastes like cloves and peppers, and it'll burn your throat a bit going down, but it warms you right up! I could dance naked in Northrend after a mug of this... actually, I may have... I dunno, hard to remember my early experiments with this one. Come to think of it that whole week is kind of a blur until I woke up near Xuen's temple with a bucket on my head. Either way, it puts a literal fire in my belly. Cold and ice don't do squat to me after a drink of this!"

Hurricane Brew

A clear liquid with a bluish tint, the drink seems to always swirl around in a bottle or cup, even if left sitting for several minutes.

"Whoof! Knocks you right over on the first drink, but you'll be a dynamo on this one! It'll fill you full of electricity and leave you wired for a week! More like a really strong coffee than a beer, like REALLY strong, you'll be climbing the walls like a mad hozen on this stuff. I couldn't sleep for two days! Still, its great when you need a lot of energy in one go, but not so good for getting a buzz otherwise."

Icemist Reserve

A deep cerulean with lines of white mixed through it, almost like snow suspended in the ale. It mists slightly when exposed to air.

"After I worked out my Flamebreath recipe I wanted to do the opposite, a drink so cool and refreshing that it was like a mouthful of snow! Icemist seems to do the trick. It'll chill you down to the bone but has a great minty aftertaste and is great if you just got the ol' hozen 'grook the dooker' treatment. Numbs you all over, so any bruises and such hurt a lot less... actually sell this stuff to the Stormwind military as painkillers."

Spirits with Spirit?

"Ehhh, still workin' on that one actually. I nailed the four big elements, but Spirit... well, its hard to nail that one down. I've tried a few tricks, but so far no luck. Still, gives me something to work towards eh?"

Xuen's Fangs

Stored in small quantities only in a wooden flask (wood is non-conductive.) Sometimes the flask will shake and an audible roll of thunder can be heard from inside it.

"Oof... I really don't like talkin' bout this one ya'll. That one wound up going bad inna really really REALLY big way." "Basically... I got a tiiiiiiiiiny bit overconfident in my talents 'n decided to try something really special. I was there when us adventurers took down Raszageth 'n I managed to snag a few o' th' girl's scales! Tried one in a brew but th' drink it made was the most potent booze I'd ever SEEN! I was actually freakin' afraid to taste it!"

"... soooooo I gave it to Jaie. Told 'er ta only take a sip at most, but... things got outta hand. That bitch Dissonantia showed up 'n Jaie got caught by her 'n Ed's imp tried to help her by giving her th' drink fer a power boost... 'cept the dopey varmint poured th' whole dang bottle down her throat!"

"... damn near killed th' poor girl. Sekhi 'n I were able to put it right, channeled all th' lightning in her back up inta th' sky. I still got a few o' th' scales... but they seem less potent now. Sekhi seemed ta think we actually freed Raszageth's spirit somehow, but... I dunno. Imma hold onto 'em if only 'cause I'm afraid o' what someone else might do if they get their mitts on 'em!"

[ineffably-good]

Rule 114 - Stay Out Of The Doctor's Pockets

1.

They were out watching the fireworks on Quintillion Six, sitting together legs swinging on a rock waiting for the show to begin.

"You know, Pond," the Doctor said, "these aren't your average Earth fireworks. They're actually shot down towards the planet's surface from an extremely low orbiting moon. The effect is quite dramatic."

Amy grinned. "They're coming right at you?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," he said, clearly settling into lecture mode. "Although of course, the geothermal properties of the planet's atmosphere make it impossible for the..." He oomphed as Amy jostled him solidly in the ribs with her elbow.

"Don't destroy the magic of it for me. I want to experience it without knowing for sure that it's perfectly safe, okay? More fun that way." she said.

"Fine, fine, Pond. Whatever you need." He smiled and leaned back on his elbows, peering up into the darkening sky.

Finally the show started, and even the Doctor had to admit that the sight of a firework coming down from far up in the sky and exploding overhead was both beautiful and utterly alarming. The crowd around them ooohed, aaahed, and ducked appreciatively.

Amy, dressed as always in the shortest allowable skirt, shivered as a cool breeze picked up. She burrowed in closer to the Doctor, her head nuzzled into his shoulder.

"Here," he said, shrugging off his tweed jacket. "Wear this."

Amy snuggled into it happily, breathing in the jacket's inimitably great smell - tweed and cloves and a tiny bit of something akin to motor oil and something she couldn't identify at all. Space? Does space have a smell? Anyways, it was a happy smell and she was hit with a wave of contentment. She crammed her hands deep into its pockets, and then leapt to her feet with a shriek.

"What?" the Doctor cried, hopping to his feet with sonic in hand and glancing around them in a wide circle. "What happened?"

"Something bit me! In your pocket!"

"Shhhh!" said a voice from behind them. "Get down! You're ruining the view!"

The Doctor pulled Amy back down to the rock face. "Amy, quiet down," he murmured in a low voice. "You're going to start a riot. I absolutely promise you that nothing in my pocket is capable of biting you."

Amy leaned over and poked him in the chest. "I know a bite when I feel one, Mister. What have you got in there, a gerbil?"

The Doctor pointedly ignored her and stared up at the sky. "Watch the show, Amy."

"You do! You do have some kind of rodent in there!"

He turned and gazed at her steadily. "Can we just put a pin in this for now? Please hush up." He kept eye contact with her for a few moments to make sure she heard him. Finally she flopped down beside him (this time with her hands nowhere near the jacket) and tried to enjoy the show. Which wasn't easy thinking about what might be climbing around inside her borrowed coat.

2.

"Ok, Doctor," Amy said a few hours later as they unlocked the door of the TARDIS and stumbled in. "Spill it."

He blinked at her innocently. "Spill what?"

"What," she said menacingly, "is living in your coat?"

"Amy, Amy, Amy..." he put on his best persecuted look. "Nothing."

"So you won't mind if I have a look then?"

"Be my guest! Well you already are my guest," he said, stopping to consider that for a moment. "That doesn't make any sense, really. But help yourself! Mi jacket es su jacket, as they say," the Doctor called as he disappeared into the library.

Undeterred, Amy plopped down cross-legged on the console room floor and tentatively reached into the pocket on the left. At first the usual things one might expect - well the usual things for a Time Lord, maybe - came out.

Two older, nonfunctioning models of the sonic screw driver.

A jammy dodger or two.

Bubble gum.

Kitchen twine.

Safety scissors.

Batteries. Lots of batteries.

The Doctor wandered out to see how she was doing. "I'm going to start a movie, do you want to join me?" he called.

"Nope," Amy called, "This is way too interesting."

Amy found herself feeling bolder as nothing with teeth emerged and started digging more forcefully.

An umbrella.

A Darth Vader pez dispenser.

One of those weird frisbee things from Tron.

A vial full of sparkling bead-like pollen.

Fourteen handkerchiefs.

Four extra red bow ties.

Clown shoes and a nose.

A small green book entitled "Poisons and You! How to Avoid Them."

A collapsible digging shovel.

"This is getting ridiculous," Amy muttered. "I haven't even gotten to the second pocket yet."

A small bicycle, possibly sized for a monkey.

Three large, interlocking hoops.

One half of the kind of box a magician saws through, with no lady inside.

Something that looked a lot like a mandolin.

A VHS exercise tape.

Allen wrenches of all shapes and sizes, stuck together with a rubber band.

An inflatable bath toy.

Crayons.

Silver polish.

Eleven golf balls, bright yellow.

Two hours later the Doctor returned to find Amy centered in a small clearing surrounded by the most bewildering pile of things.

"Are you still at this?" he asked. "Honestly, Pond. Go to bed."

"I hardly need to," she joked. "I'm sure I'll find a blanket and a pillow in here eventually."

"Yes, well, this is all well and good fun, but I'm afraid I simply have to put an end to this science project of yours," the Doctor replied primly. "You're messing up my filing system quite badly. Organization is important."

Amy blinked up at him for a beat or two.

"You have an organization system for this?"

"Of course! How else do you think one could manage infinite pockets? Everything is alphabetized and sorted into it's own quantum container. Cross indexed and referenced in the central computer and in the sonic." He flopped down on the jump seat. "And that is why I always know where something is when I need it."

"Except for the correct date and time," Amy pointed out.

"Ah! Ah ha." He agreed. "Yes, well, there's no way to store that in a pocket."

Amy rolled her eyes as she stood up, surveying the mess she'd made. She gently picked up the coat with a thumb and forefinger, still a little wary of it, and handed it back to the Doctor. "Here. I give up."

"So you admit you were wrong about wild beasts living in there?" he asked.

"I admit no such thing. But if there is, god knows you would have it indexed under some planet I can't even spell, cross referenced by it's DNA code." She tossed her hair back over her shoulder. "Well, good night!"

"Hey!" he called after her rapidly retreating form. "Hey! What about all of this mess?"

Amy gave a quick little wave and blew a kiss as she disappeared down the corridor. Undoubtedly to take a bath or some such nonsense, he thought. Humans and their baths.

He took a moment to survey all of the things in the pile on the floor before picking it up and stuffing it back into the larger of his coat pockets. Indexing system? Cross referencing? As if. It wasn't a complete lie, he had always intended to install that kind of system. Instead he preferred to just reach in wildly and let fate or the universe provide whatever it thought he needed. It had always worked so far.

Except for the rodent, of course. Some mischievous child had once shoved a small animal in his coat, several years ago, and he had never once been able to locate it. There was almost no chance it was still alive, was there? Surely it couldn't have found a food source and somehow survived for two years without ever letting him know it was there? Surely it couldn't have reproduced?

He stopped and pondered it for a moment.

Naaaaaaah, not possible.

Still, he made a mental note to mix a small dose of antibiotics into Amy's morning tea tomorrow. Just in case she really did get a bite.

Better safe than sorry.

[365-money-diary]

DAYS 36-42

DAY THIRTY-SIX [FEB 6]

8:30 AM - Make a chemex and get to work.

10:00 AM - Pineapple!

12:45 PM - Heat up cheesy red lentil soup for lunch with a La Croix. 

4:00 PM - Do a 10-minute Peloton ride and a barre class. Barre class gets interrupted as I get text updates for the grocery order. I kind of end up half-assing it toward the end but I’m glad I got it done. 

5:45 PM - Prep the kitchen for the grocery order – incoming of bread, greens, tomatoes, onions, garlic, tempeh, tofu, tortillas, tortilla chips, pretzels, apples, jalapenos, lemons, limes, cabbage, cilantro, vegan sour cream, rice, chickpeas, pinto beans, frozen burritos, bell peppers, eggs, parsley, ginger, BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, grapes, sprouts, brussels sprouts, green beans, miso, cloves, frozen pizzas, hamburger buns, plant yogurt, cucumber, carrots, chipotle seitan sausages, tomato paste, broccoli, bananas, celery, potatoes, clementines, hashbrowns, red lentil pasta, dijon, seltzer, pineapple, dark chocolate, strawberry jam, vegetable bouillon, zucchini, mushrooms, dried oregano, radish, & snap peas. $342.39

7:00 PM - roast potatoes and make veggie sandwiches. Drink a hibiscus mezcal cocktail too. MAX RELAX for the rest of the eve. It’s Friday baby!

 DAY THIRTY-SIX: $342.39

DAY THIRTY-SEVEN

9:30 AM - Slept in weird vibes. Feel tingly when I stand which means blood pressure is bad. We are seeing friends today and I don’t want to power through it so I just drink some soy sauce. It does wonders and I’m feeling better within 30 minutes. Make a Chemex and watch an episode of dessert person.

10:30 AM - Head out to our pals’ house (If you read my last diary series, they’re the people we used to go to Suns games with) in uptown Phoenix for an outside hang. We meet their new baby and he is super cute. Hang out 10 feet apart and it feels so normal and chill. I also find out that I apparently qualify for the vaccine because I work to facilitate education, so I need to look into that.

2:45 PM - K and I haven’t eaten today and we’re starving. We split a Daiya pizza and eat snack on chips and salsa while we wait. I also eat a clementine. 

5:30 PM - Feel my body starting to fade and I’m kind of barred out. Decide to walk to the lake. I do a bad job of getting my HR up but I still enjoy my time outside. 

8:00 PM - I’m not hungry at all from all the salt. Decide to eat a small bowl of cheesy lentil soup for dinner but mostly just pound the water while working on a post for oil-free Greek dressing.

8:30 PM - I notice someone posts a sample sale for Splits 59 which is one of my favorite workout brands. I’m hitting 250 Pure Barre classes this week and use it as an excuse to celebrate. Buy 2 pairs of leggings and a cute tank. $70

10:00 PM - Definitely at that point in the day where I feel like I’m just passing time.

DAY THIRTY-SEVEN TOTAL: $70.00

DAY THIRTY-EIGHT

8:45 AM - Spend some time in bed adjusting my fantasy bball team. Still set to be undefeated in the more competitive league. Eventually make a chemex and post my oil-free greek dressing around the web. 

10:30 AM - I listen to a session on Mined, cook brunch (tofu/egg tacos with soyrizo) and and frantically get ready for M’s baby’s 1st bday. 

1:05 PM - Arrive at the party… what I thought was going to be just me, M, his wife, his mom, and his kid is actually them plus 6 other people hanging in the backyard. Not my favorite thing I’ve had to deal with this pandemic. Everyone is outside/masked. I learn that 2-3 of them have already been vaxxed but it’s still kind of a weird situation for me. I know if K was with me it would be bad news, so I am grateful he stayed behind today.

2:00 PM - Hightail it outta there once 4 more people show up. Listen to music really loud in the car and scream some lyrics on my way home. Feels good man.

2:45 PM - Continue listening to tunes at home, digging thru my Spotify discover weekly for the first time in a while and building a set that I want to record sometime next week.

3:15 PM - K’s brother and wife stop by and we do an outside masked hang with them for about an hour and a half. We haven’t seen them since December of 2019 so this is really really great.

6:00 PM - K and I keep talking about getting takeout but nothing sounds good so we just decide to do veggie sandwiches and potatoes. Drink wine.

7:00 PM - I decide to work on my tax stuff all evening instead of exercising. It takes 2 hours but I get all of my stuff together and send it to the guy. Pour myself a celebratory glass of wine after.

10:00 PM - K and I watch Beverly Hills Ninja in bed. I’d never seen it before and it was so good.

DAY THIRTY-EIGHT TOTAL: $0

DAY THIRTY-NINE

8:00 AM - Chemex. Pure barre weekly charge. $15

10:00 AM - A local bar down the street has been closed since March and a pal posts a GFM on their behalf. I donate to it. Eat a banana and a clementine $50

11:30 AM - Prep salad for the week - greens, gochujang tempeh, miso dressing, soba noodles, snap peas, carrots, and cucumber. Finish about 2 minutes before a call and I’m scrambling to appear composed.

5:30 PM - Do a pure barre livestream while K runs to go pick up dinner from a local vegan spot. K gets a fried chicken seitan sandwich and I get a burger. It’s really really delicious and I’m super stuffed after.

DAY THIRTY-NINE TOTAL: $65

DAY FORTY

8:30 AM - Chemex. Work is still kind of wild but I make a lot of progress on my report this AM so I’m feelin’ good there.

9:30 AM - Banana and clementine.

12:00 PM - Salad.

4:30 PM - Try to do a PB live stream (my 250th class) but Zoom’s server is being weird so I do a 30 min Peloton ride instead with a 5 min stretch.

6:00 PM - Veggie sandwiches with potatoes for din again. 

8:00 PM - A friend from highschool, N, and I chat and it’s really really great. I drink 2 glasses of wine while we catch up. 

DAY FORTY TOTAL: $0

DAY FORTY-ONE

8:30 AM - Oof my quads are sore. Make a chemex.

10:00 AM - Eat a banana.

11:00 AM - We’ve been dragging on the KN95 thing but decide to go for it today. Buy a pack of 50 in assorted colors, some Healthy Blood iron from Garden of Life, and poop bags for the dog. (Counting this expense as “home”) $98.04

12:00 PM - Spend time doing an analysis that doesn’t really tell me much but it was worth looking into. Eat gochujang tempeh salad

2:00 PM - I have a zoom scheduled with a work pal who I haven’t seen in forever. She tells me (much like the few others) that we qualify for the vaccine. I decide to make the appointment based on her feedback and after 40 minutes of messing with the system was able to get in on Feb 19.

5:00 PM - Take my 250th Pure Barre class! I am sweaty and it’s great.

6:45 PM - K isn’t really hungry so I eat the last of the red lentil soup.

7:30 PM - We have plans to see a friend in town from Ohio. Meet up with him at his hotel and sit on the front patio masked up for a while. I am mostly cold and have to pee.

9:45 PM - We arrive back home. I snack on a few pretzels, drink a glass of wine, eat some grapes and some dark chocolate.

DAY FORTY-ONE TOTAL: $98.04

DAY FORTY-TWO

8:30 AM - Chemex. My allergies are bad this AM. Send emails out - looks like my tax return is going to give me $1200 but then I owe $200 on my state. I always owe on state. One day… Also send a note to the loan guy who says I’m definitely going to close tomorrow at 8AM so we shall see.

10:30 AM - Tax invoice comes in. $220

11:00 AM - Boil some more soba noodles for salads. I’m basically going to be in meetings until 4:30 PM today so I’m trying to get ahead of all my stuff. Also do a check for all of the house painting things that came over the past week. Looks like it’s all here and I can start painting this weekend!

12:00 PM - Make salad in between calls and crack open a La Croix.

4:30 PM - My calls are done, do a 10 minute Peloton climb ride and then do a Pure Barre stream.

8:00 PM - Eat the last of the veggie sandwiches for dinner. Drink 2 glasses of wine and some dark chocolate. Something about tonight is off in my brain. I don’t have the capacity to be productive so I just watch episodes of The Challenge on my laptop while K plays Rocket League.

DAY FORTY-TWO TOTAL: $220

[storywars-r]

8/30 - Lipstick Burns

(dimitra milan)

Chapter 1 by R

Katya ties her hair back in a thick, loose braid, so that it hangs down against the bare skin of her back. Her best friend's always been good with hair where she never has, preferring to leave her hair lying straight, not bothering to style it.

On the other hand, where she has a sense of style, Katya is completely lacking. The girl could never get a good grasp of color theory. Still, she has taste, and sees how well the suggested outfits work, even if they get a bit too daring for her liking.

They sit side by side in the mirror, adding on what makeup they have, which isn't much but it will more than make do. Katya smacks her lips, bright red, and presses them to her shoulder, leaving a crisp mark, and laughs.

She doesn't wipe it off, instead taking the tube of lipstick and painting her own lips the same color. She grins.

It's their night, after all, sneaking out of the school for some fun on the town. There isn't much, but there's more than enough for the pair of them, best friends til the end.

She lingers just a little bit too long, fingers brushing over the kiss placed on her shoulder, before climbing out the window after Katya.

Best friends til the end. Yeah.

Chapter 2 by Jess Ash

They make their way across the green together, crushing grass under their shoes. Katya links their arms with a broad grin, and she smiles back, trying to ignore the way her heart flips in her chest. They're so close she can smell her friend's perfume, a crisp apple scent with a hint of spicy cloves.

Their money won't take them far, but it will take them into one of the dance clubs together. Katya winks at the bouncer as they stroll into pounding music and neon lights, and she forces down the bitter taste of jealousy in her mouth.

It's nice, she thinks, to lose herself to the music. To simply watch her friend throw up her hands and shake her hips and cut loose. Katya looks beautiful when she is carefree, and she tries her hardest to be carefree, too. It's hard, when there are whispers in her ear about how cute the bartender is, and how Katya bets he'd treat her right.

She buries her true thoughts under encouragement, and Katya grins and proclaims she's going to get a drink. The blonde braid disappears into the crowd, and she tries to pretend she's happy for her. A good friend would be happy.

She wishes she could be a better friend, in that way.

Chapter 3 by Jess Ash

Katya returns with two drinks and a grin. "Here, I got you something, too."

There's a Caipirinha in her hand before she knows it, and Katya keeps the Cosmo for herself, sipping carefully so as to not smudge her lipstick. She takes a drink from her glass, too, hoping that alcohol will stamp these thoughts of more than friendship down.

"Anyway, I got the bartender's number."

She tries not to choke, opting to nod and swallow the liquid in her mouth instead. "That's great! I'm happy for you." The words sound fake, and her mouth fills with the bitter taste of lime and lies.

"I'm thinking I'm going to call him tomorrow, try and set something up for Friday. You'll help me, right? With my clothes and makeup and stuff?"

She nods, watching Katya's bright blond hair catch the lights, not trusting herself to speak on the matter any further. "Hey, I'm going to go to the bathroom."

Her friend nods back at her and takes the drink from her hand. "I'll wait for you over there."

She forces her way through the crowd, finally finding relief behind a heavy closed door labeled "Ladies". She braces herself against the sink counter, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

Katya is going to go on a date. With someone who isn't her.

She could almost laugh. Katya's always been attracted to men, never shown a hint of having an interest in her own gender. It was stupid, stupid to think she ever even had a chance-

She can't cry. It will ruin her makeup, and Katya will know something is wrong. So she washes her hands, puts on her best game face, and tells herself she's going to be a good friend. She's going to make this feeling go away.

She walks out of the bathroom and sees her friend chatting with some guy. He's holding a familiar-looking Caipirinha in his hand, and staring down Katya's dress. Anger bubbles in her chest like lava.

All of a sudden the idea of "be a good friend" ends real fast.

Chapter 4 by Soqi

As soon as she's in earshot, she shouts, which might've done little good over the noisy crowd.

"Hey! Katya!"

Katya doesn't look over. Figuring she hadn't heard, Elena yells again, this time a bit louder.

"Katya!" The blonde looks over curiously, maybe a bit annoyed; it was hard to tell over the blinding strobe lights. When Elena beckons her, she mumbles something in the stranger's ear before making her way over to her.

Katya has to lean into her ear so Elena can hear her, and she involuntarily shudders as the blonde's breath tickles her neck.

"What is it, are you okay?"

Elena nods. But she wasn't okay. Who was that? What was he doing? Obviously, he was perving on Katya, but Elena, for some reason, couldn't process what was going on.

"Who was that?"

Chapter 5 by .h_e_e_r_i_o.

"Him?" Katya asks with a tease. "Just a cutie who came up to me." Katya looks in his direction, hinting toward her attraction.

"Hm," Elena replies. "Two guys in one night, huh?" She kept her cool through the sentence, although she really wants to scream out her true feelings.

"Of course." Katya winks. She hands Elena her drink, smirking as she asked,

"Do you mind if I talk to him a little more?" Elena reminds herself.

Be a good friend. Be a good friend.

"No way! Go ahead! I'll just be here for any needed tips." Her voice drifts as she thinks.

Why can she not be with Katya? The answer is simple.

Two friends, no. Two females will never become a couple.

At least, that's how it is in Elena's mind.

Chapter 6 by Old Toady

She's always been bad at handling her feelings. She stuffs them up inside until they're like a shaken soda bottle ready to explode. Katya likes to joke about it, say that one day she'll explode too.

Tonight, her prediction is proven correct.

Elena drinks and drinks and drinks some more, her thoughts consumed by men with smirks and wandering eyes. Her throat burns from all the alcohol, but the feeling of freedom makes the pain worthwhile. She is a bird, uncaged after years of confinement. Her wings spread and she flies.

After her shots, she moves back into the crowd, dancing with emotion she hadn't been able to summon earlier. It's not nice anymore. It's vulgar and awful and any other night she'd be uncomfortable, but not tonight. Liquor replaces the blood in her veins.

"Two more Alice in Wonderlands," she slurs to the bartender. It's the one that gave Katya his number. She should hate him, but she loves all the drinks he's serving her.

"Sorry, ma'am, but I can't keep serving you with a clear conscience."

She hates him again, but now she doesn't hold it in. "You're the worst."

"Excuse me?"

"The fucking worst." The tears she had worked so hard to hold in are streaming down her face. "I hope-I hope-" I hope you know how lucky you are. She's a blubbering mess and she knows it.

"Look," the bartender says, his eyebrows puckered in concern. "Where's your friend from earlier?"

She doesn't know, she realizes. It's a cold bucket of water that douses her high. She scans the crowd desperately, but she doesn't see her. She went home. She forces herself to believe the lie. "She went home."

"I'm going to call you a cab."

Her head is bobbing in a nod. She doesn't know if she wants it to.

The time between leaving the club and getting back to school is a blur. It's too bright lights and a too loud driver and a too long climb up the ivy and back through the window.

Everything is just as they left it. Their makeup covers the bathroom sink. Their clothes litter the floor. Their textbooks are collecting dust on the shelf, under the bed, wherever they left them on their first day of school.

Everything is just as they left it, but it feels so much emptier now that Katya is away.

She's tired, she realizes with a sigh. So, so tired. Tired of lying, tired of pretending, tired of feeling like a soda bottle, but most importantly, she is literally exhausted. She collapses on an unmade bed with a deep breath. Crisp apples with spicy cloves. This isn't her bed.

For the first time in a long time, she can't bring herself to care about what Katya will think.

Chapter 7 by Shasta

Katya smiled brightly, her eyes shining with pride. "You like him?"

Elena look at him. Brown hair, unidentified color of eyes, slim figure in a fitted pair of skinny jeans. Male. "As in like-like or...?"

"As in date-worthy material."

Why does she need my approval to date him? "Sure."

"Cool! He wants to meet you. I've been chatting you up, making you seem more impressive than you really are. You know, better grades, brighter future, the works, and he's totally into you."

Judging on the where he was looking when she was talking, he was totally into someone, and that wasn't Elena.

"No thanks, Katya," Elana says.

"Why not?" she almost pouts. "Do you know how hard it was to work with what I had to make you seem date-worthy? You have C's and B's, you're not eye-candy, my grandmother has a more fashionable wardrobe than you, and you're make-up supply is older than my grandma."

"T-That's not--"

"Entirely true!" she hisses. "I've put in the work to get this guy to even think about you. All he wanted to do was look at me. And I changed him. Now, get over there and talk to him!"

"He has my drink," I say lamely.

"I'll get you another one!" she shouts. "Or he can!" She turns and heads towards the bar and mutters, "Ungrateful."

"Hey, there a problem?" the guy asks, walking towards me. When in reasonably earshot distance he says, "I'm Nick."

"Elena," I say. "I actually think I'm going to go..."

"Want a ride?" he asks.

"No, it's not far," I say.

"Okay," he says. He holds out a piece of paper. "It's my number. I know you don't want it, but your friend over there and mine expects us to hook up, so just take it. You can burn it when you get home."

"Your friend?" I ask, surprised.

"The bartender," he replies. "The thing is, I'm not hooking up with you. Or her. I don't even like her."

"Your eyes tell a different story." I say, crossing my arms and refusing to accept his number.

"Look, Elena, I'm gay, but don't tell no one. Please, take my number. I don't want to have to do this again."

Numb, I take his number. "I'm not into you either," I tell him, "but maybe we can be friends?"

He nods. "Shh! They're coming back."

Chapter 8 by Campbellsoup✨ - was gone for SO long, but i'm back :)

I throw on a huge, fake smile.

"OMG, thanks, Nick! It was GREAT meeting you!" I say, way too loudly.

He laughs, but even I can tell it's fake. "You too, Elena!" He throws in a wink. "See you!" He waggles his eyebrows.

I bat my eyes. "Catch you later, cutie!"

Katya runs up to me and throws her arms around my neck, using a hug as an excuse to whisper to me: "You and Nick seem to be hitting it off! Oh, but I have fab news. Alec--the bartender, he and I have a date tomorrow. You shouldn't wait for me to get home." She pulls away and gives me a flirtatious smile.

I nod, trying to smile. "Great. A taxi's coming. We should go."

Katya nods. She wants to stay with Alec, even an idiot would know that, but she knows that she needs to sleep.

"Lemme just say goodbye."

She runs over to Alec, burying her face in his neck as she hugs him.

He hugs her back, and I can hear her squeal as his hand slides down to her butt.

It was loud, that squeal. Meant to get attention.

Finally, she and Alec separate, and I lead her out to the street.

"Come on, Katya," I say. "Let's go home."

[tenpointstoq]

Okay got sick of waiting so here is some yearning mother fuckers. And yeah it’s /just/ yearning cause I am a total asshole. Props to my fave for rping this with me so I actually get to get past the yearning Geralt stage, even if y’all don’t. (Unless someone wants to add onto it) also listen to the damn music at the bottom

The first time he’d been captivated by the colour, crimson, stained across the lips of his best friend, laying in a healing sleep, too close to death for Geralt to ever surely forgive himself. Back then he’d been driven to distraction from a lack of sleep, from a need to dream. He’d sealed his lips across another set of crimson lips, had fucked him out of his mind and gained the rest he craved so badly. Back then Jaskier didn’t know the effect he had on Geralt, didn’t know that the sleepless nights had at times been because of his missing bard. When the days stretched to weeks as Jaskier stayed on in a town; because hunting in the wilds was gross dangerous work and Geralt with demonic black eyes and blood dripping from him wasn’t something he was too keen on waking up to. The Witcher understood. If anything what he didn’t understand was why Jaskier stayed when he did.

When he wasn’t chasing skirts and the odd pair of trousers, though he was understandably quieter about that side of things, in his songs at least, he had plenty of other reasons to be anywhere but Geralt's side. As the years drew on Jaskier stayed and Geralt learned to question it less, to enjoy the times they did have. But then the dreams started. The dreams that had him gasping for breath as he awoke, Jaskier snoring gently beside him in the woods, in the room beside him or more often, because his mind was such a fan of torturing him, as Jaskier was buried in another as his crimson lips drove Geralt to a state of madness.

When the dreams became too much he’d take off to kill something, even if there was no reward, it helped, his focus on what he was good at. What he knew he could do. What he could attain, had the right to. Jaskier was his friend, the man who had dedicated so much of his life to changing the mind of so many, just because, well Geralt was still a bit confused on that one. Sure he made coin from his songs, but it was more than that. Though why Geralt couldn’t understand. He had almost wished the Bard to actual death, while by mistake, the mistake loomed over him whenever he was able to chase the thought of Jaskier’s crimson lips from his mind.

Months later they’re at some ball, Jaskier’s not singing for once, he’s able to enjoy himself, because as often as Geralt may forget, the little shit is in fact a part of the gentry. This time it’s wine, mulled and soaking into the smell of him, his heady smell of cinnamon and cloves mixing with the other rich aromas until Geralt feels like he’s getting a bit light headed on the very smell of him alone. His lips part as he whispers into the ear of a pretty woman who twirls into his arms and she laughs, her eyes captured by his. By those ocean depths that Geralt’s never found the right colour to put to them, Jaskier’s beauty couldn’t be contained by words alone. Yen’s there, because if there is a party worth a damn these days she’ll be there. Between her own exploits she spends time with her old friend, mostly chuckling and making the off comment about how love struck he looks. Geralt drinks more wine and tells her to fuck off. In time she does, though if he notices her slide past Jaskier and murmur something to the man, Geralt is entirely sure he made that up to add to his already climbing anxiety.

Being love sick is bad enough when you are a normal human, but for Greralt it’s something else altogether. He can track Jaskier almost anywhere by his scent. He can taste him on the air. His eyes catch every flicker of emotion across the man's face, the twitch of his lips, the way his eyes glitter in the damn candle light. He’s beautiful sitting in the rain in a bog, dressed in finery in the middle of a dance floor, wine stained lips and laughter colour it his cheeks and he’s the most gorgeous thing Geralt has ever seen. If he leaves without mentioning anything to Jaskier, he tells himself it’s because he knows the Bard has things /women/ to do and places to be. He’ll find him at the inn again in the morning. He’s not his bodyguard after all. Even if at this point he sort of wishes he could be.

It’s too many levels of fucked up, blood slicked and Geralt is hungry to lick him clean, to draw his lips between his teeth and taste the very life force of the man he’s loved for longer than he cares to admit. Wine stained and he’s curling his hands into fists, he’s scowling at the woman in Jaskiers arms like he has any kind of right. He looks at the colour on the lips of the women in their tavern and all he can see is Jaskier, smoothing the colour across his lips in the looking glass of their room, shared because this tavern is small and shitty and that’s just how it goes sometimes. It’s not right, to think like this, to lust after his friend, his savior, the man he owes a damn life debt to and so much more. But there he is, another night of Jaskier singing and drinking, his lips flushed, bitten from nerves as he delivered a new song and it’s too much again. Geralt’s upstairs before Jaskier can notice he’s moving. He needs to get this under fucking control. He needs a job, enough coin to buy a woman, though he’s rarely ever done so in Jaskiers company, another thing he doesn’t care to consider.

This has to stop. Yen had in time been forgiving of his mistakes. Her friendship was important to him, but Jaskier, Jaskier was something else all together. His mind running away with itself would only get him into the kinds of trouble his leadend tongue would never be able to get him out of. Jaskier was too important to let impulses he could control, if he tried hard enough, get the better of him. Sure the two had fallen into bed drunk on occasion, Geralt had woken shirtless to Jaskier drooling on his chest, his fingers wrapped around his medallion. He’d managed to grunt and push Jaskier off in time, even if he let his foolish heart beat a few moments too long to savor the feeling. But this, this was something different all together.

And that was how Geralt had ended up sitting by the window of yet another shitty inn, a single room between them and Jaskiers clothing all over the fucking place, because he had a job that night, a job Geralt was not invited to. A job that included dressing up, had included Jaskier using products he had only seen women adorn their faces with, as he chattered about the luck of being in town for the particular time of year. Masks and makeup, bodies slathered in silk, everything Jaskier adored and he would be the main attraction. Geralt was of course, not invited. Not that he would have gone, fancy dress? Fuck no. Jaskier painted in ways that made his heart fucking stutter and cause him to occasionally forget to breath? He’d rather and very likely die. Between the urge to break everyone who came after the man and fighting with his own idiot lust, well, it would surely cause him to put a hand through someone’s face, a window or lets be real. Both. So he sat, staring into the fucking rain, because on the nights that he couldn’t join Jaskier he stayed up to make sure he got home okay. Which often meant little to no sleep for the Witcher. Not that it mattered on a short term basis thankfully.

The witching hour came and went, Geralt's fingers skimmed across his medallion and he cursed the man of his waking hours and dreams for his beauty. For the way he looked at Geralt like he was the very sun itself. For being so many things, none of which Geralt would ever deserve, even as he selfishly wished for them all.

The night truly was no different to so many nights before now. Jaskier returning home from an event, the evening lingered upon him. Geralt had sensed it as he entered the inn. Wine, the honey rich scents of others, their arousal, their joy, the many delights they drowned themselves in to forget. Because when were the gentry not trying to forget? The face paint and feathers, the silks, Geralt could hear the way it shifted, it was all playing out like a daydream. Jaskier entered the room, pale with candlelight, Geralt sitting by the window, his eyes just a touch too far away. His lips curled in that way his bard knew was how he looked when he was scenting a person or thing. His too sharp teeth flashing in the dark. He seemed to look through Jaskier as the man's night played out in his own mind. He could taste the food, the spices in the wine. He could tell that one of the prettiest women had worn jasmine and rose water at her throat. He saw Jaskier smearing the red across his lips, over and over, the moment slowing, reversing, playing on repeat until it felt as if it might drive him mad. As if he had lived a lifetime in a mere second.

“Jas-kier.” His voice was rough, rougher than usual, course with disuse, but there was something else, the way it broke, sounding similar to the few times Jaskier had attended the man during a fever while healing. Jaskiers name falling from Geralt's lips like a prayer, as if it were the name of the old gods themselves.

The room felt too full, for all it’s sparseness, the fire in the hearth burnt down low, little more than a bed and their belongings filling the space. Geralt felt the bodies from the party, the way they pushed up against one another. The overlapping smells, god he could taste them all, each one who had come close to his bard, who had wished to sample those lips. Who had had the courage to do what he could not. Would not. He felt himself sway for a moment, blinking hard as he collected himself, standing a little unsteadily, his chair groaning as it slid back behind him.

And then he saw him, his eyes, that devastating shade of waves breaking against jagged cliffs, a swirling tide pool of such impossibilities that if Geralt hadn’t lived so fucking long he would have said could only be that of an illusion cast by fae. But no, he was real. He was so devastatingly real. The makeup was all but gone, but there was the crimson, streaked across his cheek, Geralt trailed his thumb across the pads of his fingers as he watched him, his own bottom lip sinking between his teeth. All his energy going into keeping himself still, to not reach out and just touch, to bring to life the dreams that haunted him for so many months, to grant the one wish he had held since he had first met the man, so many years before.

HELP

I need all the Jaskier in lipstick fics you can give me please.

LETS MAKE A MASTER LIST YO

[daveywankenobie]

As a few people pointed out both in person and in the comments on my last blog it’s not my usual behaviour to happily take things easy and rest if I get ill or injure myself.

However – after hurting the plantar tendon in my right foot last Sunday I’ve chosen a different course of action to the one I normally would.

Instead of getting up early and walking to work I’ve been getting up early and spending time on my exercise bike before (and I can’t believe I’m saying this) driving to work.

The hairs stood up on the back of my neck as I wrote that sentence – but there it is. I’ve driven to work for the last few days.

I have the be honest – it’s got it’s upsides and downsides.

Firstly – I get to sit in a warm, air conditioned car and my hands aren’t perpetually  freezing.

Secondly I arrive home really early (at least compared to the time I did before) and there’s still daylight.

Thirdly – I can do more with the day (I’ve been able to go shopping on the way home and quickly nip to an appointment in my lunch hour.)

There are obvious (and dare I say addictive) benefits to using my car – and I’m hyper aware that they all have a pull. They’re nice things.

On the downside…

It’s no fun whatsoever sitting for between 20-30 minutes in the morning (in sometimes stationary traffic) to travel tiny distances from one end of Warwick to the other.

It’s also more expensive – even though I’m still using a tank of petrol that’s been completely full since late December…

I’ve really missed the flush of energy that I get immediately as I step over the threshold at work when I’ve walked there. At that precise moment my brain is filled with energy and I’m stuffed with endorphins. I’m set for the day ahead.

So – it’s been swings and roundabouts – but all of it has been necessary. I needed to get better in the short term so I can get back to my old self in the long term. Next week things will hopefully be back to normal – which I’m looking forward to, because compared to walking frankly my exercise bike just doesn’t cut it.

Sure – I sit there and I do it because I need to do something but honestly it just seems like wasted time compared to walking from A to B. I’m just pedalling and remaining stationary.

Mostly because of this I’ve done less exercise minutes this week (according to Apple Watch) than I have for a long time. I’m sure that this will have a negative impact on my weigh in results today because I genuinely feel my food intake and exercise output have been quite finely balanced for a while now.

If I don’t do all of my walking I can’t enjoy my food with the same (ahem) enthusiasm that I may otherwise do from time to time.

Sigh.

I feel like I’m taking two steps forward and two steps back lately… However – rather than feeling down I actually feel really happy because something rather nice happened when I went to my Doctor’s surgery yesterday for a blood test.

Whilst waiting for the nurse to become available I sat reading on my phone with my legs crossed under a sky light.

The sun above was warming my head and arms and I felt good. I’d left my car a little way away and had a gentle walk in before the appointment. It was just a nice place to be – and I felt quite relaxed in the waiting room.

It then occurred to me that I hadn’t been there for a while. In fact I’d avoided the main practice in Warwick like the plague and scheduled all of my appointments instead at a branch surgery nearby.

The reason?

The branch surgery has a big bench in the waiting room whereas the main one has blue fabric seats with fixed metal armrests that were an absolute misery to sit in two years ago.

I used to wedge myself between them, perching on the edge of the chair and feeling the metal painfully pushing into my thighs as they were jammed together until I was called in for my appointment.

Not these days.

New and improved Davey just crosses his legs, sits back, chillaxes, then admires the gaps either side of him and between his legs.

Space isn’t just the final frontier. It represents comfort and happiness – and I often find myself marvelling at the absence of me and the introduction of it.

You’d think I’d be used to it by now but I’m absolutely not. It still takes me aback when I walk through a previously tight door, sit in a smaller seat, run up some stairs, climb a slope or just stand in a stationary position without constant, crippling, ever present pain and embarrassment.

So it’s all good. Life is good. Everything is good. Davey is happy.

Although Davey also has some tasty morsels to prepare before Slimming World. It’s a free food tasting day and group starts in two and a half hours.

I’ve still not decided what to make yet!!! Eeek!

(author makes food, goes to group and comes home)

I decided in the end (after staring into the fridge abstractly for a while) to just make something up for food tasting – and went with a totally impromptu thrown together ‘pie’.

The filling consisted of

5 chopped up bacon medallions (unsmoked)

1 courgette

2 leeks

small bunch of broccoli chopped

half a punnet of mushrooms

quarter of a savoy cabbage

2 large cloves of garlic

a vegetable stock cube

The upper layer was made with

half a swede

a large baking potato (skin on)

1 tub of Aldi cottage cheese with onion and chives

Salt to season

I fried all the first lot together until soft – patted it down into a frittata tray, then (when boiled) mashed the potato and swede into a paste and stirred in the cottage cheese before cooking it all in the oven for a further 25-30 minutes to brown the crust off.

I would have left it in the oven longer if I could but sadly ran out of time…

Overall though it seemed to go down quite well with the people who tried it and there wasn’t much left at the end. Thankfully it was still warm and reeking of garlic when everyone tucked in which was just perfect!

I actually forgot to take my phone with me to group today – which meant that I couldn’t capture any pictures of the other lovely food that people brought in – but there were some particularly nice dishes – such as a (flipping lush) campfire stew, a chicken curry (ohmyfrikkingawd!) and a huge variety of crustless quiches!

The lady responsible for the curry even brought in some of her homemade garam masala spice for everyone to try (she would apparently have to kill us if she told us what the ingredients were – it’s a family secret!) and I brought back a little bag with me so that I could try and make my own version during the week.

These events are always very lively and a good opportunity to catch up with everyone- although I do tend to lose track of what I’e eaten in terms of syns. However I think today pretty much everything I had to eat (with the exception of one thing) was free or speed food – which I’m very happy about.

However – as I expected it wasn’t a great week in terms of the scales. I seem to be bouncing back and forth stubbornly around the same weight, and have been pretty much stuck there since early January.

I have mixed feelings about this.

The truth of it is I’m happy with me at the moment for the most part – and I’m really beginning to wonder whether this is actually a problem at all – or whether I’m just going to decide that this is my ‘natural’ and comfortable size.

There’s nothing in my life that’s ‘broken’ at the moment any more. I’m fit, healthy, active, satisfied, employed and getting on with every day with energy and drive. I’m really not sure any more why I’m chasing a number when many people are telling me I don’t need to lose any more weight.

The aspirational corner of my mind wants something though – and thats a 20st certificate. The problem is that in the next mental breath I immediately think ‘what’s the point of forcing myself to achieve something only to then put another half a stone back on after I get it and ultimately ending up back to where I am now.

I have a bit of thinking to do on the subject – because in some ways I consider such an attitude to be failure, whereas another part of me is beginning to think it’s instead sensible.

Ultimately it’s up to me to make my mind up about whether I’m happy or not – but I don’t seem to be able to do this currently.

Either way there’s no rush. I aim to keep trying, keep focused and keep going every single week to weigh in and not backslide. Over time I think I’ll find out whether I have further to go or whether I’m right where I need to be…

On that note internet there appears to be an over abundance of blood in my caffeine stream. I’ve heard outlandish stories of a strange drink called coffee and I was planning to try it.

See you later!

Davey

Considering targets As a few people pointed out both in person and in the comments on my last blog it's not my usual behaviour to…

[originalmemorieshere]

My Generation

My Generation It really is the little things. I know it can’t be helped because the kids today don’t have anything to compare, but it makes me rather sad when I think about it. So, what got me to thinking about it? I reached up for a box of cereal and I noticed that I was being directed to grab my smart phone and go to a website for offers and to get merchandise. Of course it is all fine and good, and yes, I am proud that my grandkids can manipulate a computer straight from the womb, but they really are missing out on some of the little things in life because of it. When we were kids we would have to wait our turn for the prize in the box of cereal. That really was a big deal. There were games, puzzles, and stories on the backs of those boxes. I even got some 45 records off the backs of them. Sugar Sugar by the Archies was one of them. The pleasure we got from a box of cereal was more than just a bowl of sugary sweet crunchy goodness. It was something to be looked forward to each morning. Cracker Jacks had a prize and we would wait with anticipation as we opened the box, digging down through the caramel coated popcorn, pushing aside the peanuts, finally seeing that prize that was in every box, not having a clue as to what it could be. My favorite, and I got one only two or three times was the plastic magnifying glass. How awesome was that for a little girl who could take it out and make everything in her world get larger with no fear of it breaking because it was plastic? Bazooka gum had little comics inside them. I had several friends who collected them. Speaking of gum, we would take the wrappers off our Wrigley’s gum and make them into chains. Those chains could be hung in the doorway to look really cool, like a set of beads. They could be made into bracelets or necklaces. What kid do you know nowadays who would do that? On the subject of comics, we all had to get taken by the ads in the back of the comic book of choice on at least one occasion. Everybody knew somebody who bought the x-ray vision glasses that could be used to see through clothes, but nobody could ever give you the name of that elusive friend. We all bought that hot gum to trick our friends, but it was actually clove gum and did we ever have fun with it! I always wanted to buy those seahorses that just had to be added to water and ta dah! - they would come to life. We live and learn. And, so many other wonderful gadgets we all wanted were there for just a few dollars and the price of a stamp. I know that even though I wouldn’t get anything from it, I would spend time pouring over the Sears catalog when it came in the mail. I would see the beautiful clothes, the shoes, and coats that we couldn’t afford. The toys Sears sold were a dream come true. I think kids are missing out a lot on being able to sit and turn pages, looking at items, making that “wish list”. I have seen the pages on Facebook and other sites that put it out there about how life was when we were kids, but really, it is the little things. Watching an old video not too long back brought it back even then, a generation later. Seeing my two kids climbing trees. When did you last see kids climbing trees, playing around? My nephew looked so content playing with toy cars on the patio, he and his brother playing with dinosaurs and soldiers as a game. Kids don’t do that anymore. For fun the girls were dancing around, being silly.  I don’t think that my children’s generation was that far removed from my generation, but my grandchildren just don’t know what they and all the other kids their ages are missing. Life for them is too structured and planned. And for that, I will repeat myself, I am truly saddened.