#bus trips from Cincinnati

[croswell-vip-motorcoach-services]

Discover the joy of travel with our Senior Bus Trips from Cincinnati! Designed for seniors who love to explore, these trips offer an exciting mix of sightseeing, comfort, and convenience. Join us on your next adventure and make unforgettable memories on our Senior Bus Trips from Cincinnati!

[westadventure24]

Day 11 - Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

After a goodnight of restful slumber at the hotel, it was time to see if we could continue to keep our plans for the day a secret from the parentals until right up to the moment we arrived at Target Field, where the Minnesota Twins would be playing our lifelong favorite baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds.

When we began planning this trip and Todd mentioned we would be going through Minneapolis, I asked him if there would be any chance of the Twins playing the Reds. He initially said no, as they aren’t even in the same league. Being the stubborn person I am, I looked it up anyway and, to our surprise, they were actually going to be playing! We decided right then and there that it had to be worked into our trip as a special surprise. You see, Mom and Dad rarely miss watching every minute of every game on TV. Well, Dad likely sleeps through many innings, but it is something Mom really looks forward to.

We worried that she would figure it out. She had asked if they won the Saturday evening game and where the series was being played. Of course, we told her they won the matchup, but weren’t sure where they were playing…first of many white lies meant to protect our Sunday afternoon surprise.

After taking Lily for an early Sunday morning walk and then eating our free hotel breakfast in the lobby, Todd and I took some of the delicious cuisine (deep underlying sarcasm) up to Mom and Dad because they preferred to eat in their room. We told them to take their time getting ready and that we would leave around 10:30 to go see Wabasha Caves. White lie number two.

After getting ready to go, we went to their room to ensure they were ready and to make sure Mom’s bag would meet the ballparks requirements. Luckily, they were both dressed appropriately so no need to convince anyone to change. I was a little worried as Dad doesn’t normally wear shorts, but did take our suggestion to do so for the day’s activities. However, they wanted to take jackets. We told them they didn’t need to, but they were concerned about it being damp and cold in the caves and at least wanted to take them to leave them in the RV. Causing us yet to come up with another white lie. At this point, I may be driving the bus to hell because I don’t think I have ever lied this much in my entire life!

We had planned to take an Uber so we could be dropped off right at the gate, alleviating the need for parking and a walk that might create any difficulty. Todd had to tell them we were taking an Uber because the caves were near downtown and there were many unexpected events that day…Vikings were playing at home and some kind of street race, which would make it hard to find parking.

As we were nearing the ballpark, Dad even said “There’s the team store for the Twins. Must be close to the ballpark.” As we reached our destination and thanked our driver, we piled out less than 100 yards away from the entry gate. Mom looked at us and said, “where do we go now?” Surprise! We are going to the ballgame! I don’t think she believed us for a minute.

She was so happy!! We took a few photos outside and then went through the gate.

The first view of the field and the sounds of the professional ballpark never get old. The pristine field, the smell of hot dogs that can only be produced at the ball park, the crack of the ball hitting the bat, the sound of ball hitting the leather webb of the glove, and the sight of a few players from both teams, running and stretching as their prepare for the day’s competition. Nothing like the game that has been America’s favorite for well over 150 years. Especially, when featuring the Cincinnati Red Legs, who played in the very first professional baseball game!

Once we got a drink and found where our seats would be, I took Mom down to the Cincinnati side to see if we could encounter any of the players. Mom was hoping to see Jake Fraley, but most of the players had left the warmups by the time we made it down there…all except one. Nick Martinez, pitcher, was so kind and gracious and was more than happy to take a picture with this lovely Septuagenarian!

It was almost time for the game to begin! We got food quickly to eat at our seats just in time for the singing of the National Anthem. It was time to PLAY BALL!! Minnesota should be given their props. The fans and the workers were all very welcoming to these strangers from Ohio. I particularly get a kick out of the guy feeding himself in our selfie taken later in the game. 😂 Further, the Twins organization appear to give so much back to their community in many ways…raising money for children’s hospice and respite care to offering so many opportunities for local youth to participate in pre, during and post game activities.

As any Reds fan is concerned, the game was stellar right up until the bottom of the 6th inning when our 2 to 1 lead went south quickly. The final score ended up 9 to 2 Twins. Boo hiss! We didn’t let the loss ruin our day as a good time was had by all!!

[sohannabarberaesque]

Postcards from Snagglepuss

Meanwhile, somewhere in Beautiful Downtown Cincinnati ...

It can be pretty frustrating trying to park a motorhome downtown in some major city, and not get dumb looks in the process. Especially when you're celebrities in animated form just cruising the countryside--or, in the current circumstances, heading off to the Easter Parade in Gatlinburg, to be led by the Cattanooga Cats even!

Yet, for some reason, you wonder why Longfellow, of all writers, chose to call Cincinnati "the Queen City of the West" back in the day when it rivalled Chicago as a major hog market and processor, in its turn explaining how Procter and Gamble (I assume you know much about them) came to be quite the influence even before sponsoring those midday "washboard weepers" on radio and television ... as in turning waste fat from the hog butchering into soap, candles, lard and also creating Crisco shortening.

But this time around ... it's in a Cincinnati chili parlour somewhere between Fountain Square, long the heart of the Queen City, and Eden Park, just to the east of downtown. And along with my own company--including Huckleberry Hound, Crazy Claws, The King and Sheena and Ruff and Reddy--off to Gatlinburg, in their own way.

For it turns out that the likes of Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy, Magilla Gorilla, The Banana Splits and the Hair Bear Bunch even, were in the same Cincinnati chili joint. (And need I explain what Cincinnati chili is: It's a chili made without beans, but with a richer spice blend, served atop spaghetti and itself topped with shredded Cheddar cheese.)

Hopefully the moist towelettes were in abundance, even if one of the guests had to bring them along. And were they surprised when our presence got to be noticed, even ordering some Cincinnati chili ourselves.

"I sometimes wonder myself," Huck remarked, "how many here in this here old Cincinnati mistake Cincinnati chili parlours for cheap spaghetti palaces." Which was bound to have Quick Draw McGraw, who probably knows chili in the more Texan manner, steamed up when he remarked "NOW HOLD ON THAR!! How exactly does serving this on spaghetti make this chili when I happen to know what chili is, to begin with?!"

To which it was explained that such was the Cincinnati manner.

"CINCINNATI?!!" exclaimed Quick Draw. "It seems I must have taken a wrong turn at Keokuk ... wherever that is!" To which Babalooie was quick to rejoinder, "I admit taking a liking to this Queekstraw fellow, even if the chili here lacks beans and is served on spaghetti!"

"Which has me pretty surprised there," Hair Bear was quick in adding at the sight, adding that he might try making some such on occasion during the mating season road trip of his madcap trio this summer, "probably in northern Wisconsin, Snag," he explained. "We sort of wonder ourselves if the bears up that way can resist our legendary charms in the sexual arena!"

"How could I have guessed?" sighed I.

"And what must those Cattanooga Cats be thinking," Magilla Gorilla chimed in, "about us being on our way already via Cincinnati?"

In a nearby parking lot, where The Banana Splits parked their school bus rebuild, The CoolBus, that quartet couldn't resist signing the odd autograph or posing for the odd selfie, even with a couple of containers of takeout chili ("for fixing some Chili Cheese Coneys on the road," Bingo was quick to explain, "en route to no less than Gatlinburg!").

Whence a call came on the mobile. Country from the Cattanooga Cats was on the virtual line.

"Snag?"

"Yes, Country?"

"Rather glad you could assist with the Easter Parade in Gatlinburg."

"I just hope the proverbial wrench hasn't been thrown into the plans."

"Would that it were ... but even then, trying to keep an Easter parade low-key, like we're trying to do, may not be that easy. So when you and your party get set up in Gatlinburg, we can meet in our apartment above Cattanooga Klatsche and work the whole out so that such is a surprise."

Yet how can you imagine keeping an Easter Parade in the Queen Mother of Tourist Traps low-key?

*************

@warnerbrosentertainment @groovybribri @theweekenddigest @zodiacfan32 @indigo-corvus @iheartgod175 @archive-archives @themineralyoucrave @thylordshipofbutts @thebigdingle @screamingtoosoftly @warnerbros-blog1 @ultrakeencollectionbreadfan @passionateclown @artistic-octopus @jellystone-enjoyer @funtasticworld @warnerbrosent-blog

[franklloydalwaysright]

What types of regional and local transport does Cincinnati need more in the future?

Cincinnati is currently lacking in public transportation and needs to expand its service. As it stands, the city only utilizes 2 modes of transportation, buses and the streetcar. While the bus network reaches into most neighborhoods and provides good baseline service, many routes cannot sustain current capacity and are ripe for expansion. This is why we believe a comprehensive Regional Rail, High Speed Rail, and bike service network should be prioritized for Cincinnati and the surrounding metro area. The Cincinnati combined metro area has a population of 2.2 million, and currently has no other methods of transportation outside of personal vehicles. Cincinnati also suffers from large amounts of traffic congestion, however no other options for travel exist. Providing useful public transportation would not only decrease traffic, but lower carbon emissions in the area.  

High Speed Rail  

The biggest form of public transportation that Cincinnati is not currently utilizing is a high-speed railway. By building a railway that connects even to just the major cities in Ohio, it would allow many people access to statewide travel. Railways have also proven to be generally safer than car travel as well as producing less carbon emissions. Currently, there only exists one intercity line between Cincinnati, Chicago and New York City that runs 3 times a week. The current Amtrak route is slow, plagued by delays, and is not efficient in connecting Cincinnati to other cities. With a high-speed rail network, Cincinnati could become connected with other large cities in the Midwest, with extremely useful corridors such as the Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati alignment. Railways are also a great source of revenue for the state. By using tax-payers money to build the railways, they would be more affordable for Cincinnati to build. 

"CONNOLLY TRAIN STATION-1008" by infomatique is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. 

High Speed Rail 

Reliant on there being a national high speed rail network, but would be super cool 

Bike network  

The smallest and most versatile form of transport would be bikes. This is something that Cincinnati has already been exploring with Cincy RedBike, a bike-share network that just reported its highest ridership yet in 2023, with 140,000 rides. On top of this, Cincinnati already has existing bike routes, such as the popular Wasson Way, a 6-mile-long greenway through eastern Cincy. The approval of these programs shows the value of having such a system in place. We propose a combination of expanding Cincinnati Redbike, expanding greenways, and building separated bike paths through the city. This will make biking both more accessible and safer to use and decrease the carbon emissions generated by smaller trips. 

"Wasson Way" by 5chw4r7z is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Streetcar Network 

Trams are less expensive than busses 

can carry more people 

easily electrified 

If the regional train system is the large transportation network, trams can be the smaller, more local transport system 

Regional Rail 

Often overlooked in the conversation of public transportation, regional rail networks often provide some of the most key services in urban metro areas. Regional rail services allow easy access from outer cities and suburbs to the inner city. While these trains do not run as frequently as a metro service, they offer higher capacity and can substitute many singular car commutes downtown. Downtown Cincinnati is still very oriented towards suburban commuters, as many of the streets act as one-way arterials and many lots are comprised of parking garages. A regional rail system would greatly benefit Downtown Cincinnati as suburban commuters will be able to take the train downtown and replace car trips on the interstate. In turn, Downtown would see less congestion and improvements in pedestrian infrastructure.  

Expanded Streetcar Network 

Finally, an expanded streetcar network would be beneficial to the city of Cincinnati. While it is a good move for the city to chase BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) routes in context of the current day city, using the ROW (Right of Way) for streetcars instead would provide higher capacity transportation. Streetcars are street-running trams that act similarly to a metro, with dedicated stops along the route. Streetcars, while often operating in mixed traffic, need their own dedicated ROW in order to properly function. A streetcar system would not act on their own, as bus connections are important for them to work. This mode of transportation would replace many low distance trips along busy corridors that would normally be taken by car.  

"Rotterdam Tram" by Michel Curi is licensed under CC BY 2.0. 

Regional Train System  

Services the tri-state area, connecting the outer neighborhoods to the main city 

Fast, efficient 

Conclusion: Overall, Cincinnati has done a pretty good job at providing local public transportation, but there are areas that they can expand upon in terms of longer distance public transportation. By adding more railways, people in Cincinnati would be able to go more places from this one city while simultaneously cutting down on their carbon emissions.  

Discussion Question: Out of all of the public transportation options given, which one would you work towards implementing first? 

[limoteethw]

Ottawa Senators G III 4Her by Carl Banks Black City T Shirt

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SHIPPING & MANUFACTURING INFO

LIMOTEES LLC

Ottawa Senators G III 4Her by Carl Banks Black City T Shirt

And then came theOttawa Senators G III 4Her by Carl Banks Black City T Shirt my teammates that Bangladesh was a safe country to go to. We had a trip of our lifetimes taking a 3.5 day travel one way from the Ottawa Senators G III 4Her by Carl Banks Black City T Shirtpart of India to Bangladesh over 2 trains and a bus. It was an amazing experience interacting with everyone there and although we could not make it to the world finals we got home with a honorable mention for being in the top 10%. I should have tried the following 2 years too, but somehow never participated [and of course I regret that now for not showing up].

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Simply look at Steve Jobs, the guy who ran Apple so well. He was a Cincinnati Reds MLB Hawaiian Shirt Warm Season Aloha Shirt believer in “natural” medicine, in fact he wouldn’t bathe since he felt this somehow or other weakened him but his fellow workers had lots of problems with this. He developed Pancreatic Cancer nothing may have done him any good but from the little that I’ve found on his case he may have had a rare case, like Ruth Bader Ginsberg, where prompt surgery may have saved him. He wanted to try some “natural treatments” first, he did, and you know how that turned out. Just because you know a lot about a lot of things don not assume that you know everything about everything. He was in many ways a brilliant

DESCRIPTION

SHIPPING & MANUFACTURING INFO

LIMOTEES LLC

Ottawa Senators G III 4Her by Carl Banks Black City T Shirt

And then came theOttawa Senators G III 4Her by Carl Banks Black City T Shirt my teammates that Bangladesh was a safe country to go to. We had a trip of our lifetimes taking a 3.5 day travel one way from the Ottawa Senators G III 4Her by Carl Banks Black City T Shirtpart of India to Bangladesh over 2 trains and a bus. It was an amazing experience interacting with everyone there and although we could not make it to the world finals we got home with a honorable mention for being in the top 10%. I should have tried the following 2 years too, but somehow never participated [and of course I regret that now for not showing up].

Buy It Now:Ottawa Senators G III 4Her by Carl Banks Black City T Shirt

Anti Trump 2024 STD Funny Stop The Donald Trump Impeach T Shirt

Pittsburgh Steelers G III 4Her by Carl Banks City T Shirt

Tyson Fury 2008 – 2023 Thank You For The Memories Unisex T Shirt

BREATHE AND HEAL Classic T Shirt

Ghost the paranormal files shirt

Simply look at Steve Jobs, the guy who ran Apple so well. He was a Cincinnati Reds MLB Hawaiian Shirt Warm Season Aloha Shirt believer in “natural” medicine, in fact he wouldn’t bathe since he felt this somehow or other weakened him but his fellow workers had lots of problems with this. He developed Pancreatic Cancer nothing may have done him any good but from the little that I’ve found on his case he may have had a rare case, like Ruth Bader Ginsberg, where prompt surgery may have saved him. He wanted to try some “natural treatments” first, he did, and you know how that turned out. Just because you know a lot about a lot of things don not assume that you know everything about everything. He was in many ways a brilliant man in most areas but not in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The worst part is he got a liver transplant later on when he decided to try regular medicine, something that might have saved someone who really needed it. So sad.

Home Page: Limotees

man in most areas but not in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The worst part is he got a liver transplant later on when he decided to try regular medicine, something that might have saved someone who really needed it. So sad.

Home Page: Limotees

[lucillemartinisme]

Les Twins • Larry’s Freestyle

So after boarding the bus we had to get delayed again after a few hours in some small town so they ordered everyone pizza n pop to eat then they announced because of the delays n everything else that everyone was going to get refunded their money back for their trip n once we are at our destination call the Greyhound station as soon as possible n request for your money to be returned n give them the info they need well me trip was in me name but it was paid for by Randy the guy me daughter Dainasia set me up with on his credit card so me told him n me also called the Greyhound but me don't know to this day if he ever got refunded n once we arrive in Cincinnati late at night me went to daughter Dainasia apartment n told her what more happened n she was already going thru her thang earlier that evening cause someone sold them a stolen TV a dude named Kevin n he got severely beat up in the hallway of the apt building n they were trying to attack me daughter Dainasia n her family she called me that evening while me was on the bus saying she was hiding in the bathroom with her kids n kids father cause they was trying to kick in her door thinking she had something to do with the stolen TV they had police n ambulance there eventually so bout time me got there around midnight everything was over n Kevin was hospitalized from his severe beat down come to find out later it was me daughter Dainasia friend from Chicago named Yaya boyfriend who beat down Kevin and me guess they police filed a warrant against him n was looking for him guess he was facing attempted murder charge so the next morning after arriving at Dainasia apt me called the women assault bureau n told her what happened to me n me told her that me didn't know if me could file rape cause in the end me agreed to sex n took the moola n she said it was indeed rape that the cab driver already had sex with me without permission in me sleep then he put me in fear of me life so me had to agree n that me was caught up in a sex trafficking ring n me needed to go to the police station Right away before it happens to more women and girls n me told her me told me daughter Dainasia the same thing but wasn't sure so me hung up n walked to the police station she lived on rockdale in the Virginia's apartment complex me walked up the street from there n went to the police when me got there the police didn't want to file the report saying me should have had in done in Florida where the rape happened n me said me wasn't comfortable doing that but me just arrived back here late last night n came to them early next morning n they still was refusing to take the police report so me called the lady back at the women's victim assistantance n she got on the phone n started yelling at the police that they better take the police report n it didn't matter where the rape happened that they were the police and she felt like me felt they it was sex trafficking n to take me to the hospital and have the rape exam done n they were to take me so they did we arrived at 234 Goodman drive thats the hospital address n they did the rape exam after several hours of filling out more police reports they needed a report for everyone me filled out at least 5 extra ones then this white lady rape examiner came in n there was a magazine sitting on top of the exam table where they put their tools n she opened the magazine to a pic of a white lady n thwn folded it to where it was only half her face shown one eye half faced then she proceeded to ask me questions n asked me daughter Dainasia some questions to me believe cause she was there as support plus in all me reports me said me was on the phone with her almost all the time n was witness to just about everything so she proceeded to do the rape exam she combed me vagina hairs for DNA n did a vaginal exam she said that me vagina was ripped n that me vagina indeed showed signs of rape she then asked me to remove the rest of me clothes so she can take pics n me daughter Dainasia left out the hospital room the rape examiner

[cincinnaticharterbus5]

Luxury Limousine Service in Cincinnati - Unparalleled Comfort and Style

Regarding travelling in style and comfort, Cincinnati Limousine Service and Cincinnati Charter Bus are the epitomai of luxury transportation in Queen City. Whether planning a special event, corporate outing or simply wanting to explore the city in grandeur, these premier transportation services offer an unparalleled experience that combines elegance, convenience, and professionalism. Let's delve into the world of Cincinnati Limousine Service and Charter Bus, where every journey becomes a memorable affair.

  Cincinnati Limousine service is synonymous with opulence and grandeur. With a fleet of luxurious limousines boasting sleek designs and sophisticated interiors, you can indulge in a lavish travel experience. From classic stretch limos to elegant SUVs and sedans, there is a vehicle to suit every occasion and preference. Whether you're attending a glamorous event, such as a wedding or a red-carpet affair, or want to arrive at the airport in style, the Cincinnati Limousine Service ensures you make a statement with your arrival.

  In addition to the luxurious limousines, Cincinnati Charter Bus offers an exceptional mode of group transportation. Whether you're organizing a corporate event, school trip, or group outing, our modern and spacious charter buses cater to your needs. With comfortable seating, ample storage space, and advanced amenities, such as onboard entertainment systems and Wi-Fi, Cincinnati Charter Bus ensures every passenger enjoys a comfortable and enjoyable journey.

  Cincinnati Limo rentals service a sophisticated and luxurious travel experience surpassing all expectations. With an impressive fleet of limousines, including classic stretch limos, sleek sedans, and spacious SUVs, you can indulge in luxury and comfort. These stylish vehicles are meticulously maintained, featuring plush interiors, state-of-the-art entertainment systems, and all the amenities needed to elevate your journey. Whether it's a wedding, prom night, anniversary celebration, or a night out on the town, Cincinnati Limo Rentals ensures you arrive in style and make a lasting impression.

  Cincinnati Limo Rentals and Cincinnati Charter Bus offer unparalleled luxury and convenience when exploring Cincinnati and its surroundings. With our impeccable fleets, professional staff, and dedication to personalized service, we elevate every journey to new heights. Whether seeking a glamorous and stylish ride or reliable and comfortable group transportation, these services provide an unforgettable travel experience. So, the next time you find yourself in Cincinnati, let Cincinnati Limo Rentals and Charter Bus be your trusted companions for a remarkable adventure. 

  Cincinnati Limousine Service and Cincinnati Charter Bus redefine luxury transportation in the heart of Ohio. With our unmatched fleet of exquisite vehicles, dedication to professionalism, and commitment to personalized service, we elevate every journey to a remarkable level. Whether you're seeking a stylish arrival at an event or reliable group transportation, these services offer a seamless blend of comfort, luxury, and convenience. So, the next time you're in Cincinnati and desire an extraordinary travel experience, don't hesitate to indulge in the elegance of Cincinnati Limousine Service and Charter Bus. Please sit back, relax, and let them make your transportation dreams come true.

[eiimblr]

It's honestly fascinating how poorly served Cincinnati is by Amtrak while still technically having service. 3 trips per week in each direction, scheduled for 1:41AM and 3:37AM, and the station is serviced by one bus line that makes its last stop at the station just after midnight (although the 31 can also drop you off nearby a little closer to 1). At least it's fairly central so you could, in theory, walk from downtown to the train at 3 AM if you really wanted to.

America, home of mostly train routes that run one RT daily

[libramc]

❤️ How to predict WHERE you're going to meet your future spouse through Astrology ❤️

hi guys! in today's post I'm going to show you how to find out where you'll meet your future spouse through your birth chart. this technique was discovered by the astrologer Kapiel Raaj, and it's based on vedic astrology. hence, you're going to need your sidereal birth chart to calculate this. if you already know how to do that, you can skip this part.

✨

first of all, go to astro.com > horoscope and then click on extended chart selection.

add your birth data by clicking on the 'add a new person' button. it's necessary to have your accurate birth time for this, as it's based on your ascendant.

then scroll down and click on options for zodiac and houses. choose the whole signs house system and then click on sidereal. after that, choose 'hindu/lahiri' on the ayanamsha button.

after you've calculated your chart, it will be something like this (this is angelina jolie's sidereal birth chart):

to calculate where you're going to meet your spouse, we need to first of all take a look at the 7th house lord, which is the planet that rules your 7th house. in this chart it is saturn, as she has capricorn in her 7th house. now that you know what is your 7th house lord, look at where it's placed in your chart. also, keep in mind that since this is a sidereal technique, we're only going to take in consideration traditional rulers, therefore aquarius is ruled by uranus, pisces by jupiter and scorpio by mars. angelina has her saturn in gemini in the 12th house. the opposite sign indicates the circumstances or directly the place where you're going to meet your spouse. in this chart, it is sagittarius. keep reading for an explanation of each sign!!

✨

♈️ aries opposite 7th house lord ♈️

you're going to meet your spouse when doing some sort of physical activity. you may meet them at the gym, or maybe at a sport event like a football match. you could even meet them just by taking a casual walk, and it could be love at first sight. you two may also meet in a place where there's lots of noise and action, maybe even danger, probably not in a quiet place. places that are ruled by aries are palestine, england, hong kong, germany, poland, syria, israel, lithuania, senegal, sierra leone and zimbabwe. as for cities, we have birmingham, cape town, leicester, florence, krakow, naples, utrecht, marseilles and georgia.

♉️ taurus opposite 7th house lord ♉️

taurus loves the finer things in life, so if you have this sign opposite your 7th house lord you may meet your spouse during your chill time. for instance, you may meet them at a spa, at the mall, at the beach... anything that symbolizes relax for you. in addition, taurus also rules finances, therefore you could meet them in a bank or in any place or circumstance where you have to deal with finances, even in a shop for example. also, since taurus rules over the throat and the voice, you may meet at a place where there's singing for instance, or at least there's music playing in the background. last but not least, being an earth sign, taurus opposing your 7th house lord may also indicate that you're going to meet your future spouse in a place where there's lots of green, maybe at the park or in a forest. places that are ruled by taurus are cyprus, tasmania, ireland, capri, rhodes, the greek iIslands, cuba, east timor, serbia, tanzania, south africa and yemen. as for cities, we have lucerne, eastbound, eastbourne, hastings, palermo, leipzig, st. louis and dublin.

♊️ gemini opposite 7th house lord ♊️

with gemini opposing your 7th house lord, you may meet your future spouse through socializing. you could meet them through your friends or through your siblings, maybe they're a sibling of a friend of yours. you could also meet them during short-distance trips, so maybe in a city near you or even on a train, on a bus, etc. communication is going to be involved, and hence you could even meet them at an event where there's the need to talk and / or write. possibly, you may as well meet him online or in school. places that are ruled by gemini include iceland, sardinia, morocco, belgium, wales, eritrea, guyana, kuwait, norway, montenegro, sweden and tonga. as for cities, we have nuremberg, tripoli, san francisco, london, melbourne, plymouth and cardiff.

♋️ cancer opposite 7th house lord ♋️

if cancer is opposing your 7th house lord, then you could have possibly known your future spouse since your childhood. you could have met a school, or to talk in a more general way you may be from the same city. possibly, you could as well meet in a place where there are children, or where there's food. in addition, since cancer is ruled by the moon, you could meet in a place where there's moon symbolism. maybe during a full or new moon. perhaps, you're going to meet near water as well, as cancer is a water sign. places that are ruled by cancer include usa, paraguay, scotland, holland, the bahamas bahrain belize, burundi, cape verde, columbia, comoros, democratic republic of the congo croatia djibouti, kiribati laos, liberia, madagascar, malawi mozambique, rwanda, slovenia solomon islands, algeria, somalia, and south korea. as for cities, we have manchester, new york, stockholm, tokyo, venice, york, amsterdam and milan.

♌️ leo opposite 7th house lord ♌️

with the sign of leo opposing your 7th house lord, you’re likely to meet your future spouse in a place where there’s fun. it could be at a party, during a vacation, at a bar, a restaurant... certainly not at work, that’s for sure. you’ll  meet your spouse in a situation of relax, not of stress. since leo also rules celebrities, you may even meet them in a place where there are famous people, like a concert for instance. countries ruled by leo are afghanistan, india, italy, macedonia, romania, sicily, ecuador, zanzibar, bhutan, bolivia, central african republic chad, the ivory coast, gabon, indonesia, north korea, south korea, kyrgyzstan, malaysia, maldives, nicaragua, pakistan, mongolia, seychelles, singapore, ukraine and madagascar. as for cities, we have bristol, bombay, chicago, madrid, los angeles, philadelphia, rome and bath.

♍️ virgo opposite 7th house lord ♍️

virgo rules over health, and hence you may meet your future spouse in a health-related place. it could be at the doctor’s, at the dentist’s, in a hospital, etc. virgo is also routine, so you may meet your future spouse in a typical day of yours. it could be at the supermarket, at work, while you’re walking your dog, at the gym, and so on. basically, it could be that your future spouse is going to casually approach you in the streets. countries ruled by virgo include crete, brazil, greece, switzerland, turkey, uruguay, west indies, armenia, azerbaijan, belarus, brazil, costa rica, el salvador estonia guatemala, honduras, mali, moldova, qatar and tajikistan. as for cities we have athens, paris, toulouse, corinth, lyons, boston and mexico city.

♎️ libra opposite 7th house lord ♎️

if you have libra opposing your 7th house lord, you may get to meet your spouse in a place that has to do with beauty, so maybe in a clothes shop or at a salon. you may also meet them in a place where there are many people, or even at some sort of event like a marriage. libra also rules over politics and justice, so maybe you could meet them at the courthouse or during election time. countries that are ruled by libra include france, tibet, argentina, austria, burma, canada, china, japan, siberia, botswana, equatorial guinea, fiji, iraq, israel, lesotho, nigeria, palau, saint lucia, saudi arabia, tuvalu and uganda. as for cities that are ruled by libra we have lisbon, frankfurt, copenhagen, johannesburg, nottingham and antwerp.

♏️ scorpio opposite 7th house lord ♐️

scorpio is the sign of darkness, hence if you have it opposing your 7th house lord you may get to meet your spouse during nighttime. scorpio is also about sex, so this relationship could start off as a one night stand, or maybe you may meet in a place where sex is involved. you could also meet them in a place that has to do with death or where there's death symbolism, such as a graveyard (I hope not tho lol💀). you two may also be transforming yourselves when you meet, you could be starting a new chapter of your life to leave toxicity behind your shoulders. you could also meet at a place where you need to be naked, such as a beach or at the spa, or again in a place related to finances and money. countries that are ruled by scorpio include angola, morocco, queensland, korea, syria, norway, the transvaal, bavaria, antigua, barbuda, cambodia, dominica, latvia, lebanon, micronesia, panama, turkey, turkmenistan and zambia. cities that are ruled by scorpio include cincinnati, liverpool, newcastle, washington, vienna, baltimore and new orleans.

♐️ sagittarius opposite 7th house lord ♐️

sagittarius rules over foreign lands, so if you have it opposite your 7th house lord you're most likely going to meet your future spouse abroad. or perhaps, they are foreign and they travel to your country. you may also meet them in a place related to foreign culture, so maybe in a place filled with tourists, or perhaps in an exotic restaurant, perhaps at a sushi bar if you're not japanese for example. it may also be time for you for new experiences, perhaps you're doing something for the first time, such as trying a new sport or taking a plane. you may also meet your future spouse in college or in university, or in general in a place where there's teaching of any kind. last but not least, sagittarius is also a very spiritual sign, so you could meet them in a church, or maybe at an event related to religion such as a marriage, a baptism, etc. countries that are ruled by sagittarius include spain, australia, chile, hungary, saudi arabia, bangladesh, barbados, cameroon, kazakhstan, kenya, libya and mauritania. cities that are ruled by sagittarius include budapest, johannesburg, naples, nottingham, sheffield, sunderland, stuttgart and toronto.

♑️ capricorn opposite 7th house lord ♑️

capricorn is ruled by saturn, the planet of responsibilities, therefore if you have this sign opposing your 7th house lord you'll most likely meet your spouse on your workplace. perhaps they're your boss or a co-worker of yours, or maybe they may even be a customer of yours. you'll surely meet them later in life, when you're at least 27/28 years old, or perhaps when you manage to accomplish something really big in your life, not necessarily career-related. countries that are ruled by capricorn include india, bulgaria, mexico, great britain, albania, afghanistan, lithuania, bosnia, brunei, czech republic, haiti, nauru, slovakia and sudan. as for cities that are ruled by capricorn we have brandenburg, brussel, delhi, mexico city, port said, oxford and ghent.

♒️ aquarius opposite 7th house lord ♒️

you may meet your spouse in any place that has to do with electricity, for instance at a movie theater, at a theme park, at an apparel store, and so on. perhaps even on a public transport, such as a train, a taxi or a plane. also, since we're talking about electricity we can also count on internet, therefore if you have aquarius opposing your 7th house lord you have high chances of meeting your future spouse on social media, such as twitter, instagram, etc. or even through dating apps, such as tinder. last but not least, you may also be introduced to your spouse by your friends, or perhaps they could be a part of your group of friends. you may be both best friends and lovers, you would have a very playful and youthful relationship. countries that are ruled by aquarius include iran, finland, new zealand, russia, sweden, syria, ethiopia, the holy vatican city and sri lanka. cities that are ruled by aquarius include brighton, hamburg, helsinki, moscow, salzburg, st. petersburg and bremen.

♓️ pisces opposite 7th house lord ♓️

if you have pisces opposite your 7th house lord, you may first of all meet your future spouse near water. therefore you could meet them at the beach, at an aquarium, at the lake, at the pool, etc. perhaps even at a restaurant that serves seafood and fish, such as a sushi bar. pisces is also about alcohol, therefore you may also meet them in a bar or at a party where there's alcohol. pisces also rules over art and images, therefore you could meet them in a place where there are lots of pictures and paintings, such as a museum, or perhaps even at the movie theater, at a concert, etc. the club would be an option too, as it combines both alcohol and dancing, two pisces related things. also, it could be very late at night, when you're supposed to be sleeping, or perhaps, you're just sleepy or even drunk. last but not least, this placement usually indicates a soulmate or twinflame connection, therefore you may even meet your spouse first in the 5D than in the 3D, perhaps you feel spiritually connected to them even if you haven't met them yet. you could very likely dream of them as well. lastly, pisces is also about healing, so your future spouse may either work in the medicine field or maybe they're some sort of spiritual healer. you could possibly also meet them at the church or in a temple. countries that are ruled by pisces include normandy, north africa, portugal, samoa, egypt, Scandinavia, mauritius, morocco, namibia and tunisia. cities that are ruled by pisces include warsaw, alexandria, grimsby, jerusalem, bournemouth, seville and cowes.

and this is it! let me know in the comments where you're going to meet your spouse, and if you've already met them feel free to say if this post resonated with your experience!

follow me for more,

libramc xx

[chaos-writes]

The Lost Boys: Road Trip

Based on one of the most vivid dreams I've ever had. Word count: 2,255. Implied romance with the boys and Star. Tw: none.

“I’ve always wanted to travel and go sight-seeing without any real objective, like moving,” said Lucy, in a dream-like tone. I chimed in, “I’ve had a cross-country road trip planned out for quite a while, but I’ve never had anyone to do it with.” “Oh really?” Lucy asked, “Where to?” “Well, it’ll be a round trip with touring both going and coming back. I'm hoping to go through Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, then we’ll go north, through Ohio, and Michigan, then come back home through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, then through the top of California all the way back home.” “Oh my goodness! That sounds like a dream, but also a lot of gas money,” Lucy exclaimed. We laughed.

 

“It really would be, but I have the money saved up in a debit account, so hopefully it'll cover it. There’s also hotels, toll bridges, food, water, all that fun stuff,” I giggled. “But it would be worth it, I have tons of film for my instax camera, and a couple journals to write down my experiences.”

I gestured to her, “I have a couple extras for people that want to tag along,” Lucy smiled but quickly frowned, “Oh, I would love to go, I really would, but I have to work and look after the boys and their grandfather,” she mused. I chimed in, “It doesn't just have to be you, you know, I’ve got quite a few people in mind who could benefit from traveling.” “Well, I'll have to check with my boys and my boss. I’ll let you know if I can or can’t as soon as possible,” lucy said, with a look of disappointment in her eyes. I nodded in understanding and smiled, “Well, whenever you do let me know, I wouldn’t be upset if it was a no. I would be sure to share every detail with you, though.” “Oh, thank you for understanding, it means a lot to me!” “No problem. Well, I guess I'll be on my way then,” I said as I opened the front door.

We said our goodbyes and I headed out on my motorcycle to go and see the boys. It’s getting dark enough out where they should be slowly getting up by now. I wonder if Laddie and Star are there, too. They usually are, but sometimes they’re out and about, since they can handle sunlight a bit better than the rest. I park my bike and I can hear distant yawning and mumbling from where I'm standing at the cave entrance. They all start to float out and stretch one by one, Dwayne being first, Marko being second, David being third, and Paul being last. Of course Paul is last, he’s the heaviest sleeper. This road trip would be nothing to him, if they all agreed, that is. I just have to do some convincing.

Marko slipped his jacket and boots on, and the rest followed suit. They’re all quiet when they first wake, that’s why I don't ‘show up’ until I start hearing conversation and laughing. However, I’ve got to wait for the perfect time to come in, when they’ve been talking for a while and can actually think. “I wonder what Michael’s been doin’” I hear Paul say. “I don’t know Paul,” David sighed. “Maybe he’s been avoiding us…” He paused for a minute, then said, “Anyone hungry yet?” a wave of “not me’s” and “mm-mm’s” spread across the cave. I hear Dwayne grab a torch, light it, and begin lighting the cans all around the cave. The -now illuminated- boys begin bantering about who they should target next and what they plan to do for the day- well, night.

As a result, I put on my big-kid pants and stepped into the cave. They all turned to me, Marko exclaimed, “Hey! There you are!” “Hey guys,” I said, waving. Laddie ran up to me and hugged me from the side. I patted his back and ruffled his hair. Star smiled at me as she greeted me with a wave. I smiled back. Marko and Paul ran to me and squished me in their arms.

“I have something to share with you guys. An idea, really,” I said. All the boys looked at me in curiosity until David spoke up, “Well, what is this… idea of yours?” I beamed at all of them and said, “You all know how much I like going on adventures…” they looked even more puzzled now. “So, how about I take everyone on a really big adventure? A road trip!” They looked contemplative, as if they were considering going or not. “I could go alone…” Paul's and Marko's eyes widened, “But I much prefer having company with me, especially on trips like these.” Dwayne piped up, “So... where would we be going?” I smiled and pulled out a map, “How about I show you guys?”

The boys, Laddie, and Star crowd around behind me as I point around a U.S. map and explain where we’re going and what I'm planning on doing. I point all over the map and across the northern states. "We can add on a couple more destinations if you'd like… this is just more of the baseline plan." "Are we going to any big cities?" Marko asked. "Hell yea! And we're gonna go touring at night and see all the pretty lights and stuff. It'll be so fun!" "I'm down!" Paul says. "Me too!" Dwayne chimed in. "I wanna go!" Laddie exclaimed. Star smiled, and turned to David. The rest of us followed suit. This… is it.

I smiled at David and asked, "So, leader of the pack, are you in?" He paused. We cautiously awaited his answer. Laddie's eyes met David’s as he silently pleaded to go. David finally broke, smiled, and said, "alright. When are we leaving?" The cave uproared in a fit of whooping and hollering, mainly thanks to Marko and Paul, and Star picked Laddie up and twirled him around. "You won't regret this!" I said to David over the noise. "Well, I'm actually looking forward to it." He said. 

We left to go grab a bite to eat, the boys did their thing and I took Laddie and Star to a little Italian place on the boardwalk to eat. I told the boys to meet us there when they were done. “You sure about all this?” Star asked. “Absolutely! I like having an adventure crew. I'll admit though, it's gonna be a little different with a youngin' on board,” I laughed.

After a while, Lucy finally agreed to go with our party and told her boys to look after one another. We all packed our clothes and bought some more for the boys. They needed clothes that were fit for the amount of walking. I also couldn’t let anyone see my boys in blood-stained clothes in public, we’ll look like we got in some freak accident. I rode my motorcycle and directed the boys to my place, where we have a big Volkswagen bus parked out front, fit for a party of eight. Lucy is already there after a phone call telling us she would meet us at my place. We packed our bags into the trunk, all 4 boys could fit their bags into one suitcase with vacuum seal bags, Star and Laddie share a backpack, Lucy has her own suitcase and I have my own backpack. There's a box of toiletries for us all, except for Lucy, who decided on keeping everything of hers separate from the others, which is fair enough. 

It was 9pm, and we made sure everyone went to the bathroom and was all taken care of before we took off. The first drive is twelve-and-a-half hours, from Santa Carla to Salt Lake City, Utah. We toured the entire city on foot for a few hours, and decided on the next driver to take us to our next destination. Before we left Salt Lake, I put all the pictures I took into a scrapbook and wrote down the notes of what happened that day. “Hey, guys? If you want a journal to write anything down about the trip, I have a few extras here! And we can go over everyone’s journals and keep them in a safe space after the trip!” I said, as we all piled into the bus. David, sitting in the same row as me, turned to me and said, “I’d like to document what i’m experiencing. It’s a good idea, considering we’ve got a lot of…time left” he paused. I gave an understanding nod and handed him a journal. Star, from the third row, said, “i’ll take one!” 

We continued across the country and journaled, and took as many pictures as possible. I will never forget how genuinely happy all the boys were, they were so used to the boardwalk and now they get to go places. Laddie would bounce around happily when we toured around on foot. Star and Lucy spent their time quietly admiring land and cityscapes. The boys would get rowdy and restless at night, desperate to get in a fight or two. I've had to intervene more than I want to admit. But overall, they were well-behaved and did great throughout the trip.

The most precious memory to me, though, is when Dwayne, Paul, and Laddie grabbed me to go for a walk. At this point we were in Cincinnati, we checked in a hotel for a couple days, just on the water. A few of us wanted to go walk on the Purple People Bridge before we left. It was getting dark out, so we held close together. We walked across the bridge, Dwayne carried Laddie piggyback style and Paul and I were walking close by. We got down far enough on the bridge that we were close to the water. The sound of the river was calming, less rapid than the water outside the cave. I pointed out all the boats on the water to Laddie and we watched the water and the city in front of us.

What the boys didn't know was there was an event going on in the city. Some sort of charity event, I was never really sure about that part, but what I did know was the boys were really gonna like it.

"Hey, let's stay here for a bit. We're not in a hurry!" I said. "Umm… alright then," Dwayne said. Paul looked at me in confusion, but didn't say anything. Laddie was falling asleep on Dwayne's back, but Dwayne didn't seem to mind.

Soon, lights flicker on, one by one, lighting the whole city in blue. "Look Laddie!" I said while tapping his arm. He hopped off of Dwayne's back and stared at the illuminated city. All of Cincinnati was now an icy blue, and I will never forget the look of wonder in Laddie's eyes. Paul and Dwayne shared the same look as well. We were all starstruck as the night sky before us lit up in a beautiful blue. Paul's smile slowly grew and he giggled. I looked at him with a questioning look.

He turned to me, and said,"Thank you. This is… was, amazing. I don't think you know how much I appreciate you. This…" I smiled and wrapped my arms around his waist. We held each other close as the city behind us twinkled and glowed. Footsteps came alongside us, the rest of the party decided to try and find us. "Looks like you and Paul are having fun," David said. I wasn't even mad at the joke this time. "We really are, why don't you join us?" I asked. David smiled and ran his fingers through my hair. He wrapped his arms around me from behind as I was hugging Paul, so I was sandwiched between them. Marko stood beside us all. David saw and invited him into the middle with me. I turned around and squeezed Marko as the others adjusted.

Laddie was excitedly pointing out every detail to Star, Dwayne and Lucy and bouncing in pure joy. "Laddie seems to be enjoying this the most. I'm so happy I get to show him these beautiful places." I said. "I will never forget the look on his face for as long as I live."

The rest of the trip went smoothly. We stopped in big cities, small towns, natural parks, and got to see part of Canada from the upper peninsula of Michigan. I wrote down two journals' worth of notes and had to buy another scrapbook to fit all the pictures I took. 

Surprisingly, the whole party responded well to the really long drives we did. When we made it home and said our goodbyes to Lucy as she drove to her own home, it was like this weight was lifted off of us as we stepped into the cave. No more stress of travel, a place to stretch your legs, a place to just be... in peace. Laddie hugged me as Dwayne went around and lit the cave up. "Thank you so much," he said. "You're welcome, little dude!" I said. "Yeah, thank you!" Marko and Paul chimed in. Star walked up to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "Thank you for doing all of that for us," she said. "You really didn't have to." "I know, but I love you guys. The least I can do for you is take you on one of my adventures." 

[cookinguptales]

You know, I wasn’t going to write about this, but I just got the most insulting message about all this — so screw it, here I go:

I talk a lot about accessibility problems in daily life, but not typically about the unmitigated hell that is air travel. I have been insulted, touched without my permission, accused of faking, asked intrusive medical questions, gotten homophobic lectures from attendants I couldn’t get away from, been instructed to walk multiple times — and two of my personal wheelchairs have been broken.

All that said, the worst service I have received in my life has been from American Airlines. They consistently screw me over. They “forget” to preboard me. They “forget” to bring me a wheelchair. Heck, once I requested a bathroom break and I came out to find my wheelchair assistant gone. I had to sit there in the Cincinnati airport alone, frantically TWEETING AT THE AIRPORT, until a gate attendant took pity on me and took me down to baggage herself.

But if you really want to know how bad flying with them is, let me describe my experience flying with them a week and a half ago for a work trip. (In other words, I was not allowed to choose my airline.)

I arrived at the Philadelphia airport. I asked for assistance several times and was told to sit down in a waiting area and someone would be by shortly. I sat there for 45 minutes, at which point the person who told me that came by and it became immediately apparent that they’d forgotten about me. 20 minutes later, I finally got my wheelchair. In the end, I almost missed my plane.

The attendant, when he came, did not introduce himself or really talk to me at all. When we got to security, he refused to touch my belongings (attendants need to put our belongings on the conveyor because, y’know, we can’t get up there) and demanded I get up and do it myself, something I’ve literally never encountered before. In the end, he wheeled me over to the belt and made me strain to put my things on it because he was acting like my belongings were diseased.

When he rolled me up to the scanners, he did not ask me about my ability to walk, just demanded I get up. I requested a non-metal cane (because my own had been put on the belt) and he got very huffy about it, but another TSA agent heard me and gave it to me. After I finally got through the scanner, he did not bring the wheelchair over to me so I could sit in it, and I was forced to walk across the room to him. Yeah, it hurt.

I was handed off to like… six different attendants throughout the course of my trip to the terminal. At one point, I was forced to walk to get onto a shuttle bus. The wheelchair was not loaded on with me. When we arrived, there was no wheelchair waiting. I was told to wait on the bus — but then the driver started pulling away with me trapped on the bus. The driver was behind glass so I had to literally bang on the windows of the bus so someone would notice and stop the bus. Instead of bringing the wheelchair to me, I was expected to climb off the bus, walk inside, and get a new one. Wow, accessibility.

I finally had to demand a bathroom break because no one asked me if I needed to eat/drink/pee and I’d had to hold it for two hours at this point. I was told to walk to the bathroom. After I refused, more huffing, but someone got a wheelchair to walk me over.

FINALLY, TIME TO BOARD! Psych, I got outside, was told it was a tarmac boarding (something that had not been told to me ahead of time) and that if I’d wanted assistance, I should have preordered an aisle chair, something that’s typically only necessary to request if you’ll need a wheelchair onboard. I have never had to request one and, again, didn’t know it was a tarmac boarding, so I didn’t request it. I was repeatedly asked if I could walk “at all” and if I was sure I couldn’t just walk up. At this point, I was so frustrated that I literally started to cry. In public. They finally took me up.

Note: this was the ramp I’d been expected to walk up. As I was hobbling through the section too thin for the wheelchair, the woman grabbed my cane to “guide” me. I almost fell down.

When I got to Cincinnati, my tweets had apparently been heard. The manager of Prospect, the company AA uses for wheelchair assistance, was waiting for me. He was very nice! He gave me his card! The attendant told me to ask for him by name! I was not happy, but somewhat pacified.

I get to CVG three days later to go home. There is no wheelchair desk at check-in. I see another woman in a wheelchair, so I ask where she got it. Her daughter “found it”, and the woman had already missed her flight because she hadn’t been able to find assistance in time. I talked to two other women who just started walking despite the pain they were in.

I finally figure out where to request a wheelchair. A dedicated desk? No. A passing employee? No. I was supposed to stand in the check-in line. I got upset, so someone at another airline suggested I just cut the line. That was what I had to do, and I felt like a dick.

This line, in fact:

Waited, waited. Finally got a wheelchair. It was not the man I’d been told to request. Whatever. He was nicer than the man at PHL, but I still had to go through a genital pat-down at TSA. (As in, “please spread your legs wider for me”.) Yeah, that happens almost every time when you’re disabled. Fun times. Once I showed signs of being upset and they made me do it twice, without any kind of support to hold me up. Note: I am a sexual abuse survivor.

Finally get to the gate and the attendant leaves. I am in full view of the agent desk. It starts getting close to boarding and no attendant in sight, despite me specifically telling them I’d need help boarding. I got another passenger to go up to them and ask them for help. I was told an attendant would be coming soon. It came time to board, and I was left across the room. I literally started shouting across the room for help. The gate agent looked me in the eye and told me that she wasn’t ignoring me, that I’d be preboarded. SPOILERS: I wasn’t preboarded.

This meant that when I finally got down to the entrance of the plane, I had two options. I could go wait in the line that forms in the aisle while people are putting their baggage up. This is very painful for me, so instead I waited at the door for the people in front of me to sit down. A large line formed behind me because they still kept calling groups to board and again, I felt like a dick. I got to cry in public again.

Boarding in CVG, I didn’t have to do a tarmac boarding, but I still had to disembark that way in PHL. This time, the flight attendants called ahead to make sure I’d have an aisle chair. Those are super fun, by the way, you’re strapped in like Hannibal Lecter and wheeled backwards. :’)

I demanded a bathroom break once we got off. Note: I say “demanded” because no one ever freaking asked because god forbid they treat you like a human. You’re usually expected to just sit there at the gate for a while until a new attendant can take you to baggage, but I’ve taken to asking if they can leave me over by the bathroom instead because I’ve almost wet myself. (I often cannot get to the toilet on the plane.) So anyway, I was taken to a companion restroom. The door didn’t close all the way. Yeah, it was completely broken. This wasn’t a stall. It was a COMPANION RESTROOM WITH A DOOR. If the door doesn’t close, the entire terminal can see in. Instead of taking me to another stall, the attendant just “stood guard” outside the door. So that was super-fun and not nerve-wracking at all.

The attendant then proceeded to get lost in the airport and didn’t believe me when I told her the right way to go. It’s not like I’ve ever flown out of my own home city before or anything, wow.

Now, this was worse than usual. I often have problems with all airlines (Delta was the one that kept smashing up wheelchairs, shoutout) but American is just By Far the worst. I usually fly Southwest because I’ve had far fewer problems with them at PHL (and I don’t have to pay extra for a seat that’s accessible for my needs) but sometimes AA is the only airline that’ll take you where you need to go.

I make this post for two reasons. Number one, I have to fly American again in about a week (again, I did not choose this) and I’m almost sick with worry. I was so stressed out and pained after the last trip that I came home, took very strong painkillers, and collapsed for like a day.

The other reason is that AA finally got back to me about my complaints from last week. They accused me of not asking for assistance ahead of time (I did; I even talked face-to-face with a manager to order accommodations) and snottily told me that I could have asked the gate agent for assistance. So number one, they only answered one of the MANY issues I had. Number two, they implied it was all my fault — despite me doing everything I was supposed to do. Number three, despite the many broken accessible areas, despite the poor treatment by employees, they still hold firm to this “you need to order things ahead of time or you’re screwed” line.

So I ask you. What if you don’t know those policies? What if you’re a child or a first-time flyer? What if you have a short-term injury and aren’t used to this? What if, like that woman in the wheelchair who missed her flight, you’re elderly and ESL and deeply confused?

The pain I am put through, the embarrassment and dehumanization and physical strain, is awful when I fly. To be blamed for it is worse. But the worst knowledge of all is that I am privileged. I am white. I am young enough to know how to complain on social media. I know my rights. I know to leave several hours in case I am mistreated. Like that old woman, like the women I saw walking to their gates, there are so many people who are not in that position. They will be victimized.

A manager approached me at CVG to apologize as I landed. No one will apologize to those women. They will be victimized. It’s not right how disabled people are treated at airports, and frankly, it’s not legal. But they know that our voices are not listened to and so they know that they can get away with it. Do you know how AA found me from my angry tweets? All they had to do was look at the DM history. I’ve sent them so many complaints over the years. They haven’t changed. They don’t care.

And as much as my body hurts after experiences like that, my heart hurts more. I’m so tired of people not caring.

I know this is a long post, but they messed so many things up that it had to be long to list them all. Please feel free to share this post -- or even better, let American Airlines know what you think about it. God knows they didn’t listen to me.

[thegoodgayshit]

Luz’s mother really doesn’t want to send Luz to camp. She knows once she leaves, there is no going back. But Luz has a knack for getting into trouble, and one day she stumbles into the same type of people her mother would have preferred she avoided. After helping Luz dissolve her high school bully into dust, Eda and Lilith know right away that this kid is just like them - a child of the gods. So Luz hops on a Pegasus and heads to Camp Half-blood, where she embarks on a dangerous quest that makes her both friends and enemies... and she might even save Olympus along the way.

Chapter 10 - The Magic Map Shows Me the Way

The taxi driver, who had told them that his name was Davide, was more than happy to lend them a ride into Cincinnati for free, just like Antheia promised. Despite the ride being longer than an hour, he insisted they not pay him. Feeling guilty, (Luz imagined his kindness was likely due to Antheia’s effect on people) she left a twenty in the backseat, hoping it would cover gas.

Luz had never been to Cincinnati before, and she didn’t get a ton of time to see much of it. The three of them rushed to the nearest train station, ducking inside and getting out of the street.

“Keep your voices down, and try to avoid talking about anything from… our world,” Gus said quietly to Luz. “It’s bad luck, and could send out signals to… things we would like to avoid.”

Luz suddenly remembered the phone in her backpack, and she wondered if she should have told Willow and Gus she brought it. The morning she left for her quest she had sent her Mami a text saying where she was going. She was likely working overtime during the day and wouldn’t read it until she got home, but she probably was going to have a lot of questions. She doubted she would buy that she had gone on a “field trip” with the rest of camp to Colorado Springs.

If even mentioning monsters could attract them, Luz was starting to feel paranoid about what having her phone might mean.

Willow had grabbed a route map off the wall and opened it, peering over her glasses at the options before her.

“We can either take a train or a bus. Regardless of which one we take, we have to stop in Indianapolis. The train will go to Chicago first and then Denver, but then we have a couple of options for busses…”

“The train sounds like it would be a lot of money,” Gus said, leaning over to look. “We can’t spend too much or we won’t have enough for a way back.”

“I don’t think we’ll have enough for the way back anyway,” Willow said, her mouth set in a firm line. “Especially if Amity is with us.”

Luz had been internally battling with if she should tell her friends about her phone, but something on the page caught her attention, and the thought completely slipped her mind. When she looked over at the map, the highlighted sections showing the routes were so bolded with color it’s like they stood out on the page. Luz blinked and leaned in. She didn’t understand why Willow and Gus were talking about money either. The prices were right there on the map, and they even showed the cheapest seats they could get highlighted in red.

The right course of action was obviously to take the next bus to Indianapolis and from there to Kansas City, before finally stopping in Denver. The map even said that the next train left in an hour at 2:00, and after that, the next bus would leave at 6:00.

“We should take this bus,” Luz said, pointing to the line with her finger. “The train leaves soon and they have four seats left. We can get the tickets for fifty bucks.”

Willow and Gus paused, looking over at Luz like they couldn’t understand.

“What?” Luz said, feeling her cheeks pink in embarrassment. “Did I say that in Spanish or something?” It wouldn’t have been the first time she’d gotten excited and done that.

“Luz, where are you seeing these prices?” Willow asked, turning the map over in her hands. “It just shows the routes.”

Luz shook her head in confusion. “They’re right here! Look, it’s one of the legends on the left side of the page.”

Willow and Gus’s mouths dropped open, and Luz’s stomach began to flip. She wondered if they were making fun of her.

“Luz, there’s no legend on the map,” Gus said seriously, and Luz felt herself begin to get frustrated. She took the map from Willow (maybe a little too quickly) and pushed through her friends walking further into the station.

“Look, I’ll show you what I mean.”

She walked up to the counter where there was a middle-aged man in a dark blue uniform standing there at the computer. He was hunched over his desk, drinking a coffee while looking at the screen. When he heard Luz approach, he didn’t even look towards her and away from his computer.

“What can I do for ya?” He said in a thick midwestern accent. Luz threw the map down on the counter and looked up at him.

“I need three 2:00 tickets to Denver with a stop in Kansas City.”

“Sorry, we’re sold out,” the man drawled, and Luz huffed in annoyance.

“No, you’re not! It says that you have four left right here,” Luz exclaimed, pointing down at the map.

“Watch your tone, kid,” the man grumbled, still not looking at Luz. “I don’t do this to deal with brats like you.”

“Excuse me?” Luz said, leaning forward angrily. She was not usually a violent person, but this man was really starting to piss her off. She had half a mind to draw Aletheia and scare the daylights out of him. Willow and Gus rushed forward, holding her by the shoulders.

“Just forget it, Luz,” Willow whispered firmly. “He’s not worth it.”

“No, it is not okay for him to talk to people like that!” Luz exclaimed angrily. “His job is to help people like us, not be rude. He won’t even turn away from his computer to look at me!”

“You want me to turn away from my computer?” The man said in annoyance, finally looking at Luz. The second his eyes met hers, he blinked, before collapsing into his chair. While he’d previously been hunched over, his back straightened and a calm, easy-going look passed over his face.

“I… I don’t remember what I was saying there. But my apologies for being rude,” he said, in a much softer tone. “Let me look into those tickets for you.” Luz relaxed her posture out of surprise, the anger leaving her body, and Gus chuckled under his breath.

“The flower crowns,” he whispered to them. “He’s compelled to be kinder.”

Luz, for what felt like the fiftieth time today, silently thanked Antheia. She really didn’t want to deal with annoying customers on top of Willow and Gus not being able to properly read the map.

The man turned back to his computer, typing for just a moment before turning back to them with a nod.

“You are correct, I do have four tickets available for 2:00 to Denver, with stops in Indianapolis and Kansas City. They are currently priced final sale at seventy dollars.”

Gus frowned. “But Luz, I thought you said they were supposed to be fifty?”

The man shook his head. “Unfortunately, seventy is the lowest these tickets will go to.”

The three of them shared a look. Luz knew they were all thinking the same thing. That barely left any money between them in case something happened.

Willow cleared her throat, doing her best at a smile. “Is there any kind of youth discount we can get?”

The man frowned, like this situation personally affected him too. Gods bless these flower crowns.

“I’m sorry, miss. But no.”

Luz groaned, leaning forward and pointing at the map. “But sir, look right here! The tickets are supposed to be fifty dollars.”  

“Luz, there’s nothing on that map-“ Willow tried, but the man looked down anyway, he clicked his tongue, and when he looked up at Luz, something had changed. His eyes had gotten misty, and his mannerisms had slowed.

“Ah, yes… the tickets are indeed priced at fifty. My apologies, Miss Noceda.” He reached down and typed at his board, his gaze flickering back to Luz one more time. “And for the trouble, I will bump it down to forty. This was my mistake.”

Willow and Gus were stunned. But Luz just broke out into the biggest smile and squealed in excitement, bouncing up and down on her toes.

“There we go! I told you guys the tickets were cheaper.”

Luz went into Willow’s backpack and took out the hundred and twenty dollars, paying the man who took it without another complaint, handing them three train tickets.

“The Greyhound will leave from the University, there is a city bus heading there in a few minutes.” The man said, and Luz and her friends nodded.

“Thank you for your help!” Luz said with a grin, and for a second the haze cleared, and the man smiled.

“Not a problem, kids.”

Luz and her friends rushed out the door and hopped on the city bus outside the station, and through the window, as they left, they watched the man’s smile fade into a frown, and the last they saw of him was the rubbing of his head before the bus started moving and vanished out of sight.

They paid the bus driver, (who insisted a single five was fine for the three of them, thanks to magic flower crowns) and sat down, and Luz shot her friends a happy smile.

“See, guys? Everything worked out! We’ll make the bus with fifteen minutes to spare too!”

Willow and Gus did their best to smile, but Luz knew something was bothering them. She frowned, looking back and forth at them. “What?”

“Luz,” Willow whispered. “What exactly did you see on that map?”

Luz frowned, knowing that it was wide open and they saw it too, there was no need to pretend they didn’t anymore. But regardless, she told them everything she saw, all the way down to ticket price.

“Luz, I swear to Zeus, when we looked we didn’t see any of that!” Willow exclaimed.

“That’s what you’re focused on right now?” Gus scoffed to her, turning to look at Luz with big eyes. “That man knew Luz’s last name. She never told him! I don’t think whatever hazy thing happened to him had to do with the flower crowns.”

Luz was stunned. She hadn’t realized that any of what had just happened was unusual. She figured he’d been nice because of the crowns, and she thought everything she’d done was just because she’d shown him the map.

“But… the map had all that information on it!” Luz’s stomach swirled uneasily, and the three of them sat in tense silence for the rest of the bus ride. When they got off at the university and waited outside the bus station for the GreyHound, she felt Gus poke her to get her attention.

“Look across the street.”

Luz looked and frowned. She saw a boy who was about the same age as the Blight twins, maybe a little older, standing across the street in one of the University of Cincinnati sweatshirts. He had a deep tan and curly brown hair shaved at the sides, and there was a book bag slung over his shoulder. He saw them looking and smiled, adjusting a notebook in his left hand and a pen in his right. He started to cross the street, and Gus inhaled sharply, but Willow just shot him a look.“Gus, what’s wrong?” She said quietly, so the boy wouldn’t hear. Gus just shook his head, too anxious to respond.

“Are you waiting for the bus too?” The boy said as he approached them, standing a little awkwardly across from them. Luz smiled and nodded.

“We are! You can wait with us if you want,” she offered, and Gus’s breath caught in his throat. Willow nudged him, giving him a pointed look to be nice.

“That’s very kind of you,” the boy said with a smile. Luz’s heart fluttered a little in her chest, and she hoped her cheeks weren’t turning pink. He was very cute. His pearly white teeth poked out when he smiled, and his shoulders were wide and broad, Luz had no doubt underneath his sweater he was likely very toned. Willow seemed to be feeling similarly because she shuffled her feet anxiously and wouldn’t look at him.

“It’s no problem, we’re all going the same way, and we’ll be on the bus together for a while! You know, since we’re going the same way and everything…” Luz said with a laugh. Oh, gods, she was rambling. Clearing her throat, she stuck out her hand. “I’m Luz. These are my friends Willow and Gus.”

Thankfully the boy laughed, reaching out and shaking her hand. “I’m Theo. It’s nice to meet some new people before a long journey.”

The bus took that moment to roll up, and Theo gestured for Luz and her friends to walk on first. The bus driver looked at their tickets and nodded for them to go on. They made their way to the back of the bus and took the back row of empty seats, Luz sitting between Willow and Gus. Theo got on just after them and said a few words to the driver, before heading in their direction. Gus practically stabbed Luz with his elbow, and she hissed in pain.

“What, Gus?” She said in annoyance, and he turned to her in panic.

“He didn’t have a ticket!” Gus whispered urgently, “he just got on without a ticket! I know you don’t think anything is wrong, but this guy is not human!”

Willow rolled her eyes at him but didn’t remove her gaze from Theo who was closely approaching. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“You’re telling me this guy is a m-o-n-s-t-e-r?” Luz said, spelling out the words, and Gus swallowed hard.

“I don’t know if he is I’ve never read about one like him. But I know things from our world. He is not human!”

Luz hummed in the back of her throat, not sure what to think. She knew Gus was smart, and that he was rarely wrong, but Theo seemed like your typical guy. Not a cause for a reaction like this.

Theo approached them and smiled. “Is this seat taken?” He asked, gesturing to the one next to Willow. She shook her head, practically melting as Theo sat down.

The bus started rolling, and soon Gus had no choice but to accept that Theo was now a part of their conversation. The four of them talked back and forth, Luz and Willow asking a ton of questions about Theo and his life. Luz and Willow told Theo they were visiting their friend Amity in Colorado, (not really a lie) and he said he was going to Denver and then taking another bus south. They learned he lived with his dad in San Francisco, and that he’d been away for a long time and was heading that way to see him.

“Because you’ve been busy with school?” Gus asked, unable to keep the suspicion out of his voice.

“Kind of like that, yeah,” Theo replied with a smile that was almost wistful. Gus must have not liked that answer, because he crossed his arms. “To be honest, because of other stuff we’ve been away longer than I would have liked. But I’m back now, and I’m going to make sure I see my dad. I just have something to take care of in Denver first.”

“What do you have to do?” Luz asked curiously.

Theo shrugged, but he had one of those mysterious smiles on his face Luz had grown to be familiar with. “Stuff.”

Soon, they had passed the first stop in Indianapolis, and a decent-sized group of people got off before they left again and were rolling into Illinois farmland. The whole back was practically empty, and they could talk as loud as they’d like without disturbing the other passengers. Gus had slowly come around to acknowledging Theo’s existence, and instead of sulking quietly, he was now half-engaged into the conversation.

Around the time it was getting dark, and the conversation had whittled down into quiet silence, they were well into Missouri, and Luz was getting so hungry her stomach growled.

Theo turned his head to look at them. “You guys haven’t eaten?”

The three of them looked at one another before blushing in embarrassment.

“We had tea around early lunchtime, but the day kind of slipped away from us,” Willow admitted in embarrassment. “We’ll have to wait until we stop in Kansas City to eat, which wont be until tomorrow afternoon probably.”

Luz fought the urge to groan. She already missed the meals at camp, and honestly, she didn’t like the idea of going a whole day without food.

Theo adjusted the notebook and pen on his lap and reached into his bookbag, pulling out four Tupperware’s stuffed with food. “I packed extra food if you guys want to share. If you like PB&J anyway.”

Luz and Willow eagerly accepted, thanking Theo profusely, but Gus gawked, sitting up so quickly in his seat he almost fell over.

“There’s no way you could fit all that in your bookbag.”

Theo shrugged, reaching over to hand a container to Gus, who just stared at it like it was poison.

“No way,” Gus said with a frown. “This is weird. This is so so weird. Who are you?”

“Gus!” Willow hissed, and Luz turned her head to him in shock. There was no way Gus was going to reveal them to Theo, not after they’d gotten on so well.

“No, Willow! There’s something weird going on here,” Gus insisted, turning back to Theo who was watching him humorously. Gus leaned right in, staring him down. “I’ve been watching you this whole time. You haven’t once moved that notebook or pen from your lap. Your stories are so weird, like half the pieces are missing. You’re acting very nice, but it’s not because of the flower crowns. You know who we are, and I want to know how right now.”

Willow and Luz shared a look of panic, realizing that Gus just outed them to Theo. But when they turned, Theo wasn’t confused. In fact, he laughed, gesturing for Gus to take the container from him.

“Alright, you caught me. You sons of Athena were always too smart for your own good.”

Luz, Willow, and Gus froze, all of their mouths dropping open comically. Luz felt her heart come to a complete stop. Willow full on dropped her Tupperware. Even Gus, who looked satisfied he’d gotten it right, recoiled like he couldn’t believe what he’d heard.

Theo was still holding out the container. “Will, you just take this and eat it? It’s not poison. I would never hurt another half-blood.”

This news built slower until Gus tentatively took the container and sat down. Theo smiled, looking at them with an unreadable expression on his face.

“I have to admit, I was naïve to think I could get away with keeping this a secret,” he said airily. “Being dead for thousands of years really makes a guy overconfident.”

Willow leaped away from Theo, and Luz and Gus were quick to reach for their weapons. Right before Luz drew Aletheia, Theo held out his hand, laughing.

“Sorry, sorry! Bad way to start I guess. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to bring you a message.”

Luz slowly lowered her hand away from her ring, and tucked herself closer to Willow and Gus. Theo sighed, running a hand through his perfect soft hair. For a dead guy, Luz thought it was very stylish.

“My name isn’t really Theo. In Athens, I was Theseus, the son of Poseidon. I have a message from my boss. Amity is not with him.”

[limoteethw]

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[heli0s-writes]

II. Of cinnamon rolls and Soldats

Summary: A couple of months pass-- making friends as an adult is weird. But, everyone loves your dog, so it's fine! Really, it's fine! Pairings: Steve Rogers x Reader x Bucky Barnes A/N: Steve Rogers is a scheming lil punk

Foot in Mouth Syndrome Masterpost

“You’re serious?” Bucky grumbles as Steve happily struts towards the door of their apartment—elbows bent, arms swinging, giddy whistling and all. “A dog?”

Steve shrugs as he leans against the door, picking his key ring from the hooks on the wall and twirling it annoyingly around his pointer finger. Bucky pours himself a glass of orange juice and eyes the bottle of vodka on their alcohol rack. He curses the serum because a screwdriver would definitely lift his mood. Steve insists on keeping liquor on hand at all times just in case they host any get togethers… which, for the last six months of living together, they’ve had only one. Sometimes Bucky drinks it straight from the bottle when Steve’s not looking just because he really misses it.

“Come on, Buck. World’s not ending any time soon. We’re on the most prolonged break yet. I wanna hang out with a dog!”

As if to add insult to injury— because Steve sort of just said that he prioritizes a dog over Bucky, he mumbles, “It’s not like you’re gonna let me get one.”

Bucky rolls his eyes for the millionth time since this request has come up. “You’re the dog. I don’t want another.” He crosses his arms, “Go, then. Get bitten for all I care.”

Steve swings his key ring around his finger and winks at Buck from the door. “I’ll be sure to let her know you say hi! And that you’re wondering how she’s doin’”

Bucky stiffens as the door slips shut— Steve’s laughter echoing down the hallway all the while.

-

He meets you outside of the campus Starbucks and catches the key ring you fling at him. Your hair is neatly braided, save for a few strands dangling over your face. You’re wearing fitted pinstripe trousers and a loose pale blue button up, tucked in haphazardly.

“Thanks! Just put it under the mat when you’re done! You got Venmo? I’ll Venmo you!” You screech before ducking into a crowd of confused undergraduate students and disappearing out of his view. Steve whistles lowly because your disappearing act could give Natasha a run for her money.

Happy, regardless, Steve spins the ring around his pointer finger and heads back to his motorcycle.

-

It’s almost three by the time you get back to your apartment, slick with sweat. The walk from the bus stop isn’t long, by any means, but you might be the sweatiest person you know, so the beads that drip into your eyes aren’t necessarily unexpected.

What is unexpected is that your keys are not under the mat, like you had instructed Captain America—who has now bewilderingly become your dogsitter, you suppose. Staring at the glossy turquoise paint of your apartment door, you stick your hand in your purse to rummage around for your phone. Suddenly, a bark from the other side startles you and you drop the device back into the gaping mouth of your bag.

A voice follows, shooting off a foreign command before a few more voices cheer as the barking subsides.

The door swings open and you anxiously step into your own damn apartment to three pairs of varying shades of blue eyes, all set in their own expressions. Your own eyes are wide-open, unblinking, possibly twitching – damn that giveaway left eyelid.

“Hello.” Blue eyes number one meets you at the front walkway.

You know her, and although you’re more familiar with her in red, the new blonde ‘do doesn’t take away from the terrifyingly calm energy she exudes. The smile on her lips says “Welcome” but the stare says, “Give me your social security number”

Part of you wants to squeal because you are a massive Black Widow fangirl because you don’t know if you want her or if you want to be her (Hello! She kicks ass and looks hot in leather?). But seeing her now, manifested at your door, staring at you like you’re chopped liver makes you refrain from professing your undying love. You gulp uneasily.

“Sorry about all the extra company!” Steve yelps from the floor when Buckeye gives his cheek an extra sloppy lick, “Time slipped from me. Natasha was in the neighborhood and I suggested she swing by to meet this good boy.”

Your dog crawls into his lap as if he’s not—Oh! Well, he sort of fits perfectly in those enormous legs. Even folded, Captain America’s lap is the size of a small table and Buckeye peers at you from beneath the white cone, chin perched on the corner of Steve’s knee.

“Uh, yeah that’s cool.” You mutter, shutting the door behind you, advancing carefully under Natasha’s gaze as she walks backwards into the living room. Finally, she plops down on the couch next to Bucky, who doesn’t look like he’s going to say anything any time soon. You’re surprised he’s back because he was two seconds away from crazy-murdering you last night and spitting on your grave.

“Still mad I licked your hand?” You call to him airily. Almost immediately, you can see all the hairs on his neck raise like an untamed cat caught unawares and Natasha whips around to give him a look of surprise.

“I swear to God…” he mutters, pressing his hand against his forehead because he already regrets that last minute blurt of accompanying Steve, and you are not helping. “Just one more. One more fuckin’ comment from you…”

You have about enough self-preservation as a lemming, so naturally you don’t even hear his threat.

“I thought I was doin’ you a favor, y’know, getting the wank-palm ready. You’re welcome, by the way.”

Steve whistles like a tea kettle as he tries to stifle his laughter and has to literally hold onto your dog to keep himself from pitching over. Buckeye loves it, because he pants along to each quiver of the Captain’s chest as he gasps for breath. Natasha pats the metal of Bucky’s arm.

“He’s right-handed.” She says nonchalantly.

“Oh.” You reply, “Well, cup the balls with it for all I care.”

Steve shoots up the same time Bucky does, and he steadies your dog with both his hands. “Hey!” He laughs nervously, “Come take Buckeye out with me for a minute! We’ll be back! Enough time for everyone to calm down.”  

He hooks Buckeye’s leash on and pushes his own Bucky out the door as quickly as they both can go. As he passes you, Bucky snarls, showing you all four of his canines— and you smile sweetly at him to veil the incoming sensation of nervous sweating. Steve shoves him roughly forward while leaning over against your cheek. That makes you sweat immediately.

“What did I say about that smart mouth!?” Steve whispers harshly before stepping out. Your dog trots out behind them, happy as can be.

Natasha pats the warm seat beside her where Bucky used to be and smiles at you until you slide in next to her.

“I’ll make it quick,” She begins, “I don’t know what funny little goose chase Rogers is on this time, but he’s taken a liking to you. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Uh…”

She continues, despite your very graceful response and the flare that heats your face a thousand degrees hotter.

“He’s got some idea to take a superhero sabbatical. You planning any summer vacations? Maybe to 7344 Sunnywaters Drive? Cincinnati?”

You gulp. “Y-yeah, actually.” The sweat Steve’s proximity drew from you is nothing compared to Natasha clocking your parents’ address as an offhanded threat in your own damn home. You’re too scared to even wipe the moisture from your brow.

“Cool. Keep in touch.” Then, as if she’s handing you the remote, Natasha flings your phone into your lap and you fumble with it like a live grenade before clasping both palms over the thing. She’s already at the door, one hand on her hip before sending a wink back at you. “That’s between us girls. I’m your one-stop shop for boy trouble, understand?”

You nod your head vigorously and Natasha smiles at you again, a sweet peel of her peach lips back to reveal her teeth, just the same as Bucky. Then, like a dream, she’s disappeared out the door. A whine escapes your lips as you stare at the newly added contact: Nat.

You don’t even want to think about how she pulled the thing out of your purse and put herself in it without you noticing and frankly, the thought of her physically that close to you makes your legs weak.

Apparently, Captain America wants to retire with his trusty murderous sidekick and he’s looking at you to show him a good time. You pull your backpack into your lap and wrap your arms around the four books you’ve checked out of the library. You still owe your professor a paper, and your cohort-mates a drink some time this week. When, oh when, are you going to have time to have a mental breakdown?

Certainly not now, as two Super Soldiers stomp their way back into your apartment.

“Dude, I got downstairs neighbors.” You mutter dejectedly, sliding the bag onto the floor.

Steve apologizes and starts to tiptoe like a ballerina. Bucky, the saint, firmly slams one foot down and the entire building seems to shake. Buckeye hops up onto the couch at the noise, and the length of his leash twists around Steve’s ankles and trips him.

Right across the couch. His head falls into the cushion of your lap before he bounces himself off with a gasp.

“You gotta be kidding me.” You say as Steve pitches backward onto the floor and the apartment shakes once again with the strength of a 7.4 magnitude earthquake. All emotion has drained from you as you hold onto the couch like a lifesaver. These stupid superheroes are going to get you kicked out of your apartment and you can’t afford rent anywhere else, god damn it. Steve lies plank-like on the carpet, wincing at the commotion.

Bucky, on the other hand, cackles gleefully— the happiest you’ve ever seen him, ever. It makes you freeze as you stare at the oddity of the smile on his face. He’s never smiled on any television broadcast you’ve witnessed and even against the loop in the Smithsonian, this one knocks it out of the park. At the end of his maniacal tittering is a strangely mystifying chuckle, topped off by a lingering lopsided little smirk as he wipes the corner of his eye. His cheeks are flushed pink and the threads of hair that dangle over his features make him look all the more… handsome? No…!

“What?” Bucky snaps as he catches you looking.

“Nothing!” You shriek back, pretending to busy yourself with pulling your hair from its braided confines. The waves slip out of your elastic chaotically and you brush through them with your fingers, letting your face be obscured by your tresses. “I uh… I gotta do some.. writing.” You admit quietly.

It’s nearly four, and the books in your bag are not reading themselves.

“Oops, sorry, we’ll get out of your hair.” Steve grins at the waves over your face, “Get it?” and you roll your eyes dramatically at him.

“Please fucking leave.” You grunt. And they do, heading to the exit after Steve gives your pup a good double-eared rub. Suddenly, you remember, “Wait! Shit! Hey what do I owe you for today?”

You fumble around in your purse but Rogers crosses his arms and leans against the door frame, nearly as wide as the damn thing itself. Bucky raises an eyebrow next to him, “Why’re you diggin’ round in there like you got any money?” He asks.

“I fucking hate you.” You whisper dejectedly.

His leering smirk is back full force as he returns one of your own to you, “Feeling’s mutual, princess.”

You take it way back, like back to prehistoric times—no, back to The Goddamn Mesozoic Era-- and bury it there. Bucky Barnes, handsome? You’d rather eat shit.

“Don’t worry bout it.” Steve smiles, “As long as I can spend time with this good boy, we can call it even.”

You frown. “You… like, wanna dogsit for free?”

“Mhm.”

If this was a nightmare or some sick simulation that a sadistic deity was placing you in, fuck it, what can you do? It feels like a bad way to make a new friend but at the very least you have new friend? You’re trying to peer towards the brighter sides of this whole thing.  

An Avenger wants to hang out in your apartment and take care of your sick dog? There goes the possibility of potential muggings! Maybe you’d get held hostage again briefly, but Bucky will just shoot them in the face like last night. Imagine how much free time that’d give you to finish your paper!

You dig back around in your purse, finding the tiny little zip pocket and fling a loose key towards the door. Bucky snatches it before Steve can, in an almost protective gesture.

“That’s my spare. Knock yourself out, my man.” You say cheerily. Steve takes it from Bucky and grins at you before they both leave.

  They’re back in a couple of days, Steve politely texting you ahead of time as you’re perched on the kitchen counter waiting for your leftovers from…who knows when to warm up. You unlock the door and return to your post.

Steve immediately fawns over Buckeye, who naturally returns the affection. They roll around on the floor together and you frankly start feeling like you have two dogs. And then the image of Captain America as a stupid Golden Retriever sears itself into your brain. You shake it from your head, bewildered, but you can’t help glancing back over at the way he spools over the floor with his knees bent and mouth open.

Opening your mouth, you begin to comment but it shuts itself when Bucky saunters into your kitchen and sticks his head in your refrigerator. He drinks the last soda you were saving before stepping across from you and leaning back on the counter with an antagonistic smirk.

Yep. You still hate him. You wonder why he’s even here since the feeling is so, so mutual.

“Sooooo….” You sing quietly as a different thought flits across your mind, taking one hand and gesturing from Bucky to Steve, who is now playing tug-o-war with Buckeye. Your wrist flicks a few times back and forth. “You guys like, fuckin’? Or what?”

The hand that’s holding onto your marble counter slips slightly and Bucky stumbles before catching himself. It wouldn’t take very much for that same hand to shatter your jaw, he thinks, because what kind of person just says that!?

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Do you have any sense at all?” Bucky grumbles under his breath, “Or do you just love flirting with death this much?”

You blow a raspberry at him, “Pfft. Presumptuous of you to one: call yourself death, and two: suggest I’m flirting.” Bucky snarls in reply, and you think you could get used to this kind of banter.

From the living room, you hear Steve pat his knees, “Hey!” he calls, not missing a beat, “You guys flirting in there!?”

-

“Soooo….” You intone again a week later, when Steve volunteers to take Buckeye out for a break and you’re stuck watching T.V. with Bucky, book and post-it notes in your lap.

“I swear, if you ask me one more time if Stevie and I are fucking, I will kick your ass so hard your damn vertebrae will pop out of your mouth like a Pez dispenser.”

“Stevie? Oh…” You mutter, “So, y’all in love, love.”

His metal fingers flex against his thigh and you whistle innocently when Stevie returns.

You smile. The blonde smiles back. Bucky’s hand whirrs menacingly on the other side of the couch.

--

Almost two months pass of these habits—Steve coming over, usually with Bucky in tow and they lounge around your apartment like they live here while you sit with your tablet and crank out as many e-mails as you can in their presence.

At this point in time, you practically think of them as your extremely annoying roommates because that’s what they act like. Sometimes you eat sad dinners together, consisting of Frankenstein’s-Monster-level sandwiches of things you find in your fridge—but after the second instance of that happening, Steve began to bring over groceries every time he came by. You had thanked him. Then you proceeded to create other abominations with his produce.

In the beginning, it was tough; there were constant distractions as they navigated how to behave around you and vice-versa. Endless quips and insults and threats, primarily between you and Bucky while Steve watched helplessly. Eventually, it died down somewhat, and although you thoroughly enjoyed making fun of him, Bucky was just as much an appreciated fixture as Steve was.

Besides, you had other things to do than make his life miserable—more miserable, you hope, because you hope his life is already miserable, that smug, trash-panda-looking bastard.

Once, Bucky thought it was curious when he hurled an insult at you but there was only silence. Even Steve looked over, but you were buried with work, balancing a book on each knee as you sat cross-legged, typing furiously, head turning from one side to the other as you read at the same time.

It reminded Steve of Tony. Bucky stilled and quirked his head to the side, almost impressed—not that he would ever admit that anything you did was impressive to him.

Fifteen minutes later, you finally replied—a half-hearted rudeness that had nothing to do with what he said in the first place.

He laughed then, boisterous, almost hysterically when you glued your eyes back to the screen and smiled absently.

“Alright, kid. We’ll leave you to your work.” He said, “Let’s get outta here, Stevie.”

“Ooooh, Stevie,” You squealed mockingly, “Hey---“ a grin had passed over your face and before you could ask exactly what they both knew you were going to ask, Bucky leapt over the couch and put you in a headlock.

“I’m gonna kill you!” He snarled.

Buckeye barked, alert and worried as you yelped, head stuck in his arm. Captain America leapt gallantly to his feet, hands out ready to diffuse the tension, but when you started giggling and tapped playfully on Bucky—who laughed, goddamn it—laughed, Rogers sat back down with a knowing grin.

 Although the topic of their bond was a running gag at this point, it was still on your mind from time to time as you carried on with your daily life. Classes were coming to an end, and this would be the first summer in a while when you wouldn’t be taking a course—instead only TA-ing for an online class. You suppose it would only take you a couple of hours a day if you timed your schedule correctly. Balancing your schoolwork, other friendships, and the Super Soldier Chaos Idiot Duo had been surprisingly easy, considering that they were relatively low-maintenance and didn’t want anything other than to be in your company.

They help you out quite a lot, especially Steve, who you swear to God, just fucking loves dogs. At least twice a week he comes and either takes Buckeye on an extended walk (an hour minimum), or takes him to the dog park and they both come home completely exhausted and sprawl out on the floor while you fan them with a spare newspaper, trying not to stare at the way his chest rises and falls, nearly bursting out of his drenched t-shirt.

Not that you were crushing on Captain America, your sort-of dogsitter-slash-friend, but that you were a human being with two working eyes. Because, good googly-moogly, that ass is juicy.

Naturally, that train of thought brought you back to Steve and Bucky’s possible relationship. So, for the first time since you’d been blessed with the Deus ex Machina itself, you had texted Natasha.

You: Hey… uh, weird question but… these boys fuckin’ or nah?

The grey ellipses appeared immediately.

Nat: Interesting question coming from you. Not my business. Ask them.  

You: “One-stop shop”, my ass.

 She didn’t dignify your grouching with a reply. But you took her advice anyway, and asked Steve, who proceeded to clap his hands together loudly.

“We’re partners!”

He beamed then, like that shed any light at all on what you were pondering. Partners also meant like, the team-up-together-and-kick-ass kind of thing. Part of you had thought that he did that on purpose, but…whatever.

 You wanted to remain on the safe side of Bucky’s possible wrath, so you keep the staring at Steve thing to a minimum and then eventually, you stopped altogether.

 Tonight, however, something new is happening—new in your life, and new for Steve and Bucky too, as they step into your apartment and freeze when you emerge from the hallway. You had called and asked for a dogsitting session for a couple of hours, which happens from time to time when you’d go out with friends, but this was different.

“Hey.” You greet as you scurry around, looking for something. Steve busies himself stroking Buckeye’s back but watches as you nervously scramble around like a gerbil, flinging the couch cushions and throw pillows onto the floor.

“Lookin’ for these?” Bucky asks, gingerly placing his hand forward with your keychain dangling from his fingertips.

“Oh shit, where’d you find ‘em? I’ve been looking everywhere.”

“They were on the hook, like always.” He responds slowly, eyeing you up and down like you were sprouting another head.

It’s almost as jarring, actually. You greet them every single time in swaggy Ohio gear, shorts and a tee, or your semi-formal work clothes, but today, two months into their weird little friendship with you, you’re wearing a dress. Bucky squints as they both take a seat because he thinks it looks like you’ve put on lipstick.

“The fuck’re you lookin at? Wait--is it on my teeth? Son of a bitch, I always get it on my teeth.”

“Yes.” Bucky deadpans.

“No!” Steve corrects and slaps him on the chest. “You… uh, look nice.” He says as you pick up your purse and dig around in it before realizing your phone is already in your hand.

“Huh?” You ask, genuinely not hearing his compliment from all the blood pounding in your ears. They watch you slip on combat boots and pick at your eyelashes for a second before you anxiously walk over to where they lounge on the couch. “S-so… I’m… going on a date.” You admit quietly.

Steve quirks an eyebrow. Bucky folds his arms.

“Okay. Normally I would never ask you guys—especially not you,” You sneer at Bucky who rolls his eyes, “But… I have not been on a date in quite a long time—hooo boy, I don’t even know what a man is like anymore, honestly.” You blather as Steve looks incredulously to Bucky and them at himself as he gestures obviously to their very masculine physique. “Okay, but like—not you guys.” You add quickly.

“What the hell does that mean?” Bucky doesn’t know why he’s offended, but he is.

“You’re men, fine! Yes. Technically!” He scrunches his face even more as you continue to ramble, “But like, this is a man! Like, a human? Y’know? A person who could like me! Ah shit, I’m just anxious, you dick!” You screech, “All I wanted to ask was like—you know!” You sway from side to side mechanically, waving your hand in front of your face as you squeeze your eyes shut, “Do I look okay!?”

Maybe instead of going on the date, you could just drop dead right here, you think. A literal minute of silence passes and you stop feeling embarrassed and start getting angry, foot tapping against the carpet. “Am I invisible?” You throw your hands up.

No, Steve thinks as he digs around for the right thing to say. You are unquestionably not invisible, because he’s been looking at you for the better part of two months now and he definitely has some words for this instance. His eyes move over your exposed shoulders and down the soft material of the dress that seems to be contouring your body before they stop at the dress’ hem—at the middle of your thighs.

“Kinda short.” Bucky blurts.

“Kinda the point.” You mutter, “I want this guy to like me, remember?”

“Good luck.” Bucky snorts, “Not with that mouth.”

A sly smile spreads over your face because the comeback you have is rated NC-17 and you’re ready to spew it all over him but Steve shakes his head sharply and you shut up with a sigh. Mood killer. You pat your thigh and briefly bend over to snuggle with Buckeye while Steve surveys your streaming subscriptions. He’s started on a new sci-fi show at Natasha’s suggestion and he and Bucky have recently left off on a cliffhanger. It seems to be a good place to distract himself from the peculiar direction this night is heading down.

“Love you sooooo much!” You squeal, rubbing your forehead against your dog’s velvety grey skin, lowering your voice into a silly warbly pitch “Yeah, that’s my Big Bucko! Uh-huh, good boy. Who’s the best boy? You’re the best boy!”

From beside him, Bucky lets out what sounds like a puff of annoyed air.

You fix yourself and stand up, parting with a final kiss on his head, “Wish me luck, Buckaroo.” Then you imitate guns with your fingers and point at Steve and Bucky a few times, as if firing, “Alright, suckers. I’m out. I’ll let you know all about it in a couple of hours.”

And just like that, you’re gone, keys jangling all the way.

Steve clicks play on the next episode of the show and Buckeye settles by his feet, nestled comfortably between his and Bucky’s legs. The opening theme starts as they sit in silence, thinking over the last ten minutes.

Bucky speaks first.

“I’m gonna kill her.” He mutters plainly. At this point, it’s a reflexive statement to show his disapproval of whatever it is that you’ve done. Steve seems to agree as he nods slowly before taking a deep breath.

“I think I’m gonna kill the guy.”

 Bucky lets out a string of laughs as he grabs his sides and leans back on the couch because he knows it’s a joke, but Steve is never this protective, nor does he threaten civilians lightly. When Bucky turns his head to regard his partner, the look on Steve’s face is a wry one—half tilted smile, furrowed brows.

“C’mon Stevie. Girl’s just trying to live.”

“Wow, you’re defending her? Oh, Buck, you’re in deep, aren’t you?” Steve teases as he reaches over to ruffle Bucky’s hair. He knows, just by being with Bucky all these years that their feelings for you are mutual. He had called it day one as he followed you through the wet grass of the complex—Steve knows what Bucky likes, and he knows full well that Bucky likes you.

“Shaddup, Rogers.” Bucky grunts. But now that it’s just the two of them in the apartment, the crotchety ill-tempered façade slips off and a smile glides over his lips. “She’s a brat.” He mutters, but stretches his arm across to rest it on Steve anyway.

Their personas are defined: Steve is good cop, Bucky is bad cop. Steve is a Golden, Bucky is a wolf. They fit their roles well because it does fit who they are, but when it comes to private matters, Bucky understands that Steve runs the show. And Bucky always lets Steve do what he wants. It’s annoying sometimes, when he gets himself a stupid new hobby and falls down a rabbit hole of some obscure ancient coin-collecting or whatever else he gets into.

His latest endeavor for the last two months since his so-called retirement, had been meeting every fucking dog in Manhattan until he met you. And then it was a two-for-one-combo, Bucky thinks. But Bucky loves happy Steve, so he let him become your friend.

 From next to him, Steve pretends to pay attention to the show—not that it isn’t enthralling, but he has other things on his mind. Bucky’s quieted, far-away look in his eyes and Steve knows it’s because he’s lost in thought, trying to analyze this situation—trying to analyze Steve.

But Steve Rogers’ intentions are simple, as they’ve always been: make Bucky happy. And in the last two months since that fateful night, scraped knees, Ohio Fight song and all—Bucky has been.

Steve’s a shit, and Bucky loves Steve. You’re also a shit. And he knows, oh he knows, Bucky also loves you.

 The episode drones on in the background, already close to finished. An hour has passed and they hadn’t even noticed.

They sit there, eyes glazed over, occasionally flicking each other and grabbing one another’s hand, deep in thought of affections for each other until quite suddenly, the door flies open and you stomp in, hair in disarray.

Two heads jerk over to the doorway where you kick off your boots with a snarl, steadying yourself with your palm against the wall before slumping to the ground and greeting Buckeye with outstretched arms.

Bucky is about to comment on the briefness of the date, but you’re curled up into a ball over your dog’s back as his tail whips happily against your side. You’re whispering and kissing him rapidly over and over like machinegun fire. “Buckeye!” You cry, “What kind of stupid motherfucker! I can’t believe that piece of shit. How dare he!” You rub your face against your dog, glaring at the ground.

Steve and Bucky exchange looks.

“Are you drunk?” Bucky asks.

“Yes!” You yell, moving so that you’re slightly squatting. The two men tilt their head at your stance before they watch you slowly lift Buckyeye in your arms. You shake slightly and take a step forward, the hem of your dress peeling up against his bottom as he slides to one side.

He doesn’t notice at all, and continues flapping his tail as you teeter around the front entrance.

“Look at this fuckin’ cinnamon roll!” You cry, smashing your face against his neck, the rest of your words coming out muffled into his fur, “Does he look fuckin’ dangerous?!”

“No!” You answer your own question, taking another step forward, “He’s not! He is! A! Good! Boy!” Another step is taken. Steve and Bucky press themselves against the couch as you tread towards them menacingly.

“What the fuck is going on?!” Bucky demands when you begin to sniffle because it is freaking him out that you even have a sad setting on your range of emotions. More than anything, it’s freaking him out that you’re showing it to him.

“Would you call—“ You ask, standing him front of him, hips leaned forward to help distribute the now 55 pounds of muscle that is your dog over your body so that your arms don’t suffer too much tomorrow, “Would you call this precious, lovable— a little traumatized, sure—baby—“ You sniff again, “Would you call him vicious?” You hiss. Bucky opens his mouth but you disrupt him again.

“Would you call this good boy, a killer?!”

Bucky grunts when you throw your dog onto his lap. “Look at him!” Long, wet licks are applied everywhere to Bucky’s grimace as your dog’s tongue finds this an opportune moment to clobber Bucky with kisses. In the two months that he’s hung around, Buckeye has rarely had this close of encounters with Bucky. Usually it’s Steve who gets his attention, and the silver-armed man is just someone who sort-of looks at him. As a dog, he’d rather play with the person who lies down on the floor and rolls.

“What the—god damn it!” Bucky dodges left and right, but the tongue even goes right into his eyeball. Finally gets to rest as Steve motions your dog over to lie down in the middle, resting his bum on Bucky’s lap and his face on Steve’s knee.

You crumble onto the floor on your knees, throwing your arms over Buckeye’s back and pressing your cheek against him, looking up at Steve.

“Can you believe it? This guy… this guy called Pit Bulls killers. He called me a dumb bitch for getting a Pit because they’re all vicious and should be put down and eradicated. I got so fucking mad at him, I threw both our drinks in his face. I hate this fucking city—everybody’s a goddamn asshole.” You quiet considerably as Steve puts his hand on your shoulder. He knows how touchy you are when it comes to misconceptions about your pet, because he knows you’ve worked hard to rehabilitate him since his adoption. And Steve has witnessed first-hand just how mild Buckeye actually is.

He might look big and intimidating, now at 10 months and massive, but he plays peacefully with other dogs every time they go to the park, and he lets strangers pet him no sweat. Every time.

Steve steals a look across the couch where Soldat stares ahead calmly.

As if understanding the situation, Buckeye whines pitifully and rubs his wet nose against your cheek. A quiet moment passes before the other side of the couch shifts and Bucky sits up.

“What’s the motherfucker’s name?” He asks cooly.

“Buck…” Steve warns.

“No, no. I’m not gonna do anythin’ to him. His tires, though, different story.”

You laugh and sit up finally, make up a little smudged from your tears. “Nah. He’s not worth it. A lot of people in Manhattan aren’t very dog-friendly anyway. I bet he doesn’t even fuck with Labs, y’know?” You scratch the bridge of your nose before looking up at the two sitting above you.

Steve to your left, head tilted slightly with a sympathetic smile. Bucky to your right, mouth set in that characteristic scowl of his as he waits for you to say something stupid—as always. And you sort of do.

“I’m going to visit my parent’s for a week. We have an extra room and lots of space—wanna come along to Ohio?” Your drunk brain interrupts yet again as you pull yourself up and push Buckeye until he’s on the other side of Steve and you flop down on the couch in-between them, kicking your feet on top of the coffee table. “Anyway, what are you guys watching? Ew—is that thing giving birth? Fuckin’ gross.”

 And then you’re asleep, the smell of vodka lingering over your head as it tilts backwards and the couch cushion sinks to cradle your skull. Steve sighs and puts Buckeye on the leash, taking him out for one last potty break before they leave to go home now that you’re wandering dreamland and gestating a hangover.

He returns to Bucky standing over your sleeping body on the couch, carefully tucked in from the blanket on your bed—pillow under your head and all. Steve says nothing as Bucky crosses his arms and looks at you with an odd grimace, like he’s trying to figure something out. Quietly, Bucky heads to the door and pats your dog gently.

Steve Rogers takes out your spare key and turns off the light with a smile.

Next Chapter

[etraytin]

Quarantine, Day 246

November 12

Nothing continues to happen, which is good because it means I am doing a good job at quarantining and also these updates are easy to write. Now that the election is pretty much a settled question I’ve actually been feeling more like writing and have knocked out a couple pages of the next chapter on Rental Cars and Westbound Trains. Hopefully that will be coming soon to an AO3 near you! Of course, Desert Bus for Hope starts tomorrow and is going to hopefully be awesome despite being 100% virtual this year and will take a lot of my attention. 

For anybody who doesn’t know, Desert Bus for Hope is LoadingReadyRun’s annual fundraiser for Child’s Play, which is a charity that buys video games and toys for children’s hospitals around the world. Every year since 2007, they have gotten together in November for a marathon session of the game Desert Bus, which is widely regarded as the most boring video game ever invented. The sole action of Desert Bus is steering a passenger bus from Tucson, AZ to Las Vegas, NV in real time, which is an eight hour trip. The steering wheel pulls slightly to the right so you must continue steering at all times, and if you make the entire trip without crashing, you earn one point and are given the option to make a return trip. The sheer monotony of the game means that most of the marathon stream is an exercise in thinking of other fun things to do while the game goes on. Last year for Desert Bus 2019, they played for seven days straight and earned over $850k for charity. This year instead of all being in one place they will be marathoning virtually from home, but it should still be a good time. 

Continuing the theme of Christmas presents, I passed the Amazon Wishlists for my family and me this week to our relatives who like to shop early, and MIL went seriously ham on them basically right away. This resulted in my sister texting me to inform me that my list was lame and asking if I really wanted contractor bags for Christmas. The answer to that was of course yes because contractor bags are fucking expensive and very useful, but also drew my attention to the fact that MIL had eviscerated our lists because she is a woman who really, really likes online shopping. This would be worrying except she is pretty well set with the financial advisor now and so I’m fairly sure she’s safe to do Christmas however she wants. In any case, the kiddo and I went and added more items to our lists and my husband revealed the existence of his second, ultra-secret wish list that he had held back because he knows how his mom is. That man is clever! 

Not a lot else happened today, it is still raining and there were flash flood warnings around the area. I also had to extend sympathy to all our Cincinnati/NKY friends who have to deal with both the Spence and Roebling bridges being closed due to the many foibles of semi trucks, and the already terrible traffic being completely FUBARed for the foreseeable future. Back when we lived in Northern Kentucky, Husband worked in Cincinnati and had to commute every day. It was a terrible drive even with the bridge open, and having the bridge closed would’ve doubled it. Ouch. Our friends in Florida and Alabama seem to have fared okay despite Hurricane Eta, which is what is dumping all this rain. The kiddo finished a third paragraph on his narrative essay, which is spelled terribly but flowing pretty well. That’s what first drafts are for, anyway. Oh, and Husband finished his last day of teaching for the semester. Now it’s just final exams and grading, then a long break until January in the hopes that combining holiday breaks will lead to less travel and contagion. Here’s hoping, because that curve is starting to look like a line ramping straight up.