#he and my dad chatted about fishing for a long while in the entry

[fictionadventurer]

All the tour groups in Springfield should be very proud of me for how well I refrained from sharing all my fascinating Lincoln facts.

[hostilecandle]

🍏 and 🍈 for the writer asks pls!

God I'm so sorry for this ramble 🙏😅

🍏 Is there something you overuse, whether it’s a certain phrase, trope, or piece of punctuation-

Religious Imagery 😅 lmaoooo. I overuse that shit SOOO much. It's in every single fic I've ever written. Doesn't matter fluff or smut or what fandom, I always find a way to work it into the main themes. Literally writing a long af Price x Reader and its title is taken from Psalms 😅😅 I grew up a gay man in a Catholic military family in the Midwest of the United States. Gotta funnel that experience somewhere, so fics it is :D

🍈 Who’s your blorbo and what are some of your favorite headcanons/ideas about them that repeatedly show up in your fics-

Okay this said free pass to ramble about blorbo so I will be taking that opportunity here lol, so my apologies i have many thoughts about this man. I'll use CoD bc it's the fandom I'm in rn so I gotta say John Price (Both the og and reboot though I'm just gonna refer to the reboot Price for this). This man does things to my brain that need to be studied under a microscope I swear 😵‍💫😵‍💫 I have a whole ass character study of him written that's several pages long and I'm still not done.

Headcannons for him (some I've written, some just vibes):

-This man SCREAMS a good ol future midwestern dad type in the making to me. He loves to hunt and fish. He loves the solitude and quiet of both activities, even if he doesn't get anything. Its just peaceful. There is always a beer in the fridge for when the game is on. When he's got a family/partner/retired (whatever you'd prefer), he's a yard guy (yall know the type). I just feel like he cannot sit still when he's home. He's gotta be doing something with himself after years of keeping busy. He's got all the fun toys like a riding mower that is so unnecessary for the yard size but makes him happy. He's always outside in the spring/summer doing something to the yard and god forbid the grass get too tall. He's also not big on socializing with neighbors, a very much a keep to himself and/or his family kinda guy, but he's always SO polite and the ladies in his neighborhood love him.

-From my own homelife experience but it just feels so Price, when he's home he's AWFUL about just leaving his firearm on the counter or coffee table or bed side. Just wherever he remembered to take it off and set down and it's just another thing to forget where he set it like his phone and wallet. Speaking of, he's terrible about losing his phone/keys/wallet/etc. He has a little dish by the entry that he swears he puts it all into but they're never there when he goes to leave and he has to scramble to find them every time

-He's a coffee drinker (black with just a little sugar) and unironically loves to read the paper whenever he gets the chance. He's a small talker and enjoys it, he talks about the weather, gas prices, taxes, and match scores. He gets bored easily when just waiting around and will chat with just about anyone

-He has horrific night terrors and carries a lot of guilt for things he's done in his job. He firmly believes it was all necessary and worth it for the greater good but he wrestles with himself a lot. I personally like to think when Gaz pushes him on it after the interrogation in MW, it actually rattled him a bit. Not because he felt any guilt necessarily for what had just happened (I don't think he felt any in that instance), but because that's one of the first times someone else has pressed him on his moral convictions. "You draw the line where you need it" is not a belief that comes from nowhere or from a man who hasn't wrestled with himself and asked himself the very same questions Gaz was throwing at him. He meant every word he said though and while I feel guilt will catch up to him in the late hours of the night some nights after years of living like this, he fully believes he's justified in everything he does and it's integral to his character and who John Price is as a person

-He's a staunch atheist. Baptized but never believed in a God really anyways but after the things he's seen, he can't find it in himself to even entertain the thought. That being said, in the bottom of his desk is one of those old fashioned crosses that's hollow that holds holy water and one's last will and testament. Obviously being in the military there's already the records of his will but keeps that in his desk regardless because on the off chance he's wrong about there not being a God, it doesn't hurt to be safe.

He's SUCH a Girl Dad™ in the making. He would THRIVE with having a daughter. I'm talking the tea parties, tiaras, letting her put makeup on him, his nails, all of it. He'd support her in any endeavors growing up and would do his damndest to be in the crowd any chance he can get. He'd be her biggest fan. Pictures of her on his desk, in his wallet. Always bragging about his daughter when he gets the chance because he'd be so proud of her

He's a salt of the earth kinda guy. Just has very classic masculinity. Like he's a Man™ and takes pride in it. But its in the, "I'm gonna take care of everything because this is how I care for what's important to me" way. He enjoys being the handyman around the house and who people come to because they respect him. He has a Project Car in the garage that he swears he'll get to and the back is littered with power tools and lumber

(Okay this parts not headcannon because he not old, he's only 37!!) He's actually very tech savvy and likes things to be as up to date as he can get so everything runs smooth.

He feels personally responsible for the wellbeing of the other main 3 of 141 but not in a fatherly way like people think, but these men are his brothers and he hand picked them, he has so much faith in their abilities. (However he unwittingly becomes a mentor figure to Soap very much against his knowledge and will lol)

He had to shave once for an Op and the boys ragged him so hard he refuses to ever shave again. Genuinely fucked him up a bit lol

He has a temper. He's got a good lid on it 99% of the time but its always simmering underneath

Has a wicked sense of humor. Most people don't know or recognize it but he's actually the funniest person in the 141. He's always cracking jokes to break the tension but he says it with such a straight face before breaking into smile to let you know he's joking.

[so-i-dont-forget-again]

So I Don’t Forget Again: A Breath of The Wild fanfiction

Entry 170: Rito Village

 Even though I can’t fly and most of their techniques involves the intricacies of flying and shooting at the same time I’ve still learned a lot. Teba said we were going to take a break today; he had noticed my arm started acting up yesterday and thought I needed a break. Yesterday he thought I just might not have stretched enough before training but seeing me this morning he thought I might have pulled something and suggested I ask Saki to take a look at it.

I guess I’ll have to visit the Domain soon. I’m not even near finished with the medicine I have now. Feels like a waste to have not finished this stuff before getting new medicine, but I was given an excess amount since they didn’t know how long I was going to be gone for.

Bossa Nova kept nudging my arm and side, I think he’s noticed too. That or he just wants scratches and pets. After getting here he practically had been getting them nonstop from just about everyone. With no one petting him I guess he now wanted me to pet him, and he nudged me less after I pet him. There’s also plenty of foliage here. I think Bossa Nova is getting spoiled here. I hope he’ll be okay with leaving when I’m done here.

I found Amali calling out for Kheel. She had gone missing and Amali was searching around the whole village. Though things are much safer, the Yiga have been around attacking people.

Teba and I had been using them in training as targets. I understand it’s to protect everyone in the village, but… I feel nauseous seeing the bodies pile up.

I offered to search outside the village for Kheel.

She was at Warbler’s Nest. She wants to finally have singing practice with her sisters but they refuse to go and she refuses to leave till they join her. I told her that if she had to practice here I or some other warrior should be there. It seems she doesn’t know about the Yiga. I thought about explaining the situation to her but I shouldn’t scare her, what if she becomes too scared to leave the village even when it is safe. I tried telling her there were other dangerous creatures around like wolves, but she still refused. She didn’t need to practice here every day, but it had been so long she at least wanted to sing here just once. I told her that I wanted to hear their singing and didn’t want to miss a thing, so I asked her if she’d please come with me to find her sisters so I could hear their recital practice.

First Kheel and I checked back home and found Genli at the cooking pot, she wanted to do some cooking and had sent some of the others to help her collect some missing ingredients while she prepared. She did tell us where she thought some of the others would be at like the store and such.

When we were searching Amali spotted us and was relieved to see us back safely. She told Kheel it was still too dangerous to be out. I explained I’d be there to look after them, but Amali wasn’t happy. Apparently Teba had told her we were taking a break and told me I was to be resting, not fighting still. I explained the situation with my arm but that only got her to say that was even more reason to rest. She then sighed, saying I am an adult who could make choices for himself but she highly recommended that I return to the zora before my infections get worse and become more permanent, maybe even stay with them till I’m fully healed since all the Divine Beasts had been appeased now.

Even if I’m still fighting, for me, just staying here is a rest. Amali paused for a moment then so softly told me that whenever I needed a break I could always come back here. She then told me to go back to playing with my sisters as Kheel seemed to be getting impatient. She then got flustered noticing what she had said and apologized. In a lot of ways I am rather similar to Kass and with how I’m always with her daughters, playing with them and such whenever I returned from training with Teba I was like a big brother to them. Kass had spoken much of me before Amali and I had actually met, and the tales were so accurate, she felt like she had known me for much longer than we actually had, so in a way I felt somewhat like her own child as odd as it may sound. Especially with how Kass spoke of me in a similar way he had of their daughters.

When Amali and I were hugging Kheel joined in, confused but didn’t want to be left out. I promised her I’d be more careful and that I’d go see the zora doctors soon and return better than ever. Amali said that when I come back, I should bring my boyfriend so she and everyone else could meet him, though with Kass’ many tales of Sidon he sounded like a great person. I think Sidon would like that and I told her I’d see what I could do.

Cree was buying goat butter. Notts was supposed to be helping but seems she wasw slacking off and Knotts was out fishing. I had to do a bit of climbing to reach her, but we found her on her stone perch and she joined us in our search. Knotts was very close to the village, on one of the pillars which were connected by bridges, there’s a little lake on one of them and there we did some spear fishing to get a hearty salmon. They said I fish funny; I didn’t think spear fishing could differ so much from zoras and rito but I suppose like fighting it can surprisingly be very different.

We all returned to the kitchen to cook with Genli. We made Salmon Meuniere, and it’s delicious! They wanted to make seconds but I convinced them not too so we wouldn’t spoil our appetite for dinner.

On they way to Warbler’s Nest they rode on Bossa Nova’s back, constantly giving him pets which I think he was very pleased with.

After some practice they asked me if I sang too. As far as I could remember I didn’t think I ever tried. They… didn’t seem too pleased with the result. I’m now their pet project of sorts. They want to teach me so I can become a great singer and serenade “The fish prince”. It’s common practice to sing to win someone’s heart and they wanted to help me with my relationship with Sidon. They said cooking was good but since I travel so much, I need to do more like their dad who sings a lot for their mom and them. They then got the bright idea of getting Kass to teach me, since we both have deeper voices than them and maybe someone with a slightly more similar range to me could help more. They pushed and pulled me all the way back to the village and demanded that Kass teach me. This whole affair was kind of embarrassing, but… the thought of singing for Sidon is nice.

After practice I assisted Amali in the kitchen again. Many of the Rito dishes involve a meat of some kind and I think many of them would be good for traveling, maybe not the fish meat pie, but many of the other ones seem like they could work like the Salmon Meuniere.

Kass and I did some chatting after dinner. He asked me it this is what it’s always like when in stay in a place after appeasing the Divine Beast, all the training I had been doing. I told him it differs from place to place, but this time… all I have left is finding the Master Sword and Defeating the Calamity and I want to make sure I’m ready. I told him staying in places is more like today, learning something, entertaining children, just… living here, and training to be a warrior is a big part of living here, though I had been training to excess lately and I told him I’d probably be letting up on it. Kass told me it was a good idea, I did so much fighting already and even if the art was my one true love, too much of anything was never good.

We just chatted, I’ve just chatted with others before, but this just felt especially nice. I wonder if it’s just Kass being Kass or what Amali had told me before, but I just really liked this. Maybe it was the soft playing of his accordion when we hadn’t talked for a while, just watching the sunset.

I asked Kass what he was going to do if I defeated the Calamity. Kass told me he’d still be searching for ancient songs. Even if I completed my task, that didn’t mean his job was done, and being a bard is his life, he’s not just doing it because of a dead man’s wish, like me and my journey.

Kass paused for a moment telling me he still didn’t have a song for Revali but he did have a song for someone else, the hero from a hundred years ago. Kass told me that though I can’t remember much his master was there when the Calamity had struck and met the old, dead me. Kass told me of how his teacher had loved Zelda but she had clearly fallen for someone else, the dead hero, and that likely colored this song, but even with jealousy he believed the hero would return and poured that belief into a song. It was still something that could possibly shed some light on my fogged memories even if heavily warped by another impression of that man.

“An ancient hero, a Calamity appears, Now resurrected after ten thousand years. Her appointed knight gives his life, shields her figure, and pays the price. The princess’ love for her fallen knight awakens her power/And within the castle the Calamity is forced to cower. But the knight survives! In the Shrine of resurrection he sleeps, until from his healing dream he leaps! For fierce and deadly trials await. To regain his strength. Fulfill his fate. To become a hero once again! To wrest the princess from evil’s den. The hero, the princess-hand in hand-Must bring the light back to this land.”

Kass asked me if the song had helped any. I… feel something tugging at the back of my mind, but I can’t seem to quite reach it. I know there was something bright, but… nothing else. But the song, I died protecting Zelda? Kass told me his teacher had witnessed it. And it was as Kass had explained before, his Teacher wanted to help and seek out the ancient songs of the hero long past to help me, and after he died Kass took on his wish. Kass said that it was too bad the hero would never return. After all he died saving the princess. He knows, he learned of my past when I had my panic attack, when he had me read through my journal with him. He knows, but… it’s like back in the Zora’s Domain now. He did however tell me that should I meet the princess I should give her my condolences for being a different person, her knight gone, and if she lives, to try to let her down easy about Sidon and I. I asked him if it was a shock to find out when I was panicking. He told me he had a suspicion ever since we solved that deer puzzle together, so he wasn’t surprised. He then started giving advice. Talking about grieving, how he had tried to deal with his feelings about his teacher passing, someone like family to him. About working with your worries, being so scared about the people you care about when traveling. About getting stuck in your head when you have no one else to talk too, one piece of advice that really struck me was speaking aloud to yourself, even just hearing the words not just in your head can make quite a difference. About how to deal with the deathly loneliness all that plus traveling through such barren landscapes on your own can bring.

Kass asked me if I could do a favor for him. He just wants to see me one last time before I set off to fight the Calamity, share a day with him and Amali and his daughters if I could. He said it might be a selfish wish, but to place his own heart at ease before I go fight the thing, he wanted to see I was prepared and felt ready to do so, maybe by then he’d have a song all of his own for me, he had a lot of material to work with after all.

Kass just pulled me into a hug when I started crying. I thanked him and told him I’d be happy to and that I was just happy to be here with everyone. He told me he was happy too.

First Page , Previous Page , Next Page 

[pinehutch]

Niche Interests

A little while ago, @mia-ugly tagged me to talk about 10 niche interests of mine. I don’t really know what counts as a niche so I’ve been making occasional notes about this over the last week. 

The hardest part of this for me is either that I’m not very interesting or more likely, that I’m a generalist. Like, I would give myself a solid B in many, many areas that could be considered “niche” - I love learning. 

But here are some things that I can and will reliably nerd out over if someone else brings them up!

1. Curly hair care. I’ve got naturally curly hair and didn’t really know how to look after it until my early twenties. Now I know many things about it, including where to get good curly hair products in Canada. Genuinely, if you have curly hair and want to chat about it you can always message me or send me an ask and I’m happy to try to help. (These days I am really loving Inahsi Naturals and Ecoslay;  yes I have drugstore and grocery store recs as well.) 

Also, more seriously: I would also encourage any white or other non-Black person who is frustrated with their own curly hair to also spend some time reading on natural hair movement to try to learn about the history and politics of Black hair in particular. If it’s within your means and you’re already buying specialised products for textured hair, I encourage you to to look into Black-owned businesses. 

2. Canadian Poetry in English, especially 1960-present. I could narrow this down further but c’mon, how many people genuinely want to hear me go on about those slim volumes that I accumulate? But like, I grew up on my mom’s hand-me-down volumes of Canadian poetry from Confederation to the 1980′s; at age 16 I was co-oping for a prof at the local university as part of building a collected works on a Canadian poet and painter, and clamouring to go to lit conferences; in university I showed up with a good chunk of the curriculum already read; etc. Total nerd. 

3.  Edible plants of Ontario. I don’t actually forage because I don’t have access to land where I think it’s appropriate for me to, but I grew up on ~80 acres of mixed forest in central Ontario, and my grandfather liked to show us what was safe to eat. I will never turn my nose up at ramps, and I think I may have remembered my dad’s secret morel spot he took us to as kids, to check out next spring. The list of what else is out there is long and still lodged in my brain. 

4. Fat acceptance, fat positivity, and a bit about plus-size fashion: in the early-to-mid 2000′s I discovered the fatshionista community on livejournal and it changed my life, which I say without hyperbole. I was looking for tips on finding “cute clothes,” and what I found was a pathway into learning about intersectionality. The people who ran and were highly vocal in that community did a lot of hard work in those years trying to dismantle not only internalized and external fatphobia, but also ableism, racism, and queerphobia. I’ve spent over fifteen years now consciously trying to dismantle fatphobia in myself and in the people around me, as a part of the work. (I’m not as well-grounded in the fashion side of things anymore, but I try sometimes.) 

5. History and development of the English language. I’m definitely just an armchair expert, but holy shit do I love this awful language, and how it came to be and continues to become. I minored in linguistics in university, and I used to be able construe Old English on the fly. I believe wholeheartedly in linguistic parity and I don’t mean that English is better than other languages; this is just the one I understand best. 

6. (This one is really boring I’m not even going to bold it)  public sector procurement law and practice in Canada. It’s not a field I’m in anymore, but I was for a while. How (literally, how, not just on what) do your governments spend your money? 

7. Ghost stories, yours and mine. Tell me your spookiest stories, please please please. My favourite thing to do in October is cram my eyeballs full of the entries in the Jezebel scary stories contest, in part because of the conceit that the stories are ‘true.’ I’ve always been interested in the unseen or barely-seen in general, including 20 years with an active interest in modern witchcraft (and a trailing one, still). 

Actually, that’s a good segue to

8. Divination, kind of. I’m not an expert or even any kind of practitioner, anymore, but I know a little bit about a lot of different methods and their histories and application. Enough that I could quickly find my way to good research if I wanted to incorporate some of these things in a work of fiction, and I am always keen to listen to other people talk about their experiences and practices. 

9. Okay, I didn’t want to admit it but: Dragon Age (all media types). I definitely did not intend to become someone with a high degree of fluency in a fantasy video game world but here’s how it happened: about seven years ago I started experiencing chronic fatigue, joint pain, and stiffness. By February 2014 there were days when I couldn’t walk. I was diagnosed (quite quickly) with rheumatoid arthritis and my immune system and I are still in a bit of a fight about it. On one of those days when I couldn’t leave home, I picked up Dragon Age: Origins and started a playthrough, and it turned out that gaming was exactly the right amount of distracting but not intensive that worked for me when I was in pain, most of the time. But I’ve played the games, read the books, own the encyclopedias and the TTRPG books, have read codices and wikis and reams of meta. My DA fervour is pretty low these days (it’s been six years since a new game came out, after all), but it may yet come back. (What I love about it is mostly to do with characters and setting: it rewards close reading and a historiographical lens.) 

The best part about all of this is that I’ve never really been arsed about dragons, as such. 

10. (This feels like cheating but) vegetarian food, and the role of meat and animal products in food cultures. (Also, like, the politics and culture of food in general.) First-off, I should say that I’m not a vegan or vegetarian unless you want me to select my entree for your wedding. I don’t eat meat most of the time, but I do eat dairy most days, eggs a few times each week, and eat fish or seafood semi-regularly. I’ve been meat-averse for most of my life, though there are times when I’ve craved it and continue to. As a result, I tend to plan and cook mostly veg meals; it’s just second nature now. I tend to keep a general awareness of how to Make Things From Plants because it’s also just useful knowledge to have - blender ice cream with coconut milk and peanut butter and cocoa powder is just more convenient when it’s 35C outside than cooking custard, you know? 

I do think that the plant-based eating movement has a huge, huge problem with classism, ableism, fatphobia, and racism, and so I try to keep my own interest in eating in veg-adjacent ways as an interest for me, not as a cause or goal. 

Tagging: @mareebrittenford @taksez @glowcrizzle @thisnewdevilry @19thcenturyfox @kungfulola @horse-badorties @fullcuntact and anyone else that is keen to talk about their niche interests. 

[lockdownuk]

Lockdown Diary Part 9

A personal account during the lockdown in the UK due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

23/03/2020 8:30pm Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, gives a live address to the nation to, effectively, put the country on lockdown to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus strain, Covid-19.

Many of us have been self-isolating for days but this latest development within the UK in reaction to the pandemic feels very serious and very scary. I decided to keep a simple diary and where better but online.

Day 241: Shit day at work. To cut a long story short, I could complete a task Sueanne gave to me and then I got it in the ear, including a snotty email ay 5:40pm. Pissed off.

Day 242: Had a meeting with Sueanne (our weekly 1-2-1 actually) and she was alright. I feel much better tonight. Last night I didn’t even have an appetitie - unheard of! Going to make up for that tonight, pie and loads of veg! A much better day. Ridiculously, I believe yesterday was all my own fault - I take work for granted sometimes and I let myself down by ignoring the urgency of a task just because it was Sueanne asking me to do it and she was a peer. She is now my boss, and I should respect that.

Day 243: So-so day at work. It’s strange how used to work I am after over six months on furlough. It’s been less than two months back but all the highs and lows amd frustrations are commonplace. Most importantly, it being Thursday, I cannot wait for tomorrow eveninga dn to kick back, drink and smoke. Spoke to dad this morning, he’s same as...that’s always good to know. Sugar levels have been a fucking roller coaster today, and it has really fucked me off! No salad at lunch due to them being so fucking high when I got back from my walk. It ended up being my tea. Sarted watching The Undoing...it’s OK. 

Day 244: Glad it is Friday. Just cooking a (very hot) chicken madras, cracked open my first beer. Gonna eat, drink, smoke and watch a good film.

Day 245: Gold was the film I watched last night, with Matthew McConaughey and it was a good choice. I then watch a Kevin Hart stand up show on Netflix...very Eddie Murphy, very funny. I did a 12 km walk today...fucking felt it in my legs. Walked the footpath from Stoke Doyle road to Benefield road for the first time. I liked it and it comes out between Lytham Park and Wakerley Close....I posted on FB about the fact that when I move to Oundle, Clifton Drive was the last street heading out of town. Saw Becks on the walk down Benefield road, She mentioned she’s tired of lockdown. I replied that I’m tired of the virus!

Day 246: Up at 1pm, nice long walk, ordered new slippers and waterproof jacket (my Craghopper is bust again).

Day 247: I screwed up at work today, went for a (ridiculously) late lunch right when I was meant to be at an online meeting that Sueanne had reminded me about in the morning. There’s mitigation but, when push comes to shove, I fucked up and now Sueanne’s on the warpath - one more slip up and it’ll be an offical disciplinary matter. 

Day 248: Suzanne wants me to troubleshoot a ticket she has in her queue, some database request for a Cork guy. It’s a test and it’s fucking me off.

I did testing for a network change tonight...8 till 11:15pm.

Elliot and Aaron cleaned the windows today. It was nice to see them.

Rita sent a couple of emails recently. Dad’s ear is all clear but Paul has got testicular cancer.

Day 249: New waterproof jacket arrived today. It’s very nice, bargain for £25 odd. Also picked up slippers from M&S food hall in Corby so, while over their, did a shop at Tesco’s...£109 mainly booze.

By the time I was back, I ended up doing my evening walk at 9.30pm!

Day 250: Leigh from Oundle Chronicle has got back to me. She (he?) has selected the photos that are going to be in the article and wants me to write a sentence on each - where they were taken and what inspited me to do so. Whether that means the stuff I wrote before is not going to be used, or not, I dunno! New slippers are OK and the new jacket is still impressing me.

Day 251: Typing on Day 252. Usual Friday, beers, meatballs, pizza, long chat with Fog. I should mention that, as we approach the end of Lockdown2 in England, Boris and his government have laid out a three tier structure for how the second lockdown will be eased. It’s caused confusion and consternation across the board. None of it affects me, still isolating like I was on day 1. Day 252: Totally forgot about my diary entry yesterday! Up at 1pm, nice long walk, nipped rong Elliots to pay for my windows, had a chat with him, Artron and Camilla - it’s so nice to socialise! Gonna make fish pie and supp a few ales. Day 253: The weekend is over way too quickly. It’s 7.30pm on Sunday as I type and I wish it wasn’t. I wish it was 7.30pm on Friday. Day 254: In a meeting, a working Zoom, with Andy Ashler in the US re: qfiniti, which Sueanne pissed me off about earlier in te day (RCI diary updated), but the meeting went well. I am desparately trying to buy an iPad on Black Monday. As usual with tech, I cannot make my mind up which to buy! Day 255: I haven’t bought an iPad....I’ll wait for the 10.2″ iPad to come down in price. I had more involvement with Andy Ashler and in the US with the Qfiniti project at work. I’m really enjoying it, it’s very technical...although I didn’t finish ‘til 6pm because of it. The Oundle Chronicle is out and an article about me and my pics is on the back page. Leigh, the editor, sent it to me electronically. It’s good. I am chuffed!  Day 256: I booked some holidays today, making sure that I didn’t include any days off in the week December 14-18 (SB’s off). So, this coming Friday (4th Dec), Next Weds-Fri and Monday 21st. I know I have only been back from Furlough a couple of months but I am more than ready for some kick-back time.  1-2-1 with SB today, it was a relaxed affair, most espcially becaus eof my success thus far with the Qfiniti project - that being said, I got pretty much nowhere with it today.  Ordered a couple of long sleeved Ts and a fleeced hoody from a shop called Doubletwo today, well cheap in the sale. I saw half a dozen joggers on the Milton Road blind bend tonight, oblivious to any other potential path user. I posted about it (in my own, sarcastic way) on the Oundle Chatter FB group. It was met how I’d expected plus some direct digs so I deleted it. Cowardly but, I figure, I don’t get my point across, the vast majority of joggers really don’t think they are doing anything wrong by bulldozing there way around town and, lastly, I couldn’t be bothered with the flak, and its tennis like back-and-forth!

Day 257: Got tomorrow off so worked late tying up loose ends, including the qfiniti project - fucking nuts really, making sure no one asks any questions of SB or the team, in terms of my work load, for just one day off! Still, just had tea, cracked open a beer and am watching Shaun of the Dead. Nice.

Day 258: The main thing I did today is walk. It was about 12km but felt much longer ‘cos it was wintry, pissing down, windy and slippery as fuck. And I really enjoyed it! Badge messaged me today to ask how I am and, in replying, I mentioned that I think I am becoming addicted to walking...it wasn’t a throwaway comment. Just cooked up a chilli (which I think I have ruined with a Knorr beef stock pot), and will tuck in with beers, smokes and telly. While it’s been a day off, this Friday evening will be as all others are at the moment, late, drunken and solitary fun - no doubt.

Day 259: Typing on day 260. That chilli last night was actually OK. Plus I ‘invented’ a meatball wrap - moving on from the TikTok ham and cheese wrap you fold into the toaster, I tried the same with meatballs but no fucking way could I fold it into the toaster slot (pissed up kitchen shenanigans), so I wrapped it in tin foil and heated it in the oven, Fucking delicious. I watched Shaun of the Dead. I think it’s the first time since its release and I couldn’t help thinking “zombies just aren’t like that [in real life]” Wtf?

Day 260: I was quite sensible (for a Saturday) last night, in bed by 2am, up at my alarm this morning, 10:30am. Nice long walk, taking in a new path up by Biggin Grange and took plenty of pics that turned out really good. Btw, posh lost yesterday at Portsmouth (with 2000 fans there) and they lost midweek and last weekend in the FA Cup to Chorley, at home. 

Day 261: It’s freezing today...actually 0 degrees. This house is so fucking cold, even with the heating on.

Day 262: Typing on day 263. Last day of work for 5 days. Beers are in order. And a sausage casserole. Day 263: I completely forgot to do a diary entry yesterday....concentrating on starting my work break off on the right foot, which I did. As a result, I didn’t get up until 1pm. So, to stop that sort of day wasting, no beers tonight. Just got back from a shop (£90 in Tesco’s), trying to sort out Romiley’s Christmas present, then something to eat (more sausage casserole) and a early, sober night.

Day 264: So, after abstinence last night, I was up before 11am and did a walk that included the track from Benefield Road to Monson Way past Park Wood. It was fucking hard work due to mud. I have lost coumd the amount of times I nearly slipped right over. Throw into that a hypo, the 12-13km walk was tough. Sorted out Romiley’s present (guitar stand, music stand and guitar exercises book). Took soime nice photos today as well which I’ve prepared and shared. No booze today/tonight either. Some break, a younger me would say!

Day 265: Friday, and I am typing with a beer, balti on the hob and I am just gonna choose a film and roll a single skinner. I am knackered. Up at 10am, cleaned the hall and stairs after a 10km walk. Also, I spoke with dad who is, as always, fine.

Time to make up for the last two sober nights.

Day 266: I am typing this on day 267. So drunk last night I left nearll a full can of beer and went to bed in my jogging bottoms and t-shirt. I have had a day off from any exercise at all which felt very odd. A few beers and watched Snatch. Day 267: While I was nowhere near drunk last night, due to sleeping in late (2pm) I was up ‘til 3am watching TikTok so today I struggled out of bed at just before 1pm. Watch the start of the season’s final GP (Verstappen won from pole and it was boring af), back on the exercising including a 9km walk. Back to work tomorrow which I feel totally conflicted about! Posh won yesterday at home to Rochdale (with the allowed 2000 fans) 4-1 including a 17 minute first half hatrick from Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Day 268: Back to work - Sueanne’s off and it’s the first day I’ve been at work with Jon in charge which involves a daily ‘SUMO’ (whatever that acronym stands for?) at 9.30am every day. I am still involved with te qfiniti upgrade project which seems to have taken a step backwards in the 3 days I had off, so I was working until gone 9.30pm! I have decided to do a quiz, hopefully for Christmas, whereby I don’t want the actual answers (to 25 particular questions, all with a common theme in the answer), merely an omitted question!  

Day 269: Stand Up Meeting Online. SUMO. Ian Bird told me. I might struggle with double Y for my quiz. Work was OK, more Qfiniti stuff. Posh drew away to MK 1-1. Posh were 0-1 up but Lincs lost at home. I can’t undertsand why that pleases me so....oh, yeah I can Steve Dee.

Day 270: Struggling to order Dad and Rita booze for Christmas without it being a Morrison’s delivery that I can do through Amazon Prime. That would be OK but it’s just a bit clinical! Meanwhile, now I am paying for Prime, and they are showing some Premiership games (for example, tonight I watched Liverpool v. Spurs (2-1), I really have to contact Sky - I am paying £71pm atm! Sam posted pic of her Christmas tree but mentioned how she’s finding it hard to get in the spirit - Paul has testicular cancer and the outlook is bleak - fuck know’s what she’s going through with all that, trying to shield Romiley from the worst without lying!

[pessimisticlatte]

Glass Roses ~ Chapter 13

Adrienette ~ Marichat ~ Lukagami ~ Ninalya ~ Nathalie x Emilie ~ Chloe x Sabrina ~ Gabriel x a long walk off a short pier

Shorter than usual but enjoy! <3

Nathalie watched the news with her office door locked, Duusuu fluttering worriedly around her head in a mess of crystalline tears and silky lilac feathers.

“Duusuu, stop,” Nathalie waved her hand at the Kwami, Duusuu’s tiny chest contracting too quickly as she inhaled. In a daze, the Peacock Kwami lowered herself to Nathalie’s desk and sat on it, shaking.

“H-how’re we going to get Nooroo away from him, Nathalie?” Duusuu’s voice rattled around in her head, echoing in a way she’d never experienced before. 

“I don’t know just yet but I am devising a plan. Chat Noir messaged me today,” Fishing her phone out of her pocket, Nathalie unlocked it and showed Chat’s message to Duusuu, who exhaled heavily. “After we’ve sorted this out, I’m going to request custody of Adrien.”

~~~~~~~~

Gripping Adrien’s hand, a dizzy feeling fluttering in her chest, he walked her down the steps of the Louvre. She’d wanted to see a new exhibition really badly, but Marinette hadn’t been expecting Adrien to show up at her door dressed in dark jeans, a button down and a beanie over his golden hair with two tickets for premium entry. It had been weeks since she’d mentioned it too, maybe having waited so long for Adrien to return her affection had given her the strange notion that he didn’t listen to her, but she couldn’t be sure.

“Are you alright, Mari?” Pausing at the bottom of the staircase and pulling his girlfriend to the side slightly, Adrien’s voice wavered with worry. 

“Y-yeah, I am, why wouldn’t I be?” Her cheeks started to heat, she could feel the crimson flush rising up her neck to paint her face with embarrassment.

“You’re chewing your lip,” Adrien reached a hand out to her face and brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, pulling it free of Marinette’s teeth. “I know this is the first date date we’ve been on so I’m very wary of making you anxious or uncomfortable.”

Marinette giggled, putting her hand over his where it was resting on her face. “Anxious or uncomfortable? Really, Adrien?”

“Come on!” His cheeks turned red as he ducked his head down to avoid her gaze, the thick locks of his blonde hair sliding over his forehead as they freed themselves from where they were loosely tucked beneath his beanie. “Mari,” Adrien dragged out the vowels of her name. “Don’t make me say it.”

“Make you say what?” There was mischief in Marinette’s stunning blue eyes as she quirked a worried half smile. 

“You really wanna do this?” The smile turned from worried to cocky, Marinette tipped her head to the side slightly and slid her hand down his arm as his palm remained pressed gently against her face. “You get really anxious, Mari, and I don’t want to make you hate me.”

“Aw,” Mari released a small squeak as her grin dropped, looking up into his green eyes through her lashes. “You couldn’t make me hate you, Adrien. And me having anxiety about being around you is a thing of the past! After the day where we ran around Paris while I was in my pyjamas, I really don’t think I’m ever going to reach the same level of embarrassment ever again,” Seeing his jaw drop slightly, she amended her words. “It wasn’t you! It was me running around with you while in my pyjamas! Y-you’re wonderful, Adrien!”

“Then what’s on your mind?” He brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“I was just thinking that…,” Mari paused, embarrassed with herself. “...what if your Dad doesn’t like me and he doesn’t end up wanting us together?”

“He doesn’t have the right to choose who I love, Mari, and if he has a problem with you then I’m going to have a problem with him. My Dad has left me on my own for almost my whole life, I’m beyond the point of worrying if the wonderful, intelligent, selfless person I’m bringing home is going to meet his standards,” 

Marinette felt her cheeks begin to blaze red at Adrien’s words, her boyfriend grasping her hands in his as he rested his forehead against hers, blinking slowly before meeting her gaze.

“You are amazing, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and you are talented, selfless and twice the person any of the vapid girls my father has tried to set me up with are,” Brushing her fringe out of her eyes, Marinette allowed Adrien to press a soft kiss to the tip of her nose as she scrunched her crimson flushed nose up with happiness. “Now let’s go look at this exhibit. It’s not going to be anywhere near as interesting and beautiful as you but I guess I have all the time in the world to admire you.”

“You have a way with words, Adrien Agreste,” Marinette pulled away from Adrien and interlaced their fingers, tugging him toward the exhibit. “Are you ready, Chaton?”

“If you’re coming with me, I’m always ready, my lady,”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Nathalie,” Snapping her eyes up from her tablet, Nathalie looked at Gabriel Agreste with wide-eyed surprise. Lurching up from her seat to stand for her boss, she pushed her glasses up to stop them from slipping down her nose further. “Where is my son?”

“Y-your son,” Stumbling over her words, Nathalie willed her heart to stop racing. There was a part of her that worried that Gabriel had worked out that she’d betrayed him and that part wouldn’t stop singing it’s siren song in the back of her stress shaken mind. “Yes, your son, Adrien. Adrien is at the Louvre.”

“Pray tell, why is my son at the Louvre, Nathalie? I don’t remember consenting to him going on an excursion to the Louvre,” Gabriel’s voice was cold as he surveyed Nathalie from beneath his glasses. She wasn’t a short woman by any standards but there was something about the signature indifference of Gabriel Agreste’s gaze that made her feel miniscule. 

“He’s on a date,” 

“A date?” Nathalie couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually seen Gabriel surprised about anything but the slight widening of his eyes gave away his disbelief. His son had a girlfriend or boyfriend and hadn’t thought to tell him? His heir, his golden boy, had told Nathalie about his love before he’d told his own father. “Was he ever planning on telling me that he’d begun a relationship with someone?”

“Yes, he was, but he was waiting for the right time. The relationship is new, fledgling if you will, and he had no desire to bring Miss Dupain-Cheng home until he was sure that he was more than a passing fancy,”

“Dupain-Cheng? That’s the girl that designed the hat a few years ago for one of my competitions, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir, it is,”

“How do you know that she is who my son is seeing?” 

“Jean-Luc and I drove them to the Louvre, sir, we picked her up on the way and made sure the two arrived safely. I am quite sure that she is who he is seeing,”

“Mr Gorille,” Turning slightly toward the open doors behind him, Gabriel called for Jean-Luc. Both Nathalie and Gabriel were aware that Adrien has given Mr Gorille the pet name of ‘Gorilla’ and it had taken the two much longer than they cared to admit to stop calling the poor man by the nickname themselves. Gabriel had resolved to calling Jean-Luc by his family name, which quite literally meant ‘gorilla’, rather than address his bodyguard and chauffeur in such an undignified way. Jean-Luc always chuckled at the nickname, he’d been called worse in school having had such a ridiculous last name but it had become endearing when the young Agreste boy had begun to address him as such. 

“Yes, sir,” Jean-Luc Gorille entered the parlour with his hands held loosely behind his back. “How may I be of service?”

“Nathalie has just informed me that Adrien has gone to the Louvre with his girlfriend,” Sighing, Nathalie sat back down and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose once again. Why did Gabriel always feel the need to undermine her? Emilie hadn’t let her husband undermine her in such a way but Gabriel appeared to hold not even a modicum of the respect he had for Emilie for Nathalie.

“That is correct, sir,”

“Alright, thank you, Mr Gorille,” Bowing his head slightly, Gorilla left the room and resumed his pace in the hallway beyond. “Seeing as my son is not here, I guess I’ll discuss my plans for his 18th birthday with you.”

Sliding into the seat across from Nathalie, Gabriel braced his elbows on the table before him and steepled his fingers, pinning Nathalie with an intense stare.

“What are you planning?”

“I would like to throw a party for Adrien. A formal one,”

“Adrien is not one for large events, Mr Agreste,” Swallowing any fear she had of losing her job or drawing forth Gabriel’s anger, Nathalie spoke truthfully about Adrien’s aversion to large, decadent events especially when they were being held in his name. 

“I’m aware of that, Nathalie, but it is an opportunity for me,”

“An opportunity of what kind, if I may ask?”

“An opportunity to meet my son’s girlfriend formally and to invite Ladybug and Chat Noir to an event which will allow me to steal their miraculouses out from under their noses,”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~TAGLINE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DM me to be added to the tags! @beauty-and-her-books @camelliaflwr @a-star-with-a-human-name @mochegato @nifflerstorm @severalverysmallmangoesinabasket @lady-charinette @katieykat513 @maniic-pixie-dream-girl @aussie-lesbian @dodie-y3llow

[early20thcenturynerd]

“Margetta Hirsch Doyle ’45 was a regular student at William & Mary. Her friends called her ‘Getta’ and she was a Kappa Delta. Doyle kept a diary and wrote about her philosophy quizzes, described how much she enjoyed making Red Cross surgical wrappings and mentioned hours spent spotting airplanes from campus buildings. Doyle was a student during World War II.

During the second World War, William & Mary became a predominantly female campus. While many college-age males fought abroad, women kept up the war effort from Williamsburg. In between their studies and social life, students volunteered with the Student War Council and the American Red Cross. Along with other service work, they, like Doyle, made surgical dressings and spotted airplanes, sometimes in groups and sometimes alone.”

Margetta Hirsch Doyle’s Entries for September, 1943:

SEPTEMBER 1

Mother roused us early since Beth and Kay had to go to work - Lou and I trailed sleepily after them. “Goodbyes” were said and Lou and I with Mother, talked and talked about how to improve KΔ. It was much the same stuff, but with new ideas. We finally managed to dress for a late lunch at the Chinese restaurant in Jamaica and seemed to stuff ourselves. Louise hopped a subway and Mother and I met Herbert (a date - hey! Even if he is just 13) and saw “Hers to Hold” with Deanna Durbin and Joseph Cotton (Ah! Such a man!) and “Crime Doctor” with Warner Baxter at the Valencia. Letter from Danny saying she and Fred have made up. I’m so very glad! Nana came this evening.

SEPTEMBER 2 

So lazy! I drooped in bed reading and dreaming till it was well nigh noon and my guilty conscience forced me into a more active life. Once I was up I drooped some more and got out my “old faithful letters” to pore over again. They’re all so “cute” and ego-bolstering. Reading them over I can ignore the intervals between, and toss off the carburetor ones as unimportant. Such nice boys! Dad came out, still feeling rotton - and contemplating the date of his operation. Pat called - gave me a message from Bell that he’s rooting for me to go to Hamilton the 11th. Gee, I’d love it, but Mother and Dad are very uncooperative. I spose they’re right. We invaded Italy’s mainland!!

SEPTEMBER 3 

I’m beautified - or rather - attempts were made. At 9:00 a.m. Mother and I were down at Robert’s and my hair was going through the mechanisms necessary for a permanent. I was amazingly through in two hours - it looks fairly all right considering……….. Mother stopped at O.C.D. and then we had lunch at the Fish Grotto, And on home. This evening I went into the city up to Victor Chemical’s office to be shown around by Bugsie. We met Mr. Cotton, her boss and he gave us bourbon to sip. Stirred, we walked crosstown to Toffenetti’s where we met Ev for a crazy dinner. Such fun. Then a walk uptown to Radio City. We saw Cary Grant (Mmm!) in “Mr Lucky.” The stage show had no continuity but the Corps de Ballet act was super.

SEPTEMBER 4 

The beginning of the Labor Day weekend. It doesn’t seem possible - my, how the summer has flown by!! Today was completely uneventful and unexciting. I drooped in bed once more till just before time for Daddy to come out. He brought cake as usual. The rest of the afternoon was spent in listening to the Dodgers-Giant's game which the Dodgers won in the seventeenth inning. I pored through old diaries and really laughed at them. Admittedly I’m still rather dramatic and I do exaggerate - but - Gad when I was a Senior at St. Mary’s I really laid in on thick. Such gushing! I really ought to turn over a new leaf. I called Bugsie, Joanie and Pat Brennan.

SEPTEMBER 5 

I roused myself from my lethargy to be ready when Aud called for me to go to church and communion. The sermon was quite good: cooperation in order to have World Peace. I came home feeling real holy for a change. This afternoon Bugsie came by to laugh over old diaries with me and talk about things in general. Then she and I walked back to pick up Irene - and so a trek to Tildemann’s for gooey calorie-filled sundaes. Our conscience bothered us but we enjoyed them anyhoo and sat smoking and listening to the juke box discussing the Reader’s Digest statistical conclusion that after the war 7 out of every ten girls will be old maids. Cheerful prospect! Gee things are bad enough without thinking of that.

SEPTEMBER 6 

Happy Labor Day! and it was quite happy too, considering - this morning we revived the matter of this next weekend, which had been sort of lying dormant till then and Mom and Dad said I definitely couldn’t go up alone. There was little I could say and I spose I really see their point but I do want to go to Hamilton so very badly. We sit upon the idea of Bugsie’s going with me so I sent a special delivery to Bill and am keeping my fingers crossed till I hear. This evening after Dad left on the spur of the moment Mother & I hopped a bus and went to the Alden to see revivals of Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert's Academy Award Winner “It Happened One Night” and Ronald Colman in “Lost Horizon.” I wonder what my Shangri-La is!

SEPTEMBER 7

I slept late again, getting dressed time to meet Mrs. Brennan and Pats. We went into N.Y. to see “This is the Army” the Technicolor movie version of the army show. It really was terrifically good - the music, acting, vague plot to connect the two wars and color were all grand and I enjoyed it as much as, if not more, than any other picture in a long time. After the movie we went into Dempsey’s and sipped cocktails, and then they came home with us for dinner and to talk and reminisce and plan for awhile. They’re real nice people - I like 'em good inspite of everything. I heard from Dossie and Eddie Damm - also a sweet letter from Freddie enclosing a picture of the girl to whom he’s engaged for me too see!

SEPTEMBER 8

A nice day! I met Lou at Roosevelt Avenue just before twelve and then on to New York to mosey around Lord & Taylor’s trying to get decorative ideas for improving the KΔ house but things were too extreme for our collegiate ways! Then we went to the Gypsy Tea Room for lunch and to have our fortunes told - very interesting! After that we went to the Ambassador theater and saw “Blossom Time” - music costumes and acting were swell - good show about Schubert’s life and music. I met Mother and Dad at Dempsey’s for dinner and sat at the table next Jack and his two children. After that - back to the H.G.C. meeting at Jeannettes for gab - nothing exciting. Italy unconditionally surrendered to the Allies. Best news since the war began! Is victory nearer? I’m so glad!!

SEPTEMBER 9

Today started off pretty well. Mother and I went into New York and bought me my beauty of a red three-piece suit (The pockets on the other had been cockeyed!) and a cute black hat too; so I glowed with it all. We skirted the big Parade (opening 3rd War Bond Drive!), had a sandwich at the Milk Barn and then went to Robert’s where I had my hair shampooed and set (first since after the permanent!) We came home and Nana was here. Very bad news! Bill had tried to call me last night but I was out, as tonight he called again, and the result wasn’t too cheery. It seems there’s a convention in Clinton over the weekend and cause I hadn’t let him know sooner he couldn’t yet a room anyware. God I’m so disappointed. I’d wanted to go so badly. We talked for quite while and he seemed as disappointed as I. We haven’t really talked in so long, and it’d have been wonderful. Oh hell!

SEPTEMBER 10

I turned completely tragically dramatic and sobbed all last night so that this morning my eyes are just slits. I hadn’t really cried in ages and splurted forth all I’d saved up. Silly, but I really cleaned out my nasal passages! Mom decided to pacify me with a program of activity so we went into New York for a Chinese Lunch at the China Clipper and then went to the Roxy to see “Heaven Can Wait” with Don Ameche and Gene Tierney - very amusing and I liked it good. We went to Saks for a pair of jodphur pants - and then to Dr. Weiss for the usual. We met Dad at the Boar’s Head on Lexington Avenue and our mouths watered over good soft shell crabs. Glory came over late in the evening, and spent the night. We talked n’ talked - slept together in the double bed and were real restless.

SEPTEMBER 11

An active day! Fairly early, Bugsie and I dressed in our riding togs, and after meeting Cam, Aud and Irene we trekked to 188th St. and hopped on horses. At least the rest hopped but not having gone in over two years, I was more or less shoved on by an innocently obliging bystander. Once we started posting and cantering through Cunningham Park however it was wonderful and the ride a beautiful one. Irene fell off to lend excitement. We went back to Glory’s for lunch and chatted awhile; then, this evening rather unexpectedly, Glory, Aud, Irene, Cam, Edith and Jean all came in, and we howled hysterically over old diaries of Aud & Irene revealing their “supreme thrills” of grammar and high school days. Jean’s baby’ll arrive the end of February supposedly - it doesn’t seem possible. Anyhoo, the evening was fun!

SEPTEMBER 12

Limping and nursing sore aching muscles, Aud and I practically dragged ourselves to St. Gabe’s this morning and squirmed on the comparatively hard wooden seats. Mr. Condit is back for his first service of the new year and is really a marvelous rector. Mr. Judd has accepted an offer at Christ Church outside of Philadelphia, and will leave St. Gabe’s the end of this month. After church we stopped at Glory’s for a few moments and then home. Mother, Dad and I to celebrate the lifting of the pleasure driving ban, drove to the Triangle restaurant for a good dinner - and then home again! The Germans have occupied Rome and Italy and Germany are now fighting - the quirks of alliances of warfare. Our forces are fighting too and Italy’s surrender isn’t as optimistic as first thought.

SEPTEMBER 13

Yesterday morning’s muscle weariness was eased by a lovely mail today. I heard from Bill Boyd - back from maneuvers and writing again at last. He's still waiting for his transfer orders to the Air Corps, and wrote a long perkish letter while waiting. Then - Floyd - till in San Francisco - wrote a wonderfully philosophic gem expressing his emotions on going overseas. It was really good! This afternoon Mother and I went to the Valencia to see Merle Oberon and Brian Aherne in First Comes Courage (the usual spies-and-commandos-in-Norway stuff) and Donald O’Connor in Mr. Big - a cute jitterbug job. Tonight, Glory, Aud and I went bowling and had a stupid old time again. I bowled 78 - an improvement over last time - but not too good! I blame it on my muscles.

SEPTEMBER 14

This morning was dedicated to a series of “friendly discussions” before I went into the city to meet Cary, back from her two week’s jaunt in Kentucky, Annapolis, Washington, etc. We talked a blue streak to catch up on what had passed in the meantime. Two friends of hers were there from Annapolis. We had a sandwich next door; they left and we spent the afternoon trying to pick up Cary’s bags at Penn Station. I met Mother and Dad at the China Clipper for dinner and talking and so on home. Confusion! I got a special from Bill Brennan enclosing another letter he’d sent me -- addressed correctly -- but which had been returned to me. If I’d gotten that letter in time, the room situation could have been cleared up and I might have gone to Hamilton. Damn the post office!

SEPTEMBER 15

An emotional day! It was cloudy, so we couldn’t go on our boat trip as planned. Instead Mother, Louise and I went to the music Hall to see “So Proudly We Hail,” the epic of the bravery of the army nurses on Bataan and Corregidor. It was powerful! The stage show Minstrel Days was quite good too, though different from the usual Radio City ones. Louise and I met Cary on 29th Street at 4:30 went to the Little Church Around the Corner to see Marty and Tommy, married. We stood and beamed and felt quite parental as we shook our heads, saying it doesn’t seem possible! though we knew they’d really been planning it for ages. They’re both swell. Lou and I came home on the 5th Avenue bus to Jackson Heights. Tonight Mother & I went over to Thompsons to see Jack & Margie. They’re going to Eustis!

SEPTEMBER 16

I should have left for Billsburg today but am extremely grateful for the extra week at home. Excitement came this morning when the radiator leaking from my john made the downstairs hall look as though it had been blitzed. What a mess! This afternoon mother and I went over to Jersey, stopping at Aunt Bert’s and then at Aunt Fan’s. I saw Ruth’s two-year old baby Gail and loved her immediately. She’s a darling! The afternoon was pleasant - tending towards the crazy. We then went over to Brooklyn and met Dad for dinner at the St. George, and so home in the downpour. Nana was here. After awhile I went to bed and dove into the new Good Housekeeping.

SEPTEMBER 17 

Once again we’d planned on going 'round Manhattan Island in a boat, but once again it kept raining instead. So I went into Brooklyn (riding on the train with Mrs. Ingold) and met Dad for lunch. It was the first “date” we’d had in ages so we kind o’ talked as I munched on my shrimp curry. We hopped a subway and went back to the office for awhile, stopping to buy stockings on the way, and I generally messed up his business day. It was fun and executivish though! This evening I went over to Glory’s and peeked at the preparations for the shower she gave for Doris De Brodt Deane; and then Mother, Lizzie and I went to see “The Student Prince” starring Everett Marshall. It was very good - another of the epidemic of operetta revivals!

SEPTEMBER 18

“London bridges falling down….. Falling down…..!” Where we had Niagara Falls in the downstairs hall, the plasters are today pulling the whole darned business down, till the ceiling lies in chunks on the floor and dust from it floats throughout the house choking us off as we try to breathe. Ah! for the well-ordered peace of a boiler factory! This morning Mother and I went to Jamacia to buy last minute powder puffs, toothbrushes and emory boards, and pick up a pair of moccassins and a pair of black non rationed shoes, which I treasure as a good bargain. We were s’posed to go to Connie Korn’s wedding today, but being the last weekend home and all, we didn’t, so I thought hard about her instead. And so have two KΔs bit the dust in the same week!

SEPTEMBER 19

The last Sunday at home! Aud and I went to St. Gabe’s where Rev. Condit preached with a voice which kept failing him on account of a cold - the service was usual We had roast lamb for dinner and then discussed the pros and cons of driving down to Billsburg with Marjorie Thompson since Jack needs the car at Eustis. It would be exciting to take a long auto trip legally in gas ration days but it might be complicated too. I think we’ll do it though! Afterwards, Glory and Aud came over and we trekked to Tiedeman’s for sodas; rehashing the problem of “So Little Time - and so much to do - and so many friends to want to be with.” Dad should have gone into the Waldorf for a convention (W.S.J.A.) but stayed here instead. - I wrote Danny, Colby, Bill & Bill.

SEPTEMBER 20

A lovely mail, being as how I heard from Bill Boyd (enclosing a cut cartoon from Yank, the army newspaper) whose transfer orders have come through, but who doesn’t know where he’ll be sent yet! Then too, I got another real nice letter from Bill Hughes - still in Australia! This morning, I went to the dentist for a checkup and for the first time in really ages, I have no cavities. My teeth have passed the adolescent stage! Then I moseyed around Jamaica, after which I came home and baked cookies (sending most of the better ones to Bill Brennan) Cary came out this afternoon and to spend the night - Glory and Aud came for dinner too (steak - how dreamy!) We hysterically played bridge, being interrupted by a blackout and then all walked Audrey home.

SEPTEMBER 21

Such a beautiful day! I woke early to keep my 9:00 a.m. dentist appointment and had my teeth cleaned till they sparkle. I hopped into riding clothes - saw Cary on her bus - and met Joanie for a wonderful ride in Cunningham Park. Peter Pan cantered like a streak of greased lightning and we flew along. It was really swell! Joanie treated me to a coke too and after awhile came over to the house to buy me a War Bond. (I’m crazy - I mean “sell” me a War Bond!) so I backed the attack! Mother and I went to Robert’s where I had my hair set for the final time, and then came home waiting for Nana’s arrival. Dad’s still at the convention. Surprise! Bill Brennan sent me 16 American Beauty roses with a really perky card enclosed. Gosh I’m so very thrilled!

SEPTEMBER 22

Being my last day at home, it was a busy-beaverish one. When I awoke, I wrote Bill Hughes and a perkish thank you note to Bill Brennan - also answered the letter which came from Corporal Eddie Damm. After that we packed suitcases and then drove over to take my ticket to Louise, stopping for a lengthy chat. We ate a Chinese lunch at a restaurant by the Queens Bors Hall, and then went to Jamacia and bought several pairs of pants and a pair of pajamas. Dad came out early and told us of his troubles a la business world. He’s really doing the job of three or four men plus the Post War Planning and National Bond, etc committee stuff he has to do. I went to a H.G.C. meeting and said “Goodbye” to all the girls.

SEPTEMBER 23

The official end to the summer and a real wonderful one it was too. Mother, Marjorie (both of her), Cary and I sent ourselves down in the ’41 Packard snuggled in with suitcases, boxes and the like. It was blissful to ride in a car after the years of gas rationing. We stopped on the road and ate a picnic lunch, which Aunt Bert had made. Most all the way, Cary and I burst forth into song and the time passed quickly. We reached Billsburg at 8:00 and had dinner at the Lodge - then, real excited - we came back to the house and saw everybody. Doggone, I do love it so good! It’s super being with all the gals - specially Beth and Punchy! So very much fun! A stupendously perky letter from Bill Boyd

SEPTEMBER 24

We slept and talked in bed still after ten really catching up on the news of each other’s summers. This morning Beth, Punchy and I went downtown to buy grapefruit juice for improvised breakfasts of the future and to look into the bank account and cafeteria book situation! I met Mother and Marjorie for lunch and spent the evening with them too. I wrote postcards and read Life and the Saturday Evening Post. I met Chuck Gondak and talked familiarly with him for quite awhile. He wants Punchy and me to work for the telephone co again this year at the U.S.O. It’d have been fun but we’ve got too much else to do. Fun tonight in the room!

SEPTEMBER 25

A busyish day! This morning I tiptoed around not to wake the fair roommates as I dressed for my 8:20 appointment with advisor, Dr. Marsh. Surprisingly I had no conflicts and am now officially taking Money & Banking, Statistics, Accounting, Marketing Principles & Problems, Introduction to Business Enterprise and General Psychology plus gym of course. It sounds kind o' stiff but after all, I’ve come to college, essentially to exercise my gray matter. I spent the morning with Muggy Pratt and trying in vain to locate my trunk - I still have no shoes - and ate with Beth & Punchy at the dining hall - this evening I went to the Lodge with Mother and had dinner. Hell! Wouldn’t you know! Bill Hughes wrote me from Boston - he wanted to come see me in New York this weekend. Two days too late!!

SEPTEMBER 26

Sunday, and a busy one too! This morning we trekked over to Chandler and picked up our little sisters to take them to Bruton - mine, Gin Tunstall, is darling! After the service, we went to the dining hall for the traditional southern fried chicken and ice cream - and then back to the house to prepare for the influx of freshman girls making a tour of the sorority house. The same things were said over and over again - with slight variations of course, and our jaws aching from smiling sweetly as we said them and as we listened. It was fun, in a boring sort of way. Beth, Punchy and I went to the Lodge to meet Mother for dinner. We laughed a lot and were most unsophisticated.

SEPTEMBER 27

School bells chimed again and I am officially a Junior - it’s so impressive being respected for a change! I only had three classes. Dr. Foltin stood us up for Psych and after standing around in the hall for awhile we left for the Wigwam to buy books. I became nasty when I discovered I had to pay $24 for beatup secondhand books too. Marketing sounds fascinating - full of merchandising and advertising, the sort of stuff I want. Rhythms only lasted five minutes, which was a lovely sort of gym class. Mother came to the house this afternoon and offered ideas on redecorating our room. It sounds dreamy! May they materialize! There was a W.S.C.G.A meeting tonight with the usual welcomes & news about a German Club dance for the A.S.J.U. boys. House meeting afterwards and then bull sessions about rushing and sex

SEPTEMBER 28

Right about now we’re in a mad dash of enthusiasm - we’re all out for studies, all out for extracurricular stuff, and all out for improving the house, and KΔ in general. Such a busy little year as it’s gonna be! Money and Banking, Business Enterprise, Statistics and Accounting all involve scads of work and I groan under the weight of it. Oh, for just one snap course - it’d be so refreshing! Mother, Holly Miller and I had dinner together at the Lodge and then I went to the Flat Hat Business Staff meeting. We were assigned ads to get so I will merrily trek around town having people sign contracts and pay money - I hope! We get commissions too. Sorority meeting, though informal, was inspiring in its plans. I hope the spirit lasts! Letter from Edith and Evie

SEPTEMBER 29

A busy day, with classes from nine till 4:30P.M. with time out to see Mother off on the morning train. It seems odd not to have her around anymore. Classes were still interesting except for Statistics lab which really is a stinker. If it weren’t required for my major, I’d gladly toy with the idea of dropping it, but grin 'n' bear it, say I. At 5:00 Beth, Punchy, Lou and I went to a Social Committee meeting for the War Work at college, where plans were made for various affairs to be given for the chaplains, their assistants, etc. After a cone at the Wigwam we watched the review of the A.S.J.U boys out on the football field. It was impressive - a far cry from the football rallies of a year ago. This evening, Midge and I went to chapel at which Dr. Foltin spoke and then I came home, washed my hair, did homework and went to a house meeting.

SEPTEMBER 30

Such a rainy day - I’ve never been so wet - honest! Life perked up though when Mr. Nuguist decided to make our introductory approach to statistics more simple and when I discovered that I like accounting a lot. We walked in the pouring rain to dinner across campus and were drenched to the skin. After our good vegetablish dinner we waded through the flooded paths with the wind blowing the rain in streams upon us to the Colonial Echo meeting - and got ourselves on the Editorial Staff. We were supposed to go to a Big-little sister party in Barrett but by then water was seeping through our rubber boots even and we gave ourselves alcohol rubdowns instead. A letter from Dossie and a card from Bill Boyd from Kansas City “en route to Mississippi”

[harryandmolly]

Coconut Waffles - part 1

Summary: Shawn annoys a neighbor with his guitar and is charmed by her island knowledge.

Warnings: Overwhelming fluff, vacation!Shawn

Word count: 1720

Moodboard by the delicious and nutritious @the-claire-bitch-project

She stops typing again, sure she’s hearing something. But other than a gentle breeze slapping the palm trees against her window and the whir of her computer, it’s silent. She tightens her lips and squints, waiting for it. When nothing comes, she blinks her focus back to her word document and rereads her last couple sentences, trying to get herself in the zone. She should know better than to try to write this early in the morning but her creative output has been uncorkable lately and she feels the need to harness it, even if it is only creating Tom Holland fanfiction.

Then she hears it again. She narrows her eyes, trying to remember if hers or any of the surrounding houses have windchimes, because that’s almost what it sounds like. Then, as though the sound is moving, it becomes clear. It’s a guitar.

She frowns. It’s so close, it could almost be coming from her property. If her parents weren’t likely somewhere over Kansas on their way to her, if they were around to deal with a potential intruder, she would stay put without question. But she’s alone at the house and feels a responsibility. She stands and slides on her pink flannel meditating monkey pajama pants and walks out of her room, letting the door clatter on her way out so she doesn’t startle whoever is skulking around her house playing guitar at 5 AM.

She looks around from the driveway to the front entry and over the pool deck but doesn’t see anyone. She starts out further, shrugging into the oversized plaid men’s shirt she grabbed due to her bralessness, waiting to hear it again. She’s at the edge of the property peeking out over the hill down to the grassy area below when the sound calls to her from the right. She looks over to see someone tall, muscular and curly-haired with his back to her, bobbing his head as he strolls around the pool deck of the house next door.

She exhales, disconcerted. It didn’t even occur to her that there could be someone next door. In the dozen or so times she’s visited the house, she has never seen a single soul next door. Before she can regroup and head back inside to think about coffee and breakfast, he’s turning around to continue his habit of pacing and she’s desperately trying to look casual and not like she came out to confront him. She picks up some baby coconuts lying on the patio table and sweeps them off like that’s why she came outside at 5 AM.

“Oh shit,” she hears him mumble when he sees her. She glances up and offers a flat smile.

“I didn’t wake you up, did I?” he asks, wincing. She continues her sweeping and plants her hands on her hips, satisfied.

“No, no, I’m still on LA time so I’ve been up,” she explains needlessly, almost rolling her eyes at herself. He grins and she reacts visibly and he knows she recognizes him.

He continues strumming along and she looks for something else to do. She figures since she cleaned off the table, she should use it. She heads back inside for her laptop and returns moments later. He’s looking out into the grassy knoll below and bobbing his head.

He looks over when she pulls a chair out to sit.

“Will it bother you if I play out here?” he asks politely. She stares at him a beat too long before she answers, sure he must be a close look-alike and not Shawn Mendes standing barefoot and wearing a Burton Snowboarding t-shirt in the always-empty villa next door.

“Not at all, I’m just… scrolling. Not working or doing anything remotely constructive.” Again, probably more words than needed to have this kind of interaction.

“Cool,” he chuckles, nodding at her and heading back in the other direction on the far end of his property. She has her hands on the keys and is clearly not doing anything. She opens Facebook and closes it again when the first thing she sees is a repost of a Fox News story from a crazy uncle. She sits back in her chair, eyes popping open when it makes a loud creaking noise. He doesn’t seem to notice.

He doesn’t look quite as tall as she imagined he would, but maybe he’s just too far away to judge properly. He is wildly good looking in person. His whole ‘bedhead-gym shorts-blinky morning eyes’ thing is absolutely working for him. She has a flash of an impish idea to start playing his newest album (that she slept on for too long and only just bought last week) just to see what he’d do. She won’t, of course. He’s probably on vacation and doesn’t want to be saddled with a weird fangirl next door during his limited down time.

She wonders what he’ll do while visiting the Big Island. If he’s never been here, he’ll hit the classics – Volcanoes National Park, Akaka Falls, some black and green sand beaches. She has the sudden urge to make him a list of other stuff he might not know about unless he’s done a lot of research or runs into the right locals. Finding the best malasada truck, eating at Merriman’s up in Waimea, going deep sea fishing with that company her dad always uses when they come out here.

Before she knows it, he’s turning around and looking at her again. He doesn’t seem at all fazed by her obvious study of him. He’s used to it. She’s not leaping over the shrubs between their properties or pointing her phone at him for pictures, so he’s not worried. He smiles again, pleased that she’s nodding her head to the rhythm he’s trying to muddle out, but she doesn’t look to be aware she’s doing it.

“Sorry that I just keep playing this same part over and over again. I’m trying to figure out the bridge and it’s just not coming to me.”

She raises her eyebrows, surprised he seems willing to chat. Not that she imagined he’d be standoffish, he always seems cute and sweet in interviews. She leans on the table on her elbows.

“I can’t pretend to know shit about music, but it sounds good. Kinda reminds me of Iz.”

“That’s what I’m going for!” he laughs delightedly, stopping in his tracks and throwing his hand out in her direction as if to say, “yes, you get it!”

“Cool,” she giggles, pulling her feet up underneath her as she rocks in her chair, “I’m—”

She’s interrupted by a glass door sliding open from his side. A scruffy looking guy, late twenties, pokes his head out. He nods at her before focusing on him.

“Shawn, we’re leaving for breakfast at the hotel in a half hour.”

“Kay!” Shawn yells back. The door closes and they’re left alone again.

“I’m Shawn, by the way,” he introduces himself with a little wave.

“Lauren. Nice to meet you.”

He nods pleasantly and runs a hand through his hair. “So, vacation?” he prompts.

“Yes. With my parents. They’re flying in from DC tonight. I got here last night.”

“Cool, that’s fun. Where did you fly in from?”

“LA.”

“Nice. How long you here for?”

“Two weeks. You?”

He shrugs. “We haven’t really decided yet. We came out here to write and hang out. We’re renting the place from my buddy’s mom’s friend. Probably a month, I’m guessing. We’ve been here three days and I don’t ever want to leave.”

He looks very sincere and she understands. She wrote an article for her college lifestyle magazine once about vacationing on the Big Island. She knows the look in his eye all too well.

“I don’t blame you. It’s good, though, I never see anyone in that house when we’re here. It’s nice it’s being appreciated,” she hums.

“Oh, you’ve been here before?” He looks genuinely interested.

“This is my 11th trip. It’s my aunt’s place but she has family and friends here all the time. There’s nowhere else like it,” she confesses, solemnly appreciative as she looks out to the ocean on the horizon.

“That’s amazing, you’re so lucky,” he replies, and she can see he’s serious. He loves it here.

“You’re going to the Manta for breakfast?” she asks, a knowing smile making his chest thump. He nods.

“Get the coconut waffles. Trust me. They’ll change your life.”

She stands and closes her laptop, deciding to leave the conversation first in the hopes of seeming mysterious and nonchalant. He watches, tightening his grip on the guitar, suddenly realizing he doesn’t really want her to walk away. He hasn’t talked to anyone but his parents and writing team in days. He hasn’t talked to a girl in… well, it’s been a while.

“So if we need trip suggestions, we should come to you?” he calls after she’s a little too far away to hear the question over the steady early morning breeze. She turns and raises her eyebrows, hustling on her tip toes over the stone to reach him.

“Sorry, say that again?” she asks.

He ducks his head, bashful, “If we need suggestions for stuff to do, you know the island pretty well, we should come to you, right?”

She looks startled as though she wasn’t sure he’d want to talk to her again.

“Uh, yeah, I’m freakishly encyclopedic about this place now. Restaurants, beaches, activities, whatever. I’m around.”

He smiles and it could blind her if she looked too long. She runs a hand through her salty hair from the crown back to her neck, fluffing it across her soft back. It makes him smile bigger.

“Cool. If I need you, I’ll just come out and start jamming super loud.”

She laughs. “Perfect. Enjoy your breakfast.” She turns back to the main house. When she’s a few paces away again, he calls out to her.

“Coconut waffles?”

“Coconut waffles! That’s your first assignment!” she yells, waving cutely by opening and closing her hand before she heads in through the glass doors. He can still see her through the floor-to-ceiling windows as she wanders into the palatial kitchen. She knows he could still be looking so she disappears into the pantry to giggle and blush like an asshole.

Teeny tiny taglist: @the-claire-bitch-project @crapri

[twobillionseconds]

June 14th - 19th 2022

Damn these multi day entries. I have to think about it and try to remember it all. 

June 14th:

It was the last day that my wife’s older sister and her husband were in town. In the morning my mother in law, my wife and I went for a long walk. After we all decided to check out an antique shop that had a restaurant. We had lunch there and after we headed to a vacation resort place that had museums and stuff. It was called Top of the Rock. There was a restaurant that my mother in law wanted to checkout but it wasn’t going to be open for a while. We found another place and had a drink there. Afterwards we headed back to town. We stopped by my wife’s younger sister’s place to say bye (She was leaving for Cancun) then after we headed to my wife’s oldest brother’s place for dinner. We had pizzas and played some board games. Afterwards we went back to mother in law’s place and had some whiskey and chatted for a bit. They were leaving early in the morning so we said our good byes that night.

June 15th:

Since our ride was my wife’s older sister and her husband we had to rent a car. After we met with my wife’s oldest brother’s wife and my three nieces to go roller skating. After we went to a local public library to get some coffee and let my nieces go borrow books. The adults chatted for a bit. (I don’t want to detail much here but some people were going through some hard times) Afterwards we met with more in laws and nieces and nephews at a Chik-Fil-A for dinner. After dinner the wife and I went into town to check out her old stomping grounds. We got a few drinks and enjoyed the town.  

June 16th:

My wife and my mother in law went into town to see my father in law. He has Alzheimers and he is in the last stages of it. They were giving him a bath. I went for a run during that time. Woo 95 degrees with 90% humidity. Afterwards I met up with my wife and our oldest niece. I can't believe she is 12 years old. She is becoming a young woman. While they were waiting for me my wife talked to her about the changes of becoming a woman. After I picked them up the three of us got lunch. We talked and encouraged her to pursue her studies and to listen to her parents. After we dropped her off at her house and said bye to the rest of the nieces. Then we came back to my mother in law’s place because she was cooking barbecue. Her 2 younger brothers came with their families and we had dinner together. We said our good byes and spent a good portion of the evening with my mother in law.

June 17th:

Woke up and my mother in law made us some breakfast. It was interesting because she was making some combination of pho and German noodle soup. Afterwards we headed to the airport. Landed in LAX and my dad picked us up. Traffic all over. We stopped by my parents place and headed to SD after. We picked up our dog. We got dinner from the fish place down the street and after went to our local bar. What a trip.

June 18th:

Slept in. Traveling takes a lot out of you. The wife and I took our dog for a long walk. We stopped by a grocery store to get some lunch. After we came back we took a nap. My wife was going to meet her friend to watch a movie and get dinner. I tuned up my bike and went for a short ride. I got dinner at another restaurant down the street. Afterwards my wife and I met up and got a couple drinks at another cool bar close to our house. 

June 19th:

Woke up a bit hung over? I know I gotta do my sobriety this month. I went to church with my wife. On the way back I stopped by my old college and caught up with a few friends. After we came back home and I took a nap. My wife took the dog for a walk. After one of my buddies came over and we went for a bike ride. Got dinner with him and brought back some take out for my wife. I had to drive my wife to work because we didn't have much time. On the way back I decided to grab a bomber and some ice to make easy cocktails. I am now typing this on my porch and enjoying a nice summer day in my house. 

[jacks-tracks]

Hue Days

Hue was for a tour of the royal tombs and imperial palace. Motorcycle driver 400 t, tour of 3 spots 420t) 6 hours. An expensive day but i would never have found the hillside tombs 15 K out of town. First one was stepped up a steep hillside, with views across the wide valley, motttled with rice paddys and planted forest, to a distant white marble Kwan Yin statue 100 feet tall. All the tomb structuress were mde of cast cement tinted black. Black lions, filagree and arches and roof combs. The actual tomb, under a towering cement ceiling, was just a boxy marble slab box on a dais, fronted by a 2 meter incribed marble slab, no doubt extolling the virtues of the deceased. All in oriental script, this was the last Emporer, said to be a tool of the French(1920′s). There were lots of old pictures in the entry, elaborate robed and boxy hatted mandarins, royal throne shots, and formal ceremonials. The second level courtyard was flanked by 2 sets of life sized statues of mandarins and scribes. Not a patch on the detail of the Chinese horde i saw collected in the Bangkok Museum, only rough detail without the facial exactness. These figures were flanked in turn by cement horses and elephants. Nagas glared green glass eyes  from the lower end of the stairways, their bodys forming the balustrade up to the top level. Live armed guards monitored screens and prevented hat wearing, flash photos, and other capital offenses.

    The second much larger temple complex was in a flat parklike setting, with little lakes(100′s  of big Koi- who gobbled up the chunks of white bread left from my breakfast), extensive plazas, and gates with a series of step up, step down entrances. Up stairs and down to reach the inner courtyard and the penultimate,tomb/alter. Here a regal figure, life sized statue all covered in goldleaf, poised on a golden throne atop the actual tomb. He had rather a sour face topped by a flat topped inflated hat rather like a mortar board, four cornered and tassled. His brother finished the likeness after his death so it nay not be a true representation..  From a shaded bridge I watched the Koi swarm, while slim troutlike fish darted about in the murky water and choking weeds. 10 am by then and getting hot under clear blue skys.

     Back to town, via backroad shortcuts that revealed that nowhere was there any unpopulated countryside, little houses everywhere, even crammed up to the walls of the riverside temples .  All the hillsides were either treed in fresh plantations or laid bare by clearcuts. I have not seen a log bigger than a foot thick, and mostly short lengths of 6 inch poles are hand fed through band saw mills. All slabs and branches go for cookfires, with overloaded motorcycles  hauling away the off cuts. Like the crowded countryside, all roads are full. Mostly motorcycles, often carrying whole familys, Mum, Dad, With a kidsandwhiched between them, one hanging off the back, and a little one standing on the floorboards and clutching the handlebars. Everyone wears helmets, and there is some form of traffic rules, though I can’t see it.

   The Hue main market, a 1 K square, 2 level warren of everything imaginable, Food, watches,trinkets, clothing by the pile,candy, rice, vegetables and fruit,noodles, dried bits of ?, anda cacophany ofvoices. Nobody talks here, they shout, even just across the narrow aisles. Add up 100′sof  yelling vendors, the calls of porters stuffing too wide loads through too narrow aisles, kids calling, food stalls importuning, and touts offering... bedlam... a nice lady tout took me to 3 different stops (piles on the floor in the already packed aisles) for oranges, bannanas, and mangoes, all at tourist prices. i really didn’t want tobuy anything , my pack already filled to bursting(lit) but had to see the touts “shop” The family horde descended on me, pushing scarves, t shirts formal shirts pants and footwear. I rather likesd the bamboo shirt, but when it got to prices, evveything was sky high, cheaper in Coombs. i showed them my conveniently almost empty wallet(planned),  and they insisted that surely i had Visa or ATM? Nope, no have, just imagine the Visa charges!? Disgust.. muttering,,(shall we eat him.?. no, too old)  And finally the head vulture plucked my remaining money from my dusty wallet and reluctantly gave me rather nice silk scarf  . Well i had to buy something!  Made my way out, glad for my sense of direction, and discreetly refilled my wallet from my money belt. Another charming lady led me to an interior Pho stall where i had a delicious bowl of dumpling soup(hold the large chunks of boiled hog fat), no chile please. Good. the tout lady was disappointed that I had no time to come to her shop.. “driver waiting” and declined my offer to buy her lunch. Actually my driver was having tea and a chat with a womam operating a tea stall curbside, who insisted on stacking two tiny stools for my long legs. Still had my chin on my knees., but service was done. i wanted to buy my driver a meal or at least pay for his tea, but he insisted that he would eat later ar home where he lived with his mother. He went off to retrieve the motorcycle from the pay lot, I gave 20t to an old beggar lady, and off we went to the Imperial Palace.

        the Imperial city, a moated fortified residence for the Emporers, is a 4 kilometer square enclosure, with 20 foot brick walls (1820′s) ,entered only through huge bolt studded, iron strapped wooden gates, flanked by arrow slitted watch towers. The interior is further divided into concentric courtyards by more massive walls, further split into more walled compounds. Very defensible. Acces to the first area was by a three gated arch. only the Emporer would use the center portal, so i went left. Lovely acres of flower beds stuffed with seasonal blooms, gold and yellow marigolds, red hot pokers, ranks of red geraniums, flocks of blue lupins, and many more i didn’t know.  Every courtyard had blocks of flowers, some flanking the walkways to the temples, others just filling backyards

     More archways and gates led deeper still into the complex to open sided collonades lined with pictures and memorial plaques. the halls of the Mandarins. Seemed endless, and indeed was well over 200 meters long, with both sides of the yard lined with these pillared walkways. i tramped into a dozen courts, halls, houses, temples, and gardens.Pictures by the hundreds, ceramic plaques, pastel hued plaster pillars holding up ceremonial  arches topped with elaborate dragons, whew! Gulping water, seeking shade. After 2 hours i was bagged, hot and weary. my calves were mooing, my thighs cramping, and my head spinning. More pillars held up brilliant coloured ornamental pictures, animals, birds, flowers and miscellaneous gods. Huge bronze cauldrons(2500 kilos) could have cooked for an army but were purely commemerative, each tripoded one , ranged in a row of nine, had historical events cast on the outside.  Similar cauldrons lined the path to a temple, with brilliant blossoms alongside.

   Given the huge population of officials, courtiers, and servants, the place must have  been packed. I saw no wells (or sanitation). Did they pack in water from the moat and pack out the crap? Likely.  A video presentation showed structural framing details, and placed wooden buildings, long since gone. Imagine the lines of people packing in firewood and food, ceremonial processions, priests and Mandarins in brilliant coloured silks, murals covering every wall,the Emporer, concubines and wives, a concentrated babble, a mix of soldiers, commoners and slaves.

     By  1:30 i was finished, far from seeing it all, probably not a third, but hot and weary. My driver popped out of the trees outside and we went to an ATM, then a bakery for Ban Mi egg and a cinnamon bun. Returned safely to my backstreet hostel for a welcome shower and lunch and rest. The cold was creeping through my system and by nightfall i was sneezing and congested.

[viatoriofumbrus]

Entry Five

Kachina.

Its been years since I've thought of that name. Years more since I actually associated myself with it. I thought that she was in the past, yet here I am.

We arrived in Wyrmshoals yesterday. As we approached the city, I told the others about Sicarius's bounty. They took it better than I thought they would. Part of me was afraid Arslan would just try to claim it, or that Aliana would panic at travelling with a criminal, but they all stood by me. That's the first part of whats led to my current mental state.

It was good to see Wyrmshoals again, despite everything. Of all the places in this world, its the most like home. If I ever get the chance to settle down, I think it'll be here. The smells of the markets, the canals weaving everything together, the sounds of the crowds, and the salt in the air; there's no place in this world I'd rather be, on the surface or underwater. Drae used a spell to modify my scales and fins to be blue as a disguise, and Artie lent me his cloak. They're good friends. Better than I've had in a long time.

We entered the city mostly without incident, but Drae did manage to introduce the guards to philosophy. She (I'll get to that later) asked one of the guards where the ocean ends. I swear, I saw that poor man's mind explode. It was kind of beautiful really. Weird to think Artie, Ulrika, and Drae have never seen the ocean before coming here. Even when I've walked forests and mountains I've always had the ocean in the back of my head.

Haverson's face at sight of me was a thing of beauty; we haven't seen each other in years. He gave us a booth, and I told the others the truth. All of it.

It was painful. Gods above and below, it was painful. Hard to describe... I'd thought about those memories a lot recently, but not actually about what was in them.

When I was done, they all reacted differently. It was hard for me to read some of their emotions. Artie seemed horrified by what happened to Haluk. Drae was kind about it all. Arslan offered to help me kill Sicarius; that was unexpected. Ria stayed quiet, but that's normal for her. Ulrika was quiet as well, but again, normal. Aliana jumped straight into trying to fling her political clout around, try and get my name cleared.

They brought me to tears, though I tried to hide it. Besides Haverson, no one has shown me kindness like this since Haluk died. I can't believe I threatened to kill Aliana in the past. She's been nothing but patient and kind, and now that she knows I'm a wanted criminal under her own mother's law, she's standing by me all the same.

After all that was done, we had a chat with Haverson. I gave him a gift of the Aqueln wine. I owe him literally everything I have, so that wine was the least I could do. He told use about some kidnappings that have been occuring in the city. Every one of them Aqueln. He also mentioned that the bounty hunters have stopped looking for me at his inn. Those two little facts together... I have a horrifying suspicion as to why these Aqueln are vanishing. I hope I'm wrong. I pray I'm wrong.

We began investigating with a Captain, a contact Haverson has. He killed two of the pirates in front of us (Artie pointedly watched the ocean instead), and then showed us to a smuggler who could potentially take us to the pirate's cove.

I can summarise the smuggle as 'ew'. A somewhat lecherous criminal who treated murder as a business deal and gave Aliana possibly the single most disturbing look I've seen in my life, and I've met Yagram. We worked out a 'deal'. We'd guard his warehouse for the night and kill anyone who tried to break in, and in exchange he'd ferry us to the cove. We'll split the loot 60/40.

A few hours later we'd negotiated an arrangement with the Thieves Guild. They'll ignore the smuggler's buildings for a week, and in exchange we don't do anything to them. In short, we lose nothing, no one has to die, and the smuggler gets screwed over. Win win win.

After that, everything went wrong. The others drank. They got up to some odd things, but none of that matters, because Drae drank her wine. It wasn't wine.

This morning, when we woke, Drae was different. Very, very different. Sane. Her insanity wasn't natural, wasn't due to an injury, its due to a fucking spell. That Cultist, that monster of a cultist we met back in that farmhouse has stalked her for years, and tried to make her 'his perfect bride' by breaking her mentally with madness. The wine alleviated it, temporarily.

That poor, poor girl. She seemed sweet and innocent before because she was sweet and innocent. These monstrous things she does sometimes; its not of her own volition, its because she's had this psychosis forced upon her by a bastard Cultist who deserves a fate worse than that which the gods can bestow. I can't even begin to imagine what I'd do to him if I had the chance... murder's too good. Maybe some kind of perpetual healing and fire feedback loop? Or a means of freezing his blood nonfatally, but permanently? Or maybe I could reverse the process and leave him gibbering in the dirt instead?

Kachina, stop. No. These thoughts aren't who you want to be, remember?

Regardless. Drae has been living as a man these past years as an attempted disguise. Clearly it hasn't worked. She's been travelling to Bournerock to try and cure herself. I've made her a promise while she's still lucid; I will do whatever I can to help her break this spell. Even if it takes decades. No one hurts my friends. No one.

After that, I made a suggestion; that we take a day in the city to do mundane things. I was still broken up inside about everything I'd spoken about the previous day; I'd had vivid nightmares again. The old ones. Haluk's body with his blood slowly dancing in the water around him. Sicarius's face contorted with laughter. Mum and dad hugging me as they sent me off to the surface. Between myself and Drae, I knew we weren't in a fit state to fight pirates that evening, so we arranged to postpone it and just relax.

I started to say I wanted to buy new clothes, and Aliana leapt, quite literally, at the opportunity. She dragged me out of the Scaled Fish and towards clothes shops faster than you can say 'stereotype'. Drae tagged along as well. We relaxed, chatted with the shopkeeper and each other, and got some new outfits. After that, I showed them the cities street food.

My god I missed squid. You can't get squid anywhere on the surface except this city, I swear.

After that, just started a new enchantment and chatted with Aliana back at the Fish. And I realized something.

I was happy. Relaxed. Myself. A day where I wasn't travelling for the sake of my own neck, or fighting for some cause under a nebulous title, more a figure than a person.

And so, I've made a choice.

I'm done running. I'm done being afraid of Sicarius, of hiding from my past. I thought becoming Viatori could be a way to deal with it, and for a while it worked. I was happy, but I was on eggshells. That fear, in the back of my head, always. Just look at how I reacted to Aliana! That's not how I want to live out the rest of my days.

And remembering my family; I want them to stay my family. Viatori and Kachina don't have to be two different people. I won't let Kachina die. Because when she's dead, what's left of her brother, mother, or father? A stranger born on the surface. I refuse to let that happen. I'm going to take what I've learned as Viatori, and use it to set my life back on course.

I don't have a plan. I don't know what to do. All I know is this. I'm going to clear my name. I'm going to see Sicarius and his pet assassin pay for what they've done one way or another, and I'm going to be a free woman.

It starts with the pirates tomorrow. I don't know where this road leads, or how hard it will be to walk, but its the road I choose.