#he hasn’t had a proper bath since like 2018

[darkwood-sleddog]

Fresh groom on this beefcake

[autumnsky]

That transcription and sociolignuistic analysis of the “does running water hurt vampires” scene! Under cut because it’s a whole short paper. The transcription is done with a simplified version of the Jefferson transcription system.

I still can’t believe I not only handed this in for marks, but got 100% lmao. Prof’s only comment was “I didn't know you could sociolinguistically analyze the speech of a vampire coven until I read your assignment.” 

Transcription

1   Dracula:     Any city (.) built over running water is a place that we (.) as vampires should approach carefully.

2   (3.0)

3   Isaac:         Running water,? (.) I’ve never heard of that affecting vampires.

4   Godbrand: Death by running water hasn’t happened in ma?ny centuries

5   Hector:      Why not,?

6   Godbrand: Look arou?nd. We moved into the middle of countries.

7   Hector:      I’d been told that vampires couldn’t cross running water

8   Godbrand: I’ve been on boats (.) I’ve had baths.

9   Isaac:        When. ((Godbrand gives him a look but does not verbally respond))

10 Hector:      Baths aren’t running water though. are they.

11 Godbrand: Course they are

12  Isaac:        How can baths be running water. The water’s stopped being poured when you get in.

13  Carmilla: The Greeks used to bury us on small islands because the graves would be surrounded by running water

14 Godbrand: I think I would feel (.) like running water would probably kill me.

15  Carmilla: Really? (.) Do you feel like poison would kill you? Of course you don’t <it’s a thing you learn.> It’s not like we’re given a manual for being a vampire=

16  Dracula: =ENOUGH!

Short Paper

           The above dialogue transcription is from Netflix’s Castlevania, Season 2: Episode 2: “Old Homes” and the speech situation is a war council between Dracula and his generals on which city they should focus their troops on, which gets side tracked by an argument over if running water affects vampires and if so, what that affect is. The setting is the throne room of Dracula’s castle. The participants are Dracula, Isaac, Godbrand, Hector, and Carmilla. Each participant has their own agenda in the surrounding conversation but during the part that is transcribed the only ends are the generals to exchange their knowledge of running water affecting vampires and Dracula to make them shut up. Act sequences include line 1 as a warning, line 3 being a statement used as a prompt for explanation, line 4 as either a barely related statement or an explanation for why Isaac hasn’t heard of this vampire lore (rather than elaboration on said lore, which Isaac seems to be prompting), lines 5 and 6 are a question/answer adjacency pair, lines 7 and 8 are a statement and denial, lines 9 and 10 are both criticisms phrased as questions (the implications being “you are unhygienic” and “you’re speaking nonsense”), line 11 is another denial and line 12 is another questioning criticism, line 13 is an unrelated statement, line 14 is a sort of suggestion, line 15 is another criticism (first as a question before being outright), and line 16 is a demand. The key/emotional tone is annoyance and confusion. The mode is spoken, and the type varies between characters but is generally informal. Conventions of interaction are broken multiple times with barely related statements but there are also instances where conventions are followed, such as questions being answered, and statements being acknowledged. The genre is conversational.

           This segment is meant to be comedic, which at least partially explains why it is very informal compared to the formal setting of a throne room in which the conversation takes place. Further explanation may be that the generals are expressing a subtle disrespect towards one another by consistently no-naming instead of addressing others with their proper titles, in addition to their thinly veiled insults. This is in notable contrast to how they usually address Dracula with variations of “Lord Dracula” and “my lord” though it is not evident in this short segment, effectively establishing him as having the highest status but refusing to address other generals in a way that might reflect more than equal or lesser status. Dracula’s power status is evident in this segment specifically by the way he does not involve himself with the side-tracked argument except to put an end to it with a command of a single word (line 16) which the generals obey. Despite being a fair distance from most of the other people in the room, Dracula does not raise his voice or speak quickly in line 1. This may be in part because most of his generals presumably have heightened senses, but it also shows that he is confident that the rest of the room will stay quiet and listen closely. There is also a noticeable beat after Dracula’s statement in line 1, where the generals wait to speak longer than they do with each other, possibly in case he will say more. The generals are much less worried about making sure other generals are finished before speaking, although they do not have a high enough involvement style that they overlap their lines.

           That said, one might interpret the way Isaac and Hector both incredulously question Godbrand (lines 9 to 12) as a show of solidarity. They never directly address each other but they both express doubt about the same subject which might count as an indirect agreement. Isaac and Hector are together second in command to Dracula while also being criticized for being the only two humans in Dracula’s inner court, and therefore have the most reason to get along.

Hector is implied to have lived in the Mediterranean before moving to the castle, so Carmilla’s seemingly random fun fact about old Greek vampire burial traditions (line 13) may also be an attempt to gain Hector’s approval as part of her plan to manipulate him into betraying Dracula. By switching the topic right after Isaac asked a question, even something as unimportant as why Godbrand would think baths count as running water, Carmilla may also be using a positive face threatening act to undermine Isaac’s authority and create a rift between him and Hector.

Overall, the conversation is referential with much expressive, and some phatic, subtext. It is also worth noting that the segment transcribed does not have a very solid opening since the transcription does not start at the beginning of the scene but rather at the beginning of the off-topic tangent.

 References

Ellis, W. (Writer), Deats, S. (Director), & Wan, S. (Director). (2018). Old Homes [Netflix series episode]. In Castlevania. Powerhouse Animation Studios.

Herk, G.V. (2018). What Is Socioloinguistics? Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

[melodious-madrigals]

dancing

Another one-shot for @wondertrevnet’s wondertrevbingo2020.

Prompt: dancing Word Count: 2306 Rating: General Audiences Summary: Being Bruce’s friend lands Diana in some pretty interesting places, including a masquerade ball, and she finds herself dancing with a handsome stranger. But there’s a certain magic to anonymity that might keep it from becoming something more…Three years, three dances, plenty of fluff.

Find it below the cut or on AO3.

***

2018  

Being Bruce's friend lands Diana in some pretty funny places, she's found.

Once, it was just outside an Antarctic research lab in the middle of a penguin colony. Once, it was the in-palace bowling alley of an Emirati prince. By comparison, a masquerade ball is fairly tame.

He claims it's so he has an extra pair of eyes, but she wonders if maybe he's just tired of going to these events alone.

They dance the first dance together, a proper waltz with perfect posture and 20 centimeters of distance in their frame.

"If you could stay here and mingle," he says as the dance ends, voice low and gruff, "that would be excellent."

She nods, and makes her way along the perimeter of the ballroom floor, doing a mental catalogue of the entrances and exits while telegraphing that she could use a dance partner.

It works. Before she's even reached the refreshment table, she's asked back onto the dance floor.

The third dance in, a dark-haired man with an almost-full Venetian mask asks her to dance. She was just about to circle back and find Bruce, but the detailing on his mask—cogs and swirling time-hands, like a deconstructed antique clock—is the most striking she's seen all night, and on a whim, she accepts.

It's a mistake, or maybe it isn't.

Her partner turns out to be horribly, unfairly diverting. He's witty and intelligent, and a naturally gifted dancer (even if he's not a technically perfect one). Diana finds she hasn't smiled this much in a long time, as one dance somehow turns into three while they spin across the floor.

They somehow get into a light-hearted argument about the relative merits of various breakfast foods, and she finishes an impassioned defense of pancakes only to find him grinning at her, and it seems natural, familiar, and for a second she wishes she could see his eyes better, wondering if and how they might crinkle with his smile—

"If you say so, Angel," he says, interrupting her train of thought.

"Angel?" she laughs, and he nods at the golden wings on her mask, slightly reminiscent of armor she once wore. (She chose the mask because it fit the theme and also because it obscured her hairline, and cheekbones; if Bruce really has brought her for surveillance, she's coming prepared.)

Partway through the evening—their fifth dance, or maybe their sixth—she sees Bruce has descended back into the main ballroom. He gives her a little nod, and she takes it for what it is: an acknowledgement that so far, everything is fine. It suits her well; she didn't really want to stop chatting with the mystery man.

They end up talking for the rest of the night. His humor is dry and his opinions are good, and there's something about him that she can't quite put her finger on. Maybe it's the zinging, insuppressible attraction she feels, the likes of which she hasn't felt since—well, it's been awhile, anyways.

There's a waltz winding down when his question comes. "Will you let me take off your mask, when the evening is over?"

She wants to, she thinks. But this night has been so magical, and for a second, because of the uncanny similarities, she's allowed herself to imagine that this stranger is Steve. She doesn't want that to end. Wants to keep this perfect memory to herself, just this once.

"No."

"Why?" It's not accusatory, the way men often are. She doesn't get the sense that he's angry about it, just that he wants to know.

They're still swaying in gentle circles when she says, "You sound a little like someone I knew, once upon a time."

"I won't press," he says, "but I do have a request. Next year, if you're here, if we find each other again—would you consider it?"

He gently disengages and kisses the back of her gloved hand.

"My mum used to tell me that at this time of year, anything is possible. Just think about it, would you?" He says, backing away.

"How would we even find each other?" she calls after.  

The man shrugs. "A minute ago you weren't even considering it. I can take my chances with fate. Goodbye, Angel."

For a moment, she thinks she's going to run after him. Diana is intimately acquainted with fate, and it's never done her any favors. But she lets him go. She'll forget all about this in a few weeks.

Sighing, she moves in the opposite direction to look for Bruce. Just because she's been otherwise occupied doesn't mean she hasn't been surveying the room like he asked, but there's been nothing suspicious. She'll check in with him, and go home.

She's in need of a bubble bath, and maybe a good cry while she's at it.

***

2019

Diana, whose memory is crisp as a fresh-fallen autumn leaf, does not forget the stranger she danced with for most of the evening. She wonders, sometimes, what would have happened if they'd unmasked. It would have become real, would've led to disappointment. Still, there are days that she forgets why she said no.

On one of those days, she texts Bruce.

Didn't think it was your thing. Happy to have you, though, arrives five minutes later.

She's just booked herself for another dance.

*

Her dark-haired stranger isn't there.

She's looked for him, but despite taking several turns around the room with people who are the right build, she hasn't found him.

It was stupid to assume she might find him, that he'd even be here, that he even remembered, a year on.

She ducks out of the ballroom, past a thick velvet curtain, and out a door onto a terraced patio leading down into the garden. The blast of cold air is a welcome respite from the stuffiness of the ball, the sticky warmth of so many humans in a confined space.

She looks to the sky, and takes a deep breath. She's suffered disappointments far greater than this one. Up above, the night is clear, and the stars are bright. Keep calm and carry on, as Etta would say.

Diana has nearly collected herself enough to march back into the ballroom when the door opens and light and music from the party spill out.

It's a tall blonde man in an intricate Venetian mask and long coattails. He looks nearly as surprised to see her as she is to see him.

"Sorry," he splutters. "Didn't mean to interrupt. I can just—"

"No," Diana interjects. "I was just about to go."

The man pauses first, and Diana doesn't catch up 'til a second later, as she's moving towards the door and he says, stunned, "Angel?"

"But you've got dark hair," is what falls out of her mouth without her brain's permission, even though there are plenty of other things to say, including I didn't think I would find you or even just hi.

Half of his mouth quirks up in a smile. "That was part of last year's costume. This is the real stuff," he says, gesturing vaguely at his head.

"Oh."

"You know," he says, still smiling, "I didn't think you would come."

"I thought about not attending."

"I'm glad you did."

"I think I am, too."

"Would you care to dance?"

"What, out here?" She has to admit it's appealing: there are no other party-goers under the stars, but the faint strains of music can still be heard.

She accepts his proffered hand, and just like that, they're pressed up against one another, twirling 'round and 'round the terrace until Diana's head is thrown back in an exuberant laugh. This is the feeling she was chasing, coming back here.

As the soft strains from inside signal slower music, their dancing becomes less frenetic, and soon they are swaying in place, barely moving at all.

He's staring at her openly, but she can't quite make herself meet his gaze. She's not used to this sort of instant attraction skimming through her veins, disrupting her judgement.

"I did this, once," says her dancing partner, just barely above a whisper. "One or two lifetimes ago."

"Tell me about her," Diana murmurs, because she doesn't think she can bear admitting that she has, too.

"Kind, and passionate," he says without hesitation. "Expressive eyes."

"What happened?"

"We were victims of circumstance, each bound by our own duties."

Diana is about to question him further when she feels something hit her cheek. She looks up.

It's snowing.

Big, fluffy flakes are falling gently, sticking to their clothes and hair.

Ache balloons from deep within her, pressing against her chest, her diaphragm, her breastbone, clawing to get out. She wants to scream with the sudden weight of the memories. It is too much, these human emotions; they are going to drown her.

She pushes away.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I can't—"

"What's this?"

As she pulled away, her sleeve must have slipped, revealing a watch that very much does not go with the masquerade aesthetic, one that she can't bear to take off.  

"Not part of my costume. I have to go." She's pulled out of his grasp, has turned on her heel, is halfway to the door.

"I wish we had more time!"

The words stop her dead in her tracks in a way no others could.

"What did you just say?" It comes out a little strangled. She can hear him moving behind her, but she can't turn around. It's just her mind playing tricks on her.

"I wish we had more time," he says again, firm.

There's blood rushing in her ears, and she's suddenly acutely aware of the racing thrum of her pulse. If she turns around and it isn't Steve, she's going to be crushed, gutted.

"Diana, please," his voice is soft, pleading.

Slowly, cautiously, Diana turns around. When she opens her eyes, it's him. Steve. Unmasked, and staring at her like she's hung the moon and all the stars, like she is a celestial body herself.

"I found you."

His hands come up, ever so delicately, cupping her cheek before moving into her hair. She feels the fastening of the mask give way, and then he's removing it with such care and precision that it doesn't catch on a single strand of hair.

"That's better." It's barely a whisper, nothing more than an exhale of air, but it unfreezes her.

And suddenly, she's in his arms, holding on for dear life, as he whispers soft comforts into her ear.

It's really, truly Steve.

Maybe this is her life; maybe she only gets him for a few weeks every half-century or so. She'll still take it over the alternative.

***

2020

The orchestra strikes its first note, and the man in front of her bows grandly, offering his hand.

Diana accepts it, and he pulls her into a crisp, swirling box step, his eyes shining behind this year's mask, one that only serves to amplify their already deep blue.

"It's a little cliché, don't you think?"

"Dancing with you? Never."

"Steve!" she laughs. He can be such a flatterer. "I mean being at the ball. What is the point of being at a masquerade if your identity is not actually a secret?"

"Dancing with you," Steve says again. His mask does an excellent job of obscuring his facial features, but she can still see the laughter in his eyes.

"Incorrigible!"

"You wouldn't have me any other way."

She stops their complicated step pattern, right in the middle, and he crashes into her as a result, their bodies pressed together. "No, I would not."

The rest of the dancers swirl on, but they stay there, on the margins of the floor, just swaying, more in time with each other than with the music.

*

They end up making several turns around the ballroom, laughing their way through most of it. Steve likes to be spun just as much as he enjoys spinning Diana, so they draw a few stares with their antics. As the song comes to a close, Steve dips Diana dramatically, luxuriating in her bright peal of laughter, then kisses her nose as he pulls her back up.

The music fades out, and a new, slower tune takes its place. "Do you want to sneak out and make breakfast-for-dinner at home?"

"You do realize how long I spent on this outfit?"

"Yes. So, pancakes?"

"Obviously."

They slip out of the ballroom, giggling like children, and into the cold, crisp winter air. It's not snowing this year, but there's already a layer on the ground, shiny and frozen and making the world look like a holiday card.

Steve turns and immediately makes to remove Diana's mask.

She laughs but doesn't stop him. "Every year. What is your vendetta against my masks, hmm?"

"Can't see your face." He says it so plainly, so genuinely that she can hardly tease him for it.

"Steve, that's what a mask is for." Okay, maybe she can find a little bit of something to tease him with, in her bemusement.

He brushes an escaped curl back behind her ear, gazes directly into her eyes.

"Your face is so beautifully expressive, Diana. I don't want to miss out on it."

"Steve." She ducks her head, blushing, her smile fond.

"See, right there. The crinkle around your eyes. The way you scrunched your nose. You're just proving my point."

She can't help it; she kisses him, slow and deep, right there on the pavement under a glowing street-lamp. It's languid and soft, but consuming enough that eventually they break apart, in need of air.

"I believe I was promised pancakes," Steve says, forehead still pressed against hers.

Her grin, she thinks, must be blinding, because she's so incandescently happy. "Yes, I believe you were."

They walk home, hand-in-hand.

[angelioangeles]

So, I started the day with my community walk, I went around our barangay’s area and the started taking snapshots of the surrounding areas. It was quite the hot day actually, but then again if there’s a will, then there’s a way. First off, I went to one of the nearest local learning private institution in our area namely CASECHOM School a.k.a. Catholic Servants of Christ Commission School. It was actually my first school in nursery, but I only spent a year there as a nursery student and then I transferred to another school as I grow up.

The entrance to the local cooperative store in our community. Welcome !

Me standing at the table watching them as they unwrap everything they bought from the marketplace.

After going to my first school, I went to our local cooperative store together with my aunt which is seen in almost all other photos with me, and then we conversed a little with our friends there at the store while they are arranging the early market haul for the store ( inventory ), I was busy looking around and then I eventually took some snapshots of them in the work area and then we left them to do their job there.

A small bakery and sari-sari store located just beside the chapel of our barangay.

The commerce in our barangay is actually good if I do say so myself, there are lots of sellers, and esteemed tricycle drivers that produced fine college graduates in our community. The totality of the population in our area actually relies heavily on the good commerce for their living; especially the tricycle drivers in our community.

People nowadays only know how to either build mounds of trash, have them collected by the garbage men or either have them burned in their backyards. They don’t seem to know the environmental impacts that it may actually bring the planet if they continue to do such things for countless more years to come.

What should be done is to awaken every single individual to the truth of this world which is that there will no longer be a world if all of us keeps on doing such things that may drastically affect not just the community but ultimately the world itself. But what better way can we even thing of doing when the people themselves who preach are also the ones who do such kinds of things to the environment?

A photo I took in the morning that shows how dangerously close this compost is to some wirings; the compost is about to actually be burned. 

Just look at that jollibee sunbathing while a green halloween pumpkin settles in the shade with some other plastic toy, never to be used to play again.

My former Senior High School teachers also building a Christmas Tree with ft. my aunt. >-<

A picture of my juniors from Sulivan National High School building a Christmas Tree from plastic bottles. ;-)

Nevertheless, we shouldn’t give up on those ideals for we are the only ones who can make our environment and even ourselves prosper. Because the end justifies the means; let us all make a stand on the idea that the world will prosper more if we will be idiots no more. We should really practice proper segregation and recycle materials more often as seen in this picture above which they are about to build a christmas tree.

After some time, proper segregation has finally been present in the school itself, I was actually so proud when I saw that there was actually something like this when I came back and it’s actually a very good improvement.

Our house is pretty old but it gets by and it’s been very sturdy in my 19 years of existence.

After we’ve walked in the community, me and my aunt decided to go home first and then take a few snapshots before we head to the barangay hall for some interview.

A photo of me, my aunt and our esteemed and ever loving Barangay Secretary, Ms. Ma. Belinda D.C. Palad. She was actually the one who greeted us before we had the interview because she is actually a friend and we really like her so much and she is also very strict in days when she’s educating students in the community. But at the end of the day she is a kind person with nothing but kindness and success for the community in mind.

These photos are actually showing the wires or metal wires used as fencing, but they are indeed dangerous because lots of people walk the roadside and may actually trip and fall in these fences and injure themselves.

After gracefully walking around our barangay, I also noticed the fact that there are multiple areas in the community which needs to be addressed quickly as they could cause harm to our surroundings. These areas are especially hazardous as it may or may already have injured or caused harm to the citizens of the community; however, the individuals around the community are already aware of this fact and they never really care until they themselves feel the consequences of their actions. Note that these areas are actually located near the area of living for certain individuals and establishments that is actually considered as a market by individuals that rely on them.

Moving on, not all areas in the community itself are hazardous, there are also those places which are certainly an eye candy for most people including me. These places may offer relief to people during unexpected times and actually plays a major part in the lives of almost every individual in the community. The first establishment to be mentioned is Sulivan National High School or simply SNHS is a seasoned school that withstood many calamities over the years and is also the school which I graduated Senior High School from.

Another place that actually helps people is the rice fields in our town, with roughly some hundred meters wide in certain areas, it is a prime spot for people to evacuate from when an earthquake strikes as there are no falling trees or anything that may potentially injure the evacuating people of the community.

The newly painted Sulivan Chapel, it’s so bright during a sunny day.

A beautiful reminder that we shouldn’t forget the Ten Commandments.

Lastly, is the Sulivan Chapel which is also an established piece of history and landmark in our community which like SNHS is also very old but very sturdy; it is a place of worship and devotion with some very good memories to be remembered for the whole community.

They’re just so adoooorablee oh my goooooshhh !!!!! ( Please forgive me for using those words .... THEY’RE JUST SO CUUUTE !!!!!!! )

As the people in the community differ from each other, it is apparent that every individual’s household includes not just every family member, but also some of our furry, feathery and fluffy friends namely dogs, chickens, pigeons and pigs including many more. I for one love my beautiful pigeons because they are actually a very big part of my childhood back when my mom was still around, so that’s that. All I can really say is that I just love them so much to the point where I’ll gladly put them on my bed to cuddle with me after they take a bath and yes, pigeons do take baths, and that’s a fact and I love their look when they do so.

Wow, I just noticed that we’re actually wearing Red, Blue, and Yellow .... what a cute coincidence. >-< Mr. Antonio B. Puno (Red) - Mr. Marty v. Dela Cruz (Blue) and me Dion Angeles (Yellow).

Now for the main part or the highlight of this blog, I’ve had the chance to talk to our barangay or community’s BDRRMC ( Barangay Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council ) and BADAC ( Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council ) Focal Person namely Mr. Antonio B. Puno or simply Mr. Puno as we locals call him together with our friend and co-chair regarding the matter Mr. Marty V. Dela Cruz which is also an active member of the barangay council as a Counselor, Communication and Budget officer in charge of managing and allocating some of the barangay’s budget for BDRRMC and BADAC.

Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council Organizational Chart.

Barangay Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Organizational Chart.

Our talk was actually fruitful and it may raise a few eyebrows at some point because of some disappointments in the barangay, but all’s well that ends well. Now, addressing the fact about the Barangay’s Hazard identification, Mr. Marty was the first one to talk after I asked what calamities may actually affect our community saying that we aren’t near the ocean, nor are we near volcanoes, so basically the only thing that may actually pose a threat to our barangay is the occasional typhoons cyclones, earthquakes and fires; he also stated that ever since last year 2018, there hasn’t really been any case of fire in our community, the only issues that has been met by the community is said to only be the occasional typhoons which blew some things here and there, but hasn’t really destroyed citizen properties and livelihood in the community.

Barangay spot and risk map which indicates the level of hazard an area may encounter during calamities, the lighter the color the less the affected areas and the darker the color the more the area is affected.

After asking another question as to what kind of hazards or dangers approached the community and actually devastated the areas in which we live in it’s Mr. Puno’s turn and then he said that in the totality of the years in which we’ve actually been living in Sulivan, there is only the massive typhoons and the rising flood water that actually caused harm to the properties of the people in the community and the neighboring areas; it is also apparent in the community that there are actually no properties which are  built using light materials to the point where even a magnitude 5 earthquake did nothing in our community, also to add is the fact that the houses in our area are built separately and with a very wide margin from each other as our community is actually spacious that it was actually mentioned that when a fire should actually occur, then there’s actually only the affected house or area in which the fire would spread and nothing more will be extinguished by the flames; another thing that was mentioned by Mr. Marty during our discussion is the fact that since the year 2001, there has been only 1 case of fire in the community with no fatalities.

On the other hand on the topic concerning the awareness or alert on which the community relies on when a certain calamity or danger may approach they both said that the BDRRMC is in direct contact with the DRRM or the NDRRMO which in turn provides advance information regarding the approaching calamities or danger in the community or the region itself, it is also mentioned that the only major cause for alarm may actually be the destruction of the Angat dam that can actually cause a massive flood in the community or in our community itself, the advanced update of the information in the barangay actually saved the community actually helped the people evade the harmful effects of the calamity or danger. Another thing is the fact that the renovation of the waterways and the drainages around our community which is a very big advancement for the community as it reduced the harmful possibilities of flooding and some other dangers that may arise from the said cause.

On the other hand, should moments like these arise then the community is ready and one of the best possible places which is assured by the municipality that can withstand the effects of the calamity is the school or Sulivan National High School which will not only serve as an institution for learning, but also a place for comfort and security in times of hardiness.

Another thing is the pinpointing or the speculation of the most affected areas around the community in times of or during calamities, it is said by Mr. Marty and Mr. Puno that the low lying areas in the community such as that near the waterways located in the vicinity are the prime locations for hazards or danger around the community itself. Now for the issue as to how or what hinders the community’s advancements, Mr. Puno’s response was the fact that the main issue to be addressed which is almost as vulgar as it may be is the fact that drugs are involved; drugs are actually one of the main problems of the community as they may entirely affect the community itself and with the help of his other organization BADAC, they are taking into action and helping those who are in need of assistance including the rehabilitation of certain individuals which are affected by drugs and so on; Mr. Marty also mentioned the domino effect of the drugs in the community which may potentially lead to a certain family’s poverty because of the influence of drugs and what makes it more of a headache is that the community members are actually tight-lipped about the matter of drugs because some of their family members are actually involved and that makes it worse for the community and the officers in-charge of the issue itself and mind you, that being a drug free community is not an easy task for officials because it is a threat to the peace and order of the community itself.

Mr. Marty also mentioned that in another 15 to 20 years or so, then our interview would actually be totally different in terms of the scope of our population in the barangay. Now, for the community’s readiness and awareness, it is actually similar to our NSTP orientation in terms of the trainings which includes basic life support that includes first aid and the BRS or the ( Barangay Rescue Service ).

A service and emergency vehicle is also present in the barangay hall which is readily available in the barangay which is open for use for every individual in the community.

While all has been said and done, the key factor which contributes greatly to the success of the barangay’s ordinances and regulations is the teamwork that is present in the community and its officials.

Please do note that the individuals whom I interviewed are actually camera shy even though it doesn’t look that way, but then again I was able to have someone assist me with the opportunity to take a photo.

Thank You and Peace out !

[toumakibangs]

°*TouMaki - Advent Calendar 2018*° DAY 06 - “LIGHTS” by @grimelius

Mod’s Note: …remember what I said about ActualChristmasTree!Makishima being universally accepted as canon? Good. Please enjoy this winter trip to Toudou-an - the season really becomes the place and its inhabitants! Thanks, @grimelius, for sharing!**

Author’s Note: Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your year ends well!

Makishima stepped off the train platform at the Hakone station and took a deep breath as he tried to force himself to relax. There was nothing strange about spending time with a friend over the winter break and since he was going to spend New Years with his family, that meant that the most convenient time to go visit just so happened to be Christmas. One of the more romantic holidays, spent with Toudou Jinpachi and the rest of his family.

Makishima figured it would either be a complete wreck or extremely entertaining and he was hoping for the latter. The real issue that worried Makishima was between him and Toudou. After all they were… what exactly? Makishima sighed and hitched his bag up and headed towards the exit, following the stream of busy people.

Neither he nor Toudou had actually talked about what was happening between them. They were now far beyond friends but neither had said that word and it was looming over both of them, creeping into the silent spaces whenever Toudou or Makishima couldn’t find something to say.

It had almost been enough to make Makishima decline the invitation when Toudou had called him up a few weeks earlier and told him that winter break was a perfect time to come down and spend time relaxing at an onsen and no one in their right mind would pass up a free stay at a spectacular historical inn and wasn’t Maki-chan lucky that he could go for free and so on and so on.

But he did want to go, nerves aside and well, if he was being practical, the two of them really should talk. And he wanted to do it in person, not over the phone and-

“Maki-chan!”

Makishima almost jumped out of his shoes. He looked around surprised since he’d expected to be tackled but where was Toudou? The exit was full of people rushing in every direction and Makishima didn’t see Toudou anywhere.

“Over here! Quick!”

Makishima swiveled to follow the voice and finally saw it, a small white pickup truck and looking out from the drivers’ side; two nearly identical people were waving at him enthusiastically. Jinpachi and his older sister Nana. It was unnerving how similar they looked even though they were siblings, though Nana didn’t share her brother’s obsession for headbands.

“Toss your stuff in the back and hop in” Nana called out and Makishima obeyed before cramming himself in next to them and they took off down the road.

“How was the train down?” Toudou asked.

“Quiet. Nothing really happened,” Makishima replied. “Which is how I like it.”

“Well prepare yourself for chaos because we’ve got a Christmas on a weekend this year so the inn is extra busy. Not that you need to worry about that, but I have to work a little,” Toudou admitted.

“Heh, I don’t mind helping out if you need me too. As long as it’s not guest relations,” Makishima offered.

Both Jinpachi and Nana laughed at the suggestion. “Don’t worry, Makishima-san. We’ll save that for the fifth time you come to visit,” Nana teased him and Makishima grinned a little. Next to him, Toudou slipped his hand into his and squeezed.

Between the two over-talkative siblings, it was almost impossible for Makishima to get much of a word in but he didn’t really mind. Hakone was as beautiful as ever and Jinpachi and Nana took the opportunity to point out every interesting or historical thing they drove through town. It didn’t take long for them to reach the inn and as soon as they got up to Toudou’s room, he pulled Makishima’s bag away and slipped into his arms, and kissed him. Makishima wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer until they broke apart and Toudou nestled in closer, resting his head against his shoulder.

“Finally some privacy. I missed you! I don’t get to see you enough now that the season is over,” Toudou complained.

“Mmmm. The season hasn’t been over that long,” Makishima replied but he would be lying if he said that he didn’t miss seeing Toudou constantly at races. Finding the time and energy to get to Hakone or Chiba was always easier said than done.

“Long enough, plus you were supposed to come down sooner than this,” Toudou replied as he stepped back. “Let’s get you settled in for now” and he grabbed Makishima’s bag and set it out of the way by his bed. “I’ll grab a futon and bedding for you later.

“Thanks.” Makishima looked around at Toudou’s room. It looked like Toudou had put a little tree on his desk but otherwise it was as Makishima remembered, a small bed against the wall, a mirror next to his closet, dresser drawers, a desk and a ridiculous amount of biking and mountain posters. It was small and cozy, so different from Makishima’s own large and fancy house.

“Maki-chan, are you listening?”

“Hmm?” Makishima turned his attention back to Toudou who looked a little annoyed.

“I was saying texts and phone calls aren’t the same and that we need to work harder if we want to see each other during the off season,” Toudou pointed out.

“Oh, yeah. Okay,” Makishima agreed.

“Well, make yourself at home,” Toudou offered. “Are you hungry? Do you want a drink or anything?”

Makishima shook his head and sat down on the bed and Toudou regarded him carefully before sitting next to him on the bed.

“Are you okay with spending Christmas with us?”

Makishima thought about it. “It’s fine. We usually just have cake and junk food and stuff. My sister likes to decorate a little but that’s about it. Sometimes our parents get us presents. It’s not a big thing for us,” Makishima explained. “I just don’t want to get in the way.”

“Don’t worry,” Toudou reassured him, “You’re a guest. And my parents only put their own children to work so you’re safe.”

“You don’t want me scaring away your guests?” Makishima teased him.

“There is proper way to treat guests at Toudou-Ann and if you want to work with them, you’ll have to go through training, Toudou said primly. “We have a high reputation to maintain. Now it’s my turn. Did you get me a Christmas present?”

Makishima was surprised by the sudden topic change but he nodded yes.

Toudou looked absolutely delighted and Makishima said quickly, “It’s nothing too fancy or anything. Just so you know.”

“I’ll love anything you give me Maki-chan,” Toudou promised him. “I got you one too.”

“I hope you like neon,” and he smiled a little when Toudou rolled his eyes and elbowed him in the ribs.

“You ju-st got here, don’t make me kick you out so soon.”

Makishima laughed and let his head fall onto Toudou’s shoulder and he felt his chest swell when Toudou leaned his head against his and wrapped an arm around his waist.

 ———-

Makishima spent the remainder of the day visiting with Toudou’s family, getting introduced to some of the staff, helping out around the inn and hoping they would get to into the baths that evening. Toudou insisted that Makishima could sit and relax while he finished up his chores but Makishima liked having something to do and after all he was there to spend time with Toudou even if that meant folding his own weight in pillowcases.

“Usually we’re not this busy at Christmas time but as soon as it’s a weekend, everyone decides to turn it into a trip,” Toudou complained, glaring at the vast piles of folded sheets and bedding all over the huge laundry room. Makishima kept folding what felt like endless piles of pillowcases, the static in the air making his hair frizz up.

“It should be quiet for New Year’s right? You guys aren’t as busy then?” Makishima asked, pushing his hair behind his ears for what felt like the thousandth time.

“Well we technically shut down for the 1st through the 3rd so we’re not busy, we’re just closed. Some places stay open but for us, it’s one of the only times we close during the year. Maybe we’ll get snow this New Year? he wondered.

“Do you get snow for Christmas?” Makishima asked.

“I think it’s happened once or twice in my life before but not usually,” Toudou replied thoughtfully.  “We usually get snow further into winter.”

“What’s the plan for tomorrow?”

“Hmmm, well you can sleep in if you want; I have to help with breakfast prep. Then we can go into town and or do whatever we want, Toudou suggested. “We can hang out here if you want. Maybe go hiking? I’m sure we’ll need to go to the store for some reason. We’re doing presents for sure though!”

The next day, Christmas day turned out almost exactly as Toudou had predicted. Makishima woke up to busy inn, staff members busy at work and members of the Toudou family scattered all over the premises. Makishima took the time to eat, read and then soak in the baths, enjoying himself but also trying not to add more work to the already busy family.

Finally in the late afternoon, Toudou and Makishima managed to sneak off to Toudou’s room to exchange gifts.

“Me first! I want to open mine first, the suspense is killing me. After what you said, I need to know the color!” Toudou demanded impatiently.

Makishima laughed but went and pulled a vividly wrapped present from his bag and tossed it to Toudou. “Merry Christmas Jinpachi. I uh, I hope it fits?” he said hopefully. “We’re the same height so…”

Toudou didn’t bother with finesse; he tore into the present scattering paper everywhere and yanked the box open as quickly as he could.

“Oh my god, look at this!” Toudou gushed and held up the shirt so he could see it better. 

Makishima had bought Toudou a long sleeved shirt with different traditional Japanese patterns crisscrossing each other. The fabric was light grey and the patterns were printed in dark red, orange and black.

“I love it! I would never have bought this myself but I love it! It’s a weird mix of traditional and crazy.”

“That’s what I was going for, said Makishima, happy that Toudou liked his gift. “It’s traditional but also not.”

Toudou’s gift on the other hand was very practical; a book about long distance cyclying, with a special section focusing on the Tour de France. Makishima had never read this one so he was very happy with his gift.

“I got you one more thing to celebrate Christmas with but you have to wear it today okay? Otherwise it doesn’t make sense,” Toudou added, dragging Makishima’s attention away from his new book.

“Okay?” Makishima said hesitantly. He acknowledged that Toudou’s typical fashion sense was all right, but not his holiday one which could be a little more ahem exuberant than usual. And Makishima knew exuberant for crying out loud.

“Close your eyes,” Toudou ordered and Makishima sighed but obeyed.

“Aaaand open! Tadah!” Toudou crowed. “Christmas lights for your hair!”

Makishima grimaced as he looked at the headband in Toudou’s hands. It was white with a little present on it but dangling from the side was what looked like 30 white lights on a copper wire. Apparently the present was a battery pack that let you turn on the lights. At least they weren’t shaped like Christmas tree lights. Makishima shuddered, that would be even worse.

“You do know that you’re like the 10th person who’s told me to decorate my hair like a Christmas tree right? And that I’ve said no to every person who suggested it?” said Makishima, a little annoyed. 

“Let me French braid your hair! Please?” Toudou pleaded. “It’ll be awesome. And not like a tree at all.”

“Why do you know how to braid anyways?” Makishima asked.

“My sister.”

And that was the only explanation that Makishima needed, but he kept protesting.

“I’m going to look ridiculous. My hair is barely long enough to braid anyways.”

“Excuse you! This summer your hair was just a little further than your shoulders and now it’s way past that. It’s going to be by your waist by the summer interhigh if you don’t cut it soon. You’re the hairiest guy I know!”

Makishima glared at Toudou who shrugged and added sheepishly, “You know what I mean. It’ll be beautiful.”

“Nothing can make me beautiful, let alone a weird braid,” Makishima thought dryly but it was Christmas and only Toudou would see him and he’d already taken it out of the packaging so…

“Fine,” he agreed. “You can braid my hair but don’t even think of hanging ornaments off me. Or anything like that.”

“I hadn’t even thought of that; that’s a wonderful idea Maki-chan,” Toudou said cheerfully.

Makishima groaned but sat down on the floor in front of the bed so Toudou could scoot behind him and still reach his hair. It didn’t take long for him to relax under the feeling of Toudou’s hands as he brushed his hair out and then began to braid, carefully weaving the lights into the long strands until Makishima’s hair was tied into an elegant braid, with the copper wire making his hair look even more iridescent than usual. Toudou tied the braid off with a hair tie and sat back so he could admire his work. Makishima reached up and tried to feel his hair but Toudou swatted his hands away.

“Hold still! Let me turn on the lights then you can look, okay?”

“Hurry up then,” Makishima complained and he twisted and turned around trying to see his back.

Toudou clicked the switch on the headband and Makishima tried to crane his neck to see but it didn’t matter. He couldn’t see but he heard Toudou gasp and he reached out to grab his shoulders to pull him around.

“You look amazing. It’s gorgeous! Here, go look in the mirror.”

Makishima went over to the full-length mirror that hung next to the door and tried to get a better look as Toudou hounded his steps.

Well it was certainly… something. His braided hair did look attractive and the lights scattered throughout it made him think of a Christmas tree but it also made him look almost ethereal, like a forest creature. Well, as ethereal as one could look wearing grey plaid lounge pants and a white t-shirt that said ‘Climb High!’ in neon blue letters. It wasn’t the worse thing that he’d done with his hair, Makishima decided.

“Pictures! Come back over here so I can get some shots.” Toudou waved him back over to the bed with his phone in his hand. Makishima knew better than to protest and he went where Toudou directed him and obeyed as Toudou pushed him into different poses and took pictures from every angle possible.

“I’m tempted to put you in some of my clothes but I don’t think that would really capture you. Besides, you look beautiful like this.”

“What?” Makishima said incredulously. “I’m in lounge pants and an oversized t-shirt. There’s nothing beautiful about me.”

“I disagree,” Toudou said. “I think you look beautiful. And I know plenty about beauty since I’m at the top of the scale. Why? You don’t believe me?”

Makishima shrugged him off. “I believe what you say, not what you see. That’s all.”

Toudou sighed and set his phone down. “Fine, let me show you then.”

“What are you talking about?” Makishima mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

“Let me show you,” he repeated and he went over to the door to turn off the lights, plunging the room into darkness except for Makshima’s hair. The tiny lights illuminated everything and yet nothing. Toudou came back to sit next to him and he reached out to cup Makishima’s face with his hand. Makishima had barely a moment see his face and all the tiny lights reflecting in his eyes when Toudou kissed him, gently at first but putting some pressure behind it until Makishima began to kiss him back. Then Toudou reached out and wrapped his arm around Makishima’s waist but unlike every other time, he slipped it under his t-shirt and across the small of Makishima’s back, running his hand down his side.

Makishima felt his brain short circuit as he suddenly realized what Toudou meant by ‘show you’ and his stomach clenched from nerves. He froze up, not sure if he wanted Toudou to keep going or if he wanted to push him away. Fortunately, Toudou noticed his reaction immediately and pulled back.

“Don’t worry. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I promise. You set the pace,” Toudou reassured him gently.

“I want- I’m not sure what- do whatever you like I guess…” Makishima mumbled, his tongue thick in his mouth, making it even harder to speak than usual. Ever since they’d started getting closer, he’d thought about them doing things, very specific things but it had always been hypothetical, not really something that he ever expected to happen and now he was sittin in the dark, on Jinpachi’s bed with his hands under his clothes and his hair providing otherworldly light it as moved and unraveled around them both.

This was not how he expected to be spending his Christmas but he was not complaining either.

“Do you know what you’re doing at all?” Makishima asked, half shy, half embarrassed by his own lack of experience.

“Not really,” Toudou admitted cheerfully. “I just like touching you. It’s nice.”

Makishima blushed so hard it felt like his entire chest on up was on fire. He didn’t know how to react. A small part of him wanted to curl up and pull away but a far larger part of him desperately wanted Jinpachi to touch him more, to cover his entire body with his hands and mouth and the heat of his body.

It was terrifying. And wonderful.

So Makishima decided to be bold. He scooted backwards until he had a enough space so that he could lie down on his side and Toudou moved with him, lying next to him so they were pressed together or as closely as they could be as they awkwardly jostled each other trying to figure out how they could fit their bodies together but not accidentally elbow one of them in the face or gut. They almost cracked heads at one point and Toudou had to get off Makishima’s hair so it wasn’t crushed underneath them.

But then they were together, face to face, chest to chest, their legs intertwining and hands carefully reaching out to touch, trace and creep under clothing. Toudou kept kissing Makishima on his lips, his face, his neck, his hair and it made it hard for him to him to focus on anything. He was certain that he had a hand wrapped around Toudou’s back, clutching at his shirt but where was his other one? Maybe he could pull Toudou even closer? The sudden need to get even closer consumed Makishima. He ground his hips against Toudou and he heard the groan slip from his mouth and there had to be some other position that would let them get closer and-

All the warning they had was a loud bam against the closed door but it was enough. Toudou flung himself so far away from Makishima that he fell over the side of the bed with a loud crash. Makishima managed to push himself into a sitting position and pull his shirt back down as Hana swung the door open, stopped in apparent confusion then flicked the lights back on.

“Come on you two! It’s snowing and it’s is starting to stick. We need you two to help sweep it up before it gets really bad. Also salt. Everyone else is already outside! ”

Then she noticed her brother laying on the floor, clutching his head and swearing loudly.

“What are you two doing up here?” she demanded, looking suspiciously between them.

“We were exchanging gifts before you decided to interrupt!” Toudou snapped at his sister. Makishima tried to avoid Hana’s gaze, certain that his bright red face would give both of them away. What if she figured it out? This was not how Makishima wanted anyone to find out about their relationship.

“Well, wrap it up! And stop spreading your ridiculous headbands around. The poor guy looks like a walking Christmas tree. ”

“My headbands are not ridiculous. You’ve told us what’s up now go away!” Toudou yelled. 

“Both of you get downstairs then!” she snapped back. “You look very cute Makishima, but don’t let my brother corrupt you too much” and she winked.

“I’ll try not to,” Makishima muttered under his breath.

“Let’s get shoveling then its dinnertime and cake,” and she headed back out the door leaving them both to fully recover from the shock.

Toudou sighed and hauled himself to his feet. “I know what I want for Christmas this year, a lock for my door,” he grumbled and slammed his door shut.

“I’m surprised you don’t have one already,” Makishima said weakly flopping back onto the bed and trying to calm his racing heart. He was so relieved that they hadn’t been caught that he didn’t care in the slightest that the mood had been completely ruined.

“Our house is really old and I’m at the dorms most of the time now. But I think it’s time to ask for one.” Toudou turned and offered a hand to Makishima. “Shall we? Before the rest of my family comes in?”

Makishima reached out and Toudou pulled him to his feet but kept holding his hand.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you move that fast outside of a race,” Makishima teased him lightly.

Toudou snorted. “Careful. I’ve got ornaments somewhere. We can still deck you out for Christmas.”

“How about we switch?” Makishima suggested instead.

“Hmmm?”

“Later tonight, you can wear this ridiculous hairband and I’ll kiss you.”

Toudou’s entire face lit up and he pulled Makishima in for a hug. “Well I do tend to look better in headbands than you, so I guess that’s fine with me. You have to take some picture though. Oh! And I can try on my new shirt for a few and…”

Makishima grabbed Toudou and yanked him in for a kiss to shut him up. “We can figure it out later,” Makishima promised. Okay? Before you sister drags us out?”

“Okay,” Toudou agreed happily. “Let’s go. Merry Christmas Maki-chan.”

“Merry Christmas, Jinpachi.”

[sandinz]

It may seem to some readers we spend most of our time enjoying ourselves. Together, with family, and with friends.

True, life in the Teutenberg/Walsh boathold (no household here!) it’s vastly different to the majority of people in our peer group. However, we are NOT retired. Barry has another two and half years to go; Sandra just over eight.

We do not, and neither of us ever have, rely on any form of public funds (i.e. state benefits). We DO have a small savings buffer as we’ve both ‘worked’ in the usual way for over 35 years each in our chosen professions. We have our boat, NB Areandare.

Adapting as we go …

This year has seen a marked difference in our travelling and trading plans. One of the most important things we’ve learnt since our bold/brave/crazy/impetuous (take your pick depending on your perspective!) decision to sell bricks and mortar, move to England, buy a narrowboat and leave our ‘normal’ jobs of Professional Photographer (Barry) and Midwife/Educator/Quality Coordinator (Sandra), has been to regularly review what we’re doing to attempt to sustain our chosen lifestyle. Up until very recently of course, I’ve also been caring for my elderly parents as their health diminished.

What we’re very conscious of is not getting sucked back into the hamster treadmill – or feeling coerced by ‘the powers that be’ into ‘ticking their boxes’.

Admittedly there’s been a few times such as the two applications for Barry’s UK Spousal Sponsored Visa (with the third one looming), or recently opening an ‘Executors Bank Account’ with my sister, or hiring a car from Enterprise (they ask about occupation this year having never done previously!), where not being able to simply answer questions about home address and employment, as most people easily do, can feel rather frustrating.

But … overall we feel an incredible sense of freedom ‘doing it differently‘ and NOT waiting to live until it’s potentially too late. We’ve known far too many people who have left this mortal world much sooner than expected. We both believe strongly this life is it. No point gambling precariously that there’s something ‘better’ to come in our worldview. As I’ve alluded to previously though, this way of living is not for the fainthearted. It takes courage, perseverance, partnership, persistence and planning (just not long-term or it’s just too freaky!).

Calendar Club – a joint venture

For the past two years we’ve both worked at Calendar Club outlets. In 2016 we each worked for people we knew who were running stores. Last year we successfully ran our own shop in Lichfield at the Three Spires Centre. A full-on fourteen week commitment, with only two days during in total when we shut up shop. We even managed to stay open during the period of severe snowfall.

However, with both of us running the store we each had sufficient time off. We’d chosen Lichfield as there were good moorings nearby, with public transport routes to the city – and it’s near family and friends, as Sandra lived in Sutton Coldfield for many years. And from 1st November to 1st March, 48 hour moorings become 14 day ones. So we were able to move the required distances during the time we were ‘working’.

We’re very proud that this year, as we met the Key Performance Indicators set by Calendar Club, we’ve been invited to run the Lichfield store again. It’s a brilliant way to earn a good sum of money, on a commission basis (we’re ‘Self-Employed Operators’), in a set period of time. So it’s ideally suited to live-aboard boaters who’d prefer not to work in the usual way. There’s obviously many other people who live on land who run stores and mall outlets too.

This year Calendar Club have a number of vacancies needing to be filled from now till October.  You can apply by going to this link and filling in the online form. Currently the areas where Calendar Club are seeking motivated and committed operators are:

Aldershot

Andover

Aylesbury

Bath

Bishops Stortford

Buxton

Chester

Dumfries

Durham

Elgin

Hastings

Hemel Hempstead

Hereford

Hull

Inverness

Kendal

Kirkcaldy

Maidenhead

Middlesbrough

Newmarket

Oxford

Reading

Runcorn

Southend

Stafford

St Albans

Swansea

Tamworth

Taunton

So get in quick if you’re interested!

There’s a number on the list with nearby waterways … Do contact us by email if you want to chat about our experiences.

The Home Brew Boat and Photography

Barry has focused mostly on on-line sales for The Home Brew Boat this year, doing very little towpath trading. We have three canal festivals booked in the Birmingham area in September. Most unlike the past four years.

He’s refining the products he sells, according to what he’s found popular. There may be more changes afoot in the near future, concentrating more along the distilling and spirits making line. That is more his area of expertise having been involved with ‘Still Spirits‘, the  distilling supply company whom Barry dealt with in New Zealand, prior to moving to the UK. So … if you want to know about distilling, the legalities of it and ‘how to do it safely and successfully for personal consumption only’, give him a call or email via the contact us page.

Last year Barry was invited to work with PayPal  together with an international freight company and which uses a website plugin to expand the reach of his business. It means his wicked website is translated into the language of the country where it is viewed so is able to have products delivered across the globe. The customer pays the UK plus extra international postage when ordering.  Barry organises the courier to the depot at Heathrow, and PayPal or their freight partner, do the rest. It’s been working very successfully so far.

He’s also increased the range of waterways related Greeting Cards to 47, with nine new ones in the last batch. Photography continues to be a passion – just in a very different way to his years in New Zealand.

The Worcester, Birmingham and Droitwich Canal Society have purchased some of his cards to sell at events they attend, and they say they’ve been one of their best-sellers! So … if there’s anyone else out there who would like to stock a selection of Barry’s cards, please do contact us.

He’s had photographs published recently in The Wall Street Journal and Waterways World, and we started a weekly Wednesday ‘Guess the location and waterway’ competition on his ‘Inspirational Images of the UK Inland Waterways’ Facebook page. The person to guess correctly wins their choice of Greeting Card from Barry’s range. Most week’s we’re a card down – occasionally we stump everyone! Click the link and ‘like’ the page, check it out on a Wednesday (the time we publish is variable) – and have a go yourself …

Reflections in Little Venice – published in The Wall Street Journal

A snow covered Areandare December 2017 Hopwas

Sandra’s becoming a Google Guru – at Ad-extra

Also this year, I (Sandra) applied, was interviewed, and successfully passed the required ‘Google Ads’ (formerly ‘Google AdWords’) exams, to gain a self-employed consultant contract with a fabulous UK-based company called ‘Ad-Extra‘. Over the past years I’ve blogged, set up and managed websites, and marketed our services through a variety of  Social Media accounts, so this seemed like a natural progression.

One of the beauties of doing online work like this, is the flexibility of the ‘hours of work’ – which can be mostly adapted around our lifestyle. It’s early days yet, but after working with the owner Dom, and the select team, since March 2018, I can honestly say I’m looking forwarding to building up my contribution to helping people promote themselves to clients searching for local businesses.

For any canal-related businesses, appearing at the top of Google searches may be something that would increase your exposure and income. Sandra Willis from The Doggie Boat, also works for Ad-Extra. Click here and ‘meet the team‘!

Duck food and Canal Art

These have been very small additions, so far, to our ‘portfolio’ of income generating streams.

We’ve been travelling a lot, and entertaining visitors frequently, so weekends sitting on a busy towpath attempting to ply our wares just hasn’t really figured on our itinerary! However, they’re both ‘works in progress’, and projects we’ll consider building upon during the remainder of this summer, early autumn, and in 2019.

  Letting go of Facepainting …

A few fantastic faces from Blisworth Canal Festival 2016

I loved being a facepainter since April 2014. It’s something I’d wanted to do for many years, and I believe (and was often told!) that I became rather good at it!

However …

I only ever got to facepaint OFF the boat. Which meant hauling heaps of equipment from the boat to a land-based stall and setting it up. Or hiring a car and travelling to events (that cut into the meagre profits!). And when people asked me if I did parties, generally I had to say yes and no, desperately wanting to say yes – but knowing it depended upon where we were expecting to be located at the time of the event. I’m convinced that if we’d been in one place, for a length of time, I could’ve built up the business successfully. As it is, with the lifestyle we’re currently living and loving, I felt it wasn’t moving forward. So I’ve made the sad decision to let it go – for now. Who knows, one day I may pick up my brushes, sponges, paints, glitter and gems again … Watching children’s (and young and more mature adults!) faces light up when they look in the mirror has been akin to waving a magic wand and sprinkling fairy dust on them. Absolutely priceless.

A kiwi summer

Our next kiwi guests arrive today, and are with us for three fabulous days. We’re currently moored adjacent to The Salt Barge, not far from Northwich. We’ve not stayed here previously, but will definitely do so again. A marvellous mooring and outstanding proper British pub.

On 25th July Barry’s older brother Ray arrives for three weeks. We recently heard his younger brother Peter has also chosen 2018 to pop in for a cuppa – or most likely something rather stronger! He’s literally popping in one day and out the next. But it’ll be amazing to see them both.

And yes, in between and during, we’ll both be fitting in ‘work’. Following that, September we have three festivals booked. October, it’ll be noses to the grindstone, and we’ll be focussing on making our Lichfield Calendar Club store as successful as possible.

We don’t always get the balance as evenly weighted to either side as we’d like, but mostly it suits us living as we are. For now …

Continuing to discover ways to sustain our flexible floating lifestyle It may seem to some readers we spend most of our time enjoying ourselves. Together, with family, and with friends.

[netunleashed-blog]

Google Pixel Watch release date, price, news and leaks

http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=28899 Google Pixel Watch release date, price, news and leaks - http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=28899 The rebranded Wear OS software may soon be shown off in its full capacity with the release of the long rumored Google Pixel Watch.Previously some had expected Google to make its own smartwatch to show off everything Wear OS can do, in a similar way to the latest Android software and the Google Pixel 2 range, but so far it hasn't happened.One report from reliable Twitter leaker @Evleaks says he has information from a trusted source that a Google Pixel Watch is in development and will be released later this year at Google's autumnal hardware launch. That's set to come alongside the Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL and a second generation version of the Google Pixel Buds.Another report - this time from WinFuture - has suggested there may actually be three versions of the Pixel Watch in development. The website has heard word of devices with code names Ling, Triton and Sardine all in development at Google HQ.Below we're going to break down everything we know so far about the new watch, plus we've also put together the features and design we'd like from the first flagship watch. Cut to the chase What is it? The first flagship watch designed by GoogleWhat will it cost? Probably high-end cost, but no specifics yetWhen is it out? Later this year, perhaps October alongside Pixel 3 Google Pixel Watch release date and price An exact release date for the rumored Google Pixel Watch isn't clear. The original tweet from Evleaks contains information from what he calls a "reliable source" that it will be announced alongside the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.We'd expect Google to unveil its new flagship phones in October this year as that'll be a whole year since the Pixel 2 announcement and two years after the original Pixel was unveiled. In fact, both the last two Pixel launches happened on October 4 of 2016 and 2017 so it may be coming on that date in 2018. That may be subject to change if Google decides to host its event at a different time and we probably won't hear official word from Google on that event for quite a while.The report above from WinFuture about three versions of the Google Pixel Watch also says the device has reached its second level of design verification, which is a test to see if the device would be easy to mass produce. That suggests the watch design will be final enough to be put onto the production line in the next few months.As for price, we don't currently have any idea how much this watch will cost. Considering the Pixel range is usually high-end products with generally flagship level prices, we'd expect that but we don't currently have any evidence supporting it. Opinion: 3 reasons the Google Pixel Watch may tempt you away from an Apple Watch Google Pixel Watch news and rumors In terms of spec, there isn't much known about the Google Pixel Watch. We can expect this to be a high-end device that uses the latest technology in smartwatches, but what that will be won't be known until we hear leaks of the product.Senior director of wearables at Qualcomm, Pankaj Kedia, previously said the chipset manufacturer is hard at work on a next-gen processor for upcoming smartwatches.It'll be a follow up to the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 we've seen in a lot of the best Wear OS watches over the last two years. He said the new tech will be available on a new flagship watch that will be ready before Christmas, so it may be he was speaking of the Google Pixel Watch.Reported by XDA Developers, we expect the name of the chipset will be Snapdragon Wear 3100 and its headline feature is set to help battery life on smartwatches. Wear OS is the latest version of Google's smartwatch operating system It's called 'Blackghost' and will be a power management integrated circuit built into the chipset itself that will allow the watches to listen out for voice commands at all times without draining the battery.Basically, expect to be able to ask Google Assistant questions without either draining your smartwatch after a few hours or having to press a button beforehand.The rumor that Google is making three versions of the watch may mean we'll see three variants of the Pixel Watch. That same report also suggested at least one version of the watch will come with 1GB of RAM, which is a lot for a smartwatch.It may mean there will be one watch in the range with LTE or another that's designed to be more focused on fitness, but so far we've yet to hear any rumors of what those different versions will be. What we want to see Below we've put together a list of the things we want to see from the Google Pixel Watch when it officially launches later this year. 1. Rotating crown or bezel Samsung's Gear Sport uses a rotating bezel Before the switch to Wear OS, Android Wear 2.0 put a big focus on how the design had been reworked to play well with rotating bezels and crowns, but then we haven't seen many watches embrace that. Why not use it for the Google Pixel Watch? Those features may be far in Google's rear view mirror as the Wear OS updates take precedent, but we'd love to see an innovative way of interacting with the watch such as a rotating crown or bezel. 2. In-display fingerprint scanner If Google really wants to put the Pixel Watch on the map, adding an in-display fingerprint scanner would go a long way to doing that. Currently Wear OS watches (and the Apple Watch) allow you to secure them with a PIN code – but that’s not the most secure form of protection available.With an in-display fingerprint scanner, the secure biometric technology would fit seamlessly into the wearable without disrupting the visual appeal of the watch. It would also allow you to approve purchases over the current contactless limit (assuming the Pixel Watch comes with NFC).There are a couple of potential negatives here though. Firstly, the addition of this fledgling technology could increase the thickness of the watch – and no one wants an overly chunky wearable – but secondly it’ll also likely push the price tag way up.If Google can overcome these two things though, you can sign us up for a Pixel Watch right now. 3. Swimproof We’re used to smartwatches coming with a level of dust and water resistance, but few carry an IP certification high enough to ensure their survival when we cannonball into the local pool.A fully swim-proof Google Pixel Watch would not only allow you to keep the wearable on in the bath, but also allow you to track workouts in the pool without fear of malfunction. 4. Three day battery life The new enhanced battery saver mode on Wear OS This is a simple one, but we want the Google Pixel Watch to last as long as it can. Imagine a fully fledged smartwatch that doesn't need charging after two days of intensive usage.Wear OS is integrating a useful enhanced battery saver mode that should give you a lot more time with your smartwatch, but it'll limit the amount of features you can use when it's on.Clearly Google wants to improve how long your watch will last from one charge, but we'd love to see a big battery inside the watch and well optimized software that offers the best battery for a smartwatch on the market right now. 5. NFC payments Another simple one here, but quite a few Wear OS watches don't come with NFC built in so you aren't able to use Google Pay features on your wrist. That's a frustration for a lot of people, so we're hoping Google will include an NFC chip inside the watch.That'll especially be useful when you're out for a run and you need to buy a bottle of water, but you've left your wallet at home. 6. Best in class fitness Garmin's Forerunner 935 comes with a lot of fitness features built-in. While we're on the topic of running, we want the Pixel Watch to compete with the fitness prowess of the Apple Watch 3 as well as top-end specialist watches like the Garmin Forerunner 935.Imagine if Google can include all of the latest tracking tech including accurate GPS, LTE so we can listen to music on the go as well as a top of the range heart rate tracker.We want to be able to strap the Google Pixel Watch to our wrist and head out for any type of exercise and know we'll be tracked accurately and get as much fitness stats as we possibly can. 7. High-end watch design This one is a given, but we want to see a watch that you're not embarrassed to wear on your wrist. Not every Wear OS watch is a gorgeous creation, so we wish Google will be able to offer a slimmer option than most other manufacturers that uses high-end materials and feels like a proper timepiece you're excited to wear.If you're going to be spending a fair amount of money on a new watch, you'll want it to look great on your wrist so this is one of the most important things we want to see on the new wearable. Top Wear OS watches you can buy right now Main image: Misfit Vapor running new Wear OS Source link

[itsworn]

We Finish the Revival of a Nearly New 1969 Ford Ranchero GT After 29 Years of Storage

About a month ago, while we were strolling around the grounds of the old family compound, we touched on the topic of long-term storage. That’s what led us to the opening of a 40-foot shipping container. Locked in and forgotten, this time since 1989, Uncle Gary Bauman’s low-mileage 1969 Ranchero GT (12,155 miles to be exact) had languished long enough.

As long as proper steps are taken, a tight container can provide fairly safe storage. Somehow, however, this one’s roof had sprung a steady leak and the poor Ranchero sustained a series of summer-long steam baths. With its contents left unchecked, container No. 2 became the tomb of doom.

With the container doors opened for the first time in 29 years, the near-new/old Ranchero was loaded and hauled to Riverside, California’s Ed Martin Garage for a mechanical evaluation. Sure enough, time and conditions had affected the components we expected: cooling system, fuel system, brakes, and so on.

At the time of this typewriting, all mechanical issues have been tended to, as we witnessed in our Part 1 last month (July 2018). Now it’s time we turn our attention to the Ranchero’s cosmetic needs inside and out. For this phase we called in a second ringer, Ricky Pope of Soft Touch Auto Detailing, also in Riverside.

Pope is a bona fide detailing professional. His regular clientele includes the area’s new-car dealerships, but more and more lately he is in demand with the collector-car crowd. We had to wait for our appointment, but now it’s our turn. Pope’s mission is to restore and preserve the Ranchero’s original finish, brightwork and interior trim.

Based on his visual inspection, Pope estimates this to be a two-day job. Along the way we will see some familiar tools and household cleaning products used. At the same time we’ll embrace this opportunity to try out the latest in polishes, waxes, and cleaners from Mothers. Simply watching these procedures won’t make us professional detailers, but we can surely take a tip or two from Pope. Amongst his mix of tricks we might find something useful for our own detailing needs.

Now, of course, there’s still a less-technical side to this story. My favorite uncle hasn’t seen his near-new/old Ranchero GT since the last time he parked it, 29 years ago. He knows we got it out. He knows we’ve been working on it. We all know we can’t let it die again. There has been some discussion about a big auction somewhere, but maybe there is a happier ending in store. Very soon, when we drive it up Uncle Gary’s driveway, we shall see what shall be.

1 Just to give you an idea, here is what we have received from Mothers. Yes, it’s a lot. The job at hand will require a lot, but we certainly have everything we need. To further sweeten this presweetened deal, we’ve been loaned a brand-new Flex dual-action polisher.

2 On a complete detail job like ours, Pope likes to begin with interior brightwork and trim. For this story we focus mostly on the detailing of the Ranchero’s exterior, but before we start with that, look at this! After working late last night, Pope has our interior looking and smelling like new—and this could be another story.

3 Today we start with a dulled-down, dried-out factory finish. The horizontal surfaces are pretty far gone, and we know the paint is thin. On that note, let’s begin at the beginning with a needed bath.

4 In the mix with Pope’s new stockpile of Mothers products is a generous supply of Mothers-brand microfiber polishing cloths. These are washable and reusable, and a notch or two nicer than others we’ve worked with. The tags are a little scratchy but easily removable by design.

5 Inside the Mothers bucket is one of Mothers’ wash mitts. Made from microfiber chenille, they are very absorbent and very, very soft. At the bottom of the bucket, just out of view, is a grit guard. It’s a pretty common detailers’ tool and keeps the new mitt separated from settling sediment. Also in the bucket, we have mixed a batch of Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax.

6 Being somewhat ambidextrous, Pope often uses both hands. Here, either form of microfiber is safe for our purposes. We know that later on we’ll be using an aggressive rubbing compound, so this time a fresh-mixed batch of this same slippery solution might suffice as a lubricant for clay.

7 Used in straight strokes and folded often as we go, this hunk of clay contours nicely to the uppermost shape of this quarter-panel. This is also a Mothers product, from our 200-gram California Gold clay kit. Used in conjunction with the Carnauba Wash & Wax, it’s gradually smoothing this gritty surface.

8 From the Mothers Speed line, this 2.0 clay is a good fit for the Ranchero’s flatter expanses. The business end that contacts the finish is easy to rinse by tread-like design. For a lubricant we have switched to Mothers Instant Detailer as the company recommends.

9 As the second day of the job wears on, it has becoming clear that we’ll need a third day if we’re going to bring these dead horizontal surfaces back to life. Although playing with clay can be fun, this has been hard work. On this particular job, it has been harder work than usual, but we’re gaining—and now it’s time for another bath.

10 The next step will involve Mothers Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound. The foam cutting pad is a Lake Country item. Lake Country offers a line of pads designed to match Mothers compounds and polishes. Compound application techniques vary from detailer to detailer. After a shake, here’s what Pope does.

11 Beginning slowly to avoid slinging compound, Pope takes the brand-new, borrowed Flex dual-action polisher for a test spin. For starters, he selected the No. 4 speed setting. This is a smooth-operating machine. He likes it, and we’ll see it used again as the job progresses.

12 For the toughest area of our horizontal surfaces, Pope pulls out his toughest buffer. This time-saving move is best left for the brave professional. Used improperly, an 8-inch foam cutting pad on a high-speed buffer could destroy this fragile original finish, but that won’t happen here.

13 For now, let’s take a break from paint-related chores. We’ve got some tire cleaners and metal polishes to play with. For the initial tire cleanup, the leading brand of dish soap does fine. The long-handled brush used here is a Mothers staple, and its reach is just right for wheelhouses.

14 Summertime in Riverside is hot. Summertime in container No. 2 is hot enough to melt the factory’s grease right out of tailgate latches and door latches as well. These jambs are a greasy mess. Despite the time and effort we gave it, dish soap just wouldn’t cut it.

15 Meanwhile, back on the bench we’ve had an ideal degreaser within reach the whole time. Also from Mothers Speed line, this all-purpose cleaner makes quick work of greasy goo. A small section of flexible abrasive pad is handy for the latch, but the painted jamb calls for microfiber cloth, rinse and dry.

16 As insect collections go, this one is well established. Bug corpses are baked into this grille’s porous finish. Even so, Mothers Speed Bug & Tar Remover is helpful in loosening them up. Here again, the long-handled, soft-enough brush easily contours to shape. Next, the grille area will receive a thorough rinse.

17 For the dripping-wet grille and other difficult-to-dry areas, Pope pulls out an invaluable detailer’s tool. This leaf blower is powered by a clean-running four-stroke engine and, like everything else used at Soft Touch, is California compliant.

18 As y’all may recall, we’re not exactly finished with the Ranchero’s original finish, so it’s “lather, rinse, repeat” with a fresh-mixed batch of Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax. Then we towel-dry and blow-dry as necessary. The next step is Pope’s call.

19 For this job, Mothers supplied a bottle of Foam Pad Polish, but Pope skips that step. After washing, this light color shows no compound swirl marks, so he has gone straight to Mothers Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax. This could be considered a shortcut, but for this particular job, it’s appropriate.

20 As a time-saving move, Pope utilizes the Flex dual-action polisher outfitted with a brand-new Lake Country foam polishing pad. For those of us at home who might prefer to work in a more manual manner, Mothers Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax can be used by hand as well.

21 These circa-1969, original vinyl stripes could also use a little love. These areas are particularly fragile, so here Mothers Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax is manually applied and manually buffed dry with small sections of the same Mothers microfiber cloth we have used throughout this job.

22 This remote mirror would be difficult to wax around. With a screwdriver and a few extra fingers, it’s detached and held out of the way for initial cleanup. Followed up with a pump-application of Mothers Speed Spray Wax, this problem spot is no problem at all.

23 The Ranchero’s only nonstock modification came right away, in 1969. After years of storage, these American Torq-Thrust originals are deserving of preserving. Pope applied Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish by hand, and then worked it into this wheel’s rim with a Mothers Power Ball Mini speed polisher chucked up in a variable-speed drill. Although manual labor would yield results, the Power Ball gets better results, faster. Pope is beyond pleased with his test-spin results. He’s stoked.

24 Earlier at the tire shop, I’d neglected to say “no dressing.” Mothers supplied tire dressing as well, but this time it’s me. I’m just not into dressings. We’ve already witnessed a vigorous brush-scouring with the leading brand dish soap. Now let’s try Mothers Back-to-Black Tire Renew as a finishing touch. Although this product is designed to be sprayed directly onto tires, Pope and I prefer a terrycloth applicator. Wiped on and followed with a dry section of terrycloth, this cleans deeper than dish soap while producing a likeable look with no additional dressing necessary.

25 This rear bumper is rusty. In the past we have leveled pitting with crinkly wads of foil. With glass cleaner as a lubricant, it worked fairly well. Some believe that trick works better with acid-laced cola, but Pope wouldn’t appreciate a sticky mess on his shiny shop floor. Let’s test a small area, dry, with Grade 0000 steel wool.

26 Steel wool surprised us. Still, this bumper’s rough and rusty condition will require an aggressive polish. Mothers Billet Metal Polish is aggressive. As a rule, even mild products should be tested first. Even so, here we go! Hand-buffed dry with a larger, cleaner cloth, this bumper is showroom-shiny.

27 Tired and sore at the end of our three-day detailing marathon, we have achieved success. Here the right combination of experience, manual labor, and Motherly love pay off. Uncle Gary’s near-new/old Ranchero GT is truly back in showroom shape.

The post We Finish the Revival of a Nearly New 1969 Ford Ranchero GT After 29 Years of Storage appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/finish-revival-nearly-new-1969-ford-ranchero-gt-29-years-storage/ via IFTTT

[takenews-blog1]

Inside Khloe Kardashian's Quietly Momentous Being pregnant

New Post has been published on https://takenews.net/inside-khloe-kardashians-quietly-momentous-being-pregnant/

Inside Khloe Kardashian's Quietly Momentous Being pregnant

In 2018, the E! star and member of some of the well-known households round shall be branching off to begin a household of her personal. Khloe has confirmed that she is pregnant along with her and boyfriend Tristan Thompson‘s first youngster collectively, taking to Instagram to share a photograph of her naked, until now simply speculated-upon child bump.

Whereas the thrilling information hasn’t precisely been saved underneath wraps—”Khloe is so pleased, you haven’t any concept,” a supply advised us in September—the often extra demonstrative fam has been noticeably quieter this 12 months, notably relating to any and all blessed occasions.

However now that it is starting to look so much like Christmas, the Kardashians have been in a extra giving temper.

In the future at a time for nearly three weeks now, the Kards have been rolling out a scene from their huge vacation card photograph shoot (which they skipped final 12 months), timed to have the entire completed product on show by Christmas.

The cardboard form of serves as a metaphor for all of 2017—little by little, the household is coming again into clear focus after a most uncommon 12 months.

Although Khloe has talked extensively about aspiring to grow to be a mom sooner or later, her determination to not flaunt her expectant standing or interact within the sisterly custom of baring bumps in bikinis and posing for elaborate photograph shoots (until now) is smart so far as the timing goes.

For starters, why not hold just a little one thing for herself? Khloe has lived the final 10 years of her life nearly solely in public, getting married, ending up separated, relationship once more, aiding ex Lamar Odom‘s restoration after he overdosed and in the end getting divorced in full view of the cameras. Then in fact inquiring minds wished to know all about her romance with Thompson, which blossomed within the fall of 2016 after they had been launched on a blind date arrange by a mutual buddy.

Thompson was recent from successful his first NBA Championship ring with the Cleveland Cavaliers and, as soon as the 2016-17 season acquired underway, Khloe began spending extra time in The Land than she most likely ever anticipated to spend in her life. However already understanding she wished to make it work, Khloe adjusted, even when obstacles appeared to loom.

Along with abiding by his ordinary grueling schedule of exercises, practices and video games, Thompson additionally turned a first-time dad final December when his ex Jordan Craig gave delivery to their son, Prince Oliver Craig Thompson. Perhaps all the above would’ve been a stumbling block to some—the entire household is aware of how laborious it’s to this point skilled athletes—however Khloe and Tristan had fallen quick for one another.

Quick-forward to now and, with Khloe given carte blanche to embellish any Kardashian-Thompson abode as she sees match, she’s in “one of the best relationship” she’s ever been in and the expectant couple are fortunately cohabitating in Cleveland and L.A.

“I do actually love Cleveland,” she assured Steve Harveythroughout an look on his speak present in September. “Everyone seems to be like, ‘Oh, you do not have to say that.’ I actually get pleasure from it. It is so completely different from L.A. and I like the seasons. I spend Christmas on the market and I’ve by no means had a white Christmas. I’ve by no means gotten to expertise that, so I get pleasure from it. The individuals are so good…They’re so actual.”

This momentous time in Khloe’s life additionally occurs to have coincided, not simply with momentous moments for sisters Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, but in addition with the wake of Kim’s traumatizing, entire-family-dynamic-altering expertise being robbed at gunpoint in Paris in October 2016. Kim stayed off social media for 3 months, a lifetime in Kardashian years, and her husband, mother and sisters all needed to rally to assist her really feel like her regular self once more.

“It is traumatizing and terrifying, however you genuinely…that is if you get down in your knees and also you pray and also you thank the lord that nothing worse occurred,” Khloe recalled listening to concerning the theft throughout an interview on Right now in January.

In the meantime, virtually since she and Thompson began relationship, they have been the topic of engagement and being pregnant rumors.

“There’s rumors I have been pregnant for I feel eight years now,” Khloe mentioned on Right now. “Rumor after rumor after rumor…we have simply realized to not deal with them.”

In a June episode of Maintaining Up With the Kardashians, Khloe sees a fertility specialist—at first as a result of she and Kim had been pondering the thought of Khloe being a surrogate for Kim and Kanye West. Her first go to left Khloe questioning whether or not she might even get pregnant and the physician suggested her to cease taking contraception capsules so he might totally suss out her scenario.

All appeared promising in the long run, and that apparently marked a turning level for Khloe and Tristan’s future collectively.

“Tristan and I positively speak about beginning a household,” she mentioned. “He desires to have 5 or 6 children with me and that is beautiful. We might begin at one and we might develop from there. However now understanding I am not on contraception is rather like—it is scary. It is like a very huge step.”

In an interview this summer season with The Mail on Sunday‘s YOU journal, she expanded upon the topic, saying, “Tristan is a superb dad and he positively desires extra youngsters, however we each really feel that it’s going to occur when the time is true. We’re nonetheless in a brand new relationship and I like us having time collectively. Upon getting children you possibly can’t get again your non-kid years…You are worried about your youngsters for the remainder of your life. The priority I’ve is elevating little human beings in a world that is stuffed with such hate and terror. That appears very scary.”

There may be, certainly, additionally that.

However barely a month after the interview was printed in August got here phrase that Khloe and Tristan had been certainly anticipating a child, and scary world apart, the mommy-to-be was thrilled.

As for the opposite ever-present rumor, Khloe advised YOU, “I imagine in marriage and I need to be married once more sooner or later however I haven’t got a timeframe. Why do individuals assume that marriage equates to happiness? There are lots of people in unhealthy marriages.”

And Khloe in fact is aware of from expertise. Although within the second she hoped on the time that she and Lamar Odom might repair their marriage, she revealed earlier this 12 months that she had really “pretend tried” to get pregnant whereas she and Odom had been nonetheless collectively—which means, she advised the previous NBA star she was on board with their efforts to have children, understanding deep down that it was not the appropriate time to have a child.

To the surface world, it had appeared that Khloe was 100-percent desirous to have a child.

“Once I was doing my fertility therapies, they had been extra so for Lamar,” she admitted. “I needed to cease as a result of there was a lot deeper stuff that was occurring in our marriage. I knew that it wasn’t the appropriate scenario to convey a baby into, and I feel I’ve completed a variety of protecting up for him, like even when it made me seem like I used to be the issue. However I used to be tremendous taking over that burden on my shoulders as a result of he had a variety of different deeper s–t to take care of.”

What a world away she is from these demoralizing instances.

And although mum had been the phrase, Khloe and Tristan did appear to be having some enjoyable preserving their “secret.”

For example, on June 26, Khloe Snapchatted an image of three Polaroids of her and Thompson, having written on considered one of them, “DAD + MOM.” And on Sept. 25, when phrase was first beginning to get out, Khloe commented on a photograph of Tristan in his Cavs uniform, writing, “Daddy appears GOOD,” together with the emoji with hearts for eyes.

Hey, hindsight is 20/20.

Contributing to the silence quotient was the truth that, all inside days of one another in September, out got here the information that Kylie Jenner was additionally pregnant, after which Kim Kardashian lastly confirmed that she and Kanye West had been certainly anticipating their third youngster by way of surrogate.

Whereas Khloe’s being pregnant is now Instagram-official, Kylie—who was the visitor of honor at a child bathe thrown at her home final month—has but to say a phrase or share any definitive bump image.

So the Kardashian-Jenner household’s strategy to sharing a significant life occasion was noticeably completely different in 2017, they usually had been all in it collectively. On Ellen in November, Kim did not cave to Ellen DeGeneres‘ good-natured stress to spill the household secrets and techniques. “When there are many rumors, now we have this household group chat and we threaten one another’s lives if we converse for the opposite one,” she defined, having already let it slip that she and Kanye are having one other lady(!). “We threaten every others’ lives if we converse for the opposite one. We simply determined there’s a lot that goes on that we respect one another’s proper to talk for themselves.”

Kim later sipped a sardine milkshake on the Late Late Present With James Corden, slightly than say something about her sisters’ reported pregnancies.

And whereas blood family have largely closed ranks, Khloe’s BFF Malika Haqq advised E! Information this summer season, “Tristan’s a really grounded, sound human being that comes from an important household…Typically you acknowledge different individuals come from comparable backgrounds that may work just a little extra carefully to the best way you had been raised or the best way you do issues. Morals and limits and all these issues are actually essential and I feel that they’ve a variety of the identical morals and targets in life. I feel that is why their relationship is profitable.”

Scott Disick known as Thompson “unbelievable.” “He is like the primary good, regular man she’s ever introduced dwelling,” Disick advised Steve Harvey. “Not that we’re good and regular!”

However Thompson’s normalcy was a promoting level for Khloe, too. “We each felt this sturdy vitality,” she advised London’s ES Journal in April. “I used to be like, oh that is such a pleasant, regular man—the normalcy is what I used to be craving.” She mentioned that, early on, the NBA star—who is aware of about dedication, having performed in a league-leading 447 straight video games till a thumb harm compelled him to the bench final season—accepted her way of life, wherein mass public consideration is simply in-built.

“You might inform that was a giant tablet to swallow,” Khloe recalled. “However he accepts who I’m. He likes to guard me, which I have never had earlier than—somebody searching for me nearly earlier than himself.”

“He’s a father, and I do know for a proven fact that he could be an impeccable father [to their own kids],” she additionally mentioned. “I positively need to be a mother. However I do not put the stress on it. It isn’t like, ‘the clock is ticking.’ I really feel in my soul it would occur.”

And it’s occurring.

“My biggest dream realized! We’re having a child! I had been ready and questioning however God had a plan all alongside. He knew what He was doing. I merely needed to belief in Him and be affected person,” she captioned her photograph, wherein each her palms and Thompson’s are caressing her abdomen collectively. “I nonetheless at instances cannot imagine that our love created life! Tristan, thanks for loving me the best way that you simply do! Thanks for treating me like a Queen! Thanks for making me really feel lovely in any respect levels!”

Khloe continued, “Tristan, most of all, Thanks for making me a MOMMY!!! You could have made this expertise much more magical than I might have envisioned! I’ll always remember how great you have been to me throughout this time! Thanks for making me so pleased my love!”

[chrisrunsthemarathon]

How I (hopefully) ran the Marathon. Part iii

Right, the third instalment…

I know The Empire Strikes back gets widely lauded as the best, but Return of the Jedi has always been my favourite so let’s hope this is the same.

Well,  f#*k me, what a nightmare. I’ve never been a big believer in fate, or luck (you make your own right) and I’ve never been superstitious but I’m beginning to think this whole thing is jinxed…

The whole superstition/fate thing is a load of bollocks in my book, how can three lines that Mystic Meg writes in the paper fit for a 12th of the population or to put it into numbers, about 5 million people within the UK. Although I have to admit it is ironic that my Gran was a Cancer given the way she died, she was mauled to death by a giant crab. As I’ve said above though, I can’t help but think this whole thing is doomed to fail.

So, an update on how the running has been going since the last entry…… I haven’t done any. Nadda. None. Nil. Nope. Not a single run at all. Not the ideal preparation and not quite the stage that I wanted to be at. I guess I should explain why.

I finished work for Christmas and was looking forward to some family time, not to harp on about it but it’s not been the easiest few months as anyone who’s read the other entries will know and we thought, “yep, that’ll be good, let’s do some fun stuff”. I managed the Panto on the Friday afternoon which was ace but started to feel a bit rough on Christmas Eve so went off to bed with a couple of Paracetamol thinking I’d be fine when I woke up in the morning. What actually happened was that I woke at 3am so cold my teeth were chattering but I was dripping with sweat at the same time, a full on fever. All of Christmas Day I felt awful, like proper awful. I managed to get downstairs for the kids to open their presents but it was game over after that. I did make it to my sister’s house where I slept on the sofa for an hour and a half before heading home to bed, 24 Pigs in Blankets especially bought in for me untouched. I believe they’re still there..

I laid in bed for the next three days pretty much unable to move just assuming I had flu. Blokes are supposed to get it really bad right? So I figured this must be what they talk about when they say ‘man flu’. I’m really not one to cry wolf with illness or make a fuss so I just sucked it up. Tash moved my lamp into the spare room for me and I lay there for a few days. After a consultation with a student with a ring binder on the 111 service on the fourth day who told me they thought I was fine and just to rest I gave up and went to the doctor. The doc spent two minutes having a look and sent me to the hospital having diagnosed Pneumonia saying I needed IV antibiotics and fluids. This contrasted quite significantly with the diagnosis from my dad when he was driving me to the aforementioned appointment who told me I needed to “get up and about” and “show some mental resolve”. Then as I stumbled/limped/fell into the waiting room, literally feeling on the verge of death he commented “see, you look better already for the fresh air” You can take the man out of Yorkshire….

So without going into too many details, I spent 5 days in the hospital on various drips for fluids and antibiotics and oxygen masks etc trying to recover from the Pneumonia. I don’t know if anyone reading this has had it but I can see how it finishes off the elderly as its bloody horrible and I felt awful. Truly awful. I got sent home on New Years Day (oh yes, my New Years Eve was a belter, particularly when the dickhead in the next bed started making calls to people very audibly at 1am to say hello and the bloke opposite decided to pull out his own catheter and then started screaming “my willy’s bleeding”. He was a lovely old bloke opposite though, very caring, he even got up and tried to help the bloke next to him have a drink. Of course the poor bloke next to couldn’t sit up and would have drowned if the nurses hadn’t stopped him but it was a lovely gesture. You could write a great sitcom about life in an NHS hospital. In fact I should have done to stave off the boredom. Loads of the patients I saw are such ar*eholes. The bloke next to me on my first visit was shouting “lady, lady” all the time at the nurses and all he wanted was for them to plug in his mobile phone. Who needs to plug in a phone at 3am?! Then of course the nurses get distracted as they have 700 things to do and people calling them and go off. After the second time he stopped me getting pain relief by distracting the nurse to get his phone plugged in I had to politely point out that if he interrupted for something so menial again he’d never have to worry about charging his phone again after I’d shoved it where…… I know I know, I’m punchy but it’s been a tough 5 weeks….

To put it into context for those who think I’ve been soft, you get an infection marker in your blood (CRP it’s called, look at me, I’ve got all the medical terms now) and it should be between 0-5 usually. When I was admitted to hospital mine was 450 something.  After 6 days at home where I felt a bit better, but not good I went back to the doctor who said I should be better by now given the drugs and time and so he did another blood test and my CRP was still 170 odd so he sent me back to the hospital where I spent another 4 days. Fortunately not on the acute medical ward this time (well, I was for the first 24 hours and then I got moved) so to be honest the second stint on an different ward felt like I’d been moved to The Hilton. I had a chair, a bedside table and a window…! It turns out the fluid on my lung from the pneumonia hadn’t drained away and had become infected and caused my lung to partially collapse. Oh yes, I’ve been having all the fun….

I was told I’d need either a chest drain to get rid of the fluid or be moved to Southampton hospital for surgery, fortunately for me I only needed the former and after that, coming home and another couple of weeks R&R I’m starting to feel human again………..but I haven’t been for a run yet.

You also start filling the days with meaningless and pointless things in hospital as well. Like going to the toilet far more frequently than you need to because you get to walk there and it’s something to do. Then you spend a good 5 minutes determining if your stools are a type 3 or 4 according to the chart on the back of the door and should you be worried or not (surely they should just stick a newspaper in there). It really is/was that bad. Not to be cliché either but the food really is almost inedible. I know they cater for large numbers, and on a budget, but still, how people ever get better eating that is a mystery. Its worth publicly commenting Berni Hampton that the Spaghetti Bolognese you made me on my second stint in hospital saved my life. It was easily the best Spag Bol I’ve ever had and sitting there chatting to Grant while I polished it off was the best I’d been in 3 weeks, a real turning point.

Tash should get a shout out here as well. I’ve cited in previous entries about her ability to cope and get on with it but bugger me she really is awesome. As well as everything she has going on, and spending Christmas solo with the kids (family obviously but in terms of looking after the little one’s) she managed to do a month’s worth of early wake ups, breakfast shift, get them dressed, bath time routines, bedtime routines all on her own and still cope with work, general life and fit in coming to see me every day, bring me Smarties, deal with my moods about the whole thing and cheer me up/tell me to man up where appropriate. I’ve promised I’ll make it up to her. I won’t put my trainers on until I get out of the house now.

So far this has all been pretty depressing hasn’t it, it’s like an entry in Adrian Mole’s diary “today I measured my pecker, still fuc*ing small”…

So the marathon………and running and where I’m up to with that. Well,…… I’m still convinced I can do it. Various members of my family, friends and most importantly my wife have told me that there’s no chance and I’m an idiot for even considering it. I’ve spoken to Rebecca at Anthony Nolan and they’ve been brilliant and told me I can defer and do it next year for them if I want to and just continue my current fundraising but with no pressure to do two lots (ie. For two years entries). I guess I won’t be the first person to ever pull out should I have to. I should note at this stage that I definitely will do it, even if I have to defer and do it in 2018. People have been amazing with their kindness and generosity for the charity and that’s not been missed and this isn’t a ‘get out of jail card’ for me, I will do it and I will make sure I put myself through it for those donations. Every penny is vital and I want to make sure I’ve earned it. Especially when you look at some of the incredible donations like that anonymous one for £1,000. Ha ha, anonymous, yeah right, we ALL know who that was (love you mate, can’t wait to get back in our favourite restaurant). That one also specified I had to do it in 3 and a half hours or pay it back and that target time might be beyond me this year now I’m 6 weeks behind schedule and my lungs are still like that scene in the The Matrix when Neo is reborn and comes out gasping for air.

So I’ve decided I’m going to let the professionals make the decision. I have a follow up with a respiratory consultant on Monday and they’re going to X-ray my lungs and see how I’m doing. I’ll ask them outright if I can run and if they say no, it’ll be put back to 2018. Definitely not the outcome I want, possibly for the best but I’ll be desperately disappointed if that’s what they say. Having been so ill however, I don’t want to go through that again and if they tell me my body can’t cope in three months time then I won’t risk it. Hopefully they’ll tell me I’m good to go and I can pick up the training. Otherwise I’ve got a hotel room going spare on the 22nd. There’s no point using it on Marathon Day otherwise, it’s packed and you can’t get anywhere…

In a bit of good news, all of those emails and looking for contact details finally paid off. The bloody nice people at the Manchester United Foundation sent me a signed football that turned up in the post the other day. All I have to do is send them details of what I do with it/how much I raise and they’ll forward me on a certificate of authenticity with it as well. What a nice bunch and a terrific gesture from the League Cup Runners Up 2017. Looking at it, I think if I auction it I’ll raise less than if I raffle if as I’m reliant on one person paying lots at an auction so I’m going to advertise it as far and wide as I can at £1 a raffle ticket. I’m film it all and make it all visible so if you’re interested in a ticket, two or more let me know and I’ll work out the best way to collect the money etc. It goes without saying that 100% of the money taken will go to the charity. There’s no fees, costs anywhere, they gave me the ball for nothing so it’s all going to Anthony Nolan.

Running wise I’m going to give it a go at the weekend with a slow/short run just to test the water. I gave 9 holes a whirl this week and that felt OK (other than the fact my putting was dreadful but that’s to be expected after 5 weeks). I had a little bit of pain in my back where the drain was the next day but it’s cleared up pretty quickly. I guess we’ll just have to see if I make it back from my run on Saturday morning. Hopefully I’ll feel fine, trample mud all through the house and we’ll be back to normal.

And that’s where I’m up to. I’m sorry it wasn’t very funny, or cheery, or positive but it’s reflective of the past 5 weeks for me. I’ll keep you posted with a short entry early next week on the verdict (if anyone is even reading this..) In the meantime, if you want to sympathy sponsor me the link is still in the first entry on this blog page. I try to keep a positive outlook if I can and I always like to look for a silver lining, I lost loads of weight over Christmas (almost two stone in that first week of illness), I didn’t spend any money and if you notice, I haven’t moaned once about the pain in my legs………

Love,

Chris x