#i had lunch all planned. i found some leftover burgers in the fridge and i had buns

[sadlazzle]

hello. i am about .3 seconds away from going absolutely fucking batshit insane. :)

[blissfulalchemist]

“Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?” + WesCat (Friendship)

Thank you for sending this in! Please enjoy Kate!

The phone vibrated away for the third time in a row as Cat looked at the screen. Wren’s name showed up again and Cat couldn’t bring herself to hit the hang up button as she laid curled up in bed. The time on the phone read two in the afternoon, she was supposed to be at work today, she called off last night, not telling Wren. It had to be the reason she was calling Cat now, wasn’t like Cat to just not show up with no warning. 

She had tried though, the whole week she kept going to work, putting the smile on her face, keeping herself upbeat and busy….and still she would sit in her car exhausted and crying driving home or to Raf’s. She stopped going anywhere else but home and work a few days ago. Her communication limited and dwindled over the week with everyone. Now, here she was not even going to work or making contact with anyone. 

Cat groaned and put the comforter over her face, shielding the small rays of light peeking through the curtains. She didn’t want to be mean but she also didn’t want to have to explain everything to Wren. They were just starting to become friends and she didn’t want to screw that up….though she probably was by ignoring Wren’s calls. Catlina sighed under the sheets, I’ll text her after a nap. Tell her I came down with a cold and I’ll be back to normal soon. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Wes slammed the door of the cruiser gathering the bag of hamburgers and drinks from the roof of the car, making his way to Wren. She had found a picnic table with a good view of the river, something she normally enjoyed admiring if she didn’t seem frustrated looking at her phone. She hit the redial button as Wes got himself and their lunch settled, her foot tapping as she waited for someone to pick up. Wes could hear the faint voice of a computer woman informing Wren that she should leave a message for whoever she was calling. Wren rolled her eyes, running a hand through her hair, letting out a breath, “Hey Cat it’s me Wren….again. Look can you just call me back when you can? I’m worried about you.”

Wes looked at Wren, eyebrow raised, “E’erything okay?” He asked as she pulled out her burger and fries taking a sip of her drink. 

She sighed shrugging, “Mostly. I just- Well Cat didn’t come into work today. They said she called out last night.”

Wes shrugged, “Maybe she got sick,” he let out a small laugh, “Raf finally gave her food poisoning.” He took a bite of his food watching as Wren tapped a French fry against the paper surrounding the burger. 

“That’s the thing though,” she started, “He came in and asked for her. He told me he hasn’t seen her for a few days now and she cancelled their plans for the week. He was hoping to bring her lunch.”

Wes’ mind replayed all that she had said, the pieces starting to click. Wren had the two statements backwards, Raf was bringing lunch because he hadn’t seen her due to the canceled plan. Cat was wanting time alone and during those times she didn’t always eat or care for herself as she should, Raf was trying to gauge how bad she had gotten. If she was still making it to work things weren’t bad yet, if she missed she was getting to a point where she needed more care. It had been awhile since she got this bad. “He tell ya not to worry?”

“Yeah, but how can I not worry,” Wren drew lines in the ketchup, “She’s my friend, Wes. We just started to get close and now she disappears like this,” she shook her head, “just doesn’t feel normal for her.”

Wes reached out, grabbing Wren’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, “I’ll check on her. Think I know where to start.” He gave her a reassuring smile before going back to finishing their lunch quickly. Wes watched as Wren drove away in her Jeep before pulling out his phone sending a text to his friend: 

Going to check on her. Unless you already did. 

The response time was quick from Rafael:

Haven’t gotten a chance yet. Still at work. I'm going to when I finish, I’ll meet you at her place when I do. 

Wes nodded to himself as he put his phone away starting up the car making his way to the small studio above the Spread Eagle. Her purple sedan was parked next to him behind the building, a good sign. Wes looked at his key ring spotting the silver key with a pink flower sticker at the base, spares Raf made without her knowing after last time. Felt wrong to have it without her knowing but last time they had to break the door down after she stopped communicating for almost a week. It was a bit of a misunderstanding as to what the two men had walked into that day; Cat passed out in the bed, a medication bottle emptied on the counter, another, sleeping pills, beside her empty, the small uniformed cuts along her inner arm is what kicked their worry into overdrive. Both men worked to try and get her to wake up or respond to them in some way. When she wouldn’t they rushed her into the car making their way to the hospital. 

The actual story, Cat hadn’t eaten for three days straight and hadn’t slept for two days, she’d taken two sleeping pills to try and help get back to normal. They hadn’t agreed with her as she sleptwalked, her body trying to go about a normal day, flushing the sleeping pills down the toilet in the process. The cuts were shallow and created not for the purpose of wanting to die but for trying to regulate her mood. Rafael and Wes were halfway to the hospital by the time she started to wake up. 

Wes hoped it wasn’t so bad this time as he walked up the stairs, it seemed like they caught it early this time around. The studio was small and easy to see the mess of brown hair underneath the blankets, and other than the mess of dishes and take out, everything else seemed to be as it should be. He shut the door quietly as he walked towards the mattress on the floor, she was breathing still, asleep, but breathing. Her phone rang with another call from Wren, hand reaching to try and turn it off, Wes beating her to it. She didn’t wake and Wes didn’t want to wake her. He looked around and decided to pick up some of the empty food boxes and dishes lying about, trying to not make too much noise. When that was done Wes took the time to text Wren and Raf with his findings, his friend getting more details, leaving it up to Cat on how much she wanted to tell his girlfriend. He took a seat on the chair she had, turning the tv on to a low volume, the cooking he’d leave to Raf once he got here. 

By the time Catlina had stirred the sun had started to set and her stomach was twisting in hunger. The only other light in the room came from the black and white cowboy movie Wes was watching, she didn’t want him here. “You don’t need to keep watch,” she mumbled, turning to face the other side, “This isn’t a psych hospital.” Her hand felt around for the sleeve of crackers that she left on the other side of the bed last night, “Where are my crackers?”

“They ain’t a meal,” he replied, looking at his phone.

She grumbled, closing up into more of a ball clutching her stomach, “Don’t feel like cooking.”

Wes got up to look in the fridge, “You got leftovers,” he opened them making sure none of them were bad. Cat stayed silent as Wes let out a slow breath, “That bad huh?”

It was bad that she hadn’t even been able to heat up the food in the microwave, more than that though it felt like too much work to eat the meals. Crackers were easy and less hassle, she could keep them near, never had to leave the bed to eat. She felt her eyelids get heavier, the energy leaving her body quickly, “I’m tired Wes. You should go home.”

He shook his head pulling out some pasta they had over the weekend, the contents going onto a plate and then the microwave. She covered her head, the aching in her chest feeling painful, her eyes shutting as she tried to keep the tears from falling. “Take your meds today?” Wes asked as he nuked the food another thirty seconds, trying to figure out if she had based on what was left in the bottle. Math was never his strong suit and it looked like this would be something to leave to Raf when he got here. 

He grabbed the plate bringing it over to the bed sitting next to her, offering it to her. She looked up at him through narrowed eyes, the smell of the food calling her to wake up and eat. She gave a small shake of her head, her stomach betraying her. 

“Gotta eat. Worked hard on it,” he joked, smirking, putting the plate closer to her face, “Ain’t leaving till you eat.” Catlina sighed, releasing herself a little from the ball she had put herself in. She grabbed the fork with a bite on it chewing slowly once the pasta made contact with her mouth. As soon as she swallowed she felt like it was going to come back up. Wes set the plate on the ground next to him, “Here,” he grabbed her, moving her so her back hit the wall and she was mostly sitting, “Better.” He put the plate in her lap, getting up to grab her some water. Wes looked back at her watching as she slowly brought another bite to her lips, her hand falling limply back to her lap. 

Wes scavenged her cupboards for the stash of kool aid powder she had lying about, there was a lot she had stashed trying to keep her air of decent eating habits with Rafael. It was a mystery as to what she would do once they decided to finally just move in together, she’d still try to find places to hide them. He finally found what he was looking for in the top of a cupboard, “Do you jus’ climb everywhere?” He asked, reaching for it, his eyes straying to a plastic container with a panting coyote with a bright red tongue and a red pepper running away in victory. Wes pulled it down also looking it over, habanero pepper peanuts, his favorite. He looked up to Cat who had moved on to the third bite, “Thought you didn’t like spicy peanuts?”

She looked up to him briefly, her eyes not fully focusing on him, “I don’t,” her voice flat, “Got them for you.” 

Wes set the peanuts down, “They’re my favorites.”

“I know,” her tone of voice made it sound so matter of fact, Wes’ heart fell a little at the difference in his friend. 

“Raf?” He guessed, giving a smirk looking at the comical picture.

She shook her head, “No. You told me that night we got drunk, when we played twenty questions.” Wes mixed the water with two spoonfuls of mix, “It’s four spoonfuls.”

He rolled his eyes adding the two more scoops, “You ‘membered that?”

She gave a small shrug, “Yeah, why wouldn’t I?” Wes stopped stirring the drink taking her in as she continued to look down, “I kept an eye out for them,” she gave a small snort and smallest of smiles, “I almost bought the whole box they had in the store for you.” She looked up to his face, “Only reason I didn’t was ‘cause I became unsure if they were the ones you mentioned.” Wes looked down to the container of peanuts, the corners of his mouth lifting, “Meant to give them sooner but….,” he made his way over to her as he saw her eyes fill with tears, “Sorry I didn’t. I didn’t mean to, I just-.” 

His arms wrapped around her tightly, Cat stiffening before returning the hug weakly, “Thank you. I love it.” He pulled back away from her with a giant smile on his face, laughing when his eyes looked at the bottle’s picture. 

Cat did a double take, “Wait,” she looked at his face, blinking back the tears, as he tried to go back to containing his emotions, “Wes did I sleep my way into an alternate universe or did you really crack an actual smile?”

“What of it?” he replied, getting up to grab her drink, waving off her comment.

Cat looked down pushing some hair behind her ear, the ache in her chest alleviating a little, “Nothing, just-. It- well you should smile more. It lights up a room.”

Wes didn’t respond, just shook his head as his phone went off, glancing briefly at the screen, “Raf’s here.” Cat looked down at the plate of pasta, it wasn’t very filling for her and felt tasteless.

“You think he’d-,” she stopped listening to something outside. It was muffled but was clearly music and nothing that would be played in the bar below. Cat tried to place the melody of the song, feeling it familiar, “With her sweetened breath,” she mouthed, “and her tongue so mean,” the song title hitting her, someone was playing Hozier outside her window. The knock at the door proved it to not be Raf as he walked in placing a grocery bag on the counter. 

She was slow as she moved off the bed, comforter wrapped around her as she made her way to the window. She pushed the curtain back a little looking down, there in the neon lighting she saw Wren, portable speaker in hand above her head. Cat opened the window a little bit, the song clearer now, Wren smiled at her, “Wes said you weren’t feeling well!” She shouted turning the volume down a little, “Thought you could use a little bit of a pick me up!” Cat gave her a smile, turning back to Wes who was already making his way to the door. 

Cat only turned away once she saw Wes come up the side of the building, making her way to Raf in the small kitchen, resting her forehead against his shoulder. He smiled, placing a kiss on the top of her head, “Should I make the usual, Conejito?” She turned her head looking at what he had on the counter through her messy hair, boxes of Kraft mac and cheese in various shapes and a package of hot dogs. She felt her eyes fill with tears nodding against him. He moved the arm she leaned against to wrap around her shoulders pulling her closer to him, “As you wish mi amor,” he gave her a kiss on her forehead as Wren walked in through the door. 

“Okay I want in on this rotation now,” she demanded gently pulling Cat towards her. Wren gave her a once over before pulling her in a hug, “You scared me.”

“Sorry,” she said into Wren’s dark hair, “I didn’t mean too.”

“No need to be sorry,” her hands ran over the blanket where Cat’s hair was, “Should have told me. You know I would understand,” Cat nodded against her, “But I know it’s because you don’t want to feel like burdening another person in your life. Now I know and I’m telling you that I do not feel like you are a burden.” She walked Cat back to the bed, “We’ll still give you the space you need,” if she wasn’t so tired Catlina would laugh at how quick Wren was in taking control of the situation, “but one of us will come by to make sure you’re at least eating one proper meal a day, got it?” Wren pointed a finger at her waiting for her response, Cat nodded, “Good. Now I made sure to get you at least a week off from work so you don’t have to worry about that. And tonight we are all watching your favorite movie and having dinner before we leave you alone.” Wren sat her on the bed taking a spot next to her grabbing a few movies options Cat had lying around. 

Cat nodded, snuggling into Wren, resting her head against her shoulder, “Thank you,” she said softly. Cat glanced to the bed’s orientation, “We should turn the bed around. Make sure there’s enough room for all of you to sit comfortably.”

Wren smiled, lying Cat down, “Wes,” she instructed pulling his attention, “You heard her. Let's get this bed reoriented.” They were fast at making sure the long side of the bed faced the television, Wren settling back into place next to Cat. She helped her pick a movie that they all could watch while the two men cooked. Bowls were passed around once the food was done and Stardust was loaded up to play. The group only paused the movie to switch from dinner to dessert; a pint of raspberry cheesecake ice cream for Wren and Cat, lemon bars from a local bakery for Raf, and the spicy peanuts for Wes. 

Cat was exhausted by the end of the movie and watched as everyone put things back in order. Wes put the bed back into place when she reached for his hand, he sat next to her on the bed, “Why did you call them here?”

“You needed us,” Cat looked down avoiding his face, “Can’t tell me you’d do any different.”

“You guys deserve all the love in the world,” she sighed, closing her eyes.

“So do you,” Wes laid her down, “It’s what friends do. Remind you how loved you are.”

[deansmixtape]

The Twelve Days of Wincestmas

They had decided to forgo their typical gifts this year on Christmas Eve, instead, challenging each other to the 12 days of Christmas challenge.  Each day one would gift the other, using the song’s lyrics as inspiration.  They were each thoroughly amused to see what the other could come up with.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  A juicy fresh pear pie

Sam had used the last of his precious Harry & David pears, and real butter in the crust.  It was flaky, tart and perfect – tender crisp and sweet like apple with a rich salted caramel glaze.  Watching Dean take the first mouthful and make a moan of bliss was more than enough satisfaction.  But being that he was still a little brother at heart, he waited for the reaction as he turned on the Partridge Family’s Christmas album.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Two chocolate turtles and Dove shampoo

Not exactly healthy chocolates, but the nuts in it earned him a genuine smile from his brother.  Dean knew he’d hit a home run when Sam opened the Peach Blast shampoo and closed his eyes though.  Sammy loved those fruity, floral, fancy shampoos and Dean figured adding in a week’s worth of scalp massages to their joint shower sessions would help.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Three French Coq au Vin dinners

Well, three Cornish hens anyway.  Sam substituted bacon for pancetta because Dean, and used a Burgundy wine paired with fresh cremini mushrooms and an aged Brandy pulled from the library.  It wasn’t Julia Child’s – more like Ina Garten and some liberties, but even he enjoyed the meal.  Judging by the lack of leftovers and an adoring smile from his brother, they both had.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Four tweets (‘calling birds’)

Oh yeah, Dean felt like he’d totally cheated.  Well, it was within the spirit of the challenge, so it fully counted.  He set up an account for Sam, then sent out four distinct tweets in Sammy’s honor, @’ing the accounts of True Crime All the Time, National Public Radio, Planet Organic and We Rate Dogs.  He had created it under the Men of Letters name, so Sam could continue to use it for research and networking, but those initial tweets had Sam grinning, dimples fully on display. 

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Five golden onion rings

The onions were supposed to be home-grown from Sam’s patch of garden, however, they hadn’t bloomed quite as Sam had hoped for.  He settled for store bought instead, and set about making home-made onion rings for Dean.  The standard buttermilk bath was spiced up with a bit of cayenne and a splash of Tabasco, but the real kick came with the dipping sauce where he used horseradish and nutmeg for a savory taste experience.  While Dean grilled burgers outside, Sam made the rings, piling them hot and fresh on a platter.  Dean’s thumbs up while stuffing his mouth had Sam chuckling as he set about to start another batch.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Six goosedown filled pillows (and comforters)

Dean had counted and double counted.  Sammy had six – SIX – pillows on his bed alone.  Which was damn peculiar since they tended to both use Dean’s bed with his four pillows.  Occasionally Sam would sleep alone – when he was sick (and still Dean came to comfort him), when they were fighting (it happened on occasion) and when he just needed alone time (which Dean took to mean was secret code for no sex tonight.)  He had planned on getting them each a complete new comforter and pillow set, of the finest goosedown he could find.  They were going to be sleeping in soft, sumptuous heaven, no matter where Sammy’s precious, tousled head touched down. 

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Seven origami swans

Sam spent the better part of the morning learning how to make the swans, cursing under his breath at his long fingers folding tiny bits of paper this way and that until he had perfected seven delicate swans.  He then spray painted them all with a clear coat of acrylic spray paint to make them waterproof.  After a hearty lunch of tomato rice soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, Sam suggested a relaxing bath for them both before they spent an afternoon of watching Game of Thrones.  He ran an extra hot tub, added some silly bubble bath, and set the swans to float.  When Dean joined him, Sam was already naked, welcoming him with open arms for a steamy, sexy bath. 

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Eight bottles of chocolate milk

Dean had thought long and hard about including some of their previous holiday traditions into the challenge to preserve them, so he looked to the local gas station for day eight.  He’d purchased eight bottles of the official drink of their childhood on the road, chocolate Yoo-hoo.  They’d learned to love the stuff as it wouldn’t spoil with lack of refrigeration, and it was easy to grab and go without much fuss for two kids who loved chocolate milk.  Dean set the bottles to chill in the fridge, and during their movie marathon of Lord of the Rings, broke them out between DVDs to enjoy with some licorice and popcorn. 

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Nine porn DVDs with dancing ladies

Sam’s cheeks were flushed the brightest pink he thought he could ever imagine.  He’d walked into the adult toy store, intent on purchasing the first nine porn DVDs that included dancing of some form, then walking out.  Easy peasy.  However he found himself being propositioned by the cashier during the slowest checkout imaginable, caught off-guard and completely tongue tied.  When he mentioned the movies were for his brother (ok in retrospect maybe not the best answer at the time), the guy had just looked him up and down, smiled the filthiest depraved smile and winked, telling him a threesome with brothers was even hotter.  Not that Sam wouldn’t be into it if Dean were, but without Dean by his side, he just stuttered and clumsily made his way out the door. 

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Ten copies of Lord of the Flies (in various media)

It was a stretch – and a bit excessive, but Dean thought Sam would appreciate the effort and ingenuity given it was one of his top five favorite books.  He’d managed to track down Lord of the Flies in several different languages for Sam to read and brush up on his more rusty language skills; Georgian, Basque and Catalan.  He found three versions of the film on DVD, and a copy of the stage adaptation.  There was a CD of music from the innovative ballet created based on the book as well as a BBC airing of a dramatization broadcast, plus one audiobook.  Sam’s stunned (and impressed) face was exactly what Dean had been angling for.  Truth be told, the lyrics for day ten were a stumper, but a flash of brilliance had saved the day.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Eleven piping hot cups of coffee

Sam had no qualms about purchasing the very pricey Breville Oracle Touch Espresso Machine.  The touch screen allowed for choosing from espresso, americano, latte, cappuccino or flat white, and adjusted the coffee strength, milk temperature, and texture automatically based on the drink choice.  Of course, it also made plain ordinary coffee as it ground, dosed and tamped the beans fresh.  It was an indulgence to be sure, but they had so little in the way of worldly goods that they treasured and he knew Dean would soon worship at the altar of delicious home brewed goodness in short order.  Sam had also signed them up for a year’s worth of deliveries from Bean Box, and he was sure they’d find new favorite roasts in no time.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:  Twelve ice cream drumsticks

There was no way he was buying Sam a set of drums.  So therefore no need for personalized drumsticks.  And while the idea of a Caribbean vacation to listen to steel drums play sounded terrific, he knew they’d never leave for such a trip.  Plus, flying was a no go, if he had his druthers.  Dean was close to picking up a bucket of KFC all drumsticks and calling it good when he laughed and thought better of it.  After dinner that night, he pulled out the box of Nestle Drumsticks and surprised Sam with a cone.  Sweet licks of ice cream turned naughty quickly, as drips left Sammy sticky and Dean decided to clean him up in the best possible way.

After the twelve days challenge, neither brother would concede defeat – or claim victory.  Instead they celebrated each other’s creativity and thoughtfulness with a twelve hour kink marathon in bed.  They most definitely did not watch anything on TV and the new pillows and comforter got shoved to the floor during one of their more athletic sessions. 

(I’ve enjoyed being your anon - I hope you’ve enjoyed your gifts! <3 sammichgirl )

****

Claps excitedly, oh it was you, sammichgirl! Thank you so much for being my wincestmas anon, I enjoyed everything very very much. This 12 days of Winchester Creativity was impressive, I love all the ideas they came up with for each other.

[chalcid]

2: The Birth Of A Friendship (Disappear)

Monday morning, I hauled myself out of bed early in the morning and packed up for school. Mom and Tilly were still asleep, heck, even the babies were silent, but Dad, unfortunately, was up.

He stepped in front of the refrigerator.

"Aren't you going to say good morning to your father," he asked.

I screeched incoherently at him in reply. Morning-me is not articulate.

He shook his head in disapproval but allowed me to retrieve my leftover burger and fries from the fridge.

I bounced on my heels as my food heated in the microwave as my dad, no doubt, was trying to summon every bit of 'How to make polite conversation with your teenager' he half-heartedly learned at some point.

"So... I heard you had a bit of trouble on your dive," he said awkwardly.

I didn't look away from my leftovers.

"You know, it's always good to be at your full magical capacity before you enter a dangerous situation."

I snorted. The microwave beeped, and I retrieved my food.

"Good chat, Merika," he told me "Have a good day at school."

I glanced at him, mouth full of burger. He grimaced.

Tilly opened the door to her bedroom, fuzzy pink bathrobe trailing behind her like a cape. "Have a good day at work, sweetie," she told my dad, kissing him on the cheek.

"Thank you," he told her, sighing like he was a man that actually did something tiring.

...

"Hey, good morning," Trite said brightly.

Poseikion scooted over to make a space for me on the bench.

I plopped down on the bench and swung my bag onto my lap "Remember the Unit 3 Test half-a-vase?"

"Not strongly," Poseikion responded.

"I think I found the other half yesterday," I informed him "The color doesn't exactly match, but it's about the right shape and a similar pattern."

"How exciting," Trite said absently "Where's Pacifinos?"

"Probably having trouble finding a shirt that matches the cute skirt she got this weekend," Poseikion sighed "She's going to miss the bus. I'll go talk to her."

"Tell her to go with something black or white," I suggested.

"I will," Poseikion replied, with a dramatic flourish of his coat as he slipped back inside the house.

"So," Trite said awkwardly.

"What?" I replied.

"After school, do you want to head down to the beach and throw chips at the seagulls," Trite asked.

"When have I not wanted to throw chips at seagulls?" I cackled. "Maybe we can train them to be our spies. Or adopt one and keep it as a pet."

"Love your line of thinking, but there's no way my parents would go for that," Trite beamed.

"Ugh, parents," I sighed dramatically "They're the worst."

"I thought your parents kind of just let you do whatever you wanted?" Trite asked.

"They do," I said, too quickly. Trite did not look convinced. "I mean, they still do. But Tilly just moved in and with the divorces and my new half and step-siblings...it feels weird. I dunno, the family used to be a small part of my life but now it's trying to take up more space."

"Well, you can't expect too much from your loser parents," Trite sighed.

"Of course," I agreed.

Poseikion and Pacifinos hopped out the door. I could hear the bus pulling up.

"Wow, love the skirt, where'd you find it?" I said brightly.

Pacifinos twirled "The community garage sale. They've got some good stuff there if you know where to look."

"Neat, very neat," I said, just as the bus pulled up.

Pacifinos and Trite began to tell some story, but I was still thinking about my family. And then, unprompted, my brain decided to remind me that "The demons are calling the sharks to their capital in the west"

I shuddered.

Avoiding home was always a good plan, but avoiding the western bays might be an even better one. ...

It was difficult to get through my morning with so much on my mind, but the math problems, as ridiculous and pointless as they may be, helped distract me.

That didn't mean I didn't eagerly await lunch.

At long last, the bell rang, and I dashed down the halls to the smelly cafeteria. Edonia was already there, absently picking at her sandwich as she stared at her book, brow furrowed.

"Reading anything good?" I asked her.

She looked up from her book "Oh, just another romanticized 'founding of Ilcodeux' stories," she told me "Only this author is apparently convinced that Madeline Haddock and Lord Elias were in love. I mean, it's pretty obvious looking at records from the time that she and Daphne were basically married."

"Ugh, that's the worst," I said supportively. The triplets sat down next to us. "Hey, you know a lot about magic, right? Would it be possible for demons to call a bunch of sharks? Like, magically?"

"Mm... maybe," Edonia said, pulling another book out of her backpack "You could check with an actual demon, though. Don't you have art class this afternoon with Deyanira?"

"Yeah, but like?" I said "I don't know her? And the magic capabilities of demons is a weird topic for a first conversation. So could I maybe have some recommended reading instead-"

"Hey!"

I turned around, momentarily terrified, before realizing it was Casey. "Oh hey," I turned to my friends and smiled. "This is the girl who pulled me out of the ocean yesterday."

Casey cringed "Um... I'm actually... not a girl," she said "She/her non-binary. I'm not really out to my family, so..."

"Oh, of course," I said "My apologies. This is Casey, the person who pulled me out of the ocean yesterday."

Pacifinos grinned "I love your hair," she told Casey.

"Oh, thank you," she said "My cousin cut it."

Awkward silence.

"Oh, shoot, if you want your flannel back, I don't have it with me," I informed her "But I could run by your place this evening and drop it off. I washed it. Is that okay?"

"Oh, that's so nice of you," Casey said. "I actually came over here to ask... well, uh.. this is going to sound kind of awkward, but I didn't catch your name?"

"Merika," I said dramatically "Merika Saltwaters."

Casey's face lit up "Like Prince Edociel Saltwaters?"

"He's my great great great grandad," I said. "I get asked that a lot. Anyways, do you want me to drop off your sweater later today? Is there a good time for you?"

"Sometime around five should be good," Casey told me "My house is 207 Ghost River. As the name suggests, there are ghosts, and they do come out at night."

"Are they friendly?" I blurted.

"Yes," Casey replied "They'll probably tell you all about the history of Ghost River if you asked."

"Hm. I'll have to add that of my list of things to do," I said. "Well, it was lovely talking to you, Casey."

"You too," she grinned at me. She had a lot of teeth.

She skipped off and I returned to my sandwich.

"You made a friend," Trite commented.

"I did," I said "Well, I think she's my friend. A fellow lover of topics adults find morbid, at the very least."

"Does she want to be a mortician or something," Poseikion said, scrunching his nose.

"No," I replied, "An explorer."

"What is there to explore," Trite asked.

"The Beyond," A couple of us whispered.

"Ah," Trite said "My mistake."

The bell rang. I stuffed the rest of my sandwich in my mouth and swung my bag over my shoulder "Bye guys," I said incoherently.

"See you in art class," Pacifinos said quietly.

...

I knocked on the door to 207 Ghost River. Ghosts in old-fashioned clothing danced to fiddle music. Down the river, little children were playing with an alligator. That didn't seem safe but who am I to judge?

Distant thumping from inside the house as someone raced down the stairs. Casey threw the door open, winded.

"Here's your flannel, washed and dried as promised," I presented the flannel to Casey.

"Oh, thank you," she said. "Wait, did you mend that rip?"

"My step-mom probably did that. Is that a problem?"

"Oh, no, I was just surprised," Casey said, pulling the flannel on.

"I'll thank her for you," I said politely.

"Would you like some pie," Casey blurted.

"Sure," I said.

Casey gestured for me to enter the house.

"Shoes on or off?" I asked politely.

"On is fine," Casey said absently. Three adorable little floofy dogs ran up to us and began to pant with delight. Casey tossed them some dog treats.

"Who's a good doggy," I whispered "It's you. All of you are top-notch doggos."

Casey led the way to the kitchen.

"Casey," her mom yelled, "No pie before dinner."

"It's not for me," she defended "I figured Merika would like a slice."

"Merika?" her dad asked.

"She means Decimus's kid," Casey's mom answered.

"Oh, her," he replied.

Casey handed me the plate. "What do you think?"

"It's excellent," I said. "Peach?"

"Yes," Casey's mom replied.

"Yum. Thank you."

"It's no problem, sweetheart," Casey's mom said. "I make too many deserts for the seven of us anyway. Casey, why don't you show your friend your work?"

"She'd probably think it's boring," Casey mumbled.

"Depends on what it's on," I said truthfully.

"Well, okay," Casey said. "Upstairs."

I followed her upstairs, the trio of floofballs following us. A fourth one greeted us at the top of the stairs. It was smaller than the others, and light grey.

"Good dogs, all of you," I whispered.

"I'm trying to build a boat," Casey informed me.

"Very cool," I remarked. She opened the door to her room.

There were two beds, so presumably, she only occupied half the room. One wall was plastered with boat designs, mathematical calculations, fish sketches, and to-do lists.

"Oh, wow," I said, "You have been through a lot of designs, haven't you?"

"Yep," Casey said dejectedly "Nothing works. I actually got to the point of building a full-sized model last month but it sank."

"Wow," I said "You know, you can check out old boat blueprints from the library. I've got a whole list of books about boats that might help."

"Oh," Casey said, "Um, thanks."

I admired her boat drawings for a moment longer. If that sketch was pulled off the page and onto the water, there's no chance it would float, but it was made with such love.

"Well, thanks for the pie and the boat discussion, but I should head back," I said politely "See you around?"

"Yeah," Casey agreed.

We really had no idea.

[opepin]

september: week three

11: i was dead tired in the morning. it took me a while to get up. i had english muffin with the ikea marmalade for breakfast and 4 potstickers lol. the marmalade tastes too artificial :( then i made tea and got to work. it was hard to motivate myself but when i did, ux360 wasn’t working for some reason. so then i switched gears and decided to record another video -- well, rerecord because of updates. it was an interesting day today working in the den with kevin. kevin wfh too because he had a doctor’s appointment and he was tired af. i watched some youtube videos and hopped on stand up. it doesn’t feel like we’re acquired yet and it’s weird lol. i did some internet errands and picked up my partial ae package: got a sports bra and hillary sent me a birthday gift of supergas <33333 ahhhh. i’m in love. thank you so much, bae!!! i get her white shoes for her birthday, she gets me white shoes for mine hahaha. <3 the maintenance guy came in to get a piece of plastic?! out of the garbage disposal, fix the loose ass toilet seat, fix the jank door lock, and etc. he is amazing! the previous tenants however, idk if i would have liked them. .__.

kevin went to kam man to get a rice box for us to share for lunch. then i watched some more youtube videos and worked when kevin left to go to his doctor’s appointment. kevin’s rotater cuff is swollen and his doctor just gave him physical therapy exercises -- he didn’t even make him go to a therapist :O what a lucky guy ahha. we worked a bit more and then meal planned and went back to kam man to get groceries, drove to bj’s to use our coupons and get meat and rice, and then got back home and put away all the groceries. kevin made fried rice for dinner while i did a quick 20 minute hip hop cardio workout. then we ate dinner while watching two episodes of agents of shield; we’re now on the season three finale! kevin went to play overwatch and i did a 20 minute pylo workout and then 20 minutes of hip hop cardio again. my quads got super itchy after because the past two days i haven’t been doing intense cardio workouts the past two days because of moving. lol ugh, my muscles. i showered and then got ready for bed. i stretched before sleeping (it was easier after the shower) and then ko’d at around 12 am.

12: i was tired when i woke up but excited to go to the yoga studio to exercise! i woke up 10 minute earlier or so to walk over and prepare myself for working out there. no one was in the fitness center or the yoga studio and i took the 5 lb weights into the yoga studio but realized there were some in there already :O so that means i don’t need to bring weights in all the time! i did lower abs and one 10 minute weighted abs section. working out in the studio wasn’t too bad. i just have to bring a hoodie or shirt so i don’t look too scandy walking to and out ahah. i made tea with benefiber and then showered and ate english muffin with creamy pb and bananas. i think this creamy peanut butter will be better in smoothies... i might do smoothies for breakfast now. i changed and then caught the 8:55 am train. i got to work at 9:30 am and i kinda tripped on my way to the office and my headphones flew off my head and into my hands LOOOL. awk.

i realized i was the only one in the product office today and only cait and raj were in too. i went to work and took breaks to read manga and then recorded a video tutorial and then hopped on the all-hands while eating lunch. then dave came into the office and had calls the rest of the afternoon. i had a part i needed to record so i asked him for his key to a separate office. the key wouldn’t work so i went to the 8th floor and got a copy and that one worked, finallly. then i set up the monitor only to find out it wouldn’t work so i looked on the back and found charles’ initials on the sticker and slacked him. he told me he had trouble connecting to it so he got another monitor. i tried unplugging the power but it still wouldn’t work. so i gave up and went back to my desk and then plugged my laptop into the monitor only to find out it didn’t work anymore! i had to do a SMC reset and then everything worked again so i went back into the other office to try it out and it finally worked!

the sad part is that i tried recording and i got all the background noise of the people around me because of the glass walls -___-” so i rq’d for the rest of the day and just edited the parts that i had and planned out what the training page would look like. oh. riceburg was serving food today so i got a bulgogi rice burger for me and kevin to try. i ate like 1/3 and gave the rest to him when i met up with him at the train station after work. we took the train home and watched an episode of agents of shield and then kevin went to cook while i went to work out in the yoga studio. i did weighted oblique exercises and then stretched. this other lady came in and was breathing intensely and doing some intense? reverse crunches while holding on to the bottom handles of a cycling bike. then i went back and cut potatoes and showered while kevin finished up the curry. we forgot to make rice so i made it before showering and then kevin went to go do his pt exercises and some running. i ate dinner while watching youtube videos and then i bursted out crying and laughing at this one video about a wish haul LOL. kevin thought i was going crazy.

it was too late to game so i just watched videos and kevin ate dinner while watching videos online too. i brushed my teeth, stretched, and went to sleep at around 12 am and kevin gamed until...probably late because he is working from home tomorrow.

13: i got out of bed at 7:20 am and then went straight to the yoga studio to workout. i did a hiit leg workout and then rushed back to make tea with benefiber and prepare breakfast. i showered and then put on nice clothes to meet the ceo and then curled my oily af hair. i ate breakfast and drank my tea and packed my lunch and said goodbye to kevin and caught the 8:50 am train. i left on time and got to the office at 9:15 am. then i learned that we wouldn’t be seeing the ceo until 1 pm... meh. i said hi to everyone. sultan and steve came in and i went straight to work. then at 12 pm, i went lunch hunting with the devs. we didn’t know where we were going and we ended up going to a restaurant in chinatown. next time we will call in to gourmet dumpling house. we spent a good 40 minutes or so looking for lunch and finally getting it and getting back. i thought i had to get back by 1 pm but i guess not?

i ate lunch with steve and cole in their office and then went back to do some work. instead, i talked with sultan about renting, properties, etc. then i went to get tea and ended up talking with cole and steve for a good while. we talked about food and also the movie, “it”, which i am interesting in watching now. they’re fun to be around (: then i left to get my work done for the day and then met the ceo when he walked around to the offices. kevin sent me messages throughout the day telling me to come home early but i couldn’t because my stand up kept getting pushed back further into the work day :( i got on a real quick stand up with the team and then packed up, said goodbye to everyone, and walked to the station with cole and steve. steve ran for the braintree train and i wasn’t going to until cole couldn’t get through because he didn’t put enough money on his charliecard. i made it and got a seat on the train after a few stops :O

kevin was running when i got home so i stopped by the fitness center to say hi. i was hungry so i ate the leftover half apple i had in the fridge with peannut butter and the mango slice kevin saved for me yesterday. then kevin came back and i felt ready to do my weighted butt workout. i went into the fitness center instead because i needed a heavy chair to do bulgarian split lunges. i was following a video and the lady was doing sumo squats with a 65 lb dumbbell... i touched the 30 lb one and i was like NOPEEE. instead, i did 25 lbs and the squats and deadlifts burned. then i switched over to two 7.5 lb weights to do everything else. my legs were shaking and my heart rate spiked! a change in weight really does get the heart pumping. i came back and showered and then watched two episodes of agents of shield with kevin. recently, kevin has been gaming a lot more on his computer and not with me and i feel like he’s been disengaged when we’re watching agents of shield so i felt like our quality time hasn’t been quality. i guess he didn’t feel the same because we had a small argument and he went to game again.

i spent the evening chatting with daniel and watching youtube videos. then i prepared everything for tomorrow, brushed my teeth, and did a good amount of stretching before falling asleep pretty early like at 11 pm. i didn’t feel like reconciling with him because he was busy gaming. :/

14: i woke up before my alarm that was set to ring at 7:15 am. i eventually got up and went to the yoga studio to do my cardio kickboxing workout. my legs and butt were so sore from yesterday’s workout... i could only squat so low LOL. before working out, i made rice for lunch because we forgot to make more. when i got back, i showered, debated whether or not to go into work (ultimately, i did) and then packed lunches, changed, and ate a banana with some peanut butter. then i said bye to kevin and hopped on the train. i was the first one in the product office and looked through emails. dave came at around 10 am and he basically set the itinerary for today. i will be working on more wireframes :) which is good so i can work on them from home tomorrow. during lunch time, i ordered xiao long bao with the devs and they covered the cost with the tech time money because cole and steve weren’t here today :P they also asked me to pick it up while they were in tech time and i got to hold on to charles’ credit card >:D hehe. well, i ate my lunch from home and then watched a youtube video until it was time for me to get it. i walked over to gourmet dumpling house and picked up a heavy af bag and walked back.

i got an email requesting support but then the customer didn’t respond after so i just left my work phone on to see if she was going to call the rest of the day. then i ate my second lunch with the devs. john asked me what kind of chinese food i ate and i told him the traditional kind. he asked charles to order him something an american would like to eat and charles got him sesame chicken LOL. we got him to try a dumpling though. these dumplings are the best soup dumplings i have ever eaten. after, i raved to kevin about it and we decided to order more plus scallion pancakes for dinner. we were thinking of leaving work early and working from home but then i got slammed with work after lunch. it was a meeting after meeting after meeting sort of deal. there was a lot going on. so i stayed and when i had a chance, i ordered and then left the office at around 5:05 pm after talking with dave about work.

i actually got to south station quicker than i had anticipated and waited for kevin to get there. i ate some scallion pancake -- it was soooo good. we commuted home and then kevin and i talked about our argument and we both realized we were in the wrong. we apologized and then finished eating the food. kevin really liked the soup dumplings. we also got our tall step stool and our ottoman in the mail today! yay! i can’t wait for our ikea stuff to come in. then we chilled for a bit and worked out at the same time. he went running and i did weighted arms. i’m the most scared to lift heavy for arms because my arms are like toothpicks LOL. so i got a good workout but i think it could have been better. next time, i’ll lift heavier. we stretched and then went back and showered. then kevin ate real dinner and i just ate the rest of my banana with pb and some chips. i stayed up watching youtube videos and checking instagram (lol i traded in one social media addiction for another) and then clipped my nails and stretched before sleeping at 1 am.

speaking of instagram... i still don’t know how i feel about it. i’m less against it but it gets boring when you follow a small amount of people but then again, i don’t want to be bombarded with pictures of things i kind of like... there’s also the thing about posting and i’ve been wanting to post more but i’m a perfectionist when it comes to posting art, design, creative work and i start editing a photo and then never posting because it’s not what i want to post in the end LOL. maybe i’m being too picky. there’s also just a lot of things i want to do on instagram but i keep telling myself that there are barriers and etc. it’s all a mind game.

15: i slept in today because fridays are work from home days! (: i got up with kevin and then we brushed our teeth, i made myself breakfast, and he headed over to work. then i got to work and did some internet errands. it was a pretty chill work day. everything is winding up now so things will get busier in the next few weeks with training. i was able to watch 2 episodes of love connection and 2 episodes of masterchef. then i went to the yoga studio and did weighted oblique workouts. kevin stopped by to say hi and then went home to make dinner. i cooled down while kevin made the beef broth for korean dumpling rice cake soup mmm. he let the soup cook while he went out for his run. then i relaxed a bit and turned off the stove before i showered. the rest of the dish was basically done. kevin cut up some nori, beef, and scallions and i made poached eggs in the soup. he showered before we ate dinner and watched some agents of shield. then we stopped to play some castle crashers. i got unhappy at it so we switched to battleblock theater and then i got tired at 12 am or so and prepared for bed. kevin went to game and i think i pretty much ko’d. yay for the weekend!

16: i woke up super excited for ikea. we ate breakfast and then went straight to ikea after that. well, we waited a bit and then we went but then kevin was already hungry .___. we left at like 12 pm and ate at like 10 or 11 am. there were so many people at ikea today and it ruined our experience. plus, we knew what we wanted so everyone was pretty much in the way. we picked out chairs for the dining table, got a lamp for the dining area, got more mason jars (lol kevin), and then went upstairs to get some food. i got us a table while kevin waited like 30 minutes in line... it was so long and more people just kept coming. kevin got the pulled pork burger and swedish meatballs and i got swedish meatballs and the chocolate conspiracy cake -- i have been craving chocolate for the longest time. all the food was worth it. mmm. then we went to pick up the chairs. i had to walk back to get drawer organizers because we missed it the first time. we had a quick check out and then packed bb with all our stuff and drove home. we spent 3 hours there... haha. we stopped by bj’s to do some grocery shopping. i got silk cashew milk from there and contact solution. then kevin got back in time to skype with brittany and mike.

while he skyped, i did laundry and caught up on masterchef. then the rest of the evening was kind of a blur... i know i did a full body strength workout in the yoga studio then we ate leftover rice cake soup for dinner while watching agents of shield. oh, i think that is what we did. we ate and after, kevin just started building the chairs while i focused on the show or walked around the apartment. i know why the evening is blurry; we watched until 1 am and i just knocked out while cuddling with kevin. i ended up sleeping on him for like 30 minutes or so and then he left me to make the bed (i washed the sheets too). then i got up pretty awake and brushed and then got out our fall / winter blanket and then kevin helped put a cover over it and basically tucked me in before going off to play games lol. i think i went to sleep at 2 am because i went on my phone for a bit. it was a nice day spent with my bear (:

17: kevin and i were super productive today. i woke up before him and ate breakfast. then he woke up and we watched an episode of agents of shield while he ate then built another chair and then i cleaned the kitchen. then we meal planned and hit the gym together for an afternoon workout. i did multiple cardio videos because i kept getting bored. then we showered and went grocery shopping. we finished buying all of our groceries in under an hour :O we unpacked and then ate congee for lunch along with some chicken wings we got from roche and some scallion pancakes. i was stuffed. then kevin went to game for a bit and i accidentally fell asleep on the sofa for like 1-2 hours LOL. i woke up and then went straight to cleaning the bathroom. kevin finished gaming and then after cleaning, i went to workout again. kevin vacummed and cleaned while i did my ab workout and then i showered while he made dinner. we had a late dinner and were going to game with terence and ryan via online coop with our steam boxes but then they were eating too so we watched shield and then we gamed after. we played some silly games on battleblock theater and we crushed themmm but to be fair, kevin and i have a lot of experience and they just downloaded the game... i still feel good about winning! kevin and i played some overcooked after and then i got ready for bed. kevin stayed up to game for a bit and i went to sleep at like 12 am. zzzz.

[arcisfoodblog]

The last part of our road trip through beautiful Vancouver Island: from Salt Spring Island, via a very scenic route, to Victoria.

We could have chosen to leave Salt Spring Island on the east side via Fulford Harbour, but we would then have arrived in Victoria way too early for the check-in into our hotel (only at 4 pm). Furthermore, it would have been the same stretch of road as we would have to take on our way back to mainland BC.

We woke up early to prevent waiting in long lines for the ferry back to Vancouver Island. Therefore, we took the 9.35 am ferry in Vesuvius instead of the 10.50 am one and had plenty of time for an impromptu scenic route. But first, brunch at Tim Hortons. Timmy’s is an institution in Canada, which we had been sort of avoiding in the previous weeks, but we gave in to the kids. To us, it was a mash-up of a McDonalds, Starbucks, and Dunkin’ Donuts (which may explain the kid’s enthusiasm and overall popularity), and it wasn’t all that bad. Furthermore, they have to be commended for already serving Beyond Meat “Burgers” and “Sausage Patties” as part of their regular menu.

Our 220km/135 mile scenic route took us through the southeastern interior of Vancouver Island, via Lake Cowichan to Port Renfrew. Then we headed east on the Juan de Fuca highway along the coast, and after a lunch stop in Sooke, we arrived in Victoria.

There were three signs at the exit for Port Renfrew at Mesachie Lake:

Next gas station 82km

No cell reception for next 53km

Watch out for Wildlife for next 60km

The road was indeed precisely between these two places; no other villages on this road, just a few turns to remote farms. You don’t want your car to break down there, but there was much more traffic than we had expected, so a helping hand would soon be available if you did. It was a beautiful route through unspoiled nature that we cruised through at around 60 km per hour.

Lake Fairy (Pacific Marine Rd, just north of Port Renfrew), is worth a quick stop as a bonsai tree grows on a rock in the middle of the lake.

The sign of the cell reception was incorrect; it was only about 10 kilometers before Sooke (thus a total of 110km) that the bars on our phones filled up again. Unfortunately, we had connected to a telecom provider from the US, which is 20 kilometers away on the other side of the Salish Sea… Also, only in the suburbs of Sooke, the “promised” wildlife showed itself, although I was responsible for one roadkill.

“Lunch” was in Sooke at one of the local breweries, Sooke Brewing Company (2057 Otter Point Rd). Great beer and view of the brewing room, but no real food options here. The bag of Crystal Meth, err… Malt, made me understand why that Canadian beer is so damn addictive!

We also visited nearby Sheringham Distillery (252 – 6731 W Coast Rd). Their Vodka, Aquavit, and White Spirits are excellent, but we were mainly there to check out their Seaside Gin, which took the 2019 World’s Best Contemporary Gin Award. This category means that the gin is not predominantly favored with the classic botanicals like juniper. Other flavors such as citrus, spice, and floral notes are more prominent here than in a Classic Gin. This Seaside gin is indeed relatively citrussy, but due to the added local winged kelp, it also has a slight saline flavor. Amazing stuff! Their Kazuki Gin is infused with cherry blossoms petals, yuzu peel, and green tea Flowers from Westholme Tea Farm in Cowichan Valley was delicious too and therefore also found its way into our suitcases back home.

When we arrived at our hotel on the outskirts of Victoria’s Chinatown, we took a short exploratory walk in the neighborhood.

Because we were quite hungry and the kids were in the mood for pasta, we attempted to get into one of Victoria’s busiest and highest rated restaurants, II Terrazzo (555 Johnson St). It opened at 5 pm, and even 15 minutes prior, we were already waiting in line outside. Fortunately, they still had a table free for those without reservations, but when we finished eating, the large restaurant was entirely packed.

We had the Fungi Arrosto (Portabella mushroom in a focaccia crumb and herb crust, baked with garlic butter, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and Parmigiano. Sliced and tossed with baby spinach, crispy capers, and balsamic vinaigrette) and Aglio Arrosto e Cambozola (Fire roasted garlic bulb served with freshly baked rosemary flatbread and a wedge of cambozola cheese). The kids had Zuppa di Pomodoro (Vine-ripened tomato soup with basil pesto and Bocconcini cheese) as starters. We were also happy to find the Blue Mountain Sauvignon Blanc in their wine “book” which had more than 1000 entries.

We had 3 different mains. The Melanzane al Forno (Fresh pasta folded over breaded eggplant, roasted mushrooms, garlic confit, asiago, and gruyere cheeses, baked in a tomato basil cream sauce, topped with spinach). A Fusilli con Sugo di Manzo (Fusilli pasta in a slow-cooked Bolognese meat sauce, baked with mozzarella, spinach, and fresh basil) as well a the Canneloni di Maiale (Fresh pasta filled with pulled pork and mozzarella, baked with savoy cabbage and smoked bacon cream, topped with a balsamic granny smith apple compote). We obviously had leftovers (approximately half of all the main courses), but for dessert, the kids still managed to gobble up a Crème Brûlée and a Panna Cotta… Delicious food, rustic plating, and as you can see, the use of garlic was not shunned. The leftovers were wafting every time we opened the fridge in our hotel room…

Our amiable waiter pointed out that in the evening, the 30th Symphony Splash would take place. The Victoria Symphony Orchestra gave an open-air concert on a pontoon in the harbor between the Empress Hotel and the British Columbia Parliament Building. Very well attended, and the final 1812 Overture of Tchaikovsky was accompanied by a festive firework display (instead of with real artillery guns).

It is clear that the end of the holiday is approaching as the call of the kids for more sleep and fewer activities is getting louder by the day ;-). Yesterday, we partly met their demands and let them sleep in. Consequently, they did have to stand in line for brunch at Jam Café (542 Herald St), which already had phenomenal lines in Vancouver earlier this holiday due to their no reservation policy.

It was a public holiday, British Columbia Day, so that didn’t help, but when we entered the line, people told us that the waiting time was about 30 minutes for a 2-person table: “not bad at all for Jam Café…”. Fifty-five minutes later, we were seated in the restaurant and had worked up quite the appetite.

The kids went for The Waffle Board (1 Belgian waffle topped with cinnamon caramelized apples and fruit salad) and Maggie’s S’Mores Pancakes, which was a massive triple stack with the expected layers of chocolate, graham crackers, and roasted marshmallows. Chantal had The Veggie Bowl (Crumbled biscuit, hash browns, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, corn salsa, spinach, mushroom gravy, cheddar and two sunnyside up eggs). I had the Jam Blackstone Benny’s (two poached eggs on an English muffin with hollandaise, hashbrowns, house sugar-cured bacon, roasted Roma tomatoes topped with Parmesan cheese) together with a side of Avocado Toast. Their reputation is understandable; the quality of the food is top-notch, and the portions are large enough to eat all day (which we did – together with the doggy bag from Il Terrazzo the day before). The Pimm’s Cup (Pimm’s #1, Ginger Beer, Lemon Juice, Chai, and Cucumber) is also a lovely summer cocktail!

Then, we strolled to the Royal BC Museum (675 Belleville St), where there was an exhibition about the Mayans that the kids wanted to see. Incredible to see how advanced they were in the times of our Middle Ages and how their culture was destroyed by the Spanish conquistadors in no time (their glyph language was again deciphered only 30 years ago!).

All in all, a must-visit museum as their regular natural history collection is outstanding as well. Outside the museum, you will find the Dutch Carillon. We saw it mentioned on the map, and it evoked unintended associations with a Dutch barrel organ (oh, the horror!). It turned out to be a beautifully designed bell tower that The Netherlands gifted to the citizens of British Columbia because of Canada’s Confederation Centennial in 1967.

That night we went whale watching. The choice of the boat was leading for Chantal as open zodiacs speedboats and having to wear full-body protective gear are not her thing. Therefore, we booked with Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Tours as they also have a sturdy catamaran specifically designed from whale watching. We had selected the sunset tour, and departure was from the Fisherman’s wharf at Erie St. The houseboats there are nice and colorful!

As there was thick fog south of Victoria earlier that day, none of the whale watching operators had spotted orcas. The weather had cleared up, but without previous sighting data, it would make no sense to go sailing around a stretch of sea of 100 km2 sea on the off-chance of spotting some orcas. Consequently, the plan was to head north to see if there were any humpback whales around. If people still had to go to Vancouver, they could be dropped off immediately, the crew joked …

Then full speed ahead and sailing at 30 kilometers per hour and choppy waves, the first stretch from the Victoria harbor to Oak Bay was a bumpy ride. Otherwise – also in combination with the Dramamine taken as a precaution – the remainder of the trip via the Haro Strait could even be called very comfortable.

Because of the whaling, the humpbacks were decimated almost entirely in the waters around Vancouver and Seattle 20 years ago. The first whale that came back then to feed there was Big Momma, and the population has since returned to around 400 specimens. Instead of a “facebook”, they have a “tailbook” to be able to identify all the whales. Big Momma showed herself, along with her regular travel buddy Heather, after returning to this area after month and a half of absence. Lucky us! With the sun dropping in the Salish sea, amidst Ferries and various Southern Gulf and San Juan Islands, it was again an unforgettable experience.

Our last morning in Victoria consisted of sleeping in again, and we had early lunch at one of the five outlets of The Village Restaurant. Brunch restaurants and breweries are the two things to bring you riches here in British Columbia! Their Chinatown outlet (1609 Store St) was, of course, the most convenient location as it was just around the corner from our hotel. And we didn’t have to stand in a line for a table. 🙌

Chantal had the Bagel & Lox (smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion and capers on multigrain toasted mount royal bagel. I had the Drop 3 (Montreal smoked meat, back bacon, turkey sausages, roasted tomatoes, three poached eggs, roasted potatoes, toast & preserves. The kids had Hood Cakes (mixed berry Pancakes), and a Healthy Start (fresh fruit & toast with strip bacon and preserves).

We did some shopping and sightseeing. As our oldest needed a new backpack for school, we went to the MEC, the outdoor store of Canada. From the shop window, you can already see that Canadians are very outdoorsy types, but the range of gear they have in their store is astonishing! I also picked up a funny shirt with “Eh is for Adventure” on it. We had luck with the weather, so the kids wanted ice cream at Perverted Ice Cream (604 Humboldt St). The concept is rather gimmicky with “risque” slogans and names of their cones ice creams and black cones that seemingly were created for Instagram alone. Consequently,  long lines and many ice creams already melting before the perfect shot was taken… The product itself nothing special and, therefore, overpriced. Needless to say, we have left the “Perverted in Victoria” t-shirt on the racks…

In the afternoon, we took the car to drive to Beacon Hill Park, in the south of Victoria for the Mile Zero Monument (18 Douglas St), marking the start of Highway 1, the 7821 km long Trans-Canada highway. I suspect they smuggled a little bit by marking the ferry line between Nanaimo and Vancouver as a highway so they could add the extra kilometers of Vancouver Island…

The park also has the World’s Tallest Free-Standing Totem Pole in the world; 60m high and therefore good for a stiff neck from looking up…

If you are in Victoria, the 30-minute drive to The Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay (800 Benvenuto Ave) is a must-see attraction. I will let the pictures do the talking.

We were back from The Butchart Gardens around 4.30 pm, and the kids were more excited about gaming than visiting a brewery for a small snack and drink. Therefore, we dumped them in the hotel, so Chantal and I could have a “romantic” pub crawl… Victoria’s brewery density is absurd. Within a 500m radius of our hotel/brewery/brewpub Swans, there are eight other breweries: Spinnakers Brewpub, Vancouver Island Brewing, Phillips Brewing & Malting, Hoyne Brewing Company, Driftwood Brewery, Moon Under Water Brewery & Pub, Île Sauvage Brewing Co. and Whistle Buoy Brewing Company. The selection was the most practical one: the two nearest breweries. The tasting at Whistle Buoy was nice, and they have a beautiful venue on Market Square’s lower courtyard, but some of their beers lacked a bit of a punch and were flat. We understood that they had opened just a couple of weeks prior, so we’d chalked that one up to start-up issues.

We had been done our best at trying to get our hands on as many different local beers as possible, but with a total of 42 craft beers on tap. Our bartender of Swans managed to surprise us. Their “arrivals board” is brilliant!

First of all, he was a fellow-Dutchman (“I am from Noordwijk, so in that case, we can continue in Dutch.”). Secondly, he had been in Victoria for just eight months but unknowingly had already managed to build up a strong Canadian accent when speaking Dutch 🤪. Lastly, we each ordered a flight of 4 tasters with mainly those of Swans (very nice!) but along the way got to sample several other local beers that we hadn’t come across yet. We also got a taster of their own Negroni, which they pre-mix and then age on oak barrels that previously had Porter beer in it. A delightfully rich and smoky combination!

It was a good practice of that evening because we had already reserved for a late dinner at Cafe Mexico (1425 Store St). Hello, more cocktails !!! 😂 Chantal had the ineffable Rosa Barbujeante (Altos Plata Tequila, Montenegro Amaro, Watermelon Mint Syrup, Lime Juice, and Prosecco) and I had a Rodilla de las Abejas (Bergamot Infused Papalote Blanco Tequila, Honey Syrup, Lemon Juice, Lavender Foam). The latter looks a bit creepy in the photo but was very tasty and invoked memories of The Buchart Gardens. The kids had some Agua Fresca mocktails.

Foodwise, we had Queso Fundido (A creamy cheese dip with chorizo, refried beans, poblano peppers, and caramelized onions) and Street Corn (Charred corn off the cob with mixed peppers, cotija cheese, caramelized onions and garlic serrano, topped with Cricket salt) as a side dish. The kids ordered Quesadillas; one Carne Asada (Skirt steak, onions, poblano, and red pepper, served with guacamole and salsa morita), and one Chicken Asada (Chargrilled chicken, roasted corn, black bean, red pepper, and onion, served with chipotle crema and guacamole).

We had chosen Chimichangas as our mains, a vegetarian one for Chantal (A crispy flour tortilla filled with nopales, oyster mushrooms, poblano peppers, roasted corn and red onion, pico de gallo and Mexican rice, topped with salsa Morita, guacamole, and Jack cheese.) I had a Barbacoa one, which had braised beef short ribs as the basis. It became clear immediately that we’d be having leftovers for breakfast. Great hangover food though…

Around the World – British Columbia Roadtrip (2019) – Victoria The last part of our road trip through beautiful Vancouver Island: from Salt Spring Island, via a very scenic route, to Victoria.

[beautyofweightlifting]

Moms into fitness, those able to balance being a busy mom with their workout schedule, are real role models to me. Although I live on my own, I still find it difficult at times to organise meal preps, complete my training, carry a full time job and factor in other activities. These fitness moms lead a healthy lifestyle while looking after their families and their careers. Gillian Leetch-Armstrong is a 49-year-old bikini competitor from Belfast and mother of three boys aged 16, 13 and 8. She works part-time as a social worker and combines this with running her own business as a private counselor.

Jennifer Mackenzie from Rush, 36, Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the leadership team in Accenture. Jennifer is a mother of two and a part-time Personal Trainer.

Gillian Leetch-Armstrong

I am always so impressed when I see fit moms like these ladies in the gym. Whenever I get the chance to chat to them, my first question is to find out how they manage to coordinate everything. More importantly, I ask them to provide fitness tips and advice for other working, busy moms out there who struggle to find the time to look after their health and fitness. I have put together a digest of some of their advice for you.

1 – Find another fitness mom

Jennifer’s story is a great example of how training with a friend can really help you achieve results. Jennifer had her first baby in 2009 and didn’t put much weight. She found it easy to lose weight after pregnancy by doing lots of walking. However, in 2013 she had her second baby and had gained around three stone. Her body weight had reached 11 stone (69.8 kg) and she found it harder to shed the extra baby weight this time around. She attributes this difficulty to life just being busier at home and at work.

Jennifer was not really into fitness but decided the time was right to do something to help her post pregnancy weight loss and get fitter. She tried a boot camp class while she was still breastfeeding, but it didn’t allow enough time for her body to recover. As a result, the experience of boot camp classes was not pleasant. Trying out other well-known weight loss programmes such as Slimming World and Weight Watchers didn’t help either. She didn’t get the long-term results she was expecting: 

“I learned from this experience that I needed a different approach and it took me a year to come to terms with it. Slimming World worked short-term, but the weight was always put back on. There are no quick fixes and it takes time to get results.”

Jennifer finally discovered her passion when she decided to take a four-week TRX challenge. This program consisted of a TRX workout schedule along with a nutrition plan. Her daily calorie intake was restricted to 1,200. The hard work really paid off, as Jennifer says:

“I lost a stone and inches! It was the first time that I was doing different types of fitness exercises which allowed me to lose both weight and inches. Although the first week was dreadful, I was sore from training, I kept at it. The great thing is that I also had to reprogram myself around nutrition. I honestly love cooking and thought I knew a lot about cooking. This program was my kick start into my new health and fitness journey.”

She realized how much she loved TRX exercises and kept on doing the classes two to three times a week with a fellow busy mom during the summer. Having a friend coming along made a big difference, as they could encourage each other and push one another.

“My friend also has kids and we became gym buddies. When I wouldn’t be motivated and wanted to cancel the class, she would push me to attend it. Likewise, when she would be too tired and not motivated to work out one day, I would encourage her to go to the class. After the summer, we kept on doing the classes the rest of the year. “ Recruiting a gym buddy is a fantastic way to stay on track with your fitness goals. Here is a great article on the top 10 health benefits of working out with a friend that I recommend reading. As Jennifer highlighted, having a training partner is a great fitness tip that has allowed her to push herself and be more consistent with her workouts. Having someone else with you makes you more accountable and motivated to even just attend the training sessions.

2 – Go from busy mom to organised mom

Getting organised is another great fitness tip from Jennifer to keep you on track.

“Your health should be a priority and you should look after yourself. You will be better to your family when you lead a healthy lifestyle. For example, if work is a priority for a short period of time and as a result you can’t do any sport, then make sure to go for healthy food options.

I know in advance what meals we will be eating each day the coming week. I usually cook the day before for the all family for the following day”

In terms of nutrition, Jennifer has a very good system and has found a balance that works for her and her family. Her healthy eating plan has her staying with clean and healthy choices Monday to Friday, but she then allows herself treats at the weekend.  I was then wondering if her kids and husband eat the same healthy food, which would make Jennifer’s life easier in the kitchen. She has found a system which allows her to remain healthy while making sure her family enjoy nutritious food too:

“Since I am in charge of the cooking, I tailor each meal to fit my needs and keep the rest of the family happy. For example, if I cook spaghetti Bolognese, I keep the meat and will have it with salad instead of pasta. Same with burgers, I will have it with salad instead of fries and will not eat the bun either. I just make sure to keep the source of protein and combine it with vegetables or salad.”

Just to clarify, she quotes: “I do swap out carbs for salad and veg but not completely out of my diet. If I have trained hard then I eat carbs, choosing mainly wholegrain pastas and brown rice when I can. I do not believe in cutting any food out completely, in my experience this just leads to yo-yo dieting.”

I totally agree with this approach, and it definitely works long-term.

Although Gillian has a different background to Jennifer since she competes in a very demanding sport, she also believes that organisation is key to her success:

“My key is to plan. I usually prep a few meals at the weekend. For example, I would make stews, soups, curry, chilli. When I get back from work it’s just warm them up with white rice or couscous or quinoa. For breakfast, I make overnight oats so the kids grab a tub from the fridge whatever time they get up and I can have mine either at home or after my gym workout. Lunches – again, it is all about prep. I will wash lots of salad veg and chop peppers etc. then it is just a matter of throwing a handful in a plastic container and popping a cooked chicken breast or some prawns or a tin of tuna or salmon fillet on top. I often roast a chicken or cook some chicken breast. I can use the roast chicken in my salads and throw some in a sandwich or tortilla wrap for the kids.”

“What I usually want is that whatever I have made suits my diet and the kids, by either taking one thing away or adding one thing in. So, for example, if I have already consumed my carbs portion for the day, I would eat chilli without the rice. Also, I double up on dinner quantity when cooking so I have leftovers for lunch.”

  3- Get up early!

Jennifer’s kids wake up around 7.30am but she is up earlier. By doing so, she can be in the gym around 6.30am three times a week to do her own exercise.

“I am lucky that the gym is down the road from where I live. Once I finish in the gym, I go back home and prepare breakfast for my kids and husband so that the kids are ready to leave for school. Then my husband takes them to school”

Jennifer makes it look easy, but I was interested to find out what issues she has to deal with that occasionally get in the way of her workout schedule. She said when one of her kids is sick or she is held at work, she has to cancel her gym session but just changes her plans and postpones the workout for another day. To quote her on this, “Life happens outside the gym and we can only solve one problem at a time.”

4- Be gentle to yourself

Among the chaos of raising children, holding down a job (or two) and managing a work out schedule, it can be easy to forget to take it easy on yourself if things don’t go to plan or you are just too tired.

Jennifer “We tend to be too hard on ourselves, sometimes work or life gets in the way, if you miss a session in the gym it’s OK. You can do it the day after. Avoid beating yourself up otherwise you carry this guilt over a day, then before you know it will be the entire week. It’s better to let it go that day and make peace with it and do it the next day or another day.”

5- Stop making excuses

Gillian’s kids are into exercise too. Her boys practice kickboxing and follow a programme run for kids in her local gym. This is handy, because it means she can do her workout while her children do their own! Sometimes she still has to haul herself to the gym at an un-Godly hour for her early morning workout while the boys are still in bed, she is committed to her training and getting it done. At times, she can’t get to a gym so is happy to exercise at home instead.

“I think you have to want it enough, otherwise you find excuses. Most moms probably get an hour in the day where they watch the soaps or go on social media. I use that hour to workout. If I can’t get to the gym because of [the kids’] schedule I will exercise at home. Bodyweight stuff. The trick for me is to put in on your schedule like you would for a dental appointment. You wouldn’t miss that!”

Another of Jennifer’s fitness tips is to try not to make excuses for missing a gym session.

“When you have a tough day, it’s easy to talk to yourself out of it. You have to fight through and do it. You will feel a lot better afterwards. The hardest thing is to get there. Once you’re there and you have completed your training session, you will feel great about yourself and have a sense of accomplishment.”

6- You are never too old

Gillian took up running at age 45 and competed in various distance races – 5km, 10km and half marathons, as well as a season of track racing. Her biggest achievement in running was an “All Ireland” medal for a team relay race. Sadly, she ruptured her calf muscle in 2015 that meant she went from running up to 30 miles a week to sitting on the sofa.

After a few weeks doing nothing, she hobbled into the gym nearest her home on crutches and asked the owner what she could do for her upper body. They then worked together. He helped her rehabilitate and gave her lots of fitness tips, and as a result she was able to go back running.

“I carried on personal training to build strength for my running, but found myself looking forward to my weight sessions more than my runs.”

I was curious to find out how Gillian got involved in bodybuilding, since her path seemed to be running in the early stages. It all started in in March 2017, when her son entered a fitness model competition in Belfast and Gillian went along to watch a support him. He did very well, winning in the category under 16 Mr Physique and Mr Athletic NIFMA Ireland (Northern Ireland Fitness Model Association).

  “I loved the experience and got speaking to one of the judges who encouraged me to think about competing. I spoke to my trainer who also encouraged me to go for it. I was so wracked with self-doubt that I didn’t register for the completion until two days before I was due to compete. I trained from March to October, six days a week. I competed in NIFMA Europe in June 2017. I won first place in Miss Yummy Mummy, second in Miss Toned Over 40 and third in Miss Bikini Over 40. I went on to compete in IBFA in October 2017 and I won second in physique category and third in bikini category. I juggle training into a very busy schedule. I hit the gym six times a week – two sessions of PT and four sessions using a programme written by my trainer.”

According to Jennifer, anyone can factor in a quick workout each day, no matter what:

“Anyone at any age can look after their health and be more active. There is always 30 minutes in the day that you can fit in for a training session. It doesn’t have to be 60 minutes or more. There are lots of choices of exercises which are 20 to 30 mins long.”

If you still think you are too old or too busy to look after yourself, please check out this video of Ernestine Sheperd, an 80-year-old bodybuilder who started working out when she was 56.

If you are a complete beginner and not a gym lover, check out this blog with more fitness tips and  some easy and simple exercises any mother can do.

Inspirational fit moms: tips from women who manage it all ! Moms into fitness, those able to balance being a busy mom with their workout schedule, are real role models to me.

[mostly-plants]

Week 1 of eating vegan

Since around June this year I had been thinking about eating more plants, and had gradually been introducing more vegan meals into my diet with the help of amazing vegan bloggers/YouTubers like Mary’s Test Kitchen and The Viet Vegan. If you want some pro tips on how to make delicious vegan food, I highly recommend checking out their channels as a place to start! I was feeling good eating more veggies and legumes, so I decided I’d try eating vegan for a month and see how I felt at the end of October. Here’s how week 1 went: Day 1 was great! I had breakfast at a friend’s place and she made us apple cinnamon pancakes by swapping out the eggs for applesauce, and using soy milk. Some fresh apple, blueberries and maple syrup sealed the deal - YUM! I was full most of the day and was busy with a few things so didn’t really eat again until dinner. We were pretty tired, so went to Grill’d for dinner on the way home from visiting family, and their veggie vitality burger made a very satisfying dinner (with sweet potato fries on the side because of course!)

Day 2 I was craving savoury things, so I experimented with making a cashew based cheese using this recipe as a guide. The texture was surprisingly good, but I just put too much garlic powder in. Luckily my boyfriend is incredibly lovely and didn’t mind the garlic breath because “at least you’ll be safe from vampires!”) :)

Day 3 I made a marinated tofu rice bowl based on this recipe from Mary’s test kitchen - yes, Mary coming through with the darn tasty vegan food yet again! I also ate a bunch of bok choy because I’m realising that my mum was right, and it’s a really good idea to eat your greens. This is particularly important on a vegan diet, because we need all those key minerals like iron and calcium, which green vegetables like bok choy, spinach, kale and broccoli are high in.

Day 4 I woke up feeling more energised than I had in a while, and since I’d been eating heaps of fibre-rich foods like veggies, fruit and wholegrains, I found my digestion had improved a lot. I was also incredibly excited to find THE BEST STORE-BOUGHT BABA GANOUSH I have ever had, by Dari’s Table. It was super smokey and tasty, and I ate a bunch of it on Mary’s Gone Crackers Super Seed crackers. These crackers are also delicious, but they’re silly expensive, so more of a treat than an everyday food. I also accidentally over-indulged a bit in test batches of baked goods that I’d been prepping for a bakesale at the end of this month, so all in all it was a bit of a treat yo’self day.

Day 5 I realised I hadn’t prepped anything to take to work for lunch, so I hurriedly chopped up a bunch of fresh veggies and packed some leftover crackers and dip to take with me (Dari’s Baba Ganoush and Yumi’s Beetroot Hummus). It ended up being very tasty and satisfying. I did find I was getting a bit more hungry between meals, so just made sure that I had some fruit or other snacks on-hand in case I needed a quick energy boost throughout the day. I made an incredibly yummy creamy mushroom pasta for dinner using a cashew based cream sauce (cashews blended with water and seasoned to taste), and I’m finding that I’m not missing dairy as much as I thought I might. I never drank much dairy milk before, and that’s easily swapped out for plant-based milk; and although I (and boyfriend) were highly suspicious of vegan cheese to begin with, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to make creamy sauces, and a super tasty “parmesan” without using dairy. Boyfriend has nicknamed this delicious concoction: “Cashy-cashy Parm-parm”. Win!

Day 6 I was feeling pretty tired because I didn’t sleep so well the night before, but I had made a red lentil dhal(?) with lots of ginger and warming spices the night before, so I was grateful to be able to eat something cosy for lunch with minimal effort. I’m learning that batch cooking/prep is definitely my friend in this vegan cooking adventure. Partly because it’s just quicker and easier when you have at least one or two meal options in the fridge that are ready to eat, and partly because I find it really hard to cook or make food decisions when I am already hungry. This is where your present self can be a huge help to your future self by planning ahead and creating leftovers!

Day 7 I made a quick fruit smoothie in the morning because I had slept in and was rushing to get ready, but needed something light for breakfast. Then around 2pm I went to a late lunch with my boyfriend. I had thought that eating out might be harder, but we are incredibly lucky and live in a place that has plenty of vegan food options (thanks Melbourne)! We were both pretty full after that, so from memory we had a lazy dinner of chopped up fresh veg and leftover dip and crackers (plus my vampire-proof vegan garlic cream cheese). Overall, despite a brief wobble on Day 2 as I adjusted to the change in habits, Week 1 has been much easier than I originally expected. I think that watching cooking videos, and reading articles to inform myself before starting this challenge has really helped make the adjustment to plant-based eating easier. Surprisingly, I think I’m eating a much larger variety of foods now than I was before, and I’m really enjoying my vegan cooking adventures so far. Thanks for reading! I’ll be back at the end of Week 2 for another update.