#kindergarten comprehension of money

[gayvampyr]

i hate people on this site. i didn’t grow up poor eating sliced bread for every meal and getting by on my shitty food stamps and my parents working 2 jobs just to be told by some cunt in my notes that other people have it worse, that “actually poor” people would be homeless or not able to afford food at all and wouldn’t have a cell phone. tell me you don’t know how the world works without telling me you don’t know how the world works. 2-dimensional ass perspective.

[lady-charinette]

Convince me to watch Buddy Daddies, if you please?

*sips tea*

I will make a powerpoint presentation if this very biased, very comprehensive list still doesnt convince you.

Reasons to watch Buddy Daddies:

the songs are catchy (listen to SHOCK by Ayase, you'll be dancing in your living room or crawling on the walls)

its a hitmen trying to parent action rom(?)-com with very relatable fresh parent moments, yakuza domestic violence scenes and a short if on the nose critique on Japan's bogus complicated paperwork process while Kazuki and Rei try to enroll Miri into daycare and forging getting all the neccessary documents and forms together

features a motherly, overzealous best friend with past trauma-coded hitman Kazuki, who's more the 'brains' aka strategist of a hitmen duo together with deadpan, possessed-by-a-cat-spiritiually hikikomori who knows his way better around a gun or 100 than he does in a grocery store Rei.

the best assassin ever doesn't know how to cook for shit, his signature dish is french toast

the mothers of the other kids Miri plays with at daycare oggle Rei and Kazuki (understandable since they're two hot single dads ahem)

there's a mom group chat where the chat explodes with messages like "OIL BARON?! I KNEW THEY SMELLED OF OLD MONEY!", "they r hot :D" & rumors about the family situation in general

the jokes/compliments the mom's give to Rei "he's very cool! he has that hitman aura!"

Miri's biological dad gets killed during a deadly altercation with Kazuki and Rei in a shootout, her only other biological relative is her mom, who abandoned Miri in order to pursue a singing career with an abusive boyfriend but is trying to get around & wants Miri back

Kazuki is a deadly housewife

central themes: family relations, blood doesn't mean shit, the horrendous struggles of raising a kid with 0 knowledge of how to raise kids, sacrifice, implied stigma of two men raising a child alone + stigma against single mothers, generational trauma & overcoming trauma as adults, sometimes the only light at the end of the tunnel is your completely platonic co-worker who offers to cut your hair, a warm bath and gets your life together so you don't die alone

Rei has an undercut

Miri is the cutest ball of energy and sass that only a small child possesses

some boy has a crush on Miri but gets the Death StareTM by her two overprotective Papas

the tough, cutthroat life of a kindergartener

the overlapping themes of how important family is & how biological family can have the types of people in your life you absolutely want and have to cut off in order to be healthy, adjusted adult

love being the driving force to overcome obstacles, grief being the love with nowhere to go and the suffocating emptiness being replaced by a mismatched found family of two assassins and an orphan toddler who cook together and win races together

the food looks good

how grief and generational/familial trauma can cripple people in different ways and how traumatized people can heal together and become each-other's strength

alcohol is not the answer kids (oh and killing too)

the concept of motherhood: Ep 3. feat. Kazuki's sexist comment about mothers that are incapable of hating their own children. Misaki (Miri's mom) resents her daughter for destroying her dreams, Kazuki says that raising a kid is supposed to come naturally to a mother. He changes his tune later when he sees how difficult it is raising Miri & how Misaki genuinely tried until she was disappointed and traumatized by her own life & the arrival of an unwanted child.

the concept of fatherhood as introduced by Miri: "A papa is someone who will save you from trouble!". Whereas the fathers through the rest of the cast can be either described as "tormenters", "absent" or "sir"s.

good character building for almost all the characters

Bad Guy Ogino gets killed in a very poetic way, *mwah*

speaking of: creepy assassin Ogino keeps a notebook of people he's killed & what their last words were. Basically the teenage girl journaling experience but for deranged assassins

all in all you'll fall in love with the characters and laugh and cry until you dehydrate yourself

Send me another ask if you end up watching it & tell me what you think! :D

[bondagebimbo]

You are such a fucking beg lmao, do you have a job? It’s constant beg beg beg with you, you got more issues than vogue dirty bitch flea ass get a fucking job

I wasn’t even going to dignify this with a real response or lash out at you since this is clearly antagonizing and I won’t take the bait because I already explained the entire situation in that post so clearly your reading comprehension level is that of a kindergartener and I think you need to go back to school and not only learn how to read but how to understand the shit you read, but now I’m going to reply because you’re being an immature little bitch

FYI, PLENTY of people with jobs end up having emergencies they can’t afford all the time. sorry I had to shell out literally everything I had to help with a family fucking funeral last week (which I am still recovering from the loss of that person) so I don’t have the money to fucking deal with a flea infestation because i have 0.22 in my account after giving away all the money I possibly had to help with those funeral expenses.

maybe you should learn the whole fucking story before you assume and make a cunt of yourself, if you’re even able to comprehend this message enough to understand anything I said to you in order to do so, but I doubt it because you’re just an inbred fuck with nothing better to do than harass people online when you know nothing about what’s going on in their life :)

fucking dumbass bitch, go back into the nasty fucking cave you crawled out of. you’re not fit for this world if you have such a fucking judgmental and bitchy fucking mindset. disgusting ass fucking pick me little fucking bitch that never gets picked (which is obvious from this message because who would want a bitch that acts like you, could never be me 💀💀💀)

also, I’ve asked for help THREE TIMES out of the almost FIFTEEN YEARS IVE BEEN ON TUMBLR. so go lay in fucking traffic you unwanted piece of shit.

[coochiequeens]

I hate that Project Veritas broke this story. I hate them for how they went after Planned Parenthood. But I also hate how it’s right wing media investigating this shit because left leaning media is more concerned with not appearing “transphobic”. Even if that means silence when minors are being exposed to “butt plugs and lube v spit” in school. 

A prestigious private school in Chicago, Francis W. Parker, defended dean of students Joe Bruno on Thursday following the release of a video in which he said the school’s LGBTQ sex-education programming includes passing around sex toys and instructing students on how to use them.

“During Pride — we do a Pride Week every year — and I had our LGBTQ+ health center come in. They were passing around butt plugs and dildos to my students. Talking about queer sex. Using lube versus using spit,” Bruno says in one clip.

Bruno, who has been in his current role for four years, added that students asked him: “‘How does this butt plug work? How do we do — like, how does this work?’ . . . That’s a really, like, cool part of my job.”

Bruno reportedly wasn’t aware that his statements were being recorded at the time by a member of Project Veritas, an American organization known for making similar undercover videos. The outfit has been successfully sued by an organization over its tactics.

However, the release of the undercover video apparently has not shaken Francis W. Parker School’s faith in Bruno. The school defended him in a statement released Thursday.

“He was filmed without his knowledge or permission while describing one example of our inclusive, LGBTQ+ affirming, and comprehensive approach to sex education. Veritas deceptively edited the video with malicious intent,” the statement said, as reported by WGN-TV.

According to the outlet, the statement also said: “Parker administrators and Parker’s Board of Trustees support Parker’s programming, the strength and inclusivity of our curriculum, and the dedicated and talented faculty and staff that teach it.”

The revelations have prompted the school to offer “mental health check-ins” for students, Chicago’s NPR satellite, WBEZ, reported.

During the surreptitious video recording released by Project Veritas, the interviewer off-camera tells Bruno: “You have so much freedom. So much wiggle room,” to which Bruno responds: “So much freedom. So much money to do stuff.”

According to Parker’s tuition and fees website section, cost of enrollment at the institution ranges from just over $37,000 a year for junior kindergarten up to over $42,000 for grade twelve.

When did sex ed start to include sex toys? It’s around the same time the TQ+ attached themselves like a parasite to the LGB isn’t it?

[moyazaika]

hiyaya! Guess whooooo 🕺🕺🕺

I know you've been on a semi-hiatus, I miss seeing your content! Hope you're taking time to take care of yourself! I feel the need for hiatus rn, honestly, I started college (again) and it's just. Sometimes I ask myself why I went back to school. You'd think 12 (13 if you count kindergarten) would be enough to put a dumb bitch like me 6ft under and then some.

jokes on them, I’m not even 6ft tall in platforms with my arms raised.

I've been watching some horror movies (as per usual) to prepare for fall (as per usual) and I have some new recommendations!

MWAHAHAHA you can't run from Hellraiser 😋 it got a 2022 remake and while it's not perfect, the cenobites are beautiful! Beautifully creepy. Of course.

Huesera: The Bone Woman is a super interesting and intense watch! It's a horror movie about generational trauma, specifically in Indigenous and Hispanic women. I loved it! It made me cry 😌

My third and final recommendation is older but for the guys gals and pals who like to indulge in some old Yandere goodness? It's a classic. It's called High Tension! It's a French horror movie from like 2012, but honestly? It’s kinda a Yandere blueprint. I know you're a big fan of intensely delusional characters who fail to mentally and emotionally process the consequences of their actions? This one's for you. I looooove High Tension, it's given me plenty of horrific inspiration! Besides, the antagonist kinda reminds me of a couple of your characters, I wonder if you can guess who…

That's all from me! Hope you and the other lovely people of tumblr are enjoying the beginning of fall!

-🕺 anon

NONNIEEEEEEE i missed youuuuu

i need you to know that every time you send me an ask i always end up adding the recs u give me to my notes app for when i graduate this year!!! and i will be sinking my teeth into everything!!!

whhhh i hope college is going okay! i still don’t get why it exists because in aus we just go to uni straight out of hs but it sounds like such a fun time u better be making the most of it 😝😝

i hate to be That Guy. but.. you’re so small 😭 wdym not even with platforms and ur arms raised??? also life update my younger cousin outgrew me. he’s 17. hes 6”3 now. chat am i cooked.

a horror movie about inDIGENOUS WOMEN GENERATION TRAUMA??? oh take my money. oh take my mONEYYYY i just know that’s gonna have me sobbing and dying

you’re so right as usual i LOVE LOVE LOVE delusional characters who are so wrapped up in their delusions of grandeur they fail to realise the error of their ways simply because such flaws in their design are beyond their understanding or comprehension…. if i have spare time soon i will definitely be checking that last rec out!!! i’ll hazard a guess once i’ve seen it (im rlly curious tho 😥😥)

i might be so wrong but the way you described it reminded me of buffalo 66? idk why,,

thank you! unfortunately it is spring here and so i will be dying of my pollen allergies (nonchalance diminished wdym Pollen incapacitates me) fuck these antibodies bro 😭😭💯💯💯💯

BUT NEVERTHELESS I HOPE UR well thank u for sending this in and take care of urself!!!!!!! you’re like my own lil letterboxd recs list (much funnier too xx) ily anon ❤️‍🔥

[kidsfurnitureshopsindelhi]

Finding the Perfect School Chair for Your Child

As a parent, you want to ensure your child has the best tools for success, and one often overlooked tool is the humble school chair. It’s where your child will spend countless hours studying, reading, and sometimes daydreaming. The right furniture for kids in Delhi can support good posture, enhance focus, and even improve academic performance. Here's a comprehensive guide to finding the perfect school chair for your child, whether they're in kindergarten or college. 1. Ergonomics: The Foundation of Comfort

Ergonomics is all about designing products that fit the human body and its movements. For school chairs, this means providing proper support to ensure your child can sit comfortably for extended periods. Key ergonomic features to look for include:

Adjustable Height: Children grow quickly, and a chair that can adjust in height will accommodate these changes. The chair's height should allow your child's feet to rest flat on the floor while their knees are at a 90-degree angle.

Lumbar Support: Proper lower back support prevents slouching and promotes a healthy posture. Look for chairs with contoured backs that support the natural curve of the spine.

Seat Depth and Width: The seat should be deep enough to support the thighs but not so deep that it forces the child to lean forward. Ideally, there should be a small gap between the edge of the seat and the back of the knees.

2. Material Matters

The material of the chair affects both comfort and durability. Common materials include plastic, wood, and metal, each with its own advantages:

Plastic: Lightweight and often more affordable, plastic chairs are easy to clean and come in a variety of colors. However, they may not provide the same level of support as other materials.

Wood: Wooden chairs are sturdy and can last for years. They offer a classic look and can be quite comfortable with the right design.

Metal: Metal frames provide strong support and are very durable. They are often paired with plastic or fabric seats for added comfort.

3. Mobility and Stability

Children are naturally active, and their chairs should accommodate this movement without compromising stability. Here are some features to consider:

Swivel and Wheels: Chairs with a swivel base and wheels allow for easy movement around the workspace. However, make sure the chair has a locking mechanism to prevent accidents.

Non-Slip Feet: If you prefer a stationary chair, look for models with non-slip feet to keep the chair firmly in place.

Weight Capacity: Ensure the chair can support your child's weight to prevent any accidents or damage.

4. Style and Design

While functionality is crucial, the design of the study table for kids can also play a role in your child's willingness to use it. Choose a chair that matches their personality and the overall decor of their study area. Fun colors, patterns, and themed designs can make the chair more appealing.

5. Budget Considerations

School chairs come in a wide range of prices. While it's tempting to go for the cheapest option, investing in a higher-quality chair can pay off in the long run with better durability and comfort. Consider your budget and look for a Kids Furniture Store in Delhi that offers the best value for your money.

6. Test Before You Buy

If possible, have your child test out the chair before making a purchase from kids furniture stores in Delhi. This hands-on approach ensures that the chair is comfortable and the right size. Pay attention to their feedback about how the chair feels and make adjustments as needed.

7. Additional Features

Some chairs come with extra features that can enhance the learning experience:

Armrests: Adjustable armrests can provide additional support for the arms and shoulders, reducing strain during long study sessions.

Footrests: For younger children, a footrest can provide extra comfort and support.

Foldable Design: If space is a concern, look for chairs that can be easily folded and stored away when not in use.

8. Long-Term Use and Adjustability

Children grow quickly, and their needs change over time. Choosing a chair with adjustable features ensures that it can be adapted as they grow. This flexibility can extend the lifespan of the chair and provide consistent comfort and support.

Conclusion

Finding the perfect school chair for your child involves considering ergonomics, material, mobility, design, budget, and additional features. By taking the time to choose a chair that meets these criteria, you can help create a comfortable and productive learning environment for your child. Remember, a good kids furniture Delhi is an investment in your child's health and education, providing the support they need to excel in their studies.

[indynerdgirl]

Nikki Haley just suspended her presidential campaign.

And while it was pretty obvious for a while now that she wasn't going to be the Republican nominee, I'm not only disapointed, but I'm also just so frustrated as a Conservative. Yes, the economy was better during Trump's presidency, but he is way too polarizing as a person now and, imo, he's going to end up doing more harm than good.

This country has basically been in a political crisis since 2008 when Obama was elected. The country went too far left then and overcorrected by going too far right with Trump, only to overcorrect by going too far left with Biden. And now we're about to overcorrect again by going too far right AGAIN with Trump while all of the voices of reason that are in the middle are not only getting shouted out but don't have the money to run a campaign big enough to be a viable third option.

If Trump really wanted to help this country, he would not have run for president again, he would have put all of his support behind someone who isn't a polarizing personality, someone who could actually start to bring both sides together and finally start erasing this idiotic hardline "our side vs their side" political mess we're stuck in.

I am 36 years old and my first political memory was a civics lesson in Kindergarten about voting for president during the 1992 election between Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. I also can remember my parents and grandparents watching the news and listening to talk radio at the time and while there were disagreements between both sides, there wasn't this angry and harmful vitriol for each other we have now because there wasn't a 24/7 news cycle keeping everything in front of us. I swear the internet and social media have absolutely ruined our ability as a society to have actual thoughtful and civil discourse.

What's crazy is that George freakin' Washington warned us in his farewell address that this exact situation would happen if we weren't careful and we didn't listen (bolded sections by me).

"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.

It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion, that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of Liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in Governments of a Monarchical cast, Patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And, there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume."

Washington’s Farewell Address, September 17 1796

[ptpgunmedia]

Advanced Training?

We started this company in 2015 and have trained thousands of people in and around Maryland in those years since. And while many may think that training is all that they needed and wanted, many more understand that skills gained from our training will be lost if not used or practiced. And, to be frank, while the concealed carry classes that we offer may be pretty detailed and comprehensive in comparison to others offered in Maryland- they still are relatively basic in the overall scheme of things. They lay the base for even more detailed and hands on training to follow.

We started offering advanced classes in 2019 after so many voiced their desire for more. To learn more, to do more, to experience more. Being able to properly defend yourself isn't limited to buying a gun and taking an entry level 2 day concealed carry class- just as a proper education for the average American adult isn't limited to 1 year in a public school kindergarten classroom.

For these classes, we bring in industry experts with extensive training themselves with real world experience- often in law enforcement, emergency medical services, or military like myself. They travel from all over including but not limited to New York, Illinois, Utah, Virginia, Texas and more. 9 times out of 10 you will find me in class right along side you, learning and training just the same. If they bring value and I want to train under them- we will host them.

I don't bring in the local NRA instructor that is going to death-by-powerpoint you with black & white slides  and hands you a certificate at the end. Many of these classes don't come with a certificate. Because as a civilian paying good money for quality training, it isn't about a piece of paper to hang on your wall or to turn in to some bureaucrat behind a desk so you can access your right- this is purely about making yourself more capable to defend yourself and others. 

Just as I am with the classes I put on for my clients, I take the classes I attend as a student serious. I am a husband and a father of 3 with 1 on the way. I also regularly attend services and events at my church, which are often targets for violence. I carry a gun. I carry everyday and everywhere I am able to. I take on the role and responsibility with reverence. The classes that I attend, the instructors I choose, my attention given to the instruction/drills- could be what helps me win and secure those around me in the unfortunate chance I may have to use these skills and tools God has afforded me.

I implore you to do the same. Don't just put a check in a box. Don't just do the bear minimum or what is required of you. You and your family deserve much better than that. You truly get out of this what you put into it.

Original Sources: https://www.ptpgun.com/post/advanced-training

[prabhatjairam]

Education is Expensive: Myth or Reality?

Education is a basic human right. Everybody has the right to get a quality education to become self-reliant and independent. It is the most powerful weapon that can be used in accomplishing future-oriented goals. In India, education is primarily divided into different groups: pre-primary (consisting of lower kindergarten and upper kindergarten), primary (from 1st standard to 5th standard), secondary (from 6th standard to 10th standard), higher-secondary (includes 11th and 12th classes), graduation (3-year course after 12th), and post-graduation (2 years after graduation).

If we talk about the expense incurred on education, it is quite challenging to say whether it is inexpensive or expensive because there are ample numbers of government schools and educational institutes in India that provide basic education at a minimal cost. Private schools and institutions, on the other hand, charge higher fees to their students to provide them with more opportunities. So it depends on the facilities and services that make education expensive. In this blog post, we'll look at some of the reasons for high education costs and see if they're true or just a myth.

Education is the most important aspect

Education plays a major role in people’s lives. It gives individuals strength, power, and a sharp mind to tackle challenging situations. It teaches them the difference between right and wrong, which helps them make quick and right decisions.

After the COVID-19 outbreak, everything goes online. It’s become essential for everybody to know how to use online tools, applications, and software. It could create problems for those who don’t have any idea about the online world and online things. With their advancements in the coming years, technologies and digitization will undoubtedly transform every traditional thing.

As online education reaches its peak, students get a chance to explore multiple courses, enhancing their knowledge and learning skills. There are an ample number of online courses available, but they cost a lot. In order to achieve success, parents are really working hard to develop their children’s lifestyles.

Most families send their kids abroad for higher studies, which is indeed a big expense for them. Besides, some of them are spending money on their online courses. Parents and guardians take this step just to make their child’s life superior and successful because they are aware of the fact that education and gaining knowledge are the most important aspects of the current time.

Indeed, education fosters the intellectual skills, knowledge, and comprehension level of learners. On top of that, it opens up new doors and better career opportunities. To be successful on the academic front, students need to work hard. They can get help from one of the best eLearning portals- “study24hr.com”. It is an effective and collaborative online educational portal that enables teachers and students to get connected. The site offers mock test papers, promotional videos, quizzes, academic notes, and daily boosters to its learners to get them prepared for their exams. Furthermore, study24hr.com enables teachers and educational institutions to upload their notes to the portal in order to generate qualified leads.

Is education expensive, or is it just a myth?

Before commenting on this point, whether education is expensive or not, I want to make sure you understand that education is a broad concept. It is costly on one hand and cheap on the other, depending on the thinking criteria. As previously stated, there are both government and private schools in India. The only difference between the two is the infrastructure and facilities.

If you’re a parent, you want your kid to be highly educated. You search a list of reputed schools and choose the best one from it, then move forward with the procedure for your child’s admission. Undoubtedly, every parent does the same thing. The only major issue that comes up here is financial stability. As a wealthy parent, you undoubtedly want your child to graduate from a prestigious school that provides excellent hosting services. But what about those parents who are not financially strong? They were left with only one option, i.e., to send their kids to government schools. This is the reason why the gap between private and government schools is growing day by day.

To get a daily booster: Daily Booster Article| study24hr.com

Nevertheless, private schools are occupied by children who belong to rich families, and government schools are populated with poor children. Under the pretense of valuable education, private institutions have actualized a crushingly high fee structure with yearly increments that are presented with no earlier notice. They are showing contention to displeased parents as they provide quality education to their children, which is costly and demands high expenses to keep up the measures. This has become a myth that should be ended with the truth that the standard of education at both public and private schools is valuable.

So, it’s my request to all parents to stop discriminating against public and private schools because both are working hard at enhancing students’ performance. This isn't about how expensive your child's school is; it's about how much your children are learning at their school. Once you realised this, the imbalance between the two would be bridged soon. As a result, expensive education becomes affordable education.

The last line

Finally, I would like to recommend that you must review the list of public schools so that you are aware that numerous public institutions are far superior to private foundations. Once you check that on the internet, you won’t believe it, whether it’s a private or public school building. Most of the government schools are quite cool in terms of their infrastructure, libraries, and school premises. So, it’s a reminder for all parents to take care of their child’s education because thousands of professionals got educated in public schools, and thousands of private school students are fighting for their future.

Remember, education is a one-time investment. If you provide your child with a quality education, he or she will achieve all of his or her life goals. Hence, never think that spending on education is a waste because it’s a priceless reward that shouldn’t be compared with money. 

[arthurrnorgan]

one of my instagram reels about art went viral and now i have a literal kindergarten in the comments. like not to be mean but art babies have no reading comprehension and a lot of them think that they can immediately start making a ton of money with art when they start drawing 😭

[rayblinds]

7 Facts For Why Do You Need Blackout Blinds

There are several reasons you want to restrict the light inside a bedroom. Most probably, you are prone to light and want to sleep without any disturbance, or almost certainly, you want to support your children to sleep in peace with blackout blinds Vancouver.

Make sure you continue receiving the hours of sleep you want and choose when to contact the sun. Here we will look now at how Blackout blinds Vancouver can astonish you.

Privacy

The comprehensive material is widely utilized to make blackout blinds not only hinder the light from the room but also obstruct the sight of everyone going outside. These Blackout blinds Vancouver are perfect for rooms, like bedrooms and bathrooms, where you would like privacy the most. By using blackout blinds, you even would not look at a shadow; thus, if you have a great day to yourself – sit comfortably and calm down.

Sun damage protection

Unluckily, sun exposure can lighten your vibrant fabrics and decrease them to an unexciting, irreversible colour. This is known as photodegradation; this compound reaction happens between the sun's beams and the material's colour. On the other hand, the good news includes Blackout blinds Vancouver suppress the sun and will defend fabrics from vanishing and appearing damaged.

Noise-proof

If you reside next to a busy street, you might know why blackout blinds' soundproofing features are a smart job. However, blackout blinds are an ideal option to assisting decreases the sound. We are thankful for the covering on the back and the thick fabric; the sound will be reduced, and your sleep will be peaceful and uninterrupted.

Energy bills

The chunky fabric protects and maintains the high temperature in your home. This better-quality material includes the possibility to reduce your energy bills and also reveals the heat outside throughout hot months; thus, you don't need steady air conditioning.

Styles and colours

With a vast range of colours to select from, there is no need to worry about creating your room around your blinds; choose the perfect colour for you. As they wipe out the sun, it doesn't indicate they have to be black; opt for vibrant colours or delicate whites and emulsions.

Good Sleeping

It can be advantageous to install blackout blinds for people who are responsive to luminosity and cannot even sleep with natural light entering through their windows. If you are looking to avoid waking too soon during summer and have slept late, or if you work behind schedule and want to sleep throughout the day, you can do so with blackout blinds. They will obstruct the light that helps you from getting the relaxation that you want.

Blackout blinds in Vancouver are beneficial during the night for preventing unnecessary light from street lamps, blinking traffic lights and passing cars' lights. This blind will help to get good sleep at night and get up more rested in the morning.

Good Investment

Blackout blinds Vancouver are made of thick and firmly kneaded materials; blackout blinds are more durable than usual curtains. You can purchase the readymade blinds and also choose to customize option. They're more expensive than other blinds and shades, but they can save money. Besides offering insulation and assisting you in saving amounts on your energy bills, blackout blinds enhance the aesthetics of your house. Their flexibility and aesthetic assets make Blackout blinds the right investment.

Even though the blackout blinds assist your children in sleeping in throughout the hot months, they will also assist your small ones with their regular sleep. Blackout blinds Vancouver can assist in keeping the kindergarten room dark and relaxed so that your little one can fall asleep calmly with uninterrupted. Selecting the right window shades is an excellent investment in the appearance of your home and people's comfort. 

[truthundressing]

I live in the US and ever since I read angus thongs and perfect snogging in middle school I’ve wanted to understand how British school works. I think we can exchange some information here 🤣 ok so in the US it’s like this: every year you’re in a “grade”, and the school year starts in late August or early September and ends in late May or early June, with a two week break around Christmas that they try to pretend is secular. The first “grade” is “Kindergarten” which you typically start at age 5, so usually everyone is having the same birthday over the course of the school year, but not everyone’s birthday falls just so, and some people skip or repeat grades. After Kindergarten the grades go up like normal i.e. ��first grade” “second grade” etc. and the grades are divided up into “schools”. There’s usually elementary (K-5), middle (6-8), and high (9-12) school, but a lot of places alter the delineations or add more. For example, I had intermediate school (5-6), middle school (7-8), junior high (9-10), and high school (11-12) but that’s a bit ridiculous. Then once you graduate 12th grade, you get your high school diploma, and you can go to what we call college at that point, which is “higher education”. There are requirements to “get in” to college, and it costs money to attend. You usually have to take some racist tests and get good scores and send your scores off with applications to colleges and pray that you get accepted by a college that doesn’t cost a million dollars an hour. You are required by law to go to grade school (K-12) but if you drop out you can take a test called the GED to prove you Know Enough and it’s the equivalent of a high school diploma but you don’t have to suffer in actual high school. So how does British school work? I’m thrilled to find out wtf gcse means 🤩 lmao <3

ohhhhh my god ok yes !! lets exchange!!this makes so much sense but i still have so many questions skdjsk i have 2 american cousins so i feel like i should know way more than i do😭😭.

so with the classes you take, how does that work do you just get to choose as many as you want or do you have required classes? and what is an AP class, like is it more advanced? and do ppl take them to help with college applications or smthn? also (sorry im just so curious😭) what is a gpa? like... i have never understood how that works or why its needed lmao.

ok so with english schools we have 'years' but you start at age 4 in reception in primary school. After reception you start year 1, 2 etc and primary school is reception to year 6 (age 4-11). Then in year 6 (age 11) you take these exams called SATs (for maths, english comprehension and english grammar/spelling) which are to help determine your grade targets once you start secondary school, but also if you apply to private secondary schools or even some public schools getting good SATs results helps you get in.

So then secondary school is age 11 to 16 or 18 (depending lmao its a bit complicated). At 16 you do GCSE's which are exams to help you get into sixth form or college (not equivalent to college in the US). At 14 you can choose the subjects you want to take for GCSE's which again is based on your targets. So for example everyone has to take english, maths and at least one science but i had quite high targets so had to follow the baccalaureate where i was required to take all three sciences, a language and either geography or history but then could also choose 2 others (i took food technology and computer science😁). Then you study just those subjects for the next two years, with the exception of P.E. and R.E (religious education🙄) which everyone has to take up to age 16 but you don't have to take the exam for.

Phew ok😅then at 16 you go to sixth form or college. Sixth form is either its own building or part of a secondary school and you have to take either A-levels or BTECs, both are qualifications but you need A-levels to get into university. BTEC's are more career focused i believe, so things like engineering, construction, media, IT etc. A-levels are basically just your usual schools subjects and you can take 3 (sometimes 4) and then when you apply to uni they have specific requirements. Like if you want to study medicine you need an alevel in biology and chemistry for example. Then colleges are only for 16-18yr olds, they offer courses that are again more career focused, for example by 17yr old brother is in college atm doing photography.

The school year is pretty similar here i think, we have a 6 week summer holiday, 2 weeks at christmas and 2 at easter but we also have half-terms which is basically a week off in the middle of each term (so in october, february and may/june). University is completely different though bc we dont get the half-terms :(

I thinkkkkk thats everything😅honestly who decided to make its so comlplex skdjsksl and i didnt even get into the types of schools like private/religious etc😅😅

ALSO angus, thongs and perfect snogging is an iconic read😌

[mourntheantagonist]

#HarringroveApril Day 7: Daisychain

***

“Mr. Harrington? Who’s your favorite student?”

The question came about at least once every year without fail, and he’d always answer in the same, textbook way.

“I don’t have favorites. I love all my kids equally.”

And, deservedly so, the whole class would grunt and moan because they knew just as well as he did that it was a load of bullshit. Steve loved every one of his kids, that part wasn’t a lie, but… he also definitely had his favorites.

For the graduating class of ‘90 when he was only a teaching assistant his name was Daniel. He was the youngest in his class because he started early, and he was incredibly bright. He could count higher, he could read quicker, and his mind just worked in ways that no adult could possibly understand. But it wasn’t the textbook intelligence that made Steve fall for this kid. It was his emotional intelligence. He was funny and he was kind and five year olds were cruel, but he never let that get to him. He had an outlook on life that Steve was jealous of, so when the other kids would turn him down for a game of checkers, Steve would happily join him, because Steve saw it as his job to keep that kid kind.

For the class of ‘91 it was Christopher. He was nothing like Daniel. He was held back and was repeating kindergarten, and that was evident in the way he walked through life. He was quiet and would voluntarily remove himself from the rest of the class. He’d sit by himself and read a book and get frustrated when he didn’t understand one of the words, he would swing by himself and he always tried to sneak off with the first graders when it was time to line up. And Steve perfectly resonated with that feeling of watching all of your friends move on without you. He was left in the dust too. When all his classmates moved on to college or hightailed it out of Hawkins, Steve was left there by himself, working at Family Video with his only friend in the grade below him, and it took her leaving him as well for Steve to finally get his shit together, haul his ass west of the Mississippi, and enroll in a community college and work towards his teaching degree.

And he did it, against all odds and obstacles in his way, he did it. It took extra work and the support of his best friend who he followed, and he did it. He saw himself in Christopher, and he wasn’t going to make that kid wait as long as he did to realize that setbacks don’t define his future.

Steve usually took a liking to the quiet kids, and that only changed in ‘93 with the girl named Amy and the familiar last name. She was loud, vibrant, and everyone loved her. Her smile was contagious and she could be the sweetest little girl at times, but she also wore her heart on her sleeve. She cried quite a bit, just the littlest thing could set her off. A boy accidentally knocking over her blocks, not knowing how to spell a certain word, accidentally coloring outside the lines. She didn’t throw tantrums like he saw in the other kids. She would just bow her head and cry and it would break Steve’s heart every time.

But other than those few moments, she was bright and charismatic and with the last name, the blonde curly hair, and the big personality, Steve really should have put it all together much sooner than he did.

He didn’t put it all together until he saw Billy Hargrove in the soup aisle at the local grocery store wearing a chain of little daisies on his head like a crown, and he knew exactly where it was from.

It was from the little girl named Amy Hargrove who frolicked in the field instead of playing on the playground, collecting flowers that she meticulously made into bracelets and crowns and anything else she put her mind to. She gave them to friends, she even gave one to Steve, and of course she would give one to her dad too.

He looked so different, and yet exactly the same. He still had the damn mullet, just dragging the eighties with him as far as he could, he was a little more cleaned up but still had a similar style to what it was in highschool. Still with the same denim jacket, denim jeans, Canadian tuxedo type deal. In a side by side picture situation you wouldn’t really be able to tell the difference. It wasn’t his dress or his hair or anything physical about him that made him look so different, it was the way that he carried himself. It was the relaxation and the eyes that didn’t droop and the smile lines that didn’t used to be there that made him almost entirely unrecognizable from the Billy Hargrove who pushed freshman against lockers and drove his car too loud and too fast and had cigarettes for three meals a day. Not the kid who ran off to California as soon as the hospital released him with only his Camaro and a small suitcase and a large sum of money the government used to keep his mouth shut, leaving just a note for Max on the fridge that didn’t get any more specific than that about where he was going, not even leaving a phone number for her to contact him with. He also didn’t look like the kid they all pictured in their heads after basically the whole town found out about exactly what Neil Hargrove did to his son behind closed doors.

Steve wanted to go up to him in the store, but he stopped himself. Because Billy left. Without a trace or a word, and who was Steve to think that Billy having to be reminded of something he voluntarily abandoned without a second thought would have any sort of positive outcome?

So he turned down the aisle and kept his distance from the man in the flower crown because he was scared. He wasn’t scared that Billy would see him and turn back to his old ways and hurt him again, he was scared that he’d turn back to his old ways and hurt himself again.

Because he’d been hurt enough already.

Steve successfully avoided Billy until parent teacher conferences had rolled around, and instead of seeing Amy’s mom on the list of names he’d be seeing that day, it was Billy’s.

Steve would be lying if he didn’t think about calling in sick and sending his TA in his place. But he still had to be her teacher for another six months, he just had to get the interaction over with.

Many of the parents that came before Billy had to have known he was on edge about something considering he excessively tapped the table with the eraser of his pencil and stuttered his way through conversations. His organized folders and notes of talking points had been entirely thrown out the window and he was an absolute nervous wreck. And he could only anticipate it being ten times worse when the cause of said anxiety walked through his door with the long hair and the leather jacket. It was only with the help of the little girl in the sunflower dress and daisies in her hair skipping from the entrance to the chair in front of him that calmed his nerves just a bit.

But Billy had just stayed at the door, no movement, and any hope that Steve had that perhaps his new haircut and the glasses on his face would be enough to keep Billy from noticing the obvious vanished when Billy snapped his fingers like the lightbulb in his head finally flickered on.

“I knew it couldn’t be a coincidence.”

Steve just held out his hand to shake like he did with any other parent, unsure how to gage the situation because Billy’s words could go either way and his facial expressions didn’t give him anything to go off of. It would be weird to introduce himself, he didn’t know what to say.

“Hi, I’m Amy’s teacher. Should we start?”

Billy looked a little confused, but he sat down in the little kindergartener chairs anyway. This meeting was almost more organized than the ones prior, likely because he was trying to go as quickly as possible and get it over with. Steve showed Billy some of her artwork and commented on how her reading comprehension was great but she could work on her spelling a little more. He didn’t want to bring it up, but he brought up the crying and it hurt to see how him bringing it up set her off again. The same bowing of the head and quiet sniffles into her sleeve.

But Steve thinks he just fell in love a little watching Billy comfort her. With one hand rubbing circles into her back and the other holding her small hand. Steve feels like shit watching her cry because of him and is also semi-fearful for his life because he already knows he can’t take Billy in a fight.

“Baby, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with crying. It’s okay.”

“You’re dad’s right Amy. I think it’s very healthy. Crying is good for you.”

She looks up at Steve with those big blue eyes and tear stained cheeks when he says that.

“Really?” she asks.

“Yeah! I’d say it even makes you more mature. Even some adults I know don’t let themselves cry and it’s not good.”

“My daddy cries a lot too.”

Steve looks at Billy who’s eyes widen when she says it, then tries to laugh it off like she didn’t just say that.

“Hey Amy, you wanna go and play while your daddy and I talk for a minute?”

She just nods her head and wipes away her remaining tears and quickly hauls the bucket of Lincoln Logs off the shelf.

“So. It’s been a while. Hasn’t it?” Steve starts.

“Yeah it has. So, you’re a teacher now.”

“And you’re a father. That’s crazy.” Steve was fiddling with his hands, trying to make the conversation less awkward. “She’s wonderful by the way.”

“Yeah. She doesn’t get it from me.”

Steve just shakes his head. “No. I don’t think that’s true. She has your charisma, and it appears you found a better way of channeling your emotions since last we saw each other. She’s a lot like you.”

“Thanks.” Billy blushed. He actually blushed. “I don’t know if this is allowed considering you’re her teacher, but would you want to catch up sometime? Maybe dinner or something?”

There it was. That was the olive branch. And Steve would be an absolute fool not to take it.

“I’d love to.”

Before they could come up with a time or a place, Amy was running over to the table with loudly stomping feet.

“I almost forgot! Daddy! show Mr. Harrington what I brought him!”

Billy reached into his pocket upon her demand and pulled out a little bracelet made out of little daisies and honeysuckle and handed it over to Steve.

“Thank you Amy! It’s lovely.”

“Daddy show him yours!”

Steve looked to Billy’s wrist where he slowly lifted his sleeve to reveal an almost exact replica to the bracelet in his hand.

“Looks like we’re matching.”

[octopuscato]

You literally made that comparison yourself so stop being racist

Er, no. If you really are this dim, I'll explain it to you in very small steps. People whine about other people donating to Ao3 instead of to them. Essentially, they blame them for their hardships in life, because they'd rather give money to Ao3 than them. Hilariously, the people they try to guilt-trip for their lives going wrong are often enough even foreigners from who knows where. This is where my: "Oh these terrible foreign overseas evildoers are to blame for everything!" came from. It was very very easily understandable, but then again, I seem to have completely overestimated cat-hack's reading comprehension (and their friends don't seem to be any better), so...

Hint: The horrible foreigner, in this case, was referring to ME.

Do I need to try and use a kindergarten level explanation or...?

[vladdocs]

Dracula's life from birth to 7 years by Lyzhina Svetlana Sergeevna (Лыжина Светлана Сергеевна) originally in Russian. http://samlib.ru/l/lyzhina_s_s/dracula_7.shtml In this article I have tried to collect ALL the information somehow related to the early childhood of Dracula, and the story of childhood always begins with the story of the birth, so that's where we'll start. When Dracula was born. The year of Dracula's birth is reported differently by different books. Some say 1429 and some say 1431, but all of these statements are based on the same facts. _ _ _ _ _ Fact 1 - Dracula had an older brother, about whom we know that in 1442 he was 13-14 years old. This is reported in Jean de Wavrin's "Anciennes Chroniques d'Angleterre". Fact 2 - Dracula first ascended the throne in November 1448 and began to rule without the help of a regent, which means that Dracula was already 17 years old at the time. _ _ _ _ _ These two facts are the basis of all the assumptions we find in various books, so it is not difficult to guess where the numbers 1429 and 1431 come from. If the elder brother of Dracula in 1442 was 13-14 years old, it turns out that this brother was born around 1428, which means that Dracula himself couldn't have been born before 1429. At the same time, if you count Dracula's age from the time of his first reign, that is, subtract 17 from 1448, you get 1431. By the way, that is why the birth of Dracula is often associated with another fact - the entry of Dracula's father into the Order of St. George (Order of the Dragon). It is presumed that the accession took place no later than January 1431, since in a letter dated February 8, 1431, drawn up in Nuremberg, Dracula's father, among other things, states that he enjoyed the support of Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg, who was the head of the Order. House in Sighisoara It is common knowledge that Dracula's early childhood was spent in the Transylvanian town of Sighisoara, where our hero lived with his father, mother and older brother until the fall of 1436, which means that at the time of his departure from the "land of childhood" Dracula was no more than 7.5 years old. How many memories could Dracula have of Sighisoara? About as many as each of us remembers of kindergarten and the first school bell. Is it a lot or not - you decide. The house where Dracula lived is located on the corner of Zhestianshchikov Street and Museum Square. Zhestvenshchikov Street is a historical name, and Museum Square was a street in the Middle Ages and, of course, was called differently. The most likely name is Blacksmith's, so you can imagine the sounds that little Dracula heard from morning to night. The mint in the house. It is also known that Dracula's father set up a sort of mint in the family nest. Special people came to the house and were engaged in minting gold money - the very coins with dragons, thanks to which Dracula's father got his nickname. The minting process and the coins themselves looked like this: https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/.../440.../0_acb55_83f50b94_orig Of course, the presence of unauthorized people in the house and the constant hammering of the stamp caused some inconvenience to the family, but it was impossible to move the "production" to another place, because only Dracula's father had the right to mint money, and in order to comply with legal formalities, he had to do it in his own territory. Frescoes in the house Unfortunately, we don't know exactly what Dracula's house looked like in the 15th century. What we see now is the 17th century, but many researchers believe that the house still has something that existed in the 15th century - a mural on the wall of the second floor. I read on the official website of House of Dracula that there were originally 4 people in the mural, although only 3 images have survived. It is believed that the "man in a turban" and the woman next to them are Dracula's parents, and to the right and left of them the artist depicted guests invited to the feast. That the fresco depicts four people, not three, is more than

likely, but the assumption that next to the owners of the house are depicted guests, I personally think wrong, because Dracula's parents, ordering a painting, would have preferred to see there not guests, but really close people, i.e. relatives. I think the mural was a family portrait, not just a sketch from life. The gray-bearded man on the right side of the fresco looks a lot like Dracula's maternal grandfather, the Moldovan sovereign Alexandru the Good. If I am right, the portrait on the opposite side, which is not preserved, belonged to the Romanian sovereign Mircea the Old, Dracula's paternal grandfather. https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/.../4400.../0_acb56_233d42a_orig By the way, there are other frescoes on the second floor, or rather remnants of frescoes. In some places we can see floral ornaments, and on the upper slopes of the windows we can see figures of some people, depicted waist-length and placed in round frames. Most likely, the frescoes on the slopes date from the 16th century, as the numbers 1576 are visible on one of them. The only thing we can say for sure is that these frescoes depict noble people. Near one of the images there is a figure of a two-headed eagle. Next to the other image is the inscription "archi..." (Latin: archiepiscopus - archbishop). In a third image, a woman's hairstyle and a richly patterned dress are clearly visible. https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/.../440.../0_acb57_354e446a_orig Services in the house Dracula's family was Orthodox, and the population of Sighisoara in the 15th century consisted almost entirely of Catholics, since at that time Transylvania did not belong to Romania, but to Hungary, a traditionally Catholic country. There were no Orthodox churches in Sighisoara at all, and this posed a serious problem for Dracula's father and mother. Dracula's parents were supposed to live a church life, which is possible only with the participation of a priest, who can take confession, baptize the newborn, etc. Dracula's parents lived in Hungary for many years - first at the court of Sigismund of Luxembourg, and then in Transylvania - and all this time were away from Orthodox parishes. For example, it is known that in the Middle Ages there were no Orthodox churches in the Hungarian capital. Such a temple appeared only at the end of the 15th century in the neighboring city - in Pest - and was a wooden church built by the Orthodox Serbian settlers. How did Dracula's parents deal with the issue of confession and baptism of their children? After all, someone had to baptize the newborn Dracula as well! Most likely, the parents, being well-to-do people, hired a certain Orthodox priest, who conducted home services, took confessions, etc. By the way, little Dracula, living in Sighisoara, is unlikely to have confessed, because in Orthodoxy all children under 7 years are considered absolutely sinless, and Dracula at the time of his move from Sighisoara to Romania was (recall) no more than 7.5 years. Dracula's first steps in comprehension of sciences If you believe the textbooks on the history of pedagogy, the basic principles of education since the Middle Ages have not changed so much. In the Middle Ages, as now, science was taught from the age of 7, but Dracula probably began learning a little earlier. The Dracula researcher M. Kazaku suggests that Dracula and his elder brother had teachers in common, as the difference in the age of the brothers was insignificant - two years maximum. If further to follow this logic, then it turns out that the older brother Dracula began to learn reading at age 7 as it should be, and Dracula was put in school at 6 or even 5 - just for the company, so that the younger brother did not hang around while the older one was sitting in class. All the textbooks on the history of pedagogy say that in the Middle Ages the teachers of the "book sciences" were from the church milieu. Even if it was to teach a child who was not prepared for a spiritual career, he was still taught by churchmen, because they were the most literate and educated class. By the way,

this is another argument in favor of the assumption that while Dracula's family was wandering around Catholic lands, an Orthodox priest lived there all the time. Dracula's parents needed this priest also because someone had to teach their children to read and write. In any case, we can say with absolute certainty that the literacy learned by the young Dracula was Slavic. He simply could not have been taught Romanian literacy, because it did not exist in the 15th century. If we look at the history of the Romanian language (old Romanian to be exact) we see that it was an oral language until the 16th century. The earliest known letter written in Romanian goes back to 1521 and is in Cyrillic script, because most of the official documents in Romania at the time were written in Slavonic and the liturgies were held in the same language. Exactly in Slavonic, not in Latin, as many people think for some reason! This gives us reason to believe that the little Dracula, as a child of an Orthodox family, studied first of all the Slavic letters, and not the Latin. It turns out that already at an early age Dracula knew three languages: - Romanian, because it was spoken in the family; - Hungarian, because the family lived in Hungarian lands; - Slavonic, because it was the starting point for literacy. It seems incredible that a child at such an early age could be taught a Slavic language - essentially a foreign language - but there is nothing surprising in all this. At a later time in the so-called "classical gymnasiums" young children had to learn two foreign languages at once - Greek and Latin - but no child died or went mad from this teaching. So could not the little Dracula learn the Slavic alphabet? That is, perhaps, all there is to it, and of Dracula's further maturing one can

[izzielizzie]

could u do a short Rosalind and Tommy fic?

This is by no means short and also it’s not that great but enjoy anyway! Also? the football coach? Definitely took some inspiration from my soccer coach. 

Tommy was having, to put it plainly, a terrible day.

It had started that morning, when he awoke to the most obnoxious bang he had ever heard. Not fully awake yet, Tommy jumped, falling out of his bed.

"Where's the canon?" Tommy mumbled, running his fingers through his rumpled dark hair. It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't talking to anyone. Tommy made the effort to scramble off the floor and venture out of his room, calling for his parents as he looked into the rooms of his house. Empty. He glanced out of the kitchen window and saw his older brother Nick in the driveway. "Nick?"

"Out here Kid!" Nick called back from the driveway.

"Obviously," Tommy mumbled. Nick was back from the military for a two month long vacation, something that had been as much of a surprise to Nick as it had been to his loved ones, and in the past three days Nick had managed to cause general chaos on their beloved Gardam Street.

Tommy pushed through the side door, bypassing the coat rack on his way out. This was his first mistake.

He stepped into the frigid early December air to see Nick staring into the hood of his car.

"What was that noise?" Tommy asked, stepping up next to his brother.

"The car, I -"

"Hello," a voice called from across the street, interrupting Nick. The brothers turned to see Rosalind, Skye, and Jane Penderwick trekking across the frost covered street to their house, Jane in the lead, waving at them. "Whoops," she said as she nearly slipped. Tommy saw Skye roll her eyes at Jane, but he looked past her at Rosalind. Tommy smiled at her, despite the intense shivering that overtook him. She looked adorable in her beige peacoat and black cap that looked a little like a beret, sitting jauntily atop her curls. Rosalind raised a hand to wave at him, and Tommy waved back.

"You're going to get a cold," Rosalind said as a way of greeting when the sisters reached Tommy and Nick.

"No I'm not," Tommy responded, pulling her into him for warmth anyway. She giggled and rested her head on his chest, her arms around his waist.

"So what happened to the car Geiger?" Skye asked, punching Nick in the shoulder gently.

"Not sure," Nick says truthfully.

"Maybe the battery was stolen. We know how to put it back," Jane said, peering into the car, mimicking Nick's stance.

"No we don't banana head," Skye said, kicking at Jane's slippers with her own. Unlike their older sister, Jane and Skye were still wearing pajamas underneath their heavy sweaters. "We know how to remove one though," Skye added as an afterthought.

"Maybe not mention that out loud," Tommy joked as the rest of the Penderwick family approached them, Batty and Ben in the lead, Ben holding his sister's hand.

Nick instantly turned to swing Ben high above his head. "How are you doing on this fine morning Bravo-Echo-November?"

"Golf-Oscar-Oscar-Delta," the boy giggled as Nick placed him on his shoulders.

"Ugh Nick, don't encourage him," Rosalind said from her place in her boyfriend's arms. "He's been using that alphabet for the past two days."

"Buck up Rosy, Ben's learning how to spell," Mr. Penderwick said, clapping Tommy on the shoulder.

"Car trouble?" Iantha asked pleasantly, the last one to arrive. Like her step-daughter, she was dressed in her day clothes.

"It would seem so Iantha," Nick said solemnly. He brightened instantly though. "How's the baby?"

Iantha smiled like she did every time Nick asked that question. "Very good at sapping my energy," she said with a smile as she put a hand on her stomach.

"My brother's gonna be as cool as you!" Ben informed Nick with a little clap.

"Ben dear, the baby might be a girl," Rosalind said, shaking Ben's little foot from his high perch.

"No," Ben said in his stubborn voice. Rosalind rolled her eyes, but Tommy knew she was not actually upset. She loved Ben too much for that.

"Well, how will you get to school Tommy?" Batty asked, speaking for the first time. Both Geiger brothers looked at each other, not considering Tommy's options for getting to school.

"Are your parents at work?" Mr. Penderwick asked. He was dressed for work too, and Tommy noticed the car keys dangling from his hand. Both boys nodded. Tommy turned to Rosalind.

"Can I go with you Rosy?"

Rosalind's face fell. "Oh Tommy I'm sorry, but I'm not going to school remember?"

Oh. Rosy had taken the day before winter vacation off to drive to Rhode Island to take a self-guided tour of Brown, a college on her list for years.

"I remember. It's okay."

"Tommy if you're ready Iantha and I can take you on our way to the university," Mr. Penderwick said.

"It'll have to be right now though," Iantha added. "We have to go to the kindergarten and the elementary school first to drop off Ben and Batty."

Tommy looked down to his pajamas and his bare feet, which were becoming numb. "I might not be ready in time," he said.

"Why you can walk with us!" Jane said brightly. “And tell us about Russian class and your football team!”

Skye rolled her eyes again. As a freshman, Jane was still too excited about being in high school, and her excitement oozed into everything she said and did. 

“But we need to leave soon too. I have a question for my physics teacher,” Skye added.

Tommy agreed, and the two families dispersed, leaving Tommy to quickly pull on his warmest clothes and brush his teeth. He decided to forego breakfast, since Skye was ringing their doorbell incessantly. 

“Hey Nick, where’s my hat?” Tommy called to his brother, who was getting ready to go back to bed after calling the towing company. 

“Mom sent it to the cleaners!” Nick called back over the doorbell. 

Right, Mrs. Geiger - fed up with the mud Tommy got on his winter clothes - decided to send all of his outerwear to the cleaner, forcing Tommy to wear one of Mr. Geiger’s old jackets. Tommy - after realizing that he could search for the hat and annoy Skye and himself or just leave - called goodbye to his brother and stepped out. It somehow had become even colder than it had been earlier. 

Tommy walked to school behind the sisters, letting their conversations drift towards him as he shivered violently. As they neared the school, Jane looked back at him. 

“Are you alright?”

“Just cold.”

“Shall I bathe your forehead?”

“Jane stop with the forehead bathing. Not all ailments need you and your cold washcloths,” Skye said giving Tommy an apologetic look. 

“Why do you always ask?” Tommy asked, genuinely curious.

“Because no one ever said yes,” Jane said irritably. 

Tommy shook his head at Jane as his stomach rumbled. He ignored it.

He spent the next three and a half hours ignoring his stomach until his lunch block. 

“I have never seen you walk so fast,” Brendan - one of his football teammates - said as they headed to the cafeteria. 

“I haven’t eaten all day,” Tommy responded.

“Why?”

“Long story,” Tommy responded as he fished around in his school bag for his wallet. Tommy searched for a few moments, growing more and more panicked until he realized that his wallet was always in his gym bag which was always swung over his left sh-

Wait.

“Brendan have you seen my gym bag?” Tommy asked frantically as they stepped forward in the lunch line.

“No, you didn’t have it with you in class.”

“Oh no,” Tommy said, realizing that he had put his gym bag in Nick’s car. 

“What?”

“It’s in Nick’s car.”

“Can’t you go to the main office and call him? I mean he remembers how scary Coach is. He’ll drive it over.”

“Yes he would, except his car was towed since a pipe burst or something.”

Brendan nodded wisely. “Always the pipe.”

Tommy shook his head in exasperation. “What do I do?”

Brendan put a placating hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “The team will pool our money, don’t worry, and we’ll deal with Coach when we cross that bridge.”

Between Brendan and their teammates, they managed enough money for an apple, a bag of pretzels, and a carton of milk, which Tommy only managed to eat before the bell rang for their next class.

“Alright students, pull out your group projects, we’re presenting today,” their history teacher was saying as Tommy and another of his teammates - Jackson - entered the room.

“Group projects?” Tommy asked Jackson as they sat in their seats in the middle of the room. Tommy usually sat in the back, but Rosalind was in the class and she liked to sit in the front, so they compromised. 

“Yeah. About the Silk Road? Remember? You worked with Rosalind.”

“And she’s not here,” Tommy whispered harshly, briefly wondering how his day could have gotten this bad. 

Jackson made a face of comprehension. “Sorry Geiger, you’re on your own.”

They turned to their teacher as he started speaking. “Going alphabetically, Tommy Geiger and Rosalind Penderwick are first to present.”

With a sigh, Tommy raised his hand. “Yes?”

“Sir, Rosy - that is, Rosalind isn’t here today.”

Their teacher sighed. “Then present on your own please.”

“But, Rosalind has the project.”

“Why didn’t she give it to you?”

“She must have... I mean, I must have forgotten.”

“You forgot?” The look Tommy was receiving was worse than any of Rosy’s withering looks. Tommy sank down in in his seat a little as Jackson flinched sympathetically next to him.

“Yes sir.”

“Well, I hope you understand this will be reflected in both of your grades.”

“Yes sir, I know sir,” Tommy said, mentally kicking himself. He didn’t care much for his grade but Rosy had worked so hard, and he hated for her to not get the marks she deserved. 

Tommy passed the next two classes in a blur tired hungry, cold, and more importantly, incredibly angry at himself for letting Rosy’s grade slip. 

He let himself wallow in self pity until he stepped out into the football field and realized - to his dismay - that it was snowing. And not the delicate flurries that had been falling on the walk to school. No, this was the heavy, wet snow, the kind that could block roads and make passing drills rather difficult. 

“Alright boys, into your workout clothes. Snow never stopped football players!”

“Have fun telling Coach,” Jackson said, referencing Tommy’s missing gym bag.

“We’ll wait for you in the locker room,” Brendan added more kindly. 

“Thanks,” Tommy mumbled as he headed towards his coach. “Coach?”

“Geiger! Into the locker room!”

“Yes sir, I will sir, but um...” Tommy trailed off, shaking his hands to get the cold numb feeling out of them. 

“Speak up!”

“I don’t have my gym bag.”

“Why?”

“It’s um, in Nick’s car? And it broke down?”

“Is that a question?”

“No? I mean... no.” Tommy kicked at the snow with his sneakers, not meeting his coach’s eye. 

“Well then, you can run laps.” 

Tommy looked up. “What?”

“You’re not getting a free pass Geiger.” Coach looked down at Tommy menacingly, as if he thought very little of people who tried to get out of football games. Not many things scared Tommy, but Coach was most definitely on the short list. 

“No sir. But what should I wear?”

“Jeans are fine.”

Tommy opened his mouth to ask another question, but his coach was already walking away. With a sigh, he went to the locker room to put his bag away. Thankfully, Brandon offered him one of his sweaters so Tommy would have only a slightly less chance of getting pneumonia. 

“Coach was brutal today,” Brandon announced three hours later as the boys headed to the parking lot. Tommy, trailing after them, shivering so violently his teeth were chattering. 

“At least you’re not Geiger,” a team member said, doubling back to clap Tommy on the shoulder. His knees nearly locked. “Sorry!”

“It’s f-f-fine,” Tommy responded as they neared the line of parked cars. 

“Want a ride home?” Brandon asked.

“He doesn’t need one,” Jackson said. 

“What?”

Jackson pointed to an old blue car at the edge of the parking lot, where a figure in a beige peacoat and a black cap was sitting on the hood of the car. Upon seeing the group of boys, the figure slid off the car. 

“But Rosy is in R-r-rhode Island,” Tommy said in disbelief. 

“Apparently not,” Jackson said with a grin.

“S-s-see you later,” Tommy said suddenly, breaking into a run despite his protesting legs. He barreled towards the car at full force, stopping only to grab Rosalind in a hug and swing her around, despite his screaming muscles. He could hear his teammates cheering somewhere behind them, but he was too busy hugging Rosalind as tight as he could. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked into her hair.

“The roads were closed so I cam back home. No point in being stranded in the middle of nowhere.”

“I missed you.”

“Gosh Tommy you’re so cold,” Rosalind said in response, pulling away.

“It’s been a long day Rosy,” Tommy said, brushing snow out of his girlfriend’s hair.

“Wait, tell me in a moment, let me grab something.” Rosalind reached into the car and pulled out a garment bag from the Cameron Dry Cleaners. She unzipped it to reveal Tommy’s jacket, hat, and gloves.

“How did you -”

“I remembered your mother brought them in last week and I needed to pick up some stuff for Batty and Jane. I thought you might be cold without them so I got yours too.”

With a laugh, Tommy reached forward and kissed Rosalind, long and hard. “Thank you. But did you pay?”

“Yes but don’t worry about it.”

Tommy nodded, secretly resolving to pay her back. He knew her family’s finances worried her. Unfortunately, Rosy knew him enough to know what he was thinking.”

“Stop worrying Tommy, really. Here, put these on you’re going to get sick.”

Rosalind helped him into his jacket. He pulled his gloves on, and with a giggle, Rosy pushed his hat onto his head. It didn’t fully sit on his head properly, but she looked so adorable standing on her toes to reach his head that he had to pull her in for another kiss, forgetting about the cold and the snow.

“Thanks beautiful,” he whispered to her.

“Any time. Come on, I’ll drive you home.”

Tommy took his usual spot in the passenger’s side, and Rosalind slid behind the wheel. “Oh, one more thing.” Rosalind pulled a thermos out from the back seat cupholder. “I made hot chocolate. I didn’t get to taste it but-”

Tommy cut her off by pulling her into him in a tight hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you Rosy.”

Rosalind pulled away, laughing. “Of course. I knew you’d be cold. Especially since I heard about your disastrous day.”

“You did? How?” Tommy asked, surprised, as Rosalind started the car and backed out of the lot. 

“Skye and Jane told me. Apparently you got yelled at during history?”

“It was project presentation day,” Tommy supplied. Rosalind glanced over at him. 

“Don’t worry about the grade. I’ll talk with him.”

“I feel so bad,” Tommy admitted.

“No, it was my job to remember to give it to you. Anyway, it’s winter vacation. Just enjoy the time off with your brother, okay?”

“And you,” Tommy said emphatically.

“And me,” Rosalind agreed. She cut a glance over to him as they turned into the chaos of Gardam street. “I love you Tommy.”

“I love you so much more. You have no idea.” 

Rosalind smiled.