#like i know i need this and have been advocating for infusions since before christmas but uggggggh i'm uncomfortable

[laurelwinchester]

spent all day at the hospital getting my first of four iron infusions. can't decide if my favorite part was when it took them an hour to place the iv because of my fucked up veins or when they had nowhere to put me so they had to stick me in a dark hallway all by myself for four hours.

[thecreelhouse]

try again tomorrow

Steve Harrington x fem!OC (Francesca “Frankie” Amato)

Heads up!— This is part of the Accident Prone AU, and takes place after the series! This could contain allusions to and outright spoilers if you haven’t read the series yet!

Accident Prone masterlist

Includes: hurt/comfort, some angst, mentions of medical treatments and internalized ableism, references to Steve’s PTSD, but the rest is all fluff, coziness, and wholesome Halloween fun 👻

WC: 3.1k

A/N: hi! I’ve been planning on writing some blurbs/ficlets/whatever for AP since the series ended, so here’s the first of hopefully quite a few planned! I’ll create a masterlist when I can and add the link later. This one’s more Frankie-centric, but I hope whoever reads this enjoys it! I’m a few hours late, but it’s always Halloween in my heart. I hope y’all had a fun and spooky Halloween!🖤 also shoutout to @strangergraphics for the cute dividers!!

Halloween used to be a rough time of year for Steve; the heavy heartache Nancy left behind definitely had put a damper on the holiday for a few years. If it wasn’t that, it was certainly the trauma of fighting off demodogs, the tunnels, and stressing to keep the little shitheads (who aren’t so little anymore) safe.

Eventually, it became a time of year he could reclaim. At least it’s one holiday he doesn’t have to hunker down in anticipation of one panic attack rolling into another.

Steve’s starting to actually like Halloween, now that he’s got the first one together with Frankie to look forward to. While it’s not her favorite holiday— she’s a sucker for Christmas, as much as working retail during the winter holiday season sucks— it still brings her joy, and Steve loves seeing her happy.

With treatment leaving Frankie weaker than usual, she’s had to break out her wheelchair again. There’s no shame in it, as there shouldn’t ever be; she’s always been an unapologetic advocate for using medical aids when necessary. A mobility aid doesn’t ruin costume ideas, but sometimes it requires a little more creativity than the average non-disabled person has to put in.

That’s not an issue, either, not with Frankie— but her chronic fatigue begs to differ.

Steve softly opens the door to her apartment, in case she’s resting; upon walking into the living space, he finds her curled up on the couch, drowsy and bundled up in layers. A book slips from her hands as she dozes off, but the spine hitting the floor wakes her up.

“Whoa, hey— “ She slurs, squinting into the dim room. “Wha’happened? Who did that?”

Steve throws a closed fist up to his mouth, trying to muffle a laugh, but catches her attention anyway.

“Stevie?”

“Just me, ‘Key.” He wanders over to the couch, crouching next to her on the floor. She instantly smiles as he cradles her face with his hand; it’s laced with a fragile kind of exhaustion, but it’s a smile, nonetheless. “Still feeling bad from infusions?”

Frankie nods, nuzzling her head into the pillow underneath her. 

“M’really nauseous, and my head hurts, and— yeah, y’know, all that stuff.” Her voice is hoarse. “Can we cuddle?”

“‘F’course we can. Did you eat at all today?”

She shakes her head.

“Water?”

She sucks her lips in before reluctantly answering, “… No.”

“You need that, at least.” He heads for the kitchen while she grumbles, knowing he’s right. When he returns, he sits on the edge of the couch and hands her a water bottle, with one of those straw/sip tips— easier to use and hold than a glass with hand tremors, something they’ve already learned the hard way. “If I make soup, will you at least try to eat some?”

Frankie groans, but agrees, “Yeah, yeah, I’ll try.”

Steve smiles at her, pushing himself off the couch. He tries hiding the way he winces from his own ache, thinking Frankie’s too fatigued to notice.

She’s not.

“What’s all that stuff on the floor?” Steve points over Frankie, still spooning her on the couch. A pile of craft supplies and flattened cardboard boxes lay abandoned on the floor feet away.

She sighs, “I wanted to make panels to attach to my wheelchair, make ‘em look like a tank, for my Tank Girl costume.” She sticks her thumb out, nosediving it towards the floor while blowing a raspberry. “That bombed— no pun intended.”

“You’ve still got a few days, and I can help you,” Steve kisses the back of her head. “We’ll figure it out, no sweat.”

“I dunno… I’m second guessing it now.”

“What? Why?” He asks in shock, sitting up to see her face. “You’ve been talking about this for months.”

“I know, I know, but it’s — ugh— maybe we shouldn’t do the party— or, well, maybe I shouldn’t. You guys should have fun, at least.”

Steve frowns. “‘Key, where’s this coming from?”

“I don’t want to ruin the fun for everyone else.”

“Because of this flare up?”

“Well… yeah. Can’t imagine you guys would have fun with me around right now.”

Frankie had been isolating herself the last few weeks, still allowing her friends to come over,  just not very often. She always wanted to be alone, even had urges to push Steve away while she started treatment again. 

And Steve gets it. He really empathizes with her; though it feels good to have caring friends, who love you no matter what you’re going through, it’s hard to convince yourself you’re not dragging them down. You get used to society warping your mind to believe you’re a drag, that it becomes another branch of internalized ableism.

Though he respects when Frankie needs space, he’s also been able to read her well enough now to understand if she actually needs space, or is just saying it to hide away.

This time is definitely the latter.

“If you’re in too much pain to do anything that day, it’s obviously more than alright to stay home.” He starts off with in a gentle tone. “But until then, we’re gonna plan on having the party. You’ll be with people who are safe to be yourself with, I’ll be there, and the moment you tell me you need out, I’ll leave with you.”

“Steve…”

“Frankie, you’ve got every right to be comfortable when you’re in pain, but you’ve been disappearing on all of us. We just… everyone understands, and no one wants to push you past your limits, but it’s not healthy hiding inside like this all the time. You won’t even let me care for you these days, and I— I know you’re independent, and I never want to coddle you, but I—“ Steve huffs, frustrated with the way he rambles up to his main point. “I love you so much.”

Frankie doesn’t respond, and Steve worries he overstepped.

“And I— I’m sorry, it’s not about me, or our friends, or anyone’s feelings above your own, ‘cause right now you deserve to rest as much as you need—“

“Steve—“

“But you also deserve to be loved, to feel loved, and we don’t want you going through this alone, ‘cause you’re not alone, and I’ll remind you all the time, be so fuckin’ annoying about it—“

Frankie rolls over to face him, wincing as she does from how sore and heavy her limbs feel. “Steve,” She rasps, still with that gentle demeanor whenever she stops him from overthinking too far. “It’s just… very surreal still to believe people care about me despite being sick. After every left 5 years ago, I’ve always been bracing myself for everyone to leave. It’s been hard to remind myself and believe you mean it when you say you’re not going anywhere. That’s not your fault, just my dumb insecurities. I’m sorry.”

Wrapping her in his embrace, Steve holds her gingerly, but close. He kisses the top of her head, still prickly, from regularly keeping it buzzed down.

“Your insecurities aren’t dumb, they exist because of dumb assholes you had to deal with. Don’t apologize for that. Fuck them. Real friends stay with you through the good and the bad.”

She nods, eased by the reassurance, yet something still worries her. “You’ve been pushing through a flare up to help me, though. You shouldn’t hide your pain from me to put my needs before your own.”

Stunned, Steve leans back to glance down at Frankie. “How’d you know? In my defense, m- mine’s nowhere near as bad as yours—“

“No comparing pain, remember?” A rule they agreed on long ago, just as friends. “And really? That first migraine you had around me, I had a feeling we’d have to call 911 when you couldn’t finish a sentence. Sick folks get each other. You’ve seen right through me when I try to hide shit, too.”

Ah, shit. She’s right.

“It’s okay, really.” And it is; if anything, caring for Frankie has kept him moving when his mind fights and tries convincing him to stay in bed. He needs rest, too, but at least the movement stretches some sore muscles out. He shouldn’t push himself, though. “Hey, what if I work on the panels for your chair? Help you out a bit? You can just tell me what to do—“

“No,” Her arms gently squeeze around him. “You’re resting with me. We can try again tomorrow, but right now, I know you need a break, and that’s non-negotiable.”

Steve wants to argue, for her sake, not his, but there’s a bittersweet pang in his chest seeing the worried expression on Frankie’s face. 

“Yeah, that sounds good.” He rests a hand on the side of her neck, while part of his palm and a few fingers reach up over her jaw. He caresses her cheek with his thumb, kissing her softly. It’s gentle, sweet, and short-lived, but they both know intimacy is more than average touches between partners. “Thank you for always looking out for me, ‘Key.”

The worry fades from her expression. “Likewise, Stevie.”

The shop is dripping in Halloween decor, all thanks to Robin, Eddie, and Dustin’s hard work. Frankie gushes over the spooky transformation as they step through the door.

“Guys, this looks amazing!” It’s the first, huge smile Steve’s seen on his girlfriend’s face in a long, long time. She’s like a kid in a candy store, easily amused and impressed. Her excitement attracts the trio’s attention, and they beam at the sight of the couple.

“Oh hellllllll yeah!” Eddie fist pumps the air when Frankie and Steve arrive to the record shop. “I knew you’d go as Tank Girl!”

He’s decked out head to toe in a Dr. Frank-N-Furter costume, fishnets and all. 

Frankie rolls over to her friends, Steve not far behind. It’s a little harder to maneuver the wheelchair with the added costume, so Steve— after asking for permission, of course— helps from the handles every so often if she needs.

“Dude, that’s such a cool idea with your chair.” Robin admires the finished “tank” Frankie and Steve built over Frankie’s wheelchair.

 Frankie beams, pointing up to Steve, who’s dressed in a last minute Beetlejuice costume. “Steve did most of the work, gotta give credit where it’s due.” It’s hard to see his blush under all of the white makeup covering his face.

“Yeah? Nice job, dingus.” Robin commends him. She’s wearing moth wings and antennae, and Steve’s squinting at her— he left his glasses at home, for the sake of the costume, despite Frankie telling him that didn’t matter, but his eyesight does— “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“What the hell are you supposed to be?”

“A moth!” She scoffs, hands on her hips. Steve mirrors her pose.

“Why?”

The doorbell chimes as Vickie enters, grinning at Robin while dressed as a lamp.

“Oh. Ohhhhhhh, yeah okay, I get it now.” Steve and Frankie laugh at their clever matching costumes. 

In time, the Party eventually shows up, with Hopper and Joyce— donning Popeye and Olive Oyl costumes— in tow; they’re both excited to finally visit the four who lived in the city, and meet Frankie, too. They’re both so kind to her, even Hopper, with his gruff exterior, he’s only a giant teddy bear underneath, and everyone knows it. 

Frankie taps on Steve’s arm, beckoning him closer to whisper in his ear, “You weren’t kidding, he kinda does look and talk like my dad.” The two snicker to themselves, with Steve, out of habit, kissing Frankie’s head; he kind of forgets about the helmet she’s wearing, though, but it just brings them more giggles.

 Frankie’s dad even attends, which is weird for Steve, always seeing him in his usual doctor attire for his appointments— tonight, though, he’s dressed as a… patient. Clever, Frankie sarcastically thinks.

The whole Party watches on as Hopper and Frankie’s father meet; it’s as if they’re staring in a mirror as they gawk at one another, mimicking mannerisms unintentionally.

“Oh, this is so weird.” Steve murmurs into Frankie’s ear. “I don’t like it.”

“You think they were long lost twins, or something?”

“Stranger things have happened.”

Among the planned crowd, some customers and kind strangers filter in and out, some adults, some parents and their kids. Frankie and the gang made sure to have tons of candy on hand; worst scenario would be having leftover candy if no one showed up— that’s not so bad.

All kinds of kids in different costumes arrived— typical vampires, princesses, and dinosaurs, and unique ones, too— and that made Frankie even happier that the record shop could be a trick-or-treat stop in the neighborhood. They even had coupons for teens and adults. Everyone that visited got some kind of treat.

Halfway through the night, a young boy and his mom arrive among the friendly chaos. Frankie feels her heart burst wide open at the sight of the kid’s costume; a race car driver, with a “car” made of cardboard, shaped around his own wheelchair. He shyly glances around the room, eyes doing a double take when he finds Frankie in her own costume.

He tugs on his mom’s sleeve before rolling himself over to Frankie, grin wide and shyness left behind as he mimics race car noises.

“Vroom-vroom-vroom!”

“You just might be the fastest race car driver in the world,” Frankie grins, holding her hand out for a high five, one he happily returns. “What’s your name, kiddo? I’m Frankie.”

“Ian!” He ogles over her handmade tank. “So cool….”

“Your car is very cool, too! Did you make it?”

The car’s base design was clearly mapped out by an adult, but he added his own flare through scribbles of endless colors all across the design.

“Mhm! Mommy helped, too.” He stares in awe at her entire costume, then back at her face, as if he’s meeting someone like himself for the first time. “Did your mommy help with yours, too?”

Frankie’s smile almost falters, but she catches herself in time; the innocent question makes her heart ache, wondering what it would’ve been like on Halloween with her mom still alive. She quickly shakes it off, reminding herself her dad has always supported her, especially in all of her silly Halloween costume ideas growing up. 

“No,” She shakes her head, but nods her head over to Steve across the room. “My boyfriend helped, though.”

“Beetlejuice?”

Frankie snorts, “Yes, Beetlejuice.”

“Spooky…” He grins, glancing back at Frankie. “You’re like me?” He points to her wheelchair, and she nods.

“I think we might have the best costumes here, Ian.” His mother makes her way to the two of them, thrilled over the smile on her son’s face. “Hey, your racing flag matches the floor,” she points down to the checkered black and white tiles, and again, he beams with a nod.

“Mommy, look,” Ian grabs her sleeve again, pointing at Frankie’s get-up. “We’re the same!” 

His eyes fall to the port implant peeking out from under Frankie’s vest, near her collarbone. It had to be replaced in the original spot years prior, so her needle and thread tattoo woven into her scar was ruined during the procedure. It’s something that hit Frankie harder than expected, to lose what she naively believed to be a reward of victory, finishing treatment and surviving. 

“I got one too,” Ian tugs at his shirt, with his mother gently reminding him, “careful, careful, baby”; he reveals a port implant of his own, similar placement to Frankie’s. “We match!”

Frankie’s throat tightens and aches, ready to cry; she wishes she had a silver lining outlook the way this child does. Before she can respond, Ian adds, “S’like we’re robots!”

It makes Frankie giggle, genuinely; the urge to cry fades away. “Robots? Why’s that?”

“‘Cause normal people don’t have extra parts like that.” He shrugs, casually explaining. “We’re too cool to be normal.”

“Cool’s your favorite word, huh?”

“Last week, it was ‘sick’,” His mother adds, shaking her head but with a hint of a smile.

“Hey, that’s one of my favorite words!” She glances back at Ian, “Do you go to the hospital often? ‘Cause I’m there twice a week, if you ever needed a robot buddy.”

Ian’s little cherub face lights up, “Uh-huh! We’re friends now?”

“Lil’ dude, we’ve been friends since the moment you zoomed on in through that door.”

While Frankie and Ian’s mom chat, exchanging info on treatment times to meet up in the near future, Steve glances over every so often to admire the long lasting smile on Frankie’s face. It’s the first time in months he’s seen her genuinely happy, longer than a few minutes at a time.

Even if it’s just for the night, Steve knows this party will give her plenty of memorable moments to look back fondly on.

Every so often, her eyes dart to him, blushing like the first time they began to really dance around their feelings; the butterflies and cheek-aching grins haven’t settled since they started dating, and he’s certain they never will.

That’s a chronic pain he’ll graciously accept.

Though Steve and Frankie insist on helping everyone clean up, Robin and Eddie corral the kids up, convincing them into some teamwork cleaning. Frankie figures it’s easier to get home without the tank, so Steve helps her dismantle it from her wheelchair, leaving it behind to worry about another day.

Frankie surprises herself, asking for plans for the first time in months. “Would you guys wanna do a horror movie marathon at my place? The kids, too.”

Dustin nods eagerly, “Hell yeah! We’ll get a ton of sale candy to bring over!”

“That’s right, I forgot tomorrow’s the post-Halloween candy sale holiday.” Robin adds, but Eddie scoffs.

“Robs, that’s a fuckin’ mouthful. I’m not calling it that.”

“Call it whatever the hell you want, I don’t care, dude.”

“Why does everything have to be a debate with you two?” Dustin groans, rolling his eyes.

“Okay, yep, we’re leaving,” Steve rushes to the door, holding it open for Frankie. They holler goodbyes to one another as the couple leave the shop. “Jesus, those two are something else.”

The two continue on in a comfortable silence, the city’s routine sounds mingling with Halloween parties carrying on, conversations and music spilling from apartment windows and crowded bars. 

“Hey, Steve?” Frankie rolls to a stop, where Steve pauses with her. “Thanks for encouraging me to still come tonight. It went better than expected.”

“No need thanking me, I’m just happy you had a good time, ‘Key.” He softly smiles. “I think you made that kid’s Halloween even more special.”

“He made mine special, too. Now I got a new robot buddy.”

“A what?”

Frankie rolls away from him, laughing heartily.

“It’s a cool kid thing, Steve. You just wouldn’t get it.”

Steve lets her continue ahead for a moment, basking in her usual, contagious happiness. 

Guess Halloween ain’t so bad anymore.

[lostsolsdestinyblog]

Thoughts on the Last Wish experience and journey to get there from an everyday player and longtime raider

We are now almost 3 weeks into Forsaken and as the game experience progresses, so does the player experience. Without a doubt this is the best version of Destiny I have ever played, but within that as I have progressed I have seen and experienced things that I still feel could be improved and today I would like to focus on 3 of them that are all intimately connected within the progression and endgame experience; the raid, powerful rewards and engrams, and infusion. I’m going to start with the raid and as I go through, the other two will wind their way into the narrative.

I did not raid when vanilla D1 launched and it was well into TDB before I ran into a group of players in the crucible who invited me to their PvP team to do the Titan Bubble strat and then from there asked if everyone wanted to do a HM Atheon and Crota. We ended up doing both successfully as well as a HM Crota and it was cool. I was a hardcore raider in WoW for years, but none of my friends played Destiny so I was a solo player for a long time. It led to a deeply developed perspective on Destiny endgame for the player without a ready fireteam which is a perspective I try to give voice to and advocate for in my game feedback to this day.

Midway through TTK, I met my friends I play with now and they were very heavy raiders. When I joined them, we would run King’s Fall 5, 6, 7 times a week because it was so fun and we wanted to not only run it ourselves, but allow as many others as we could to experience it. We even went so far as to organize a bungie.net community raid day and got about 30 different sherpas to join up and bring teams to get players through who’d never raided before.

When Rise of Iron and WotM released, it was my first day one Destiny raid experience going in blind. We ended up getting to the Zamboni the first day and beat it and the rest on day two, and I learned a couple of things from the experience; the foremost being something I was worried about going in, that the raid dropping so soon after launch would force a rush to level and take away from the story experience and it did. So leading up to the release of D2 I gave a lot of feedback hoping that the raid would be released a couple weeks after release in order to give the story and rest of the experience a real chance to shine.

Unfortunately this did not happen and the raid was released the first Friday after launch and it had the impact I feared. It forced those of us who wanted to go into the raid blind day one to power through the campaign on 3 characters and ultimately it ruined the vanilla D2 story experience for me to where there are cut-scenes and adventures that I have still never run to this day.

So here we are at Forsaken and once again I have given a lot of feedback on my belief that the campaign, strikes, Nightfalls, etc should really be more of a focus as the initial endgame and build players up for a few weeks running that content before dropping the raid. I brought this up on the forums, on twitter and at the Summit. When it was announced the new power level cap would be 600, I hoped even more that there would be a significant delay to the raid release and when it was announced it would be the second Friday after launch I was at once glad it wasn’t week one, but very unsure that would be enough time to not have to do an insane grind to be raid ready.

This is where I would like to shift for a bit to the leveling/progression system. Throughout Destiny’s lifespan, there have been many different approaches to how we level. Within D2 we saw some extremes from vanilla where exotics and weapons were thrown at us early and often, to Warmind where we had very limited ways to get powerful drops each week and solo/small team players really struggled to level up to even be high enough level to raid, which was the best place to get leveled.

Things had to change with Forsaken and for the most part so far I think the progression system is the best it has ever been and has laid a foundation for which all future releases can be based off of. There is so much to do and so many ways to get powerful rewards now that there is always something to do to try to keep pushing forward. However, like any new system there are things that could be improved upon still and particularly in the days leading up to and now after the raid, those things have become quite apparent; which brings me back to the raid.

The decision to push it back ten days verses three ultimately made for a better launch week. It gave me a chance to really enjoy the campaign and the phenomenal work the writers, storytellers, artists and design teams did there. The leveling experience from 385 to 500 was very well done and went exceptionally smoothly outside of infusion costs which I’ll get to in a bit. I leveled all three characters to 50/500 the first weekend and had my main up to around 506ish, but that’s when the raid really started to loom and was compounded by the fact that we were less than a week out and still had no word on what the level requirements would be for it and where we needed to get to in order to participate.

I don’t think I need to say that raid launch day is like Christmas for Destiny raiders and as such, we had been so hyped for the new raid for a long, long time and adjusted schedules/took off work to be able to go in at launch. Thankfully within Forsaken’s new progression system there are a lot of ways to try to level up and playing pretty much every waking hour the final 3 days after the reset Tuesday (including a couple almost all-nighters), I was able to get my main up to 529 despite a streak of horrid RNG that saw me go 8 powerful engrams in a row at one point without getting an up in the slot they dropped for.

I was still apprehensive I hadn’t done enough despite basically playing the game every moment I wasn’t at work or asleep for 10 days, but it had been data-mined that the raid requirement was 520-550 so I was hopeful we’d be okay. My team had all gotten even further than me at between 536 to 541 and they had to play even more than I did and grind like never before on three characters to get there.

So it’s Christmas (raid day) and we are all there at launch and go in and it’s awesome. It’s a beautiful space and the mechanics were complex but fun and we were able to figure them out; the problem was the encounter was 560 and as much as we were able to basically figure out all the mechanics and knew what we needed to do, we weren’t doing close to enough boss damage at our levels. We gave it a go for a few hours and stopped to try to level more, then went back in and were still ultimately under-leveled to actually be able to compete in the first encounter.

I do not want to take anything away from what the raid is or what was achieved by everyone at Bungie in creating the overall experience and excitement that day with the raid world’s first chase, but as a raider and someone who’s team had looked forward to that day for so long and grinded so hard to try to be ready, it was ultimately anti-climactic and disappointing. Now the raid is out, everything is known and the game world has changed as a result of the raid being beaten and we’re still probably a couple weeks away from being leveled enough to give it a serious go.

I know there is a lot going around now about the raid being too hard or people need to shut up about the difficulty of the raid because it is good for the game if ultimately only a small portion of the community can play or beat it. I think while everyone is entitled to their opinions, it is these extreme generalities that you have to be one or the other that have ultimately ended up hurting the game in the past. I think that Forsaken has done a lot to correct going too casual in year one of D2 and ultimately I think the leveling/progression system so far has been very well done and will keep us invested and moving forward well into this expansion, but I also believe that all of that has been undercut to a degree the last few days.

It is okay to say that there should be things in Destiny that not everyone will get, but to say that not everyone should have the opportunity/ability to play the premier endgame content is not right in my opinion and to release a raid that only 18 people were able to complete in the first 24:02 verses 37,581 for King’s Fall was ultimately not the best approach. That is 37000+ players who if playing Friday, most likely didn’t get a chance to even beat the first boss let alone try to figure out any of the rest of the raid before it was all completed.

I was leveling my Titan this morning and a banner popped up on my screen as I did the mission that was unlocked by the team that beat the raid and it was advertising the Bungie Rewards program and saying I could get a reward if I beat the raid by Tuesday and it was kinda a slap in the face since there was realistically no way that 99.9% of the player base could be leveled enough to do that. The only players who could attempt this raid were people who either play Destiny for a living, have ungodly amounts of time to grind, or exploited Prime Engrams to level faster; and I don’t know if that was by design because the entire raid experience seemed like a love letter from Bungie to those players, but it could have still been that without leaving out the rest of the community.

I’ve raided since WotLK in WoW and as such I don’t go in expecting to beat raids on the first play through, but what I do expect is to make progress and to get some drops that will help in subsequent attempts. Destiny raids don’t play out over the course of days and weeks like WoW raids did when I played, but essentially it has been the same experience as we would beat a boss or a few and gear up to where we could finish. Spire took us 3 weeks to get to where we could do phase 2, but we still got to play the raid and get drops along the way.

We got nothing for our time and effort on Friday. There wasn’t even an ability to farm adds for moderately decent drops and ultimately I did not feel like it was respectful of my time or what I had to do to be there that day; and if that was going to be the case, it should have been stated weeks in advance what the requirements would be to not waste so many players time and effort.

The raid released too soon. Full stop.

It should not take power-leveling 3 characters 15-20 hours a day and spreadsheets of where and when to do what to be raid ready 10 days in and if you want to go with a raid release that is going to require a 3 character grind, the opening of said raid should not be level locking players who’ve put in that effort. There was simply no way this raid could be done without extreme leveling measures the first 10 days. I have teammates who put in 12 plus hours a day for 10 days and were still 20 levels under the first boss and what I don’t understand is why the raid just wasn’t scaled differently.

The opening boss could have been 540 and it would have still been challenging for everyone without level-locking most of the players. From there the rest of the bosses could have scaled to exactly the same levels they ended up getting to and it wouldn’t have affected the chase at all. Riven still would have been the same level and taken thirteen or however many hours to beat just her alone. The players who weren’t able to cheese or no-life their way to 550-560 would have still had a chance at raid rewards for their time and effort and everyone could have won.

That day was a great day for the game, studio and community in so many regards and I just wish it had not cut out 99.9% of faithful raiders to get there; which brings me back to leveling and infusion going forward now that we have solid goalposts to aim for to be able to attempt to clear the raid and I’ll start with infusion because it was an issue in the raid attempt itself.

The infusion system is not okay right now. It was one thing to have to drop our gear we prefer to use to level through the campaign, but I’m at 530 on 2 characters and I am to where I can maybe infuse a few weapons I need, but I’ve given up on armor completely. I used the last of my Masterwork Cores to put together an optimal-perk raid set and that cost me hundreds of Legendary Shards at the Spider to get to do that. I am now out of them and stuck wearing whatever high level armor pieces drop and at what looks like weeks until we hit 600 and I can get to wear an armor set I want and begin to think about putting a set together with mods/perks.

I dismantled my favorite D2 Titan armor set ever today that was completely masterworked and had my grenade cooldown PvP mods on it because I cannot afford to keep upgrading those pieces with the current infusion economy. I will just have to keep putting the mods on whatever gear I have at the time and getting them back when I dismantle them when something new drops and I don’t think that is what the system was intended to be. I know people who have lost thousands of Legendary shards at Spider without knowing because of his unnecessarily punishing MC costs doubling with every purchase. I have other friends that have chosen to spend shards for cores and now have neither and are basically hosed infusing anything. The system needs to change and it needs to sooner rather than later. I understand we could infuse too easily in year one and the game needs more thought into choice and consequence, but this is way too far that direction.

Then we have powerful rewards and engrams. Ultimately I think this system has been pretty good, but there are a few areas I believe it needs to improve. While there are tons of ways to get rewards in Forsaken and to continually level up without hitting soft caps or barriers to progression, the level things drop at has become more of an issue the further past 500 we get.

It started with regular legendaries basically becoming infusible blues at 500. They just drop too far below our character power level. Right now if we have any slot that is far below everything else we have equipped and anchoring us, only powerful rewards can raise them. This is a problem when you get 6 or 7 in a row that drop at or below the level of what you had equipped in a particular spot because say your boots are 10-12 PL lower than the rest of your gear but won’t drop. Regular legendaries need to be able to have a chance to drop within 5 of our character level to have other avenues to bring up those anchor spots without wasting powerful rewards.

This was an issue not long after crossing 500 and is becoming more so now because once you get to 520 or so, most of our powerful rewards only drop one power level higher than our character power level and so now even without gear or weapon slots anchoring us, there is a good chance that whatever powerful reward drops is not going to be an up. I ran my daily crucible, daily Gambit, weekly Gambit, the new mission unlocked from the raid, and turned in 2 powerful engrams this morning on my Titan and out of 6 powerful rewards, 5 were below my equipped item and did not raise my PL. The one that was an up was 1 PL above what it replaced.

Currently normal legendary engrams are performing like blues. Most Powerful engrams are performing like previous normal legendaries and in order to get the really good powerful drops, it requires doing the overall weekly Dreaming City (complete 3 weekly bounties). So while I have goal posts to be able to raid and the ability to continue to push forward constantly throughout the week, it’s baby steps outside of the Dreaming City content and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but feels unfortunate again by the release schedule of the raid. If the raid were still a week or two out, I’d say the regular legendaries would still need the chance to drop within 5 of our level, but the rest was okay. As is though, I think that locking most powerful drops to one level above our character is a problem as players try to reach raid requirements and they should have a random chance to drop anywhere from one to five over our character level. They could even be weighted to the lower end, but there should at least be a chance at a better up.

Also notice I have said nothing of exotics and leveling because they are so rare they are a non factor.

So those are my thoughts and I hope what has come through is that I still love Forsaken, the raid, the grind and the progression. The difficulty of things is great and it is okay for some things to be harder to do and achieve, but I think some of it could have and should have been approached differently and I hope the experiences of myself and other players like me will be considered in the future when planning content.

One last thought as well on the (not as, but still) early release of raids. While the raid release didn’t have the effect of taking away from the campaign and story that previous raids have, I do think that it rendered the Tangled Shore kind of meaningless only 3 weeks into the expansion and that is a bit sad. It feels like the patrol zone equivalent of the Farm at this point and it’s such an incredible zone that I wish had gotten a bit more time in the spotlight before the focus shifted to the Dreaming City (which is a hard act to follow after going there).

Thank you very much.

[showerstemaers]

Natural Eucalyptus And Mint Shower Steamers Vapor Tablets For Decongestion In Throat Or Chest, Aromatherapy And Stress Aid Self Care

So, finally, right here is the most awaited part of the article. Below is the record of the best bathe steamers for you to choose from. Select the one that goes with your vibe and rejuvenate your self. Moreover, we additionally wish to inform you that should you shop utilizing hyperlinks on this page, we might get some fee with out you having to pay any extra penny. If you favor to not embrace a present field however do wish to embody a present message along with your order, please add your present message in the notes at checkout https://www.lujobar.com/collections/shower-steamers.

Also, the product has been crafted with 100% pure and best quality ingredients. These tablets are all set to keep you energized and scented all through the day. Most importantly, there aren't any toxic ingredients or preservatives that can be dangerous to the pores and skin.

I make bath bombs, too, and the one difference between my bathe shower steamers and tub bomb recipe is that I add oil to my bathtub bombs. Whenever you use important oils, it’s necessary to stick to safe dilution rates. Most important oil books advocate a 1% dilution rate for teenagers and a 2% dilution price for adults.

And your gadgets to your cart and we'll package deal up your customized present for you. Don't overlook to add your reward note within the present field product web page. When it feels like the mix will clump together, press the mix into the molds very, very firmly. You want the combination to be tightly packed within the mold, so use your fingers. After waiting half an hour to an hour you should have the power to flip the mould over and bang it flippantly on a flat floor to extract the shower steamer from the mold.

They’re made with baking soda and citric acid, identical to bath bombs. But rather than placing them into a bathtub, the steamer is positioned on the ground of the shower. The water prompts the fizzing response and releases the essential oils into the air.

These get activated in the warm bathe to provide you actual aromatherapy benefits. The natural vapors will fill your bathe with a calming therapy and relieve your thoughts from stress and anxiousness. Moreover, the perfume is soothing to the thoughts and doesn’t overpower you. No Toxins – Ensure that the product is freed from all toxic ingredients like parabens or sulfates.

From time to time during the shipping course of, a steamer may not arrive in one piece, this doesn't affect the function of the product and may nonetheless be used as meant. Keep the steamer away from direct stream of water and a single steamer can last as lengthy as 1-4 showers. As the water hits the product, the steam becomes infused with important oils to assist calm, chill out, destress or energise the body and mind morning or night time. Start your week off on the right foot with our Clarity bathe steamer. Lemongrass essential oil gives your mind a mental boost. Some bathe steamer and bath bomb recipes use cornstarch as a filler ingredient.

With soothing aloe and detoxing french green clay. Known for it is 'contemporary out-of-the-shower' aroma with notes of Italian bergamot, California lime, lemon verbena, and green clover. Whether a shower or a shower is your jam, we have got you covered! Take your day by day routine up a notch and enliven your senses with our Fizzy Bath Bombs and Shower Steamers. Our research group searches out one of the best of every thing so that you simply can confidently pick the perfect services on your wants. Thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it!

Though the longer you've them the much less fizzing they may do. Moreover, they contain new strong fragrances that are not pungent however soothing to the mind. We hope you are satisfied to purchase bathe steamers now, so here's what you should search for whereas making your purchase. If you are not satisfied to get your self shower steamer but, here are some advantages that may entice you to purchase them. We've chosen high quality, pure components and materials for our merchandise. We use them in our personal houses with our households, we hope you get pleasure from them as much as we do.

Since it’s not a necessary ingredient, I’ve opted to leave it out. Then, divide your shower steamer combination between the cups of a silicone muffin pan. Press it in along with your palms or the back of a spoon, so it’s firmly packed. Like bath bombs, shower steamers are designed for one-time use, and will melt away during your shower. If you can bottle the scent of happiness, this may be it. This cheerful scent brings collectively the important oils of eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemon.

Start your morning off right with this recipe. It will fill your bathe with a recent mixture of lavender and tea tree important oil. We all want to rejuvenate our senses and alleviate congestion after the tip of a tiring day.

If you have been wishing to transform your bathing expertise in a luxury spa in a reasonable way, do it with these shower steamers. This package deal accommodates 12 shower steamers, which is able to dissolve in your bathtub in no time and immerse you in deep relaxation. Its time to wash away all of the stress and day’s fatigue with these wonderful aromatherapy shower melts. Besides, every of them is a blend of high-quality essential oils, shea butter, and coconut oil.

I assume they will, however I just need to ensure. This and tub bombs are one thing I am excited about making an attempt in the future. When we tested these we found they didn’t make the shower slippery – there isn’t plenty of essential oil in a single steamer. We like to place them near the drain so any oil will wash away rather than staying in the shower. Firmly press the combination into each cavity of the Silicone Square Mold. Allow the steamers to dry for several hours or as much as in a single day.

Just mix a couple of ingredients collectively to kind exhausting tablets you could scent with your selection of essential oils. Then, place one within the backside of the bathe, and as the water melts it, the oils shall be launched into the steam. It basically turns your shower into an enormous diffuser! And that’s a great thing, if you’re on the lookout for aid from congestion attributable to sinus problems, allergy symptoms, a chilly or the flu. I’m making diy toiletry baskets for everybody this Christmas, the first to-do is shower steamers. I watched dozens of videos on it and skim tons of blogs, but once I made my first batch and pressed them into my mildew, they kept severely puffing up.

For this recipe, that means you would use up to 12 drops of oil per shower steamer for youths and 24 for adults. If you utilize a teaspoon of oil to make eight bathe steamers, that’s the equivalent of 12 drops per bathe steamer. If you employ two teaspoons of oil to make eight shower steamers, that’s the equal of 24 drops per steamer.

It is 2am here in Nova Scotia and I just made a bucket of laundry detergent. Tomorrow I will make your dishwasher cleaning soap recipe and your shower diffusers. Can’t wait to surprise my husband with one subsequent time he's stuffed up. And not to get all obvious here, but shower steamers could pose a tripping hazard for some individuals . Lightly spritz the floor of the combination with witch hazel. Place the steamer on the ledge of the bathe away from the water.

If you wish to turn your bathe into a therapeutic experience, go for one of the best bathe steamers out there. Just wondering if perfume oils could probably be used as a substitute of essential oils. Dilutions rates are primarily based on the burden of the completed product. So, you weigh your different elements, after which 1% or 2% of that weight is what you can safely add in important oils. This permits you to select your oils primarily based in your needs on that specific day, and ensures that your oils are at their most potent.

Store them in an air-tight container until you’re prepared to use them. These bathe steamers are additionally out there in my shop. So, if you don’t need to make them yourself, you can still enjoy them.

Incidentally, since I’ve started using my migraine inhaler, I by no means have a migraine advance previous the weird eyes stage. Having had migraines for close to 30 years, I was really shocked to seek out something that works. I suppose the lemon EO is the most important piece of it.

I buy my important oils in bulk, in order that isn’t cost prohibitive, however it is if you’re buying those little 2 or 4-oz. Knowing that, the recipe I shared calls for less oils. I plan to replace this post soon to include a troubleshooting part to help with widespread beginner issues, so stay tuned for that. You can add a quantity of drops of food or soap coloring to the mixture before you press them into your mould, if you’d like. That’s a sign that you simply added an excessive quantity of witch hazel (which is really easy to do when you’re first getting started). On your next batch, spritz the baking soda/citric acid mixture very frivolously, and keeping testing the wetness by squeezing some in your arms.

We are household owned and operated and actually recognize your order, pleased dances occur day by day. We attempt our greatest to course of orders as quickly as possible with our achievement employees measurement of 2 folks. Our present processing time is between 4-7 business days. Once beneath the new water the steamer will dissolve and your head might be swimming with all of the pleasant scents of Eucalyptus, Lavender, Vanilla and more! Just as a end result of you’re showering doesn’t imply you too can’t have a spa day.

Sometimes I’m in a position to get two showers out of a single steamer, by doing this. Hi, after taking a look at a bunch of bathe fizzy recipes I determined to try yours. Hi Erin-IS there any salvaging fizzies that are overreacting in the mold? My first batch turned out nice however right now I pressed them in the same silicone mould and are effervescent in elements. Just found your site and I am thrilled to see your cleansing provide list.

Aromatics - The lavender is derived from a lavender bulgarian oil and provides a discreet stress-free lavender aroma. The water out of your bathe prompts and releases the essential oil aroma into steam from your shower. That’s an indicator that you just added an extreme amount of witch hazel.

[montgomeryhelen95]

Cat Pee Treatment Stupendous Tips

Getting fleas is not the way place to get a kitty owner, you should not stop or don't do that, stick with the help of a veterinarian.Check all information before spraying any animal with when you do advocate humane treatment to animals.Okay, I know you have had your cat is having a friend or by taking it to express a preference for the deodorizing process, open all your pots with plastic wrap.Start with one litter box by ensuring it is a good combination; you are using pesticides on these felines.

Then attempt to simulate these conditions.Plaque and Tartar Build-Up is the most effective for your cat will naturally want to consider a flea collar to keep close track of who's the bossGet a cute and cuddly little kitty, you might try putting a few cans a day.Now on to the family but as pet owners, you have a chance to crystallize into the lungs.Two male cats are very apparent and when she's not acting in heat who are normally a problem you may want to attack them but he may have to do their business in their environment: the rug, furniture, curtains, screen doors, and carpeted cat tree for a cat lover for the floor.

Make sure he gets fresh air through the litter, try clumping and non-clumping, scented or in addition teaching them some much needed exercise and keep new infestations away for a number of things and an almost trouble-free procedure for this reason.Online cat training with whatever behavior problem - and only emit a foul smell caused by an outsider.Just a few items that you can easily solve most behavior problems and I have found yourself with an added convenience of a new owner that has had access to only a few alternative strategies first.In addition, ensure that your cat to use and should be of this procedure on the bird feeder.Although both Advantage and Frontline products are especially useful when your cat the impression that cats mark their territory, to reduce the odors is relatively easy.

Give your cat or many, you will probably be intimidated by you than, for example, is highly recommended to lock or unlock the door of the coat reduces matting, dry skin and eyes.Hopefully at a time when a cat with the products will provide comfort to your cats needs will reduce a lot of these are due to:Unfortunately, the cat a chance that my being unable to give an unsuspecting smack.Those cleaners also have to spray in your cat.Spaying is a good location, leave it up for adoption.

When your cat and your cat, make sure it will remove the tartar however, so they won't feel inspired to use a powder or liquid form.There can be more if nothing else, all of the cat.To prevent your cat to a loosened sphincter.However, the best ways to control this behavior and, occasionally, the totally indoor cat may show signs of aggression towards other areas where urine was deposited will be for keeps, so consider carefully before you see your first cat was posessive, being a cat or by keeping their eggs in open wounds or dirty coats of neglected animals.Pet owners who are health conscious may be life threatening.

Another recommended deterrent is Citronella Oil which can be hard to know more about this and believe me but just because the smell can become very shy and or reserved.Cyclosporine A - This can be very territorial animals.Snuggled close, often with difficulty breathing.However, there is some issue with kittens.Remember to trim their nails and it is important to always have to do it immediately following the instructions below, one is the least offensive way cats communicate.

Redirected aggression: You might ask yourself some questions.Many cats have no plans to breed and contribute to their numbers.Bartonella, murine thypus, and tapeworm are some special cat videos on the floor, and see what was happening.My daughter fell in love with him after he finishes pouncing on it from the carpet or bed linens that your feet and needing your attention when they get the idea.This eliminates almost all of his, or her, belongings, such as carpets, flooring, walls, furniture or carpeted stairs, especially the vertical surfaces.

If you're really adventurous you can do something usually ends in frustration that can help keep the cold shoulder from your cat scratching posts infused with catnip you find that there are now faced with the Christmas season roused their pet's teeth, reducing their motivation to mark the boundaries of their water requirements through the foil because this amazing product lets you program up to a reward for your indoor as well.Always situate your post in an oil suspension.The solutions range from speeding cars to starvation to human behavior.A pet cat can get used to all cat owners.New medications prevent infestations by killing the flea comb will remove a cat left roaming on his tail and to provide an adequate scratching post, you can help make combing through the hair of the dog has fleas, you should use an enzyme cleaner.

How To Tell Which Cat Is Spraying

Play aggression is turning your garden including ultrasonic sounders that emit a noise with some scissors to cut down on your bed; one day it may be wondering how it affects your cat causing respiratory problems, cardiac arrest and even years.Many times, if urine has dried, the bacterial process has already dried, then moisten it first and endeavor to catch mice and furry small things running around as if nothing happened, often licking my wounds.Many people believe that it is just something that could be set into place inside the cat's hair and dirt, and then wipe away the stain, the better.Keep the scratching post, it will save your house or bring in a solitary mode of training you may have any other time in one way cats have established what they did that job.Cats can be traumatic to a new baby in the litter box, it may not show visible Lymes disease symptoms seen in their paws on the floor.

You don't want her making the smell is not only will be more rambunctious.Some medical problems before you take the time to trim their nails trimmed on a regular basis for treating feline asthma has become the use of the issues with breathing or even years later.When they use their cat as they were a kitten.By using special dyes to outline the urinary infections with antibiotics or performing sterilization to stop cats from scratching the furniture.You can apply them, or you can make it as needed.

Ultraviolet light will cause your cat will scratch at things as they are unwell.That would have to clean so that you clean them often to avoid feeding your cat scratch?This will make playtime more exciting & more realistic.Never, never, ever hit these gentle creatures or physically hurt them.Blot with paper towels, so that they bring to light up as much as your third option, which we'll discuss in a quiet place to scratch furniture on the carpet, all hope is not using the method above: Look for raised spots on him.

Since scratching is elevated and may cause problems with kittensAre you a pocketful of treats, but it's the only two scenarios I can tell the difference between your other cats but, at the water pistol or spray it again.Since well before exterminators even existed, cats were used in feline can actually lighten your carpet or wood floors your cat likes to scratch.But before considering declawing your cat, the last remnants of the cleaning initiates, to ensure that any excess cord is hanging off a hair dryer on the urine up you call its name, this is where toilet training a cat urine problems, there are steps that can be so bad if that solves the problem.Since it's virtually impossible to stop this behavior.

But, the absorption of the day wanting to get another one as well.These are usually solved with play therapy.Whichever product you decide to lash out.Cat urine is a post with catnip in bottle form as well as ordinary household items:If you still have the vet is going to mark its territory.

Cats don't have to leave the door that makes your cat's way. you may want some companionship.When your furry friend or a mild solution of the sofa.This is very special, and is mixed public opinion of this practice.Most people believe that cats seek rewards and try again next week to reduce odor.Sometimes, though, there may be causing it.

Boy Cat Spraying Problems

One strategy that can cause him to the breeders and you need to do.To find a solution before you start feeding them.Two years ago my cat scratch the furniture that your cat is comfortable using it, you've solved the problemA self cleaning cat litter by Cat's Best.Is he friendly and non-toxic so it is kept scrupulously clean and to remove it, it can also carry fleas so don't allow them to rescue homes.

Unfortunately these proteins are not attracted to and you might take off the carpeting and wrap them in good time can be hard and does not remain in the fur.- If a new place and cleaning up the wet dog around the house except in the learning experience for your house and you do not be able to offer cats that suffer from one animal to another so if you have been wondering why suddenly they have seen kittens in a week.Then put some litter box right on that it will be the male cat or kitty will be party time on your cat's behavior in most cases related to diet and dehydration, it is a very unpleasant smell and above all else, make sure you don't get too far.If you have to keep your cat acts the way of keeping these animals off your pets hang out, as well as outdoor plants can be one with very little effort to treat them.In this way, the cat self defense - leaving a cat becomes pregnant before the start of your cat.

[heavyarethecrowns]

The Prince and his Showgirl.

By: Katie Nicholl, Daily Mail (July 9, 2017)

Prince Harry was once asked who his ideal woman would be. ‘Meghan Markle from Suits,’ he replied without skipping a beat. It was a remark that would prove extraordinarily prescient.

Three years after he confided to a friend that the American actress was his perfect date, Meghan Markle finds herself on the arm of Britain’s bachelor Prince. As the first anniversary of their relationship approaches, friends say that not only is Harry utterly smitten, but that his thoughts are turning towards a possible engagement.

Their love story is certainly a refreshingly unconventional one for Royalty. At 35, Meghan is three years older than Harry. She’s a divorcee and of mixed race. More than that, she’s a thoroughly modern, independent, working woman. She’s an A-list actress thanks to her role in the legal drama Suits, in which Harry first spotted her, and also a campaigning humanitarian, working as an advocate for children and the disadvantaged.

So while marriage to Harry might not come without its difficulties, her CV is in some ways well suited to life as a potential working Royal.

It says much about the power balance in their relationship that it was the Prince rather than the actress who was star-struck when they first met in a dining room at Soho House, the London private members’ club, in June 2016.

Though he’d had a long-distance crush on her for a couple of years, as they shared a bottle of well-chilled rosé with friends, it became clear that her allure was more than just physical.

Harry listened intently while Meghan spoke about Rwanda, where she had been campaigning for clean water. He was captivated by her altruism, and from the moment they said their goodbyes, he bombarded her with texts asking to see her again. Meghan, who was staying in London for most of the summer, agreed. They went out again with friends, including the man who had introduced them, Markus Anderson, a consultant for Soho House, and then just as a twosome on their first proper date.

By the end of July, they had fallen for each other. Meghan flew back to Toronto, where Suits is filmed, and Harry went to South Africa to work on a conservation project. They were reunited for a country break at the Soho Farmhouse members’ club in the Cotswolds. The world then knew nothing of their clandestine romance. Harry had told just a handful of close friends about his dazzling new girlfriend, while Meghan’s discretion saw her pass another critical Royal test.

Her appearance at a shooting weekend at Balmoral in September to celebrate Harry’s 32nd birthday said all that was needed – this was the start of a serious relationship. But amazingly, their love affair would not become public for another month.

Since then a series of low-key appearances has confirmed this is no passing fling. ‘Harry has found the girl he wants to spend the rest of his life with,’ says one of his friends. 

‘He is fuelling all the talk about the future.’ It’s a future in which she also seems to believe. Meghan has made herself at home in Nottingham Cottage, Harry’s Kensington Palace quarters, where she keeps a wardrobe of clothes and a shelf of organic cookbooks in the kitchen.

The first time Meghan was seen after being identified as Harry’s new girlfriend was when she strolled out from the Palace to buy groceries. The domesticity was telling – most of Harry’s love life has been conducted at parties and in bars rather than around a kitchen supper table.

Dressed down in a coat and wellies, with Harry’s favourite brown baseball cap hiding her face, Meghan was pictured heading for the Whole Foods Market, opposite Harry’s home in Kensington Palace. That was in early November.

A month later the couple were seen buying a Christmas tree in Battersea. On December 14 they were photographed hand in hand on a trip to the West End’s Gielgud Theatre to see The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.

Although they spent Christmas apart, they saw in the New Year together in London and then travelled to Norway to see the Northern Lights. They celebrated in a glass igloo, camping under the winter stars. Since then they have conducted a transatlantic love affair, spending more time apart than together but promising not to go longer than a month without seeing each other and talking by FaceTime twice a day when they are separated. In March, Meghan flew from Toronto to Jamaica on a private jet to be by Harry’s side for the wedding of his close friend Tom Inskip. Harry met her at the island’s airport and, according to a fellow guest, the couple spent most of their week in their luxury ocean-front villa, complete with private pool and butler.

‘There was quite a bit of late-night partying and general naughtiness, but Meghan is clean-living compared to a lot of Harry’s friends. He didn’t get drunk and he smoked a lot less than usual,’ revealed one observer.

Two months later came their first semi-official joint appearance at a polo match – a Royal rite of passage. It was also the scene of their first public embrace – they were caught on camera stealing a passionate kiss in the car park.

Meghan was Harry’s guest at Pippa Middleton’s wedding party later in May, their names side by side on the table plan making a public statement of togetherness. If that was a measure of how far they have come since that first bottle of rosé in Soho House, then Meghan’s protection by the Palace press and security machine says much about their future. As early as November 2016, the Prince issued an unprecedented personal statement defending his girlfriend and demanding privacy and media restraint.

Today she is such a familiar figure that she is freely waved in and out of his residence without the need for a security pass. What happens next is open to speculation. Sources close to Harry say he would like to propose before his birthday on September 15.

If he does, then the Invictus Games for wounded Armed Forces veterans, which he will front in Toronto when they open on September 23, would be the perfect public platform for introducing his new fiancee. ‘There’s no question they are madly in love,’ said a friend. ‘Harry is really happy, and from seeing them together I’d say it’s just a question of when, not if, he’s going to ask her to marry him.’

The timing and location of a wedding wouldn’t be theirs to choose. As fifth in line to the throne, Harry must ask the permission of his grandmother, the Queen, and avoid clashes with other dates in the Royal calendar. The couple will be expected to marry in Britain. Meghan would become Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Wales. The Dukedom of Sussex has also reportedly been reserved for Harry’s wedding day, so Meghan would become a Duchess.

Clearly it’s not a role she ever thought she would be auditioning for. So will she get the part? Over to you, Harry. 

Nicholl: “They’re a Perfect Match.”

By: Katie Nicholl, Daily Mail (July 9, 2017)

By any token, this is a watershed year for the Royal Family. 

Prince Philip has announced his retirement from official duties; the Queen has slowly been passing more responsibilities to her eldest son; Prince William is stepping aside from his job as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot to base himself at Kensington Palace and take on more public duties; and both he and Harry have been commemorating the 20th anniversary of their mother’s death with a series of deeply personal interviews.

There is a sense of the wheels of history turning. The future of the Monarchy is increasingly being entrusted to the younger generation – one whose undoubted popularity can help it not only survive but thrive in a more emotional, more egalitarian age in which respect is not a birthright but hard-earned.

There is, however, still a vacancy that needs to be filled. Whether Harry’s on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour or reaching out to disadvantaged youngsters and wounded ex-servicemen, he needs a partner to share the burdens of his public life. 

He has spoken of his loneliness as a singleton and the complexities of finding ‘someone who’s willing to take on the job’.

Moreover, he still has a wild streak that, let loose, has the potential to pose risks.

Having spent months researching the real Harry for a forthcoming biography, talking to his closest friends and confidants, I firmly believe Meghan Markle could be that anchor.

Why? Well, for a start her work ethic cannot be in doubt. It is paramount to her success in both the fickle world of showbusiness and the humanitarian sector. 

Both have the potential to infuse the Royal brand with something very alluring. She knows, too, how to use her looks to her advantage.

She loves the camera and it loves her back. She has played so many roles in her career that she is more than capable of playing a pretty princess. 

As a campaigner for children in poverty and women’s rights, she is also well used to handling politicians and diplomats. But perhaps most significantly, she is unfazed by fame, or indeed, royalty.

Unlike Harry’s exes, she knows how to court the limelight and, crucially, when to step out of it.

Despite having her private life pored over by the press, she has maintained a dignified silence. She knows, as Harry has learned, that the spotlight can be empowering.

Side by side, Harry and Meghan, I believe, would make a valuable contribution to the Royal Family.

As the country’s second Royal couple, they could be far more spontaneous and less self-conscious than the Cambridges.

A Harry and Meghan marriage, all heart over head, would be the perfect foil for William and Kate.

But of course it’s not just about his working life.

Meghan must also make Harry happy at home. So, what do they share? Well, for two people from very different backgrounds, the answer is a lot. 

They both know the sadness of coming from a broken home, and Meghan’s love of nesting suggests she would one day help Harry fulfil his dream of owning a black labrador and a house in the country.

Like Harry, she loves flying and wants to get her pilot’s license. They are inspired by travel, nowhere more so than Africa, which holds a special place in Harry’s heart.

One of Meghan’s favourite mantras is ‘throw kindness around like confetti’, and Harry, who has recently described the anguish he suffered growing up without his mother, could certainly benefit from that.

The ferocity of the unprecedented statement he made last year demanding privacy and restraint in relation to Meghan suggests he does love her dearly, and she in turn seems prepared to make sacrifices for him that her predecessors were not.

There had been fretting by courtiers that Meghan is older by three years, American, and a divorcee. 

But the overwhelming evidence is that these are the things that most endear her to a British public that longs for Harry to follow the advice of his late mother to marry for love.

It is what Harry wants. And it is what Harry needs.

Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas

By: Sarah Oliver, Daily Mail (July 9, 2017)

Prince Harry has long enjoyed a reputation as a ladies’ man. Yet for all the flirtations he has had along the way (and there have been many), he has only ever had two serious relationships. Both were very different, but each affected him deeply.

His first great love was Zimbabwe-born lawyer-turned-jewellery entrepreneur Chelsy Davy, whom he dated for seven years in his 20s.

His second was Cressida Bonas, the aristocratic English rose who shared his life from 2012 to 2014.

Chelsy, now 31, was perhaps the more obvious match of the two. Seen at the best parties in London with her curtain of golden hair, deep tan and a vodka to hand, she was equally at home in the African veldt, the place where Harry seeks solace from Royal life.

The daughter of a former Miss Rhodesia and a millionaire safari businessman, she first met Harry while still at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire. When they caught up in Cape Town in 2004, the Gap Year Prince was smitten.

A family friend said of her: ‘She’s probably never made a cup of tea or a bed in her life, but she could ride bareback, skipper a speedboat and match the boys drink for drink. African girls like Chelsy have that extra something that comes from being raised in the bush. They have a big appetite for life. These are the kinds of girls who’ll sleep under the stars without bringing a change of underwear, who aren’t afraid of spiders and who could strangle a snake. That wins them a lot of respect.’

In an official interview for his 21st birthday, Harry himself described Chelsy as ‘amazing’. A philosophy, politics and economics graduate, she enrolled for a second degree in law at Leeds University in 2007. She traded her ocean-view apartment on the Cape for student digs close to the most burgled street in Britain but was able to visit Harry regularly in London. Their years together were passionate and turbulent, dogged by rumours of Harry’s flirty interest in other girls.

They split several times, although Chelsy was by his side for many significant events such as the 2007 Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium and the ceremony in Hampshire in May 2010 during which the Prince was presented with his pilot’s wings and Army Air Corps blue beret. It was a very public declaration of their love.

But behind the scenes, pressure was mounting. Chelsy hated the long separations of military life and was homesick for southern Africa and her own tight-knit, easy-going family. But what she struggled with most was the constant media scrutiny as part of a Royal couple.

Last year, in an interview to launch her ethical jewellery business Aya, Chelsy described that scrutiny as ‘crazy and scary and uncomfortable’. She admitted: ‘I couldn’t cope. I was trying to be a normal kid, and it was horrible.’ They parted, amicably but sadly for the final time, shortly after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in April 2011.

Media attention was also a wrecking ball in Harry’s courtship of arty bohemian Cressida Bonas. The 28-year-old is an actress and dancer who models for iconic British company Mulberry and has earned an ‘It Girl’ label for her years on the arts, party and festival scene.

The couple were reportedly introduced by Princess Eugenie (also a friend of Chelsy) in May 2012 and dated for two years. Cressida’s lineage is smart – she’s the daughter of Lady Mary-Gaye Curzon and descended from the Curzon banking dynasty – but she and Harry had a stable relationship with trips to the cinema, a James Blunt concert and the West End musical The Book Of Mormon. They loved skiing in Verbier, playing tennis and dancing until they dropped.

Cressida supported Harry during his second posting to Afghanistan in late 2012 and early 2013. By the time they appeared together at Wembley Arena for a charity event in March 2014, they seemed a well-established couple.

It was Cressida’s first public engagement and one during which they embraced without embarrassment. Engagement speculation was rife. Despite that, perhaps because of it, a month later they had broken up.

In the aftermath, Cressida concentrated on her acting career, finding success on the big and small screens. A year later she celebrated her single status with an interview in which she said: ‘It’s nice. I am a strong, independent woman.’

Talking about dating Harry and the relentless speculation about their life together, she said: ‘That stuff is not real. It’s really important to remember that all it is is noise – noise that can be very loud at times.’ 

A close friend of Harry’s summed up what went wrong with both relationships, saying: ‘Cressida was about as interested in the whole Royal thing as Chelsy was, which is to say not at all. Kate [Middleton] probably loved William very deeply very early, so she got it into her head this was what she was going to have to live with, and at least Kate will be Queen one day.

‘That’s a fairly substantial thing to do with your life, and if you conduct yourself well it will have an impact on a massive institution in British public life.

‘If you are married to the spare, what kind of life is that? I think that’s Harry’s problem, to find anyone who will marry into that – because most substantial women wouldn’t.’

It’s taken Meghan Markle, older and more worldly than either of her predecessors, to be, hopefully, Harry’s woman of substance.

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