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teenyweenynightghost · 3 years ago

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A Breath of Fresh Air - Chapter 3

Warnings: language, kinda spicy

I woke up to the buzzing noise of my alarm, beeping over and over again until I managed to stop it. The light shone from the window, blinding my eyes. I groaned and and turned around furiously in my bed. One of my feet was dangling over the edge, goosebumps all over it, thanks to the cold room. This place had terrible insulation. I missed the warmth that slowly woke me up in the morning back in Greece. Sadly, I wasn't there, and I couldn't miss my first day of school.

Pushing myself off the bed, I recoiled when my feet met the cold ground, sending shivers up my spine. Checking my phone, I noticed It had taken me 20 minutes to get up, which meant i only had 40 left. Barely enough. Running to the bathroom, I took off my clothes in a hurry and jumped in the shower. The freezing water hit my skin like a million wasps, making me cringe at the sudden temperature change. Despite how unsatisfied I was with it's lack of heat, my eyes were more open now and less puffy, as was the rest of my face. Being more aware of my surroundings, I realised I had forgotten my towel on the bed frame. I beat myself up internally and prayed Victoria wasn't awake.

Opening the door and peeking a little, I noticed my roommate's still body, evenly breathing. Thank god! I tip-toed quickly to my bed and just as I was about to cover myself up, I heard a husky voice. "Well, a good morning to you, puppy" Covering myself up with the speed of light, I turned around and almost fell down. Stumbling backwards, I hit a cupboard and yelped. In response, I heard Vic chuckle lightly. I slowly opened my eyes and looked at her, suddenly feeling self-conscious and embarrassed. "Aw, you have no reason to get so red cucciola, you have the body of a goddess" With that, my mouth fell wide open and, If I had thought I hit my peak redness before, I must have invented a new color now. "Ready for school?" After this little mishap, I was definitely not, but I had no other choice. I nodded softly and picked up my clothes, retreating to the privacy of the bathroom. As I was about to close the door, I heard Vic mutter "Good girl."

Luckily for me, the rest of the day went better than the morning. We had breakfast in an immense dining hall, filled with torches and old paintings. Vic showed me each classroom and introduced to every teacher, as well as many other students.

By the time I had gotten back to my room, I was exhausted. I needed something to soothe me down, and no matter how much I tried to listen to music or study some new plants, I couldn't get the peace of mind I yearned.

Irritated, I slammed the encyclopedia shut and started pacing around the room. Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't hear Victoria entering the room. She watched me for a few moments, eyes filled with understanding, until she spoke up. "Aurora" I quickly turned to face her, my gaze softening. "Yes?" "You look stressed. And exhausted." she had a pitiful expression on her face, which only worsened my mood. "I don't need your pity." "Then accept my initiative of distracting you." I looked back at her, wondering what was gong on in her head. Noticing my weary glare, she headed towards my dresser, and searched for a few moments, until she tossed a swimsuit in my hands. "If I had it my way, you wouldn't need that, but after your reaction this morning I didn't want to push you further." I appreciated her respecting my boundaries. The event from earlier this morning had certainly been embarrassing for me, but there was something about her hungry gaze that made me want more. Pushing that thought away, I headed to the bathroom and put the swimsuit on, covering it up with the clothes I was wearing only a few moments earlier. I stepped out just in time to see Victoria pulling on a shirt, having a swimsuit underneath her clothes as well.

"Well, what's the plan now?"

"Now, cara mia, we wait." she answered with a grin, which only made me more weary of what was about to happen."

A few hours had passed and I was back to my notebook, sketching a few different types of leaves. Suddenly, Vic jumped off her bead and grabbed my arm, leading me out of our room. Before I could say anything, she covered my mouth with her hand, gesturing for me to be quiet. She pulled away and beckoned me to follow her. I did as I was told, a small blush creeping its way on my face.

We had made our way out, reaching a metal gate at the edge of the campus. “Vic, where the hell are we going?” It was midnight, barely enough light for us to see. The cold wind covered my body in goosebumps as Vic quickly jumped over the gate. I let out a sigh and did my best to follow her.

After a few more minutes of walking, Bic came behind me and covered my eyes, her cold hands making my body jolt.“What the hell! It’s not like I can see a thing anyway!”

“I just want it to be a surprise puppy”. The damned nickname. My face started heating up and I was praying she couldn’t feel it, as she guided me further into the woods

We finally came to a stop. “Are you ready? Vic asked full of excitement. I nodded eagerly and she quickly dropped her hands. Before me was a glowing lake, surrounded by millions and millions of flowers, each brighter and more colorful than the other. I gasped at the view and started giggling and bouncing. At that, Vic started laughing as she put a hand over my shoulder. “I knew you’d like it.”

I ran to the shore, almost tripping along the way, and dipped my hand in the water. It was slightly cold, but considering that I would be half naked around Vic, anything that could cool me down was welcome.

Before I could ask where we would leave our clothes, Vic walked past me, already in her swimsuit, and jumped in the water. She swam below the surface for a few moments before resurfacing, a wide grin spreading on her face. At that, I realized I was staring at her, intensely.

“Are you coming, puppy, or are you gonna keep staring at me?” I sighed and mumbled that i would not mind the latter. I turned around and slowly took of my clothes. I could feel her hungry gaze burning through my back. By the time I faced her again I was a flustered mess. She looked at me the same way she had this morning, only perhaps a new emotion in her eyes. One that I couldn’t figure out.

I stepped towards the lake and closed my eyes, jumping in it. My skin tightened from the cold water and I swam up, breathing heavily. In the blink of an eye, she was next to me, grinning. “How does it feel?”

“Cold.” She scoffed. “Want me to show you the caves?” “There are caves here!?” I looked around, trying to find the formation Vic was talking about, but without success. Following my gaze and smirking, she reached out her hand and placed it under my chin, moving my head towards a dark denture in the cliff. “Right there, puppy.” The combination of her delicate hand on my face and her words were almost too much to bear so I swam quickly towards where she pointed.

The tall cliff was now towering over me, pebbles falling in the moon lit water from time to time. “Right this way” purred Vic in my ear as she grabbed my hand and led me into the cave.

We swam through the darkness until I felt a wall in front of me. “It’s a dead end” As I was about to turn around, she dragged me underwater and swam us through a hole. My heart was beating fast and I was running out of breath, until she finally guided me to the surface.

“A warning wouldn’t have hurt.” I gasped, my lungs filling with oxygen.

“Too much thinking.” She started moving again, but I just closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down. We were in a whole other place now. The large rock walls extended up into the air, stopping right before they curved inward. This wasn’t as much of a cave anymore, since there was nothing above us. Only the night sky, filled with stars and numerous constellations. Unlike my first time here, it was clear, and I could spot a few formations here and there.

“AURORA” i heard Vic’s scream as she tried to bring me back to this world. She succeeded. I saw her perched up on a rock, the moonlight shining on her body, giving her an iridescent glow. Entranced by her, I started moving towards where she was sat, with each step examining another one of her features. Her light blonde hair, going from a dark brunette to the color of sand, her stormy blue eyes, always vivid and alive. The tip of her nose, beautifully decorated by a thin gold hoop.

Before I knew it, I was right below her. The boulder gave her enough extra height for her to tower me. Cupping my chin, she lifted my head up in order to lock my eyes in a seductive gaze “See something you like puppy?” Before I could think it through, I nodded carelessly, not taking my eyes off of her. This time, I noticed her belly piercing. I couldn’t help but think about my tongue playing with it as she would pull on my hair. Shocked by my own thoughts, I pulled away and tried turning around.

Before succeeding to do so, she suddenly jumped into the water and slammed our bodies together, her back pressed tightly against the rock.

“Oh you’re not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours, puppy.

Damn my brain. And damn her. I didn’t know why I felt like this. I never had any particular crush on anyone, least of all girls. I was getting redder and redder as I saw her dominant gaze, patiently waiting for me to speak up.

“Don’t be shy, cara mia, I would love to help you out with your thoughts” she purred in my ear, her hot breath on my neck making me shiver. I closed my eyes, trying to imagine feeling more. I unconsciously drifted even closer to her, my hand now resting dangerously low on her stomach. Thinking back to the jewelry stuck there, I hesitantly brushed a finger upwards, meeting the cold metal of the piercing. Grabbing my hair and stroking it a few times, she then squeezed my shoulder, encouraging me to explore further.

I kept circling my finger around the pendant, until I felt her shift under me. I looked up and saw her dark eyes, looking at me with a passion I had never felt or seen before. Her gaze pulled me out of my haze, as I heated up again. “Well maybe after another ten minutes you’ll tell me what you want to do with that lovely piercing of mine.” I was even redder than before, now realizing just for how long I had admired a plain piece of jewelry. As if reading my mind, she chuckled. “Maybe you like it so much because it’s on me.” I hummed , my head resting in the crook of her neck. In response she squeezed my waist and slightly tugged on my hair. I gasped at the feeing, which only turned her on more.

Slowly pulling my head back, exposing my face to her, she got close to my ear and whispered “Come on puppy, I’ll reward you if you tell me that you like it.” The heat between my legs intensified at her words, making me whimper. “ I like it.” I whispered it in her ear, barely audible, as If there was anyone around. “ Now you’re just gonna have to be a bit more specific for me, cucciola.” I thought a bit, trying to find the least possible sexual way to word it. “ I like your piercing.” She hummed. “Is that all?” I nodded, trying to seem convincing. She chuckled a bit, and then strengthened her grip on my hair. I bit my lip toughly, trying to hold in a moan. “Say you like it and I just might stop teasing you.”

“I do. I fucking love it.” She smirked at me and let go of my hair. I whined at the loss of contact and stared back at her, lust filling my eyes. She brought her face to mine, closely enough so that our nose touched me. She licked my lip where I had bit it, and left a wet kiss on the corner of my lips, and then another one on the sensitive area below my ear, earning another whimper from me. “Good girl.” She growled against my neck, and I shivered at the feeling of her lips moving.

Pulling away, she swam again to the entry in our little cave, and waited for me to catch up. I tried to get close to her again but she pulled away and grinned. “I said enough teasing for tonight, didn’t I?” At the realization of what she meant by that my face fell. She smirked again. “So fucking needy.” she breathed. We slowly made our way back to the room, my eyes being desperate to see her bare form again. We shared glances every now and then, and I would only get redder, knowing that she noticed I was staring at her.

As soon as I opened the door of our dorm, she took all her clothes off and jumped on her bed, her legs slightly spread and resting her hands on her head “Care to join, puppy?

Was she suggesting that I could sleep with her? Or more? Seeing the confusion in my eyes, she giggled and and shook her head. “Cuddle with me, baby” “Naked?” Another laugh.

“Considering how you were starting at me earlier you’d think you wouldn’t mind it.”

My mind wandered back to her belly piercing. Oh I definitely wanted to say yes. But I couldn’t. She was already teasing me enough. I knew she wouldn’t touch me without my permission, but nonetheless I was scared. My heart started racing thinking of a good excuse.

“You can say no, puppy”

I glanced back at her, thankful for her understanding. I muttered a quick thank you, and got in bed.

Before falling asleep, I thought about everything that happened that day. Our naked encounter this morning, her pulling my hair and licking my lip. I had no idea why she did this. Did she hate me? Did she want to mess with my mind?

I stopped my brain from thinking anymore, before It would ruin my whole night. I focused on my breathing, until I fell asleep.

———————————————————————-

That was it babes, hope you liked it😌

Again, I really doubt that I will be able to post for a while, but I promise I will compensate afterwards. I’m gonna pull a IWBYS on y’all.

@fuckim-so-gay @messyhairday-me

#maneskin #victoria de angelis #damiano david #ethan torchio #thomas raggi #måneskin

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impactwindowsblog · 3 years ago

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12 Buying Tips With regard to Impact Windows

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If you are living on outdoors, constantly shutter your house windows (impact-rated or not) to prevent decoration of the goblet by wind-driven sands within a storm. Several insurance firms already demand shuttering them thus if you may, your wind damage claim for this form of damage may possibly not be thankful. 6. Energy saving? Don't fall regarding the energy financial savings claims about new insulated impact-rated house windows paying for by themselves. Independent studies possess proven the pay-back time using energy savings is excess of 40 yrs - no issue what the salesperson tells you or what chart they use. The more high-priced the unit, typically the longer the pay-off, not counting ongoing replacement costs for seal failures associated with I. G. Circumstance. s (insulated cup units). Find out there more about vitality saving windows by simply doing a look for for "Wood Home window Replacement/Energy Analysis". Right now there are many self-employed studies available of which refute the windows industry's energy conserving claims. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has also granted written warnings to a few of the glass manufacturers who possess made unsubstantiated energy savings claims. Make sure you beware. 7. Service or replace? Get out how significantly forward6171 that replacement unit parts for the glass windows will be obtainable. Get any promises in writing. If right now there are no auto parts available after only 10 years, it will show that any window with damaged springs, latches or even seals defintely won't be repairable. This means you can be buying new windows, again! This is one of many ways that home window manufacturers assure them selves of future enterprise. You can read more concerning this in different of the replacement window online . Business Name: CAV Impact Windows and Doors Miami Business Address 12471 SW 130 St #B3, Miami, FL 33186 Business Email [email protected] Business Contact Number +13052099228

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elizabethcariasa · 5 years ago

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Toddler Feeding Essentials: 18 months

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Can we first talk about Otis’ tiny cute smile and those long flowing hair locks?!?! HOW CUTE IS HE. It’s always wild even looking back at photos from 1 month ago because he is just growing so fast. I love sharing bits and pieces of Otis’ journey through the world with you and feeding has been a popular topic. I last updated you on baby feeding tips and baby led weaning and starting solid foods here. At almost 18 months (next week!) there isn’t much that Otis won’t eat. He’s always been pretty adventurous when it comes to food and really has a zest for it. Mealtime is one of my favorites that we get to sit down and spend quality time together. Our breakfast chats over coffee are my favorite way to start the day. Sometimes we even share a meal with Otis’ grandparents and get to video them in while eating. So it’s become a really special little chunk of time for all us. Otis loves his eggs, fruit and waffles in the morning and is currently on a yogurt smoothy kick! His favorite fruit is currently blueberries and loves when Blake make’s bbq chicken on the grill. He is obsessed with brocollini and I think the only thing he has refused to eat because of the flavor is kale. And you know what, I don’t blame him. HA! I find such joy watching him eat and enjoy and excited to share all the items we are using and loving now.

Toddler Feeding Essentials: 18 months

1 grabease baby utensils: These have been out favorite utensils for Otis. The come recommended by occupational therapists and I love the choke protection shield to make sure they can’t swallow them. The handles are very ergonomic for his little hands and because they are shorter it’s easier for him to get the food into his mouth. We use both the fork and spoon and also own their toothbrush that we love as well.

2. stokke tripp trapp highchair: This high chair is pricey but we were lucky to have someone get it for us off our baby registry. I will say I think it’s worth every penny after using it for 1.5 years already. What I love is that it is super easy to clean and wipe down. Some of the pieces are dishwasher safe which also makes my life easier. Another amazing thing is that is very adjustable. So the chair is able to grow with baby from the newborn stages to toddler. The foot rest board is adjustable so it keeps them comfortable while they eat. Imagine sitting at a bar stool with no foot rest?? So many high chairs don’t have adjustable foot rests and this is a game changer. Also it’s aesthetically pleasing and blends in with our decor which is always an added bonus. I often get questions on how I keep the straps clean and the chair white. My secret is using a bib (for the most part) to cover the straps. Also I clean and white the chair down after every use. The chair has a great tray but now that Otis is older, we love that we can push this highchair to the table to have him really be part of each meal and eat together.

3. lollaland lollacup: We use this cup as a water cup for all of Otis’ meals. What I love about it is the handle detaches and the straw is made up of 2 very easy to clean pieces. I love the handles since he often tends to throw his water cup around at meal time so the handle portion makes it stable on the table. You can also use the cup without the handles too. It does leak a little bit out of the straw when it’s thrown off the table, but the spillage is not bad at all.

4. gathre bib: I love how easy this bib is to just scrub in the sink. The snaps are pretty sturdy so he can’t rip it off.

5. ezpz happy mat placemat: This is one of my favorite things. I often get asked how well this mat stays on the table. I will be honest, Otis can rip any plate off. Any plate. That being said, this was been my favorite for him because of its massive footprint, it’s harder for him to peel it off so it buys me some more time before he throws it all onto the floor. Sticks well for us and love that it keeps more mess off the table. It does take up alot of room storage wise but it’s basically always in our drying rack since we use it for every meal. Also it’s dishwasher friendly which is a big plus!

6. oxo tot transitions straw cup: This has been our favorite cup for Otis’ milk. Sometimes he has milk with his meals now that he is getting older and we use this cup. I tried a bunch and I love this one because the straw itself is VERY easy to clean. It’s essential. Also you can add a handle if need be or use it without. They spill a little bit for me when thrown but not a ton. So it’s not spill-proof but pretty decent.

7. contigo kids water bottle: I picked these up and they have been easy to use for Otis. I took him to the store and made sure he was able to push the button to release the straw and he had no problems. I like being able to see how much water is in the bottle and these were the most simple patterned ones I could find.

8. inglesina fast table chair: This is one of our favorite travel highchairs. It easily clips onto most tables or bars. We brought this to restaurants when Otis was too small for the ones they provide there. I also love to bring this to a friends house so that we can clip it onto the dining room table and have dinner together. For our everyday, we have it clipped onto our kitchen island for when I need to give Otis a quick snack in the kitchen and unload the dishwasher or clean up a little.

9. hiccapop omniboost travel booster seat with tray: This has been a gem and such a great creative solution for a highchair on the go inside and outside. We have used it in hotels (pictured above) and also bring it to parks, the beach etc when we want to sit Otis down and have a snack. It has an amazing little tray that attaches to the seat so it creates a nice little on the go environment. It’s so tiny and we just keep it in our car so in a pinch we have it with us to use.

10. Contigo Spill-Proof Kids Tumbler with Straw: These have been a favorite water cup and live up to their spill-proof name. For the most part, when tipped over it truly is spill-proof. Of course when it get’s really hot, I have noticed the water will bubble up the straw and spill out. But we love it and have a few. Also love that I can see the liquid level and the straws are super easy to clean in just 2 pieces.

11. contigo 13oz stainless steel kids autospout water bottle: This is similar to the clear water bottles but this is a good insulated version to bring to the park with us.

12. bapron bib: I LOVE these bibs because Otis can not rip them off. You put their arms through and tie behind their back so they really can’t take it off. These are machine washable which are amazing. I will say I wasn’t diligent washing them enough and really scrubbing after every meal and they can get a little smelly. So make sure to remember to give them a machine wash to keep them from getting smelly.

13. ezpz mini mat: This is the smaller version of the bigger mat we have. I have a few of these and I bring them to restaurants or use them when I don’t need my big mat. Super easy to clean and also dishwasher friendly.

14. skiphop zoo insulated food jar: I love to use this insulated jar for cold or hot foods from home on the go. I mostly use for cold foods and use it to stow cut up fruit etc.

15. munchkin snack catcher cup: Otis loves his snacks and I have a million snack cups. This is one of my favorites.

16. skiphop zoo snack cup: Another favorite snack cup because the animal designs are adorable and the lid is attached which makes for less food spilling all over the place.

As a reminder I have discount code for the Feeding Littles feeding courses which I bought and used for Otis. I can not say enough good things about them. They are such an incredible resource for feeding ideas and tips especially for Toddlers. They were kind enough to offer $10 off either course with code: EATSLEEPWEAR since I blab on and on about them constantly

It was such a valuable resource for us personally (and continues to be) and I am sure that it’s what has helped us nurture the adventurous little eater Otis is today.

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kurtwarren54 · 5 years ago

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Toddler Feeding Essentials: 18 months

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Toddler Feeding Essentials: 18 months

4. gathre bib: I love how easy this bib is to just scrub in the sink. The snaps are pretty sturdy so he can’t rip it off.

11. contigo 13oz stainless steel kids autospout water bottle: This is similar to the clear water bottles but this is a good insulated version to bring to the park with us.

14. skiphop zoo insulated food jar: I love to use this insulated jar for cold or hot foods from home on the go. I mostly use for cold foods and use it to stow cut up fruit etc.

15. munchkin snack catcher cup: Otis loves his snacks and I have a million snack cups. This is one of my favorites.

16. skiphop zoo snack cup: Another favorite snack cup because the animal designs are adorable and the lid is attached which makes for less food spilling all over the place.

It was such a valuable resource for us personally (and continues to be) and I am sure that it’s what has helped us nurture the adventurous little eater Otis is today.

Turn on your JavaScript to view content

The post Toddler Feeding Essentials: 18 months appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides.

from Wellness https://www.eatsleepwear.com/2020/02/18/toddler-feeding-essentials-18-months/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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lululawlawlu-writes · 8 years ago

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Você Fala Inglês? (Do You Speak English)?

pairing: LuLaw unrated unbeta’d (I’m not so good at Portuguese so if I have some mistake, I’d be thankful to find it. I just love the thought of Brazilian Luffy!)

This based in part on kaizokunohime’s story idea which I’m linking because of spoilers! Without @kaizokunohime‘s idea, I’d still be stuck for a resolution- go check out her amazing ideas!

… … … … …

When Luffy took the waiting job at the restaurant of the Rio De Janeiro Grand Hotel, he knew he’d be encountering a wide variety of people on a daily basis. It was one of the finest hotels in the Brazilian capital after all, drawing thousands of Brazilians as well as tourists and businesspeople from all over the world. One of the only things that all these people seemed to have in common was that they all seemed fairly refined and well-to-do, which is why the customer who sat sipping his morning coffee on the patio of the restaurant stood out in such noticeable contrast to the typical, immaculately-clothed, gold, and diamond-wearing guests.

This man’s rectangular reading glasses and well-trimmed goatee gave him the air of a university student. However, his apparent affinity for spotted clothing and the numerous tattoos that decorated his tan skin in perfect symmetry attracted the stares of not only the restaurant staff, but also the guests of the hotel’s typical variety. Whispered speculation of this man’s unorthodox upbringing and possible criminal ties filtered through the air of the restaurant around him. Nonetheless, this man didn’t at all seem to notice the attention he was drawing from others. He sat calmly outside, in his patio seat, a book splayed open with one hand as the lettered fingers of his other hand gripped the handle of his coffee cup.

“Acha que ele é do Rio? (You think he’s from Rio?)” Luffy ventured a guess.

Usopp leaned over the sill of the window that separated the kitchen from the dining room to get a better look. “É possível (It’s possible),” Usopp mused.

“Aposto 50 real que o cara tatuado é um estrangeiro (I’ll bet 50 real that the tattooed guy is a foreigner),” Nami challenged. She loaded dishes of fruits shaped into miniature sculptures and fresh, warm French rolls onto a tray. “Ei, Sanji, cê esqueceu a manteiga (Hey, Sanji, you forgot the butter).”

“Sorry my dear, I was just distracted by your beauty,” Sanji gushed, replying in English as he passed her a small dish containing a pat of butter that had been expertly molded into the shape of a rose. “I would have to agree with my dear Nami,” he added. “That guy is a foreigner.”

“Vou perguntar a ele (I’ll go ask him).” Luffy snatched up an insulated pitcher of coffee and made for the patio. His heart raced excitedly as he crossed the floor to where the man sat.

“Mais café? (More coffee?),” Luffy asked, congenially, scripted.

The tattooed man held out his cup to let Luffy pour him some more of the rich beverage without taking his eyes away from his book.

“Você está gostando seu café da manhã? (Are you enjoying your breakfast?)” Luffy smiled accommodatingly.

No reply.

“Posso pegar algum pão para você? (Could I get you some bread?)” he tried.

Still nothing.

“Alguém ja lhe disse que você é bonito? (Has anyone ever told you that you’re handsome?)” Luffy asked boldly.

The man still gave no indication that he was listening. Maybe he was a foreigner after all.

Luffy decided to try one last time. “Eu não sou um pirata mas acabei de encontrar um tesouro (I’m not a pirate, but I think I’ve just found a treasure,” he flirted.

The man let out a sigh as he removed his reading glasses. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, agitatedly confessing, “Look, I have no idea what you’re saying. Do you possibly know any English?” His golden eyes met Luffy’s own, unabashedly holding his gaze.

“Of course!” Luffy chirped. It was only part of his job to know enough English to help customers when the need arose. “I just was asking if there is anything I can do for helping you,” he explained with a wide smile.

“I’m good on food, but could you help me figure out how to get to the Museum of Tomorrow?” he asked, gesturing to a picture in his book.

“Oh yeah, it’s… hmm… well, it would be easier if I showed you.”

“You mean want to take me there?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“Well, I guess that would be okay. When do you finish work?”

“In two hours, but if you wait for me, I’ll take you anywhere you want. I even know this barbecue place that serves these huge pieces of meat. You gotta try it!” Luffy gestured excitedly.

A smirk played at the corner of the man’s lips. “Should a waiter at a restaurant really be advertising other places?”

“I don’t even care! It’s that good!” Luffy emphasized.

“Oh yeah, I never introduced myself. I’m Luffy. Prazer em conhecer voce (pleased to meet you),” the young waiter beamed, gesturing to the name tag pinned to his chest which identified him in black lettering on a gold background.

“Eu... sou Law Trafalgar,” the man tried introducing himself, “and that’s all the Portuguese I know. Like I said before I have no idea.”

“It’s alright, I’ll take care of you, Traf- Toraf- Torao,” Luffy smiled.

“Alright then, you want to meet me in the hotel lobby when your shift is over?” Law offered.

“On second thought-,” Luffy set down the coffee pitcher on Law’s table, “I’m ready to go now if you are.” He tugged his apron off and shed it on the table with his vest.

Law raised an eyebrow. “Well, if you’re sure about this,” he shrugged.

“Yeah, let’s go!”

“Luffy esta saindo com aquele cara (Is Luffy leaving with that guy)?” Usopp spoke in disbelief, pointing across the room to where Luffy was now hopping over the short, potted bushes that separated the hotel patio from the street beyond.

“What!?” Nami and Sanji cried in unison, turning to watch as Luffy tugged Law by the hand, encouraging him to step over the bushes, pulling him onto the sidewalk by the street.

#brazilian luffy #lulaw #lawlu #trafalgar law #luffy #One Piece Fanfiction

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ralphmorgan-blog1 · 7 years ago

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‘Childhood treasure trove’ found in attic

Image caption The discovery was made when contractors were insulating the attic of a family home

The strangest things can turn up in the hidden places of our houses.

Very rarely, it'll be something to take to the Antiques Roadshow. Or to the police.

Most of the time, the find is meaningless - a box of clothes outgrown by an unknown person; forgotten fragments of other lives.

But, Brian McCart's discovery was different.

Contractors were insulating the roof space of his home in Dundonald, on the outskirts of Belfast, when they found it.

'This Subbuteo Team is Linfield...nearly'

A dusty old box, stuffed in an obscure corner of the loft, filled to the brim with sets of Subbuteo teams from the 1980s.

Image caption A collector's dream - several of the Subbuteo teams were still in their original boxes

"All we keep up there is Christmas decorations. A suitcase. It was basically hidden in a corner," he said.

The sets bore the unmistakeable hallmarks of a childhood obsession - some were in pristine condition, others well-worn with hours of play.

How has Subbuteo survived?

Subbuteo: In the box

Aston Villa, Watford, Southampton - they were all there. So, too, was an England team apparently dating from the Italia '90 era, with one player missing (perhaps Stuart Pearce or Chris Waddle went out the window after those penalty misses).

A Leeds team in a plastic bag, no box, had fared less well.

'Pristine condition'

But, best of all, there was one generic team in blue in a standard "Subbuteo Team" box.

Extra words had been stencilled on the front. They read: "This Subbuteo Team is Linfield nearly."

Image caption Linfield... well, almost. Was the Irish League club immortalised in plastic?

For Brian, it was like crashing back in time to his own childhood.

"It was crazy," he said. "I had Subbuteo when I was younger too, and used to play it with my brother. We had red and blue teams and used to play them as Glenavon and Portadown.

"We did the exact same thing as this kid did, only maybe a decade later."

'Chucked out'

Brian even reckoned he had the same England Italia '90 team as the one found in his loft - although his collection was long gone.

"My mum chucked it out but I wish I still had it - we've been picking up old toys and board games for our daughter."

Image caption New father Brian McCart wants to share his childhood memories with his daughter

The discovery has left Brian wondering about the young Linfield fan who owned this lost Subbuteo stash? And would they remember hiding it away and never returning to it?

It's easy to forget now just how massive Subbuteo was.

Sponsored by AMA News

This article was searched, compiled, delivered and presented using RSS Masher & TrendingTraffic

=>>

‘Childhood treasure trove’ found in attic was originally posted by A 18 MOA Top News from around

#A 18 MOA Top News from around

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alforhome5-blog · 4 years ago

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Sell Home - Five Feng Shui Mistakes To Avoid

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Choosing the perfect lot is simply as crucial as selecting the best home plan and your furniture. Your yard is an extension of home and you'll then enjoy land with room to grow pretty plants where should sit outside and take advantage of the scenery with friends. Way of life will determine the ideal plot of land for your special dream home. You may want a neighborhood on a lake strolling home near a training center. There are so many decisions in order to create it allows you to find a professional builder to offer advice and guidance on the way.

https://alforhome.com/

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sherman-farm · 5 years ago

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Hi @ask-ravenridge-farm!!! I was your Secret Santa this year and wrote you a little fic! I really hope you enjoy, and happy holidays!!!

~*~*~

“Morri! Morri, wake up!”

Morrigan sat up straight in bed, spitting a hank of red hair out of her mouth. Someone was pounding on her front door, frantic and loud.

Wind whistled through the cracks in the wall around the window; she grimaced at the frigid temperature in the room. Something else to fix, she supposed. But for the moment, she needed to figure out who was so urgently requesting her attention at – she glanced at the alarm clock on her side table – 5:50 in the morning.

Morri yawned and stretched as she made her way to the front door and undid the lock. The hammering never stopped, right up until she yanked the door open and nearly got a fist to the face for her troubles. She managed to dodge out of the way just in time.

Two people stood on her front porch, bundled up against the winter’s chill. One brushed purple hair out of her eyes, giving the other person a disapproving glare. He was the frantic caller, with usually spiky blonde hair flattened beneath a grayish toque.

“Good morning,” Morri said. “And why are you awake so early in the morning?”

“You gotta help me out,” Sam said, trying to rake a hand through his hair and failing due to the hat. “I really messed up and I need your help.”

She felt an eyebrow quirk up. This was unexpected. “Come inside, before you let all the hot air out,” she instructed, stepping aside to allow them entrance.

Morri took a few minutes to dress properly while the two thawed out by the brick fireplace. Once she was bundled up in an oversized sweater, her favorite red skirt with suspenders, and insulated leggings, she put a kettle on the stove to boil water for her morning drink while she figured out what Sam had gotten himself into this time.

He didn’t look much better in the warmth, still looking beyond worried as he paced in front of the fire. Abigail watched him silently, seated in the only comfy chair Morri owned.

“All right,” Morri said, stopping him mid-step. “Talk. What’s wrong?”

Sam darted a glance over at the calendar on the wall between the fireplace and the window. Morri followed his gaze; it was late in the year, only a few short days left before the Feast of the Winter Star and the new year. In fact, it was the 23rd. One full day before the Feast, which suggested…

“I forgot about the secret gift exchange,” Sam said all in a rush. “My secret gift… person is Emily, and I know she gets cloth and stuff every year, so I wanted to get her a gemstone or something instead. Except I have no money and haven’t been into the mines before. So…”

He trailed off, and Morri let out a sigh. “You want to go into the mines, and you want me to go with you.”

“Not just you! Abby and Seb said they’d go too!” Sam made a grand gesture, complete with jazz hands, towards Abigail. She waved with a laugh.

The tea kettle started to whistle; Morri put her morning cup on to brew and considered the situation. “You know it’s dangerous down there, right?” she said.

“That’s why I wanted to ask you to go with us! The more the safer, right?” Sam beamed at her, looking for all the world like a golden retriever.

Morri caught Abigail’s eye over Sam’s shoulder. The other young woman shrugged one shoulder and shook her head a little.

“And does Sebastian know he’s been drafted for this adventure?” she asked.

“Yeah, he does.” Abigail finally spoke up, unmoving from her spot by the fire. “He said it was up to you, but he wouldn’t go if you didn’t.”

So he’d just put all the pressure of the final decision on her shoulders. Great. Fantastic.

Well… it wasn’t like she had much else to do that day.

Morri let out a sigh. “Give me half an hour to eat something and prep, and we’ll go meet up with Seb at the mine entrance.”

Sam’s whoop of glee almost made braving the chill outside and the danger of the mines worth it.

~*~*~

Sebastian, true to his word, met them at the entrance to the mines. He was smoking, Morri thought at a distance, but realized as they drew closer that it was just puffs of his breath in the air. He pushed off the stone wall and ducked into the cavern before they reached him, leaving the three of them to face the shadowy entrance alone.

“It’s not too late to change your mind,” Morri said as they stopped at the arch carved into the cliffside. “You can always get her something different…:

But she could see by the set of Sam’s jaw that it was a lost cause. “Let’s do this,” he said, hefting the sword she’d lent him in both hands, and stepped through the entrance.

Abigail shrugged again when she looked over to the side. “I tried to talk him out of it last night,” she said. “He seemed pretty set on it.”

“Are you ready for this? It’ll be a lot different than practicing in town,” Morri warned.

“I can handle it.” She gave a resolute nod and tightened her grip on the sword hilt at her hip. “Let’s do this.”

She walked into the mines. Morri brought up the rear.

“About time.” Sebastian’s voice loomed out of the darkness as their eyes adjusted from the gently-falling snow outside to the near pitch-black interior. “Started to think you weren’t coming after all.”

“Never rush a lady,” Abigail said primly, belied immediately by the snort of laughter from her general direction.

Morri unstrapped the second sword from her pack, offering it to the general area. “Sebastian, here,” she said. “Can’t go down there without some form of protection.”

Hands brushed hers as the sword was tugged gently from her grasp. “Thanks,” Sebastian said, and she could see well enough in the low light levels by that point to see a shadow of a smile on his face.

“So what gem were you thinking, Sam?” Abigail asked as she spun her sword in a few fancy swirls and spins.

He frowned. “I… guess I hadn’t really thought about it. Uh… she likes rubies? And emeralds? I think?”

“Specific,” Morri muttered as she checked her sword over for nicks and scratches. Sebastian snorted beside her.

“Morri? You’re the one who goes mining all the time.” Sam turned to her with a look akin to a deer staring into oncoming headlights.

She let out a weary sigh and racked her brain for whatever knowledge she had of the mines. “Our best bet would probably be amethyst. That’s pretty common on higher floors. Less danger.”

“But-“

Abigail elbowed Sam in the side, giving him a sharp raised eyebrow as she did so. He wilted a little, sword point dragging on the dirty ground. “All right.”

So the four of them bundled into the elevator and dropped down to the 10th floor, where Morri decided they’d probably stand a decent chance of both finding an amethyst and surviving any encounters with monsters. The bell chimed as they arrived; they offloaded in a rush, crowding around the ladder to the next floor.

“Ladies first?” Sam asked, voice a little higher pitched than normal.

Abigail and Morri exchanged a Look. “Fine,” Morri said, and clambered down the rungs to level 11.

It wasn’t too bad that day, luckily; a few slimes made the odd gloopy noises she’d come to recognize in the distance. A grub hid nearby under some weeds. She swung her sword at it a few times before it could transform into those annoying flies that loved to harass her. By the time it was dead, the rest of her impromptu adventuring party had descended into the depths with her.

“Look for loose rocks on the floor,” she instructed. “Sam, take this.” She unstrapped her pick from her pack and offered it to him, trying to keep her head on a swivel as she looked for any approaching monsters. “And please hurry.”

He got to work as the other three guarded him, defending against any incoming slimes and bugs that may pass by. Maybe her luck was bad that day, or time just felt like it was dragging. Either way, it felt like it was taking forever for Sam to find anything besides rocks.

Finally, just as Morri swung hard with her dark obsidian blade and cleaved a slime clean in two, Sam let out a triumphant shout. “Got it!” he yelled, waving it wildly over his head as he jumped up and down.

“Great!” she said with a relieved grin, which quickly dropped as she heard the weird noises that signaled yet another slime’s approach. “Let’s get out of here!”

~*~*~

They retreated back to Morri’s house, where she doled out mugs of hot cocoa as they warmed up from the brisk walk back. “So you got what you were looking for?” Sebastian asked, sipping from his mug and making no sign of discomfort at the hot drink.

“Yep!” Sam raised his prize into the air. “Come see!”

So the other three crowded around. It turned out he’d found a geode, filled with purple crystals inside. All three ‘ooh’d and ‘aah’d over it appropriately, before he stowed it back in his pocket.

“Don’t wanna lose it,” he said. “We just went to all that trouble to find it!”

“Finally, some common sense,” Morri heard Sebastian mutter into her mug of cocoa and had to stifle a snort. He glanced at her with a sliver of a smirk on his lips.

They sat and traded stories of Feasts past until the sun began to go down. Only then did Abigail start and stand up. “I should get home,” she said. “It’s later than I thought. Plus dinner’s probably over already and I’m starving.”

“Smart,” Morri said, who hadn’t even considered she hadn’t had dinner until the other said something. “I’ll do the same here. You all good to walk home?” It was mostly directed at Sebastian, since he lived up on the mountain and it was treacherous enough in the light, let alone the dark and cold.

“We’ll be fine,” Sam reassured her with a grin. Sebastian just nodded a little, already moving to pull on his black (big surprise there) coat and scarf. “Hey, we’ll see you at the Feast!”

“See you then,” she said as she ushered them out the door. She waved until she was sure they were on their way; then she retreated inside and locked the door behind her. Dinner was calling her name.

~*~*~

Morri rubbed her arms against the chill, wishing for a mug of hot cider as she admired the Winter Star decorations scattered around the square. She had to give it to the tiny town: they definitely went all out on the celebration. She herself had dressed up for the occasion: that same red skirt she favored and a green sweater, bedecked with silver trimmings and decorations that formed bells, strings of lights, and stars. Her hair was tucked up in a braided bun, a few loose tendrils around her face. She turned in a slow circle, admiring the twinkling lights hanging in the square, strung between the light poles.

A chilly breeze swept through the square, bringing with it the scent of sweets and savories alike. There were pies and cakes and cookies weighing down one of the feast tables, while another bore enough food to feed the entire village with plates left over. Her mouth watered at the sight. She’d already done her duty as gift-giver and handed over a bottle of Ravenridge’s finest wine to Leah; there was nothing stopping her from paying the table a visit.

She wasn’t the only one drawn in by the siren scent of the food; she bumped into Shane as she reached for a plate. “Hey,” he muttered, quiet below the laughter and cheer that filled the air around them.

“Hey,” she said in kind, scooping a pile of mashed potatoes onto her plate. “Happy Winter Star.”

“Same to you.”

He trailed after her in the line, both filling their plate with an assortment of goodies baked and cooked by the town. It was only at the end of the line, before they split to go their separate ways, that he grunted as if in surprise or recognition and gestured her to follow him.

Marnie smiled at them both as they approached one of the tables, but she was deep in conversation with Robin and Jas was nowhere to be seen, so Morri just smiled briefly back. Shane deposited his plate at his place setting and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Uh, I was your secret gift giver this year,” he said.

Morri started; it had almost completely slipped her mind that she would also be receiving a gift from someone. “Oh, really?” she said, nearly facepalming at the reply.

“And I didn’t know what to get you, but someone said you liked pepper poppers, so…” And Shane produced a plate of pepper poppers from the seat beside his.

She could tell her eyes had gone big at the sight of the food. He laughed a little. “I guess that was a good idea?”

“An excellent one. GImme,” she said, reaching for the plate with her free hand. “I gotta try this.”

“Marnie helped,” he said as she took a bite. “Homemade. I hope they’re good.”

She paused, savoring the flavors for a long moment. “These are great,” she told him vehemently. “You did a fantastic job.”

His uncertain smile faded into something more real; his shoulders relaxed. “Good. That’s… good.”

There was a shriek of glee from across the square; Morri looked up from her gift with mild alarm. Emily had thrown her arms around Sam in a tight hug, clutching her geode in one fist. “Thank you!” she yelled, then repeated it a few more times for good measure. “I love it!”

Morri caught both Sebastian and Abigail’s eyes briefly. She gave them a little satisfied smile, then took another bite of her pepper poppers.

Regardless of everyone else, she felt this Feast of the Winter Star had gone well – very well indeed.

( @stardewevents )

#stardewinter19 #stardew secret santa #stardew valley #stardew events

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ssteezyy · 6 years ago

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The Conscious Cat 2018 Holiday Gift Guide

This Holiday Gift Guide is sponsored by participating vendors and contains affiliate links.

Welcome to The Conscious Cat 2018 Holiday Gift Guide – your one stop shopping solution for all the cats and cat lovers on your holiday gift list! This year’s guide features only the best products for cats and cat lovers on the market. And even better: many of the companies featured are offering exclusive discounts to Conscious Cat readers!

You’ll find gifts ranging from cat furniture to toys to art to products for your home as well as some gift ideas you may not have thought of. I can guarantee you that you’ll find something to delight every kitty and every cat lover in your life. And by buying these products, you’ll not only get some really wonderful gifts, you’ll also support small businesses, many of them run out of the owners’ homes.

So grab a cup of your favorite holiday beverage, and sit back and enjoy browsing our Holiday Gift Guide. To go to a specific category, simply click on that link.

The guide is best browsed with a cat or two on your lap.

FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, which means that the businesses featured in this post paid me an advertising fee. Regardless of payment received, you will never see products or services featured on this site that I don’t either use or would use myself.

Cat Accessories, Furniture and Toys

Meowfia Cat Caves Sleepypod Air Pet Carrier Catio Spaces Primetime Petz Lounge Dezi & Roo Hauspanther Jackson Galaxy Comfy Donut Cat Bed Bruno and Boop Cat Baskets Algonquin Folding Cat Tree Space Kitty Express Toys

Cat Art and Gifts

Triple T Studios Custom Water Color Portraits 2019 Texts from Mittens Calendar 2019 Conscious Cat Wall Calendar

Home, Food and Health

Zen Clippers The Honest Kitchen SureFlap Microchip Pet Feeder SureFlap Microchip Pet Door NVR Miss Litter Box Pee Free

Books

Personalized copies of Buckley’s Story, Purrs of Wisdom and Tortitude

Cat Accessories, Furniture and Toys

Meowfia Cat Caves

Give your cat the gift of premium comfort with a Merino wool cat cave from Meowfia. Each cat cave is carefully handcrafted from 100% all-natural wool by artisans in Nepal. Using an ancient fabrication technique called felting, every cat bed is individually molded using only soap, water, and pressure. Completely free from harsh chemicals and synthetics. Safe for your cat, your family and our world.

For more information and to purchase, visit Meowfia on Amazon

Sleepypod Air

Have bed will travel. The multi-functional Sleepypod Air helps to mitigate fear and anxiety when traveling because Ultra Plush bedding encourages use as a cozy napping spot to aid in acclimation to this soft-sided carrier. When ready to travel, your kitty will feel at ease in a familiar space. At the travel destination, Sleepypod Air is a comfortable and familiar bed away from home. This innovative carrier can be used for in-cabin air travel and as a crash-tested car seat. For added versatility, Sleepypod Air folds flat for easy storage, has a trolley pocket to attach to telescopic luggage handles, and pockets to stow necessary travel items. An optional Warmer Kit helps to soothe pets with warmth at home and on the road. Sleepypod Air is a Fear Free Preferred Product. Available in seven colors.

Read our review here. For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.sleepypod.com

Sleepypod Go Bag

The Sleepypod Go Bag is built for pet travel, but clever enough for human travel. Easily organize pet essentials (and yours) with this go anywhere bag that’s practical yet stylish. A tapered profile makes it comfortable for cross-body carrying, while the streamlined grab handle amplifies on-the-go convenience. Travel is made easier by two mini packing cubes and an insulated food pouch. Thoughtful features include gusseted side pockets, a structured design and flat base for stability, exterior utility ring for hanging a leash/flashlight, interior lanyard for keys, and a large padded pocket for separating documents or cradling a tablet/computer. Available in four colors.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.sleepypod.com

DIY Catio Plan by Catio Spaces

Give the gift of a DIY Catio Plan for your cat or the cat lover in your life! Gift Certificates are available for $49.95 and the recipient can choose from four catio designs for a window, deck, patio or yard. Catio Spaces’ award-winning DIY Plans take the guesswork out of building a catio. Each plan includes a materials list, tool list, step-by-step instructions and diagrams for a successful project. Keep your cat safe, healthy and happy while enjoying the enrichment of the outdoors. Catio Spaces’ DIY Catio Plans were chosen as one of the 10 Best Cat Products of 2017 by The Conscious Cat. Life is good in a catio!

For more information and to purchase, visit: https://catiospaces.com/catios-cat-enclosures/diy-plans/gift-certificates/

Catio Spaces will donate 10% of each gift certificate purchased by Conscious Cat readers to an animal welfare organization. Enter code CC18 at checkout. Offer expires December 31, 2018.

Primetime Petz Lounge

The new Primetime Petz Lounge offers a spacious raised lounging surface, perfect for cats or small dogs. A reversible fabric hammock easily attaches to the sturdy wood frame creating a suspended bed that molds to your pet’s body shape. The lounge is easy to assemble and easy to keep clean with a sleek modern look. Lounge surface measures 21” x 21”. Suitable for cats or small dogs up to 20 lbs. Hammock can be machine washed and dried.

The Primetime Petz Lounge is available from Amazon.

Dezi & Roo Cat Wiggly Balls

These fun Wiggly Ball toys from Dezi & Roo mimic live prey thanks to fuzzy tails that wiggle and curl and balls that bounce, rattle and roll, providing your cat with a simple but highly addictive playtime toy. Cats LOVE to play with them and owners LOVE how they help keep their furry friends active, engaged and entertained. Purrfect for cats of all ages!

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.deziroo.com

Hauspanther Scratch Pole

The Hauspanther Scratch Pole from Primetime Petz is a sleek and sturdy cat scratching post that takes up minimal space in your home. Easily adjusts to fit under most tables taking advantage of unused space. Non-slip pads on top and bottom hold the scratcher in place and prevent damage to floors. Natural seagrass rope withstands repeated scratching. A matching seagrass toy entices kitty to play and scratch!

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.hauspanther.com

Hauspanther MaxScratch Oversized Cat Scratching Post and Perch

The Hauspanther MaxScratch from Primetime Petz offers cats and kittens a sizeable scratching post for climbing, clawing and perching. This oversized cat scratcher is wrapped with natural jute rope, creating a durable and attractive scratching surface. A sturdy base keeps the post from tipping over and the built-in perch on top gives kitty the perfect lookout spot. BONUS FEATURE: The scratching column can be flipped over for extended use! Simply remove the top and the base, flip the column over and reassemble. If your cat scratches in just one place on the column, no problem! Simply flip it over and let kitty keep scratching!

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.hauspanther.com

Hauspanther NestEgg and Tripod Cat Lounges

We all know that cats love to sit in sinks, so the Hauspanther NestEgg and TriPod Cat Lounges by Primtime Petz were designed to create the same feeling. A clear plastic lounge pod makes the perfect place for kitty to curl up and metal hairpin legs give both lounges a sleek mid-century modern look. The NestEgg also doubles as a side table! The plastic pod can accommodate a variety of other uses including toy storage, cat grass planter, beverage server, ice bucket, or candy dish.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.hauspanther.com

Jackson Galaxy Comfy Donut Cat Bed

This is the softest cat bed I’ve ever seen. Allegra and Ruby absolutely adore this bed (which is why I had to get a second one!) . The super soft surface and the overstuffed bolster are made from fluffy, flush cotton that is so soft to the touch, I just wanted to lie down and curl up in it myself. Did I mention this bed is really, really soft? The bed has a non-skid bottom so it won’t slide around on tile or hardwood floors. The entire bed is machine washable.

The Jackson Galaxy Donut Cat Bed is available from Petmate.

Exclusive 20% discount for Conscious Cat readers: Use code HAPPYCAT at checkout. Discount never expires and is good on all Petmate products.

Bruno and Boop Handmade Cat Baskets

These adorable cat baskets are custom made for cats of all shapes and sizes, so no two will ever be alike. They are made from an assortment of t-shirt and fabric yarns. The result is a basket cats can dig their nails into and make biscuits and the best part? No shredding left behind! The baskets measure 19 inches long, 6 inches tall and 6 inches wide, when flattened by kitty, they measure 15 x 16 inches. The baskets are washable and are available in a huge variety of primary and secondary colors.

For more information and to purchase, visit the Bruno and Boop’s Etsy Shop

Algonquin Folding Cat Tree

Generously sized at 60 inches high, this multi-level cat tree is made from wood and features carpeted platforms. What I absolutely love about it is the versatility it offers. Not only does it blend easily with any decorating style, but the fact that it’s easily movable makes this an awesome catification item.

For more information and to purchase, visit Wayfair.com

Space Kitty Express Toys

For cats who either don’t respond to catnip, or cats who would like an alternative to catnip, Space Kitty Express offers adorable toys filled with lemongrass, honeysuckle, silver vine, and valerian root.

For more information and to purchase, visit the SpaceKitty Express Etsy shop

Exclusive 10% discount for Conscious Cat readers: use code CONSCIOUSCAT at checkout. Discount never expires.

Cat Art and Gifts

Triple T Studios

Triple T Studios’ designs are inspired by cats for stylish women who embrace Feline Finesse® and shun the “Crazy Cat Lady” stigma. New this season: Cat Snap Cardigan, Gloves, Black Gold Jewelry. Triple T Studios supports global big cat conservation including Lion Guardians, Cheetah Conservation Fund, Wildcat Haven, Panthera’s Tigers Forever.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.triple-t-studios.com.

Exclusive 20% discount for Conscious Cat readers: use code ConsciousCat20. Code never expires.

Custom Water Color Portraits by Jessica Lindell

Custom portraits are a wonderful way to celebrate a special cat, or preserve the memory of a cat no longer with us. Jessica Lindell’s water color portraits capture emotion and personality in vibrant colors. Allow approximately four weeks for delivery from the time you order.

For more information and to purchase, visit https://www.aquilawatercolor.com/p/custom-pet-portraits

Exclusive 10% discount for Conscious Cat readers: use code CATLOVE10 at checkout. Code never expires.

Texts from Mittens the Cat 2019 Day-to-Day Calendar

Like the popular blog and book of the same name, the Texts from Mittens 2019 Day-to-Day Calendar illustrates the kind of conversations humans and cats would have if cats had smart phones and could text us what they were thinking. The full-color pages feature imaginary, humorous, yet candid conversations between “Mitty,” a self-absorbed, dog-hating, overanxious housecat, and his beloved owner.

The 2019 Texts from Mittens calendar is available from Amazon.

2019 Conscious Cat Wall Calendar

It’s back by popular demand: The 2019 Conscious Cat Wall Calendar is now available for purchase! Allegra and Ruby spent hours picking out just the right photos, and they made sure that they received equal representation. To my knowledge, this is still the only calendar on the market that exclusively features tortoiseshell cats. Click here for more information and to purchase.

Home, Food and Health

Zen Clippers

Keeping your cat’s nails trimmed is an important part of keeping them healthy, while protecting your furniture and yourself. Trimmed nails are also less likely to catch on rugs and carpets, which can lead to a painful broken claw. Nail trimming is dreaded by many cat owners, who resort to expensive visits to the vet or groomer. Zen Clipper makes nail trimming at home easy and fool-proof. Zen Clipper ensures only the tip fits into the specially designed blade, ensuring you will clip the tip while avoiding the quick. There are seven sizes of Zen Clipper, most adults cats use Zen Clipper #2 (medium). If in doubt as to which size you need, Zen Clipper will be happy to mail you a free sizing card. 100% money-back guarantee and free exchanges if you need a different size than purchased.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.zenclipper.com.

The Honest Kitchen Wishes Pet Treats

A treat both dogs and cats agree on—wishes do come true! And these treats are as true as they come—their only ingredient is high-protein, omega-3 rich, wild caught fish. These filets are light, crispy, and perfectly snappable to make smaller morsels for smaller mouths.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.thehonestkitchen.com

SureFlap Microchip Pet Feeder

The Microchip Pet Feeder is ideal for multi-pet households to prevent greedy pets from becoming overweight and to that the right food is consumed by the right pet. The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder only opens for a registered pet’s veterinary implanted microchip or RFID collar tag to prevent pets stealing each others’ food. The lid of the feeder not only stops pet’s stealing food, but when closed the sealed bowl keeps food fresher for longer.

Exclusive 20% discount code for Conscious Cat readers: Use code ConsciousCat20. Discount valid through January 31, 2019.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.surepetcare.com

Microchip Pet Door Connect and Hub

The Microchip Pet Door Connect lets you to stay connected to your pet from anywhere. Combined with the SureFlap Hub (required – sold separately) and Sure Pet care app you can lock the door remotely, receive notifications on your pet’s movements and monitor changes in their activity over time. The Pet Door Connect is suitable for cats and small dogs and uses your pet’s existing microchip as an electronic door key, keeping out unwanted intruder animals. The Sure Pet care app lets you know when your pet enters or leaves the house and sends a notification when an intruder has tried to get in.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.surepetcare.com

NVR Miss LitterBox™

Cat people know! You can find the NVR Miss Litterbox™ on duty at cat rescues and shelters, cat boarding facilities, cat breeder and exhibitor kennels, veterinarian clinics., and in homes around the world. Cat experts prefer that their cats use the NVR Miss Litterbox™. It has proven itself to be the best solution for vexing litter box issues and a great value.

The NVR Miss has been our only litter box since we first found it in 2011. Read our review here. For more information and to purchase, please visit http://www.nvrmiss.com

Live PeeFree® Odor Eliminator

LivePeeFree® products are safe for pets, kids, adults and the environment because they use no harmful chemicals, enzymes, fragrances, encapsulators or surfactants. The are 5x more effective than other products, so the odor won’t come back! Spray Live Pee Free®! On any surface to remove urine odors and spray it lightly above your litter box to control odors.

For more information and to purchase, visit http://www.livepeefree.com

Books

Personalized Copies of Buckley’s Story, Purrs of Wisdom, and Tortitude

Personalized and autographed books make wonderful holiday gifts, and I’d be happy to gift wrap and ship directly to the recipient for you. To order personalized, autographed copies of my books, please contact me via email.

FTC Disclosure: This gift guide is sponsored by the participating vendors, which means that the businesses featured in this post paid me an advertising fee. Regardless of payment received, you will never see products or services featured on this site that I don’t either use or would use myself. Some of the links in this gift guide are affiliate links, which means if you purchase something by clicking through on one of these links, we will receive a small commission.

The post The Conscious Cat 2018 Holiday Gift Guide appeared first on The Conscious Cat.

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happy2bmyownboss · 7 years ago

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I am so happy with the progress we have made this week. The whole family has been chipping in with tasks, working together, and surprisingly enough fighting a lot less! Maybe we should have started this a while back.

We didn’t have very much left to do in the kitchen. It seems we have kind of found a rhythm and developed our own little process for tackling these areas. The biggest thing is to remember to break the big tasks down into smaller tasks. I’ve found that once we’ve completed a couple of smaller tasks it helps to motivate us to the next one.

Jacob was super motivated. He was up early in the morning and snuck a drink or two of my coffee so he could be ready to work. After getting dressed he came to help with breakfast.

I wasn’t sure what he was doing but he had a sneaky little grin on his face. Then I realized that the next batch of pancakes had some chocolate swirls … he is definitely my little chef and loves helping in the kitchen.

My kids are definitely my motivation as I want to teach them by example. I hope they are learning some lessons that will stick with them as they get older. I also hope that they are learning that work can be fun and it goes a lot faster when you help each other out.

I have a neat idea for my kitchen window but I need to make a trip to the Dollar store and/or the thrift store for supplies. Hopefully I’ll get to do that soon.

We had quite a few things on our To-Do list like laundry, schoolwork, and knocking a couple of things off our our weekly ‘home blessing’. I also planned to file away my coupons, clean out the coupon binder, submit receipts for the cash back apps, and clean off my work space a little bit. Some of it was finished and some was left for another day.

So now to get started in this kitchen …. what cabinet to start with first? The left side? The right side? The bottom cabinets or the top? So many decisions but the main decision was to just get started. I thought we’d start with the the top left and work our way from top to bottom across the wall.

Here’s how we did today with today’s mission.

We were able to organize the basket with the spice packets and moved them from the top shelf so I can reach them easier. The top shelf now holds the tea bags, a small basket with other teas, coffee filters (I am using these for snack holders as we don’t have a coffee pot anymore.), and the k-cups which have just been stacked on the microwave before.

The next shelf holds our collection of insulated cups which are used for just about anything. They have been in various locations throughout the kitchen and usually end up in a pile beside the dish rack and mixer.

Now the bottom shelf has the spice packets, bread crumbs, the lazy Susan which now holds the sugar and flavorings for our coffee, and a small basket with vitamins and a few medicines. The rest of the medicines and supplements have been moved to the bathroom. I had thought about moving them all but I kept a few here as many times I’ll have a headache or someone else will need something but the bathroom is occupied.

Next item on the list was the counter under these cabinets.

We cleared it completely and gave it a good cleaning. Then we gave everything else a good cleaning before placing it back. I had some shelf paper out on the counter and the kids saw it. I explained that I use it to make things look pretty and to make them easier to wipe.

They had a few ideas so we tried them out.

Then here was another idea.

Caitlyn went back to finish her school work while the boys ran off with the scraps of shelf paper. I moved on to the bottom cabinets which weren’t that bad but I did change a couple of things.

I think this little bit of change is going to help a lot as far as making things easier to access. (We use disposable plates when we need to clean up quickly so I put them here for the kids to reach.)

Now to the drawers on this side of the kitchen.

Not a big difference except that I moved the items we don’t use a lot to the farthest drawer and cleaned out the drawers. I also got rid of a few items like the Elmo sandwich cutter…. shhhh!

Then came this funky little space between the wall and the bottom cabinets. I couldn’t get a good picture but this is the stuff we had there.

We said goodbye to all of the plastic stuff and set the other to the side until I got out everything from the funky space on the other side of the cabinets.

I have a lot of cake decorating supplies because I did do a lot of that once upon a time and this is something I really do enjoy but our kitchen was so frustrating that it often seemed like more trouble than it was worth to find everything. I am hoping to start doing a lot more in the future.

Some of the non food stuff I have had from high school! I went threw everything and threw out the old colorings, fondants, and toppers. This allowed me to condense everything too. Then we gave everything a good cleaning. I love how well these little sponges work for this.

I was then able to stack the items in the space to the right. The serving platters and some cookie sheets that were too big for the cabinets went to the left near the stove. I was also able to find the griddle a new home over there.

Ahhhh…. so now to the bottom cabinet, home of the storage cabinets. The cabinet we didn’t want to open for fear of an avalanche.

I found a few things down here that I had been looking for like this casserole dish and these pie plates for the garden. It was almost like winning the lottery, ok well maybe not but it did make me happy.

After going through the containers we were able to use a leftover basket to store all of the wraps in. These had been kinda here and there before which is probably why I have so many open rolls. We also gave the pitchers a new home under here.

Moving on to the drawers on this side of the kitchen.

The silverware drawer just needed a little cleaning so we emptied everything and washed it. I also got rid of several of those little medicine cups and scoops that seem to multiply like crazy.

Then the other drawer was partially emptied when I moved the wraps so we just put our reusable straws and miscellaneous items that we don’t use often very often along with the knife sharpener and the cheesecloth (I use this for Blackberry Pig in a Poke) in here. I was kinda hoping to move the dish towels and rags here but the drawer wasn’t big enough so they’ll stay under the sink.

Now the counter top, which I didn’t get a before picture of, was cleared and wiped down. The kids used my little sponges to clean the dish rack and I used one to wipe down the mixer and the knife block. It’s crazy how dirty things can get. This is how it looks now.

Not the greatest picture but I promise this is so much better than it was.

Now the dish cabinet which was partially emptied when I relocated some other items.

Not really a lot of change but we did get rid of some of those cups. Then I found a home on the top shelf for the cookie cutters I had found.

Next I cleaned everything on the tops of all the cabinets and rearranged a couple of items. I wiped down the cabinet doors while fixing dinner and also cleaned out the drawers in the rolling cart. They have just been a cluttered mess since we moved in. We now have a dedicated ‘junk drawer’ that has miscellaneous tools and such plus a drawer for the kids to keep their glasses and cleaning supplies in.

Here is a picture of the awesome cleaner I used on the cabinets… I know it’s for the floors but it works amazing at getting the greasy smudges off. It worked so good on the floors I just had to give it a try and I love the almond scent. I got this in one of my latest shipments from Grove. (Please note that this is not the intended use for this so you may want to try it on a small inconspicuous area before wiping it all over your cabinets.)

Here is a couple of pictures of the reorganized kitchen. I still need to clean the window and use the vacuum cleaner to clean out the cobwebs but it is so much better than it was. I’ve made a couple of small changes and I’m sure there will be a few more over the next week or so as we use the kitchen. Overall this has made a big difference and the kitchen feels so much more comfortable!

We are very happy to have accomplished this task. The kids are coming up with a plan of attack for the rest of the house now.

I hope you all have had a wonderful week and I pray that everyone has a beautiful Mother’s Day weekend!

Kitchen Kleaning Thursday Mission: Cabinet Organization I am so happy with the progress we have made this week. The whole family has been chipping in with tasks, working together, and surprisingly enough fighting a lot less!

#affiliate links #cabinet organization #cleaning #featured #house work #kitchen organization

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jovialbirdnight-blog · 7 years ago

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Follow This Easy overview Of house Interior Design

This is a particularly beneficial aspect if you want to sell expensive items. Whereas in a rattan furniture sale supply chain management model the retailer would have to drop a large chunk of change just to get their initial products that may or may not sell, when you drop ship the products you don't have to worry about it. You simply list the items on your site or your auction. office bedroom furniture will never actually have to take possession of them.

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When it comes to colors, metallic and dark colors represent a modern state of mind. If you like trendy styles, window curtains with animal print patterns will do. modern home furniture will allow you to create a sassy and fire feeling. Make up your mind and establish what you have in mind. Do not let window curtains catch you by surprise. You must dictate your own http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/29/arts/design/the-smallest-state-has-a-rich-history-of-furniture-makers.html. After you salvage what you can, turn to the internet; more specifically, Craigslist and eBay. Some people are practically giving away their bathroom decorating ideas. Many are selling it for dirt cheap. house furniture store can occasionally find some really great deals, but just be careful with what you choose. I would never buy a used couch from someone I didn't know. Interior furniture dealers is made easier with a software program. There are many programs that will allow you to take a picture of your existing space and create your look inside of that picture. This is a great way to visualize the changes in the space before making them happen. Choose home decor and interior design and environmental friendly furniture supplies - these days, it's not just paper that is recycled - you can get pencils, pens, mouse pads, notebooks, and biodegradable cups, to name some, that have been produced from recycled product. Ask your stationery supplier for a list of eco-friendly office supplies and make the switch. Ask your cleaners to use "green" products. house decor interiors "green" eco-friendly cleaning products for office use, too. Consider also the use of cloths like Enjo that use only water to clean. Insulate your hot water heater to save energy. Placing an insulative jacket around your hot water heater costs as little as $10 to $20, and pipe insulation is less than $1 per six feet. While you're at it, turn the water heater down to 120 degrees for pool furniture money savings-and to ensure no one gets burned by water that's too hot.

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atticusblog2016-blog · 7 years ago

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New Post has been published on Atticusblog

New Post has been published on https://atticusblog.com/checking-for-the-latest-windows-10-update/

Checking for the Latest Windows 10 Update

Q. How do I know if my laptop up to date itself to the brand new Creators model of Windows 10 that just got here out? I seemed inside the system statistics box and it doesn’t tell me something that mentions “Creators Update.” And are there any issues to expect with this version of Windows 10? A. Microsoft’s these days launched Creators Update for Windows 10 is likewise referred to as Version 1703. You can see what version wide variety is currently strolling on your PC by urgent the Windows and I keys to open the Settings app (or deciding on the Settings app from the Start menu) and choosing the System icon.

At the bottom of the listing at the left facet of the System Settings container, choose About. Here, you can see the version of Windows 10 established on the computer (like Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro), along with the model variety and other technical data. If you see 1703 indexed because of the version number, your computer has up to date itself to the Creators Update.

5 Facts About Checking Accounts

Banking in latest international commonly approaches opening up a checking account, savings account, or both. Checking bills, also called transaction debts, are set up to allow for the common receipt (deposit) and fee (withdrawal) of the funds inside the account.

Meanwhile, the financial savings range are designed for human beings to use for the motive of building up saving over longer periods of time. Savings bills normally permit interest to be earned at the deposited quantity, despite the fact that a few checking products now also offer an interesting alternative as nicely.

Here are 5 statistics approximately checking debts:

1. You can open one with only a small initial deposit – in maximum cases around $50.

2. Most checking products supplied via banks today tout themselves as being unfastened debts. However, for everybody who has been an account holder for more than a few months, you know that “free” debts are normally far from being free. For example, some require which you hold a minimum stability with the intention to avoid a monthly charge. Others fee numerous utilization prices (see #four under).

Three. Much checking money owed provide computerized enrollment in an overdraft safety software

While this carrier does indeed shield the customer in the experience that it allows keeping away from bounced exams and/or unpaid traders, it comes with a crucial catch: there may be a $20, $30, or higher rate assessed whenever the account becomes overdrawn. These bills definitely get very steeply-priced for the account holder very fast. Luckily, a few banks now provide checking accounts so as to never price you an overdraft charge – even in case you overdraw the account a couple of times.

Energy Efficient Windows – What to Know

Having these sorts of home windows in your own home provide many benefits

The one primary advantage is supporting the owner of a house save an enormous quantity of their software charges. They additionally help to keep your own home cozy. The essential goal of getting such windows is to assist reduce the air leakage inside their home. There are several matters that can be executed to make windows greater power green, which incorporates exclusive glazing and casements to having a couple of pane of glass. Over time, window era has considerably advanced.

• Using more than one pane of glass that is step one while you want to make your home windows energy green. It is much like a person does after they add more layers of garments while going outside. They are assisting their body to keep heat, that’s what the ones additional panes of glass do. There are debates at the value effectiveness of home windows with triple panes between home designers and contractors. Yes, they are greater strength green home windows than double pane home windows however it is a smaller advantage than what you get whilst you cross from unmarried to double paned. One reason that you may decide on triple pane windows is that filter out greater noise. If you intend to live inside the house for years finally the charges may be paid returned in strength savings if you select triple pane windows.

• Adding a fuel among the pages in addition to including more panes of glass including a gas among them can offer a little more insulation. The grasses often used are argon and krypton and are taken into consideration a better insulator than the use of air alone.

• Special coatings-those also can assist create a more power efficient window. The coatings are referred to as low-emission coatings. They reflect infrared light, that is a high source of warmth. The coatings will help to hold warmth outdoor in the summertime and the heat inside the domestic throughout the iciness. They also assist in protecting against ultraviolet mild, that may assist to lessen the bleaching or fading of fabric inside your own home. These low-emission coatings will have glazing delivered to them and some of these glazings may be tinted. This allows the coats to offer extra energy green windows.

• Frame substances-those also can make a difference. Aluminum home windows are commonly not taken into consideration to be in this class of home windows however there had been upgrades with aluminum that can lead them to greater strength efficient. Usually, to make windows greater strength efficient the frames are the product of fiberglass, vinyl, or timber composites.

When upgrading or replacing your home windows ensure which you are buying from a good enterprise. If they say they may be energy efficient, ask for proof as to what makes them power green windows.

Update Your Dining Room With Sideboards and Cabinets to Have a Classic Interior Decor

When we usually consider a cabinet and sideboard the very concept that seems in our thoughts would be related to a clean and litter-free surroundings of our room. But, have we ever questioned how untidy and disorganized the dining room may want to emerge as if you have no cabinets in them? Besides with an unhygienic look, it’s going to additionally assignment a misconception of your way of life. Not best this, if you are the kind of character who loves to host parties, or you just need to have greater storage space within the room, you can keep in mind seeking out sideboards and cabinets because they are stylish and useful to your dining location.Thus a featured piece of furnishings is something and the entirety that fulfills all of your requirements and gives you a sense of happiness.

A sideboard also referred to as a buffet, is a garage unit that stands freely in an eating room or kitchen

It has been a domestic decoration furniture piece, even before the time of fitted cabinets. The sideboards include many drawers and are the perfect location to hold cutlery, cups and other accessories. Even although maximum houses today have a full set of kitchen shelves, however, the requirement of additional storage space is still there. For this cause, there’s nevertheless a high call for sideboards and cabinets.

One can finish shelves and sideboards as a fashionable, designer and interesting furnishings unit. They add a current look to the residence. The styles and styles of this storage unit add a lovely and incredible appearance inside the eating room. So whilst shopping for the sideboards and cabinets online guarantees that it possess all of the features you need to have in it. Refer to the factors under that can manual you to some extent.

Size and space:

Before attempting to find the cabinets on-line, examine the size of it which can keep your add-ons well and does not occupy a great deal of the room area. If your room has enough area to open doors, then pass for a huge cupboard. Depending on where the piece can be positioned inside the room, it’s far critical that the sideboard does no longer overcrowd a small room, or that the sideboard itself seem too small in a place that has larger furniture. Style: Cabinets and sideboards are available various paperwork. But which one could be perfect for you depends on the interior and your alternatives. The interior decor of your room will determine whether or not current, present-day, conventional, retro, French use, Victorian and much more will move well with it. But the touch of modernization and possibilities will decide whether you should have sliding doorways, open shelves with some closed shelves or folding doors. The material used to craft it: Ensure before buying that the fabric used to craft your garage box for cups, cutlery, and so forth. Is durable sufficient. The maximum relied on sideboards and shelves in India are crafted from remarkably strong wood. They provide greater sturdiness, and the scratches and bumps on the garage unit are greater effortlessly sanded and painted over. So pass for the ones crafted from solid timber. If you are looking to store money, then shelves produced from pine will go exceptional, but the sturdiness of the fixtures may additionally get affected.

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alifurt · 8 years ago

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Kids, Puppy, Baby, House

Tyler and I have joked that we always have something going on. The last few years have been full of babies, babies, babies and then a puppy and more babies with a few little projects and vacations in between. Now that we aren’t having another baby and aren’t getting another puppy this is the year of the house.

For my birthday I wished for progress on the house instead of just talking and planning and the week later, we ‘broke ground” so to speak. We cleared out the living room of everything - it was shoved into every free nook and cranny in our guest room, bedroom and even kitchen/dinning room. We left the downstairs in livable condition so the kids could have somewhere to play safely. Of course, we didn’t really realize how impactful filling in a sunk-in living room would be. It was a “small project” that ended up dictating how our household was run.

The project was planned to take two, three weeks tops to remove the brick fireplace to make a flush surround and fill in the sunk-in living room so that the entire floor was one level. That project scope quickly morphed into something much larger when we found that the brick was not actually anchored into anything as the framing and header were entirely rotten and would need to be fully replaced - not only was the three thousand pounds of brick unstable but the entire chimney was hanging on by a thread (practically literally) and the ceiling had zero support. Makes me shudder to think what might have started the collapse of the brick wall had we not decided to modernize.

Luckily (unluckily?) the water damage appeared to be from a leak that had been previously resolved and was isolated only to the chimney area so there wasn’t really anything we needed to do to stop further damage other than clearing out the dry rot and replacing the chimney framing (and later we will have to re-do the siding, either this summer or near future). This framing and rebuilding, naturally, took a lot longer than expected and ate up that extra week estimated for a worst case scenario.

Since everything was so damaged, Tyler and I decided there was no better time than the present to have the giant firebox ripped out and have a new fireplace built in. We were not planning to replace our fireplace insert but it only made sense to do it now, especially since the supports the firebox was on were not sound.

Once the firebox was out - no easy feat - and the ceiling and chimney were stabilized, the building up of the floor began.

One night when the kids and I came home from activities around 5pm after the chimney was insulated and all fixed up, we walked into the house and were dive-bombed by a little bat! He clearly had woken up for the evening and realized whatever hole he had been using for his front door was no longer in service! After a little bit of initial screaming and the kids wondering why I ushered them into my room and shut the door on them, I was able to open the front door. I didn’t see the bat fly out but he was no where to be seen so I figured he had to have gone out when I wasn’t looking. We resumed normal activities. The next morning I was telling the guys about it and they were looking around and sure enough, he was still inside - sleeping at the top of our center support pole. All the noise we made and attempts to wake him didn’t work and he slept there through all sorts of loud kids, construction and dogs. When Tyler got home, our friend Batty was still sleeping (thankfully) so Ty fashioned a scoop out of a long window squeegee with a K-cup box attached. He nudged Batty off his perch with a quiet little squeak but kept sleeping (no joke that bats sleep like the dead!) He got gently placed on the balcony and sure enough 10 minutes later when we went to check on him, he was gone.

Finally when the major part of the upstairs work was done, the guys shifted focus on the downstairs. We weren’t planning to do anything with the downstairs fireplace but again, with the extensive water damage and the huge unknown risk that the bricks were upstairs, we decided to err on the side of caution and take down the downstairs fireplace too.

The damage was not as extensive but it was enough that it was a good thing we decided to move forward, especially since the integrity of the entire chimney rest on a cantilever ledge that was partially deteriorated. So out went that firebox to rebuild the cantilever ledge and put in the same modernized gas firebox as upstairs.

Since we still needed a place for the kids to play while work was being done downstairs, I helped the guys make a giant bubble of protective tarp to not only keep the dust in, but keep the kids out of the workspace and dangers within.

So the downstairs and the upstairs were all fixed up and the fireplaces both got installed on the same day and since we had a snow storm earlier that week - when the carpet was initially supposed to be installed - the temporary carpet was also installed that same day.

We lived in the state of limbo with everything partially complete for a while with our visitors coming and going while we waited for our metal workers to be available to construct our fireplace surrounds. The upstairs surround was mostly completed right away (with exception of the rim around the fireplace and oiling) but the downstairs was a bit of an ordeal. When the metal guys came out to install the downstairs surround they had an issue with bolts or something the first day. They then came out the next day and when they were going to install, realized the hearth had been placed two inches off-center. That was a huge deal and a halting point. There was no way we were going to install a fireplace surround off-center. So Tyler, smart man that he is, installed a few two inch pieces to extend the hearth rather than trying to move it (which would not have been possible without lots of re-work considering it is structural) or re-cut all of the metal. Anyway, that took a few days and then the one bottom sheet metal had to be re-cut to the new length. Finally they were able to come back and got it up and finished. And it looks great!

So in the end, the upstairs had all of the following done in this first phase:

tore down the 3000 lb brick fireplace surround

tore out the massive firebox

replaced rotten frame and rebuilt to make structurally sound

raised sunk in living room and sliding door to the balcony

replaced gas fireplace

new window trim

painted entire living room, kitchen and hallways “metal white” to replace the two tones of green

installed a modern/industrial metal fireplace surround

added one new ceiling light in the living room and replaced all light fixtures upstairs

new TV

We are excited that while we have some other fun stuff to do upstairs, the downstairs is as done as we want it to be with the exception of a little sprucing of the downstairs bathroom which will be part of phase two this summer. What happened downstairs to date is:

tore down the 3000+ lb brick fireplace surround

tore out the massive firebox

replaced rotten cantilever and rebuilt to make structurally sound

replaced gas fireplace

replaced light fixtures

replaced ceiling vent covers

replaced ledge at downstairs exterior door at bottom of stairs

replaced all window trim and baseboards

installed a modern/industrial metal fireplace surround

new TV and new to us couch

A few other small things happened too. We got a new metal handrail to replace the previous wood rail and match the updated look we are moving towards. We also got a metal coat rack at the front door.

To finish off Conner’s new big boy room, we also got him a big boy closet system that can grow with him and has way more usable space than his previous wire racks. We still need to find some decoration for his room as it is so plain and even echos due to lack of sound absorption at this point still!

We are absolutely loving the new flow of our upstairs living space and can’t wait to finish it off this summer. Our only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner!!!

Up next (this summer) is the kitchen face-lift, upstairs flooring, new couch, dining table and table by the front door, and possibly three bathroom cabinet and counter mini-makeovers.

#house #house update #renovation

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mirroredvalue-blog · 8 years ago

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Jan. 23rd, writing

Selothsi’s dock was still packed with people and noise, even in the darkest hours of the night. Ships were locked in their ports, but their sailors still drank and cheered and chattered, keeping the city alive for all hours. Merchant stalls were still occupied, their owners wearing different faces than the ones during the day, but they still peddled the same wares. Tavern doors hung wide open, candlelight illuminating their walls and tables, and the patrons drunk as could be, telling tales of their travels and the fortunes they were making.

Yaves looked out at the city from the balcony of his rented room. The Pirici were truly a living people, never relenting in the spirit of life, and they seemingly never slept. Even with the windows tightly closed and a pillow over his head, Yaves couldn’t block out the noise, not from the crowds outside or the other patrons of the inn playing card games in the lobby. The bed was soft, almost like sleeping on a pile of feathers, and the room was plenty warm, and all Yaves wanted to do was sleep.

In Northhold, the cold was the element usually keeping him awake, but it was always silent in the dead of night. Crowds were always rare, even with the city’s large population, and merchants never shouted what they were selling. The only noise Yaves ever heard while he tried to sleep was the roaring of a fire, which usually relaxed him and helped him move past the cold to the sweet embrace of sleep. Even during the month’s journey across the ocean to the Western Isles, the creaking of the ship’s wood and the water outside helped lull Yaves into a slumber, and it was even warm most of the time, which gave him some of the best sleep of his life. His adventuring lifestyle had been off to an excellent start, he had thought.

Selothsi was the first time he felt out of his element. Northhold’s dock was rarely so crowded, and the only ships that docked were usually ones flying Imperial banners and delivering food and supplies, and the ships often didn’t stay the night. In Selothsi, the dock was nearly four times the size, and ships docked in the early morning hours from when he had arrived were still docked in the night, their crews still on the deck and still awake.

Yaves sighed. If he couldn’t get any sleep, then he might as well had joined the other people who weren’t sleeping. He climbed back in through his window and dressed himself back into his plain white cotton shirt, his straw trousers, and secured his steel longsword’s scabbard to his belt. After tightening his boots, he stepped out of his room, and retraced his path through the long hallway and back to the spiral staircase. At the bottom, he was greeted by the innkeeper, a fairly large old woman that wore a smile that seemed permanently fixed to her face. The large dinner table in the lobby was occupied by a small crowd of men dressed in jackets decorated with elaborate designs and bright colors, and they were all listening to a grey bearded man talk of a delve into a ruin, where he and his party was ambushed by the local denizens.

“What happened next?” a petite woman, her face unblemished and her blonde hair tied back, asked in a high pitch.

“What else? I grabbed my sword and started swinging!” the bearded man picked up his cup and swung it about, a dark liquid spilling over the edge and falling onto the table. “God, you should’ve seen them. There were dozens of the beasts, all clamoring to get their claws onto me! It didn’t matter though, I just took my blade and slashed through them, cutting skin and bathing myself in blood. ‘Course, I didn’t retreat, I just kept plunging forward.”

“What’d you find?” the girl stood from her chair.

“Well, I kept walking through those halls, and I found the biggest beast. It was huge! Probably as long as this room, and was tall as any of the ships outside!”

“Did you slay it?” a man from the crowd asked.

“Hells no!” the bearded man laughed. “I turned and ran! I wasn’t suicidal enough to try and kill that thing!”

Yaves was tempted to sit and hear more stories, but his legs felt a bit energetic, so he left the inn and wandered into the warm air of the city. He moved through alleyways and crowds, following busy sailors and people carrying baskets of food and spices. Selothsi felt unorganized, with its alleys and roads twisting and turning and the houses and shops just strewn throughout with no sense of placing them in lines or rows, not like Northhold did. In Northhold, every house was built in rows, all of them having as little space between them as possible and each containing an upwards of four floors, each floor for a family. In Selothsi, every house contained an individual family, even if the house had just a single or even four floors. Houses would sometimes have no space between them, or sometimes have a wide alley between them, and they were all different sizes. Some had wooden walls and doors, while others were made of stone and brick, and one even had marble floors.

The people all dressed lavishly, with the men wearing loose fitting, sleeveless shirts and bandanas or turbans wrapped around their heads, while the women wore low cut, brightly colored dresses and adorned their hair with braids and flowers. No two people had the same outfit, even if the theme amongst them remained somewhat the same; loose fitting, breathing, and short. In Northhold, everyone wore large fur coats and made sure their clothing was insulated to trap warmth, and no one cared for how they looked.

At the docks, Yaves found a smaller, less crowded tavern than the others, though it still had few seats empty and the barkeep was jumping between tables without any breaks. People bore him no mind as he walked through to the bar, and as he sat down at one of the stools, he heard the barkeep shout that she’d be with him in a moment. The backwall of the bar was stocked with drinks of all kinds, from strong northern drinks to fine wines drank in Sentinel and aged scotch from the finest breweries in the Spire. The bottom shelf of the wall was occupied by several dark grey steel safes, one open and filled with silver coins and jewels.

“My advice? Avoid the mead, last shipment wasn’t from the north,” the man sitting next to Yaves said. His voice was deep, and his hair was long and grey, with two braids on each side of his hard, chiseled face, and his jaw was covered in thick whiskers. In front of him was a clear bottle with a thick white liquid inside, which caused him to cough with every sip.

“Really?” Yaves responded.

“It came in on my ship, and we sure as hell wasn’t anywhere near the north when we got the crates of that stuff,” the man replied.

“You’re a trader?”

“A new one,” the man sipped his drink again. “Used to help explore those Precursor ruins in the mainland, but I’m getting too old to keep fighting the guardians inside.”

“Sounds like quite the task,” Yaves said as the barkeep came around the counter. As she placed some silver coins in the safe, she turned her head toward Yaves.

“What can I get you?” she asked in a thick Pirici accent.

“I guess a-”

“Ale from Southpoint,” the old man interrupted. “Trust me, it’s the best stuff they have here.”

“I guess an ale from Southpoint,” Yaves said. The barkeep nodded and grabbed a light brown bottle from a shelf and placed it in front of Yaves. Before he could scrounge for silver, the man next to him placed a few on the counter.

“Name’s Reksen,” the man said.

“Yaves.” He popped the cap off the bottle and took a small sip. The burn was balanced out by a sweet, citrus-like flavor that danced on his tongue, causing him to take a much larger swig.

“What ship do you bunk with?”

“I…” Yaves couldn’t even remember the name of the ship he came in with. The Battlebear? The Battleboar? Something like that, if he recalled correctly.

“You’re young, fresh faced. You aren’t part of any crew, are you?” Reksen took another drink. “Lots of you wash up onto the shores, buying into what they say about the city. ‘Find your fortune! Fame and adventure!’ All that wash. Truth is, just because you come here don’t mean you’ll make it far. Most people scrounge up what little they have left from getting here just to sail back home.”

Yaves drank more. Northhold was a boring life, tending to a small garden with his mother day in and day out and constantly freezing cold was something he’d grown to hate, but his father prevented him from leaving. He wanted to adventure, to see the world, to experience it like people did in the books he read. He wanted to slay monsters and delve into ancient ruins, so when he scrounged up enough silver, he booked passage with a ship traveling from Northhold to the Eastern Isles, the capital of adventuring, as it was often hailed as. A month he spent on that ship, and his first day in the city had proven that he didn’t much know what he was doing. For the first few hours, he wandered through the city, unsure of what to do, and when night fell, he used what silver he had left to rent a room. Truthfully, what more did he expect? To arrive and find people willing to hire him for expeditions immediately?

Yaves sighed. Perhaps going back to Northhold was best.

“Few people ever find their fortunes at the tip of a blade and in the middle of nowhere. But sometimes we get lucky, like I did,” Reksen said.

“How?’

“A caravan of scholars needed a guard when they ventured into the forests to the west, so I offered them my blade. Turns out I was really good at killing things, so they kept me on as they sailed back to the mainland and explored other caves and ruins. They were studying old Et’Miisha civilizations and tribes, trying to find out how they fell and where they came from, and I just helped them stay alive. But there are only so many expeditions out there, and they only need so many guards.”

Yaves drank more. If he stayed, perhaps he’d luck out too. Maybe he didn’t need to go back. He could only imagine his father’s reaction if he did return. He was a scary man when he needed to be, strong and capable of a good beating, but this was more than a slight worthy of a punch or two, this was abandoning his family for selfish gain.

“Do you know how to fight? How to study architecture, or read ancient languages?”

“No,” Yaves had nothing in the way of skill, truthfully. He could tend a garden and grow fruits, even in the midst of a never ending winter, but what help would that be to an adventurer?

Yaves drank more.

“Then why did you come here?”

Yaves drank more.

“I wanted to leave Northhold, to go somewhere fun for a change.”

“Hmmm…” Reksen finished off his drink, then turned to face Yaves. “In that case, I have an offer.”

“I’ve got a small ship, not much crew is needed, but I could use a new deckhand. Someone to help maintain the ship, help us sail. It’s not the luxurious life I’m sure you had planned, but it is something, no?”

Yaves put his drink onto the counter.

“You’d hire someone you just met?”

“Aye, usually do it that way. I don’t have many friends, fewer still that could sail a merchant ship. It’s not a hard job, and the others can show you what needs to be done. You’d have a bed, at least, food as well, and a decent pay. Just have to say yes.”

“Of course,” Yaves didn’t hesitate for a moment. A merchant’s ship wasn’t what he had in mind when he came into the city, but it was better than starving to death on an unfamiliar street somewhere.

#fantasy #writing #stories #story #sailing #fiction #adventure

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