#one day i shall return with more concrete thoughts and not 1:30 am thoughts

[canarymemories]

12 + 18 + 21 w/ izumi?

already answered 21 with the last ask, so just 12 and 18

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

had to contact ye olde retrospring to see if they would make me remember any skgh i'll give you a few. he has freckles, but they're light and reasonably easy to cover with makeup. he does end up actually needing glasses at some point post graduation, but his eyes (probably) aren't bad enough to warrant wearing them all the time. ace izumi my beloved,, genderfluid or nonbinary (i haven't settled on one or the other yet) but in a very shrugs shoulders idc what you call me kind of way (think of next door where he says the whole gender thing isn't as important to him as it is to arashi), just as long as u think he's pretty, we're all good sdkhg also you cannot convince me in any way that izumi is a morning person

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

avoiding the obvious response bc i could write like. an essay abt leo and izumi's friendship, i'll go with his friendship with arashi and ritsu. the three of them were left behind after checkmate and had to rely on each other through what was most likely the worst part of their lives for all three of them (yes, there were other people they could rely on at the time but that's not the point here). there is a certain closeness between those three that's seen throughout ! and !! that doesn't exactly exist within knights otherwise. like yes they're all close, but idk something about spending the worst few months of your life with two other weirdos Going Through It with you might make u besties for life or smth lksdgh i just think we should talk about them more often. i'd add more but my brain stopped working like. two hours ago i think 😔 but really,,, guys please consider the three of them. thank u

ask game

[hiromisuzukimicrojournal]

A Longer Trip Back Home

...

✽

Hey, have a cigarette?

She always asks me if I have a cigarette when she has emptied the last box. Of course I do not have it, she knows. My mother spends all her wages on cigarettes. My mother, a waitress at a café in the center of a suburban residential area at the edge of the world. In the afternoon, the café is filled with ladies. They are housewives coming from elegant houses at the edge of the world, killing time. Mother and the ladies play mah-jongg every Wednesday at the café, in the center of the town, where the smoke of cigarettes wafts stronger than the scent of coffee.

You must go straight home and study, Mother says, as a mother would.

I always stop by a used record store on my way home from high school. Music is the heart of my mind. Today, my favorite tune, “Running Away,” is playing in the store. The Raincoats�� version, not Sly & The Family Stone’s, which is actually called “Runnin’ Away.” I sing to the music.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

The vinyl collector is smiling wryly.

Delightful tune, but ironical lyrics, he says. I have a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. I wonder how many more years I have to work. I want to sell this store and get away to San Francisco, the heart of the world. Why? You can see the ocean from the top of the hill. That is all.

His 11-year-old son, strangely mature, enters the conversation while listening near the cash register.

How about your boyfriend? No lover? If you are not in love yet, it is too late. But dad is too young for an affair.

The boy’s eyes twinkle with curiosity. There is a big Himalayan cedar in the back of the record store, and sometimes an owl appears on a branch. When I am staying in the store, forgetting time, I hear the owl tu–whit tu–whoo. A small river flows at the root of the cedar, and there is a small old church on the marsh.

When I was a child, a wedding was held by the side of this river. I was a bridesmaid, and the cedar was decorated like a Christmas tree. The guests carried an enormous red sea bream into the kitchen in preparation for the ceremony. My mother and the vinyl collector’s wife poached the eggs to a beautiful golden colour and boiled four dozen white asparagus as a side dish. On a Swedish glass dish in bas‐relief with dandelions, the butter slowly melted beside the radishes.

Yes. It was spring.

Someone knocked on the door of the kitchen. Ladies in aprons looked around. They thought the knock was the prank of a spring storm. But it was the bridegroom. He rushed to the kitchen sink and turned the tap to gulp down some water. An old woman named Eliza shouted to him from her house across the way.

Too late! The bride has gone somewhere! She is a wayward girl!

Too far! It took a million hours on a bus from Shibuya station! he joked, spouting water from his inflated mouth and soaking his bow tie. He was a chipmunk that came to this marsh on a gondola of chicory leaves.

The bride was beautiful. She was clinging to the cedar, and as she reached out to the star ornaments shining on the branches of the tree, a warm wind teased the hem of her champagne dress. Guests grew excited, little by little. The sky was getting dark. I was crouching alone on the bank of the river at dusk. The chipmunk ran away from the banquet and gave me a leftover chicory leaf like a tiny boat. The boat left my hand. The boat drifted on the river, far away.

Where does this river come from?　I questioned the bridegroom.

A mountain? I do not know. Ha! he answered.

Where does this river go to?

The river reflected the sunset. The chicory boat was floating freely on the water.

The sea? Ah, Tokyo Bay, the Pacific? Ha! Ha!

Tokyo Bay? Little did I know a small river in my small town flows into the infinite ocean. I had never seen the sea.

A girl in a swimsuit with a yellow floral pattern is swimming in a murky pool. Someone beckons her, seduces her. She becomes a little fish and approaches him trembling with fear. No. The girl dives in the ocean for the first time. Not the pool. A blowfish hides at the bottom of the sea. White round blowfish like clouds shine in the sunlight breaking through the faint waves. The blowfish has poison. She keeps swimming in pursuit of poison. A blowfish with white belly inflated does not move. Is he dead? As he opens his eyes slowly, he laughs, showing his teeth.

All of us have a place in history. Mine is in the clouds, he says *[1].

Dad! she cries with joy. Her father died a drunk at fifty years of age. Everyone says it was a slow-motion suicide. No. Certainly, he lives his life at the bottom of the sea, or as the shadow of a cloud floating on the surface of the ocean. There is a Japanese proverb: control poison with poison. Her father was fighting the evil in his mind with his own poison. She remembers his rounded back. Late at night, or on a Sunday afternoon, he headed to his desk with a bottle of Johnnie Walker and read the collection of poems. She cannot remember the titles of foreign books. The poems were written in English or French. The girl begins to swim toward the sun. Petals scattering from her swimsuit shine in the water. Like cherry blossoms dancing in a cloudy sky.

The memory of the wedding at the root of the Himalayan cedar raised for me the riddle of a small river in my small town. I decided to explore the headsprings and the destination of this flow. I bought a 1950s map of Tokyo at Jimbōchō. At the ward office, I found historical documents about Shibuya Ward. The map showed that the source of river was a marsh under the church. One more place. I found a pond on the site of an old mansion, the place I always see on my way to school. No one seemed to live there, and unmanaged trees grew thick behind the high wall. The map said Davies House. Once a British trading merchant lived here. Mr. Davies sold his mansion and returned home in the 1980s. During the Edo period, in the 1600s, it was a pleasure garden called Oyama-en. The garden was not a place for children to play. There were no merry-go-rounds, roller coasters or kiosks selling gelato. It was the place where poets gathered, in the gazebo at the pond. Intellectuals enjoyed tea and spent time meditating.

The gate of the abandoned mansion had been closed for about 40 years. One fine Sunday, I found out that the site of the mansion was open to Shibuya residents, but only for the day. The garden was already full of people strolling with flowers in their hands. The petals shine with droplets, because the night before was rainy. The faces of people are shining with curiosity. Not only the vines of feral trees but also the ferns are crawling at my feet. I have difficulty walking. In the deep green woods, a lacquered bridge is painted a particularly bright shade of red. I stand on the bridge. Under it, spring water bubbles in a dry pond.

A chipmunk of about 12 centimeters fills his cheeks with buds and jumps off the zelkova tree. The chipmunk is eating mock strawberries growing around the pond.

This is cute Fraisier de Duchesne. Mock Strawberry is also called poison strawberry, but it is not poisonous. Try it. Ha! the chipmunk says to me proudly and plays in the pond using the red fruit as a beach ball. The bright red strawberry slips through his fingers and is swallowed by invisible swirls on the water. It disappears into the drain of the pond. There is a river, a culvert, beyond the drain. It was buried in concrete beneath the Metropolitan Area when the Olympics were held in Tokyo in 1964.

Fraisier de Duchesne left itself to the water. Sunlight melted into the Kōhone-River. The water was warm. Kōhone Flowers–East Asian yellow water-lilies–surrounding the river were swaying gently in the wind. Leaves were floating on the surface. Fraisier de Duchesne came out of the darkness in the groundwater and bathed in the sunlight on a leaf. A little boy and his father held hands and passed by Fraisier de Duchesne. They were singing a song.

A small river in spring is flowing smoothly *[2]  

To violets and milk-vetch flowers on the shore

While flowering gently in beautiful colour

Bloom please, bloom, While whispering

Fraisier de Duchesne, pretty in red, has no poison and knows nothing about poison. It will leave itself to the stream of water and time as ever.    

I am standing on Inari-Bridge near the Shibuya Station. All rivers leading to this bridge are culverts. Buildings are towering on both sides of the bridge, a forest of department stores, restaurants, brothels. Shibuya River flows under the bridge. I can see the water with my eyes. The river passes through the downtown. Various people come and go. Various voices are confused with various languages. The clear stream has revived on the Shibuya River before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. I am moved by the truth that there is a sea called Tokyo Bay, if I will swim about 6.8 kilometers from here. The orange colour of the sun floating on the Shibuya River is the same as it on the nameless small river in my small town. The murmur of a stream whispers.

Shall we run away to the ocean?      

I have forever heard it. The music was played repeatedly on a late-night program on the radio. Maybe it is a melody signaling that a passenger ship is leaving port but is not suitable for departure. Colourful flags on the mast are fluttering in the blue sky. On the surface of the sea, reversed flags shimmer like stained glass. Their shadows are waving to the pulse of engines. I recall that this was my favorite song while looking at the port far away. On my way home, on the bus, I am listening to “Runnin’ Away” on my mobile phone. Sly & The Family Stone’s version, not The Raincoats’, which is anyway called “Running Away.”

San Francisco is too far. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!  

Murmuring aloud, I can see from the window that the huge rain cloud chases the bus. The cloud seems to be as high as Montmartre. The front window of the bus is sprayed with heavy rain and becomes completely white. Lightning and the sudden shower cut off my music. The bus has no choice but to stop at the station square. The smell of rain invades. I hear footsteps of seasonal changes. I know that I was pretending not to notice the change of seasons. A mother and child in the seat across the aisle are talking.

We left our umbrella in grandma’s home, but it will clear up soon.

They are looking at brand new shoes they just bought at the department store. Desert boots which are made of suede. I wonder if they are trying to transport themselves by supernatural force to a desert planet 900 light years from the earth. There is no sea on the other side of the moon. I am thinking of the sea.

Yes. Summer will come soon.

✽

image: hiromi suzuki

…

*Quotations:

[1] The Tokyo-Montana Express, 1980 A collection of short stories by Richard Brautigan

[2] Small River in Spring, 1912 A song for schoolchildren Lyrics: Tatsuyuki Takano Music: Teiichi Okano (Translation: hiromi suzuki) Takano had his residence near the Kōhone-River (Yoyogi 3-chōme Shibuya-Ward, Tokyo) when he wrote the lyrics of Small River in Spring. At that time, Kōhone-River was running as a stream that supplied water to the fields, and joined the Shibuya River.

…

✽  ✽  ✽

A Longer Trip Back Home

© short fiction by hiromi suzuki

published in 3:AM Magazine (February 11, 2020)

 …

 via 3:AM Magazine

✽

I am grateful to have been given this opportunity by Mark de Silva, the Fiction Editor for 3:AM Magazine.

…

[tsuraiwrites]

So I know this might be a bit self indulgent and all, but can I ask for another one? I fell in love with the last one and adore the way you write these two so.... *Lifts tankard* ANOTHER #30. “You fainted��straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes.” Regis/Geralt

so I’m just gonna piggyback on your last prompt, and this one starts less than a day after Part 1

I’ve also included the following prompt from a lovely anon! 

Fic: A Morning to Forget (part 2)

Geralt wakes, lucid enough to pull himself out of bed but not enough to quite know how he got there. His head spins, stomach cramping, and he barely makes it to the chamber pot in the corner before he collapses. He heaves but little more comes out than stomach acid.

All the sudden movement sends pain shooting through him and Geralt gasps, clapping a hand to his neck before he realizes that may be a bad idea.

The jolt of agony sends darkness flashing over his vision, and the last thing he sees before sinking into the black is a pair of familiar hands reaching out to catch him.

-

Regis can’t help his impatience as he waits for the witcher to wake. He paces across the room and back, ears cocked for any little change of breath.

He sighs in deep relief as Geralt’s heart signals his rise back to consciousness.

“Good morning, my friend,” he says as he strides to Geralt’s bedside, ready to force him back down if necessary.

The witcher grunts, blinking up at him but not yet attempting to move. “What happened?”

“I thought you would retain your faculties well enough to know better than to strain yourself, but instead you fainted...straight into my arms. I do understand if you’ve felt neglected lately, but you need not have gone to such extremes as your… confrontation with Orianna.” The bitter words fall unchecked from his tongue, but despite great effort he cannot stem the tide.

His friend’s face scrunches in confusion for a long moment before relaxing into dismay. “Regis, I-”

“No,” he interrupts. “No, forgive me Geralt, it is not my place to scold you about this. You cannot help your natural drive to correct injustice, and I should have seen this coming. It is simply, I…” As his momentum peters out, Regis fights not to curl into himself. His breath shudders, voice cracks. “I almost lost you.” He is not one given to hysterics, but Regis feels one breath away from a sob when Geralt reaches for his hand and stops Regis’ breathing entirely. He grips back, all but collapsing to sit next to the prone man.

Geralt’s voice is ragged as he gasps out, “I’m sorry,” but Regis only shakes his head and, very deliberately, places a kiss on the back of the witcher’s hand.

They both fall quiet as Geralt stares at him, a slow realization washing over his face, and Regis holds fast even as Geralt’s muscle weakness turns into a tremor.

“You- you can’t-” he rasps. Regis presses Geralt’s hand between both of his, wishing now he’d thought to take off his gloves.

“Can’t what? Love you? You know I am not a man of whimsy, and I have carried my heart in your name for longer than I’d care to admit.” Regis doesn’t notice his vampiric slip of the tongue until Geralt blinks at the turn of phrase. He pushes on, desperate to get all the words out before the witcher can sidetrack him. “You need not return my regard, of course, but at this point I couldn’t bear it if I hadn’t told you-”

“Regis- Regis, come here.” And both Geralt’s hands yank him forward as the witcher leans toward him, coming in at the wrong angle and mashing their noses together painfully. Geralt barely grunts in acknowledgement, just turns his head and – finally – brings their mouths together.

Regis groans aloud at that hot burst of life against his lips, even if it’s poisoned and bloody. His hands fly to the back of Geralt’s neck, cupping his skull oh-so-carefully. He kisses back, no more gently, trying to get as close as possible to the open heat of his mouth. They only break apart only when Geralt needs to breathe. He ducks his head into the crook of Regis’ neck, gasping hard.

“I had… a backup plan. Equipment in my bag with Roach.”

Shuddering from hot breath against his skin, Regis nods, not asking about the items – he can picture bone saws and jars lined with silver well enough without a concrete description. “I sent one of your hands to fetch her. She should be back and settled in the stable by now.”

“Good, ‘m glad,” he murmurs, the last syllable mashed against the thin skin of Regis’ vulnerable carotid artery, where Geralt can no doubt feel his pulse begin to speed. He runs his fingers through snowy-white hair, gently detangling the knots whenever he encounters them. Geralt leans heavy into him, his hand a weight on Regis’ knee that he becomes viscerally aware of when the touch moves further up his thigh.

Anything he might say in response is interrupted by the audible growl of Geralt’s stomach. He huffs a laugh into Geralt’s ear when the witcher grumbles.

“Come, no doubt Marlene will be eager to feed you, now that you’re awake. Do you wish to make your way to the dining room, or shall I bring your meal here?”

Regretfully, Geralt straightens, pulling away. “Can get food my damn self,” he mutters, moving to swing his legs over the bedside. He stands slowly, even as Regis tenses, ready to catch him again should he fall. Geralt shoots him a triumphant look even as he makes his way, albeit unsteadily, to the door.

“Always so stubborn, my love,” Regis says, voice catching on the sudden surge of relief and fondness he feels seeing Geralt on his own two feet again.

Geralt doesn’t respond as he makes to leave, but Regis smiles, teeth exposed, at the reddening of his ears as the man turns away.

[jungkookienoona]

Breaking and Entering (M)

Recommended Song: Rumour by K.A.R.D

Summary:

After you get sent a text that clearly wasn’t meant for you, you end up breaking into someone’s house looking for answers.

Genre: 70% Smut, 30% Crack

Pairing: Officer!Jungkook X Reader (Y/N)

Warnings: Swearing, Graphic smut, kinda Dom/Sub, dirty talk. Filth.

Word Count: 5256

You weren’t surprised you woke up to an empty bed, your fiancé, Seojun’s side had already turned cold. What surprised you was the time of day and what woke you up. It was 1 am and you had been awoken by the sound of your text notification, Seojun’s number being the only one that can contact you while your phone was on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode. You rubbed the sleep from your eyes and unlocked your phone to view the message.

‘Chaewon, I just arrived at the airport. I can’t wait to see you my little love muffin. We’ll spend the week celebrating your pregnancy! And don’t worry, I plan to call off my marriage when I get back from my ‘business trip’ xxx’

A sense of apathy filled you. You had been suspecting this turn of events for some time now thanks to his far too often out of town ‘business’ trips. Trips that had him smelling of another woman’s perfume. You would’ve left him sooner but you had no concrete proof. And yet though you felt nothing over his betrayal, you couldn’t help but ask yourself why. Why did he cheat on you? Were you not enough? Was it because you were happy with your career as a teacher? An irrational thought came to mind. Clearly, this woman was out of town, her house would be unguarded. Maybe the answers to your questions lied there.

You had remembered him mention the name Chaewon before. Something about her being a colleague that worked on a project with him about six months back. What was her family name again? Oh! That’s it! Kim! Kim Chaewon! A quick check of his CyWorld account (his passwords were too easy to hack) and you had located Chaewon’s address from a previous conversation they had. Fucking idiots. Without further delay, you hopped out of bed, got dressed and got in your car. That bitch’s house was only a 10-minute drive from your own.

You decided to park around the corner as not to look suspicious… and there was also free parking there. Having never broken into a house before you could say you were more than a little nervous. But there was a first time for everything. You just hoped to God you didn’t get caught otherwise that would be your career over. Making sure to be as quiet as possible at the late hour you crept over to the impressive looking house. How the fuck could she afford that?! You found yourself internally chanting ‘Please don’t be alarmed.’ That was until you spotted an open window.

What luck! And it was open just wide enough for you to wiggle through! It was slightly higher up than you had originally judged it to be, you were bouncing on your tip toes to grab the ledge. Once you managed to get a secure grip on it, you hoisted yourself up and through, though your landing was lacklustre. You landed with a light thud on your ass.

“Ow~”

You rubbed your poor behind.

“Okay. I’m in now. Time to get some answers.”

Flashlight in hand you began your snooping, tripping over the odd piece of scattered clothing here and there. You found it rather odd that some of it was men’s wear. Did your unfaithful fiancé have a spare wardrobe there? Shaking your head, you moved deeper into the house spotting pictures of Chaewon and… her brother?… on the walls. Fuck he looked good. If only you had met him before Seojun. Though that didn’t mean you couldn’t look him up once the wedding was called off. You licked your lips. No! This wasn’t the time for that! You turned and something glinted off a shelf behind some books. Curious, you headed towards it. It was a necklace with a locket. On the back was engraved ‘For my snuggle wuffle, SJ’. Well, that explained the jewellers on his credit card bill.

“That assho-!”

You were cut off by someone grabbing you from behind. They unceremoniously shoved you against a nearby wall causing you to grunt. However, the feel of cold metal on your wrists and sound of cuffs locking closed made your heart stop. You had been caught. By a cop no less. Fuck.

���Ma’am, you do realise you’ve committed the crime of breaking and entering, right?” Came a deep authoritative voice.

“I- I- I thought it was empty! I just wanted to see why my fiancé decided to sleep with some bitch behind my back and get her knocked up while he was at it!”

Shit. Why couldn’t you have just lied like any normal person would’ve done?

“That ‘bitch’ is my fiancé. And while I understand your anger, I’ve had my suspicions of her infidelity, you still broke into my house. I’m placing you under arrest.”

Panic surged through your system managing to give you enough strength to turn and face him, even with the grip he had on you. Your breath caught in your throat at the sight before you. It was the guy from the pictures. The one you thought was Chaewon’s brother. His hair was messy and his police uniform was a bit squeiff, like he had just woken up from a nap. Was it wrong that you were already slightly turned on from looking at him alone? But then reality came back to you as you saw him reach for his phone.

“Please no! I’m a teacher! I’ll be permanently out of the job if I get a criminal record!”

“You should’ve thought about that-”

“I’LL DO ANYTHING!”  Desperation had taken you. You loved your job, you wouldn’t give it up for the world and you had gone and fucked up royally. If it weren’t for his grip on your upper arms you would probably be a grovelling mess on his floor.

He paused and appeared to give you a once over.

“Anything?”

You nodded with a small sniffle. Jesus, how pathetic could you get?

“Come with me.”

It’s not like you had much of a choice. As soon as those words left his mouth he was dragging you through the house and into what appeared to be a study. Or an office. Whatever people called these places.

“Stay here and be a good girl. If you try and make a break for it I will take you down to the station.”

You let out a small whimper which he must’ve taken as a sign that you would stay. Which was true. You didn’t leave. Instead you waited in anticipation for him to return, still, a tiny bit turned on. And when he returned, your eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. In one hand he carried a case of sorts, in the other was a tripod and on a strap around his neck was a Canon DSLR camera.

“W- w- why do you have those?” You would’ve gestured to the items in question but your hands were still cuffed behind your back.

“If I told you the end result wouldn’t be convincing.”

“So, you expect me to go along with whatever shit you have planned?”

“You said anything.”

You watched silently as he set up the tripod and camera so that it had a front view of the desk which he placed the case on. What could possibly be in that case? Before your mind could ponder it further you heard the man clear his throat and begin to talk from his position behind the camera.

“This is Officer Jeon and the date is… fuck what is today?… The time is 2:07 am and I have just caught this woman in my house. Please identify yourself.”

Your voice wavered as you answered, was he planning to use this to blackmail you? “L/N Y/N.” You dared not face the camera so only the side of your face was visible.

“To make sure she did not take anything of value I shall perform a strip and cavity search.”

At that your head whipped round to look at him, “St- st- strip? C- c- cavity?”

“If nothing is found on or in her person, I shall not press charges.”

You took a moment to feel relief at that until he stood up and made his way over to you. Once he was in front of you, he smirked and turned you so you were facing the table.

“I’m going to release you from the handcuffs now. If you try to run I will not hesitate to use force.”

He reached for the keys attached to his belt and placed the correct key in the lock. What you said next had him stilling.

“Yes, Sir.”

A pause soon followed by a low chuckle.

“Ah, good. I don’t have to tell you what to call me for this process. But I’ll tell you for the audience’s sake. During the process of the search, you may only address me as Sir or Officer. Any other form of address will be met with a punishment. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good girl.”

The cuffs clicked open and you immediately brought your hands up to rub your sore wrists. Your breathing hitched when you felt his hands go to your waist.

“I would like for you to remove your top for me.”

Self-consciousness made you freeze in place. A stranger wanted you to strip for them in front of a camera. No one in their right mind would so such a thing.

“Take it off before I have to.”

You stubbornly crossed your arms over your chest.

“Suit yourself.”

His hands snaked their way from your hips to the front of your button up shirt. With one hand on either side of the material he tugged and sent buttons scattering across the desk and floor.

“That was my favourite shirt!” You shouted as he tugged the material over your shoulders and… did… did he just kiss your neck?

“Good girls that listen are rewarded. Bad girls that disobey are punished.” It was hushed, not loud enough to be caught by the camera’s microphone but still sent tingles of arousal down your spine.

“O- o- officer?”

“There appears to have been nothing in her shirt. Next item for removal are her jeans.”

His hands made quick work of your belt, button and zipper as he pressed his upper body against your back, his breath hot against your skin.

“I’ll leave the rest to you.”

You gulped as you pushed the denim off of your hips and bent to slide them off of your legs. Officer Jeon’s hands steadied you as you wobbled and lost balance in your struggle to free yourself from the article of clothing and the shoes you forgot to remove first. He used his grip on you to pull your raised posterior against him. And that when you felt it. The hardness that lay beneath his own clothing. That fucker was turned on by this.

You couldn’t help what came out of your mouth next.

“Your future wife must have been neglecting if you’re this hard already.”

He gave an amused huff, “What can I say? You looked great in handcuffs.” He put emphasis on ‘great’ by grinding his hardness into your ass.

You let out a small moan then slowly stood upright once more. You were beginning to understand what exactly it was he wanted from you. He made a small show of picking up and checking your jeans.

“Jeans contain a small women’s purse with a content of 250,000 won and an ID card. Nothing that does not belong to her. Next items to be removed are her underwear, if nothing of note is found in there I will continue with a full cavity search.”

With the knowledge that all was not as it seemed, you confidently reached behind you to undo your bra, slowly sliding the straps down your arms.

“Do you really think I would’ve hidden something in there, Officer?”

“I’ll have to check.”

His hands ran up your sides before going to your front to cup your breasts. He gave them a light squeeze, testing the firmness of them, then took your nipples between his thumb and index fingers, tweaking them slightly. Your head fell back to rest against his shoulder.

“Nope, nothing here either.” Yet even though he said that he went from tweaking your nipples to lightly gripping your breasts and massaging them in circular motions. The palms of his hands creating a delicious friction that had you moaning.

“Last article of clothing will now be removed.”

He let go of your breasts and gripped your lace panties, and sadly, they met the same fate as your shirt. They were torn off you.

“Definitely nothing hidden there.”

A sudden boldness overtook you, making you grab his hands and place them on your thighs. “Are you sure about that Sir? Shouldn’t you at least check?”

With your encouragement, his hands travelled over your outer thigh and only briefly brushed the insides of them before he still and his breath caught in his throat.

“You’re so fucking wet, practically dripping. You’re enjoying this you little slut.”

Usually, you hated to be called a slut. But there was something about him saying it that just turned you on more. He once again gripped your upper arms and turned you to face him. His eyes were impossibly dark, almost black, with lust. Fuck it was hot.

“Strip search bared no results. I shall move onto the cavity search.”

His hand came up to lightly grip you chin and tug your mouth open.

“Nothing visible to the naked eye. I will have to feel for any possible hidden items.”

And then his mouth was on yours, tongue slipping inside to tease your own. You stared at him wide-eyed for a moment then closed your eyes and gave in to the unexpected kiss. It was hot and slick and everything Seojun’s kisses weren’t. You found your own hands had tangled into his hair which caused him to immediately stop and pull away.

“Oral cavity search clear. Nothing hidden. However, suspect in need of being restrained again.” There was a certain playfulness to his tone that had you turning with your hands behind your back and bending over the desk, presenting yourself to him.

He chuckled and picked up the cuffs from where he had placed them on his belt, clicking them back into position.

“Not to question your methods Sir, but surely your tongue is not long enough to do a thorough oral search.”

He made a thoughtful noise.

“You’re right. Be a good girl and get on your knees in front of me.”

You did as he said, flinching slightly at the unforgiving chill of the wood flooring. He fumbled with his own belt and pants fastenings, hands shaking slightly with anticipation. Once he finally undid them he pushed them down revealing his leaking erection.

“No underwear Sir?”

“As an Officer, I take pride in being prepared for all possible situations. Now be a good slut and put those pretty lips of yours to work so I can verify if your mouth really is all clear.”

You gave a little nod and shuffled closer to him. Once you had deemed yourself close enough you wet your lips then flicked your tongue over his head, collecting the precum that beaded there. Your lips wrapped around the head and you lightly sucked on him, pulling away with an obscene ‘pop’ to lick a stripe from base to tip.

“Like this Officer?” You asked, looking up at him before sucking at the tip again.

His head kicked back, a small sheen of sweat shining on his forehead, as he let out a long groan, “You’re… You’re going to have to take in more than just that.”

And then his hands were firmly gripping your hair as his hips snapped forward into the wet heat of your mouth, forcing you to take in as much of him as possible. The abrupt action caused you to gag and your eyes to water. Officer Jeon moaned lewdly as your throat constricted around him.

“Fuck. That feels good. It’s been so long since someone has sucked me. You’re all clear here, but would you mind doing this for a little longer like a good girl?”

You managed a small nod as you tried to blink away tears. Swallowing around him a few times, you tried to get used to the feeling of him. He moaned again, hands tightening in your hair. Using that grip he held you in place as he thrust into your mouth, a stream of profanities leaving him with your every swallow and gag.

“I want to come so bad… but fuck! I can’t! I can’t! I need to continue the search.”

He reluctantly pulled you off of him. You both stayed in those positions for what felt like an eternity as you tried to catch your breath.

“Your fiancé… doesn’t know how… to treat you right… if you nearly came that fast.”

“She…” One of his hands carded through his hair, brushing the sweaty strands out of his face, “She’s always fucking off on ‘business’ trips.”

“Sounds like she doesn’t care about your needs. How about you let me satisfy them? Make you forget all about her?” You leant forward and kitten licked at his tip once more before the hand still buried in your hair violently tugged you away.

“Enough of that.”

With that, he bent and picked you up like you were the world’s lightest sack of potatoes then placed you on the edge of the desk. His finger barely grazed over your soaking core, making you whine in response.

“I will now commence a vaginal search.���

His fingers brushed over you again with more pressure as to collect your juices.

“You’re so fucking wet. Are you always like this?”

“No… normally I have to read erotica to get wet enough.”

He smirked again, free hand gripping your chin to force you to look at him, “So your fiancé doesn’t know how to treat you right either. How about we agree to make each other forget?”

“Deal.”

He pulled you in for another kiss as his thumb located your clit and rubbed lazy circles on it, swallowing the wanton moan that tried to escape you. His lips were hungry as they moved against yours and you were sure your lips would be bruised. Keens and whines sounded from you as he continued to circle your clit. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you couldn’t believe that Chaewon had chosen plain and boring Seojun over the perfect male specimen that was well on his way to ruining you for any other man before he had even entered you. A single finger slid into you with ease, as if it hadn’t been a month and a half since you had gotten any. Officer Jeon abandoned your lips in favour of your neck, sucking, kissing and nipping at it. You wouldn’t be surprised if you found more than a few hickeys had already begun to bloom. A second finger slipped in and this time his mouth wasn’t there to catch the unadulterated cry of pleasure. You felt a familiar heat build in your stomach. But then his fingers were gone and he was sinking down in front of you, a hand going to each thigh to make sure you kept them spread from him. You let out a pitiful whimper, the heat fading.

“Suspect is wet enough for an easy search with no discomfort. Nothing is visibly hidden, closer inspection is needed.”

Something wet and warm lapped at you causing you groan. You used your bound hands behind you to prop you up, watching as his tongue worked on you. He looked up at you, catching your gaze and cocking an eyebrow as his lips wrapped around your clit and he moaned deeply. The resulting vibrations had your hips bucking forward. Or as much as they could under the bruising grip he had on you.

“Fuck!”

The heat started to build up again, quicker than before at the new stimulation. It felt like… It felt like he was fucking humming on your clit… You knew that song! It was the Tokyo Ghoul season 1 opening! You would recognise it anywhere. Three fingers slid into you with ease. They curled in a ‘come here’ motion which brushed against the spot inside you that turned the heat into an inferno. His teeth grazed over your clit and you were sent over the edge with a cry of ecstasy. You came so hard that your toes curled and your legs twitched. Jesus, you had never cum like that before. All too soon oversensitivity took the place of the pleasure.

“Ah! Stop! Stop! Too much! Shit!”

He pulled away licking his lips, a satisfied grin settling on his lips as some of your essence dripped down his chin. “That good?”

“Best ever… Your fiance is a fucking idiot. But let her know I’m willing to trade mine for you.”

He chuckled and stood back up, not bothering to wipe off the evidence of your release. His hands reached and gripped at your ass lift you up and pulling you to him. Once you were off the table he spun round and sat himself on the desk with you in his lap, your knees rest on either side of him.

His breath ghosted over your ear, “Let’s see if you’re worth the trade. Ride me.”

He shifted you so your dripping core was over his still erect manhood.

“With pleasure.”

Without a second thought, you sunk down, taking him all in. Your lips parted to draw in a shaky breath. There was a small struggle in raising your hips since you did not have the use of your hands, but thanks to Seojun being rather lazy when it came to sex with you, you had learnt a few techniques to make riding easier. You dropped back down and swivelled your hips drawing a groan from him.

“Do that again.”

“Isn’t it rather unprofessional for you to find pleasure while on the job, Sir?”

His grip on your cheeks tightened then suddenly he was controlling your movements, raising you up to pull you back down with force. It was your turn to let out a moan, your head fell to rest on his shoulder.

“It is but my shift ended at 12. Professionalism can go fuck itself.” It came out as barely above a whisper, obviously not wanting the microphone to pick it up. Then he spoke up a little louder, “All clear here too. I will begin preparing for anal-” You clenched around him, the thought causing an unfamiliar excitement, “Ah! Fuck! Don’t… don’t do that.”

A hand left you to reach for the case, managing to pop it open with practised ease. You watched as the lid flipped open to reveal a whole range of toys and a small variety of lubes. So many different scenarios of the toys being used on you raced through your mind.

“Have… Have you e-ever used these o-o-on her?”

A nip to your neck.

“Never. She wouldn’t let me. You’re going to have to take over for a bit. Don’t worry if you slow down, that’ll make it easier for me.” Both hands were off you as one picked up a half empty bottle, opening the cap with a click the squeezed some onto his fingers.

“Now I know why they cheated. They’re both boring as fuck.”

He hummed in agreement, “This is going to be cold.”

He put down the bottle and gripped a cheek, tugging it to the side to reveal where you were yet to be touched. A finger circled your puckered rim, spreading some of the cold liquid. Your hips stuttered as the finger pressed into you. It was unfamiliar. New. It stung.

“Ah! I- i- it-”

“I know. Let me take your mind off it.”

His lips reattached to yours as his hand let go of you to instead reach down between you and once again apply pressure to your clit. His tongue moved over yours in the same rhythm of his cock and finger that filled you. You ground down onto to him, a stream of pleasured sounds trying to escape past your lips only to be swallowed and repaid with his. The room filled with the sounds of your bodies moving against each other. It was positively sinful to your ears. A second finger. Fuck it stung. But everything else felt so good. You knew it wouldn’t be long until you were close to cumming again. You broke apart panting for breath as air became necessary.

“You’re doing so well, such a good little slut. Just a little more and the search will be over.”

“It- it- it hurts Sir but… god… why does it feel so good?”

“Because you’re in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing.” A third and final finger entered the ring of muscle, surprising you enough for you to give a shout. “My cock is going to stretch you so well. Would you like me to cum in your ass?”

“O-o-only i-i-i-if I get to cum, Sir.”

“Of course, an officer’s duty if to protect and serve after all. I think I’d like to keep my cum inside of you when I’m done. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all Sir.”

He groaned and pulled his fingers out of you, lifting you so his cock left your core and was placed at your quivering rosebud; still slick with your arousal. You took a slow deep breath as he lowered you onto him once more. It burned. He was much thicker than his fingers.

“N-n-now beginning anal search. So f-f-far the suspect appears to b-b-be feeling discomfort which I-I-I s-s-shall remedy at once.”

He took your clit between his thumb and forefinger, pinching it sending small jolts of heated electricity through you. While he was doing that he kissed a path from your neck to your breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth only to pull away and blow on it. He repeated the process with your other breast before sucking on it. You cautiously shifted slightly above him. Testing the waters for yourself. It still stung but he was creating just enough pleasure that the pain was negligible.

“FUCK!” He shouted, pulling away from your breast, “You’d definitely be worth the trade. I’m going to move now, is that alright?”

“Yes, Sir. Please don’t stop. I want to cum again.”

“Such a greedy slut.” A hand on each cheek, spreading them as he guided your movements on him. “I can just imagine the view from the camera. God. It should be the perfect shot. Your cheeks spread so that it can clearly see how well your ass takes my cock.”

You moaned, heat once again building in your stomach.

“Do you like the thought of that? That there’s a camera recording just how much of a cock slut you become when you’re with a man who knows how to treat you right? No use in lying, you’re so wet you’re positively dripping.”

He ground your hips down on him in such a way you clit rubbed against the material of his uniform shirt that stopped right at the base of his cock. It was soaked with your juices but it created the friction you needed to be sent into your second orgasm.

“O-o-officer Jeon! Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck! So good!”

A low growl emitted from him and a warmth coated the inside of you. You both stayed like that for a moment, panting as you came down from your highs. Once his breathing steadied Officer Jeon leant back so his back met the desk surface, taking you with him. He reached across and grabbed a black silicone plug that wasn’t quite as thick as him but would be effective enough for the purpose he had assigned to it. With a little shift of his hips, his softening shaft slipped out of you but was quickly replaced by the plug.

“Search results are all clear. Charges will not be pressed. The suspect is free to go if she so chooses.” He carefully rolled you off of him to get off the table and approach the camera. You took it as an opportunity to admire his muscular thighs and ass. They looked Herculean. “Officer Jeon, signing off.” With that, he turned off the camera and faced you with a bright grin, “Now that’s over, you can call me Jungkook. It’s nice to meet you, Y/N.”

You gave a small smile in return, “Nice to meet you too.”

“Would you like to spend the night, take a quick shower with me maybe?”

Your smile grew bigger, “Of course. I was completely serious about the trade.”

“Good. I was serious about you being worth it.”

He made his way back over to you, undid the cuffs and picked you up bridal style.

“Can I asked why you filmed that?”

“You’ll see.”

A couple hours later, in Jeju.

Chaewon’s phone went off alerting her to a new message. It was Jungkook. He had sent a Google Drive link and ‘I made sure nothing was stolen’. Just as she clicked on it Seojun sat down beside her in a robe.

“What is it my cuddly kitty?”

“Jungkook sent me a link to a video.”

The video finally loaded and Seojun’s jaw dropped. It was you! Why did Jungkook send her a video of you?

‘This is Officer Jeon and the date is…’

They watched with curiosity at first which swiftly changed to shock when your top was ripped open.

*Sometime later*

“I THOUGHT YOU SAID THEY’D NEVER FIND OUT!” Seojun shouted, regret evident in his voice.

“I THOUGHT THEY WOULDN’T!” Chaewon responded with equal loudness.

“WELL, OBVIOUSLY THEY DID!”

“WHY IS SHE SUCH A SLUT?!”

“… She was never like that with me…”

“She let him put it in her butt.”

“He owns a buttplug, as well as a lot of other interesting looking things, did you guys ever…?”

“No! No never! As if I would let him do something like that too me. It’s so unhygienic.”

There was a moment of silence.

“I think I made a mistake…”

“WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN?! I AM CARRYING YOUR CHILD!”

Another phone notification, this time from Seojun’s phone. It was from you.

‘Wedding’s off. I found a new dick to ride. Tell your bitch she can have you, I’m moving my stuff out ASAP while you’re in Jeju. But don’t worry, the bitch’s stuff will be replacing mine in that house. Except for the jewellery, he brought her. That’s mine now. Including the engagement ring she left behind.’ 

A/N: I know you guys are wanting BunBun Pt2, and you will get it, eventually. But I got inspired to write this yesterday and have only had 2 and a half hours sleep thanks to it. Now remember this is just fiction. Please use condoms and practice safe sex. And as always, feel free to send asks about the fic, or any of my fics for that matter!

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This work of fiction is copyright © JungkookieNoona and protected under UK and international law. All rights reserved. Any unauthorised broadcasting, copying or reposting will constitute an infringement of copyright.

[heloisedc]

Dear mother,

It could not have been a singular origin, the singularity of a beginning, the point of the big bang; rather, it would have to have been a moment of originary coincidence. A coincidence, a coincident, the doubling of a co inside, of an originary two, the condition made possible by the originary trace, which is to say, all conditions. It would thus leave traces, footprints that rippled both ways in the event, forward and backward.[1]

I had been assigned to this man, and upon seeing him, I could not believe my eyes. He was of utter beauty, grazing perfection. The reproduction of the image of the Vitruvian man […][2] His skin texture was perfect, the individual hairs on head and body had been lovingly and intricately manufactured and placed.[3] He was transparent but impenetrable.[4]

It was evidently a case of “love at first sight” […][5] He would allow but one assistant to work with him […][6], which is how I ended up moving into his home. The habit of living a long time innocently together, far from weakening the first sentiments I felt for him, had contributed to strengthen them.[7]

I had studied all the details of housekeeping; I understood cooking and cleaning; I knew the prices of food, and also how to choose it; I could keep accounts accurately […].[8] Man has lashes on the eye lids on either side ; and I made it my daily care to stain his ; so ardent was he in the pursuit of beauty, that he must even colour his very eyes.[9] […] And he was in the habit of washing his face seven hundred times daily, and I would be strictly observing that number.[10] I would always take care of the oiling of his body, carefully spreading it in an even manner all over his stature and […] employing extracts, that had been recently prepared and preserved with great care.[11]

Now for his diet: for lunch honey, for dinner a biscuit and vegetables, meat infrequently.... In this way his body kept the same condition, as if on a straight line, without being sometimes healthy, sometimes sick, and without growing heavier Even outside the strictly Pythagorean context, regimen was regularly defined with reference to these two associated dimensions of good health maintenance and proper care of the soul.[12] And there were always drugs around—most notably, the jars of white crosses and other uppers that he kept in the fridge next to his protein fortified milkshakes.[13]

Every day, I would go into his bedroom, search around for his running shorts and shoes and T shirt, change his clothes in eagerness, and soon enough, his body would find itself out on the pavement, with his feet pounding the ground and his heart beginning to thump away.[14]

And then, drawn out from his body, his sinews formed a bundle of dark, shiny stalks, not unlike the bundle of lightning bolts that lay beside him, although these were bright and smoking.[15] Now between the dry head, more than dead, almost abstract, empty and desiccated, suitably objectivized, wholly exterior, pierced, visible, nameable, articulated, analyzable, between the skull and the rest of the world, a circumstantial halo of light, like the ones worn by the great saints, replaces, at bone level, the lining of flesh, fat, muscle, organs, skin, veins, tendons, hair, radiance, charm, beauty, glory.[16]

Perhaps it was the fascination of seeing that particular beauty, force and dedication so explicitly personified in a human body,[17] or perhaps it was something else. But in any way, I wanted to be seen with him.

I once wondered, For what purpose?[18] And he asked me if I thought it was truly possible to think without arriving at beauty, without penetrating the secret place where life bubbles up, without the transfiguration of the body?[19] To Lenny, you see, beauty was some inherent property, to be found suffused all through the body of that which may be called beautiful […][20] In an ecstasy of joy, no doubt intensified by the joy I felt in making him shine before my friends, with extreme volubility, I reiterated, stroking and patting him as though he was a horse that had just come first past the post: “You’re the most beautiful man I know, do you hear?”[21]

   Mother, I was incredibly happy with him. I had learned all that I could about his passion and would assist him with all my powers. But then came the move. We needed a new place to live, which is how we met Ludwig.

Wandering in the public square, a lit lantern in hand in the middle of the day, […] A garden more inviting than Eden would […] meet our eyes.[22] On the door of the magnificent garden was written with golden letters: 'The Abode of Beauty'. “The abode of Beauty!” Lenny had exclaimed, “Oh! that is what I want to see!”[23]

Once we arrived, we studied him and were pleased with what we had found,[24] which led to us moving in.

For some time after our arrival, every thing he saw excited wonder and admiration; and not till he was a little familiarized with the new objects, did he ask reasonable questions.[25]

During our breakfast, instead of speaking with me, as we used to, Lenny would often look out of the window at the […] small garden, brilliantly lit without shadows or oppressive heat […][26]. I felt uneasy. You see, Mother, he started to deck himself with plumes, necklaces, armlets, […][27] and earrings bearing gems that looked like diamonds.[28] I felt completely shallow and useless.. [29]

When I saw Ludwig look at Lenny with lust […][30], the hatred of Ludwig gnawed my heart, but it was a hatred mingled with admiration of the beautiful, adulated body of his.

I would often glance through the windows, observing him move, sculpt, construct. And with every drop of sweat, it would feel like Ludwig morphed, changing simultaneously to Lenny’s body.

I would not have been jealous if he had enjoyed his pleasures in my vicinity, with my encouragement, completely under my surveillance, thereby relieving me of any fear of mendacity,[31] but he was excluding me from all his activities.

Mother, it was not good for me. […] If he left my side for a moment, I became anxious, began to imagine that he had spoken to or simply looked at Ludwig. If he was not in the best of tempers, I thought that I must be causing him to miss or to postpone some appointment. Reality is never more than a first step towards an unknown on the road to which one can never progress very far. It is better not to know, to think as little as possible, not to feed one’s jealousy with the slightest concrete detail. Unfortunately, in the absence of an outer life, incidents are created by the inner life too; in the absence of expeditions with him, the random course of my solitary reflections furnished me at times with some of those tiny fragments of the truth which attract to themselves, like a magnet, an inkling of the unknown, which from that moment becomes painful.[32]

On one somber evening Lenny came up to me, looked me straight into the soul and said, “A little while ago I did not know something that I know now; I know with whom I shall die.”[33]

[…] I then knew loneliness and isolation and I felt […] like an alien from another world.

 Now, Mother, I was already hurting all over. I would have many sleepless nights. But it only got worse, the exclusion only intensified…

One day, he got out of bed and walked into the bathroom for a shave and for the remainder of the morning ritual,[34] without even saying good morning to me. Everything happened, then, during the seconds of complete veiling. Hardly had it begun than a strange light, yellow and tawny, resembling nothing else, neither the evening nor the dawn, invaded the environment; the glory of orange light intercepted by the walls of my abode disappeared, giving way to a somber and magic bath […].[35] It was a surprise bath, where Ludwig had taken him to an upper floor; he was then tipped backwards into the water. [36] He gesticulated me to leave. I had always assisted him in cleaning himself, and could not bear letting him do it alone. I sat down beside the door, hearing unconscionable noise and splashing.[37] I then overheard him, whispering incoherently while giggling like a little girl: "Ludwig… Ludwig, I love you...Don't laugh at me, please don't laugh!...[38] I thought to myself: Oh, I shall die of pain and love and jealousy!”[39]

After a while, he suddenly stepped outside, catching me in the act of eavesdropping. It was too late, now, to draw back, and since he was about to know all, in order not to seem too miserable, too jealous and inquisitive, I called out in a cheerful, casual tone of voice: “Please don’t bother; I just happened to be passing, and saw the light.”[40] I looked at his body and found it clean as virgin silver, […] whereat he rejoiced exceedingly and his breast expanded with gladness,[41] and then happily frolicked away. I collapsed on the chair right in front of the seemingly endless stairs.

When Lenny closed the door behind him, I heard a sort of echo in the roof; it sounded like voices […].[42] And then, blackness, […] vast emptiness stretching out infinitely.[43] Deep, dark, dank, dismal silence.[44] the infinite void of space[45] True loneliness occurs not when there are no others around me, but when I am deprived even of my shadow.[46]

Then he began to rush wildly about the room, shouting, singing, making a great noise […].[47] […] the ground below shuddered uneasily.[48] Then […] the chant, mingled with a murmur of supplication in the midst of ecstasy, seemed at times to stop altogether like a spring that had ceased to flow.[49]

Lenny returned; he was not at all surprised to encounter me before his door […].[50] After stepping out of the room, he shouted: “The glorious light makes me drunk with joy and my sense of wonder has no limits. This pleasure is truly divine! What pure happiness I feel in the bottom of my heart at this spectacle! What ecstasy! No, I cannot possibly give expression to it […]!”[51] He was absolutely in a state of ecstasy, and, involuntary, sinking on his knees, he passionately extended his arms towards Ludwig, certain he could not hear, and having no conception that he could see him.[52] Lenny stood, amazed, afraid of being mistaken, his joy tempered with doubt, and again and again stroked the object of his prayers. It was a body; he could feel the veins as he pressed them with his thumb.[53] And then, a cry of joy […]. [54]

This made me cry because I was not like it, not something complete, which turned toward the lost sweetness of life like a distant quotation. Happiness can only be thought of as something lost, as a beautiful alien. It cannot be anything more than a premonition that we approach with tears in our eyes without ever reaching it. [55]

I needed to get out.

 Mother, I learned an important lesson. Accepting the unfortunate reality would calm my soul far more than endlessly aiming at an unattainable fiction.

When I got into the open air, I heard distinctly, as the night was still, Lenny’s joyous laughter.[56] When I looked back at what had once been a house, it struck me. He had sculpted the finest work of art I had ever seen, much like his own body. It was the most sublime, most charming, most graceful, most splendid, most touching[57] […] more safely guarded by its walls, more superb in palaces, more ornamented in respect to temples, more beautiful by virtue of its buildings, more illustrious in its porticoes, more splendid in its piazzas[58] He had given great attention to realistic detail, rendering each feature with painstaking precision, […][59] and the more time I spent studying the detail, the more I realized how much love and passion had gone into it.[60]

They were now mutually bound together, the lighter being restrained by the heavier, so that it cannot fly off; while, on the contrary, from the lighter tending upwards, the heavier is so suspended, that it cannot fall down.[61]

My Love […] must, like every mental state, even the most lasting, find itself one day obsolete, be “replaced,” and that when that day would come, everything that seemed to attach me so sweetly, indissolubly, to the memory of Lenny, would no longer exist for me. [62] Just as in morality, pleasure and pain have but a single source, and an end to pain is enough to produce pleasure.[63] I am looking forward to coming home.

I embrace you, […][64]

Your Son

  [1] Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968

[2] Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968

[3] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[4] Hugo, Les Miserables

[5] Darwin, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex

[6] Heilbron, The Sun in the Church

[7] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[8] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[9] Pliny, Natural History Volume 3

[10] Pliny, Natural History Volume 5

[11] Laennec, A Treatise on the Diseases of the Chest and on Mediate Auscultation

[12] Foucault, The History of Sexuality Volume 2

[13] Davis, High Weirdness

[14] Hofstadter, I Am a Strange Loop

[15] Calasso, The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony

[16] Serres, Statues

[17] Rand, The Fountainhead

[18] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[19] Serres, The Five Senses

[20] Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968

[21] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol III The Guermantes Way

[22] Wollstonecraft, Complete Works

[23] Harrison Wood Gaiger, Art in Theory 1648 1815

[24] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[25] Wollstonecraft, Complete Works

[26] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[27] Darwin, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex

[28] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[29] Harrison Wood Gaiger, Art in Theory 1648 1815

[30] Colebrook, Irony The New Critical

[31] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol V The Captive The Fugitive

[32] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol V The Captive The Fugitive

[33] Bell, Men of Mathematics

[34] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[35] Serres, Biogea

[36] Foucault, History of Madness

[37] Seneca, Complete Works

[38] Rand, The Fountainhead

[39] Deleuze, Masochism Coldness and Cruelty Venus in Furs

[40] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol I Swanns Way

[41] The Book of the Thousand and One Nights

[42] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[43] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[44] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[45] Serres, The Birth of Physics

[46] Zizek, Less Than Nothing

[47] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[48] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[49] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol III The Guermantes Way

[50] Harrison Wood Gaiger, Art in Theory 1648 1815

[51] Mallgrave, Architectural Theory

[52] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[53] Freedberg, The Power of Images

[54] Grimm, Teutonic Mythology The Complete Work

[55] Sloterdijk, Critique of Cynical Reason

[56] The Book of the Thousand and One Nights Supplementary Nights

[57] Frankl, The Gothic

[58] Smith, Architecture in the Culture of Early Humanism

[59] Chilvers, A Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art Oxford

[60] Hovestadt Buehlmann, Quantum City

[61] Pliny, Natural History Volume 1

[62] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol V The Captive The Fugitive

[63] Serres, The Birth of Physics

[64] Montesquieu, Persian Letters

[manuelclapid]

The Easy Guide to Trimming and Edging Your Yard Like a Pro

This post is made in partnership with STIHL.  All opinions (and yard work) are my own.

I have a confession to make.  I really don’t like working out at a gym….  I like the weight machines, but I don’t love the atmosphere.  Getting on a treadmill or such for 30 minutes feels worse than pulling teeth: you see no results at the end, and you’ve been working hard for 30 minutes… So, I’ve decided that I am taking over the lawn care this summer as a treadmill alternative!  We have about an acre of grass to mow, and if I separate it into zones I can get 3 -30 to 45 minute plus workouts a week JUST mowing (not using the auto drive on the mower btw).   I am really enjoying it so far. 

Benefits of doing the lawn care myself:

I am outside, enjoying the weather, possibly getting some added vitamin D!  (I can dream about someday having a beautiful tan, but alas, my melanin is on a permanent vacation.)

I get to see some immediate results when I am done.  This really helps with my desire to get things done that matter.  I have huge to-do lists, and not having tangible results after a workout usually makes me feel less motivated to try it again.  Doing the lawn care gives me immediate tangible results – and a good workout!

I finally have some time to “read” or just get thinking.  I’ve been listening to an uplifting, motivational, or thought provoking audiobook or podcast.  It is helping me to be more motivated throughout the week to push myself.  Also, I have two adorable little talkers at my house, and it is nice to have some time to think a full complete thought without being interrupted.

I don’t have to pay someone… technically, I am taking time away from working to do this, so in actuality I may be losing money, but it is filling needs that I have for physical work and a break from the day job.

I will admit: the most I’ve ever really done is mow. But if I am taking over the lawn care for real, then I also need to take care of the trimming, edging and cleanup after.  This is the difference between an okay job mowing and a clean beautiful yard that truly looks manicured.  So I asked my hubby to help tutor me in the ways of lawn care.  He had a lawn care business in college and worked for a service through high school, so he’s got skills!

The best part is that today we are going to teach you how to trim and edge your lawn like a pro.  It’s really rewarding to step back and see your yard with a new clean cut. 

4-Step Lawn Care Routine for a Professional Result

So when trying to get a professional-looking mow there are four general steps:

Edge along the concrete, brick surfaces, where the grass would start to creep over horizontally or garden bed and tree ring edges.

Mow and bag the grass.

Trim the extra tall grass along the edges of things, that the mower couldn’t get.

Blow off any loose dirt or grass clippings back onto the grass, from the mower, trimmer and edger.

I think that trimming and edging especially are two of the best ways to really make your lawn look awesome.  If you only mow there is a very noticeable difference in the look. It just looks unfinished.  So today we are giving you the tips and tools to make your lawn look top-notch all summer (and spring and fall). 

Here is a list of tools that we will be using today — you can find your local Stihl dealer here.

Stihl FC 56 C-E gas-powered edger

Stihl BGA 85 battery-powered blower

Stihl FSA 65 battery-powered string trimmer

Accessories

AP 300 batteries

AL 300 charger

Cotton Candy Pink Work Glasses (safety always!)

High Performance Pro Gloves

                          We did get one gas powered tool, the edger, and boy is it fabulous, but I have to admit the ease of the battery powered tools with the STIHL Lightning Battery System® has me so happy!  Before, I would always need to ask Justin to help me get the tools started, but now it is just plain easy!  And I don’t need any help to get things started, or know what I am doing (this problem may have been more of a willful ignorance: “If I don’t know how to start it I can’t be expected to do it!” But now that I want to actually do the work I am more invested in learning how to do it and actually excited about the work!)

So let’s begin with some tips, shall we?

9 Trimming Tips for Manicured Lawn

Trimming gives your lawn a nice clean look, like just after getting a new haircut.  Think of mowing the yard without trimming as a mullet…  but it is 2018 and the 80’s called and they want their hairstyles back… so give that lawn a trim! 

Tip #1: Wear safety glasses.

Always wear safety glasses when trimming.  A friend used my trimmer once and I told him to be sure to wear safety glasses.  He said “I’m fine! I don’t need safety glasses. I will be okay.” When he returned the trimmer he said, “I should have worn the safety glasses because a rock flew up and hit me in the eye.”  Just protect your eyes and wear the glasses.  You will thank me later.

Tip #2: Mow the lawn first.

When trimming and edging I like to do it after I have mowed the lawn first.  The lawn mower will get the bulk of the grass, and also give you a reference point for the height the grass should be cut to.  However, there are areas the mower can’t get like the trimmer can, such as under shrubs, around play equipment or trees, and up against the fence or walls. 

Tip #3: Hold the trimmer level with the grass.

I am right-handed so I hold the trimmer trigger with my right hand and tend to walk to the right as I trim around the yard.  Hold the trimmer level to the grass so you won’t cut too deeply into the grass and create low spots.  This is where mowing first comes in really handy because you can level your trimmer with the cut grass.  This will also help to avoid over cutting the grass and creating dried up dead spots on the edges.

Tip #4: Trim the grass so it discharges cut grass back onto the grass.

Save yourself some clean-up time and try to keep the grass clippings from creating a bigger mess to clean up later.  Trim the grass in a way that the clippings end up back on the grass.  This will mostly matter when you are trimming around hardscape, but just configure the guard cover to point onto the grass. 

Tip #5: Work slow and steady.

Especially around trees and plants, keep your work slow and steady for an even result and for the safety of the rest of your landscaping.  Don’t cut into the bark of plants or trees, as this may introduce disease or bugs into the tree and can ultimately kill or weaken your trees.  It’s best to create a tree ring of mulch at least 12-15″ away from the tree bark to protect the trees.

Tip #6: Tap the trimmer on the ground to extend the nylon string.

Depending on your type of trimmer, you can just tap it on the ground to extend the feed when it gets too short.

Tip #7: Plan your way around the yard.

To help save time and make sure all the edges get trimmed, I start trimming where I want to end up, so I end up where I started.  Start trimming like you are tracing the outline around the lawn.  If you pass a tree or island/planter bed that needs trimming, walk over to it and trim around that, then walk back to where you left off at the edge. By doing this you are more efficient with your time and able to get things done a lot faster. This method will also help ensure you don’t miss any spots.  So when we trim our yard, we start in the front yard, go around the house, through the gate to the back yard, finish the backyard, then come back through the same gate into the front yard to finish the front yard.

Tip #8: Trim the cracks that are full of weeds or unwanted grass.

In between the concrete cracks, you might get weeds growing through the cracks.  Just trim them out at a slight angle as close to the concrete as possible.  After the trimming you can pour straight (and super cheap) vinegar as a weed killer to prevent them from growing back. This is an organic, cheap and easily available weed killer, and you can even have the kids help with this part if you want.

Tip #9: Keep a safe distance

Be sure to keep your feet and hands away from the string at all times.  Keep a safe distance away from other people at about 50’ or more. Be really careful around windows and vehicles.

  10 Tips and Uses for your Edger

After first mowing, and then trimming now it is time to edge with an edger.  An edger is more for cutting the grass vertically along the edges of the patios, paths, curbs, sidewalks or driveways.  This part of lawn care really make a difference in the final look of the cut grass. This is something that you can do every other week if you wanted to save a little time.  If you don’t do it at all, the grass ends up growing out and over the hard surfaces and can be harder to find the edge in the future.  In fact sometimes the grass will begin to grow on the hard surfaces and debris builds up on edges creates a solid bed on the concrete.

Tip #1: Wear safety glasses.

Always wear safety glasses.  The edger will spin the blade at a really fast rate.  This kicks up a lot of dirt and rocks. There is a guard, but still, I would rather be safe than sorry!

Tip #2: Align the edger next to the hard surface.

Align the cutting blade of the edger with the edge of the grass.  Pull the trigger and the blade will start spinning. Start with the blade spinning in the grass at the edge of the concrete or hard surface.  You will feel the blade cutting through the dirt. As it’s spinning, you can let it hit the edge of the hard surface you are edging against.  Adjust the trimmer up or down depending on how deep you want to to edge. Typically I edge about ½” to an 1” deep. Stand on the left and start walking forward along the edge.  Remember, that after time the edger blade will need to be replaced from wear. You might be able to use one blade all season depending on how often you edge and the size of your yard. 

Tip #3: Move the edger back and forth.

As you edge, move the edger back and forth to get a nice clean cut.  Especially if it’s the first time or at the beginning of the season, be aware that your first edging of the season may require a bit more cleanup then you will usually have.  It is best to take care of this early in the season, and then upkeep on the edges will become easier and easier as the season progresses. 

Tip #4: Edge often.

The more often you edge the lawn, the easier it is to do and the faster the job goes.  Most of the time you can edge every other time you mow, but if you are consistent you can avoid having to “start over” with a prolific edge of grass.

Tip #5: Adjust the depth of the cut

Cut down at least ½” past the edge of the surface you are trimming.  Depending on your type of edger, you can adjust the depth of the cut.  As you use the edger the blade will get worn and get smaller, so you will have to adjust the depth.

Tip #6: Edge first.

This may actually sound like we are going against everything we’ve talked about, but edging BEFORE mowing may actually save you some time.  By edging first, you will be able to use the mower to help clean up the cut grass and extra dirt.  It will make the end cleanup a breeze!

Tip #7: Edge around trees to create tree rings.

If you don’t have tree rings, you can easily create one with an edger.  Just draw a ring around the tree at least 12” from the tree trunk with landscape paint (optional) then use an edger to cut along the line.  Dig out all the grass in the ring and fill it with mulch. This will keep your tree a safe distance from the trimmer or edger and prevent any damage to the tree bark.

Tip #8: Edge around planter beds.

Use an edger to define the planter bed edge from the grass.  You do not need to install a hardscape edging system to keep your beds looking beautiful.  Remove any unwanted grass and keep edging each week to keep it nice and clean.

Tip #9: Use the proper fuel to oil ratio.

This is especially important to extend the life of your gas-powered engines. Fill the tank with the proper fuel.  This Stihl model that we are using uses a gas oil mix of 50:1. We purchased the fuel at the hardware store because it has the proper mixture and a long shelf life.  Also, be aware that gas you buy at the gas station contains ethanol that will junk up your equipment; the proper fuel mixtures at the hardware store are ethanol free.  You will have fewer maintenance issues down the road if you use the right fuel every time.

Tip #10: Blow off the dirt and grass clippings.

Now that everything is done, all you have to do is blow all the dirt and grass clippings back onto the lawn and you done.  Be careful to specifically clean off that brand new edge.  If you blow things into the edges of the grass that sit against hard surfaces, that is where you will get the build up of soil and debris that allows the grass to grow onto the surface!

Now you can enjoy the beautiful clean look of your yard.

By the way, the blower is a totally awesome alternative to palm leaves for being fanned when you are done!

What tools do you like to use for your lawn care? Click here to find your local Stihl dealer. 

So let’s check out a before and after shall we?

I’d like to thank Stihl for not only partnering with me on this post but for being part of my family since I was a child!  We truly love this company!  My dad was a chainsaw woodcarver growing up… and just check out this family picture all donning our orange Stihl shirts…(I’m the youngest on the end!!)

    The post The Easy Guide to Trimming and Edging Your Yard Like a Pro appeared first on Remodelaholic.

from Home https://www.remodelaholic.com/trimming-and-edging-your-yard-like-a-pro/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[andrewmawby]

The Easy Guide to Trimming and Edging Your Yard Like a Pro

This post is made in partnership with STIHL.  All opinions (and yard work) are my own.

I have a confession to make.  I really don’t like working out at a gym….  I like the weight machines, but I don’t love the atmosphere.  Getting on a treadmill or such for 30 minutes feels worse than pulling teeth: you see no results at the end, and you’ve been working hard for 30 minutes… So, I’ve decided that I am taking over the lawn care this summer as a treadmill alternative!  We have about an acre of grass to mow, and if I separate it into zones I can get 3 -30 to 45 minute plus workouts a week JUST mowing (not using the auto drive on the mower btw).   I am really enjoying it so far. 

Benefits of doing the lawn care myself:

I am outside, enjoying the weather, possibly getting some added vitamin D!  (I can dream about someday having a beautiful tan, but alas, my melanin is on a permanent vacation.)

I get to see some immediate results when I am done.  This really helps with my desire to get things done that matter.  I have huge to-do lists, and not having tangible results after a workout usually makes me feel less motivated to try it again.  Doing the lawn care gives me immediate tangible results – and a good workout!

I finally have some time to “read” or just get thinking.  I’ve been listening to an uplifting, motivational, or thought provoking audiobook or podcast.  It is helping me to be more motivated throughout the week to push myself.  Also, I have two adorable little talkers at my house, and it is nice to have some time to think a full complete thought without being interrupted.

I don’t have to pay someone… technically, I am taking time away from working to do this, so in actuality I may be losing money, but it is filling needs that I have for physical work and a break from the day job.

I will admit: the most I’ve ever really done is mow. But if I am taking over the lawn care for real, then I also need to take care of the trimming, edging and cleanup after.  This is the difference between an okay job mowing and a clean beautiful yard that truly looks manicured.  So I asked my hubby to help tutor me in the ways of lawn care.  He had a lawn care business in college and worked for a service through high school, so he’s got skills!

The best part is that today we are going to teach you how to trim and edge your lawn like a pro.  It’s really rewarding to step back and see your yard with a new clean cut. 

4-Step Lawn Care Routine for a Professional Result

So when trying to get a professional-looking mow there are four general steps:

Edge along the concrete, brick surfaces, where the grass would start to creep over horizontally or garden bed and tree ring edges.

Mow and bag the grass.

Trim the extra tall grass along the edges of things, that the mower couldn’t get.

Blow off any loose dirt or grass clippings back onto the grass, from the mower, trimmer and edger.

I think that trimming and edging especially are two of the best ways to really make your lawn look awesome.  If you only mow there is a very noticeable difference in the look. It just looks unfinished.  So today we are giving you the tips and tools to make your lawn look top-notch all summer (and spring and fall). 

Here is a list of tools that we will be using today — you can find your local Stihl dealer here.

Stihl FC 56 C-E gas-powered edger

Stihl BGA 85 battery-powered blower

Stihl FSA 65 battery-powered string trimmer

Accessories

AP 300 batteries

AL 300 charger

Cotton Candy Pink Work Glasses (safety always!)

High Performance Pro Gloves

                          We did get one gas powered tool, the edger, and boy is it fabulous, but I have to admit the ease of the battery powered tools with the STIHL Lightning Battery System® has me so happy!  Before, I would always need to ask Justin to help me get the tools started, but now it is just plain easy!  And I don’t need any help to get things started, or know what I am doing (this problem may have been more of a willful ignorance: “If I don’t know how to start it I can’t be expected to do it!” But now that I want to actually do the work I am more invested in learning how to do it and actually excited about the work!)

So let’s begin with some tips, shall we?

9 Trimming Tips for Manicured Lawn

Trimming gives your lawn a nice clean look, like just after getting a new haircut.  Think of mowing the yard without trimming as a mullet…  but it is 2018 and the 80’s called and they want their hairstyles back… so give that lawn a trim! 

Tip #1: Wear safety glasses.

Always wear safety glasses when trimming.  A friend used my trimmer once and I told him to be sure to wear safety glasses.  He said “I’m fine! I don’t need safety glasses. I will be okay.” When he returned the trimmer he said, “I should have worn the safety glasses because a rock flew up and hit me in the eye.”  Just protect your eyes and wear the glasses.  You will thank me later.

Tip #2: Mow the lawn first.

When trimming and edging I like to do it after I have mowed the lawn first.  The lawn mower will get the bulk of the grass, and also give you a reference point for the height the grass should be cut to.  However, there are areas the mower can’t get like the trimmer can, such as under shrubs, around play equipment or trees, and up against the fence or walls. 

Tip #3: Hold the trimmer level with the grass.

I am right-handed so I hold the trimmer trigger with my right hand and tend to walk to the right as I trim around the yard.  Hold the trimmer level to the grass so you won’t cut too deeply into the grass and create low spots.  This is where mowing first comes in really handy because you can level your trimmer with the cut grass.  This will also help to avoid over cutting the grass and creating dried up dead spots on the edges.

Tip #4: Trim the grass so it discharges cut grass back onto the grass.

Save yourself some clean-up time and try to keep the grass clippings from creating a bigger mess to clean up later.  Trim the grass in a way that the clippings end up back on the grass.  This will mostly matter when you are trimming around hardscape, but just configure the guard cover to point onto the grass. 

Tip #5: Work slow and steady.

Especially around trees and plants, keep your work slow and steady for an even result and for the safety of the rest of your landscaping.  Don’t cut into the bark of plants or trees, as this may introduce disease or bugs into the tree and can ultimately kill or weaken your trees.  It’s best to create a tree ring of mulch at least 12-15″ away from the tree bark to protect the trees.

Tip #6: Tap the trimmer on the ground to extend the nylon string.

Depending on your type of trimmer, you can just tap it on the ground to extend the feed when it gets too short.

Tip #7: Plan your way around the yard.

To help save time and make sure all the edges get trimmed, I start trimming where I want to end up, so I end up where I started.  Start trimming like you are tracing the outline around the lawn.  If you pass a tree or island/planter bed that needs trimming, walk over to it and trim around that, then walk back to where you left off at the edge. By doing this you are more efficient with your time and able to get things done a lot faster. This method will also help ensure you don’t miss any spots.  So when we trim our yard, we start in the front yard, go around the house, through the gate to the back yard, finish the backyard, then come back through the same gate into the front yard to finish the front yard.

Tip #8: Trim the cracks that are full of weeds or unwanted grass.

In between the concrete cracks, you might get weeds growing through the cracks.  Just trim them out at a slight angle as close to the concrete as possible.  After the trimming you can pour straight (and super cheap) vinegar as a weed killer to prevent them from growing back. This is an organic, cheap and easily available weed killer, and you can even have the kids help with this part if you want.

Tip #9: Keep a safe distance

Be sure to keep your feet and hands away from the string at all times.  Keep a safe distance away from other people at about 50’ or more. Be really careful around windows and vehicles.

  10 Tips and Uses for your Edger

After first mowing, and then trimming now it is time to edge with an edger.  An edger is more for cutting the grass vertically along the edges of the patios, paths, curbs, sidewalks or driveways.  This part of lawn care really make a difference in the final look of the cut grass. This is something that you can do every other week if you wanted to save a little time.  If you don’t do it at all, the grass ends up growing out and over the hard surfaces and can be harder to find the edge in the future.  In fact sometimes the grass will begin to grow on the hard surfaces and debris builds up on edges creates a solid bed on the concrete.

Tip #1: Wear safety glasses.

Always wear safety glasses.  The edger will spin the blade at a really fast rate.  This kicks up a lot of dirt and rocks. There is a guard, but still, I would rather be safe than sorry!

Tip #2: Align the edger next to the hard surface.

Align the cutting blade of the edger with the edge of the grass.  Pull the trigger and the blade will start spinning. Start with the blade spinning in the grass at the edge of the concrete or hard surface.  You will feel the blade cutting through the dirt. As it’s spinning, you can let it hit the edge of the hard surface you are edging against.  Adjust the trimmer up or down depending on how deep you want to to edge. Typically I edge about ½” to an 1” deep. Stand on the left and start walking forward along the edge.  Remember, that after time the edger blade will need to be replaced from wear. You might be able to use one blade all season depending on how often you edge and the size of your yard. 

Tip #3: Move the edger back and forth.

As you edge, move the edger back and forth to get a nice clean cut.  Especially if it’s the first time or at the beginning of the season, be aware that your first edging of the season may require a bit more cleanup then you will usually have.  It is best to take care of this early in the season, and then upkeep on the edges will become easier and easier as the season progresses. 

Tip #4: Edge often.

The more often you edge the lawn, the easier it is to do and the faster the job goes.  Most of the time you can edge every other time you mow, but if you are consistent you can avoid having to “start over” with a prolific edge of grass.

Tip #5: Adjust the depth of the cut

Cut down at least ½” past the edge of the surface you are trimming.  Depending on your type of edger, you can adjust the depth of the cut.  As you use the edger the blade will get worn and get smaller, so you will have to adjust the depth.

Tip #6: Edge first.

This may actually sound like we are going against everything we’ve talked about, but edging BEFORE mowing may actually save you some time.  By edging first, you will be able to use the mower to help clean up the cut grass and extra dirt.  It will make the end cleanup a breeze!

Tip #7: Edge around trees to create tree rings.

If you don’t have tree rings, you can easily create one with an edger.  Just draw a ring around the tree at least 12” from the tree trunk with landscape paint (optional) then use an edger to cut along the line.  Dig out all the grass in the ring and fill it with mulch. This will keep your tree a safe distance from the trimmer or edger and prevent any damage to the tree bark.

Tip #8: Edge around planter beds.

Use an edger to define the planter bed edge from the grass.  You do not need to install a hardscape edging system to keep your beds looking beautiful.  Remove any unwanted grass and keep edging each week to keep it nice and clean.

Tip #9: Use the proper fuel to oil ratio.

This is especially important to extend the life of your gas-powered engines. Fill the tank with the proper fuel.  This Stihl model that we are using uses a gas oil mix of 50:1. We purchased the fuel at the hardware store because it has the proper mixture and a long shelf life.  Also, be aware that gas you buy at the gas station contains ethanol that will junk up your equipment; the proper fuel mixtures at the hardware store are ethanol free.  You will have fewer maintenance issues down the road if you use the right fuel every time.

Tip #10: Blow off the dirt and grass clippings.

Now that everything is done, all you have to do is blow all the dirt and grass clippings back onto the lawn and you done.  Be careful to specifically clean off that brand new edge.  If you blow things into the edges of the grass that sit against hard surfaces, that is where you will get the build up of soil and debris that allows the grass to grow onto the surface!

Now you can enjoy the beautiful clean look of your yard.

By the way, the blower is a totally awesome alternative to palm leaves for being fanned when you are done!

What tools do you like to use for your lawn care? Click here to find your local Stihl dealer. 

So let’s check out a before and after shall we?

I’d like to thank Stihl for not only partnering with me on this post but for being part of my family since I was a child!  We truly love this company!  My dad was a chainsaw woodcarver growing up… and just check out this family picture all donning our orange Stihl shirts…(I’m the youngest on the end!!)

    The post The Easy Guide to Trimming and Edging Your Yard Like a Pro appeared first on Remodelaholic.

from builders feed https://www.remodelaholic.com/trimming-and-edging-your-yard-like-a-pro/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[fnflbproject21]

Writing Liesbeth

F

———————————————————————————————————

Aeter

Green Life, Green Death

Nature runs in cycles, however we as humans escaped this process, preventing our useful nutrients returning to the soil and creating new life.

Today we are continuously polluting the environment and that doesn't stop when we die. 

Our traditional burials, release a lot of hazardous gases, poisoning the soil.

What if we could make use of the minerals. Return them into the cycle of nature?

These unused minerals can be reused, recycled and returned back to nature.

Aeter is a biodegradable coffin. This semi permeable encasing controls the transition from body to soil. The soil is enriched by the body and creates a perfect medium for a young tree to grow. This new life, serves as an alternative memorial for loved ones, where they find emotional refugee and unify back with the cyclical nature of life.

——————————————————————————————————— Extract of John Smiths discourse about burial-traditions and their downsides and new perspectives

[…] The anaerobic decomposition of a body in a grave takes several decades. In this process unenvironmental gases and chemicals released such as methane and nitrogendeoxid are released. Those poison the soil. When the medium is too cold and wet the the body forms a wax from body-fats that prevents the body from further decomposing. The space on a grave yards is limited and uncomposed bodies become to a problem.

In addition to hazardous chemical compounds there are slowly or non degradable 90,000 tons of steel caskets, 14,000 tons of steel vaults, 2700 tons of copper and bronze caskets, 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete, buried yearly. A lot of energy goes into producing these materials and they are not going to break down fast. Furthermore, these caskets contain a lot of polyester inner paneling and about 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid, mostly formaldehyde which destroys microbial life in the soil. That is due to 60% of death people. The other 40% are cremated. The cremation-processes of a big city consumes as much energy as  an entire suburb does. Hazardous gases are released such as mercury that harm the environment and contribute the global warming.

Closer observation of the body degrading processes leaves no questions that the anaerobic decomposition is slowest deep in the ground. Only a few microorganisms can work in this surrounding while microorganisms are crucial for the decomposition. Bodies that have been exposed to insects before burial decomposed 30% more quickly than those which had not.

A human body exposed to air can, in optimum conditions, be reduced to bone in 10 days. The bones will, depended on the conditions, be degraded in the following year. Roots from nearby vegetation may grow into the bone mass, since a lot of calcium is provided. A body that is buried 1.2 m under the ground already retains most of its tissue for a year. However, the larvae of some blowflies and flesh flies, can easily locate and burrow down to bodies buried at 0.3 m. Adult coffin flies can burrow 0.5 m into the ground in four days.

The dead bodies would provide fertile masses of minerals such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, trace elements and organic matter. Cadaveric materials are rapidly introduced to below ground floral and faunal communities, which results in the formation of a highly concentrated island of fertility. Because the body will purge within a year in a buried environment, the nutrients are released into the soil quite quickly, and can easily over-fertilize the soil which at first kills the floral life in its surrounding. Capturing these nutrients is important to protect groundwater. There is different solutions for that problematic. The body can as well be planted right under a grown tree. This is already an alternative burial method, called wood burial. The costs for that are still rather high and the options are limited since there is not enough locations yet. A different solution would be, to plant a rather grown plant on top of the body, which is able to absorb enough minerals to prevent over-fertilization. It is not clear where those trees could be delivered from. A third solution is a biodegradable encasement for the body that is serving as a balancing medium. A semi permeable-membrane functions as controlling unit about the release of nutrients to the soil over the time of decomposition. With this solution, a new ritual and attitude about death and burial can be guaranteed. The plant would be chosen by the family, representing the deceased relative. The roots nourish from the soil and take in the deceased. Graveyards would turn into green islands of wildlife and diversity. We will start to develop a closer relation to nature when we see our relatives actually being nature themselves. Our love and care for them will translate into attentiveness and devotion for mother earth. The long lost „vision of harmony“ between human and nature( Erich Fromm) will be reestablished. It will free nature from the contempt of the industrial society. […]

——————————————————————————————————— Art Review #1 Rounded Shape

——————————————————————————————————— Green

blue, yellow, red, darkness darkness, in which My body is dead my body, my soul rest

I feel a tickle, somewhere above an unknown force movement of love, slowly but steady

from slow to fast from fast to slow from dark to light from soil to sun

I am reaching out to the ends of my roots, underneath and above to the last cell of my branches, into the world.

from slow to fast from fast to slow from dark to light from soil to sun Becoming a blossom from a sprout until I can travel the entire world,

leave the place and be the world. unite with matter simply being, nature

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Art Review #2 Aeter – An alternative burying technique displayed at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Press Release: Leon Barre examines the understanding and social conditions in which death is perceived. Through his observations he illustrates how the the human stepped out of nature’s cycle —and tries to reverse it. Aeter is a biodegradable coffin. Not your ordinary coffin but a rounded, elegant enclosure. Almost like a river stone, shaped to a smoothly sanded form, caused by the force of the water over time. It is neatly embellished by a pattern of perforated holes, that create intriguing spots of darkness, and underline the creases around it. Its shape can also be recognized as a mothers womb, carrying an embryo. It embodies the representation of life, that can be given or taken. Through this particular shape language and materiality Aeter makes use of prehistoric traditions that showcase burials through the notions of circular life. While the conceptual aspects communicated within Barre’s project are surprisingly valid and outspoken, it is still rather unfortunate that the coffin somehow does resemble the shape of an avocado. When mentioned, he seems immoderately calm about the perviously made statement, although it is widely suspected that it makes him uncomfortably nervous. In interviews he elaborates: „It was most definitely not intentional, I swear to god“

Written by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Paris, March 15 2023 Reference: Leon Barre at Design Academy Eindhoven Share: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest

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22.06.2028 Dear Diary,

Late, again. Since we moved this being on time is getting really difficult. The new connection to work is just so annoying. What do they think how you should get those connections? Not even Usain Bolt would be fast enough. That meant 20 minutes waiting for the next train. The small boy was there again, looking for food in the trash and asking for money. What kind of parents are that to send there little boy. If I see them the next time, I will fucking hold them a big speech. Unbelievable. 
However, the rest of the day was really hectic. From meeting to meeting and not even in the breaks i get a silent moment since this new college won´t stop hitting on me.. doesn't he get it?? I was happy to get out of there an hour early at least. Well…happy.. today it has been 5 years, that dad passed away… I went to visit him, he is looking good. Strong green and a few inches taller. His leaves look healthy again nevertheless all the bad weather lately. Just like him, nothing will brings him off his path, stubborn like a stone He even started growing small blossoms for the first time. I am so excited to see him in blossom.   I want to be there with him, watch him, when wind and wildlife carry him into the entire world. Is it not such a beautiful thought, him, uniting with all and everything. Becoming one with nature, as he always dreamed off.

I just realized today how much my relation to nature changed as well. 
I developed so much more love, care, devotion and passion for the environment. So much more respect and consciousness about nature and our relation towards it. And that makes me feel good, in harmonic. Full-filled and balanced.

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Beauty, stays beautiful, even when it wilts. Our love stays love, even when we die.

———————————————————————————————————from earth we are take to earth we shall return

From soil to soil, from ashes to ahses, from dust to dust

We lost our relation to nature. Its driven away buy the artificial world of consumerism Imagine a world where we reuse the nutrients and resources from our body after we deceased. Where our body and soul transitions into a plant.

we live in days where nature doesn't mean a lot to us no more, things do and people do. when a person dies family and friends suffer deep sadness at first. But the soul is not gone, it lives on in us and everything. transferring its love towards a person into a plant lifting up its love towards nature

the body is taking into the plant and reaches up

——————————————————————————————— R.I.P. Rest in Plants

——————————————————————————————————— From your body you are taken to the cause, by natures blade Received a gift that´s now retaken Death is life, to die the gate ———————————————————————————————————

NEW

Regrowkit for Aeterplants SÄRUSK 20 x 54 x 15 cm

Homegrowkit for seedlings from your relatives Aeter-plant.   Now you can bring your relatives home again. Care for them   and watch all day on your window sill. Provides an optimal environment for all kind of plants For Seedlings up to 30 cm

59.99€ Ikea Family Price 44.99€