#where else would we have mountains except in wales | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

spideymood · 7 years ago

Text

Amortentia - Tom Holland

At Hogwarts - Harry Potter universe. J.K.Rowling owns most of the characters and places except the ones I made.

Summary: You and Tom Holland are arch nemesis at Hogwarts. Later you are forced to become friends. After weeks you become close friends. During a potions classy smell Tom’s scent of cinnamon in the potion. Will you accept the hidden feelings you’ve got for him? Maybe, he smelled you too in the love potion?

Words count: 4.4k

Author’s Note: I’m sorry this one’s late! I’ve spent so many days writing this! Woah, 4,473 words. I hope you will like this one! I’ve got nothing more to say than, ENJOY!

MASTERLIST

«Ugh, I just don’t understand how that toe-rag gets good grades!» you exclaimed angrily. You had just got an Exceeds Expectations on your essay about the Goblin rebellions to History of magic professor Binns, while the Gryffindor student and your arch-enemy Tom Holland had gotten an Outstanding.

Tom Holland was your arch enemy since first grade at Hogwarts. He loved to prove you wrong public in classes and embarrass yourself in front of the whole school. Most girls worshipped him, something which made him insanely arrogant. His best friend Harrison broke your best friend’s heart two years ago, and you put all the blame for her heartache on Tom and Harrison. They were cruel and horrible through your eyes.

«I can’t understand why you didn’t get an Outstanding. What did you do wrong?» Your best friend Rose questioned. You both moved out of the History of Magic classroom and back to (your Hogwarts house) dorm.

«He thought it was a little bit boring…huh, I guarantee it was less boring than his stupid class!» you gritted loud. Out of nowhere professor Binns appeared and stared angrily at you.

«Miss (your last name), for your childish and bad behaviour, detention on Saturday at 2 o’clock at my office!» Professor Binns staffed angrily.

«B-b-but didn’t mean it! Please don’t give me detention!» You cried. During all five years at Hogwarts, you haven’t gotten any detentions, until that day. Professor Binns showed no mercy. He floated away from you and your best friend. You stood frozen out of shock after what just happened.

«Oi, (your last name)! I heard you got detention and an Exceeds Expectations on the essay. Too bad you didn’t also get expelled!» a guy laughed at you. Of course, it had to be Holland. His brown hair was ruffled and looked like a mess, like the rest of him.

«Why don’t you slip into something more comfortable, like a coma?» you insulted. You could not lose that asshole in insulting.

«Mirrors can’t talk, and luckily for you, they can’t laugh!» His mates and brothers laughed at his insult. You wouldn’t give up to the idiot of a guy.

«Roses are red, violets are blue. I was born beautiful, what the hell happened to you?» The other girls cheered for you. Even Holland brothers and friends, except Harrison, laughed at Tom.

«What is going on here!» An angry voice exclaimed. It was Professor McGonagall, you and Holland were in deep trouble if McGonagall found out what you had done to each other. All the students moved away to make space for the strict professor. When she saw it was only you and Holland having a fight she rolled her eyes.

Professor McGonagall led you and Holland to her office. She took a seat in her office and handed both of you some biscuits. «Why must it always be you two?» she sighed.

«It was Hollands fault! He teased me like he always does, but this time I stood up against him!» you explained yourself. Holland reacted immediately shocked.

«No professor, it was her fault. She insulted me really bad and I had to respond!» Holland defended.

«If you think I insulted you bad, then why don’t you shut up and give that hole in your face a chance to heal!» you continued. Holland gave you his best death stare, but it didn’t scare you at all.

Professor McGonagall looked just disappointed at you and Holland. «It does clearly not help to take some points from your houses since you both will continue. But I got something different in my mind. Let’s make a deal; become friends, or else I will expel both of you.»

«WHAT!» You and Holland shouted shocked.

«This is your last warning,» McGonagall warned. She looked into your eyes. «Please don’t make me expel you. You are dismissed.»

You left the office immediately. You couldn’t stand being in the same room with Holland more than you had to. You rushed towards (your Hogwarts house) dorm until someone grabbed your hand. It was Holland.

«What do you want, Holland?» You got rid of his grip and stopped.

«You heard what she said, we need to become some kinds of friends,» he mumbled.

«We can just act! We don’t have to be friends in real life,» you replied fast and continued your way to your dorm. You didn’t see how hurt Tom Holland looked at your rejection.

You were on your way towards the next subjection your schedule, Charms class with Professor Flitwick. You had ignored Tom Holland for days, and for the first time, you felt relaxed. But, you felt also that something was missing, like a part of your daily routine to discuss against him.

«Hey, (your name)!» called behind you. You turned around to meet a Holland, Sam Holland.

«What do you want, Holland junior?» You asked, slightly confused.

«I heard the Defence Against the Dark Arts class is going to be by the lake,» he informed. You raised an eyebrow. «Just wanted to inform you.»

«O-kay, thank you Sam.» you thanked the Holland. It was odd, the Holland boys never talked to you, except Tom when he wanted to insult or annoy you. Sam walked away silently and you walked alone towards Charms class.

It was cold outside. Like, really cold. You were by the lake, waiting for the other classmates and teacher. Your Rose had the flu, so you were on your own. After five minutes nobody had arrived. You stood by a giant willow tree looking at the squib in the lake. It was the first time you had seen it.

«Whatcha’ doing here?» someone asked. You turned around, only to see Holland. He wore his Gryffindor robe with his tie throbbing around his neck.

«Where are the others?» you snorted. The week had gone really good, and then out of nowhere, he had to ruin it.

«Ahhh, well miss (your last name), you got simply tricked. The class started minutes ago, but don’t worry professor Rickman is almost blind, he won’t even know that we’re not in his class for one day.» Holland smirked. The wind blew his hair his left side.

«You tricked me! How do you dare to make me skip a class.» You headed towards the old castle until someone grabbed your hand. «Let me go!» you ordered annoyed.

«We need become friends, or else we’re getting expelled. Just listen to me, let me show you more about me and get known with each other.» Holland informed. You made eye contact with him. His brown eyes lifted up in the sunshine. Something that he said made you relax and talk with him. Did he put a spell on you?

«Okay, Holland. We go back to the castle and have a friendly conversation. It is freezing out here, and I can’t stand here any longer.» you complained. You agreed to have a normal conversation with him, but nothing more.

He still held your hand. «I know of a place we can be which is more private,» he mumbled. You followed him down the muddy path, closer to the lake.

After some minutes, he stopped by a spruce tree. «Aparecium,» Holland whispered and made a gesture with his wand. A hole in the tree in the mountain appeared. It was a hidden cave. He made a sign that singled that you could follow him into the cave.

He lightened up some candles and in the middle of the ground in the cave, you saw some blankets, chairs, and desks. Parchment rolls and feathers were on the desks. A grand couch was in the middle of the mess.

«Welcome, to the man cave!» Holland presented. You looked weirdly at him.

«Uhuh, man cave.» The man cave was also full of bottles of a muggle energy drink and potato crisps. «Scourgify.» all of the trash vanished immediately from the spell.

«Uhh, thanks,» he thanked. «Please take a seat on the couch or chairs, and make yourself welcome.»

«So, is it here you bring all of your admirers, Holland.» You smirked and took a seat on the couch, and Holland sat right beside you. You could smell a light scent of cinnamon.

«Please, stop with that Holland thing. A step to becoming friends is to call each other by their first name!» he begged. He seemed uncomfortable. «No, like I said it’s a man cave. Only my best mate Harrison and my brothers know this place. You’re the first girl in this cave»

«The first girl, huh. I feel honoured Tom,» you replied. You looked around the cave again. By one of the desks, you could see a picture. It was a picture of Harrison Osterfield and Rose. Harrison had his arms wrapped around her and they smiled. Why would Harrison keep a picture of Rose when he broke her heart by cheating on her. Tom noticed that your attention was in the picture go his best mate and his ex-girlfriend.

«(Your name), let’s get better known with each other.» Tom offered. You nodded at his offer. «I can start, where would you apparate right now.»

Your mind travelled to your parent’s house by the bay of Wales. The houses right by a small beach and a little town called Grimsbird. Your entire childhood was in the cottage, your deepest memories of your lost mother. Your mother was a witch, while your father was a muggle. He found out his wife was a witch when your Hogwarts letter arrived. In third grade at Hogwarts, your mother suddenly disappeared. No one knew where she was, and if she was alive. You knew she would never leave you behind, so you waited for her return.

You didn’t notice that tears were streaming down your face. The memories of your mother flooded through your mind. Tom got nervous and didn’t know what to say. Then he did something unexpected. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you into a tight hug. The hug was long and comforting. You put your arms around his neck and cried more. You weren’t scared or embarrassed to cry in front of Tom. He weirdly made you he made you feel safe. No one made you feel like that, except your father. Not even your best friend. «The ocean,» you mumbled.

«Hey, shush. It’s going to be alright, darling.» Tom comforted. You loved the way he said, darling.

After some minutes of hugging, you finally began to stop crying. «I’m sorry, it’s just my mother. She disappeared some years ago. I don’t know whether she’s alive or not.»

«Love, she’s alright. I promise you.» He hugged you tighter. You felt safe in your arch enemy’s arms, but weirdly you didn’t mind.

After the incident in the man cave, you’ve grown closer to Tom. More than you wanted to admit. He liked to listen you tell stories of your adventures with your father and mother. He comforted you when you needed. Tom always knew if you felt bad or needed soft hugs. Often would you meet up secretly in the man cave to talk about old memories.

The students at Hogwarts was affected by the change. It was no more fights between you and Tom. No more new insults they could learn. Even the professors noticed the sudden changes. The professors often asked themselves what happened, while McGonagall would smile for herself.

A February day, it was actually valentine’s day. Which also appeared to be Sam and Harry’s birthday. You were heading towards potions class with Professor Slughorn.

«Welcome, class. Today we will learn more about this powerful potion. Anyone dares to guess?» the old professor asked. You and Tom raised your hands up. «Mr. Holland.»

«It’s Amortentia, the most powerful love potion,» Tom answered. Most of the girls gazed form the potion to Tom, maybe planning something. «But it will not create true love.»

«Well done, Mr Holland. Ten points to Gryffindor.» Professor Slughorn smiled. «It is the most powerful love potion, and you can smell the things you deeply love from the potion. Today everyone will get to smell the potion. Group up in pairs, and report everything you smell, and how dangerous the potion is.»

You went in pair with Rose. You chose a table with the love potion on the other side of the classroom from Tom and Harrison. You knew that Valentine’s day was a tough day for your best friends since it was the day she saw Harrison cheat on her. The ex-couple didn’t talk much, and she more than less ignored the blue-eyed boy.

You smelled first at the potion. It had a scent of lavender, the perfume your mother used to use, the salty ocean, old books from the library, and weirdly cinnamon. You didn’t remember where the cinnamon scent came from. You shook your head and began to write down what you had smelled. By the corner of your eye, you saw Tom staring at you like he had realized something. His best mate stared also at you and your best friend.

«Hey, it’s my turn now.» Rose joked. You stepped aside from the cauldron so she could smell. After some seconds your best friend mumbled: «Harrison’s shirt, his cologne.» Then she teared up. You pulled her into a warm hug, trying to comfort her.

«Is everything alright, misses?» Professor Slughorn questioned. «Do you need to go to Miss Pomfrey?»

«I think she’s alright, sir. Her heart is still broken from last year, and this was the day. Can I take her out for fresh air for some minutes?» you asked him. You were one of his favourite students and he trusted you. The whole class was silent, even Harrison. You looked into his eyes filled with guilt. Only he could fix his mistakes.

You sat with her on a bench with a view of the Forbidden forest and the lake. Rose clung onto your shoulder, she had stopped crying. She wanted to talk about what Harrison did to her before he broke her heart. Said he loved her and would never leave her. You knew she still loved him, and you couldn’t do anything. Hopefully, time would heal her shattered heart.

You and Rose were gone for ten minutes, before heading back to the dungeons. You continued writing down what you knew about Amortentia. Rose was a great actress. She kept her feelings often inside herself and revealed them for the only ones she did trust. Only you and her older brother who graduated a year ago.

When the class was over you headed towards Transfiguration class. Rose headed back to her dorm since she didn’t feel very well. Suddenly, you hear someone calling for you. It was Tom.

«Hey darling, is everything alright with Rose?» He asked concerned. Even when you were only friends he called you often ‘love’ and ‘darling’. You adored it.

«I think so. She just needs some time to…be for herself and thinks and her emotions out,» you answered. Tom was some of the nicest persons you have ever met. He cared about everyone. You didn’t understand why you used to hate him. «Today is the day she and Harrison…you know.»

«Uhm, yea. It’s a tough day for him also.» Tom casually replied.

Before you could say anything someone pushed you to the ground. Tom grabbed your hand before you hit the ground. You face was close to his. You smelled a scent of…cinnamon. The same scent from the Amortentia. You had smelled Tom Holland.

You were scared. No, you couldn’t love him, you thought. How was it possible? Tom was so kind, and his heart was full of fluff. He was also extremely cute and handsome. Who could not love him?

During the rest of your classes, you stayed as much as possible away from Tom. You had successfully ignored him for a week. Tom knew you had been distant and ignored him. He often tried to find you but had to give up. You stayed more with Rose, eating chocolate and reading books in your dorm. She knew about Tom.

On Sunday he finally found you. «Are you alright, love?» he asked. You were in the great hall eating breakfast with your friends. You tried not to look into his chocolate brown eyes. «You’ve been distant lately.»

«I’m just tired,» you answered rapidly.

«I know there’s something bothering you. Please, tell me what it is.» The Holland begged. You couldn’t look into his eyes. His voice was soft, and you wanted to just hug him. Stay strong, you thought.

After a long silence, you sighed: «I just don’t think this will work out, Tom. We don’t fit together.»

«What do you mean?» he asked confused. Everyone in the Great hall stared at you and him.

«Please, leave me alone. Holland,» you asked and ran out of the hall, crying. Your friends ran after you which left the poor Holland alone.

«What did I do to mess things up?» he asked himself. He sat next to Harrison and his brothers on the Gryffindor table. They stared at him in pity, except Harry who ate two chicken wings at the same time.

«Bro, what happened?» Sam asked his older brother. The rest of the boys also wondered the same.

«I don’t know. I didn’t do anything.» Tom sighed. «We were getting on good terms, but suddenly she started to become distant. I really hoped we would become closer, maybe more than friends.»

«Woah, what? You like her!» Harry choked his food out of his mouth. His eyes lit up in shock. Tom nodded.

«He even loves her,» Harrison mumbled, staring at his plate like it was nothing new. The twins looked from Harrison to Tom.

«How do you know, Harrison?» Sam asked.

«He smelled her scent of, what was it again? Lavender. He smelled her in the Amortentia last week. Amortentia smells of who you love.» Harrison explained.

«Well, Harrison smelled Rose’s scent, funnily, of roses. But that isn’t new news, right.» Tom mumbled. Ever since the bloody Cindy Brookleth had hexed Harrison on Valentine’s day with a weak dose of Amortentia and made him kiss her. Rose had hated him since then. It wasn’t his fault, but Rose never gave him a chance, to tell the truth.

«O-kay, Tom loves (your name) and Harrison still loves Rose. And Sam got that crush on a girl I still don’t know who is. What a wonderful day.» Harry summed up. Tom and Harrison didn’t know about Sam’s crush, but they didn’t care. Love was hard for them, and another ruined love life would they not listen to.

«Nice summed up, bro. You just told them what you promised as a twin secret.» Sam said annoyed. «Best twin ever.»

«Come on guys. You need to talk to these girls before they meet anybody else. The spring feast is coming in three weeks!» The boys didn’t take Harry’s clue. «Ask. The. Girl. You. Like. To. The. Feast. As easy as that.»

«You’re a genius, Harry!» Tom exclaimed. Sam and Harrison also agreed.

The boys used the rest of the day planning on how to ask the girls out. Except for Harry and Sam, they were sent to spy on the girls.

It was only two days until the annual Spring Feast. Rose had begged you to come, but you couldn’t stand the thought of Tom dancing with another girl. «It’s better if I stay here, exams are coming up and I want to be extra prepared.» you always said when Rose begged you to come. It was half of the truth though.

«Come on! Just a night where we can have a little bit of fun!» she begged. After hours of begging you finally agreed.

Rose’s mother had sewed handmade feast robes to both of you since the start of the sixth year. Only students in the six-year at Hogwarts had the annual feast but could bring a date for another grade. The robe was beautiful and in your favourite colour.

In the boys dorm in Gryffindor, Tom and Harrison were nervous. They tried the whole week to ask you and Rose out, but you always ran away when they came near. Since it was only two days left until the feast Tom had almost given up trying to ask you out.

«Hey guys, you can’t give up!» Harry encouraged them. «Tom, you need to grow balls and ask (your name) out, and you Harrison have to fix things up with Rose. Just. Do. It! For fuck’s sake!»

«Harry, you don’t know how hard it is!» Tom and Harrison grunted.

«They’re girls. Every girl likes a guy who treats her like a queen, never forgets anniversaries, cuddles with her and cares about her. It’s easy! How could you mess things up, then?» Harry rammed up. Tom, Sam and Harrison stared at Harry.

«How do you know so much about girls?» the boys asked Harry.

«Mum, she loves those romantic muggle novels. She also loves to talk about them to me. I got some facts about girls during her lectures.» Harry confessed casually.

«O-kay, you need to stop hanging out with mum more than me Harry.» Sam rolled his eyes. The other boys agreed. Sam didn’t have to worry about the Spring Feast since it was only for six-graders.

It was only hours away from the feast and Tom and Harrison hadn’t grown balls to ask (your name) and Rose. They were too scared to ask.

You and Rose sat in the dorm fixing each other hairstyles. After thanking Rose’s mother over a hundred times for the feast robe, you couldn’t stop thinking about how Tom would look like.

«You’re thinking of Tom, again right?» Rose asked. You had zoned out by the thoughts of Tom’s jawline and curly hair.

«I can’t stop thinking about him,» you confessed. Rose shook head.

«This is a night for fun-fun, not Tom-Tom,» she said. You and Rose went to the grand mirror in the dorm.

«Wow, we look gorgeous!» you exclaimed happily. Rose was right, it was a night for fun, and not to think of Tom. You smiled and knew everything would go alright.

Sweat was dripping from Tom’s forehead. He practised the lines he had prepared for the conversation between you and him. He knew he would still make a fool of himself. Harrison did also have the same problem. Tom even got him to act like you so he could practice.

Tom and Harrison left their dorm by six o’clock to the Great hall. The hall was decked with flowers, plants and ivy. A hundred round tables were set around, and friends for different houses could sit together. The guys entered the Great hall with all the eyes on them. Classmates thought it was weird that the two good-looking guys didn’t have any dates. Half of the girls stared at them in admiration.

«Man, why is everyone staring at us,» Harrison whispered slightly confused to Tom.

«Did I sweat through the robe?!» Tom asked alarmed.

Gasps were heard from the crowd. In the entrance, Tom and Harrison just had come through, you stood with Rose. Rose had done an incredible job with your hair, and the robe fit you perfectly. You looked beautiful.

«Woah.» Tom and Harrison got hake leap. They were hit by your and Rose’s beauty.

The whole castle knew about the tension between you, Tom, Rose and Harrison. They didn’t know exactly what happened, but the rumours had said that Tom had messed up which was half of the truth.

«Let the feast, begin!» The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore exclaimed and music appeared. It was time for the dance.

«Shit! I forgot that we would dance, Harrison. I can’t dance couple dancing!» Tom panicked. Out of nowhere, a girl appeared in front of Tom.

«Do you want to dance, Tom?» she asked. Tom had his eyes at you. You were asked by a Ravenclaw student called Evan, who asked you to dance. You couldn’t refuse, and the night was supposed to be fun. You could get loose with Rose. Tom watched at you with jealousy building up in his chest. He decided to decline the offer from the girl to dance. She left heartbroken, but he didn’t care. He only watched at you.

You were asked by seven different guys to dance so far, and it was only 9 o’clock. Tom watched every move you did. Every time a guy touched your hand or waist the jealousy in his chest would grow. While you were dancing you glimpsed Tom. He was asked by several girls to dance, but he declined every offer. It gave you some hope in your heart.

When the clock was ten minutes to midnight you were extremely tired of dancing. You and Rose did also dance with each other to The Weird Sisters. Most of the six-graders had gone out of the Great hall to either snog or go to sleep.

You went out to the park outside the hall to get some fresh air. You heard some footsteps behind you, and you turned around. It was Tom. You took a deep breath. «Tom, what are you doing out here?»

«I’m here to do something I should’ve have done earlier,» he answered and grabbed your waist and leaned towards your lips.

You felt a jolt of electricity through your body as your lips met his. His lips were warm and soft. You closed your eyes. He cupped his hands around your face and deepened the kiss. You put your arms around his neck and played a little with his curly hair.

«Uhum,» someone choked. It was headmaster Dumbledore. «Just keep what you’re doing, but do me a favour and kiss in front of McGonagall. Then she owes me 30 galleons.» Then the old headmaster left while he sighed, «ahh, young love.»

«That was…odd.» You laughed and stared into Tom’s eyes.

For a few minutes, you stared into each other eyes. «I-I smelled you in the Amortentia.» Tom stuttered and broke the silence.

«I did too, the cinnamon scent from your clothes.» You kissed his cheek. In response, Tom blushed and leaned on to kiss you again. His grip around your waist tightened. It was a soft and innocent kiss.

«I love you, (your name),» he whispered into your ear. He hugged you tighter and kept you warm with his body.

«I love you too, Tom. I’m sorry how I acted weeks ago, I was too afraid.» you apologized.

«Me too,» he mumbled. You and Tom still embraced each other. «Maybe we should go back inside, love.»

He took your hand and led you to the Great hall. You never left each other for the rest of the night. You were his, and he was yours.

#tom holland #tom holland imagine #tom holland x reader #harrison osterfield #harry holland #sam holland #hogwarts #gryffindor #imagine

318 notes · View notes

tinyglowingsharks · 7 years ago

Note

Answer all the asks please. If you don't have the mental spoons for it then that's ok

lmao sure, thanks friend!

moon: what is your astrological sign?

Sagittarius (not avery good one)

gingerbread: your moral alignment

Neutral good

birdseed: family or friends?

Friends,probably. All the family I have time for are my friends anyway so

sheets: your sexual orientation

Bi if I’m with gaypeople or people who ‘don’t believe in labels’, queer with everyone else.

warm milk: when do you usually fallasleep?

About11:30-midnight, usually. I do not function well without enough sleep so Ihave to go to bed earlier than I would like, but then it takes me an hour or soto get to sleep anyway.

pot of honey: your gender identity

oh, it’s [loudnoise from passing truck obscures answer]. Gimme those they/them pronounsthough

snow: what is your favorite time ofyear and why

I like very earlyand very late summer. I like the end of spring where the days arestretching out and weather starts being consistently (ish, it’s still scotland)not awful, and everything feels optimistic and brighter. And then I like theends of summer when the air starts smelling of bonfires and the days are warmbut the evenings grow cooler and everything feels like snuggling and settlingin

yarn: what are your most enjoyablehobbies?

Love me someknitting, it’s really relaxing and gives me something to do with my hands andalso you get cool stuff out of it. Also I’m getting more into folkmusic/dancing recently - i was gonna say morris dancing but actually i don’treally like morris dancing as an art form, but I really like playing the musicand I love singing (hit me up for some filthy folk songs) and have gone to afew sessions and such which were really cool. And I really like folk danceslike ceilidh, bal and contra - I like the fact that each time I do it I’m lessshit. I am a bit of a baby on the scene but it’s still good, there’s usuallyalcohol to numb the embarrassment, and the people are really nice.

bicycle: what are you talented at?

Words. I am good atword-ing. Writing stuff, reading stuff, copy editing, etc. I am agood person for words.

folktale: what stories remind you ofyour childhood?

I read so much as achild and have so few memories of being a child in general that actually mostof the memories I have are mixed up with reading. But I guess some of thesignificant ones are Harry Potter (of course), Lord of the Rings, the VeryHungry Caterpillar (we did that as a school play and I was a strawberry), we’reall going on a bear hunt, His Dark Materials, the Earthsea trilogy, and Redwall. Also the Houndsof Morrigan and the myth of Niamh of the Golden Hair. Also, my dad was ahuge story teller. He used to do stories more or less on demand - I’dgive him prompts and he would make them up to order. Notable onesincluded one about a snail whose name I forget, one about the Penalty Fare, afunfair where people who committed civil misdemeanours went for punishment (ina masterful anticipation of Final Destination 3), and an ongoing series calledLittle Miss Good, Little Miss Bad and Little Miss Tries-to-be-good. Idon’t remember any of them clearly, but they are wound firmly in with memoriesof my dad and my childhood.

woods: where do you feel at peace?

The sea. Always, the sea. Anywhere quiet outdoors with big skies. GlasgowNecropolis.

chicken feet: what is your emotional“flaw”?

so many

red cheeks: what makes you nervous?

Was gonna say SOMANY but actually, not that much really? I draw a distinction between nerves and anxiety, which I have for daaaayyys(though not badly enough to be a major Thing). Mostly I get nervous about talking to my mum about difficult stuff, honestly.

sunflower: what do you love and cherish?

My friends, my mum, my Victorians, myPhD, my bisexuowls shawl, sharks.

bells: what sounds are your favorite or calm you the most?

The sound of the sea. The sound of wind chimes. The sound of the rain and wind. I struggle to listen to music because itmakes me think too much but repetitive, soothing nature sounds shut my brain upat least a little.

turnip: what is a food you could eat everyday?

Garlic. Doesgarlic count? it’s more an ingredient than a food but i’d happily eat it inmost things. As a first year in uni I ate so much raw garlic in a few days (cosI worked out how to make bruschetta) that I made myself sick, but these days Iwould garlic differently. Not just eating clove after close of crushed garlic.

spit: do you get jealous easily?

Not really

mushroom:list unique things you like about yourself

This is really hard – especially the ‘unique’ bit. I like that I’m an excellent speller and thatI have synaesthesia and that I have terrible handwriting.

cupboard:a good childhood memory

We used to occasionally go to the Snowdon region of Wales as a family, cosmy mum’s best friend at the time had a cottage there so it was free, and weinherited a lot of their traditions, one of which was this hill that the friend’shusband used to race up and down with his friends from a nearby (now long-gone)hostel before breakfast, giving it the name Breakfast Mountain (its actual nameis Brin Brith in case any of you know it, it is a fairly unremarkable hill inall respects except it is cherished of my family). We used to climb it whenever we visited,though not before breakfast. I have alot of good memories of climbing it but in particular one time I rememberstanding on the top with my dad and he did that thing where you hold a child bytheir arms and spin so they like fly out, on the edge of the mountin, so Iremember the warmth of the sun and my laughter and my dad’s hands on my wristand the flashing alternation of the estuary, far below, and the mountain top grass,a few feet from my face. I realise I’m talkingabout my dad a lot but I don’t remember a lot of my childhood and much of whatI do remember that is happy is either books or my dad.

eyebags:what do you think makes a person attractive?

God, it’s such a cliché but confidence can make a person attractive. Being a nice/good person makes themattractive too. So does beingfunny.

fallenlog: something you’ve gotten over that you never thought you would

Coincidentally, I have just accidentally stumbled over an email chain ofthe aftermath of a fairly messy breakup – the end of a major, 3 year, late-teens,unhealthy, rite of passage, heartbreak and drama, serious relationship. At the time it was a pretty big deal involvinglots of crying and a fair amount of drama, and thinking it would never end and I’d never be over it, but on looking back at the emails, Idon’t remember a lot of the gory details they allude to, and I have no feelingsabout it except relief that I ended it, albeit about two years too late. He’san MRA now so, bullet dodged

dagger:your worst fear

being completely unloved/losing everyone I love

whisper:do you have any secrets?

Yup.

wildboar: which person do you feel closest to?

I have a small collection of four people who are Very Important. Theyaren’t all friends with each other but they’re all people I’ve met in Glasgowand they are excellent in very distinct ways. I’m not gonna name them but I like to thinkthey know who they are. The one I feel closest to at any point varies but it isalways one of those people.

sweet:what candies or cakes are you fond of?

I like chocolate eclairs, I likelemony things, and I like werther’s originals cos I’m a grandad

footprints:do you remember your past lives?

Not a thing, sorry

fur:name an animal you feel connected to

I feel very connected with rodents. Especially guinea pigs. (aren’tyou surprised I didn’t say sharks)

vodka:do you drink?

Yeah! I didn’t really drink regularlytill I got to Glasgow, then after a couple years I mostly stopped cos I was TooSad to drink and didn’t have fun drunk. But then I started again when I joinedMorris dancing because I got over the thing I was sad about and Morris is avery alcohol-oriented sport. The people I hang out with are really fun to drinkwith and it’s drinking as socialising rather than drinking to get drunk which feelslike a Better Choice.

sourcherry: an obscure tradition from your family?

We aren’t a huge family for traditions, honestly, but one that me and mymum do (mostly at my behest honestly) is get a Christmas decoration to remembermy dad every year. He’s been dead almost20 years and we’ve been doing this consistently for about 15, so eventually thetree is going to be entirely eclectic stuff I’ve picked up over the years formy dad.

pineneedles: what is your favorite scent?

I really like rose, and I really like vanilla. I am about as boring as can be. I do notcare.

heart-shaped:do you believe in love? are you in love?

I think it’s hard not to believe in love. There are people I love, inlots of different ways

home:where do you dream of living?

Honestly, I want to stay where I am now. While being by the sea or going to the Netherlands appeals, I love mycity and the life I have built here.

spice:list your favorite herbs

I actually tend to prefer spices to herbs – gimme all your paprika andVanilla (is vanilla a spice???) and pepper – but I like basil, rosemary,lavender, lemon balm and sage.

mud:something you’re insecure about but trying to love

My entire self honestly.

tobacco:do you have any addictions?

Nope

sock:how would you describe your clothing taste?

Predictable. Give me a colourfulprint on a mid-thigh or knee length fit and flare or skater dress, and some blackleggings, and that is me happy. That isalso the entirety of my wardrobe.

cuckooclock: are you a morning, a noon, or an evening person?

Depends on what youwant me for. I’m best at productivity early in the morning, but terribleat social skills. I’m best at like, physical tasks and walks and stuff in theafternoon when I’m properly awake and feeling restless, and best at socialisingin the evening (but not too late cos my brain falls out at about 10pm).

woodenfence: a favorite memory

When I was in undergrad I fell, predictably, into the DnD crowd, and Ihave lots of really nice memories of that time. Including: sleeping over after dnd, which was basically not sleeping butstaying up talking quietly about the sort of thing you can only talk about onsomeone else’s floor at 4 in the morning, and not sleeping over after DnD, butwalking the 3 miles uphill from the town to the university, again quietlytalking, and if you timed it right you’d get to the top of the hill just atdawn and you’d see the sun rising over campus like a promise, Seeing dawn from the ‘other’ side, going tobed after it rather than waking up before it, still feels really special to me.

#i love getting asks #thanks friend #about me #like more shit than anyone ever really needed to know about me #certainly killed snow day time though #long post

4 notes · View notes

barley-st-band · 7 years ago

Text

nostalgia

lately i keep missing things.

mostly, i miss when things felt simple and easy.

i miss summers at the pool and i miss playing out in the street with the neighbor kids and i miss the beach and walking two blocks down to get a milkshake on a hot day.

i miss laying on the sand and watching the stars and i miss the friends i had in high school and i miss marching band and walking from the school to the foster’s down the street for dinner before football games and i miss the loud, late-night ihop trips after them.

i miss the old pokemon games and i miss when they were new, and i miss talking about them with my friends in the back of our middle school english class and i miss the sense of adventure they gave me (i can replay them as much as i like, it never quite feels the same.)

i miss quiet nights out fishing on the dock and i miss staring out over the lake and watching the bats swoop for mosquitoes as the sun went down and i miss the little fires we would have on the patio and i miss staring at the flames and having nighttime conversations - you know the ones, the kind that can only happen under the encouraging cover of darkness.

i miss snowball fights and sledding with the neighbor kids too, and i miss the breathless anticipation of the night before a promised snowfall and the pure joy of waking up to no school and i miss floundering through the snow until my face hurt from the cold but being too full of laughter to care.

i miss road trips and watching the sun rise and set from car windows, i miss flying and looking down in wonder at cloud kingdoms almost close enough to touch, i miss going new places and exploring old ones and i miss wales, london, colorado, north carolina, california and all the other places that i’ve been that left impressions on my soul too deep for anywhere else in the world to fill.

i miss places, seasons, people, times, but most of all i miss feelings. i miss all of these things but more than that i miss the things that they gave me, the emotions and the memories and the quiet comfort and the fiery excitement and the love for being alive.

i never used to miss all of these things but lately i feel stuck, like i’m going stagnant, like my body is slowly turning to stone and there’s nothing i can do about it except remember better times, happier places with happier people and a happier me.

and i’d like to go out and find new things that i’ll miss one day, but i’m not sure how - after all, when all these things i miss first happened i didn’t realize at the time that they’d be so precious to me someday.

i miss wonder. i miss joy. i miss excitement and contentment and feeling full of life and love and being unapologetic in everything that i did.

maybe someday i’ll figure out how to recapture those feelings. maybe i’ll learn to create them again, relearn innocence and and carefree laughter and not covering my mouth when i smile and exploring without being afraid of getting lost.

but in the meantime, all i have are the memories and the holes where all the things i miss used to be. so many things are gone now that i feel like half a person, walking around with pieces missing and missing them all.

at times it feels like vines of nostalgia and lead have grown through every part of my body, holding what’s left together but at what cost? they weigh me down and replace those parts of me with something else, something heavy and dark and hollow. at least when those holes were empty, i knew what they were supposed to be.

maybe i’ll reclaim those things someday. but for right now, i miss them. i miss the places. i miss the people. i miss the times. but most of all, i miss the way that they made me feel. and even with the mountain of other things that i’m missing, i can’t help but miss you too.

#mine #writing #shut up bailey #this started off as a twitter rant about being nostalgic that i didn't post #and then somehow turned into something of a story instead?#what do you know writing is a good coping mechanism #i know it's not actually a story but since i don't miss any people rn...#it's a certain level of removed from me which makes it feel less raw lmao #everything else is just my Sad Hours though #good god why am i so emo and dramatic #@ me: learn how to suffer in silence like everyone else would you #nostalgia #sorrow #creative #creative writing #poetry #kind of??#free verse

1 note · View note

trevorbailey61 · 7 years ago

Text

Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters

Civic Hall, Wolverhampton

Monday 20th November 2017

It is a dull and drizzly Monday evening and in Cardiff Deep Purple are about to take to the stage at the 7,500 capacity Motorpoint Arena as part of what we are told will be their farewell tour. With Jon Lord sadly passing away in 2012 and Richie Blackmore seemingly content to spend the rest of his days playing madrigals, this current incarnation of the band is as close as it is possible to get to the classic early 70s line-up and they even managed to get themselves into a studio to record a some new songs. Few, however, even amongst their most die-hard fans will want to hear them, instead they go for “Smoke on the Water”, “Speed King”, “Black Night”, the heavy rock based prog that became their signature. Despite forming earlier, sounding different and working their way through multiple line-ups, Deep Purple never seemed to escape from the shadow of the behemoth that was Led Zeppelin. Both had songs that helped to define their genre and era but Led Zeppelin’s were more memorable, both had the riffs but Page’s were the ones that were more instantly recognisable, both had charismatic singers but Plant’s bare chested image was always the more striking, both were bigger in America than in their homeland but Led Zeppelin were immense. Even now as the Purps take their last celebratory victory procession, the response is; yes, filling these arenas is impressive but just think what Zep would do.

That they don’t is down to Robert Plant. The journey that he has taken since the demise of Led Zeppelin is one of the most curious but ultimately most inspiring of any of the 70s rock legends and even as he approaches his 70th birthday there is little to indicate that his exploration is anywhere nearing its end. What that makes this all the more remarkable is that even during the final days of Zeppelin, Plant seemed to have lost his instincts, his feel for the music, his judgement, even his dress sense. I missed out on the opportunity to see Zeppelin during their reign, I was far to young to catch them in their early days and by the time my concert going had started, they were mostly absent as they preferred instead the huge money spinning American tours to those at home. I could have seen them at Knebworth but chose a family holiday instead, a decision I have long since regretted but Plant has always maintained that those concerts should have been cancelled due to how poorly prepared they were. Maybe then the thought of how good it could have been is better than the memories of how it actually was. With Page a junkie and Bonham drinking himself to his early death, the onus was on Plant to put together their final album, “In Through the Out Door”, which, smothered in synths as it was, gave an indiction of the direction in which he would be heading as a solo artist. This was the era of massive albums, the final throw before music became digitalised, and with the technology available to produce a bright clean pop sound many 70s veterans found a way to make the biggest selling album of their career. Bowie had “Let’s Dance”, Springsteen “Born in the USA”, Phil Collins “No Jacket Required” but despite respectable sales, particularly for the single “Big Log”, Plant never threatened to eclipse his former band.

Ironically, it may have been a brief reunion with Page that finally convinced Plant how misguided this had been. Together they had taken early Zeppelin away from being the purely heavy rock act that most of their pale imitators were by introducing at first the acoustic feel of English folk music and later African rhythms, Indian instrumentation and melodies and a host of other sounds that would later be referred to as World Music. This reunion led to “No Quarter”, an album that included a number of rearranged Zeppelin songs which would have convinced him of two things; firstly how shallow and undemanding much of his recent music had been and secondly that he could rework Zeppelin songs in a way that would still hold his interest. Thus began his restless musical exploration, taking in the North African sounds that he had explored with Page as well as journeys into the remotest backwaters of American folk. The sounds he created were often quieter, more delicate and intricate than the bombast of Zeppelin and required him to find new voices to tell their stories; the bravado and swagger would soon be a thing of the past, replaced by something more subtle and nuanced. He collaborated with people who would challenge him, Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin, producers T Bone Burnett and Buddy Miller and a host of crack American session players, even briefly relocating to Austin in the process. His musical quest, however, is built on a strong sense of place and returning home allowed him to reconnect with the band he first worked before his American sojourn. The Sensational Space Shifters have developed into a formidable outfit, allowing him to realise the songs that have come from such a disparate range of sources. While over 7000 filed into an arena in Cardiff, less than half that number made their way through the oppressive security at the Civic Hall and most, I am sure, wouldn’t have been too put out had he not included a single Zeppelin song; we understand what he is doing and we are here just as much for the new songs as the old ones.

There were, of course, some Zeppelin songs but these were mostly played without the deconstruction and reshaping that he has applied on previous tours. A gentle acoustic strumming accompanied “That’s The Way”, still magical, and “Gallows Pole” as on the album although the latter did gain a harder edge towards the end. “Whole Lotta Love”, as so often his final song, had its usual swagger which tonight was enhanced by the violin of Seth Lakeman who, as well as his support slot, had added some wonderful textures throughout the set. The first encore “What Is and What Should Never Be” built from its quiet and delicate verses to release the power of its chorus. The exception was “Misty Mountain Hop”, so different from the recorded version it it was only the words that gave it away. Plant added some context about how is was an attempt to recapture the collective spirit as the ideals of the Woodstock generation were fading but its reworking lacked the insight he has previously shown when he turns to his back catalogue. The best of the Zeppelin songs, however, was the wonderfully lyrical interpretation of “Babe I’m Going to Leave You” illuminated by Skin Tyson’s expressive acoustic guitar and Plant for once releasing the full power of his voice.

The last time I saw Plant was just after the release of his previous album, “Lullaby …. and the Ceaseless Roar”, a highly personal album made shortly after he returned from his exile in Texas. His sense of displacement is captured in the song, “Turn It Up”; “I'm lost inside America; I’m turning inside out; I’m turning into someone else” neatly expressing his disconnection from his surroundings. Appearing early, its stuttering rhythm gives a sense of someone struggling outside of their familiar surroundings. From this album he also includes “Rainbow”, a wonderful hymn to the rugged highlands of North Wales that inspired his excursion into traditional folk in his Zeppelin days, and his reworking of “Little Maggie”, illuminated as ever by Justin Adams’ exquisite finger picking. Where previously the disorientating drone of Juldeh Camara’s ritti had helped to create the mood of the songs, that is now done by Lakeman’s violin. In tone, his most recent album, “Carry Fire” shares many similarities with its predecessor suggesting his return home has also seen some tempering of his musical wanderlust. Whilst there may be a consistency in the sound, however, “Carry Fire” feels a lot less personal, being more settled has allowed him to observe the world around him and you get the feeling that he is not too impressed with what he sees. Opener “New World” sounds like a rebuke of the “Immigrant Song”, rather than heroic warriors, the destructive will of the settlers overwhelms the land, “The great white father’s word is law”. The theme of immigration also informs the title track, its wonderfully inventive arrangement and thoughtful lyrics providing a compelling highlight. Here he takes the perspective of the pressures that cause people to leave their homeland in search of a better, or more likely, safer life and their lack of comprehension of the hostility shown to them. It is rare for Plant to be this overtly political but the sincerity and emotion conveyed makes it incredibly moving. Similarly with “Bones of Saints”, performed as the middle of three encores, which covers how arms from Britain and other western nations are used in the atrocities carried out around the world, in particular at this moment in Yemen. It is a theme that Plant doesn’t shirk from in his introduction, overcoming his tendency to ramble to make his point clearly and directly. “The May Queen” is the lightest of the songs from “Carry Fire”, a repetitive, hypnotic trance whose folk origins are enhanced by Lakeman’s fiery violin. He also includes “All the Kings Horses” from “The Mighty Rearranger”, the first album to feature the musicians who were to become the Sensational Space Shifters, and a beautifully tender “Please Read the Letter” from his collaboration with Alison Krauss.

A dull, drizzly evening and in Wolverhampton the the audience are filing out through the limited number of exits that seem to be open. Filled to its capacity, the hall had been crowded leading to some tetchiness as people struggled to gain a view. The heat from all these bodies made it obsessively hot which, despite its recent refurbishment, the Civic’s air conditioning failed to moderate. Added to that a near septuagenarian rock star had decided that we really wanted to hear his new stuff. There were so many reasons, then, why it should have gone wrong but it didn’t and what we saw was a truly inspiring performance from an artist who is still at the very top of his game. One striking thing was just how quiet and receptive the audience were, the response to each song was as enthusiastic as Plant’s reputation requires but during the songs people were there to listen, quite something in a venue that is usually notable for the volume of its background chatter. The post gig euphoria is not the best time to make comparisons with previous shows but having had chance to reflect since, I have found few reasons to doubt my initial reaction as to this being one of the best shows I have seen him do. The template for how rock stars gracefully age is still in the process of being written but there are few who manage to do it whilst still remaining important and relevant. Plant’s travels, both physical and musical, may now be a little more limited in their scope but his music remains both intriguing and important.

3 notes · View notes

rassilon-imprimatur · 7 years ago

Text

The Gallifrey of Paul Magrs...

- as on Gallifrey, where the timid, still superstitious Time Lords assumed that the abandoned Death Zone was a far greater expanse than it truly was. The Doctor had been there, he knew (as did, curiously, Iris) that the Death Zone was actually no larger than North Wales.

“I was born in the cradle of mountain tops,' said Iris.'Where the snow was fierce and daily, keeping us trapped in the house that was rooted into the rock by hundreds of storeys, rooted like a tooth in the jaws of the mountain… And I was tended by my Aunties, some dozen of them in all, the most beloved of whom was my Baba, who had a shawl that could carry her anywhere in the world, because it was woven from the discarded feathers of every single bird known to our people.”

He settled the pot on the little table and thoughtfully warmed his hands. He seemed to be choosing his words very carefully. Something else new about this Doctor. 'It's funny,' he said at last. 'How, in the end, you can decide you're quite fond of an earlier self.'

'Do they talk to you sometimes?' I'd wanted to ask him this for a while. Back home this would be seen as a rather tasteless question. Somewhat rude, probably blasphemous. On Gallifrey, regeneration is treated just as sex is on Earth.

'Well,' he said. 'Sometimes. Always knowing better than me. I'm known, among my predecessors, as the young chap. The new boy.' He looked at the teapot. "The tea boy.'

Daedalus’s native universe frowned on mystics and enchantments and put up with them only so long as they explained their doings and to-ing and froing in terms of hard, ho-hum, empirical science. And chaos theory was no explanation. Neither were alternative timelines, or alternative dimensions, or, indeed, anything that offered the world – ‘alternative’ as a pretext. The Time Lords of august Gallifrey kept umpteen files on the petty crimes committed by those who thought they could get away with it by appealing to the more mysterious and hectic nooks and crannies of invention. The Time Lords, pedantic guardians of Canonicity and Likelihood (the names of twin towers lording it over the north of their city) having invented every epistemological escape clause going, took a dim view of all such posturing. Posturing the Doctor himself – to their shame and embarrassment – was never above.

‘I could take you to Gallifrey,’ I said. ‘I could plead your case. We could both talk to Them, tell them how the universe is better off with you gadding about...just like it is with me gadding about!’

He shook his head woefully. ‘I’ve tried to speak with Them. They won’t listen to a word I say. Why would They ever listen to you?’

Now, this stung my feelings a little. ‘If you’re going to be rude about it...’

‘Face it, Iris,’ he said, not unkindly. ‘You aren’t even a proper Time Lady. They don’t even know who you are. Where did you come from? The New Towns under the Capitol. The slums, as far as the High Council is concerned. If they found out about you, they’d do the same to you as they did to me. Worse, perhaps. You should never have been allowed to even get a whiff of a TARDIS, let alone borrow one. They’d wipe you out of history. You’d be an abomination to them.’

My throat had gone dry. ‘I never borrowed my bus. I found it, when They had left it to die in the mountains. They had abandoned it; a wasted experiment. I coaxed it back to life, I taught it the things it needed to know, and fed it and helped it evolve. I disguised it and it was the bus, the bus itself, that in turn, told me what I should do with my life.’

‘I know,’ he said softly.

‘You don’t know half of it, Doctor,’ I said. ‘You rant and rail about what a rotten deal you got from the Time Lords, but at least you’re posh! At least They think it worthwhile to exile you and impound your ship! They wouldn’t dare atomise you or pretend you didn’t exist. Not like me. I’m a freak. I’m...what did you call me? I’m common. Common as muck.’

So – before they could mess about with the TARDIS, and while the poor old Doctor was arguing for his life at his trial – out I nipped. I hopped out of the cupboard, through the massive, gleaming, oddly quiet console room, and outside. I toddled very quickly out of that particular bit of the Capitol. Somewhere high up in the Tower of Canonicity, I believe. Rather chilly place.

No one noticed a rather small Panda take the elevator to ground level. I scooted out quickly and ran through what appeared to be a busy shopping mall, and then a railway station. Except they weren’t trains that everyone was rushing to catch, they were strange things that looked like a cross between a jellyfish and a Rubik’s Cube. Anyone tell you Gallifrey is a sedate and boring place, don’t believe them. It all looked pretty busy to me that day. There was a parade of antedeluvian beasts through the streets of the city. Hand-plucked from alternate dimensions by some kind of rabble-rousing political group.

I went to the under-city, where things were even wilder. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, or where I was going. I wasn’t sure at all what I was going to do with the rest of my life. You must remember that I had spent many years in a cupboard, amongst a whole load of old junk. Electronic stuff and beach balls and umbrellas and stuff. I was thrilled with excitement, being set free upon the world.

Gallifrey stood at the nexus point of all time and space. It was terribly exciting in those days. But no one seemed to know that there was a trial going on, somewhere up in that needle tower right underneath the jewelled dome. No one had ever heard of the Doctor, and no one cared.

‘I’ve often thought there should be more alternatives,’ said the Doctor. ‘On Gallifrey we had the Looms for a time. That was quite interesting.

(The Scarlet Empress, The Blue Angel, Verdigris, “The Runaway Hi-Fi.”)

#Doctor Who #Iris Wildthyme #Time Lords #Gallifrey #Eighth Doctor Adventures

57 notes · View notes

kktravelblog · 6 years ago

Text

england: april 2018

I finally reached my breaking point of sitting at a desk this past April. I always knew it wasn’t for me, but thought I’d give it a valiant effort. I mean after all, it is what everyone else was doing. After months of contemplating what’s next, I decided to quit my desk job while still giving a somewhat traditional path a try and found a nanny position in Hoboken. And the best part of changing jobs is having the opportunity to have a free week of vacation time built in. If you don’t do this, you’re honestly missing out.

I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go. Typically, I use every vacation opportunity to go somewhere exotic with beaches, diving, mountains and hiking, but because summer was right around the corner, I decided to go to cloudy England, which would be only the second time I’ve visited Europe. This always comes as a shock to people, but it just hasn’t happened yet. However, this time around, England was almost too easy to pass up because my two good friends from Australia, Anna and Katie, already lived there and I had free places to stay. So within less than a week, I had a trip planned and was on my way.

This was my first solo traveling experience, which I really want to do one day (stay tuned AGAIN). I had gone to Australia alone, but I view that as a completely different category of travel. I looked it as a real small baby jump though, since I would technically have two friends awaiting my arrival in each city I was to visit. And they speak english. But it was still a step in the right direction.

I arrived in London, found wifi to alert Katie, then started my journey to her flat just outside of center city London. Once I got off the tube and made my way outside, I found Katie waiting for me. And no joke, the second I stepped outside, I felt like I was in Harry Potter. To all of you that don’t know, I am a huge fan of Harry Potter. To me, it has always been a mysterious place created in my brain while reading the books and later by Hollywood. So to see the country it was created around was surreal. I probably mentioned “that looks just like Harry Potter” more times than I can physically count. But it still blows my mind. *American fangirl*

Katie’s flat was only one stop outside the center city of London, making it extremely convenient and a great place to be. After a quick pitstop to refresh after the long flight, we headed into the city to meet up with her boyfriend and to have lunch at this cool indoor food truck market/explore a bit on her lunch break. I was quickly informed on this mini tour just how many buildings were older than the United States of America, which is pretty nuts to think about. I never cared for history, but I just couldn’t wrap my head around that fact. Katie and her boyfriend both had to head back to work, so I was left to explore the city on my own which resulted in me walking over 15 miles. I saw a lot, including Big Ben (although under construction), the London Eye, the bridge that collapses in Harry Potter, the London Bridge (from the famous song), and more. Somehow, in a square mile city though, I somehow managed to completely miss Buckingham Palace. Not sure how and the only way I realized is when I later complained that I didn’t get to see the men in the red suits and Katie and her flatmates were flabbergasted and made me show pictures of where I was.

While exploring the city was great, my most memorable day in London, to no surprise, was my solo trip to Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio. IT WAS BLOODY BRILLIANT. I know you get it, I am a huge fan, but I just cannot help myself. Magic is so cool. I spent over three hours there, winding through the sets and reading everything available. I was incredibly shameless, to the point that not only did I have strangers take my picture throughout, but I also mounted a broomstick in front of a green screen just so I could get a video of me flying through Harry Potter scenes. Some call it desperate, but it’s really commitment. Don’t worry the short clip is public, but I have the full version waiting for your viewing if you choose to want to see it. Warning, it’s two minutes long. I also don’t think its fair if I leave out that the majority of the other people there were either couples or families. I was the only single person, who got ID’d for age. ID’d at the Harry Potter studios. But honestly, there is no shame in this game.

The next day I headed back into the city to see Buckingham Palace. Not making that effort would have been embarrassing. It’s like completely missing the Empire State Building. It honestly was worth it to see too. It puts the White House to shame, that’s for sure. After that, I spent the rest of the day wandering and then met up with Katie for dinner. We had an early night as I had planned to set off to Birmingham early the next day, with a stop to see Stonehenge and Bath on the way.

Stonehenge was really cool. I’ll be honest. I skipped the museum part due to timing (and lack of interest), so I honestly cannot tell you much about it. But I can tell you the rocks were really cool and my timing with the weather was impeccable. The entire drive to Stonehenge, plus the short bus ride from the parking lot, it was downpouring. But I swear, as soon as I stepped off the bus, the clouds parted and the sun came out. Luck was on my side. I’ll get to why in a second.

Next up was Bath. Bath is a really unique city and I definitely recommend stopping by if you have the time when you’re in England. It’s known for its natural hot springs, Bath Abbey and Roman-era Baths as well as the architecture. The architecture is traditional and old-fashioned, however the overall vibe of the city and the stores within are new and modernized. I could totally see myself living here. Check it out, and let me know what you think.

And finally, I made it to Birmingham, where Anna and I quickly headed to the local food truck markets to eat and catch up. Anna (she’s American) had been my closest friend in my Australian adventure and recently moved there with her Australian boyfriend. Dreams do come true.

This is where traveling gets cool. While in England, I had the opportunity to go visit Richard and Helen Combe at their countryside English home. Turns out, luckily, they live right outside Birmingham. If you don’t recall, I met Richard on the top of Rob Roy Glacier in New Zealand in 2015. It was a series of weird coincidences that brought us together, but showed me just how grateful I am for how the world works and the people it brings into your life. Richard had lost his son, Stephen, in a helicopter crash a week prior to us meeting. We only spoke for a short time that day, but it was an incredibly impactful conversation. After tracking him down, I was able to reach out and maintain a friendship with him and his wife Helen throughout the years. It was really cool to hear their side of the same story and how many similarities there were, most notably, that we were meant to find each other for a good reason. Spending the day with them in England will forever be one of my most memorable traveling days, of course, after the day I met them. They welcomed me into their home as one of their own and showed me a glimpse into their lives, including meeting their daughter and Helen’s mother. They also told me tons of stories, showed me around their town, took me on a short walk to a part of the city where you could see Wales in the distance, and updated me on their lives, while also being incredibly interested in mine. I will forever hold that day incredibly close to my heart.

I should also mention, I am not spiritual in any way. I believe in a lot of cliches like things always work out, when there’s a will there’s a way, etc. but I am not spiritual by any means. Except I do believe their son Stephen played a huge impact on how seamlessly my trip worked out. From the plans, to the odd weather occurrences, to how close they lived to the only other city I was visiting to… did i mention the car company randomly upgraded me from some random car to a Mercedes A class (still don’t know what it means, but know that is definitely an upgrade) for free? All of those things had to of had some help. It doesn’t make sense otherwise. But it was these moments that really reminded me of how special my friendship with Richard and Helen is. And what it reminds me of life. I always say the punchline of every joke, story, moment will always come, but sometimes not right away. And this one proved it by coming three years later.

Ok back on track now… Sometimes I need to include things for you guys, but also for my own personal memory.

After my visit with Helen and Richard, I headed back to Birmingham to meet Anna. We would later go to dinner at the local pub, and embarrassingly mess up trivia questions based on America. I spent the next day literally laying in bed, watching Netflix, letting my body relax from jet lag and waiting for Anna to get out of work so we could head back to London to hang with Katie.

My last day was super special in terms of friendships. It was really great to hang with Katie and Anna together again and honestly felt like no time had passed by since we had last been together in Brisbane. We spent the day exploring London and different markets, walking the waterway and eating good lunch (my fav meal). And of course, Kings Cross and platform 9 3/4. That night, Anna and I were left to pick a restaurant on our own. And in true American fashion ended up unknowingly picking a chain. It was still good. Heck, I’d go back. Later, we met a few of Anna’s friends at this really cool bar that legitimately had a tree in it (that Lexi also recommended. If she ever reads this blog, I needed to make sure she got her call out) and then would later go to a London club. Did you know London clubs close at midnight? No? Me neither. It’s weird to me. But we ended the night the right way, by eating pizza and face-timing both B and Eric. No better way to end the trip than all back together. If not physically, but technologically.

The next morning, I woke up at 4 am and made the trek back to the states, through Dublin, where I was able to try a Guinness at 7 am their time. I couldn’t tell you what time my body was on. However, I refuse to count that as real. I will go to Ireland for it. Again, I can’t say it enough, this trip was special in so many ways. I know it’s getting cliche. Not only with Richard and Helen, but also it was really cool to see two of my closest friends from Australia in a different country and spend the day like no time had passed. I really look forward to when we can all cross paths again. But Anna, to be honest, it’s your turn to come to the city. Katie already did. And B and Eric, you too.

And now I was off to live a semi-traditional life of being a nanny in Hoboken at 27 years old.

0 notes

leominster1941 · 6 years ago

Text

‘Leominster bread and Weobley ale’ – Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe author visits Leominster.

Who could resist the author of Robinson Crusoe writing about Leominster. The Headmaster of Leominster Grammar School gave me the book to read while in the 6th Form in 1970. Mr Smith recognised my lack of reading during ‘Use of English’ lessons. He introduced me to many of my favourite books. Each Friday he handed me another book from the shelves in his study. They included, Robinson Crusoe, Moonfleet, Cider with Rosie, Day of the Triffids, The Time Machine and many more. I suspect Mr Smith was also responsible for me being awarded the ‘Herefordshire Prize’ for A Level results in 1971. It was a £10 book token, allowing for inflation it would be worth £150 today. It paid for all the pre-reading books required before entering teacher training. I had transferred from Leominster Green Lane Secondary Modern School at 16 with two others. One of whom is my wife, then Angela Wilson. Apparently applying for Degree courses at University would be the right choice. However, I wanted to teach and thought College was right for me. Worcester College was also near home. It could have been a costly mistake as after Graduation those with Honours degrees were awarded two salary point increases before they even started. That was a considerable sum over 10 years. Very fortunately Birmingham University offered a Honours degree in Education to 4th Year Worcester College students for the first time in 1975. The year in which I also Graduated. It was also quickly apparent that a Degree rather than a Certificate of Education made a huge difference to your job prospects when applying for teaching posts.

This article also reminded of the superb Robinson Crusoe TV series in the 1960s. It was only after searching on Google for the series that I realised it was in black in white, my memories are in colour. The mind is an amazing thing. In some way I had been making memories in colour. I can still hum the music today. Please listen using the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQHB1zd1f5M

Daniel Defoe

An extract from Daniel Defoe's A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain, 1724 (edited and introduced by Pat Rodgers, Penguin Books, 1978)

Letter 6 - The West and Wales

"From Ludlow we took our course due south to Lemster or Leominster, a large and good trading town on the River Lug. This river is lately made navigable by Act of Parliament to the very great profit of the trading part of this county, who have now a very great trade for their corn, wool and other products of this place, into the river Wye, and from the Wye, into the Severn, and so to Bristol.

"Leominster has nothing very remarkable in it, but that it is a well-built, well inhabited town. The church, which is very large, has been in a manner rebuilt, and is now, especially in the inside, a very beautiful church. This town, besides the fine wool, is noted for the best wheat, and consequently the finest bread; whence Leominster bread and Weobley ale, is become a proverbial saying.

"We are now on the borders of Wales, properly so called for from the windows of Brampton-Castle, you have a fair prospect into the county of Radnor, which as it were, under its walls; nay, even this whole county of Hereford, was, if we may believe antiquity, a part of Wales, and was so esteemed for many ages. The people of this county too, boast that they were a part of the ancient Silures, who for so many ages withstood the Roman arms, and who could never be entirely conquered. But that's an affair quite beyond my enquiry. I observed they are a diligent and laborious people, chiefly addicted to husbandry, and they boast, perhaps not without reason, that they have the finest wool, and the best hops and richest cider in all Britain.

"Indeed the wool about Leominster, and in the Hundred of Wigmore observed above and the Golden Vale, as 'tis called, for its richness on the banks of the river Dore, (all in this county) is the finest without exception, of any in England, the South Downs wool not excepted.

"As for hops, they plant abundance indeed all over this county, and they are very good. And as for cider, here it was that several times for 20 miles together, we could get no beer or ale in their public houses, only cider; and that so very good, so fine and so cheap, that we never found fault with the exchange; great quantities of this cider are sent to London, even by land carriage, though so very remote, which is an evidence for the goodness of it, beyond contradiction.

"From Lemster it is ten miles to Hereford, the chief city, not of this county only, but of all the counties west of Severn. 'Tis a large and populous city, and in the time of the later Rebellion, was very strong, and being well fortified, and as well defended, supported a tedious and very severe siege.

"Coming to Hereford, we could not but enquire into the truth of the story; of the removing of two great stones near Sutton, which the people confirmed to us. The story is thus, between Sutton and Hereford, is a common meadow called the Wergins, where were placed two large stones for a water-mark; one erected upright, and the other laid a-thwart. In the late Civil Wars, about the year 1652, they were removed to about twelve score paces distance, and no body knew how; which gave occasion to the common opinion, that they were carried thither by the Devil. When they were set in their places again, one of them required nine yoke of oxen to draw it.

"It is truly an old, mean built, and very dirty city, lying low, and on the bank of the Wye, which sometimes incommodes them very much, by the violent freshes that come down from the mountains of Wales.

"The great church is a magnificent building, however ancients, the spire is not high, but handsome, and there is a fine tower at the west end, over the great door or entrance. The choir is very fine, though plain, and there is a very good organ.

"From Hereford keeping the back of the Wye as near as we could, we came to Ross, a good old town, famous for good cider, a great manufacture of iron ware, and a good trade on the River Wye, and nothing else as I remember, except it was a monstrous fat woman, who they would have had me gone to see. But I had enough of the relation, and I suppose will the reader for they told me she was more than three yards about her waist; that when she sat down, she was obliged to have a small stool placed before her, to rest her belly on and the like."

In this record of his visit he is far from complementary about Hereford.

With his taste for modernity, Daniel Defoe had some uncomplimentary things to say of IHereford in the second volume of his A Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain ( 1725): 'It is truly an old, mean built and very dirty City, lying low, and on the Banks of the Wye, which sometimes incommodes them very much, by the violent Fresh es that come down from the Mountains of Wales.' Little serious manufacturing went on outside the city, although an ironworks had long been established near Goodrich, lower down the Wye. A single exception was Leominster, the second-largest town, which lay about 12 miles north of the city. No reliable population figures seem to exist, but we might guess that the borough contained something like 2,000 inhabi tants. On this occasion Defoe was able to find a few more positives: 'This Town, besides the fine Wool, is noted for the best Wheat, and consequently the finest Bread; whence Lemster Bread , and Weobley Ale , is become a proverbial saying.' The best-known product was the wool, known as Lemster ore, which carried a high premium in the trade. As late as 1783 it sold for two shillings a pound, whereas ordinary English wool could be had for just fourpence a pound.

Source;

The Life and Times of Thomas, Lord Coningsby: The Whig Hangman and his Victims

By Pat Rogers

0 notes

molisematters-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Tratturo Celano - Foggia

What is a Tratturo?

A Path, which stretching across Southern Italy forms part of a network of routes once followed by Shepherds herding cattle and sheep in what was called the TRANSUMANZA ( The transumanza is the Italian term for transhumance, the traditional twice-yearly migration of sheep and cows from the highlands to the lowlands, and vice versa. The word literally means "crossing the land")

I live on the Celano to Foggia Tratturo and am fascinated by its history and what remains of the old paths, which are intrinsically entwined into the stories of the region and its people.

Restoring my dilapidated old farmhouse here or hovel as my son in law calls it, is a challenge but with the help of my partner Trish we are getting there.

Our plan is to create a cultural centre, Natural park, and a Woodland of Magic to encourage and stimulate interest in both the TRATTURO as well as the natural environment of Molise.

Today I spoke with a local Riding School, here in Molise, not far from where I live and they too are passionate about the Tratturo.

http://www.occhitoridingholidays.com/en/

In fact they will be even bringing a group of riders along the Tratturo in July. A very exciting prospect for us and them.

I am hoping we can combine with a festival on the tratturo here in Lucito. More about that in another blog.

Today the sun was shining and looking across at the views across the valley, and the hazy mountain peaks of the Apennines I decided once again that I would not want to anywhere else.

Now as summer approaches the TRATTURO below my house is green, speckled with yellow, white, blue and purple flowers all nestled in amongst the soft downy grass.

Now as few feet tread upon it’s flora and fauna it remains a sanctuary for nature to run riot.

There are apparently some rare plants remaining on parts of the ancient routes one of which is LA STIPA.

A type of grass apparently used by fairies to weave into cloth, which when one looks at it fine feathery fronds is not hard to imagine.

. http://www.terremarsicane.it/il-tratturo-delle-fate-note-di-franco-sabini-e-romolo-liberale/.

Later this week I am meeting with a neighbour to start recording the history of Lucito’s memories of the Tratturo, and the Transumannza.

He still tends his goats, on the ancient lands below his farm, wiling away hours watching the world go by as he done since he was a boy, happy in his own thoughts and contemplations.

He can remember when the land below us here saw a steady stream of sheep and sometimes cattle meander leisurely over the land grazing as they went, often as many as several thousand at a time.

Many traditions relating to TRANSUMANZA are still maintained, one of which is the a type of bagpipe like musical instrument called the Zampogna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlyVLl2KxVY

Leaving you with the dulcet and melodic tones of this ancient instrument I am off to dream about those who wandered on these lands in ancient times.

I am contemplating to the words of this poem

RoadsBY

EDWARD THOMAS

I love roads:

The goddesses that dwell

Far along invisible

Are my favorite gods.

Roads go on

While we forget, and are

Forgotten like a star

That shoots and is gone.

On this earth 'tis sure

We men have not made

Anything that doth fade

So soon, so long endure:

The hill road wet with rain

In the sun would not gleam

Like a winding stream

If we trod it not again.

They are lonely

While we sleep, lonelier

For lack of the traveller

Who is now a dream only.

From dawn's twilight

And all the clouds like sheep

On the mountains of sleep

They wind into the night.

The next turn may reveal

Heaven: upon the crest

The close pine clump, at rest

Ancl black, may Hell conceal.

Often footsore, never

Yet of the road I weary,

Though long and steep and dreary,

As it winds on for ever.

Helen of the roads,

The mountain ways of Wales

And the Mabinogion tales,

Is one of the true gods,

Abiding in the trees,

The threes and fours so wise,

The larger companies,

That by the roadside be,

And beneath the rafter

Else uninhabited

Excepting by the dead;

And it is her laughter

At morn and night I hear

When the thrush cock sings

Bright irrelevant things,

And when the chanticleer

Calls back to their own night

Troops that make loneliness

With their light footsteps’ press,

As Helen’s own are light.

Now all roads lead to France

And heavy is the tread

Of the living; but the dead

Returning lightly dance:

Whatever the road bring

To me or take from me,

They keep me company

With their pattering,

Crowding the solitude

Of the loops over the downs,

Hushing the roar of towns

and their brief multitude.

#tratturo #Tratturo Celano - Foggia #Molise #Transumanza #Love Molise #Lucito #Castelbottaccio #horse riding Molise #L'abbraccio del Tratturo #Zampogna #Edward Thomas #La Stipa

0 notes

lzqlashunda6970-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Planting An Indoor Veggie Backyard.

Organic gardening is the particular like regular gardening other than that no synthetic plant foods or even pesticides are used. Succulent florals including Aloe, cacti as well as sempervivum are one thing that is both an excellent present and something you could definitely deal with comfortably, without must manage the problem of using horticulture of your personal to create it take place. And also if you can easily speak your pals, your spouse or your children into helping you construct the blocks, you'll be actually gardening in less time in comparison to it requires to perform your grocery store purchasing. Really good ground for veggie horticulture is attained through cultivation as well as the treatment of all natural products. It is cheering to know that standard organic gardening practices are 'in' again. The explanation responsible for is that yard resources will certainly make your inorganic gardening certainly not that challenging to perform as well as they are actually likewise valuable in keeping the plants safe coming from loss or even smash hits. Given that a lot of tools weigh, sharp as well as sharp, they could cause injury and injury to kids. Our group from skilled vegetation purchasers have actually again journeyed the world this year to bring you a genuinely exceptional range of plants available at extremely cost effective costs, in addition to a thorough variety of horticulture products featuring composts, chemicals, attractive things and also horticulture devices. Providing tips on house vegetable gardening is filled along with difficulty as I don't know where on earth you reside. Hydroponic horticulture is actually developing vegetables or even other vegetations without dirt but along with nutrients circulated around the vegetations origins. Walk around our effective landscape along with the Edible Gardening Venture volunteers, discover exactly what jobs need doing in your own backyard now as well as have your vegetable increasing inquiries addressed. In addition to that, dirt gardening calls for a lot of space, which lots of people carry out not have in today times. A little shovel or a yard hoe ought to certainly not essentially be utilized as an all-round horticulture tool. The crucial difference in between horticulture and also farming is practically some of scale; horticulture could be an interest or a revenue supplement, however farming is typically understood as a full-time or industrial activity, commonly entailing even more property as well as rather various methods. This horticulture resource has additionally been actually recognized as crucial devices due to the horticulture devices reviewers. This write-up illustrates numerous of the other sorts of hydroponic horticulture systems. The professional could focus on horticulture, water, outdoor play/education for kids, storage space, ornamental components, relaxation, enjoyable, animals, way of life, security/privacy and also a great deal of various other alternatives while performing yard gardening. Merely take advantage of Awesome Garden enthusiasts' professional approach in the direction of landscape design and also gardening in London. The internet is a limitless source for gardening pointers as well as horticulture articles in order to help you get started. After promoting over a hr Bob answered numerous concerns off the viewers and also hung around signing duplicates from his Organic Horticulture Scriptures. Whether you have actually got a gardening world wide web website or even a home based business web site, material is so important to possessing success. Plus all Gtech horticulture devices features a security button to stop unintentional starting. Without a doubt, the ecological gardening strategy is the lazy man's means from developing fresh and also healthy and balanced organic vegetables. Our company provide bookkeeping services, income tax prep work, and also organisation consulting at a price startups may pay for. These nutrients are absolutely necessary to plants and also if overlooking could create the meals to not be as healthy and balanced and sometimes also create health condition for those that eat that. When Hydroponics horticulture, it is quite essential that you utilize a premium plant food. The National Gardens Program has actually called for doctors to prescribe clients along with gardening on the NHS. You are going to clearly need the simple gardening products whatever you are growing, like a hoe, shovel, and also perhaps even a trowel. This site functions as a primer for all veggie gardening facets covering subject matters like how to create a yard, nurture seed startings, compartment gardening as well as composting. Other options feature a shovel, a pot (if you are actually container sowing), and also a set of handwear covers for comfort, some secuturs, or a rake. If you have any type of questions relating to where and how you can make use of mountains in wales list - visit the following web site -, you could contact us at the web-site. By picking the coolest opportunities from day as well as consuming plenty of fluids, you will be actually better outfitted to really finish your horticulture job, with no health associated shocks. Conservatory can come to be an essential part from your horticulture devices by lengthening the growing period and also by safeguarding your younger vegetations off frostbite arising from a surprise freeze. Manage gardening as a recurring pastime rather than a job to become started as well as ended up. Many individuals that do gardening like the tip of eating or offering vegetables as well as fruit products developed by themselves. The initial method commonly begins in January as the gardening catalogs begin to arrive in the mail. A house landscaper is delegated to the use of numerous simple hand devices for growing, cultivating and sustaining the plot. Gardening is actually carried out on a much smaller incrustation, primarily for satisfaction and also to produce items for the landscaper's very own family or even neighborhood. There are a number of distinct horticulture tools and also each one is actually created for a details task. The growing tool made use of in Hydroponics horticulture may be any type of lot of points, such as Rockwool, perlite, coconut thread, gravel, sand, vermiculite, or perhaps air. You could ignore these realities, certainly, and go on with your horticulture and also along with your lifestyle in some sort of West Nile denial. The second kind of winter gardening is to in fact get out in the lawn and also carry out a little job. Yet make no mistake, this research study is a good one, and takes our understanding a progression, and all credit to the Royal Horticultural Community, sustained by Wild animals Gardening Forum, for doing that. To get even more solutions I depended on, where else, our Vegetable Gardening webpage on Facebook where we obtained a huge selection from solutions. With gardening you can get exercise, which is very important to sustain your body. Horticulture advice through blog post, telephone or email in order to help you with any horticulture inquiries you could have, with some details through message readily available in braille and sizable print and on Compact Disc. What I may suggest to you is to begin little and you can easily know every little thing about the essentials this gardening technique extremely promptly. This self-irrigation body is excellent for whenever you must travel as well as leave behind the garden untreated. As with other business including interior design it is most ideal to choose promo gifts that are elegant and stylish in design in addition to useful. Gardening Suppliers: A raising lot of gardening outlets are actually beginning to provide organic yard seeds, items, and products. Many individuals begin a yard along with the suggestion in thoughts that they will certainly grow their personal vegetables, while others merely would like to view something revitalized through their own palm and also usage gardening as a hobby. Organic gardening is actually a method of gardening where you operate in consistency with attribute. To enjoy the maximum wellness take advantage of your horticulture usage as little machines as feasible. If you're a honest-to-goodness horticulture fanatic, after that likely as certainly not, you have actually been actually gardening for a lot of your lifestyle. If you prefer horticulture vegetations that you can actually utilize as opposed to simply examine, herbs, fruits, and veggies are actually all quite rewarding. When you notice that this is actually tranquil (unthreatened) in your visibility, show it that this plus all its own sibling gophers have to leave your landscape as well as grove. Horticulture Express - Leading UK gardening site specialising in plants and also backyard add-ons. Much better drainage is actually yet another perk as having the bed raised makes it possible for the water to recede and certainly not leave behind the plants water-logged. Within this article different kinds of advertising gifts that are actually fit to the backyard layout industry are going to be actually gone over. A job in farming and also horticulture perhaps enhanced by a level in ecology, biology, entomology, genetics, backyard plant, concept, as well as physiology style. The veggies increased in area horticulture are fresh as well as have a lot less plant foods or even chemicals.

0 notes

aootle-blog · 7 years ago

Text

11 Best Family Vacation Destinations For A Perfect Family Time

11 Best Family Vacation Destinations For A Perfect Family Time Enjoy a family holiday to make unforgettable memories! Choosing a destination that suits everyone while respecting the budget is often complicated.Whether you're traveling with a baby or teenagers, let yourself be inspired by these 11 family vacation destinations. They are perfect, whatever the age or the desires! The Keys, FL, USA Beaches and coconut trees - the perfect backdrop for recharging teens' batteries. One hour from Miami, Key Largo, the diving capital of the world, welcomes you with open arms, as does its underwater statue of Christ. On the way, stop on some of the beautiful beaches in the area, to refresh yourself or taste the crocodile, the local specialty. For families of explorers, it is possible to go swimming with dolphins or to board a boat whose bottom is glass, ideal for watching the creatures of the sea. Finally, if there is any one thing you should not miss on a trip to Key West is the famous Key Lime Pie, a delicious local dessert. Do not hesitate to question the locals to find out where to find the best place to enjoy it. And before you leave, gather together for a photo around the famous buoy located at the southernmost point of the United States. Snowdonia National Park, Wales Will your family survive the ascent of Mount Snowdon? Climbing Mount Snowdon is accessible to all hikers. By taking the Llanberis Path, you embark for a 5-hour walk and family solidarity, rewarded by breath-taking views of Lake Lyn Padarn, pastures, and sheep. And if you have the chance to walk one of those rare days of beautiful Welsh weather, you might even see Ireland and the Isle of Man. Part of the way can be done by train, but it will surely not be to the taste of your family of adventurers! And to continue the discoveries, you can visit the old slate mines of Blaenau Ffestiniog, converted into giant underground trampoline! Paphos, Cyprus Paphos is history, beaches, and delicious gastronomy! Located off the Turkish coast, Cyprus, with its warm winds, clean beaches, and historic sites, is not really boring and is an ideal destination for a family holiday. The island is not only known for being the birthplace of Aphrodite, but it is also famous for the halloumi, a local cheese, and the commandaria, a high-quality sweet wine. The taverns serving this cheese and wine said to be the oldest in the world are legion in the old town of Paphos. Immerse yourself in history while discovering the landscape that surrounds Paphos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start with the archaeological park, admire the ruins of Roman villas or go outside the city, to the Tomb of the Kings. If your family is dying to dive a toe in the turquoise waters, join Coral Bay in Peyia, a 23-minute drive from Paphos. The beach is peaceful and properly equipped, it also benefits from the Blue Flag which guarantees the quality and safety of the water. Toronto, Canada Culture is the watchword in Toronto; there is something for everyone! Although we recommended it as a destination to travel alone, Toronto is a city that will also be ideal for a family trip. The first place to see, impossible to miss, the CN Tower. Climb and enjoy the view from the top of its 346 meters. From there, you will see the object of your next visit: the Royal Ontario Museum and the architectural Michael Lee-Chin Crystal After learning about the history and culture of the world, it's time to discover Ontario's good food. Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities, making it a true culinary melting pot. Once your swallowed Poutine (fries covered with cheese sauce), go relax and digest family before an improvised show of the Bad Dog Theater Company. Nuremberg, Germany Walking Weissgerbergasse is like going into a fairy tale. Great tribes, rejoice! Everything is huge in Nuremberg, the second largest city in Bavaria after Munich. When in most of Germany, the bratwurst portion has three sausages, here you will have twice that. When you have finished exploring the Bier Garten and enjoying your huge share of sauerkraut, take your band to Nuremberg's CineCittà, the largest IMAX cinema in Europe. To move is simple. Groups can benefit from the TagesTicket Plus system - two adults and up to four children can travel with the same transit card. Visit the buildings that survived the war, such as the 13th-century wall and its five gates encircling the Old Town, or Fuell Street with its typical wooden frame houses. Gozo, Malta Immerse yourself in the "Blue Hole" in Gozo. What kind of vacation organize with teens who are more than afraid to be bored? A safe bet is to leave for a getaway in Gozo. A quick flight to Malta, followed by a 25-minute ferry ride, and you've arrived on the beautiful island of Gozo. On this small rustic island, all roads lead to Victoria, also known as Rabat, the fortified citadel that overlooks the city. Recently renovated, there is a multitude of small silver jewelry shops and other local treasures. Your children will enjoy a horseback ride around Qala, or dive on the wreck of the Karwela, or simply breathe the fresh sea air during a walk in the marshes of Marsalforn. Keep the best for the end, with the discovery of Game of Thrones sets or the latest Brangelina movie, By the Sea. Sovata, Romania The impressive saline of Praid in Sovata in Romania. Nestled in the forest, a pretty hut borders the Ursu lake in whose waters float bathers, carried by their very high salinity and their characteristic solar thermal. Supervised bathing areas, water activities and various spa facilities make the site ideal for family holidays. The virtues of the spa and mud baths are world renowned, so do not be shy and dive your way. You will not be the only one! But the most surprising is perhaps 120 meters underground, with the Saline de Praid whose ionized air would be beneficial for people suffering from respiratory diseases. Follow marble walls and shiny floors through endless underground corridors. Some lead to a playground, a 3D cinema and a library, but the most beautiful remains the ecumenical chapel. Services are sometimes held there, echoing in the giant alcove humbly decorated with benches and wooden crosses. St Mawes, United Kingdom Enjoy the calm of the port before leaving for the sea. Water sports are a must-see in St Mawes. This small fishing village in Cornwall enjoys a warm microclimate, making it an ideal destination for year-round boating enthusiasts. Boat fan? Head to the shipyards with sailboats and gigantic yachts. The fishing fleet provides superb fish and shellfish throughout the year, serving hotels and restaurants along the harbor. You can explore the estuary by renting a kayak or taking a water taxi. If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, the region is perfect for hiking. Choose from walks such as the 16th century St Mawes Castle or the one that crosses the Bottoms, the wet valleys of the area. Taking the St Austell Row Trail, you'll come across some of the oldest cottages in the area. Do you want to have fun? Book a table at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Driftwood. Along, Ecuador Explore the cloud forest of Bomboli guided by the Oswaldo anecdotes Your children have their heads in the clouds, but you would like them to keep their feet on the ground? This is the paradox that Ecuadorians have had to deal with. Quito is among the highest capitals in the world, and the country has the largest tropical forest in the world, the Amazon. Start your Ecuadorian discovery by getting to know the soil and all things related to it at Hacienda La Alegria, a family ranch specialized in ecotourism in Aloag, along the avenue of volcanoes. The mountainous region is characterized by some of the highest peaks in the country. Here, children of all ages can learn to care for farm animals and vegetable gardens. Meet the Chagras (Ecuadorian cowboys) who master equestrian techniques like no one else. They will guide you through the Corazon to the Bombolí Cloud Forest, a reserve preserved by Oswaldo and Marina for over 30 years. Take a tour of the Orchid Center to learn more about conservation efforts to safeguard the local ecosystem, especially wild orchids. Entering this little paradise, the thick fog that surrounds the forest suddenly seems to dissipate, revealing some of the country's most fragile biodiversity. A range of wild orchids hides shyly under large shrubs that protect them. Kirindy Mitea National Park, Madagascar Enlace a baobab on the Avenue des Baobabs in Morondava. Plan a family safari in Kirindy Mitea National Park, a dry hardwood forest protected by reasonable logging. You will walk through the habitat of seven species of lemurs, as well as that of the fossa (a mammal that looks a bit like a mongoose) and brookésie, a tiny chameleon. The park can be visited accompanied by a guide, day and night, to observe the largest Malagasy rodent, the giant jumping rat. Equally impressive are the giant baobabs, some up to 30 m tall, the size of a 10-storey building. The best place to see these legendary trees is the Avenue des Baobabs in Morondava, 60 km further north. Local legends consider the baobab sacred; it is said to be one of the first trees planted by the gods, a bit awkwardly, so that the peaks look like roots that would grow to the sky. Sine-Saloum, Senegal Embark the whole family on a dugout canoe and go discover the exceptional fauna and flora that are hidden in the mangroves of the Saloum Delta. The Saloum Delta, located north of the Gambia-Senegal border, is where the Saloum River flows into the North Atlantic Ocean. The amount of salt water flowing slowly is accompanied by a rich biodiversity, unique in this part of the country and protected by UNESCO. Start your trip to Djiffer, a fishing village at the far end of Sangomar, at the entrance to the delta. The locals are busy around the colorful boats that return with the catch of the day, on the lookout for the best pieces of shells and fish. Take a family stroll through the streets to discover the small houses built under the shade of baobabs and coconut palms swaying to the rhythm of the canoes. Stay in Toubacouta, where you will have the choice between hotels like Keur Saloum or Domaine Les Paletuviers. Admire the spectacle of the birds as they return to their nest at sunset. So, guys start planning your vacation now, and make your 2018 memorable. https://aootle.com/luxurious-cruises/ Read the full article

0 notes

bernardstawell1-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Information Articles.

In some cases you simply intend to drive your man untamed and also offer him a prompt orgasm that are going to blow his thoughts. Providing your ex lover space is only one component to winning back your ex, uncover the best efficient step by step overview of get your ex back quick! To remain healthy during the course of Ramadan, normal quantities from food from the significant meals groups: breadstuff and milk, cereal as well as milk item, fish, meat and poultry, grain, vegetable as well as fruit product must be actually consumed. You are maximizing her ability to feel satisfaction and you are actually offering her two sources from stimulation to deal with. As the firm explains, there are all form of reasons a person could intend to sell their residence fast. In as much as $5 each hr rate, the ESL industry has actually indeed opened up one more alternative on how to attach money online. When we really swiftly our company connect with The lord and also our team have our petition life to a higher degree as we look for a closer relationship along with Him. Decreasing junk food as well as replacing this with healthy and balanced substitutes gets rid of chemicals, fine-tuned sodium as well as glucose, as well as other chemical downers that lesser your libido. Also listen to the Video clip they carry out certainly not want you to find out about Cash money Gifting offering Residual Revenue for Life! Typically I was actually heading to need to consider giving them supplements, there was merely nothing else way. And also as we went over ... giving your physical body what this requires on the within is actually just how you fix your inept metabolic process. Your body may easily change the body fat you consume in food items into body system excess fat, so to drop weight you must reduce excess fats and meals that contain that. Take a chance on some of the most effective food all around by taking pleasure in among a lot of Mexican Dining establishments in Sin city, as well as give yourself a taste from one thing special. And also that's merely what your queen needs since kitty food items contains extra fats and also protein. Pair of eyes are actually constantly much better than one, providing you the advantage to repetitive exactly what you found out and also perform the exercises extra distinctively to target your certain areas and targets. Of four sources from giving that were actually analyzed - people, firms, bequests and also associations - every type of offering rose in 2013 except for business offering. In 2016, the meals and also drink sector has given Trump's campaign around $152,000-- a simple portion from what this is actually given his competitor, Hillary Clinton: Over $1 million. When you have actually possessed your filler of Sin city, after being on Course 95 you'll get to the fringe from the Fatality Valley National forest after just over ONE HUNDRED kilometers as it spills from California right into Esmeralda Region. An instance where different courses from medicine management may help going on a fast people is actually using transdermal (skin layer) patches. Through performing heart exercises you are actually only giving your personal another barricade to get rid of which is the last point that you desire to carry out. If you are going to exercise that you power lift, I strongly recommend that. Undoubtedly, by observing any type of kind of specified meals menus, day in day out, you are actually very likely to put on weight considering that you will definitely either go hungry or even get also bored along with the tediousness. This post offers an individual representation what suggestions could be essential for not eating Muslims healthy and those on medicine. Surely no male would think of such an easy but profound method of delighting human requirements-- to grow spiritually and also temporally with periodic going on a fast and afterwards giving away the amount saved from avoiding partaking of those dishes to the diocesan to be utilized to administer to the demands from the inadequate, the ill, the needy, that need support as well as support to create their way with lifestyle" (The Regulation of the Prompt," April 1986 general meeting ). Giving actually performs equate into receiving regarding inbound marketing is and also goes one thing every organisation must realize. If your intestinal unit is actually actually having a concern absorbing a specific meals/ nutrient, eating more from that nutrient really isn't heading to make this any sort of far better. Providing into the little one's wants and longings may typically bring about spoiling from the child. However, the moment you determine the erogenous zone that functions, giving her instant sexual climaxes will be as very easy as one-two-three. As well as while the documentation of the impact on job performance is actually historical, lots of folks who comply with fasting routines - like those in the WeFast neighborhood - record that they experience an enhanced sense from awareness - just like a distance runner's higher. Be actually considerate - Likewise, as an overall tip, when handing out leaflets, consistently aim to be courteous. Philanthropic giving is actually a good thing, as well, but this happens after tithing, not as opposed to tithing. By organizing your productivity in a natural as well as liable way you are going to be actually providing yourself the maximum potential to obtain expectant extremely quickly. Most Muslims aim to give up peccadillos throughout Ramadan, and also some will definitely attempt to progress Muslims by wishing more or even checking out the Qur' an. Like the Currency profession, an additional method on the best ways to make fast money online is to preserve an on the web shop. Yet although Muslims perform commonly finish and begin Ramadan on a little various days, there is little bit of actual hostility, and that is overlooked as soon as the starting a fast begins. As provider innovators ramp up their volunteering plans, many carry out seem to be to recognize the usefulness of work environment giving programs too. In conclusion, Islam delivers an exception to the ill coming from noticing their swift during the course of the holy month from Ramadan. Fasting belongs to the provider society, and also although it's not compulsory, everybody in the staff of THIRTEEN fasts on a Tuesday. Therefore real fasting is certainly not approximately giving up one thing that we know is not good for us. Correct starting a fast is certainly not concerning an exclusive diet plan. To make sure that food items possesses even visibility to radiation, you can easily rotate the food preparation merchandises to 360 levels. Ordinarily such an individual might be prescribed antibiotics that must be had 3 or 4 times a time and would certainly not have the ability to swiftly. Giving you the energy to make sexual activity last so long as you really want, be it a min or a hr. As the firm mentions, there are all kind of main reason whies a person may intend to market their house quick. In as much as $5 per hr fee, the ESL market has without a doubt opened one more option on effective ways to make fast amount of money online. When we really fast we connect with The lord and also we take our prayer lifestyle to a much higher degree as we find a closer connection with Him. I'm not a rapid biker, so that took me over pair of hours to accomplish that. The great portion of the course was going with the toll link. Some individuals would certainly state that if you offered these factors in to your lifestyle from the beginning you would certainly not need to carry out any type of going on a fast. But succumbing to lure can indicate you might take in a day's worth of Calories in one delectable however none necessary part from confectionery. My best advice is to believe long-term and also in doing so that will definitely stay off and also you will really feel better about the procedure, as opposed to only quick weight management along with short-term end results. If you are actually wishing to majority up, burning fats is actually the final factor you prefer to do. This is particularly vital for those with unbelievably prompt metabolic rates. Utilize our protected providing form to spread your annual gift over a whole year through regular monthly or quarterly remittances. This is actually because when you care about absence, you think that in giving you are going to drop something If you have any concerns about where and how to use mountains in wales (armadefitness.info), you can make contact with us at our web site. .

0 notes

type2diabetestreatments-blog · 8 years ago

Text

Overcoming Diabetes Hurdles to Fulfill My Passion of Playing Football

New Post has been published on https://type2diabetestreatment.net/diabetes-type-1/overcoming-diabetes-hurdles-to-fulfill-my-passion-of-playing-football/

Overcoming Diabetes Hurdles to Fulfill My Passion of Playing Football

If you are on Twitter, you may have noticed a great new group starting on there this year. It is the brainchild of Chris Bright, a Welsh International Futsal player, representing Wales at a national level, and a semi-professional footballer too, as well as a kick ass Type 1 Diabetic.

Chris is looking for a platform to tell his story, all about his diabetes, youth, football, futsal and his plans for helping other diabetics.

That’s enough waffle from me, over to you Chris.

Chris Bright’s Story

I always viewed my diabetes as an extra hurdle to jump rather than a mountain to climb! I’ve worked incredibly hard all my life to achieve the things I have. I believe it’s time I tried to share some of my experience with people who go through the same struggles, or may go through those struggles in the future.

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1999 at the age of 8. Upon diagnosis, my very first question was “can I still play football?” Luckily I had an exceptional diabetes nurse who gave the answer I wanted, being “yes.” However, she readied me to ensure I knew how hard it would be to live out the dreams of playing football at the highest level.

I’m sure I’m not alone in this first question, as in that incredibly scary moment when you know your life is changed forever. You just want reassurance that you can still live out those childhood dreams. I think healthcare professionals need to ensure they know how important these first words to a child are when diagnosed with a life-changing medical condition. They can quite literally be life-determining.

In action

From that moment I had a choice, I could crumble and let the daily worry, testing, and sport-related hypos destroy my resolve or I could come out fighting. I did the latter!

As a child, I found it difficult to manage my football on 2 injections a day on mixture insulin. They created all sorts of peaks and troughs with my glucose levels which made it extremely difficult to predict where they would be when you needed them to be stable for sport. My family and I went through lots of trial and error.

Learning from my mistakes, I was still battling away and achieving things but probably not to my full ability, as I believe it was holding me back slightly. I still managed to captain my school football team and captain my district team. I needed an improvement in my management to help me kick on a gear.

Things then changed hugely when at around 14/15 years of age I changed to the basal/bolus regime. The flexibility to adapt my life around my diabetes, whilst making me feel more energetic, took me to the next level in my sport. It was a huge development for my control at a difficult time as a teenager. It really enhanced my control of the condition and supported my development within my sport as I broke into county squads and showed promising signs at a club level.

I then left school had trials with professional football teams. Sadly these never quite worked out, as injuries and diabetes found a way of scuppering me, but I honestly don’t think I was quite ready either. This then led me into the semi-professional game with Bromsgrove Rovers. Here I got the opportunity to play at Step 4 of the non-league structure, whilst during the same period of time, I played for the Worcestershire FA u18s county side, travelling around the country playing for them.

My performance in this time had kicked up a gear due to the regime change in controlling my diabetes and my commitment to defy the odds and enjoy football never slipped. I didn’t want to let anything stop me achieving and continued to test myself to see what level I could reach.

A big step in many young people’s lives is going to University but it’s probably even bigger when you try to tackle it with something like diabetes. A testing time on blood glucose control, as the lifestyle of a student is somewhat erratic! Combining that with football games being at different times of the day, which challenges the routine you have set up for matches. All this together added even more complexity to an already testing time in my life.

I went to Worcester University to study my degree in sport, which I loved every second of. I was even lucky enough to write my dissertation about the effects of exercise on blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetics and non-diabetics! It was another life changing experience which I look upon so fondly and representing the university’s 1st team and winning a league title in my final year was the icing on the cake.

However it doesn’t stop there, as with anything I do, I never stop pushing myself!

https://type1bri.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Chris-Bright.mp4

I continued as I left university to play for semi-professional football clubs in my local area (Bromsgrove Sporting FC, Pershore Town FC, Southam United FC, Earlswood Town FC). I enjoyed some great cup finals playing at the Ricoh Arena (Coventry City FC stadium) and playing at the Bescot (Walsall FC stadium). I then had an opportunity to take up Futsal through a friend of mine who was playing for one of the football clubs I was at. He’d thought it would suit the way I played football and suggested it would be a good idea.

In my first full season at the highest level in England (2014/15), I won player of the year at my club (Birmingham Tigers Futsal club). Scoring 15 goals in 15 games in the process. I was hooked and enjoying it. However, it did throw up some difficulties with my blood glucose levels. The intensity was very different to football (faster, shorter bursts)! I learnt a lot about blood glucose control for Futsal in those first 18 months and it clearly didn’t affect my performance. Following my amazing first season, I was called up to train with the Wales national team. An amazing honour!

Making it a national level

I then trained throughout the summer of 2015 with the squad on and off until disaster struck and I tore my groin during the last session before selection. I was devastated.

However, I was patient and optimistic in my approach and I received the opportunity again to train with the squad during the summer /autumn 2016. This time the opportunity didn’t pass me by! I trained well and was called up for the first time to the squad to play Latvia! I won my first cap for Wales on November

1st 2016. I was then also part of the first home nations Wales Futsal squad in December. We won the inaugural championships too! Bittersweet as I broke my foot during one of the games, though!

Despite the injury heartache, it’s something I’m so so so proud of. Having diabetes it’s made the journey harder but as they say, “the best view at the top, always comes after the hardest climb!” My god have I had a climb to get to what I have done, but when I say that the view was incredible, it really was and it continues to be!

Only my nearest and dearest see what I go through on a daily basis, everyone else just sees the smile and positive attitude that drives me to achieve. It’s an invisible condition which can be so devastating without the right attitude, correct management and the support of the people around you. My unsung heroes in all of it continue to be my family and anyone growing up with a medical condition like diabetes would be lucky to have one like mine. They encourage me to live life like a normal person, whilst ensuring I look after my condition.

Helping Others – Making Football and Diabetes Work for You

This is why the Diabetes Football Community has been introduced. I want to be able to support people wanting to play, and that are interested in football, who suffer from diabetes. I’m hoping it will fill the void which I felt was missing when I was growing up. It’s somewhere to turn to for reassurance, for advice and guidance and a firsthand experience of combining diabetes with football, one of the UK’s biggest diseases with the UK’s biggest sport.

It’s a huge honour to be doing something like this and in some ways my biggest challenge yet. I’m hoping I can put something back into the community and raise awareness of the condition to ensure diabetics can feel an extra level of support when combining the condition with football.

Chris Bright

Getting In Touch

You can find Chris Bright on his social media accounts:

@brighty08 on Instagram

@chrisbrighty on Twitter

Or check out The Diabetes Football Community On Social Media

@thediabetesfootballcommunity On Facebook

@TDFCdiabetes On Twitter

Thanks, Chris

I would like to thank Chris for all the great work he is doing to help others within the Diabetic Online Community. Helping others with diabetes is so satisfying, as I am sure Chris will vouch for. Well done for sharing your inspirational story with us all.

Photo Credit: Chris Bright / Brian Hoadley

Post Views: 0Diabetes Type 2 Treatment 800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Diabetes Destroyer Video Reviews Original Article

#Diabetes Type 1

0 notes

isaacathom · 8 years ago

Text

the name of the Fort place is probably the easiest of all the names. because i can fall back on just calling it Fort [name] and walk it off. it wouldnt even be all that hard. find some old fashioned dudes name and slap it on. done. course i gotta try to avoid existing ones, which will be the fiddly bit, but if i throw enough old names at it i will eventually squeeze on through.

everything else is harder. for the ‘principality’ place, i could probably stand the use of the -land suffix, since its comparable to wales, relatively, and thats closer to a country than like.. suburb, which is essentially what the other ones are. for the duchy.... fuck. idk. i dont have any landmarks? same for the castle, which is hypothetically where the house name comes from. it doesnt have to, but i think it easier if it is. easier on me, anyway. like, it could simply be that the current royal house initially began ruling from Fort pisston or whatever, and then built a castle to the east and renamed the suburb around them after their royal house. or that they originally came from that suburb and were named for it, and later returned as royalty. since a few of the royal families are named for places. like the Hanovers! a lot of ‘houses’ are named for the places where i imagine the houses began, like they all just got together in their biggest house and said ‘here we shall be’ and thus, the dudes. right? probably. either works, honestly.

ofc, how far baaaack does this royal house reach? its in no danger of dying, for sure, since erick has three kids and andrew has two (i also need to name his kids), and i imagine there are other members of this royal house around, like erick and andrews cousins. how far does it stretch? how modern is the castle in the west? the Fort is the historical castle, its where this shit started, its a lot less modern but has natural defenses because it was designed to withstand a siege first and to have modern conveniences second. its old, is the point, and while it was probably renovated before and during the war (half heartedly or in small order during the war, but enough to make the royal family comfortable making indefinite residence there). how old is the Castle? Palace doomahickey. because if its located in the named place, it started with this Royal House, when;d they shuffle in. why. why’d they come in. war? death? were they cousins of some kind? i mean, if im trying to paint Thyssia as a relatively peaceful country (except with its own internal conflict from years yonder which resulted in the creation of Thyssia as its borders stand today) then it shouldnt be war. unless that war, if it was a war, that created Thyssia as it is now is what placed the current royal family on the throne. how long do royal families last? well, they can last 300 odd years, which is a fair fucking ways.

so, it could honestly be that old. that make the Fort old as balls. but i think i kinda like that idea of the war placing the current royals on the throne, given Erick’s big ol pushes of ~peace~. peaceful man. has his throne only for the violence of his ancestors. righteous violence? idk. we would think that if Erick’s family came from what is name Western Thyssia, that they were the ones whose country was called Thyssia initially, right. if it was going to be called that at all. what we COULD do is that, when ericks family took over and united the two countries (now geographically west and east Thyssia), they did away with their individual names and just named is Thyssia outright, with no historical source, just a name. to bring a sort of agreement to the people of both countries, and its unlikely either would agree to be called by the others name. SOO, then, if they just named the whole country Thyssia, they could also have changed their last name to be that of their initial country, right? thatd be cool! i think that’d be real fun. as a sort of nod to their past, they become the House of [West Thyssia], essentially, and after maybe a monarch or two they decide to build a second castle near where the first monarch came from, like maybe near their childhood home, and this becomes The Big Cheese. thats cool. i can dig that shit. means the castle isnt 300 years old, but a little less, maybe 250? 250 years on a castle? that doesnt seem... too bad... im gonna need to research some castles, hold on

yea fuck it, 250 is FINE, fucking windsor castle built in the 11th century, i can do whatever i wannnnnntttt. castles are old as balls. 250 years is fine. what, thats.... 1867? yea, thats good, thats a pretty modern castle by all standards. Fort whatever is probably one of them older suckers, like 600 at least. its old. its been renovated, of couurse, probably over the course of the equivalent 20th century. so its probably fine. and of course, during the 12 year long stay at the Fort during the war (the war was only 11 years long, but im giving wiggle room before and after for logistical issues and pre-empting the war and moving Adelaide and Jackson to the Fort), it was absolutely renovated again, so its probably modernity wise on par to the main castle of Thyssia. and then theres probably a bunch of other little things. ooh!! maybe that ‘principality’ could actually be for the Fort area, too! though, that’d be a weird. BUT, the Fort name is only, like, the suburb? the region has a different name. so essentially, the Prince of [fuck knows what] is the prince of the Eastern Half of the country! Eastern Thyssia and shit! cause i mean, 300 years is, historically, not all that long. theres probably still a sort of cultural divide between East and West based on what they were before. the original cultures were likely somewhat similar, but that depends. maybe western thyssia’s culture has more in common with their western neighbour (the one that went to war with Thyssia and AHC) than with eastern thyssia! and perhaps eastern thyssia, itself, has a lot more in common with AHC! i mean, theres probably more to it than that, for instance western thyssia has the connection to the neutral country/ies that lie to the north west, which means western thyssia is a melting pot of weird shit, at least based on the countries i know exist geographically around it.

ifff thyssia as a whole is border by ocean on the south (yes) and east (maybe) then theres also a trade aspect. if theres the eastern side, then east thyssia is 90% gonna be hyper traders, like they live on that, perhaps moreso than the more land connected region of west thyssia. so while culture in west thyssia is more likely to remain within its locals, east thyssia had to spread out, cross the oceans. and perhaps where those mountains are, the mountains i was considering having be along the border of eastern thyssia and AHC, perhaps they lie more alone ahc’s western border! which, if eastern thyssia is primarily doing trade with ahc, leaves them very much isolated there. meaning, again, they expand out across the seas and bring back all these exotic people and customs, so its a melting pot oceanically moreso than.... land-ically. :D

fuck god i love this shit oooooooooooooooo it doesnt even matter if i use this shit i love just thinking about it

#royalty story #story blogging #this is in totality just a lot of me asking questions and posing hypotheticals #but ive got something! ericks royal family are from western thyssia and have reigned over Thyssia for roughly 300 years #after a war with their easterly neighbours which united the two of them INTO Thyssia. neither had this in their names prior #and ericks royal house name comes from the previous name for Eastern Thyssia. whatever it was called. thats their name now #and to honour the history of eastern thyssia they made it their House name and then built a castle named it in a titular suburb #go big or go home mother /fu-hu-ckers/

0 notes