#zero water tester

[labotronicsscientific]

Pocket TDS meter

Pocket TDS meter is a handheld unit with a dual measurement function. Hold function saves and records measurement readings. Automatic power off post ten minutes of last operation prolongs battery life. It determines the temperature and concentration of dissolved solids in a solution.

[sector38]

From Sector: 38

Entry: II

After my last "encounter," my mind was made – I couldn't just sit at the edge of the sector staring out at the abyss – a hunger had made itself a home inside of me, nested under my bosom and in between my ribcage. For what it was worth, I could now say I was the proud owner of a brand new sector pass (actually in date this time), meaning I could also now apply for a real job. Before, it felt like I was wading through murky waters devoid of a lighthouse: without any sense of direction or purpose, but now I knew where I was going, who I was to be, and what I was to become – a xenologist.

It wasn't the easiest job. When I told my friends, they outright laughed. Sure, the world wasn't what it used to be – fancy bits of laminated paper were all lost to the flood – but that didn't mean that anyone could just walk in with zero qualifications, no questions asked. This was especially so for jobs that didn't exist pre-flood (including but not limited to, you guessed it, xenology). Before, if the job existed, maybe I would have gone to some elite university and collected my certificate that, for some reason, was meant to equate four years of my life, with a smile – now, we had the circuits.

On the bright side, it was a shorter process, 6-12 months if you survived that long and shorter if you didn't. I didn't know the process that well (sue me), but I knew that I would be starting at the outer tier, maintenance (glorified clean-up crew) and working my way in, each stage more deadly than the last until finally I reached the core, or as its more commonly known, "The Arena." I could never just choose the easy path.

I knew I should have been nervous, but... I just wasn't. I guess after the encounter, it was hard to feel like I hadn't been given some top-secret information that put me ahead. I hadn't really had the time to think about it, or I did, but there wasn't really much to say or do. It wasn't like I could tell anyone – I don't know what would have been worse: them not believing me or their faces of disgust.

When all countries were dissolved, you'd have liked to think everyone would lose their patriotism (you know, considering there were no more countries to worthlessly devote themselves to) – wrong. The world became one big country, one metaphorical empire ruled by the human race. This meant anyone or anything not of the human race or not subservient to the human race (like my neighbour, Julie's pet squid) was technically considered an enemy of the state.

Wait, did I fuck a public enemy?

First-day jitters were nothing in comparison to whatever I was feeling, especially considering this wasn't even my first day more like a very short tester solo shift - in all my time on sector 38 I'd never felt seasick (probably because the plates don't move) and yet here I was suddenly greatly empathetic towards the poor souls who found themselves violently ill holidaying in pacific waters. I could barely walk straight, my legs felt like jelly, and my stomach was so heavy I genuinely wondered if I'd swallowed an anchor between breakfast and lunch.

Even now, i still don't understand why i was alone during my tester shift? I get that it was just three tasks, but typically, unless you're a high-level, you're not to be left alone - always followed by a superior. Still, as i said, it wasn't even like I was going to be doing much, according to the alerts who sent me my assignments the night before my shift

. Stack the crates

. File away medical instruments

. Clean the pods on deck Xv_2

Pretty standard stuff, to be honest. If i cared half as much as i should, I'd be outraged that they gave me such menial work - but i didn't, so i wasn't. All i cared about was getting to see more of them, speak to them, and understand them, and the only way to do that was to become a xenologist.

At that point, I couldn't care less about hierarchy and ranks - i didn't understand the tangled web of beurocracy or how clearing badges worked, well not until I'd spent less than five seconds on the deck and i was promtly told

"Attention!"

The wooden crate I'd be carrying dropped to the ground with a hollow thud, the solid wood colliding with the metal flooring, making an awful cacophony. I looked up at the figure and saw a man dressed in a black suit with a white under shirt and black tie, on his black hair sat snug a white naval cap and across his chest a number of metal pins. He looked at me expectantly, i hadn't been told anyone else would be on shift as far as I knew I was supposed to meet my peers next week.

While trying to carefully stack the box in the appropriate space, I gave an awkward smile

"Hi"

Somehow, in a moment, his face grew colder, from freezing to a subzero tundra in an instant - I could tell he wanted to say more, to reprimand me, put me in place - but promtly his alarm sounded on his right wrist.

He left without a word, his face coloured with urgency.

To say I was confused would be an understatement. In the new world, the navy took on a more active role with the marines following suit to a lesser degree and the army taking the least precedence out of the three - so seeing a navy officer wasn't unheard of or even uncommon, but a lieutenant?

It just didn't make any sense, especially considering my work for today was entirely made up of menial tasks - and the look on his face as he left or even before that when I greeted him? I'm not in the navy, clearly so why what was he expecting me to do? Salute? Bowe? Kiss the ground beneath his feet?

It didn't matter, I told myself, i quite literally had one job: keep my head down and become a certified xenologist...well, aside from cleaning the pods on deck.

After stacking the last of the crates and refusing to give into my temptation of opening them, I set about trying to look for the ever elusive deck Xv_2

I mean, would it have KILLED them to give me a map or something? All the corridors looked the same - eggshell cream walls with blue strip lights - every turn, every left, every right didn't feel like it was getting me any closer, to be honest, I wasn't sure if this was some sort of time warp zone, an after effect of some eldritch creature washed up during the flood.

Wandering through the halls, I passed numerous rooms with bolted doors and bright yellow signs with bold black writing, as if they were so afraid that someone might accidentally open the securely locked doors - aside from doors armed to the teeth I passed a myriad of people, i can't really use one word to describe them:

From white coats with slicked-back hair, needle-straight posture to black suits, black ties, white collars, and broze pins to white hazmat suits and black boots.

Like some sort of machine, my brain was fixed on identifying and categorising my colleagues (colleagues). Well, that was until I heard it, tapping against the walls

It was faint at first, easily missable, but then the sounds grew louder, the rapid patter of the metal walls surrounding me like rain against the window - except there was nothing to see, no visible trace of the source of the sound just the noise, just the polyphonic array.

If this was a film, the corridors would be dimly lit with no signs of life but my own heartbeat and panting breath ringing in my ears, but this is the real world, if anything the bright neon lights and the industrious workers who I chanced upon only led to an increase in my anixety - it was as though i was going insane, as though i was being followed

"Could no one else hear that?"

The noise was atonal and offbeat - seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, bouncing off the walls like an echo. My eyes darted around the corners of the walls as I discreetly tried to turn my head to locate the source of the sound only to be met with nothing. Whatever it was, it was quick. It was just too quick, the persistent creature darting always just out of sight.

Finally, after what felt like a literal millennia, I ran into a steal door labelled

Xv_2

I pushed both the persistent scurrying aside and the absurdly weighted door - inside a dimly lit room with large cylinders attached to the centre wall. To call it a deck seemed overly gracious, with the sizing being more akin to an office space or a large storeage room.

As i walked closer towards the cylinders, I understood why they needed to be cleaned - they were filthy, dust coating them in an opaque sheild blocking any possible view of whatever was sealed within them.

I grabbed the tissue pack I'd hastily shoved in my bra before leaving the house and stared at the cylinders - there was NO way they'd be enough. A part of me seriously thought about using my top, but the thought quickly vanished when i remembered I did actually have to leave the facility without being arrested for public indecency.

And that's when i felt it, a brush of cold air against my neck, raising my hair and sending a shiver down my spin. Instantly, I dropped my tissue pack on the small table and turned around but only to be met by nothing, empty space. I stared out at the room for a moment as though someone or something would magically appear it would probably still have only been the second strangest thing to happen to me as of last.After sufficiently staring out into an empty room I turned back around...

The tissues were gone.

I looked down at the floor, nothing. Half baked thoughts swirled around my head as i looked around the room

"I could have sworn i- did i bring them? Yes. Maybe i dropped them on a crate? No, i had them when-"

Finally, i got on my knees searching underneath the desk in hopes that somehow they'd fallen and I'd kicked them under. It was so dark I should have brought my phone or a flashlight or something, as I lent further under the desk the space narrowed which, if i was paying attention i would have known.

But, alas, i wasn't - instead, my mind was still fixed on how i needed to be more prepared in the future and how i shouldn't have a phone if i wasn't going to use it because the last time I didn't bring my phone i got-

Cold.

Cold air against my bare thighs, that feeling again. Except this time the cold felt more real? The touch more weighted less like the air and more like a person?

I stilled against the feeling, with every passing second the pressure grew till i could shape the outline: a hand.

I tried to move backwards from under the desk but promptly the feeling of another hand splayed across my waist - halting any movement. The hand across my waist kept a firm solid grip, with the cold air seeping through my clothes and onto my skin as though I were naked whilst the other fingers which previously splayed across my thigh began to move, inching ever so slowly towards my upper thigh.

Maybe it was the confusion or remnants of my first (but technically not first) day jitters. Maybe it was a cocktail of both, but I found myself slightly pushing towards the unknown force. Whatever it was must have taken that as a sign because suddenly, the fingers brushed in between my inner thighs dangerously close to my knickers.

I didn't know who or what was behind me, no-one else was in the room bar me and with only one entrance and exist it would have be impossible for anyone to come in without my knowledge - especially considering how heavy the door was.

This couldn't be a who, I thought. It must have been a what.

The thought excited me, that familiar warmth spreading in my lower stomach now juxtaposing the icy touch of the creature - I couldn't help but let out a breathy whimper. The creature must have heard because, within an instant, its cold finger pressed against my clothed entrance. The pressure was barely there, barely feelable almost imperceptible but that's what made is to so maddening - what made me push back against it despite the very firm hand on my waist.

We continued our dance: me pushing backwards, aching and desperate for any sort of relief or solid touch, and its outright reluctance to give it to me aside from the arctic hold on my mid section I could feel myself growing wetter, throbbing in a hot aching want. If i was capable of shame at that point, I would have been berating myself for wearing white panties instead of a more concealing black.

The feel of the wet material sticking to me and the mystery surrounding the strange figure was getting to be too much, I'd tried to bite my glossed lips concealing more whimpers and moans but i couldn't hold back anymore. I began to rock back harder, sounds slipping from my mouth like condensation down glass till the monster showed me mercy.

A cool finger began to push into me through my now presumably clear underwear, the sensation of wet cotton and the icy appendage dipping into me making me moan all the more - but it wasn't enough. I began to beg, pleas falling from my mouth faster than my brain could protest.

Cold and wet dragged along my cunt so abruptly I hit my head against the desk but I was too aroused to care - slowly the figure dragged its icy dripping tongue against me, lapping up my desire through my panties and adding to the wet region.

The drag was devastatingly slow, and whilst the pressure was a reprieve from my previous torture, it was nowhere near enough, tears gathered in my eyes as I begged for more. Then, I felt the being give one final lick before spreading my thighs out further and removing its hand from my waist - I was untouched.

For a brief moment, i wondered if it had left me, alone and hungry, desperate for something more - thankfully, it didn't. Instead, I felt what seemed to be a light kiss to my upper thigh before my skirt was bunched up to above my ass. The suddenness of it all made my gasp like a scandalised southern bell -as though I wasn't begging to be fucked by a stranger (who most definitely wasn't human) under a desk at my first day at work- though rapidly my gasp morphed into a whine as I felt the monster slip underneath my shaking spread out thighs so that the back of its head might rest against the floor with now both hands grasping my waist and hips.

It began to lick into me (still over my underwear) with a passion that I've never known, the glacial touch contrasting the warm friction building. I began to rock and press down onto its tongue and in response it sucked and licked and fucked into me with its tongue.

I'd asked, begged for more and I'd gotten it but I've always been greedy, always been stupid and reckless and impulsive, always been bossy even when I'm on my knees and then was absolutely no different.

"Let me fuck your mouth"

Instantly as soon as the words left my mouth I felt it moan against me the sensation only making me want it more, carefully after giving a few more playful sucks it released me - somehow even with its cold presence when it left me, the room felt so much more glacial.

I slid out from under the desk my shaking legs doing very little to help me in this endeavour, but before i could turn around to face the entity hands covered my eyes, of course this did nothing in ways of stopping me from seeing but I understood the getsture and so I closed my eyes.

Once my eyes were closed, the figure rearranged our bodies like a jigsaw piece as though it and I were one cohesive being all while I was immersed in the faint scent of sea salt and rain-soaked earth emanating from the creature - the delicate nature of the smell, alien to the steady yet all-consuming auror of the beast - like the sky before a storm. Once again, it was pressed against the ground with the back of its head to the metal flooring, and I was on top of it, this time fully able to sit with a straight posture.

It slowly guided me with my eyes still closed to its mouth with my still clothed cunt at first gently resting against its lips not wanting to move before it was ready till I felt it place both its sturdy hands on my waist and force me to rock into its mouth slightly.

I began slow, moving backwards and forwards on its cold tongue, trying to find a starting rhythm before the heat that momentarily subsided rose in full formation. Its hands were everywhere on my waist, my hips, my tummy. Like it was pushing and pulling me down and up, away, and to. Then suddenly one of its strong arms was lifting me slightly off its mouth eliciting an unexpected whine from me whilst the other moved the lace fabric to the side before gently lowering me back onto its cold wet mouth.

The feeling was foreign, invasive, intrusive, like a virus spreading through my body overtaking each nerve and blood cell before leaving me powerless to resist or even the desire to. The cold spit-soaked tongue dragged perfectly against me like waves hitting against the rocks, never missing their mark. I began to ride into its mouth, eyes rolling to the back of my head as I felt a familiar pressure build within me. I was so close to the edge, to the beginning and end of bliss. I didn’t know what the creature was or if it was even capable of feeling pleasure in the same way I did, but the desperate movements of its cold hands, one gripping my waist and the other my boobs showed me I wasn't alone in my heightened arousal.

Pleas and cries spilt from my lips, each more nonsensical and crass than the last:

"Please, please, fuck I'll be so good, fuck, your mouth its so- so perfect, you're so good for me, fuck, just like that, right there-"

Till eventually like an electrical current, the feeling washed over me - like fuzzy static interferce my whole body sparked alite. Its cold hands pressed me down harder as my body spasmed, tears welled in my eyes as I tried to move away, the pleasure building to be all too much, the overstimulation becoming extreme - but its presence remained lapping up my cum from my wet, warm, throbbing cunt.

My legs felt like jelly as it finally allowed me to stand, my lack of balance definitely not helped by my inability to see.

"Can I open my eyes... Tap me twice for yes?"

I felt a press of cold lips against my neck and then temple, sending a shiver down my spine and a small smile on my face before opening my eyes and turning around to see

Nothing.

I looked around the room confusion growing clearer on my face - thoughts regarding whether I'd made the whole scenario up in my head beginning to take root - before I felt cold hands rest against my cheek holding my head tilted slightly upwards before I felt cold lips move again against mine. The kiss was dry, soft, and sweet, still smelling of sea salt and storms and in that moment my mind was still, at peace like a total oneness with the world, with the truth whatever that may be.

Warning. Warning. Emergency alert. Code Amber. Please isolate in groups immediately. This is not a drill. Repeat. Warning. Warning. Emergency alert. Code Amber. Please isolate in groups immediately. This is not a drill.Warning. Warning. Emergency alert. Code Amber. Please isolate in groups immediately. This is not a drill. Repeat. Warning. Warning. Emergency alert. Code Amber. Please isolate in groups immediately. This is not a drill.

[museenkuss]

Marie Museenkuss Library Day essentials📕🦢✨

BAG PACK [white Levi’s]. laptop & case (hence the bag pack). Diogenes notebook small. pencil. red umbrella. cat eye sunglasses. emergency pad & emergency single use cleaning wipe for my glasses. books to return (possibly). a healthy little snack (grapes, apple slices). an unhealthy little snack (Kinder Riegel). a few stray perfume testers

EXTRA TOTE [usually a Moomin shop tote]. wallet. bag of toiletries. something to read while on the underground. water bottle. Mio Mio Ginger or coke (cherry, vanilla, zero) or Sinalco (Mio Mio ginger is my all time favourite but the glass bottle is so heavy that I oftentimes decide against it)

[labequipments]

Pocket Dissolved Oxygen Tester

The Pocket Dissolved Oxygen Tester has a polarographic sensor for measuring dissolved oxygen levels. The dissolved oxygen meter's system menu allows you to configure six settings such as the number of calibration points, temperature units, and so on. It can determine the amount of dissolved oxygen in water, wastewater, and other liquids and solutions.

[writer59january13]

Happy shiny tummy courtesy...I REM ember in place of stipend

An appetizer, essentially an out of this world guacamole quasi Neptune salad, regarding self taught cook earning prized counterpart five Michelin stars, when the missus artfully, carefully, cannily, decorously, deftly, and happily prepared earlier today June 21st, 2024 for her favorite buzzfeeding nincompoop

otherwise known as yours truly barley distilled friggin human impractical joker, (who just learned how to walk erect this morning) gifted with absolute zero sense and sensibility, nevertheless whose modest absinthe pride and prejudice subsequently qualified him as Übermensch,

and admirable taste tester de jure concerning culinary pop slop queen cuisine of Schwenksville of aforementioned dish prepared courtesy unsung chef at 2 Highland Manor Drive: she made with the following ingredients: vidalia onions, progresso tomato bisque, pickles, gluten free pasta cooked leftover coffee and filtered water and crushed nature's promise tomatoes. After above culinary creation completed, she slaved away mostly all of yesterday concocting pièce de résistance meatloaf entrée fit for her kingly gourmand, which complements included butterball ground Turkey peppered with green beans and corn essentially the remaining bulk made from everything including the kitchen sink plumbing the depths of innovation

remembering aromatic, emblematic, and idiomatic

savory eats of home and hearth of Old Rotten Gotham

sliding into the behavioral sink.

When frequently motivated me once upon a time little butterball oven admirable spouse dons toque (chef's hat that dates back to the 16th century. Different heights may indicate rank within a kitchen and the number of folds can also signify a chef's expertise, with each pleat representing a technique that has been mastered. As testimony to a successful endeavor an array of cooking accouterments (including scads of disparate utensils

plus various and sundry leftovers) truthfully and essentially Unrecognized Food Objects in refrigerator

constituted stock in trade scullery. After successfully cooking, expending and buzzfeeding me

a veritable Smörgåsbord

the industrial wife (with just enough energy to spare) readied herself to potschke with assortment of ingredients, she (the pleasingly plump wizard - me honky tonk woman), whipped wonderfully wrought

provisions for the palate one of a kind ruthless babe (wrapped herself in homemade swiftly tailored pigs in blanket) aforesaid entrée fit for gourmet capped first course with snicky snack sammich hors d'œuvre a combination of almond butter (whole nuts crushed in blender), unsweetened almond milk topped with Welch's grape jelly.

[kitchenov]

Get crystal-clear insights into your water quality! Discover how to use the Zero Water Tester to ensure purity and taste in every sip.

Get Inspired, visit www.kitchenov.com

[fangomusic]

Year four

Playlist

We carefully listened to, selected, and assessed the music that these talented musicians earnestly created and put out. You can find our fourth year playlist here.

1. Nicole Dollanganger - Moonlite 2. Oddisee - Try Again 3. Kimbra - Personal Space 4. Young Fathers - I Saw 5. Kelela - Contact 6. Kerala Dust - Pulse VI 7. 30/70 - Holy Roller 8. Yazmin Lacey - Legacy 9. Fever Ray - New Utensils 10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Nadja 11. JPEGMafia & Danny Brown - Fentanyl Tester 12. Boygenius - $20 13. Nakhane - The Caring 14. Yaeji - Done (Let’s Get It) 15. Dave Okumu & 7 Generations - Eyes On Me 16. Lana Del Rey (featuring Tommy Genesis) - Peppers 17. Benefits - Shit Britain 18. Jessie Ware - Pearls 19. Y La Bamba - Dibujos De Mi Alma 20. Billy Woods, Kenny Segal & Danny Brown - Year Zero 21. Madison McFerrin - Stay Away (From Me) 22. Mandy, Indiana - The Driving Rain (18) 23. Arlo Parks - Blades 24. Half Moon Run - 9beat 25. Janelle Monáe (featuring Doechii) - Phenomenal 26. Killer Mike (featuring  André 3000, Eryn Allen Kane & Future) - Scientists & Engineers 27. Meshell Ndegeocello (featuring Deantoni Parks, Jeff Parker & Sanford Biggers) - Clear Water 28. Portugal. The Man - Dummy 29. Pahua (featuring Paz Court) - Flor de Jazmín 30. PJ Harvey - A Child's Question, July 31. Claud - Wet 32. Blur - Russian Strings 33. Slowe - Calibrate 34. Rocky - The Horseman 35. Noname - Namesake 36. Genesis Owusu - Freak Boy 37. Danger Mouse & Jemini the Gifted One - Born Again 38. Kendra Morris - Dominoes 39. Róisín Murphy (featuring DJ Koze) - Hurtz So Bad 40. Mitski - The Deal 41. Underscores - Shoot To Kill, Kill Your Darlings 42. Clara Peya (featuring Momi Maiga) - Abrir La Luz 43. Sufjan Stevens - Goodbye Evergreen 44. CMAT - Rent 45. Sampha - Only 46. Taylor Swift - Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version, From The Vault) 47. V V Brown (featuring Liam Bailey) - No Fear 48. Marnie Stern - Believing Is Seeing 49. Aesop Rock - Pigeonometry 50. Blockhead (featuring The Koreatown Oddity & Open Mike Eagle) - Mastering How To Land 51. Beryl - Bad Joke 52. Peter Gabriel - Road to Joy (Dark-Side Mix)

[rdpshop]

Winterizing Your Car - Being Safe and Prepared

As winter approaches, winterizing your car is essential for the challenging conditions it may face. Winterizing your car not only ensures your safety on the road but also helps prevent costly repairs and breakdowns. Vehicles may struggle to start in frigid temperatures, and tires lose traction. Effective preparation involves snow tires, antifreeze, and emergency supplies.

Despite the trials, responsible winter driving and preparation, ensures safety and minimizes the risks associated with harsh weather conditions. For additional reading, you can follow up with a previous post, How To Winterize A Car. However, in this post, I'll go over the quick essential steps to winterize your car effectively. Inspect the Tires Proper tire maintenance is crucial for winter driving. Check the tread depth and consider switching to snow or all-season tires for better traction. Ensure tire pressure is at the recommended levels, as it can drop in cold weather. It is highly recommended for car owners to have a tire pressure gauge for all year round safety. For the best deals on tires, I highly recommend Discount Tires. They often have great deals and they are easy to work with on shipping your tires to an installer. Examine the Brakes Have your brakes inspected to ensure they're functioning correctly. Slick roads require responsive brakes for safe stopping. It can be prudent to look for build up of black brake dust on your wheels. Also, listen for squealing or grinding when applying the brake to stop. If you notice any of these indicators, the time to get them fixed is before winter hits.

Change the Oil Use winter-grade oil with a lower viscosity for better cold-weather performance. It helps the engine start more easily and provides proper lubrication when temperatures drop. Due to so many different engine designs, it is best that you read your car manual. Some engines today, use a zero multi-weight motor oil. For example, your car may use 0w-20 oil. In a case like this, you are not going to be able to put a much thinner oil in your engine. Top Off Fluids Ensure all fluids, including antifreeze, windshield washer fluid, and brake fluid, are at the right levels. Antifreeze, in particular, is essential to prevent freezing and engine damage. It is always good to have your antifreeze tested with a Hydrometer. To ensure that it can handle the low temperatures in your area, this is really a crucial step when winterizing your car. Replace Wiper Blades Install winter wiper blades that are more robust and designed to handle snow and ice. Ensure your windshield washer fluid contains antifreeze to prevent it from freezing. Continue reading to learn How often should you change your windshield wiper blades Inspect the Heater and Defroster You'll rely on your heater and defroster to stay warm and maintain clear visibility. Have them checked to make sure they're in working order. This includes the fan heater/defroster fan running properly. If it makes noise when running or only works on some speeds, get it checked out before winter. Pack an Emergency Kit Prepare an emergency kit with essentials such as blankets, extra clothing, a flashlight, non-perishable food, water, a first-aid kit, and a shovel. If you don't want to take the time to create your own kit, then shop Emergency Kits on Amazon. These kits can be a lifesaver if you get stranded. Check the Battery, Starter, and Alternator Cold weather can put a significant strain on these components. Ensure they are in good working condition to prevent starting issues. Make sure it's in good condition by having it tested. If it's weak, consider replacing it to avoid getting stranded on a chilly winter morning. It is always best to either take your car to a store where car batteries are sold, or you can test it yourself. Battery testers are cheap and they can be handy to have for more than just the winter. Clean and Test the Lights Clean all lights on your vehicle, including headlights, taillights, and turn signals. Test them to ensure they're working correctly, as visibility is crucial during winter driving. Wax and Protect the Paint Applying a coat of wax can protect your vehicle's finish from the harsh winter elements, including salt, slush, and ice. Insulate the Interior Install rubber or all-weather floor mats to protect your car's interior from snow, ice, and salt. This will make cleanup easier and prevent damage to the carpet. Prepare for Snow and Ice Keep a snow brush and ice scraper in your car to clear your windows before driving. Consider adding snow chains or traction mats for extra grip in severe conditions. If you live in an area where snow and ice are bad in the winter, you really want to keep snow chains or mats in your car. For the best way to winterize your car, shop HERE for different types of traction mats and chains. Learn Defensive Driving Winter driving requires a different skill set. Learn to drive defensively by leaving extra space between vehicles, slowing down, and avoiding sudden movements. Keep a Full Gas Tank Running on a full tank of gas can help prevent moisture from building up in the fuel lines and freezing. Also, keeping your tank full can help if you get stuck in the snow. That way you can run the engine a long time to keep the heater working until help arrives.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can ensure your vehicle is ready for winter, helping you stay safe and avoid unnecessary troubles. Properly winterizing your car, not only protects your car but also ensures your peace of mind while driving in challenging conditions. Don't procrastinate; start preparing your car today, and embrace winter with confidence.   Read the full article

[lastfrontierh]

Heli Skiing British Columbia, Canada

For one other great choice from a well-known model, check out the Wells Lamont HydraHyde Full Leather Winter Work Gloves . Both fashions characteristic a removable liner for sooner drying, a fingertip carabiner loop, and bolstered leather palms, and are made with alpinists in thoughts. For these excited about heat winter gloves , the Black Diamond Guide below has roughly the identical temperature rating because the Mercury Mitt and has been a mainstay in the ski and winter sports world for years. The REI Guide Insulated simply wins the dexterity category with its thin fingers and minimal insulation. The glove additionally lacks a water-resistant membrane or effective insulation, making them comparatively useless for most days at the ski space. However, for those who want a dexterous glove for milder circumstances, corresponding to ski instructors, backcountry skiers, or ski patrollers, these are a fantastic choice as a second, lighter, cheap glove.

The ski resorts are open by mid-November onwards. The ski season lasts all the way in which up until mid-May in some cases. The wintertime is maybe lesser-known however Heli skiing BC equally great time to go each when it comes to the activities of skiing, but in addition the scenic magnificence.

And the second factor is that, in intervals of Earth's very long, long historical past, when the glaciers have melted, and returned, those changes happened, earlier than people ever lived on earth. So we are the first gen or the primary humans to reside with this sort Heli skiing BC of speedy temperature change. But if you're a glacier, when you go from, you realize, being point three levels beneath zero, you keep frozen. You go to point three, you know, but one degree above zero, you stop being frozen.

Even for simple tasks like tying your sneakers, unzipping your pockets, or grabbing a small item, mittens are certain to make you are feeling clumsy. Depending on the activity, you could find yourself Heli skiing BC eradicating them sufficient occasions that your palms would have stayed warmer with gloves on. But for the occasions if you don’t want nimble arms, nothing beats the heat of mittens.

Après ski is a scorching tub or massage, earlier than a gourmet candlelight dinner and drinks by the grand stone hearth within the luxury lodge – awesome. Only issue could be climate, if its foggy , its no fly and you are sequestered to this beautiful lodge until its blue sky once more. One notably unhealthy weather week we had been encouraged to “drink it blue” – overindulge so that you hope you don’t ski the following day hungover -inevitable the sun comes out…lol. With an average of 40 – 60 ft of snowfall per year, skiers and boarders get pleasure from powder turns as early as December and all through the season, into early April.

Except for the heated gloves , the warmest glove we examined was the Black Diamond Guide. Tester Ian Nicholson used them to summit two mountains over 20,000 ft above sea degree and never changed into his mittens, despite summit temperatures as little as -42F. The Gordini Storm Trooper II, Fission SV, and Outdoor Research Carbide Sensor also present sufficient warmth for our testers on chilly winter days at a ski resort. On the opposite hand, the REI Guide Insulated seemed to have little extra warming capabilities than your common leather-based work glove. Every skier and rider demands a special level of heat from their gloves or mittens.

And our chilly spell came actually late last year, like late February when we had minus 25 minus 30 days. Usually we get them earlier, but yearly is different. And it is warmer than once I first got here to this part of the country. The greatest strategy to keep away from a grizzly bear encounter is to strive this, is to keep away from one.

[bottletesting]

Why it is important to test the top load strength of PET bottles?

Packaging is one of the most important aspects of product safety and quality control. In order to ensure that products are not damaged during transport and storage, it is essential to use robust and reliable packaging materials.

Packaging is one of the most important aspects of product safety and quality control. In order to ensure that products are not damaged during transport and storage, it is essential to use robust and reliable packaging materials. One of the most common packaging materials used for liquids is the PET bottle. PET bottles are used for a wide variety of products, including water, soft drinks, juices, and many others.

While PET bottles are strong and durable, it is still important to test their top load strength. This is because the contents of the bottle can put pressure on the sides of the bottle, which could cause it to break or leak. Presto top load testing instrument is one of the widely used lab testing equipment that is used to test the top load strength of PET bottles and ensure that quality products will be delivered to the customer. So, let us get started!

What is the top load strength of the PET bottles?

PET bottles are commonly used in the food and beverage industry for their lightweight, durability, and transparency. The top load strength of a PET bottle is a measure of how much weight the bottle can hold before it begins to deform. Deformation can cause the bottle to leak or crumble, which can jeopardize the safety of the product inside. There are a variety of factors that can affect the top load strength of a PET bottle, such as the thickness of the walls, the type of resin used, the neck finish, and the way the bottle is filled. The top load strength also depends on how the bottle will be used.

Testing the top load strength of PET bottles is important to ensure that they will be able to withstand the pressures of storage and handling. Thus, it’s important for PET bottle manufacturers to conduct a top load test on the materials with the help of the Presto top load tester-prima series.

This HMI-based touch-screen model comes with inverted straight plates for zero gripping support. Below we have discussed brief information about Presto's top load tester testing instrument.

Introduction about Presto top load tester

The top load strength of PET bottles is one of the important parameters that needs to be taken care of while delivering products accurately to the customers. It is important to test the top load strength of PET bottles because if the bottle has less top load strength, then the bottle will get damaged easily when stacked over each other. It is important to test the top load strength of PET bottles because they are often used for products that need to be stored on shelves or in other high places. If the bottles are not strong enough, they could break and cause safety hazards. By testing the top load strength of PET bottles, companies can ensure that their products will be safe for consumers to use. Thus, we at Presto have designed high-quality top load-testing equipment that is used to test the maximum loading capacity a bottle can bear without getting damaged.

Features of Presto top load tester

When it comes to PET bottles, the top load strength is an important factor to consider. This is because the strength of the bottle will determine how well it can withstand being filled with liquids and other materials. If the top load strength is not high enough, the bottle may leak or even break. That's why it's important to test the top load strength of PET bottles before using them for any commercial purposes.

Below, we have listed the features of this quality lab testing equipment.

HMI-Based Touchscreen Model

Inverted straight plates for zero slip gripping support

Auto Stop at the home position after test completion

Provision of Cyclic Test

Microprocessor-based for accuracy and repeatability

Option for the user to switch off the machine in case of buckling of the test sample.

The in-house standalone calibration facility

Speed Control Sensing mechanism with Sample placement.

Program profile for programming test parameters and product identification in the test report

Automatic Test and Return Speed Selection.

Easy Data Management. Users can create product identification, user name, etc.

Graph Test report of Load Vs Deflection

Data Tabulation in Data Record format.

USB option available for storing test data

Data output in Graphical and data record format.

History Data involves User name, date, time, Deflection, etc.

Technical Specifications of top load tester

It is important to test the top load strength of PET bottles because they are often used to hold liquids under pressure. If the bottle fails, the contents can be released suddenly, which can cause injury or damage, or even loss of the product. Presto Digital Top Load Tester testing instrument is one of the widely used testing machines in the PET bottle industry that will help to determine the top load strength of PET bottles with ease. Below, we have listed the technical specifications of this quality lab testing equipment.

Max. Load Range: 100 Kgf

Accuracy: +_ 2% full scale (with master load)

Least Count/Resolution: 10gm

Power: 220V, Single Phase, 50 Hz

Display: HMI (Touchscreen)

Sample size: Max. Bottle height 500 mm.

With these features and technical specifications, one can easily conduct top-load tests on the materials and ensure that quality products will be delivered to the customers. If you want to conduct a free sample testing session regarding this lab testing instrument, then give us a call at +91-9210903903 or email us at info@prestogroup.com. Our team of technical experts will consult you regarding all your needs and requirements.

Source link - https://www.bottletesting.com/blog/why-it-is-important-to-test-the-top-load-strength-of-pet-bottles/

[enable--llamas]

I stole this beautiful boardwalk lot from Sao Paten, spent 87634 years trying to fit it somewhere in IP (guess how I found out the terrain offset cheat doesn't work on a partially-water lot 🙃), and then added this lawsuit waiting to happen Totally Safe and Structurally Sound™ roller coaster 🎢🎆✨

So far we've had two (2) testers and zero (0) fatalities, so come hang out today - we're like 40% certain you won't perish! 😊

[ibuki-loves-you]

Leon with the 5 Love Languages

Warnings: None

Mod Ibuki: 😏😏😏

Words of Affirmation:

Leon loves giving you compliments. He has zero shame when complimenting you and makes sure you know it. His compliments vary and can be super cute or super embarrassing. Either way they fluster you.

“Wow babe, you look awesome today! C’mere and gimme a kiss~” “*whistles* God damn! Your ass looks *so good* in those. What do you say you bring that cute butt of yours over here and maybe we can, y’know, makeout?” “Nice! You look so hot drinking water!”

Leon can never stop thinking about you and your adorable face. He’s always thinking about what you two are gonna do when you see eachother again. He also really likes to brainstorm on some cute nicknames or compliments he can give you that will get him an amazing reaction.

He also has no shame if he’s called out on his daydreaming. He’s got no issue saying that he was thinking about you. It grosses everyone out about how he goes on about his attractive significant other.

“Bro, were you even listening?” “Huh? Haha, sorry! Was too busy thinking about Y/N. Did you see them today? I swear, they make that uniform look sexy-” “For Christ’s sake, would you shut up!?” “Never! Then I wouldn’t be doing my job as their boyfriend!”

Physical Touch:

Physical touch is Leon’s main love language. He can’t go two seconds without touching you. Whether it’s an arm around the waist or a makeout session, he can’t get enough.

Leon’s favorite thing to do is kiss, hands down. He likes the feeling of your lips pressed against his, and he loves it even more when tongue is involved. Tongue kisses are a favorite. He especially likes the reaction when you feel his piercing. It never fails to make you gasp or groan and it amuses him to no end.

Cuddling is huge with Leon! He’s a big cuddle bug and doesn’t hide it. He prefers big spoon, but he does like being little spoon sometimes. He likes it when you lay on his chest or bury your face in his neck, and vice versa when you hold him. Play with his hair and he’s at complete and utter peace.

“Mmmmm, keep doing that. It feels nice…” “I swear, you’re like a cat sometimes.” “...Meow.” “Leon, I can and will throw you.” “...Hissssss.” “LEON!”

Recieving Gifts:

Leon doesn’t mind receiving gifts, but he reminds you all the time that he doesn’t need them and your love is more than enough for him.

“Babe, you shouldn’t have! Seriously! How many times do I gotta tell you? You don’t need to buy me anything! Smooches are enough of a gift!”

Despite that, he loves getting you things. Mainly stuffed animals. You have a whole collection of ones he bought you. Whenever he’s out and he sees one he thinks you’ll like, he buys it for you. Whenever he does, he’ll show up to your door with it in front of his face and surprise you with it. It’s the cutest thing!

“Surprise, babe! What do you think? I think he’s pretty cute!” “Leonnnn! He’s adorable hehe.” “What should we name him? I was thinking Leon Jr. because he’s the same color as my hair. Pretty snazzy, huh?” “And you say you don’t have a massive ego.” “I don’t! Just for that, his name is officially Leon Jr.! And he’s my son! You can’t have him!” “Wait, baby! Haha, wait!”

Quality Time:

So much time spent together! Leon loves taking you on dates and spending all the time he can with you. Hanging out with you are the highlights of his day and it always leaves him a smiley mess.

“Dude, why do you look so happy?” “Hung out with the prettiest person in the universe, that’s why!”

Dates happen about twice a week if nothing gets in the way. Whether it’s a movie date or a day at the mall, it varies! With Leon’s energetic self, he is always moving and looking to try new things.

Leon’s favorite thing to do is go to fast food places with you and eat out in the backseat. He likes getting chicken nuggets and feeding them to you. Sometimes, he’ll purposely miss or tease you just to see you pout. He thinks it's adorable!

“Open up! Say ahhh!” “Leon!” “No nugget for you, I guess.” “No wait, I want nugget.”

Acts of Service:

Leon can and will play housewife with no problem. With that being said, doesn’t mean he’s great at it. He tries really hard, but he sucks at chores. The most he does is wash dishes and put things in the wash. He tries really hard though.

“Hey babe, lemme do that for you.” “Oh, thank you! You’re the sweetest.” “Heh, thanks baby.”

Leon can’t cook to save his life, but he’ll be taste tester! He is amazing at that. He’ll sit on the counter and swing his feet, content and happy with watching you cook. Afterwards, he’ll give you a kiss to show appreciation.

Leon loves you with his entire heart and is a die-hard simp. We all know it.

[kattitude130]

so we got a new fancy fridge but it doesn’t have a water dispenser on it so we got a separate water filter that sits on the counter the ZeroWater one or whatever that comes with the tester that tells you how bad ur water is by showing a number and after it filters it’s supposed to say 0

well our water is like really bad and gives a number over 500 when straight from the tap but out of the filter it goes down to like 15 which isn’t zero but ok. it’s like, at least better now right

listen i don’t know what 100% pure H2O is supposed to taste like but it can’t be this. there’s not really a taste it’s more of a sensation. every time i take a sip of this filtered water it literally stings my mouth and leaves a tingling sensation and is just an all around unpleasant experience. i feel like this is what drinking bleach is like without dying. literally what the fuck is this filter doing to the water. my mom keeps joking it’s because my body doesn’t know what to do with good water since i’m so used to the old tap and she thinks it’s fine but i can’t stress enough it is literally painful to drink this what the hell is happening

[giriduck]

Random notes re: Breath of the Wild

Oooh Japanese audio! Yesssss. More games need this as an option.

Oh man, Zelda sounds perfect. ❤️

And she definitely called the tablet a “Sheikah Stone.”

The Sheikah constellation motif is neat. Please tell me that these show up in the night sky.

My PlayStation brain cannot deal with the flipped cancel / confirm button placement.

I like that you can overload the fire with mushrooms and the olde man jumps to his feet in concern. (I used to be a game tester; I’m gonna notice and appreciate the extra mile details.)

“What are you gonna do with the torch?” “Light fires.” “Careful with that, you’ll catch the grass on fire.” *Immediately takes torch to light nearby campfire, accidentally catches a stick on fire, then accidentally catches nearby grass on fire, alerts nearby monster, who packs up a branch in their way over to beat me up* I’m on my way to save the world!

The Temple of Time…! 😧 Those ruins!! The freaking HOLE in the side of the building! 😭

Hylia with 6 little… are those sages around her??

The mossy leggy machines are giving me some Horizon Zero Dawn vibes.

The bokoblins have idle animations where they hang out and then start dancing with each other around their roasting dinner on the campfire. They look so happy! I can’t just run up to them and slaughter them. 😭 I shall endeavor to only engage with them if they come after me; I shall not initiate. (Can’t this be like Undertale? 😂)

The water in this game is gorgeous. 🤩 I just want to stare into all the little ponds. OMG the leaves are pushed aside when you swim through them!!

The double-walled, sand-filled ruins of this massive plateau wall! The environmental art and design do such a good job. 😮

Oooooh the data drip comes off the stalactite like the Sheikah tear… ohh clever. 😏

Hmm… old Sheikah, living mummy in a meditation state… dissolves into bright green energy when they die… 🤔 (My guess is that the Ganondorf mummy in the BotW2 trailers is NOT a corpse; the first trailer starts with a very slow heartbeat, he wakes up, then the heartbeat is thumping at a normal rate. He’s in stasis like these ancient, meditating Sheikah. Only it was violently imposed on him.)

Magnet powers kinda fun.

Ok, seriously the random piano sprinkled throughout the music is jarring and feels just like Untitled Goose Game. 🤣

I shot a lizard with an arrow and now I feel like such a monster. 😭

I would do well to remember that Link in this game can climb like a gecko. 🦎

Huh. I usually hate cooking mini games but this is weirdly satisfying. Gotta be the goofy percussive jingle and the bouncing ingredients.

OMG a Windwaker Korok!

[jenoptimist]

request:

can I request enemies to lovers with Lucas 👉🏼👈🏼🥺

✮ Pairing: lucas x reader (gender neutral)

✮ Genre: (one-sided) enemies2lovers | shopkeeper!au

✮ Additional info: miscommunication & misunderstandings

✮ Word count: 5.3k

♡ Yakult says: thank you so much for the request !! i decided to make this be in the same au as my florist!xiaojun fic but it takes place before it 🤪 don’t worry though, you can read this as a standalone !! 

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Dream Puffs stood in between a quaint bookshop named Moon’s Bookworms and the one and only tattoo and piercing studio in your small town aptly named, Nakamoto’s Body Art Studio. All three buildings adhered to a similar color scheme which consisted of various shades of brown; Moon’s Bookworms was displayed with gold plated, elegant lettering and a dark mahogany colored body, Nakamoto’s Body Art Studio was written with bright neon lights against an umber colored building and the Dream Puffs building was the color of pecans, its name displayed in large, white letters. The buildings across the street were the exact opposite; the flower shop Rainbow V was colored in pretty pastels and the bright thrift shop Tern & Ten’s Treasures was a fusion of artsy and chic. There was an empty outlet just in the middle of the two stores, directly across from Dream Puffs, that was very obviously lacking the loud personalities all the buildings on that side owned. 

Recently there had been rumors that the lot had been sold a couple of weeks ago and that whoever had bought it also would be moving into the apartment directly across from yours. Although your curiosity was peaked, not catching a single sight of the newcomer, you knew that you weren’t the only one. The other owners on the block had gathered around in the far corner of your cozy café, gossiping among one another. It seemed as if Yuta and Yongqin were doing most of the chatting, Kun and Taeil chiming in whenever they thought it was appropriate. Seeing as the rush of customers had officially calmed down, a few of your regulars in their usual seats, you allowed yourself to part take in their conversation when Yuta waved you over with that dazzling smile of his. 

“So, y/n, what do you think?” The tattoo artist asked, his cheek resting in the palm of his left hand. 

“What do I think about what?” You shot back quizzically as you sat down, automatically setting the nape of your neck on top of Yongqin’s arm when he rested it on the back of your chair.

“What kind of store do you think this mystery person will open up?” Taeil clarified, lazily fiddling with the straw in his iced-tea in between his index finger and thumb.

You hummed. “Maybe something for arts and crafts?” You weren’t good at guessing but you did know that a store that catered for specific types of painting and drawing materials were needed, judging by Taeyong’s constant complaints about how there should be an art supply store because shipping was too expensive every time he bought something online.

At your side, Yongqin practically began vibrating with excitement along with Yuta across from you. Their reactions were something you expected since the two of them, as well as and Taeyong, were extremely talented artists; where Taeyong and Yongqin drew for fun, Yuta’s job as a tattoo artists required him to draw on a regular basis and he absolutely adored it. As Yongqin and Yuta chatted excitedly, Taeil chiming in every now and again, your eyes zeroed in on Kun as he sipped on his latte, his eyes suspiciously shifty. Before you could voice out your question, someone entered the café and headed straight for the counter. You had sent Doyoung and Taeyong on their breaks ten minutes prior so you had no choice but to slip out of your chair and bounce over behind the counter.

While the customer’s eyes roamed the menu above you, you occupied yourself with wiping the counter and when you couldn’t pretend to clean anymore, you drummed your fingers on your thigh. Finally, the tall - and extremely attractive - man made eye contact with you. With a smile you hoped wasn’t awkward, you tapped in his three drink orders and asked if he’d like any of the sweets on display since he was studying them so intensely.

“Can I have one of each?” 

It wasn’t an unusual request, plenty of customers had asked before because Doyoung and Taeyong were extremely talented at what they did. You always found yourself fighting for the position to be their taste tester against Donghyuck and Jungwoo whenever they came up with something new. There wasn’t any friendly small talk as you prepared his order, in fact whenever you caught a glimpse of the customer, his eyes were continuously roaming around the building. You were particularly proud of the interior design of the place. Taeyong had spent endless hours painting designs on the walls while you and Doyoung chose the furniture you thought would suit it the best. Your favorite part in particular was the copper wire wall grid that was used to display the instant pictures of the staff posing goofily and the regulars. Judging from the way the customer’s eyes locked in on the pictures on the wall, he did too.

“Thanks for coming! Hope to see you again!” You chimed while you placed the money in the register. It was unlikely to happen, you knew, because the man wasn’t one that you recognized. Dream Puffs often had customers that stopped by because they needed a pick-me-up during their travels. The only response you received was the incline of his head and a gorgeous smile before he turned to leave. You watched his back as he strutted away, your head tilted to the side slightly. 

“Love at first sight?” Yongqin teased in a loud voice from your right and if you had been close enough, you would have thrown your cloth at him. 

“Shut up Yongqin!”

*

“You will not believe what I just heard!” Yongqin exclaimed from somewhere behind you. It was half past six in the morning and you and the boys were setting up, Taeyong had just taken out a fresh batch of pastries while Doyoung was bent over the glass display case for the food, organizing the goods meticulously and adding glacé cherries to the cupcakes. You hummed in question as you snatched a croissant that you knew would be deliciously buttery, flaky and soft when you took a bite of it. “The empty store! You’ll never guess what it’s going to be!” 

“A hardware store?” Doyoung guessed uninterestedly as he adjusted a cupcake. 

“No!” You watched, mid-bite, as Yongqin walked by you and stood so that he was in clear view of the three of you. “A café!” Both the statement and the hot interior of the croissant had your jaw dropping. 

“What?!” You exclaimed while you set your pastry on the flour covered counter, just beside the baking tray full of equally measured, unbaked cookies. 

“Yeah,” he said, dragging out the vowels as he slowly bopped his head, “I know right. Dream Puffs might actually have some competition now.”

“Out of all places to set up a café.” Taeyong mumbled, his brows furrowed, flitting over to the other side of the room to grab his bottle of strawberry flavored water. 

“Where did you get this information from?” Doyoung asked after he straightened himself out, crossing his arms over his chest.

Yongqin, who was watching Taeyong gulp down his beverage, mindlessly said, “Kun.” You pressed him for more information, recalling how shifty the said florist had been the other day. Yongqin tore his eyes away from Taeyong. “I don’t really know how he knew, he just let it slip yesterday.” He grabbed a glacé cherry and popped it into his mouth. “We should totally put on some disguises and scope the place out when it opens!” 

Taeyong snorted. “As if you work here.” 

“Well we don’t want you guys going out of business now, do we?” Yongqin reasoned as he ran his fingers through his pink streaked blond hair. “So, are you in?” 

“Of course.” You said, picking up your croissant and taking a big bite of it.

The plan was discussed in pieces throughout the day while the three of you manned the counter. Yongqin stood to the side, switching from chatting to your customers animatedly as they waited for their orders and telling the three of you how he needed a temporary employee because Chenle was going on vacation in a few weeks from June until August. He stayed until he had to return to his own store since his younger sister had to go for her break. As the day dragged by, you insisted that Doyoung and Taeyong to go home early - they deserved it for all the work that they do - while you stayed behind to some additional cleaning before you locked up for the evening. Not bothered to cook dinner once you were home, you called for some takeout as you toed off your shoes. While you waited for the delivery driver to call you to let you know they were downstairs, you flopped onto your couch and mindlessly scrolled through your phone. When the call came, you were quick to grab your cash and dash out your door. 

With a warm box of pizza in your hands, mini boxes of the sides you selected on top of it, you turned to make you way back up when a voice called out for you to hold open the door for them. You fulfilled their request by swinging your leg and waited impatiently for the weight to be lifted off of your foot so that you could run off and eat. 

“Thank you! Oh,” the stranger said when you managed to flash them a quick smile, “hey it’s you!”

Internally, you groaned. What would it take for you to be able to eat your dinner? It was going to get cold. Plus you ordered their fudge brownie that came with ice-cream. Nevertheless you plastered on a smile while turning your head to the side that the stranger decided to occupy and found yourself looking at the tall and handsome man from a few days ago. 

“Yeah,” you agreed, not knowing what else to say as you followed him into the elevator and also stunned by the fact that he could potentially have lived here all this time somehow without you ever seeing him. Although, maybe he was visiting a friend? “Are you the one who moved in across the hall?” You asked curiously after eyeing him press the button to your floor.

“Guilty as charged,” he replied, raising both his arms. Then, dropping them back down to his sides and stuffing them into his jacket pockets, he said, “my name’s Wong Yukhei.”

“Y/n. I’d shake your hand but, y’know.” You lifted the boxes of food for emphasis and he nodded understandingly. Yukhei got a few words in about the town, how cute he found it and how friendly the people were, before the ding! of the elevator finally signaled the end of your short journey to your floor. Yukhei allowed you to exit before him.

“Well it’s nice to officially meet you, neighbor.” Yukhei said, grinning cheekily as the two of you stood outside your respective doors, facing one another. 

After replying with sentiments that mirrored his, you finally entered your apartment and all but sprinted to your coach and dug in. Your new neighbor seemed nice enough. You wondered what brought him over to this town–there was nothing particularly attractive about it except for the people that lived there, not that anyone living outside of the town would know that or anything. It was when you were halfway through your third slice that something dawned on you. 

*

“I know who it is!” You said loudly, barging into Nakamoto’s Body Art Studio. As expected, Yongqin was getting his forearm tattooed by Yuta. You greeted Jaehyun, who was flicking through a magazine, with a high five as you passed by the reception desk and took one of the wheeled stools and sat on Yongqin’s other side, opposite Yuta. 

“Know who?”

“The new store owner! I met him yesterday.” Yuta finished the line he was working on before looking up at you briefly to acknowledge your presence before resuming his work. Yongqin was the one who prompted you to continue. “His name is Wong Yukhei. He was the really tall one from the other day.”

“The one you fell in love with?” Your friend teased. You mimicked his words, voice as high as possible, while making a face at him before groaning dramatically, thinking about how amiable Yukhei had been in the few minutes that you were together. 

“Guys, he ordered all of the food we had on display.” You chewed on your bottom lip. Maybe his friendly behavior was an act, he did know that you work at Dream Puffs after all–you literally co-owned the place. “You don’t think he’s going to steal everything the guys make do you?” Both of your friends scrunched their faces which only served to make you groan loudly again. 

“That’s rough buddy.” Jaehyun said from his position on the right side of the room, the sound of him flicking his page loud and clear when Yuta removed the tattoo gun from Yongqin’s arm. 

“What’s rough?” Jungwoo asked confusedly, his voice sounding further than usual, probably just having stepped out of the separate room that he used to pierce their clients. 

*

You stood behind the register, watching with narrowed eyes as Yukhei and some unfamiliar people filed into the building directly across from yours, each carrying supplies. It had been days and days of you heatedly watching their every move as they worked on their space. While they were all having the time of their lives interior decorating, you were practically tearing your hair out at the thought of having competition that was a mere twenty steps away from Dream Puffs. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust Doyoung and Taeyong’s ability to bake or your barista skills and it wasn’t as if you were the only café in the area or anything - there was another one just on the other side of town - but he really couldn’t have set up literally any other kind of store?

What was even more infuriating was that Yukhei was acting really chummy with you and the others outside of your working hours. It even became a regular thing for Yukhei to wait for your shift to finish so that the two of you could walk back to your apartment complex together. Admittedly, even though you enjoyed your own company, it was kind of nice having someone to talk to on the way home. 

“You’ll scare away the customers if you keep making that face.” Taeil said, his eyes never wavering from the page that he was reading. It was a new book for the book club that he created recently, said it would bring in more customers. He shared a table with Jeno, who was reading the same book, and Mark, who was playing Luigi’s Mansion on his Nintendo Switch.

You sniffed, tilting your head to the side. “I’m not making a face.”

“Dude, you so are!” Mark, who was sitting across from Taeil, said after taking a sip of his banana milk. 

“Don’t listen to them,” Jeno told you nicely, “of course you’d be making a face, I mean, that guy is gonna make a store that could potentially out-business you.” 

You threw your hands at his direction as if to say exactly! with wide eyes. “We’re practically enemies!” 

“Enemies,” Taeyong repeatedly lowly from beside you, amusement ringing in his voice. “As if.”

You gaped after throwing him a look. “What’s that supposed to mean.” Before your friend could reply, your attention was redirected elsewhere with the call of your name. Taeyong bumped your hip and scurried off. You turned to face none other than the man himself. “Yukhei,” you smiled, “the usual?”

“Please. Oh and could I also get...” He listed five other drinks and then picked out some food to bring along with him. As you prepared his order, the two of you talked about your plans over the weekend and even though you were aching with the need to ask about his shop, you said nothing. 

“He’s the enemy.” You whispered firmly to yourself. “Do not get distracted by his cute smile!”

“Cute smile?” Yongqin startled you by popping up from behind you. “Is this about Yukhei?” He asked loudly, tone full of mischief, as he nudged your side.

“Who else would it be about?” Taeil countered. 

Mark and Jeno chuckled while you raised your eyes to the ceiling, briefly reconsidering your choice in friends. Maybe you should stop giving them free drinks. Your gaze flickered to what would be Yukhei’s shop and found him sipping on his drink as he leaned on the glass, chatting to someone. As though he felt your eyes on him, he did a double take and beamed at you. 

“He’s the enemy.” You whispered to yourself once again, hoping that you would actually begin believing it soon, as you raised your hand to wave at him–he kept smiling at you until the person next to him clapped his shoulder and you would have loved to know what he said because Yukhei all but whipped his head towards him, his eyes practically bugging out of his head.  

*

It had been almost a month since Yukhei had moved into town and he still hadn’t opened up his shop. That was something that you kept in the back of your mind, even as he continued to be cordial with you and the others. Although you kept referring him as ‘the enemy’ to yourself, at this point he was your friend. There was no point in denying it or anything, considering that somehow your relationship with him progressed from only speaking to one another when he ordered stuff from Dream Puffs and when the two of you walked home together, to actually hanging out. You guys had actually agreed to start watching movies together every Saturday night and regularly went over to each other’s apartment to keep each other company. 

In fact it was actually Saturday and instead of receiving a text from Yukhei about what food he should bring over with him, it was one asking you to meet in front of Rainbow V. After texting him an affirmative, you changed out of your pyjamas and headed out. 

The nearer you got to Rainbow V, the more you could make out the distinct figure of Yukhei; he was leaning against the door of his shop, his left foot on top of it as he scrolled through his phone. You allowed yourself to stare at him for a little bit longer before taking bigger steps towards him. 

“Hey,” you greeted once you were close enough, “what’s up?” 

Yukhei returned your greeting, stuffing his phone into his pocket as he stepped forward to mirror you before raising his hand. When you gave him the high-five you assumed he was waiting for, he clicked his tongue and wrapped his large hand over yours. Startled, you looked at him with wide eyes.

“Wrong,” he grinned, a playful gleam in his eye, “you forgot our handshake already? Y/n, you wound me.” He placed his other hand on top of his chest, where his heart was, dramatically as he said the last part. 

“I didn’t forget,” you countered. “You got it wrong, dummy, it starts with a fist bump.”

Yukhei huffed, the grin he wore turning into something much softer. “You’re right.” 

Instead of releasing your hand like you thought he would now that it was clarified, he continued holding onto it and even lowered it slightly as if he wanted a better look. He turned it this way and that way slowly while staring like he was inspecting it. As he did that, your eyes flitted over to the beanie that covered his forehead (you liked how it looked on him, it looked really cute on him,) before travelling down to the rest of his face; there was a spark of something in his eyes, his head at an angle, as he stared at your hand in his. It was the look someone got when they found something they had been missing for a long while.

You cleared your throat, warmth creeping up your neck all the way to your cheeks. “Is there something you want to show me?”

“Yup!” 

And with that he interlocked your fingers, fished what sounded like a bunch of keys from his pockets and unlocked the door. He made quick work of turning on the lights, allowing you to be greeted by the sight of minimal style interior. There were large potted plants by the door, a long island with seating as well as booth tables. String lights were hung all around the cream colored wall, providing additional lighting to the dim lights. Yukhei lead you around the space, excitedly telling you about the work that had gone into it and how he had difficulty choosing what kind of style he wanted. 

“It looks amazing,” you complimented as he gestured for you to take a seat closest to where the register was. “It’s going to be a great café, I can tell.”

“Thanks,” he smiled shyly, “that really means”-he paused, tilting his head to one side with confusion written all over his face-“did you just say café?”

“Mhm,” you nodded, “looks like Dream Puffs is going to have some serious competition now.”

Yukhei released a hearty laughed. “Y/n, I don’t know where you got that information but this isn’t a café.” Your jaw almost dropped in shock and you stumbled with your words before settling for a ‘huh’. “Yeah, dum-dum, it’s going to be a boba shop.”

“Boba. . .shop.” You echoed slowly. 

Yukhei nodded, “yeah.” 

Later on the stroll home, after the two of you spent an hour or two in his shop with him telling you what kind of flavors he planned to have on the menu and pulling some suggestions from yourself (“what about toffee popcorn with, I don’t know, maybe whipped cream and actual popcorn at the top?”), he asked who told you that he’d be opening up a café to which you grumbled ‘Yongqin’, he let out a heart laugh again. You could feel the tremors that went through his body as he laughed since you were tucked warmly under his arm and whether or not it was because his laughter was contagious or how weirdly intimate the situation felt - it was the way he took of his beanie and adjusted it on your head, insisting that you looked cold (you were) and the way the two of you were practically glued to each other’s side - but you huffed out a laugh before smiling to yourself and leaned into him more.

“Hey, y/n,” Yukhei called once you unlocked your door. You turned to face him and found him aiming his phone straight at you. “Smile.” Instead of smiling, you made a silly face at him and jogged inside your apartment after the tell-tale sound his phone made that indicated that he snapped a picture of you. 

It was only when you were taking off your jacket and shoes that you realized that he hadn’t asked for his beanie back. Although you knew that you could easily make the short trip to him across the hall, you decided that you would give it back the next time he was at your place.

* 

“A little birdie told me that you and Yukhei went on a date last night.” Yuta said the following morning, barging into your small office and then plopped himself on the couch that was placed near your work desk. 

You were quick to shoot his statement down with, “your ‘little birdie’ is wrong.” After typing a quick ‘Kind Regards’ along with your name and position at the end of your email, you swiveled your chair around so that you could face your friend. He was scrolling through Instagram, double tapping every few seconds. “Who was it that told you that, anyway?”

“I don’t snitch on my sources.”

“I’ll give you twenty-five percent off whenever you buy coffee for a week.”

“Sold,” he said while he typed something quickly on his phone before lowering it so that he could flip himself over on his stomach and look up at you through his lashes. “It was Taeil. He fell asleep in his office and when he was locking up he said he saw you two mooning at each other alone in Yukhei’s shop.”

“We were not mooning at each other,” you sniffed, skimming your hands down your thighs. “What? We weren’t!” You emphasized when he gave you an unimpressed look.

Just as Yuta was about to reply, probably something sarcastic by how he arched his brow, his phone chimed to signal a text. He tutted at you before re-arranging himself so that he could reply with ease. You watched as his eyes read the message quickly before the corner of his mouth quirked upwards and he huffed out a laugh, typing furiously. While a large part of you was curious as to what could have elicited that reaction, you chose to turn back to your computer screen and browse through your email inbox. 

“If you aren’t dating him,” Yuta said after a few minutes of silence that involved him typing away while you binned some junk mail, “then what’s this all about?” From the corner of your eye, you saw him lift his phone towards you so that you could read whatever was on his screen. Turning, your eyes skimmed through his text, your eyebrows all but crawling to your hairline. He allowed you to grab the phone from his hand so that you could zoom in on the picture that followed the texts from Mark–his words were all in capital letters followed by several exclamation points. You opened your mouth to say, well, literally anything but nothing came out so you snapped it shut. Wordlessly, you handed Yuta back his phone before logging out of your computer.

“I have to go,” You said lowly, dazed, as you stood up. “I have to- will you tell the guys I’ll be back soon?” Yuta gave you an affirmative and then you were off, practically sprinting towards the door. 

On the way back to your apartment complex, your thoughts were full of Yukhei. You could admit that you had a big crush on him. It was difficult not to, you thought, what with how sweet and thoughtful he was. He was also funny and knew how to brighten up the room. But did that mean you wanted to date him? You weren’t sure although you knew that you certainly wouldn’t mind going on a date with him to find out.

Soon enough, you found yourself in front of his door. You stared at it for a long time, your heart racing, before you found enough courage to rap your knuckles against it. There was no answer. You tried an additional two times before you decided to leave it be, that you could talk to him later after your shift because he would probably be by the door, waiting for you with that big smile of his. You nodded to yourself and turned to walk away.

“Y/n?” His groggy voice came when you had taken three steps away from his door. “What’s up? Are you okay?” You turned on your heel (he looked adorable with his bedhead) and nodded stiffly, your heartbeat picking up speed again. “Want to come in?” He invited, opening his door wider.

You cleared your throat. “Yeah.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be at work right now?” He asked, locking his door after you shuffled in. 

“Yeah but there was something I needed to talk to you about.”

Yukhei took a seat beside you on the couch and you tried not to concentrate on his knee that leaned against yours or how he automatically rested his arm on the back of the couch so that you were practically laying on it. 

“Texting me wouldn’t have done, no?” He teased. 

You shot a quick glance at him, took in his cute little smile and then stared pointedly ahead at his carpeted floor. “I didn’t really think about that at the moment.” You replied, your shoulders lifting to your earlobes. The only thing you had thought about was how you wanted to see him when you confronted him about what Yuta had shown you. Yukhei prompted you to tell him the reason for your visit. “Well, um, earlier Yuta showed me a text from Mark and I’m- we’re- your phone wallpaper?” The arm beneath your shoulders was gone in an instant and Yukhei jolted to his feet. “So it’s true?” You asked, peeking at him through your lashes. His expression was one of horror, arms splayed at his sides as if prepared to explain himself.

“Please don’t be mad! Taeil took the picture last night because apparently he saw us? I don’t know, Mark told me so I asked him to send me the picture and, well, I thought it was cute you know?” You did know. Taeil had managed to snap a shot of you two in front of Rainbow V - didn’t Yuta say that he only saw the two of you in the shop? - and it was when Yukhei had been laughing with you under his arm, a smile resting on your face. “I know I probably should have asked you, I don’t know what I didn’t. I can change it now if you want? Please don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad,” you assured, looking him in the eye so he knew that you meant it. He visibly relaxed, the tension bleeding out of him at your words. Once he stopped looking so panicked, he looked at you with wide eyes before darting them towards the floor. It seemed the roles were reversed this time, what with him avoiding your gaze while you continued staring at him. He raised a hand to cover his eyes while the other went to hug itself around his waist. “Hey Yukhei,” he still refused to look at you, “would you maybe want to go on a date with me?”

That immediately gained his attention. “What?” His voice was soft, coated in disbelief. “Are you serious?” After you insisted that you were, never once breaking eye contact with him, a large smile blossomed on his face and he let out a loud whoop, punching the air in triumph. As if remembering that you were there, he dropped his arm, although the smile remained on his face. “Apparently there’s a boba place opening tomorrow, right in front of Dream Puffs, what do you say we try it out?”

“I’d love to but I’m worried about seating.”

“Don’t worry, I’m on good terms with the owner.” Yukhei winked. The two of you dissolved into a fit of laughter shortly after.

“I’ve gotta get back to work,” you said while you stood up from the couch once both of you sobered. “But I’ll see you later?”

“Of course!” Pleased smiles were plastered on both of your faces even as he walked you to the door. 

*

You had barely stepped foot into Dream Puffs before Yongqin wrapped an arm around you and lead you to a table where Kun, Yuta and Taeil were seated, two vacant seats in between Kun and Yuta. Taeil let out a small titter, a smile that was too wide etched on his face as you and Yongqin sat down. 

“Tell us everything!” Yongqin exclaimed, “spare no detail!”

“I will but first,” you said as you turned to face him. “You brat! You knew that he wasn’t opening up a café, didn’t you? You totally tricked me!” 

There was no hint of guilt from him, just a shit-eating grin that reached from ear to ear. “Maybe so. Now go on, tell us!” You rolled your eyes, feigning annoyance but couldn’t fight off the smile that gradually grew wider and wider on your face as you recounted the recent events that transpired between you and Yukhei.

[bestwaterhub]

#Zero #Water  #Tester