#find peace with Covid-19
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For the Love of Dogs - An Alfie & Beth Solomons One Shot Story.
I think writing that long overdue check in with these two made me realise how bloody much I'd missed them, besties. Here, another installment in their story. I do hope I will have more ideas for further stories to follow :)
Words - 7,890
Warnings - Mention of death, but lots of fluff!
She entered the house on complete, brain disengaged autopilot, her outstretched finger finding the keypad to the alarm system, punching the code in and then simply standing in the welcome hall, a home much, much too quiet for her liking. The heaviness of it squeezed her heart, sniffing hard, rubbing her thumb over the soft leather of his collar. A collar now redundant.
Her beloved Cyril. Their beloved Cyril.
“Come ‘ere, darlin’.” Beth wouldn’t have been able to get through it, the last goodbye with their faithful family dog, without her husband at her side. Sinking into the comforting bulk of Alfie’s embrace, she wept against his chest, hearing him sniffing back further tears of his own. He hadn’t been afraid to cry as they’d both sat out on the grass behind the veterinary surgery, Cyril wrapped in soft blankets in a dog bed provided by the staff, the birds tweeting as they’d told him how he was loved, how much of a good boy he was.
The gargantuan mastiff had taken his last breaths feeling warm, calm and safe, his mum and dad right there with him. Thirteen years had come to a peaceful end as loving hands stroked his soft fur, leaving a hole behind in the lives of his family that far eclipsed his own huge size.
“If it’s anything to you, thirteen is simply unheard of for a Bullmastiff to reach. You both cared for him exceptionally well, truly.” the kind vet had offered sympathetically. She’d also been the one to suggest they put him to sleep outside, a practice that they’d had to develop over the Covid-19 lockdown, and one she now offered as a much nicer alternative to pets being euthanised upon a table, in a room so many of them felt anxiety towards.
The children were with their auntie Magda, their parents feeling it best they didn’t attend. It was heartbreaking enough for them as two adults; it would have been much too upsetting for the little ones to witness. Abe and Flora had said their goodbyes to him earlier that morning, sitting with him in their pyjamas, Beth calling the school and explaining they would not be attending on account of the event that afternoon, explaining she felt they would be too upset and distracted to concentrate in class. Luckily, the secretary had been understanding.
Instead, Magda had booked a day off work and taken them out to keep their minds off it, Thorpe Park being her chosen destination for them to visit. “Ain’t no bother at all, sweet. I could do having a day with me kids, unwind a bit. Poor little mites. Don’t you worry at all, and I don’t want no money, either. I’m treating them, whatever they want, they get.” Beth had been eternally grateful to her children’s godmother for her kind assistance.
Venturing into the house, Alfie pulled her wine bottle from the rack when they reached the kitchen, pouring out two glasses. He seldom drank, but felt like he needed something in that moment. His heart was truly broken, to be without the loving dog he’d had in his life for so long. Watching girlfriends come and go, his business empire going from strength to strength, meeting the woman who would eventually become his wife, adding children to their family, it had all been with Cyril by his side.
His loss was profound, sitting down at the island, passing a glass to Beth. “To the best bloody dog who ever was, baby beast.” They chinked glasses, smiling sadly as they remembered Cyril fondly. Their first child, as they always called him. Beth still hadn’t released her grip upon his collar, and for the rest of the afternoon she held onto it, thumb still stroking the leather.
“Would it be wrong of me if I decided to blow off my article and get pissed out of my face?”
Alfie’s smile tilted his lips, reaching to stroke her face. “Nah, treacle. Did Mags say she was taking the nippers for dinner an’ all while they’re out?”
“Yeah, she just texted me, actually. They’re currently at TGI Friday’s awaiting a plethora of their favourite foods.” She smiled at the thought, knowing how Magda loved it there just as much as the kids. “I don’t feel much like cooking for you and I, though.”
“Ain’t no bother to me, darlin’. I was gonna suggest we order from that new Italian place we like. I ain’t much in the mood for eating, but a bit later I could probably see off a piece of that lasagne they do. Tell you what, why don’t you go for a nice, long soak in the bath. I’ve got a few calls I need to make anyway.”
She took him up on his suggestion, kissing him before sliding from her seat, placing a kiss upon the collar still in her hand, too, before putting it up on one of the shelves behind the breakfast nook. She’d get to putting away all of Cyril’s other belongings at some point, but couldn’t face it right then. His bed they’d had to throw away that morning, the dog having an unfortunate bladder accident upon it. It had sealed to them that they were doing the right thing in putting him to sleep.
His toys remained, Beth looking at them mournfully where they sat in the basket for that storage purpose, deciding to move them to a place the kids wouldn’t see upon their return. Picking up his plush frog, she couldn’t resist sniffing it, smelling his lovely fur upon it, her eyes filling with tears all over again. They had decided to have him cremated, the vet advising that his ashes should be back within the next ten days. She knew she’d be in floods all over again then, too.
Trudging up the stairs, she felt weary with grief, knowing that she had to brighten by the time the children got back, for their sakes. She was expecting them to be upset, returning to a house without Cyril in it, although Magda had stated during various text check ins throughout the day that they seemed to be taking it well. Thorpe Park had proven to be a good distraction, it seemed.
While the bath ran, she tidied up her little office area, smiling as always when her eye was caught by the framed article from The Times, her very first being published within the newspaper. It had been a gift from Alfie upon her moving in with him. She could scarcely believe it had been ten years since her move into St Mark’s House. It sometimes still felt like ten weeks ago.
The smell of her Jo Malone bath oil caught her nose as she shuffled the last stack of papers, the notes of English pear and freesia crisp in their aroma, Beth stripping off her white shirt and jeans, placing them into the laundry hamper. “Need to get a load of laundry done.” she noted to herself, seeing the basket just over half full. It could wait.
The hot water provided a nice, comforting surround of relaxation, her eyes flitting over to the wall by the stained-glass windows, once again viewing her paint swatch choices. She tired of white, wanting something a little different for the space. So far, the smoky blue was a definite front runner, but she also did favour the deep, mustard yellow, almost a dark gold in hue. Hmm. She’d live with the dashes of paint a little longer before deciding. The pink which Flora has suggested was a definite no.
Once done, she got out, dressing in her favourite, comfortable loungewear set, heading back downstairs. The doorbell sounded just as she was about to head to the kitchen, her path swerved back out towards the front door.
“She fell asleep about half an hour away,” Magda whispered, passing a sleeping Flora into her mother’s arms, kissing her cheek. She turned, giving her to a suddenly present Alfie, her husband stating that he would see to putting them straight to bed since Abe also looked shattered. “Got bellies full of pizza and chicken wings, they have. Had a right ole’ feast, we did. I swear, I reckon I’ve put on a bleedin’ stone and I only had the Jack Daniel’s chicken!” She then paused, reaching for Beth’s face, her thumb skimming the apple. “Bloody horrid, ain’t it? Coming back to a house without ‘em in it.”
Of course, Magda understood the pain only too well, losing her beloved Claus only five months before to cancer. Luckily for her and Dennis, at least they still had Marley and Karma. She nipped that little slither of envy immediately, though. “It is, mate. It really is.”
“Well, I know it ain’t much, but I got you a little something.” Reaching into her gorgeous Fendi tote, Magda pulled out a bottle of her favourite Casamigos tequila, handing it over with a smile.
“Awww babe, love you,” Beth cooed, giving her a kiss.
“Love you too, sweet. Open it up, get nice an’ sloshed, and thank me later. Right, I better get moving, gotta go feed his highness and walk the pups.”
“Thanks again for taking them today, Mags. You made a hard situation just that little bit easier,” she spoke fondly, Magda waving her hand.
“I had a right good time with them, babe. Always do.” Beth waved to her from the door as she drove away, thinking herself so very lucky. A little while later, the doorbell trilled again, Alfie answering it that time. The cause was in his arms as he entered the lounge, handing her a gigantic bouquet of beautiful flowers.
“Whoever sent these fuckin’ mugged off half the Chelsea flower show, bloody ‘ell!” he exclaimed as his wife took the blooms, pulling the card from the top.
“Sending all our love to you, Alfie and the babies. We loved darling Cyril so much, too. Lots of love from Mimi and Kinga xxx”
Her heart was beyond touched at the generosity of her girls, getting together like that for her to gift something so lovely in her grief. They understood, though, how dogs truly were family. Those surprises didn’t stop coming in the wake of Cyril’s passing either, Beth’s breakfast with her dear Oliver a few days later yielding another beautiful surprise.
“I hope you don’t get upset, darling, but Brett and I wanted to do something nice in his memory, so this is for you.” He passed the brown paper Habitat bag across the table, Beth pulling out a well wrapped, rectangular shaped gift from within. Tearing open the chic wrapping paper, her throat pinched with emotion, seeing a beautiful black and white photograph of Cyril that Oliver’s husband had taken of him the previous summer, lying outside on the patio, looking so regal in the fading evening light. “Brett says he was the most photogenic dog he’s ever met, and I quite believe that to be true.”
She couldn’t speak for a few moments, sniffing hard, flapping her hand as she swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thank you, sweetheart. I love you both so much,” she eventually managed, placing the framed picture down and exiting her seat to give him a huge hug.
“And we love you too, baby. He was a splendid chap, old Cyril. Remember how scared of him I used to be, back when I first visited you at home? And then by the end of that night, he was sitting next to me on the sofa, resting his massive head on my shoulder?” His fond words sparked the memory, Cyril indeed taking to Oliver very much.
She nodded, taking her seat again. “I do, yes. Gosh, it was so long ago. I remember when he first met Brett too...”
“And humped the hell out of his leg!” Oliver finished, clapping his hands together with mirth. What he shouted, too! “Oh, my Jesus, he’s going to give me ligament damage! Queen down! Queen down!” Her emotional wobble was forgotten as she burst into hysterics, remembering Brett literally knocked to the floor while she’d wheezed, Oliver in tears, Alfie having to detach a rampant Cyril from the object of his affections. To Brett he had been known primarily as big gay dog ever since.
They shared a few memories of him before their conversation moved on, both discussing work, Beth enthralled by his tales from New York Fashion Week, from where he had not long returned. He’d also brought with him another gift he alerted her to in the bag, some of her favourite American sweeties, two big bags of Milk Duds present when she looked again. How well he knew her.
After breakfast, she had work commitments to attend, calling in at London Life and Style to discuss an article she’d submitted, her little sheen dented by the fact that the viper, also known as Madeline Arlington-Smith, had dissected it thoroughly.
“I feel that if we leave this part out, this part too, it shall be more in accordance with the overall opinion and not merely a fanciful display of the world according to Beth Solomons.”
She remembered back to being much more novice in her journalistic endeavours, seated in that very chair ten years before, taking the heat for an article Madeline had thoroughly given the bloodletting treatment to. It has preceded her first meet with her now husband, seeking refuge and Cabernet Sauvignon in a bar that belonged to him. “Then why on earth ask me to write the article, Madeline, if not from my own perspective?”
“Because you are commenting on the zeitgeist from the perspective of your peers, not simply you, you, you. How does the subject make women of your age feel, what emotions does it drive, how does it affect you all on a whole? I would like a little more of that. We go to print in two weeks. Please have your corrections submitted within the next seven days.”
The viper was not aware of it, but she narrowly avoided an outburst, Beth physically biting her tongue as she rose from her seat. “I will make sure of that.” Striding from the office, she felt her chest thickening, nodding and smiling at a few of the staffers as she passed them by on the way to the elevator. She knew it was because she was still raw over Cyril, she knew that, not being able to take her critique on the chin with her usual good nature. When she arrived home, though, she succumbed slightly.
“That bloody bitch effing bloody woman!”
Alfie raised his eyebrows, looking at her as he clicked a pen against his teeth. “Madeline’s well then, yeah?”
“She’s right on bloody form, she is! Oy!”
He chuckled at his wife’s continued exasperation, making a motion for her to take a seat on his lap. Welcoming her into his arms, he kissed her head, rubbing her back where she was tense. “How about I take you out for lunch, ay? Somewhere fancy, then we’ll go pick up the babies from school? I know you’re still heartbroken over Cyril, and as such you ain’t takin’ whatever the fuck the cobra woman told you...”
“Viper,” she interjected with.
He waved his hand dismissively. “Whatever the fuck they call her, she’s still a bloody snake, innit? So yeah, you ain’t taking it as good as you normally do, right, so let me take you out and get your mind off it.”
Her face crept into a grin. “Can we go to Jean-Georges?"
He could have guessed that’s where she’d request. “You bloody want caviar, don’t ya?” Her rapid nodding confirmed. It was only in the last few years that she’d really relaxed her moderately Kosher diet to such a degree, telling Alfie it was his influence, turning her into an equally bad Jew as he labelled himself. “Good job I’m worth a mint, innit? Fuckin’ wives and their disposition for pricey fish eggs, I dunno. Let me call Stace and see if she’s got a table.”
Stace, or rather Stacy, was the Maitre'd at Jean-Georges at the Connaught, the hostess always taking good care of them when they visited, as she did with all of her exuberantly wealthy clients. “Stace! How are ya, flower? Yeah, ain’t bad, sweet, ain’t bad. Yeah, you gotta table for about an hour from now? You do? Lovely, treacle, yeah put me down, just me and the missus. Alright, love. See you in a bit.” He then turned to his beaming wife. “You’ve got twenty minutes to go and faff. Hurry up.”
She placed a big smacker on his lips, rushing upstairs to quickly check her face, refresh her deodorant and perfume, and change into something more suitable for a restaurant with three Michelin stars. One pair of leather leggings were pulled on, along with her beautiful, grey cashmere sweater, her red Birkin bag selected, and contents transferred from her other bag, her feet jammed into her black Louboutins, and she was good to go.
“Oh blimey, my hair!” Circling back, she quickly picked up her brush and gave it a once over, hearing her husband boom from the stairs.
“Five minutes, Bethany!” He entered the bedroom, pulling off his sweatshirt, giving her an approving once over. “Love them lovely legs wrapped in leather.” A smack placed to her bum echoed through the bedroom, Alfie chuckling with mirth as he shed the rest of his clothes, heading to the ensuite and getting into the shower.
“You said five minutes!” she yelled, giving his nudity an appreciative once over while leaning against the bathroom doorframe.
“I’ll be out in twenty seconds, darlin’.” She had to envy him sometimes, how he could go from casual to restaurant ready in a matter of minutes. Styling his hair took him all of a minute, whereas for her, she’d battled through her thick mane with the straighteners for half an hour that morning. He dressed in a grey suit with a black shirt, not bothering with a tie, handsome, yet sophisticated and casual. A spray of aftershave had him ready with forty-nine seconds to spare. Yes, Beth had counted.
One drive across London later, and they were being seated at one of their favourite restaurant by Stacy herself, who was as attentive and polite as ever. He ordered his usual sparkling water, Beth a large vodka over ice, since it went best with what she was soon to be enjoying. The way he worded it too, when her caviar arrived, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Enjoying that, darlin’, having a load of sturgeon reproductive goo in your gob?”
She almost sprayed half of them back out again. “Stop it! And yes, I am.”
He chuckled, winking. “Anything I can do to put a smile back on your face, petal.” He paused, sipping his drink and taking another bite of his souffle. “Kids are taking it better than I expected ‘em to, ain’t they?”
“They really are, yes,” she confirmed, smoothing more of the beluga onto a toast point. “Better than me, I think. I burst into tears as soon as I opened Oliver’s gift earlier.” She’d shown it to him before they’d left, Alfie placing it upon the hallway table, next to one of their wedding pictures. He’d loved it, assuring her he’d call Oliver and Brett personally to offer his thanks later that evening when they’d both be at home.
“Kids are so much more resilient than we give ‘em credit for, I think. Flora had a little wobble this morning on the way to school, but she was fine by the time we got to the gates. Told her about rainbow bridge, she seemed to like that.”
The rainbow bridge story. Her heart fluttered at his tenderness with their youngest. Leaning over, she gave him a kiss, Alfie accepting it, albeit with a slightly affronted look.
“Ugh, get away with your fish eggs! Bleedin’ stink horrid, they do!” No, he was definitely not a fan of the delicacy. Still, it didn’t stop him from buying them for his wife whenever she wanted them, though. They followed their starters with a steak for him, Beth choosing the grilled lamb, much too full for dessert. He did, however, stop by at her favourite chocolatier on the way back to Chelsea, spoiling her a little more, purchasing a few treats for the kids, too.
Once home, Beth sat with the children in the lounge, going over their homework tasks with them while Alfie returned to his office. While there, he found himself periodically checking his watch, the habit pure muscle memory. At 5pm every night, he’d leave his desk to walk Cyril. Sighing, he ran a hand down his face, absently stroking his beard as he leaned back and thought of his furry best friend.
God, he missed him.
They’d known for a while that his declining health meant only one thing, both making the decision not to keep pumping him full of painkillers for his arthritic hips, and eventual failing organs. It wouldn’t have been fair, they’d decreed, to keep him going just for the sake of their hearts. He’d outlived his life expectancy by three years, it was his time.
Rather than continuing viewing his acquisition profits for the last month, he found himself looking through various dog rescue sites, smiling at the sweet, hopeful faces of the residents. He decided right there and then that when the family were ready, they’d rescue as opposed to buying a puppy. Maybe they could take in more than one? He’d only been looking for a few moments when he felt uncomfortable, knowing it truly was too soon to even consider any dog other than Cyril being in the house, no matter how cute they all were.
Weeks passed, the family getting used to the lack of his presence within the house, life carrying on. For Alfie, with the kids being on their half term break from school, he threw himself into being a present dad, knowing his empire wasn’t going anywhere and would certainly not crumble for him taking time away from it, enjoying days out with them in abundance.
It was while he was out with his offspring one morning that Beth decided to take up an offer extended to her and try something new. Mimi had been raving about her love for Thai boxing for a good few months, attending both mid-morning and evening classes at her local gym, finally talking Beth into attending one with her.
“You know Abe thinks you’re a ninja now, don’t you?” she spoke as they ran through warmup stretches, Mimi chuckling softly.
“Well, if you enjoy it and keep it up, he’ll be able to say you are, too!”
“Oh no,” she scoffed, reaching to her toes. “I’m still smelly fart head. And Nagatha Christie, thanks to him overhearing Alfie calling me that.”
Mimi all but exploded laughing. “Oh my god, he doesn’t change!” She remembered back to when she’d been dating him, him calling her exactly the same whenever she incisively bent his ear over something. “So, where did you say they’ve gone today?”
Taking to the floor, they sat opposite each other, legs wide and feet pressed together, taking turns to pull back on one another’s hands to experience the deep stretch. “Chessington World of Adventure. They’ve never been before, you should have seen them this morning. God, Mims. The squealing!”
“Awww,” she cooed, leaning back as she softly gripped Beth’s hands. “I can’t wait for Lis to be big enough to appreciate all of this and go there, too. I was actually talking about it to Josh a while back, but I can never remember it’s called Chessington, so I was calling it Chesterton Theme Park and he was like, “erm, what, babes? Where’s that?” until I realised that I was flubbing the name. Typical me.”
It truly was. Mimi would not be Mimi if she wasn’t getting her words confused. Beth still wasn’t over her recent blunder of calling chicken pasta Alfredo, “the Alfred pasta.” Her and Kinga had fallen apart completely while a totally nonplussed Mims had continued browsing the menu. She was a pure joy if nothing else.
As Beth very rapidly discovered once the gloves had been put on and focus mitts brought out, Mimi was also one hell of a mean shot with her fists. Then the kicks happened.
“Jesus bloody Christ!”
“Oh, don’t be daft, mate. I’m not that strong!” Mimi exclaimed, a well-placed kick sending Beth a couple of feet backwards.
She gathered herself, holding the kick pad firmly once more. “I beg to differ!”
By the time they were done and meeting up with Magda for a little shopping and lunch, the latter having enjoyed a blissful morning of nothing due to her booking some time off work, Beth could barely move.
“Alright, tin man.”
Magda’s words earned her a scowl, Beth kissing her cheek. “It isn’t funny, she beat me up!” Turning, they both witnessed a triumphant Mimi flexing her muscles, cracking up at herself and moving to greet Magda.
“Tiny, little blonde Bruce Lee, is it?”
“Not quite,” Mimi muffled from the crush of Magda's usual, warm, bone crunching hug. “But you should come!”
She should have expected the face she got in reply to that. “My love, the only exercise I get is running me gob. You know that. Right! Let’s go be fancy bitches then, shall we, ladies?” The women were heading to Mecca, otherwise known as Covent Garden, their favourite place to shop. Magda’s contact at Chanel and subsequent discount didn’t hurt either. Not everyone was a wealthy as Beth.
She still found it bizarre, though, even ten years into being the girlfriend and then wife of a billionaire, to be able to spend an unlimited budget on herself. She and Alfie did offset it by giving an awful lot of it away to charity, though. Or, as Beth often did, heading to the bank, withdrawing a few hundred pounds and giving out little wedges to any homeless people she happened to see along her way. It made her feel better about the huge divide in the country between the very wealthy and very poor.
Still, the Chanel employees relished in seeing her name down in the appointment book, knowing they were about to receive a very nice commission.
“Mrs. Solomons, welcome,” she was greeted by Leighton with, the chief sales attendant. “Oh, this cardigan is a dream! Is it an Oscar?” he asked courteously, smoothing the black cashmere of her sleeve.
She leaned in close to whisper. “No, it’s actually M&S!”
His mouth dropped open. “Oooh, I love a good bargain! Can I offer you ladies a drink? Coffee, juice, champagne?” Of course, they all chose the latter. Once furnished with drinks, Leighton allowed them to browse unassisted, Magda deep in conversation with her friend Hannah, who managed the store while Mimi picked up a bottle of her usual perfume, and Beth browsed the bags.
She ended up choosing two of the boy bags, quilted effect design with a chain strap, one in grey and another in pink. The pink one was hidden, though, since the recipient wasn’t her. She ferried her choices to Leighton, asking him to gift wrap the pink one, moving to the shoes and selecting a pair of turquoise sandals she liked, too. Those, a skirt and pair of trousers later, and she was done.
Once Magda was done chatting, choosing a scarf and a new pair of sunglasses for herself, and another item also not destined for her, they paid for their purchases and left, hopping into a taxi and heading over to Shoreditch. They had a table booked at Camino, Mimi’s favourite tapas restaurant, a meal she had no idea she was being treated to by her friends in lieu of being able to celebrate her birthday with her on the actual day, Josh taking her for a long weekend in Italy the following week. Hence the purchases at Chanel not destined for their own wardrobes.
“Right then, little miss almost thirty-two,” Magda began, bobbing her tongue between her teeth as Mimi cringed.
“Oh, don’t remind me! I was twenty-one five minutes ago, I feel old!”
Beth snorted, lifting her eyes from the menu. “Oh, stop it. I just turned forty!”
“And I’m hitting the big five zero in six months, so you’re still the bloody baby of the group, ain’t ya?” Magda chimed, giving her a soft poke on the wrist. “Anyway, as I was saying, since you’ll be enjoying pasta and cannoli's over in the motherland on your actual birthday, you get your gifts from us now. Happy birthday, babe.”
Mimi’s mouth fell open when from beneath the table, two double C branded boxes were pulled out and passed to her, a long, high pitched squeak emanating. “Oh my fucking god! You didn’t!”
“We did, now shut your gob and get ‘em opened!”
She did, choosing Magda’s first, her mouth flying open again when she pulled out the long, gold and blue Chanel nameplate style necklace within.
“Oh, darlin’,” the lady herself cooed, Mimi in tears as she immediately put it on and then rushed to hug her. “You like it, then?”
“I bloody love it, Mags! Thank you so much, I love you!”
She was so touched, Mimi always so sweet when presented with gifts. “Love you too, sunshine, and you’re welcome.” Taking her seat again, she then moved onto Beth’s present, almost passing out when she saw the bag she had so coveted within, her hands flying to cover her open mouth with a gasp.
“Beth!” Those hands then began to flap, more tears coming. “Oh my god, oh my god!” Once again, she was out of her seat, wrapping Beth in a huge hug. “I love it, and you! Thank you!”
“You’re welcome, darling,” she told her warmly, kissing her cheek a few times. “We know you’ve had a rough year, so we wanted to spoil you a little.”
Indeed, it had been a bad year for Mimi, finding out in January that she was pregnant again, but sadly losing the baby just a week before her first scan. She’d been so sad for months about it, her friends trying hard to pull her out of her funk and be there for her during her period of grief.
Beth knew the pain well, she and Alfie suffering the same between her having Abe and conceiving Flora, so had been a pillar of support for her during that time. It was also one of the reasons why she’d taken up Thai boxing, needing something to take out her anger at the injustice of losing her baby on, choosing the sport to help in catharsis. The fact that she happened to be very good at it and already training for her orange belt was a mere bonus.
After enjoying their lunch, they were about to get a cab back over to Chelsea, since the women were heading back to Beth’s for a girl’s night that evening, when one of them saw something in the near distance she couldn’t ignore. Thai boxing had also made Mimi very brave where conflict was concerned.
“Oi! Oi!” She shouted, pointing. Her heels were off, Mimi sprinting barefoot up the street, Beth and Magda turning to search for what on earth had caused their friend’s sudden reaction.
“Oh, shitting hell,” Magda quietly hissed, beginning to run after her as they witnessed the object of Mimi’s anger, Beth hot on her heels. “I know she’s got all this newly found Thai boxing mettle, our Mims, but she can’t take on some scummy roadman by herself, fuck!”
A roadman was Magda’s preferred slang term for an undesirable man, usually donned in sports clothing, who stank of weed and thought himself to be some kind of hard arsed gangster. A large dog upon a lead that was much too large for purpose was usually involved, too, which in this instance was what had drawn Mimi’s attention. Or rather, the way said roadman treated the animal in question.
“Stop it! You can’t treat a dog like that, what the fucking hell is wrong with you?” she exclaimed, the young man of about twenty yanking the poor, skinny but still sizable, dark grey dog by the heavy choke chain around his neck. “He’s just a baby, you bastard!”
“Yo, what’s it to you, though, yeah?” he spoke, sucking his teeth. “Ain’t got nuttin’ here, girl. No business with me, ya get me, blud?”
“You’ve got a bloody chain about the size they use to secure fucking motorbikes around his neck and you’re yanking him up the street! I’m not standing by and watching that shit, mate! Fucking stop pulling him!”
The man even had the gall to smirk. “Ain’t nuttin’ to you. Yo, don’t touch me, fam!” He tried to shake her grip on his arm loose, Mimi fighting to secure the lead from his grasp, people all around stopping to stare. “Fuck, I’ll fuckin’ stab you up, bird. Ya get me?”
Magda and Beth arrived with them, the former immediately imposing herself. “Threaten her with a knife again, boy. Go on, sunshine. Fucking dare ya.”
“And who are you, old lady? What ya gonna do, yeah?”
Magda laughed, still imposing into his space. “Who am I? Someone who grew up on the fuckin’ roughest estate in Brixton is who I am, you little roadman twat. I’ll take the chain you’ve got round that poor animal's neck and fuckin’ knock every single one of your fuckin’ teeth out your mouth with it if you threaten me or my friend again. Ya get me, blud?”
Her mimicking of his vernacular drew a few laughs from those watching, Magda unblinking, Beth feeling her pulse escalate with nerves. Just then, her focus was drawn by the sudden feeling of softness pushing against her hand. Looking down, she saw the dog moving closer to her legs, Mimi successfully yanking the lead free from the grip of the man still facing off with Magda.
She crouched to him, stroking his crinkles. He was shaking. “Hello, lovely boy. Are you alright? Goodness, this chain is cutting into your neck, you poor soul,” she cooed, checking him over. He was in a state, that was for sure. She recognised his breed, but he looked the furthest from how the huge, proud looking Neapolitan Mastiff should have appeared. He was young too, she noted, nowhere near the full-grown size but still, so undernourished. Looking into his big, soulful eyes as he softly thumped his tail and licked her hands, covering her in a generous slick of slobber, her ears caught the tail end of Magda’s tirade.
“Now, I’ll give you a choice, mate. Walk away and leave the dog with us, or I’ll fuckin’ get the law on ya for animal abuse and threatening my friend with a knife. What’s it to be? Because you ain’t lookin’ after that dog at fucking all, are ya? Look at him, barely out of his puppy months and he’s skin and bone! What’s it to be?”
She stood firm, the man shrugging before cussing under his breath, his teeth sucked again before he simply walked away. He didn’t even fight for his dog, so little was the care for the creature beyond having a status symbol at the end of a lead. A few people applauded, a man coming forth and offering his hand to Magda, telling her how well she’d handled it.
She then turned to Beth, taking the lead from Mimi and handing it to her with a curt nod. “Don’t say I never give you nothing.”
Immediately, tears spilled from her eyes, hugging the dog as she cried into his soft, yet dirty fur. He stank of cigarettes and weed. “Oi, come on, babe. Hold it together, eh?” Magda continued, crouching to put her arm around her, Mimi dipping too to offer support. “Right, nearest pet shop. He needs a bit of proper dog clobber and not this nasty chain. Look at it! You could tow a fuckin’ Jeep out of a bog with it! Poor puppy, Christ! He can’t even be one yet.”
A quick hail of a black cab got them the transport they needed to reach the nearest pet shop, the large puppy more than happy to head along with the three kind ladies who made such a fuss of him.
“He’s a lovely chap, ain’t he?” the cabbie chirped, looking in the rear view. “Please make sure he don’t slobber on me seats though, girls! How long you ‘ad him for?”
“About five minutes,” Beth quipped, the cabbie looking confused. “My besties here commandeered him from a roadman lad who was mistreating him, so yes, I went out handbag shopping and ended up with a couple of them, and a dog, too.”
“Bet you couldn’t pick one of them up in Chanel either, right?” His words had them laughing, obviously noticing the branded bags they all carried from their little splurge in that very store. Once at the pet superstore, they paid him with thanks, Beth taking some tissues from her blazer pocket and wiping up where the dog had dribbled on the floor.
“I can’t take you in on this,” she spoke, removing the chain. “Are you going to be good and stay with me, or do I have to put my back out and carry you?” He must have weighed a good twenty plus kilograms already, Magda noting on the way over that he was probably under a year in age. “Come on.” She made a kissy noise with her lips, the dog tilting his head before lolloping along with them, pinning himself at Beth’s side.
Just twenty-five minutes into his new life, and he seemed to feel safe enough to revert to how he should have acted. Carefree, silly and happy, as all puppies should. He drew a few questions from the staff, Magda explaining the story while Beth sorted him with a new collar and lead, another member of staff coming over and advising on a harness, too.
“You’ll of course need to come back and fit him with a larger one once he’s fully grown,” he spoke, making adjustments, noting the state he was in. “Flipping well done to you all, too, taking him away from that vile person. I can’t bear to see animals mistreated.”
It was one of those pet superstores that also contained a veterinarian clinic as well as a groomer, Beth pleased to learn that they actually had a few appointments spare for each a little later, waiting around for forty minutes after making the purchases of food, a new bed, toys and everything else he needed before going in to see the vet.
“From his teeth, I would estimate he’s around eight months old, no microchip either, so we can pop one of those in for you, too. I’m going to say I very much doubt he’s had his vaccinations either, so I can start a file for you with a card. I will recommend a course of wormer and flea treatments as well which we sell down in the store. Can I take your details please, Mrs. Solomons?”
She duly gave those details, the vet speedily typing them into the file. “And the dog’s name?”
Oh. She had no idea. Thinking for a few moments, she felt a little on the spot, feeling like it should have been a decision she consulted Alfie and her kids over. It then came to her in a flash, the perfect name for her brand-new companion.
“Wilson.” she smiled. After all, they had been on Wilson Street when they’d found him. Once his microchip had been sorted, the little wounds caused by the chain upon his neck bathed and flushed, the vet made a few more recommendations, Beth taking Wilson’s new vaccination card and thanking him.
They then went to the groomers section of the store, Beth remaining with him while he was attended to, for the sake of it all being so new and not wanting him to feel like he was being abandoned. The colour of the water that ran off him made her insides pinch. She guessed he’d likely never been washed. She was only surprised he didn’t have fleas or skin conditions, the state he’d been in.
Once bathed, Beth held him while he was dried, Wilson swiping at the nozzle for the dog dryer with his paws, comically trying to bite it as well, his large, floppy ears he hadn’t quite grown into flapping around all over the place. He tilted his head back, his big, blue eyes staring at Beth with all the love and trust in the world, his tail thumping. He knew he was safe, and it melted her heart to see him accept his new life so willingly. She could only imagine just what the hell he had come from.
With some flea treatment and wormer purchased, another cab was called for, Mimi calling for an Uber pet service, the girls and Wilson all piling in.
“Oh god, I hope Alfie doesn’t go mental at me for bringing him home. Thank the stars you two are staying for dinner, he’ll make less of a scene with his best mate and the woman he’s terrified of there,” she exclaimed, both snorting with laughter.
Magda pointed at Wilson, reaching to rub his ears. “How the flip can anybody go mental at this face? Look at him! Bloody lovely thing, he is!” He was, that much was true, but just nine weeks after Cyril’s passing, Beth worried that it was much too soon to consider another canine companion. Then again, what were she and her girls meant to have done? Let the poor creature remain with the scumbag who previously owned him? Taken him to Battersea? He had a new start right there waiting for him. It seemed silly to bypass such a fated meeting.
Once back at home, Magda grabbed as many bags as she could, Beth leading Wilson to the front door while juggling his new bed under her other arm, Mimi bringing the rest. Placing everything in the kitchen, Beth unfastened Wilson from his harness, the three standing back while watching him begin to explore his new surroundings.
“Might be a good idea to steer him in the direction of the back door, just in case he isn’t house broken,” Mimi suggested, Beth widening her eyes.
“A very good point, my friend! Oy, could you imagine if he pissed up the sofa before Alfie even gets home to either love him or shout at me?”
Magda snorted. “Babe, he ain’t gonna shout, you’re fine! Look at him, bloody little smasher, he is! Besides, didn’t you tell me you guys wanted to rescue? Well, he was rescued, so there you go.”
Following the dog, they all herded him in the direction of Alfie’s office, Beth jogging to open the door that led to the garden. Once outside, his nose didn’t leave the floor, tail wagging, letting out a few excited baby barks as he sprinted across the patio, chasing a butterfly. Three hearts all melted immediately, Beth’s then catapulting into her chest when she heard the front door opening.
“Stay out here with him, let me go and face the music.” Turning she strode through the office, welcoming her family, Alfie’s eye as eagle as ever.
“What’s with this, this shifty look on your mug, ay?” he spoke slowly, pointing at her face and giving her another kiss.
“Um... something happened today. Kids, go and take your coats off and wait in the kitchen. Abe, sort you and your sister a juice each, there’s a good boy.”
His eyebrow rose. “And?” he spoke, the kids obediently trotting off down to the kitchen.
“And...” she began, hearing a little commotion, and a soft yapping bark before turning to see Wilson slip out of Magda’s grasp and come hurtling towards them. “And we have a puppy.”
“What the fu...” he began, his eyes widening as his mouth dropped open. “Hello, you! Fuck, look at you, bloody hell! Little tank, innit? Bit thin though, ain’t ya, ay? Hello mate!” Reaching down, he easily lifted him into his arms, Wilson showering him in puppy kisses. “Oi, no biting the beard, yeah?” More washing continued. “Where’d ya get him from? I thought you birds was off up Covent Garden? Last time I checked, they didn’t sell no mastiff’s up there!”
“You’re not cross with me?” she asked, her hand rubbing Wilson’s wriggly legs.
“Nah, darlin’! Bit surprised, like, but I ain’t mad. Look at him, he’s a right little champ, ain’t ya?”
“Told you,” Magda called, ducking her head back in from where she was smoking a cigarette, swiftly going on to explain what had happened, Alfie and Beth joining them outside.
“Bleedin’ might’ve known you two would have something to do with it!” he exclaimed, pinching Mimi’s nose between his fingers. “Thinking you’re some kind of street fighter, takin’ on roadmen, you fiery mare!”
Mimi beamed, giving him a few playful punches. “Worth it though, wasn’t it? Puppy boy here got himself some lovely new parents and a lovely new home!”
“Yeah,” Alfie began, setting him down on the ground again, Wilson lolloping off, “a home he better not bleedin’ take to chewing. Ain’t having none of that game, I ain’t. You got him toys and all that, baby beast? Or we gotta go out again?”
“Nope, all sorted. Hold on, let me go and get the kids.” Rushing back to the kitchen, she retrieved her children, telling them there was a surprise waiting for them outside. When they saw him, oh, their little faces. Excited squeals filled the space, happy tears were shed, and a very big, very wriggly puppy introduced himself with lots of kisses.
Suddenly, the house wasn’t so quiet for the new member of the family settling in, the girls night turning into a family night as they all watched Wilson happily acclimatise to his new surroundings. He played with the kids for a full two hours before flopping into his bed, asleep within moments. Since it was the weekend as well as half term, the kids were allowed to stay up late, their dad treating them to pizza while Beth ordered in a Chinese takeaway for her and her friends, eating it upstairs in the cinema room while they watched Pretty Woman.
While taking a pause between that and the next film, she came downstairs to grab another bottle of prosecco from the fridge, pausing at the entrance to the lounge. There, all snuggled up on a nest of blankets and floor cushions, her husband sat with the children stroking Wilson, who was stretched out on his legs. Noticing his wife there, he smiled, winking. “Love you.”
“Love you, too. All four of you.”
And by god, how she did. With the arrival of one dog who needed them just as much as they did him, their family was whole again. Wherever the spirit of Cyril was, she couldn’t help but think he’d approve, too.
The End.
#alife solomons fanfiction#alfie solomons fanfic#alfie solomons fic#alfie solomons x ofc#alfie solomons au#peaky blinders au#peaky blinders fanfiction#alfie and beth#tom hardy#tom hardy fanfiction
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OPINION: Why I think Transformers Earthspark will be remembered as one of the best Transformers shows of all time.
Long story short, Earthspark spoilers. Don't read if you don't want to be spoiled.
I'm delighted to say that Earthspark has again exceeded my expectations. Honestly, when the show was first announced, I expected it to be a TV show meant to pander to young children. It would either be silly or forgettable.
Nope.
The show has blown all expectations out of the water through its bold story-telling and animation. The characters all feel realistic- they have strengths and flaws, which are most apparent when they face difficult situations. Another strength is that this show is not afraid to tackle issues (war, moral issues- "how far are we willing to go for the sake of peace?", discrimination, etc) that have become a part of our society in the present and past several years.
In the new 8 episodes dropped, the central theme appears to be identity. Mainly about finding your identity (ex: finding an alt-mode), making up parts of your identity (ex: finding the right alt-mode that matches each character), and integrating new experiences into your identity (ex: Megatron's decision to gain an Earth-based alt-mode to earn the Autobots' trust)- those sort of topics. These are all important and wonderful topics to discuss and share in a show. However, what surprised me the most was that the writers were not afraid to show the ugly sides of identity-related topics.
The 17th and 18th episodes- "Home Part I" and "Home Part II"- subtly tackle racism and xenophobia. Robbie, Twitch, and Hashtag are visiting Robbie's friend in a skateboard park. While having fun, they stumble upon an anti-transformers graffiti- "Transformers go home". Twitch and Hashtags are shocked and upset over this. Twitch says "This just isn't okay" because they were born on Earth and have lived there for their entire existence. However, Robbie's friend insists that their existence on Earth isn't "okay" since "Invading the Earth wasn't okay either". He's essentially telling them that they exist because of the war, which was unwanted, so therefore, their existence "isn't okay".
That scene honestly emotionally destroyed me. Before I explain why let me say a few things.
I am Korean American. The experiences/feelings I will later talk about are my own and do not fully represent the Korean American and/or East Asian communities. Our community's experiences are varied; thus, one person’s is not enough to sum them all of them.
Throughout my life, especially in the past couple of years- during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have had all of these things happen to me:
- I have been called hateful slurs.
- People have made the slanted eyes gesture to me numerous times.
- A few people have greeted me with "ni hao". (This is offensive because they automatically assume I'm from China because I'm Asian. It supports the idea that AAPI communities are one monolith. Hint: They're not.)
- Many people have asked me if I eat dog meat… (I don't. Never have.)
- Too many times, I have been told to "go back home". (I don't even remember the exact number. That's an indicator of how many times it's happened)
- In college, I have had many academic and career advisors ask if I'm a foreign student. It doesn't appear be an offensive question, but if I were Caucasian, no one would have thought to ask me if I was a foreigner. But no, I am Asian, so there is a huge chance that I might not be American.
The fact that I am Asian, or Korean American, an ethnicity (Korean) not found in the Americas, is enough of an excuse to question my identity and my entire life - who I am, where I'm from, and my own habits. To many, it is an excellent excuse to ensure I feel like an outsider in my own home.
The "Transformers go home" scene destroyed me because it reminds me of the pain that comes from the fact that there will always be people who believe I do not belong in my own country- no matter how many experiences I have had and how ingrained they are in me.
These characters are experiencing that same pain, too, even when they shouldn't be. The insistence from Robbie's friend that their experiences aren't enough to explain their belonging to Earth because they are physically Cybertronian- or transformers- is especially heartbreaking.
However, Robbie stands up for his family and breaks ties with his friend. He refuses to accept the blatant discrimination his siblings are facing and leaves instead. This is significant because while the writers show the ugly side of human society, they also show how to combat it- by refusing to stand by and accept it.
This scene is likely why Earthspark will become and will be remembered as one of the best Transformers shows ever.
It's not just the animation or the stories/plots. It is the show's willingness to tackle issues that are difficult to discuss in real life.
In a world where Anti- Asian, Anti- Latino, Anti- LGBTQIA sentiments and (basically) any hate toward minority groups are on the rise, Earthspark is not afraid to go head-on with these issues. They are willing to show scenes to demonstrate the harm these ideas and beliefs can cause, as well as solutions on how to fight them.
The show embraces the beautiful sides of humanity- friendship, family, love, and hope- but is also not afraid to fight the ugly parts of it too.
Written by: CK17088
#transformers#transformers earthspark#ck17rambles#opinion#tf earthspark spoilers#earthspark#earthspark spoilers#if you read all of this thank you#aapi#Asian identity#if you read all of this I have respect for you#i wrote this at 3am#i seriously need to go to sleep#why am I writing all of these hashtags#transformers have taken over my brain#the flowers in the other episode has annihilated my emotions#I seriously really need to go to sleep#tf earthspark#I love this show too much#honestly if you want share your own thoughts on this scene#just be respectful to each other please
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01: Finding Place and Peace with Nature
Welcome folks to my Environmental Science Nature interpretation Blog! I am eager to share my thoughts, opinions, and some of my life with you all over the term. To orient you all, I am currently in my fourth and final term at the University of Guelph. My degree is in Arts and Science program with a focus on Biology and Psychology. I have experience in ecology, plant biology, and field experience that I will share with you all. Throughout my degree, I have found value in understanding how the natural world that surrounds us supports our functioning and the role we must have in protecting it.
From the ripe age of three, my parents bundled me up and took me on my first camping trip. I am reminiscent of those experiences as they have influenced my relationship with nature as a young adult. Hiking, youth groups, and time spent on the beach are some of the fondest memories of my childhood. Each summer, I have taken the initiative and have continued the camping tradition for myself. I am no longer reliant upon my parents to facilitate the trip and have introduced my closest friends to the joys of living with nature. Nature has taught me some of the most valuable lessons a child should learn and I feel inclined to share my lessons with those around me.
As a young adult, university has been a pivotal moment in my life. With university comes additional responsibility and pressure on the future. The COVID-19 pandemic commenced in my first year of study at the University of Guelph. The pandemic, in many ways, was a period of reflection and revaluation for my life and how I wish to lead it. In moments of high stress, I tend to forget the peace that nature brings. The pandemic allowed me to reconnect with nature the way I once did as a child and recentered my headspace.
More recently, I had the opportunity to travel to fourteen different countries across the United Kingdom and Europe. From breathtaking hikes in the Swiss Alps to walking the vineyards of Tuscany, I had the pleasure of exploring new areas and ecosystems of the world I never could have dreamed of experiencing. As I share stories of my adventures with those around me, I express the wonder and fulfillment I felt in those moments. Through facilitating conversations surrounding my travels, I remind my peers that nature does not need to be expensive or extreme. Nature is exciting in the simplest form and we as Canadians are blessed with an extraordinary country to explore. I have found a "sense of place" in some of the smallest corners of the world that ultimately challenged my perspective of what nature is capable of.
As described in the textbook, place is not a consistent entity; it may change and take new meaning through experiences (Beck et al., 2018). No one person or experience offered a sense of place in nature rather it has been a combination of many. As I have previously mentioned, I embark on a camping trip annually at one of our provincial parks. I have attended the same provincial park for nearly a decade. From the perspective of a young child, the campsite was simply a plot of land with large trees lining the perimeter as a source of protection; the beach was a place I would play and dive in to find beach glass. As I have matured, this "big picture" has evolved into a collection of smaller snapshots (Beck et al., 2018). I believe that the metaphorical lighthouse that guides my understanding of heritage will continue to change as I develop a stronger sense of self and interact with the environment (Beck et al., 2018).
In conclusion, my journey as an interpreter of nature is evolving. I found a voice and advocacy for our Earth in my travels. My metaphorical lighthouse has guided my path to places I have only dreamed of. The metaphorical lighthouses that assist in developing a "sense of place" may guide our path in several different directions throughout our lifetime (Beck et al., 2018). With each step, our connection and interpretation of the world around us may change (Beck et al., 2018). Like Shel Silverstein's, The Giving Tree, life will continue to evolve and in some moments we may take more of the Earth than we replenish. At the end of it all, it is our connectedness with others that can produce change. Regardless of socioeconomic status, there is wealth in the natural world that surrounds us all.
I have included some of my most favourite pictures of my adventures abroad. If you have been contemplating whether or not traveling abroad is worth it, this is your sign to book that flight!
References
Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: for a better world. Sagamore Venture.
Silverstein, Shel. (1964). The giving tree. Harper & Row.
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A retired US Army lieutenant colonel is organizing an armed convoy next week to the Texas border to, he says, hunt down migrants crossing into the US from Mexico. Hundreds of people already say they are coordinating travel plans for the convoy on Telegram as tensions continue to rise between the state and federal government over immigration.
Pete Chambers, the lieutenant colonel who says he was a Green Beret, appeared on far-right school-shooting conspiracist Alex Jones’ InfoWars show on Thursday to outline plans for the Take Back Our Border convoy, which has been primarily organized on Telegram.
“What gets us to the enemy quickly is find, fix, and finish,” Chambers told Jones. “That’s what we did in Syria when we took out ISIS really quick. Now we don’t have the authorities to finish, so what we can do is fix the location of where the bad guys are and pair up with law enforcement who are constitutionally sound.”
While this kind of right-wing chatter doesn’t always amount to anything, on Telegram the main Take Back Our Border channel now has over 1,000 members and is being used as a place to plan and share information about the convoy, as well as three rallies taking place in Texas, California, and Arizona next week. The convoy will reportedly begin on Monday, January 29, and participants currently say they are planning on driving to Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, where the Texas National Guard is currently in a standoff with the US Border Patrol.
The convoy has been promoted by Texas state representative Keith Self, who appeared on Fox Business to speak about the event and posted a link to a news article from the conspiracy-focused The Gateway Pundit about the convoy on his X account.
In state-specific subgroups for attendees to organize rideshares and other resources, members are outlining their plans about where along the route they will join up with the convoy. The main part of the convoy will begin in Virginia and will make its way through Florida, Louisiana, and on to Texas.
One group member suggested others bring “kits” to the planned rallies so that “if stuff goes down you will be able to protect yourselves and help out.” Another user responded: “I’m in Missouri. I’ll be ready and have my kit full.”
Some Telegram users have compared this moment to the American revolution of 1776.
“There is a point where we are going to have to get our hands dirty,” one member wrote in the Texas group. “I've dealt with MANY bullies in my life, and I've never been able to reason with them. The one universal language bullies understand is when you push them back.”
Another poster shared a quote from far-right figure Jack Posobiec saying the country is on “the verge of civil war with the government,” while one member claimed, without evidence, that the Border Patrol is “letting known terrorists into the US.”
A promotional video for the convoy on the website begins with alarms sounding and the words “invasion alert” flashing over what appears to be night-vision footage of people crossing the border. The video also calls back to previous convoys, such as the People’s Convoy that rolled into Washington, DC, in 2022 to protest Covid-19 lockdowns. However, the administrators of the Telegram group and the convoy’s website are careful to say this will be a peaceful protest and that only “law-abiding citizens” are welcome. The convoy’s website says it’s looking for everyone to join the effort, including “all active and retired law enforcement and military veterans.”
The convoy is being organized as tensions over the US–Mexico border escalated this week, when the US Supreme Court lifted an order by a lower court and sided with President Joe Biden’s administration to rule that Border Patrol agents could remove razor wire installed by the Texas National Guard and state troopers. Texas governor Greg Abbott has defied the ruling as the Texas National Guard and state troopers have continued to roll out wire at Shelby Park on the banks of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass. Republicans have backed Abbott, who stated on January 24 that the state’s right to “defend and protect” itself against an “invasion” of migrants “is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary.”
More than two dozen Republican governors, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and former president Donald Trump have come out in support of Abbot.
“Biden is, unbelievably, fighting to tie the hands of Governor Abbott and the State of Texas, so that the Invasion continues unchecked,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Texas has rightly invoked the Invasion Clause of the Constitution, and must be given full support to repel the invasion.”
“The feds are staging a civil war, and Texas should stand their ground.” Representative Clay Higgins, a GOP congressman from Louisiana, posted on X after the Supreme Court issued its ruling.
The post was shared widely in online communities populated by far-right extremists, including on The Donald, a far-right message board where some of the planning for the January 6 Capitol riot took place.
“There’s no other way to interpret removing a border than outright treason,” a member of The Donald wrote. “The Supreme Court justices who agreed to this deserve to be executed as traitors.” Another added in relation to the judges: “Traitors deserve to die.”
On X on Thursday, the hashtags #CivilWar and #StandwithTexas were both trending.
During the hourlong interview, Chambers blamed migrants for the fentanyl crisis, which he described as “chemical warfare,” and he called the Biden administration the enemy of the people. Jones described Abbott’s January 24 statement as “the new Declaration of Independence.” Chambers told Jones how he was planning to use the same techniques he claims he used while in the US military fighting the Islamic State to target migrants crossing the border. He echoed Abbott, and described the effort as “domestic internal defense.”
Chambers also said that one of the stops on the convoy will be the One Shot Distillery and Brewery in Dripping Springs, Texas, which is owned by Phil Waldron, a former army colonel. Waldron was central to plotting the January 6 insurrection, when he circulated a 38-page PowerPoint presentation to members of Congress that, among other things, called for Trump to declare a state of emergency and seize voting machines. Waldron was listed as an unindicted coconspirator in Trump’s Georgia election-interference case.
And while much of this kind of violent rhetoric is never acted upon, there have been a growing number of incidents beyond January 6 where online comments have been followed up with real-world action, including when a man targeted an FBI office after slamming the agency for searching Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home on Truth Social.
Efforts in Congress to find a compromise on border funding appeared to collapse earlier this week, but yesterday Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that talks were still “ongoing.”
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Keiki Haniyasushin:
Keiki Haniyasushin is a sculptor god, capable of making idols of all shapes and sizes. They can be used for a variety of purposes, like toys, religious sites, and even just home decorating. She cannot create life, per say, but a spirit almost always inhabits the bodies she makes.
The beast spirits fear and despise her as an "evil god of destruction", and to be honest, they're not that far off. She and her Haniwa army have been destroying the nature of the Animal Realm and replacing it with cold technology. And, to some extent, her defense of the humans was because she could gain faith and power from them. Indeed, some people would say she is only exchanging one dystopia for another.
That said, nothing she does has been done with hate and malice in mind. She did truly desire to help the human spirits, and even wished to eventually make peace with the beasts. She finds it awful that Yachie keeps referring to the human spirits as "resources".
Keiki is, of course, the "villain" and final boss of Wily Beast and Weakest Creature.
Keiki's lair was within a massive Kofun tomb in the Primate Spirit Garden. While the outside looked like it matched the time period these were built in, on the inside, it looked like a vast futuristic hallway, like something out of Tron.
When Keiki is confronted by the protagonist, she tries to explain to her that the beast spirits are manipulating her, and that the idols serve the side of humanity. The beast spirit possessing the protagonist gets into an argument with Keiki, which ends in the protagonist ultimately siding with the beast spirits.
Keiki declared that she intended to destroy the protagonist's weak organic body, and give her a new, immortal clay body. This horrified the beast spirit possessing the protagonist enough that they assumed control and forced her to run away, Keiki giving chase. As the fight progressed, they exited Keiki's tomb and fought in the skies above the Animal Realm. The entire Haniwa army and all the beast spirits came out to help their respective sides.
After an intense final battle with awesome music, Keiki was finally defeated, and she surrendered.
She met with Yachie Kicchou afterwards, and agreed leave the Animal Realm and move into Gensokyo, taking her army and her loyal human spirit followers with her. She wished that everyone could just get along, but Yachie rebuked her.
The technological advancements in the Animal Realm still remained, however, and in fact the rest of Hell now envies it for how modern it is.
The ending heavily implied Keiki was going to somehow cause more problems in Gensokyo, but she's never appeared again since this game. It's possible that Covid-19 caused ZUN to have a change of plans for Touhou 18 and onwards, considering he's mentioned it affecting his work.
Her spellcards take the form of basic shapes, like squares, triangles, and circles. They appear to have been brought to life if their names are any indication. Her attacks are mostly colored using the primary colors of pigment: red, blue, and yellow.
ZUN has stated that Keiki's reign over the human spirits represents humanity overrelying on technology. Basically, you could see the Haniwa as a robot army, and Keiki as like a god supercomputer who enslaves humanity "to protect them from themselves".
Keiki is actually based on Haniyasushin, the god borne of the feces left behind when the mother god, Izanami, burned to death after giving birth to Kagutsuchi, god of fire.
Yes this makes her a literal piece of shit.
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The dark-haired girl on the right with the impish smile, her name was Eddie Lou, she was about 8 years old when this photo was taken in 1909. The picture was taken at the Tifton Cotton Mill, Tifton, Georgia. The girls worked there.
The photograph was taken by Lewis Hine, who visited factories such as this mill and took photographs of the children who worked there as evidence for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC).
In another part of the country, Mary Harris Jones, also known as "Mother Jones", led a march of children from Philadelphia to New York in what would be known as the March of the Mill Children, a three-week trek by striking child and adult textile workers on July 7, 1903.
Children had been forced to work in coal mines and mills, when their fathers were killed or injured, unable to support the families. As a result, many children suffered stunted growth and were injured, maimed. Mother Jones described the children, "some with their hands off, some with the thumb missing, some with their fingers off at the knuckle. They were stooped things, round shouldered and skinny. Many of them were not over ten years of age, the state law prohibited their working before they were twelve years of age."
“Since 2000, for nearly two decades, the world had been making steady progress in reducing child labour,” according to the United Nations. “But over the past few years, conflicts, crises and the COVID-19 pandemic, have plunged more families into poverty – and forced millions more children into child labour. Economic growth has not been sufficient, nor inclusive enough, to relieve the pressure that too many families and communities feel and that makes them resort to child labour. Today, 160 million children are still engaged in child labour. That is almost one in ten children worldwide.”
This is an update of a series of stories that have been posted for Labor Day. You can find those stories in the Peace Page archive or Google the information on your own to find out more.
~~~~~
“Over 100 years ago, the National Child Labor Committee used photos of children doing industrial work to demand change in America. Several states adopted child labor laws, and after much debate and several setbacks, the Fair Labor Standards Act became law in 1938. Its protections included the nation’s foundational child labor laws, including restrictions on the age of workers and hours they can toil,” wrote Michael Lazzeri, regional administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in Chicago
Max McCoy of the the Kansas Reflector wrote today on September 3, 2023:
“After more than a century of progress, you might think child labor is a thing of the past, something we condemn other countries for but that we don’t need to worry about here. Tragically, that shadow army of workers is still with us, and many of those workers are children. These underage exploited are often immigrants . . .”
“In February of this year, a cleaning company was fined $1.5 million for employing children ages 13 to 17 at meatpacking plants in eight states. The firm, Packers Sanitations Services Inc., was the target of a federal Department of Labor investigation that found 102 children working illegally, including 26 at the Cargill meatpacking plant at Dodge City.
“Appallingly, many states are now racing to loosen — not tighten — child labor laws.
“Arkansas, for example, in March did away with the requirement that the state’s Division of Labor had to give permission or verify the age of children under 16 to be employed. Although those under 14 still cannot be employed, the ending of age verification requirements is an invitation to child labor abuses.
“Other states are making similar moves.
“Iowa, for example, has made it legal for teenagers to work in meatpacking plants and children as young as 16 to bartend. New Jersey and New Hampshire have also lowered ages for some types of work. The argument goes that work builds character and that overly restrictive laws prevent young people from fully developing their capacity to earn a living.
“But such arguments stink like the stuff you find on a slaughterhouse floor.”
~~~~~
"In the early 1900s, Hine traveled across the United States to photograph preteen boys descending into dangerous mines, shoeless 7-year-olds selling newspapers on the street and 4-year-olds toiling on tobacco farms. Though the country had unions to protect laborers at that time — and Labor Day, a federal holiday to honor them — child labor was widespread and widely accepted. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that around the turn of the century, at least 18 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 15 were employed," according to the Washington Post.
Mother Jones would say after the march, "I held up their mutilated hands and showed them to the crowd and made the statement that Philadelphia's mansions were built on the broken bones, the quivering hearts and drooping heads of these children. That their little lives went out to make wealth for others. That neither state or city officials paid any attention to these wrongs. That they did not care that these children were to be the future citizens of the nation."
Many industries hid the fact that they employed children. They took advantage of poor families, such as Eddie Lou's family. Eddie Lou's father had died and left her mother with 11 children and no income. Her mother was forced to work at the cotton mill for $4.50 a week. Eddie Lou and four siblings also worked there and they were all together paid $4.50 as well. Eddie Lou and her youngest siblings would eventually be sent to an orphanage because her mother wasn't able to provide for them.
“If we don’t hold the line on child labor, we risk losing one of the things the has sets us apart as a nation founded not only on laws, but of morals,” wrote McCoy. “Of course children provide cheap labor, but business profits should not be the gauge of our society. In addition to the mental and physical tolls that children suffer in jobs that are inappropriate — and can you really imagine a 16-year-old wiping down the bar and asking what’s your poison? — there’s also a danger these children will become primary breadwinners for their families, with their educations coming a distant second.”
The children at the march carried banners that said, "We want more schools and less hospitals" and "We want time to play."
~ jsr
The Jon S. Randal Peace Page
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This songwriter was in some views always a military child who never knew parts of her life would definitely open up even after having children as a civilian. I was never attempting to join even the Honolulu Police Department as a law enforcement officer for the purposes of protection in the process of producing music and songwriting and building business. However, some stories made it appear to be so. As an Army recruit, I am excited to grow as a leader as I serve the country and my family which includes my three children, Nanea Haiola, Liana Haiola, and Isaac Haiola. My heart with the Navy and with all battleships was at the heart of my being a world peace advocate and producing music under my own record label, even as LayDNix and Chleodeitess both in the studio and as a Hawaii State Licensed Teacher. It is the purpose of my plans for LayDNix events and a concert to be planned in Hawaii. Although my children are not with me, I am very happy to be able to find other solutions that may have been missed. My journey as a woman in music is the same journey that started when I was young and a young poet and author in elementary. It is the same journey no matter my employment. The only difference is my growth and my perspective. That view means that all other plans are my in thing and will be applied as I produce a world peace album for distribution world wide. With hopes of later joining the HPD force later at home in Hawaii to continue my love for service officially even after COVID-19, this is my heart as a woman who does want my second marriage to work for life.
I love all. I love you.
Stacey KA Runnels
January 6, 2023
LayDNix
Chleodeitess
NaniSKelii
StaceyKeliiRunnels
Jizabella/BellaJ
HMPM-Home Meditative Pulse Music
Liliana Lark
ShayLee
And all other names under myself and my record label for my use, both current and future names for the music industry and education field.
11:23am Nashville, TN 7:23amHI
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Five Fics Friday: Nov. 11/22
Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you guys enjoy the start of the weekend with one of these fantastic fics recently added to my MFL list! Enjoy!
RECENT MFLs
Stet by LaDolceMia (E, 4,273 w., 1 Ch. || Body Worship, Grammar Porn, First Time, Rimming) – Jotted for a prompt on the kink meme. Because really, how could a linguistics scholar resist it?: Sherlock finds John's porn stash. He reads the entire thing, and when John comes home, he finds part highlighted and circled where they've got it wrong.
Heart on the Line by aquileaofthelonelymountain (M, 4,901 w., 2 Ch. || TSo3 Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Love Confessions, First Kiss/Time, Runaway Groom John, Light Angst, Sherlock’s Poor Self Esteem) – Mrs Hudson repeated the motion, this time with a little more force. Sherlock frowned slightly at her, earning himself a roll of eyes. This time, she actually tilted her head, but what finally caught his attention was the fact that she mouthed John’s name. Sherlock blinked at him, but looked back to Mrs Hudson in shock as the words of the priest reached his ears. “… if anyone objects to the marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace.” Mrs Hudson looked very proud that he had finally understood.
a hands-off approach by OmalleyMeetsTibbs and simplyclockwork (E, 7,516 w., 1 Ch. || Background Mystrade, Coronavirus / COVID-19, Quarantine, Developing Relationship, Alternating POV, Love Confessions, First Kiss/Time, Bratty Sherlock, Touch Starvation, Friends to Lovers, Bisexual John, Everyone Ships It, Awkward Romance, Idiots in Love) – Quarantine is a time of reflection, a time of adapting, a time of finding connection through other means.And throwing sticky hands at your touch-starved flatmate. OR “How to comfort your touch-starved consulting detective during COVID: a guide by John Watson.”
Familiar Pain by plain_jane08 (E, 20,603 w., 8 Ch. || Post-TGG, IBS, Hurt/Comfort, Sherlock Whump) – John was probably the first person Sherlock regretted turning down. John was different to the heaving masses of society... It sparked a small glimmer of hope in Sherlock’s chest that maybe John was different. If he could accept Sherlock for all his unusualness then maybe he could accept the part that Sherlock kept hidden from everyone. Maybe John would be the first person to offer Sherlock comfort rather than scorn.
The Man With the Cartier Frames by JRow (T, 32,447 w., 8 Ch. || Post S4, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Case Fic, Parentlock, POV Sherlock, Sick Child, Pining Sherlock) – Sherlock's top priority is The Work, just as it's always been. His current case is a breeze and will surely be solved quickly. Frank Cleary is obviously having an affair and all Sherlock has to do is find him. And Sherlock will...in between trips to Putney to help with Rosie, collecting Rosie from school, and preparing for Rosie's sleepover at Baker Street.
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Into the Breach
On 25 June 1950, after the creation of two separate governments in Korea following the end of World War II, North Korea (also known as the Democratic Republic of Korea) launched an attack on its neighbour in order to subsume it. After fighting the South Koreans (Republic of Korea) down to Busan, the South Korean army rallied with the help of the United States. Their counteroffensive nearly pushed North Korean troops into China. With the aid of weapons and artillery bequeathed by the Soviets, China entered the Korean War. Following intense fighting, the front was stablised close to the 38th parallel with the final two years of the war becoming a war of attrition. An armistice was later signed in 1953.
The signing of the armistice paused hostilities on the Korean peninsula and created the Korean Demilitarised Zone, or DMZ (pronounced Dee-Em-Zed) for short.
On our second proper day in Seoul, bleachpanda and I joined a Seoul City Bus tour (paid through Klook) to scope it out. Having prebooked the tour, we were contacted the day before by one of the organisers to arrange a hotel pick-up. By 9:30 AM, bleachpanda and I were in the hotel lobby, waiting for the bus to come pick us up. Except, instead of a bus, a nondescript black van showed up.
Into it we climbed until we arrived at another hotel before piling into the coach that pulled up, and which would take us to the DMZ.
Our first stop, after driving about an hour from Seoul, was the Peace Park. During the drive, our tour guide Yeoni, explained the history of Seoul - from the Joseon Dynasty to the modern reiteration we now know today. At Peace Park, Yeoni pointed out several important monuments including a bunker, a comfort women statue, the Iron Horse train engine, the Peace Bell and the infamous 'Cow Bridge'. Cow bridge is so named because a defector, and founder of Hyundai Groups, Chung Ju-yung sent over 1001 'unification' cows over the border as a gift.
After Peace Park, we headed back onto the coach and was taken to Dora Observatory. As we went through a security checkpoint, our passports were checked. My picture, of course, is horrendous as I didn't wear any make-up and the post office didn't retake my photo despite my fringe blocking a part of my face. After we had gone through the checkpoint, Yeoni told us of how visitors could take a train to visit the DMZ prior to COVID-19. This was run twice a day during the weekends with the train stopping at Dorasan station.
Once at Dora Observatory, Yeoni provided us some additional information about the relationship between North and South Korea. And as we peered through the binoculars, she was quick to point out key areas of interest. Bleachpanda and I even caught glimpses of a North Korean guard standing outside their outpost!
From Dora Observatory, we then headed to the 3rd tunnel. During the drive, Yeoni told us that there were about 1,000 defectors from North Korea annually. Often, defectors would flee first into China and find alternate means to enter South Korea. Once in South Korea, they would be assessed to see if they're spies sent from the north. If legitimate defectors, they are given free housing for a few years as well as a mentor to help them adjust to life outside of the communist state.
What was most telling to me was how these two nations, despite their differences, stilled hoped for unification and to once again be one people. Time will tell if it will come to pass but their stories of families being split apart reminded me of several other countries that endured such trauma including Partition and the ongoing challenges between China and Taiwan.
As for the 3rd tunnel, though reviews made it sound as if it was a claustrophobic spelunking crawl, it honestly felt like exploring a low-ceiling granite cave with sufficient space for two people to walk abreast. It certainly wasn't as impressive as investigating the twisting labyrinthine tunnels of Cappadocia last year.
The 3rd tunnel was simply a very long tunnel with a sharp incline at its entrance. Once in the tunnel proper, it was flat although there were patches of water here and there. While taller people might accidentally hit their hard hats on the ceiling, I was short enough to get through unscathed. At the end of the tunnel was a metal barricade and a monitor with four video feeds showing what lay beyond.
Bleachpanda, fearing the 3rd tunnel experience after reading reviews of it online, did not descend. Which, honestly, might have been a good idea as she would have needed copious breaks on the way out given how steep the incline was.
From the tunnel, our last stop on the DMZ tour was the Unification Village. It was here that bleachpanda treated me to a lemon tea. Something I desperately needed after the slog of a climb back up to the surface and running out of my pre-boiled water.
So ended our visit to the DMZ, with the Seoul City Bus dropping us all at City Hall. As bleachpanda and I wandered back to our hotel, we stopped to visit the now open Deoksugung Palace. What made it stand out to the two of us was its very modern western-style garden and fountain, known as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.
Pictures are as below:
And while the visit to the DMZ was an eye-opening experience (my grandparents on my father's side actually met during the conflict although neither were on the frontlines), I couldn't help but feel I had missed an opportunity to chat with a few fellow Australians on the trip.
Still, I want to end his blog post by thanking Seoul City Tour, and Yeoni in particular, for taking us around the DMZ and safely getting us back to Seoul in one piece! You may have thought I was bleachpanda and the start but you certainly warmed to Kyndaris as the day went by. Even acknowledged us when we nearly missed the coach at the Peace Park because I had to search for a bin in order to throw the remains of my soy fried chicken away because the bus driver wouldn't let bleachpanda and I bring it along.
#personal blog#travel blog#travelling#seoul#dmz#38th parallel#peering into north korea#deoksugung palace#seoul city bus#video game and poem reference
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Why Traveling with Friends is Rewarding
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which restricts our ability to travel and meet friends, four years ago was the saddest year of our generation. The pandemic actually made me feel more lonely because, shortly after it began, I had my heart broken 💔 (by an ex), and my only means of coping was to spend time with friends. However, as a result of the pandemic, my mental health also declined.
But this year 2024 marked my first long-distance trip with my closest friends after the pandemic, who I have come to refer to as my "evolving friends ✨" because whenever I am in their company, I feel as though my soul is being lifted, empowered, and enlightened.
I find it amusing meeting people whom I share the same discipline and aspirations in life, and during the pandemic, they were among the people I was most eager to chat to because of our insightful conversations, life reflections, and committed to being accountable to each other's goals in order to encourage one another to keep going and develop the habits necessary to manifest or materialize our goals. This is how the ✨ Goal Diggers ✨ club was formed ✅.
So, we the "Goal Diggers" girls went to Dao De Gong Temple in Mabacong, Batangas last March 24, 2024, to celebrate Tai Shang Lao Jun's (Lao Tzu) birthday 🎂 (He is the founder of Taoism ☯️), and we thoroughly planned how our trip would go. Because @jeanoccenaworks is from Novaliches and it will take her a day to travel to Batangas, @jeanoccenaworks decided to stay at my place on March 23 (Saturday) so we could all go together early in the morning on Sunday.
To be honest, I'm looking forward to this trip not only because it'll be my first time traveling since the pandemic, but also because the Goal Diggers gals are all together 🥳! The trip was filled with laughter, wisdom talks, love and dating advice, and much more, and it was extremely rewarding for me (my social and mental health) 💖 .
Here are some of the photos taken during our trip 📸👇
We also went to Montemaria, which is only 5 minutes away from the temple, to visit and pay our respects to Montemaria. Her Church is truly majestic and beautiful, and if you happen to be in Batangas, it's a must-see location not only because of her massive statue, but also because the beauty of the sea overlooking from her Church will truly give you a boost of energy and peace of mind. I can't wait to return once Montemaria's management has completed their restoration initiatives.
This trip was truly a fulfilling experience with friends since we were able to take a nature break 🍃 from a rat race of life in the city. We adored the scent of early morning dew, fresh air, salty sea, and cow dung 💩 - how can you not miss that 😆?
As a probinsyana girl who grew up in IloIlo, I genuinely love the beauty of the mountains, the chirp of the birds in the morning, the scent of the moist ground (together with the 💩), fresh brewed coffee ☕, the smell of sinangag 🍚 and tuyo 🐟, and the tranquility in nature 🙏.
I can't wait for our next trips together this 2024, as we aim to travel more outside of the city or country and vlog *coming soon* about our adventures. *ABANGAN!* char!
Sincerely, Ayei 🌻
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15 Questions 15 Mutuals
Rules: answer the questions and tag fifteen mutuals
tagged by @beterparker shgjsghjksl!
1. Are you named after anyone?
according to my mother it’s the phonetic spelling (it is not) of Michaela Quinn medicine woman bc she liked the way Sully, specifically, pronounced the woman’s name but she did NOT want people nicknaming me Mike so fast forward to last year when one of my coworkers nicknamed me Mickey,,,,,momsauce was,,,,devastated,,
2. When was the last time you cried?
*Noir Detective Voice* Thursday, January 5th, 2022, hours before being diagnosed with COVID-19 and unknowingly six days into actually having it,,,,,ngl if i was like, a cartoon character, it would have been adorable and i find it infuriating but i fully did the, eyes swimming, valiantly holding back tears, until momsauce looks at me and FLOODGATES AND “I really don’t feel good” AND *STARTS SOBBING*
3. Do you have kids?
yes i have two daughters, Amicia de Rune and Wednesday Addams thank you for asking
4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
i don’t think what i use even counts as sarcasm, it’s too obnoxious
5. What's the first thing you notice about people?
usually just that they’re in the room
6. What's your eye colour?
brown
7. Scary movies or happy endings?
Happy Endings, though Bittersweet is also good. I like to have my emotions wrung out and turned into a baseball bat which is then used to ALMOST murder me but then the ending turns out to be a highly competent doctor which then Heals Me and waters my crops and builds me a little house in the countryside to live out my days in peace
8. Any special talents?
i think my developing-stories hobby counts as a talent? it doesn’t really qualify as ‘special’, but i do be coming up with some Stuff and can make some pretty big leaps from very small prompts on the fly, which i didn’t realize until a friend pointed it out.
oh, also don’t know if it counts as a talent since there’s no on and off switch on it but irl people tend to come tell me their problems/backstory/any Drama(tm) they have going on even if we’ve barely spoken before that so
9. Where were you born?
A hospital in Alabama
10. What are your hobbies?
Painstakingly outlining stories and then usually not writing them, daydreaming about Blorbos, analyzing fiction, crochet, painting, sewing, a few little videogames.
11. Have you any pets?
YES i have three boys their names are Norrell, Chellers, and Eggroll. Eggroll is actually the eldest, he is gray and fluffy and smaller than the others. He was an outside cat until last August, when we moved and brought him with us. He has been thoroughly enjoying his retirement from the outside cat life. Norrell is SealPoint and Squishy and has big paws and Chellers is a fluffy black cat with no bones, they’re both four. These three are perfect and silly and i love them so much
12. What sports do you play/have played?
I played Red Rover once. OH!! I did paintball once. I think we used to play foursquare fairly frequently.
13. How tall are you?
Last time i was actually measured it was 5′1/2″ but i think it’s more like 5′2″ now, surely.
14. Favorite subject in school?
Originally it was Math but then we hit that part where Math was work and Language Arts was intuitive and it’s been Language/related ever since.
15. Dream job?
Being paid to live as Madame from The Aristocats
Tagging:
@therapardalis, @cutecutejames, @brassandblue, @poploppege, @slow-burn-sally, @castledock, anybody else who would like to!
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Cake N.R
Natasha Romanoff x Reader
Summary: Natasha found a new hobby during COVID-19. But, she still has lots of room for improvement and R couldn't bear to break her heart
Your POV
During COVID, your girlfriend has been trying to be better in the kitchen. She has gotten slightly used to cooking but baking was another story.
You see, at least it was possible to salvage what she had cooked with a bit of salt and seasoning, but when it came to baking, it was a lot harder. It was a done deal, you wouldn’t know how it tasted until you were done baking.
Unfortunately for me, Nat got into baking recently. She was baking a lot more than cooking. And it was so hard for me to tell her that it didn’t taste quite right. I mean… how was I supposed to lie to her? She would find out eventually by taking a bite.
It has been a few weeks of attempting to bake and it has been a few weeks of me trying her cake. Sometimes it was so bad that it was hard to swallow but sometimes it was edible but not pleasant.
I had just come back from a mission. Even though it was COVID, the mission did not stop. It just meant that there were slightly fewer missions since most people are at home and the bad guys have a lower chance of striking.
Everyone was crowding around Natasha as she brought out the cake from the oven. Those unsuspecting people reached out to steal a bite but she swatted their hand away as she was not done with it yet.
“What’s going on around here babe?” I let my presence be known to the group of people.
“Babe!!” Nat dropped her gloves and came to hug me. “You are not hurt anywhere are you?” She said after giving me a kiss.
“Nope. I didn’t really do much to be honest.” I held her close to my waist. “Let me change and I’ll come back down yeah?” Nat nodded and gave another kiss before letting me go.
Within minutes, I went down in comfortable clothes just in time to witness Natasha decorating the cake. She just finished putting the icing on the cake and turned to face me. Everyone was eying the cake but they knew not to touch since Natasha would most probably chop their hands off.
Being the cheeky me, I peeled off the side of the cake to have a taste. And it was also to protect them.
“Mhmmm.” I nodded my head. “Not bad… Nat.” I slowly pulled the plate closer to me and bolted off with it. I winked at Nat and the rest before running off to my office to finish the paperwork for the mission and snack on Nat’s cake at the same time.
As I thought, Nat’s cake wasn’t all that good. Had I let the team take the first bite, I wouldn’t know what kind of reaction they would portray since they probably had high expectations from her, not knowing her past failures. Natasha has finally found a hobby instead of constantly working and I wouldn’t want her to revert back to her old action just because of some unintentional comment from her teammates.
At least this wasn’t the worst cake.
Well, I was hungry coming back from a mission so that probably had a part to play. Most food tastes nice when you are hungry. I was almost halfway done with the cake when Natasha came in.
“Hi Nat.” I pulled her down on my lap before she could do anything.
“Are you almost done with your report?” Nat picked up the paper and scanned what I had written.
“Almost. Why don’t you write it for me while I eat your cake?” I was determined to finish her cake this time.
“Sure.” Nat got up and sat on another chair so I could eat in peace. She clicked the pen and waited for me to dictate what to write.
I left my seat for a moment to get water because the cake was sooo dry. I don’t even know how I got through half of it without drinking. When I returned, I offered Nat a sip which she accepted.
All I’m hoping for is that I don’t get an upset stomach tomorrow so I don’t have to explain why.
“Do you want to look through before I help you send it off to Nick?” Natasha asked as she finished writing the last part.
“I’ll read, but just to see your beautiful handwriting.”
>time skip<
The next morning I woke up in Nat’s arms and waited for a while. Okay, no stomach churning, I should be alright. Nat always loves to cocoon me so I could never slip off without her knowing.
“I love you.” Nat spoke from behind my back. I turned over and gave her a kiss.
“Love you too.” I scrunch my nose. “I love it, but why did you change your morning sentence? You normally say ‘morning, love’. Now I am going to think about it all day.”
“I know what you did yesterday.”
“Oh…” I widened my eyes. “The cake was honestly not bad. I managed to finish it.”
“Well I definitely didn’t think it was as nice as you thought it was.”
“I didn’t want to discourage you… You finally found something you like to do. I didn’t know how the team was going to react if I didn’t take it away first.”
“That’s why I love you. I love you to the moon and back.”
“Don’t worry Nat, you’re getting better. You’re improving each time you bake. And I’ll eat it each time you’re done baking.”
#natasha x you#natasha x reader#black widow 2021#mcu#mcu fanfiction#avengers#marvel#natasha romanoff#blackwidow#cake#my writing
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The World Economic Forum Says It Will ‘Accelerate’ Implementation of Globalist Agenda 2030
World leaders will be gathering together later this year to “accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2030,” according to an announcement made by the unaccountable, corporate-led World Economic Forum (WEF) earlier this week.
The United Nations (UN) and the WEF appear frustrated by a lack of progress made towards their ‘Great Reset‘ ideology, alongside Agenda 2030, the socialist, ideological successor to the failed “Millennium Development Goals”.
The WEF – led by German engineer Klaus Schwab, whose father once worked for the Nazi Party apparatus – has said previous efforts to implement their plans “suffered unforeseen setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, major negative impacts of climate change, and the rising cost of food and fuel everywhere due to the conflict in Ukraine.”
Global leaders and representatives are, therefore, being summoned to “strategize” and expedite the progress of what the WEF refers to as “arguably the greatest-ever human endeavor undertaken to create peaceful, just, equal, and sustainable societies.”
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs has argued that “[p]ractical solutions that can accelerate progress on the [Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (SDGs)] will be urgently needed.”
The seventeen SDGs comprising Agenda 2030 were first compiled in 2015 and were agreed upon by 191 UN Member State governments, though not necessarily their voting publics. These “goals” include laudable aspirations such as “ending poverty”, and eradicating world hunger, amongst more nefarious globalist goals in areas of gender ideology and hard-left socialist economics.
Since Davos 2o21, the WEF has publicly discussed how these goals can be used to achieve the ‘Great Reset,’ which would see ordinary people able to own nothing personally. The WEF claims this will increase happiness in the world.
Civic Participation.
The WEF is focusing on something called “civic participation” to push its plans. They describe this as tackling “economic inequality, gender imbalances, corruption, and environmental degradation.”
“In the quest to build back better,” says the WEF, “civil society is proposing new ways of achieving the SDGs and creating a better post-pandemic world.”
What this will look like is something approximating communism, for a better world is one where “the benefits are evenly spread” because “development must be about freedom from fear and freedom from want.”
This appears to be very much in line with the WEF’s agenda where everyone works together for the “common good,” rather than aiming for profit or reward for hard work rendered or risks taken.
Halfway There.
The WEF plans to assemble world leaders after the highly-anticipated Sustainable Development Goals Progress Report is published by the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, later this year.
The report’s findings will inevitably lay the foundations for the international deliberations. “This year’s report,” insists the WEF, “is especially crucial as we’re nearing the halfway point of Agenda 2030.”
#news#the great reset#nwo#beast system#antichrist#2030#agenda#WEF#UN#EU#klaus schwab#yuval noah harari#middle east#tribulation#religion#money#digital#unicoin#government#control#men#women#children#gay#str8#bi#trans#lgbtq+#2spirit#drag queens
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A speech by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall at a Violence Against Women and Girls Event at the Kigali Convention Centre, Rwanda
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a huge pleasure to be here with you today. I should, first, like to thank the people of Rwanda for the wonderful welcome that my husband and I have received. I have heard the saying, “God spends the day elsewhere, but he always spends the night in Rwanda” – and, having seen a little of this beautiful country and experienced your hospitality, I can quite understand why that might be the case… Thank you for your kindness and generosity to us and to the whole Commonwealth family – we were all so sorry not to be able to gather here over the past two years and are delighted that we are now, finally, together.
Yesterday, my husband and I visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial: the final resting place for more than a quarter of a million men, women and children. Our guide, who had lost both his parents in the Genocide against the Tutsi, spoke to us of how, in the wake of those appalling, unfathomable events, the people of Rwanda have embraced peace and reconciliation. And he described, with gentleness and humility, how we all have a personal responsibility to fight the discrimination and ideologies that lead to the destruction of others. It is in that same spirit of encouraging personal responsibility that I wish to speak today about a different evil that has led to the death of many thousands: violence against women and girls.
The figures are shocking. Globally, nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime. In times of crisis, the numbers rise, as they have, dramatically, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Across the Commonwealth, calls to domestic violence helplines have increased by up to 500% over the past two years. Whether we are aware of it or not, we all know someone who has endured sexual or domestic abuse. We can, therefore, all be part of combatting these heinous acts.
On International Women’s Day earlier this year, I was profoundly touched by President Kagame’s powerful message on social media, which read, “Equality is a right, not a favour”. We know that Rwanda is ranked 7th in the world in terms of women’s rights and opportunities. So let us bear His Excellency’s words in mind as we focus on violence in the home against women and girls today and remember that we are seeking rights, not favours.
We are seeking rights that have been denied to women and girls in every part of the world: Joanna Simpson in the UK, beaten to death by her husband while their two small children were in the next room; Noreen in Pakistan, whose husband, a drug addict, routinely abused her and alternately threw her out of the house or forbade her to go outside; and Uwaila Vera Omozuwa, murdered in Nigeria as she studied in church.
These stories are heart-breaking. But, given the statistics I have just quoted, they are, sadly, not unusual.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here with one purpose - to find solutions. It is surely significant that every single member state has unanimously agreed to support the “Commonwealth Says NO MORE” campaign and to implement initiatives to prevent domestic violence and sexual abuse.
There is power in this alliance. In the strength of our unity, we, the women and men of the Commonwealth, stand with victims and survivors, who, despite the temptation to hide away in silence, speak up so that others know they aren’t alone – whether in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific or the Caribbean and Americas. In so doing, we have the opportunity to end gender-based violence and those laws and practices that discriminate against women. And each one of us must take personal responsibility not to let this opportunity be lost.
I should like to close by quoting from a speech given 75 years ago by my mother-in-law, The Queen, in Cape Town. As we work together, let us be inspired by Her Majesty’s words, her example and her deep love for the Commonwealth, which, in 2009, Rwanda joined as a new partner and friend.
"If we all go forward together with an unwavering faith, a high courage, and a quiet heart, we shall be able to make of this ancient Commonwealth, which we all love so dearly, an even grander thing - more free, more prosperous, more happy and a more powerful influence for good in the world."
Thank you.
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Disadvantages and Advantages of e-shopping for Consumers
Disadvantages and Advantages of e-shopping for Consumers
In today's world online shopping has become one of the savviest ways to make purchases. This goes without saying but, online shopping or e-shopping has its pros and cons. That's what I'm here for! We are looking at the top 3 reasons why you should LOVE e-shopping and the top 3 reasons why you should HATE it!
Starting off strong
The top three reasons why you should love e-shopping -
ONE
Time Saving
E-shopping is one of the fastest ways to purchase things on the market without having the hassle of going to the store. Most consumers find themselves taking this easy route as an e-shopper. Now more than ever consumers are buying items and having them expedited to their homes! For example, Amazon offers same day delivery for many items on their website! This allows shoppers to utilize their time doing other things rather than grocery shop, grab quick essentials, etc.…
TWO
Better Prices
When I shopping there is a better chance that you come across coupons. Oftentimes when shopping in store coupons aren't presented to you per the items you are looking to purchase. This way with e-shopping new technology and data collection tools know to generate certain coupons based on items you are adding to your cart, that you're viewing, and at random. This means you get more bang for your buck as an e-shopper!
This technology allows you to also view items that you might miss in store. Online data collection uses the same technologies to run diagnostics on items similar to what you are currently looking at. This program then generates a list of items you “might like” or that are “similar” to your previous purchases. E-shopping gives you a chance to find items you might not even know you liked / wanted / or needed!
THREE
Safety
Unfortunately, in the modern world we live in today safety can be a big concern to many consumers as they leave the comfort of their own home. With e-shopping you no longer have to. One of the best ways to ensure your safety if you have concerns is to stay home! Fortunately, with the advancements of e-shopping leaving the house no longer has to be factor.
A great example of this would be the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time and still after some are afraid to leave their homes. With e-shopping these consumers can have peace of mind while still scrolling through their favorite catalogs and making purchases.
E-shopping comes with many other benefits as well, I am just here to highlight some of the most important or most relatable! E-shopping has continued to keep our every growing world connected to goods, products, and services. Something we should all be grateful for. Covering the reasons why you should love e-shopping are easy, but that doesn't mean e-shopping doesn't come with its downfalls.
With that being said, e-shopping comes with just as many risks and cons. Not that these risks can’t be avoided with proper precautions, they still must be highlighted. That being said…
The top three reasons why you should hate e-shopping -
ONE
Fraud risk
When shopping online and entering your credit card information there's a larger risk of fraud: credit card scams, phishing, hacking, identity theft, counterfeit products, bogus websites, and other scams that are common. The issues with this is you never know when credit fraud is going to occur.
To maximize your safety as a consumer it is best to go into any online shopping / e-shopping experience with knowledge of the company, an understanding of what a bogus website looks like, and the basic idea of what to avoid when entering personal information. Online shopping can be dangerous if as a consumer you are not careful with what you readily offer websites.
TWO
Shipping issues and delays
Another downfall to online shopping is that there can be issues with shipping, including delays, receiving the wrong items, and paying for shipping and returns. As a consumer online shopping can be frustrating for these various reasons. One of the hardest things as an E shopper to understand is that after making a purchase, online items can take quite a while to be received. Not often but sometimes after items are received the consumer realizes they were sent the wrong item, or wrong size, maybe wrong color, and the list could go on. This can be a frustrating process since many companies require consumers to pay for shipping and then pay for returns regardless of return reason. So after receiving items that were incorrect or items that you decided you don't want, having to pay to ship them back you are already spending 2x the money you had originally planned.
THREE
Spending too much time online
Lastly, already as a society we spend far too much time online. Now with e-shopping the screen time continues to rise. This online time can cause disconnected in many areas of individuals lives as well as actual branding disconnects with consumers. The tricky part about now having everything online is the brick-and-mortar business take a hit. Since consumers now don’t HAVE to go into stores human connections dim and phone screen brighten.
Either way e-shopping can be seen as the ally or the enemy. As the economy continues to grow, consumers do what consumers do best, CONSUME! Making e-shopping one of the latest and greatest developments regardless of your personal take.
Understanding boundaries and using online shopping but not abusing online shopping is key to societal success!
After exploring these pros and cons, how do you feel as a consumer? What ways do you think e-shopping has shaped the world we live in now?
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