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ladytributary · 1 year

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Authentic New Orleans King Cake

This recipe is based on Ana Borden’s recipe, which was posted in NOLA.com in 2014 (http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2014/01/anas_mardi_gras_king_cake_reci.html). It’s an excellent recipe and I make minor changes to it as I go. The most complicated tools that you’ll need are a rolling pin and a hand mixer. Also, make sure you wash your hands before you begin.

This makes two cakes. Or one big one. Do not halve this recipe (recipes with yeast rarely halve well). Make both cakes. If you don’t want to eat both of them, I guarantee you someone else will. Or make one big one, but it’s a lot harder to manage. The two little cakes will fit ideally on one of those thick paper platters, making them perfect for giving away without worrying about getting your nice plate back.

What you need for the cake part:

2-1/4 ounces (1 packet) rapid rise (instant) yeast

1/2 cup warm water (100 to 115 degrees)

1/2 cup sugar

5 cups bread flour (+1/2 cup on hand) (I prefer bread flour for the extra gluten.)

1 cup half-and-half, room temperature (Ana uses milk, but I find I prefer baking with something slightly fattier. Plus half-and-half keeps longer in the fridge.)

2 TSP salt

2 eggs, room temperature, beaten

1 cup melted butter (This is an entire 8 oz block of butter. Cube about half of it up, microwave it 30 s, cube the rest of it, microwave another 30 s, and then let it sit for awhile until you’re ready to use it. I like the salted Irish butter best.)

Combine the sugar and the yeast into a large (LARGE) glass bowl. Slowly pour in the warm water, swirling as you go. Both the yeast and the sugar should comfortably dissolve in. Leave that alone for 5 to 10 minutes while you get the rest of your ingredients together.

Once things are fluffy in your bowl, add in your half-and-half and eggs, then your butter, which should be liquid but not painfully hot. Dump in your five cups of flour. Put your hand in the flour and start squishing. (Were your hands clean? Wash your hands before you do this.) If the dough is sticking to your hands terribly, add another quarter cup of flour or so, then knead the dough until it has a nice smooth buttery texture to it. By this point, it should no longer be sticking to your hands. Knead it another 3 to 5 minutes, then form it into a ball.

In another glass bowl, melt a pat of butter. Grease the inside of the bowl, then put your ball of dough in this bowl. Roll it around so that it gets an extra layer of butter on it, then loosely cover it, put it somewhere warm and quiet, and let it rise about 2 hours or until doubled. Wash the bowl you made the dough in so that any remnants do not glue themselves frustratingly to your bowl and wash the butter off your hands. Quit checking your ball of dough; it’s rising. Go to the gym, play video games, do some laundry, have some lunch, or find something else to do for two hours until it’s ready.

Assembling the cake

1 TBSP of cinnamon

1/2 cup of sugar

If you have a mostly empty bottle of cinnamon, fill it with sugar, shake it up, and now you’ve got a shaker for cinnamon-sugar. Otherwise, combine these things in a ziplock bag and shake them until they’re well mixed.

On a clean surface, with clean hands, throw down some flour. Put some flour on your rolling pin, too. Punch down your risen ball of dough (POW!) and roll it once or twice into a flat symmetrical shape. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half (assuming you are in fact making two cakes). Put one half aside out of your way and roll the other half into a large rectangle. I usually end up with something that’s about 12” by 24”, give or take.

Coat the rectangle with cinnamon and sugar. Spoon it out of the plastic bag if you don’t have a shaker, but you should get pretty healthy coverage across the top of the dough. Once this is done, cut the dough with your sharp knife along the long edge into thirds, so you have three long strips of cinnamon-sugared dough. Fold each one of these in on itself to keep the cinnamon-sugar mixture inside. Start at one end and fold either side over, then smash it down, so it’s about a third of its original width. You’ll need to smash it fairly vigorously in order to keep it from unraveling itself, and you’ll want to pinch the ends fairly well. Do this to all three strips, then braid them.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (I like butter flavor best) and lay your braided dough in a circle on the baking sheet. You can try to braid the two ends together somehow, or you can just kind of smash them together. Let it sit for a bit while you go repeat the process with the other hunk of dough for the second cake.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake each cake about 12 minutes. I prefer to bake them separately. It should be golden brown and maybe look a little underdone. It’s fine; it’s baked. Remove it to a cooling rack and let it cool completely.

Glaze and decoration

1 pound powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1-1/2 TSP almond extract

1/3 cup +1 TBSP of water

Colored sugar (If you can’t find colored sugar, you can color your own by putting regular granulated sugar in a ziplock bag, then adding a couple of drops of food coloring. Use separate bags for each color desired, and apply the sugar with a plastic spoon to avoid staining.

In a nice size mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar and the salt, then use your mixer to begin to blend these two together on the lowest setting while you carefully and slowly add the almond extract and the water to make a sweet glaze. Blend until smooth and silky white.

Put your cake on its serving platter. If you’re adding a plastic baby, now’s the time, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry about it. You should be able to wiggle it into the underside of the braided dough. Drizzle the cake with the glaze, then sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugar. (Use only half the glaze/sprinkle sugar if you made two cakes.) Do it again with the other cake.

Finished product.

Don’t worry if your cake is kind of oddly misshapen before you decorate it. That much sugar hides many flaws. Eat up; it’s delicious!

#king cake #mardi gras #new orleans #baking #delicious

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mylifeincinema · 1 year

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My Week(s) in Reviews: April 16, 2023

Keeping these short because I honestly don’t have much to say about any of these.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (Chad Stahelski, 2023)

An overwhelming display of beautiful violence. The choreography and cinematography here are just stunning... absolutely stunning. Probably not actually the best of the series, but maybe? - 9/10

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley, 2023)

A lot of fun. It doesn’t take itself seriously, and therefore the more ridiculous stuff actually works. - 8.5/10

Broker (Kore-eda Hirokazu, 2022)

I don’t know what to say about this one. The performances are rich and affecting, and the direction gives them the space to evolve naturally. But the overall product left me a bit cold. I’ll blame the ending, but I think it was more that in addition to the roles of the police in pursuit in general. I don’t know, though. - 6.5/10

Decision to Leave (Park Chan-wook, 2022)

Park Chan-wook’s direction is breathtaking. It builds the mystery and suspense throughout in a manner that keeps your eyes glued to the screen. And the editing throughout only intensifies this. So good. The actual plotting left a bit to be desired, for me, though. The character motivations didn’t always work for me. And while that may have been something getting lost in translation, it was still something that lessened the overall experience. - 8/10

Devotion (J.D. Dillard, 2022)

Likable. I’ve spent my whole life a stone’s throw from Fall River and have barely heard anything about Tom Hudner until now. Dude was a Medal of Honor Recipient yet still all Fall River wants to focus on is Lizzie Borden, the axe-murderer who was absolutely not an axe-murderer. Anyway, Glen Powell is fantastic as always. I love that he’s getting higher profile work. Dude’s a bona fide movie star, and likable as hell, and now I really want to watch Everybody Wants Some!! again. Jonathan Majors is also great; he’s consistently putting out intense, dedicated performances and I really hope his real-life issues don’t completely derail what could be a very interesting career. At the end of the day, though, this one falls a little bit flat by dragging out the climax and draining it of a fair amount of its emotional heft. - 7/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#film #movies #john wick: chapter 4 #movie reviews #dungeons & Dragons: honor among thieves #decision to leave #broker #devotion #my week in reviews #film review #cinema #movie #new movies

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destinygoldenstar · 1 year

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Dhar Mann Has Been Mistreating His Employees

Hi.

So, if some of my followers know, (for some of you it’s probably the reason why you followed me, and others not) I have done my fair share of Dhar Mann criticism. I talked about some of his videos and the bad messages he’s been upholding onto children.

It’s actually a trauma response, I will be honest.

Basically, I only focused on the videos themselves and not behind the scenes.

The videos have actually gotten WORSE as the days have gone by. To the point where they’re flat out clickbait and no other substance. I’ve had multiple problems I’ve never covered like how Dhar Mann goes about punishments and mercy, accuracy on jobs, and especially the excessive usage of drugs, which is THE most harmful thing out of all the others combined.

But I never wanted to indulge in the videos because I simply wanted to move on to more positive things for myself, like writing my own stories. Because no matter the situation, spending your entire life bashing someone else is not healthy.

However, there’s ONE specific reason I put Dhar Mann back on topic:

There is now concrete reports of Dhar Mann heavily mistreating his employees who work on the videos. Getting underpaid, having no freedom of speech, Dhar Mann ignoring his employees needs, and a bunch of other stuff.

Now, DISCLAIMER: I don’t live around these people, so I don’t know the full story on what’s happening here, and I don’t feel like the right person to address it.

But basically, this is what I’ve been getting at about the video’s messages but in real life:

If you say ANYTHING that isn’t positive devotion to the studio, you’re DONE. You're OUT. You will NEVER see the light of day. That is not a healthy way to go out about life and it causes protests like THIS.

All I can say though is that I hope these actors get the care and support they deserve and get paid. You guys already know I don’t hold anything against the actors or anyone else involved in these videos. I may not like the videos, but these actors are just people, like us, and they deserve better jobs.

So to give people further context on the situation, I am sharing Instagram videos posted by a Dhar Mann actor, Colin A Borden, who addresses the issue in multiple details. If anyone would like, you can check out his page, or look up more details. Please, support him and the other workers being mistreated.

Colin’s videos:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoWhE2dPWGD/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoWheaCp7-B/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoWhtG6tO0r/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoWh7EPOX4T/

Support him and the other employees.

#Dhar Mann #Protests #employee management #Mistreatment #Support #Support these actors #overworked and underpaid #Colin a borden #Instagram

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keesdp · 2 years

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Etappe 16

We willen minstens 1 touretappe meemaken en begeven ons door de Pyrineën naar Foix. Ik wil er een dag eerder zijn, maar het blijkt toch te ver om door Andorra in 1 dag van Pals naar Foix te rijden via Gerona voor de boodschappen. Dus overnachten we in Andorra op een parkeerplaats wat ons €1.90 kost. Daarvoor kan je in Den Haag 12 minuten parkeren. Om 8 uur zijn we weer on the road. Ik weet dat ze van Carcasson naar Foix rijden met 2 bergen van de 1e catagorie, dat ze 157 km moeten, om half 12 starten en om 18:00 in Foix verwacht worden. Bij Andorra staan al borden dat vandaag de weg waar wij op rijden afgesloten zal zijn i.v.m. de tour de France. We besluiten door te rijden tot het niet meer kan en dan met de fiets verder te rijden naar de finish. 25km voor Foix staan er al overal politieagenten, maar we kunnen nog door het is nog vroeg. Bij een Mac stoppen we om naar de wc te gaan. Achter ons wordt de rotonde naar de weg afgesloten met grote rood witte plastic blokken. We hebben geen idee hoever het naar de finish is en als we het vragen aan agenten, zeggen ze allemaal ja dat is in Foix. Kunnen we daar door met de fiets? Een schouderophalen is het antwoord. Zelfs mensen die official zijn met een badge om hun nek geven geen duidelijk antwoord. Ze denken allemaal; je gaat toch zeker niet op een wegfiets helemaal naar Foix. Over al die heuvels. Nou wij wel. Onderweg heeft Yvonne ook haar bedenkingen. Ze heeft het al over dat zij daar wel zal wachten als ik na afloop de auto gaat halen. In Bompas loopt de weg flink omhoog. Her en der zitten al mensen met stoelen en parasol langs de weg in de schaduw op de renners te wachten. Als wij langskomen met onze fietstas worden we luid aangemoedigd. Er rijden geen auto's dus de hele weg is voor ons. In Merkus staan een groep ambulances aan de rechterkant van de weg. Het personeel staat midden op de weg met elkaar te praten. Téte de la cours roep ik. Oui roepen ze en gaan lachend opzij. Bij Du Pont Du Diable vraag ik aan een man in wielrennerstenue en Asterixsnor hoever het nog is naar de finish. Bonjeur monsigneur,Combien de kilometre au l'arrivee ? Moi ongeveer 3,5 zegt hij in het Frans: Troi en midi, Merci boucoup. Hij vraagt of we Engels zijn. Nee Hollandais. Ah u spreekt goed Frans zegt hij. Zijn woorden hé, Horen jullie het ook eens van een ander. Bij een rotonde na 5 km in het plaatsje Mont Gaillard staat een poort waarop staat kilometer 92. Dat is nog 65km tot de finish. Ik snap het niet. Opeens valt het kwartje. De renners rijden hier de andere kant op naar de 2 laatste bergen voor ze naar Foix rijden. Hier komen ze twee uur eerder langs. Op de rotonde worden we tegen gehouden door een officiele official. Althans dat denken wij maar kunnen dat nergens uit opmaken. U mag niet verder fietsen, u moet gaan lopen zegt hij. Hoever is het nog naar Foix vraag ik. Ongeveer 10 km zegt hij. Moeten we dat gaan lopen?vraag ik. Nee na de rotonde gaat u rechtuit en daar mag u wel fietsen. Vanaf hier dalen we af en Yvonne weet het nu zeker, ik ga niet tegen die berg op terug zegt ze. We komen aan bij het parkoers. Sterker nog bij de laatste bocht. Een U-bocht rond een rotonde. Rechts zie ik borden staan 250m en links 150m. Links is dus de finishlijn. We zetten de fietsen bij een hek van een flat op de hoek. Een man met hond zegt dat ze daar gestolen worden. Ik laat het dikke kettingslot zien. Hij is onder de indruk. Hij belooft ook nog een oogje in het zeil te houden. We lopen naar de meet en bij het bordje nog 25 meter vind ik een lege plek bij de boarding. We staan in de schaduw van het grote politiebureau. Om ons heen staan jongens zonder deoderand, die ik maar al te goed ken van mijn werk als vrijwilliger voor de stichting Anton Constance. Mensen die in de war zijn zal ik maar zeggen. Een begeleidster staat een eindje verderop bij de mensen die haar nodig hebben. De jongens met de dikke lippen kunnen zelfstandig herrie maken en hebben geen begeleiding nodig. Ze zijn allemaal aan de dikke kant en dat geld ook voor hun brillenglazen. Achter ons lopen 2 jonge vrouwen met een sjerp om naar de meet. De jongens met de brede heupen worden gek. Ze moedigen elkaar aan om met ze op de foto te gaan. Gewillig laten de twee missen zich fotograferen met zo'n jongen zonder deo tussen hen in. De ene miss draagt een lange glimmende jurk en de andere een zeer kort broekje waarin haar 2,4 meter lange benen mooi uitkomen. En dan heb ik het nog niet eens over haar stilettohakken van een halve meter. De jongens komen niet verder dan haar middel met hun slechte kapsel. Steeds weer wordt er van grootbeeldtelefoon en jongen gewisseld. Ik zie de missen denken waar zijn we aan begonnen. We hadden in de studio moeten blijven. Het is tijd voor de tourcaravaan. De sponsers hebben jongens en meisjes ingehuurd om frisdrankjes en koekjes en petten en sleutelhangers uit te delen aan de mensen bij de finish, want op het laatst moet de caravaan, die voor de tour uitrijdt, benen maken. De antideo-jongens schreeuwen en roffelen op de boarding om de reclamehulpen te bewegen hun bakfiets stop te zetten en uit te delen. De jongens scoren dan ook enorm veel gele petjes, oranje hesjes en blikjes frisdrank. De reclamekinderen vinden het heerlijk en moedigen aan voor ze tot uitdelen overgaan, veel herrie te maken. Als ze met hun lege bakfiets naar de auto terugfietsen, worden ze door de dikke lippenjongens met luid geschreeuw en geroffel aangemoedigd als zouden zij de wedstrijd nog kunnen winnen. Daarop zetten zij dan ook een sprint in tot de finishlijn. Het is tijd voor de race. Op mijn tourapp heb ik het al een beetje kunnen volgen. De Franse presentator doet door de luidsprekers aan de overkant verslag van de rit en en waar ik sta, kan ik op de Noorse tv2 monitoren de rit zien. Oego Oel (Hugo Hoels) heeft een kleine voorsprong genomen op Micheal Jorgensen en Micheal Woods. Op de 1e afdaling zie ik Jorgensen onderuit gaan in een bocht. Hij had Hugo bijna te pakken. Op de 2e berg houdt Oego Oel zijn halve minuut voorsprong volgens de live presentator bij de streep. Wij zien de renners eerst aan de overkant voorbij komen en komen dan aan onze kant aanrijden. Hugo heeft zijn handen al in de lucht als hij ons passeert, zo dicht staan we bij de finish. Jorgensen die viel wordt toch nog 4e. Het duurt nog best lang voordat de gele trui Vinjegaard en Pocacar binnenkomen. Het algemeen klassement blijft na vandaag hetzelfde. Na een half uurtje renners die binnendruppelen, houden we het voor gezien en begeven wij ons naar de fietsen. Wij hebben fietsers kennelijk op een idee gebracht, want er staan ineens heel veel fietsen hier bij en aan het hek. Ik reken Yvonne voor dat ze moet rekenen op minstens anderhalf tot twee uur voor ik terug ben met de auto. Dat idee trekt haar niet aan en ze besluit een eindje in ieder geval mee te fietsen van de 17 km. naar de auto. We hebben wind mee en Yvonne blijkt toch geen moeite te hebben met fietsen en fietst met me mee naar de Mac waar de auto staat. We doen er precies een uur over.

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legends-of-time · 2 months

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Amelia’s Story (BBC Merlin Story)

Chapter 48: Aithusa

Masterlist

Amelia's POV

Merlin, Amelia, Percival, and Anne stand in the forests one night, staring up at Kilgharrah as they tell him some rather large news that they came across that the Dragon ought to know. It had been funny to watch the complete and utter shock that dawned on Percival's face when the creature appeared in the sky and flew down to them.

Merlin had been walking to Gaius' Chambers when he overheard the Physician conversing with someone they don't know. Merlin's curiosity was piqued and he listened in. He learnt it was an old pupil of Gaius'. Gaius had seemed worried about the man, Borden he'd called him. Borden had come to him for help, having stolen an artefact from the Druids, a Triskellian of Ashkanar, a key essentially, that was broken up into three parts. He had one part, had spent nearly half his life tracking it down, and had taken the second from the Druids, but the third part remained hidden deep within the vaults of Camelot. When pieced together the key is meant to lead the holder to a tomb, the tomb of Ashkanar, where, apparently, a Dragon egg is hidden. Borden had tried to argue that he wanted to see a 'noble creature' brought back to life but Gaius had immediately dismissed that as a falsehood.

After the man had left, Merlin had burst into the Chambers, angry that Gaius knew of such a place where a Dragon's egg is stored and hadn't said anything, what with him being the last Dragonlord, but Gaius had merely said the tomb was sealed by magic and only the key could get them in. There was no point in telling them about a place they wouldn't be able to enter or worse, telling them and watching them foolishly try to get in and die trying (as he knows they just might).

The key piece itself that is hidden in the Vaults had been there for 400 years which makes it all too obvious why Gaius had never said anything, if one part has been hidden and protected for so long, they can only imagine what the other parts are being kept like.

Borden had warned that he will be staying in Camelot, in the Tavern in the Lower Town and waiting for word from him about if Gaius will help or not. They don't doubt that if Gaius refuses, Borden will do so on his own.

Amelia knows they all want the Dragon Egg returned, to save the Dragons, and to help Kilgharrah protect his kin, but at the same time, they know the only way to do it will be for Borden to help and lead them to the tomb. Gaius knows not where it is, no one does, and that is why the key is needed. This brings up the issue they are facing, Gaius had warned Merlin that Borden has ill intent with the egg, but also that he is not a man to be trusted and if they try to help the man, he will stab them in the back in an instant. He is in a difficult spot as he doesn't want the egg to fall into Borden's hands, but he doesn't want them in danger of trying to deal with him and rescue it. Amelia had suggested they go to the one person who should have the deciding vote on what they do.

"I never dared dream of such a moment." Kilgharrah breathes, startling Amelia with the emotion in his voice, the hope, she can hear in it. "Until now, I believed the egg would never be found, that I would be the last of my kind."

"I'm still so sorry that happened," Amelia tells him. "What Uther did..." She shakes her head, she can't even begin to imagine what it was like for him, chained up, alone, listening to his kin crying out for help as they burned, and then for them to ask him for help to protect the very King that did that to him. Amelia hears a sniffle come from next to her.

"Do not weep for me, my dear." Kilgharrah smiles kindly at Anne.

"I'm not crying." Anne huffs though she sniffles and wipes beneath her eye. Amelia knows she's cursing her pregnancy. She has only just started to really feel the effects of it. She is still in her early days and while Amelia would argue that her stomach is still quite flat, Merlin in particular insists otherwise and always adds that he knows his wife's body quite well to Amelia's disgust.

Kilgharrah just chuckles. "As you wish." He gives her a small bow of the head.

"So, the legend is true?" Merlin asks rhetorically.

"This is a chance in a thousand. You must retrieve the egg."

"We know." Amelia murmurs hesitantly.

"Then what is the matter?"

"Gaius has forbidden it." Anne replies.

Kilgharrah scoffs. "Merlin! You are a Dragonlord! It is a gift passed down from your father. He gave up everything in his life to save me. What do you think he would say? The egg harbours the last of my kind. I beg you, Merlin. In your father's name, promise me that you will do everything in your power to rescue it."

"You have my promise." Merlin declares.

——

They set up a plan, Merlin goes to Borden as he's the best option. Percival looks too threatening, Amelia is too well known to be sneaking in and Merlin worries about Anne and the baby so she can't do it either. After, the plan is for Amelia, Merlin and Percival to go save the Dragon egg. Anne is excluded for the reasons mentioned above.

Borden agrees to Merlin helping him though the next step is for Merlin to get the keys from Arthur. Merlin later tells Amelia and Anne, on the way to the Council Chambers for a meeting with Arthur, Agravaine and Council members, that the initial try wasn't successful as Arthur had woken up so they need to try again.

Amelia eyes the keys on Arthur's belt as she stands in the meeting. She knows that she'll have to somehow get it off Arthur's belt without him noticing. Anne and Merlin linger in the background in the Council Chambers.

"We need to strengthen all our outlying defences as Odin's raids only go to prove. But it is the northern borders that are particularly vulnerable." Agravaine is saying as they ponder over a map.

"There's always been so, and the reason's obvious." Arthur says. "If you look at the terrain here—" He cuts himself off as his trousers fell to his knees. Amelia looks at him in surprise before looking accusingly at Merlin, who shrugs and grins while Anne next to him scrunches her face up in embarrassment.

"Allow me to help you, sire!" Merlin calls cheerfully as he runs over to Arthur, grabbing his trousers.

"No!" Arthur protests, but Merlin is already holding onto his trousers. "No! Merlin!"

"Your Majesty!" Merlin insists.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouts as the two fall to the ground.

"Majesty!"

"Get off me!"

"I'm trying to help you, sire!" Merlin says as Arthur finally gets out of his grip. He gets to his feet and pulls up his own trousers. After all this embarrassment, Amelia certainly hopes that Merlin has the key.

"There we go." Merlin says proudly. "Will there be anything else, sire?"

Arthur looks at him incredulously. "No!" Merlin backs out in a way that tells Amelia he's hiding the key behind his back. Well, at least there's that.

Arthur turns to Anne, who's standing there and looking like she's suffering from severe second-hand embarrassment. "I certainly hope your child inherits their mother's... well, everything."

Anne grimaces before scuttling off after her husband.

Amelia smirks. "Clearly you need a new belt, Arthur."

Arthur glares and turns back to the map, clearing his throat. "So, the terrain here..."

——

The meeting with Borden had not gone very well, according to Merlin's grumbling the next morning when he explains to Anne, Percival, and Amelia why the warning bells had gone off on their way to the Vaults.

Merlin tells them about what happened. He'd given Borden the key and guarded the entrance. Borden had completed the Triskelion but then the man had knocked him out, leaving the key with him clearly intending to frame him. Should've realised that was going to happen. Merlin had woken up and then had gone to try and put the key back in Arthur's Chambers when the bell had gone off.

"The lock hasn't been damaged, which would suggest whoever it was had a key." Agravaine says as he observes the gate.

"Strange." Gaius murmurs. His eyes flicker suspiciously towards Amelia, Anne, Merlin and Percival.

"Of all these treasures, this is all they were interested in." Arthur observes, opening an elaborate box to reveal its empty contents. "What was in here?"

"I believe, Sire, one third of a Triskelion, a type of key. A key that, according to legend, opens the ancient Tomb of Ashkanar." Gaius explains.

"I remember my father talk of such a tomb. It contained a Dragon's egg." Arthur says. Amelia remembers it well, it almost became a bedtime story for her, Morgana and Arthur. Uther had felt the need to tell them about it and his wish to find it and destroy the egg.

"It has been said."

"You don't believe it to be true?" Arthur asks.

"Well, it is possible, Sire. The wealth and wisdom of Ashkanar are without equal." Gaius admits. Amelia knows Gaius can't lie about this as Arthur will be angry and lose trust in him if he realises. They really don't need Arthur to trust Agravaine even more than he does already.

"Is the egg still there?" Agravaine asks.

"I can't be certain. But, to my knowledge, no one has disturbed the tomb for more than four hundred years." Gaius admits further.

"But with this Triskelion, someone could." Arthur realises.

"Sire, a Dragon's egg can live for a thousand years. Even today, it could still hatch, and another Dragon would be born into this world." Agravaine warns him.

"So, all my father's work to rid the world of these monsters would be undone." Arthur realises.

"That must be our fear."

Amelia glares at her uncle. He's playing on Arthur's need to please his father.

"Then we have no choice. We must hunt down this intruder, destroy the egg." Arthur declares. He turns to Percival. "Percival, gather the Knights."

"But Arthur," Amelia quickly interrupts before Percival does anything, "no one's found this tomb for four hundred years. Surely, we don't need to worry."

"We can't risk that, Amelia." Arthur argues.

Percival glances at Amelia, who reluctantly nods, and leaves to follow through with his orders.

——

"How could you be so stupid?!" Gaius cries as soon as he, Merlin, Anne and Amelia enter his Chambers. "What were you thinking?!"

"I am a Dragonlord. It is my sacred duty to protect the last of the Dragons." Merlin retorts.

"The tomb could've remained closed for another four hundred years and the egg would've been completely safe!"

"And Kilgharrah would have been alone!" Amelia snaps right back. She and Kilgharrah haven't been on the best of terms recently but her heart breaks thinking of him being the last of his kind and now they have the chance to change this. "We finally find another of his species and you tell us it's better to just leave it! To let this noble species die out!"

Gaius stares in shock at her tone.

"Arthur is riding out intent on destroying the egg." Anne speaks calmly. "We know Borden won't just release the Dragon if he gets there first."

"That's why we need your help Gaius," Merlin adds. "Percival and I are going with Arthur. We need to know exactly what Borden may do, what he's like, so that they can be prepared to stop him."

Now that Arthur knows, plans had to be changed. Amelia can no longer go with them as there's no way she's leaving the Kingdom in Agravaine's hands. Anne is glad she's not the only one that is being left behind. Amelia doesn't like not going with them but is reassured that Merlin has Percival as his backup.

Gaius sighs and nods.

——

Merlin's POV

Merlin heads off with Arthur, Percival and the rest of the Knights as soon as possible. Despite having a lead on Borden, they soon lose him and against Merlin's wishes, Arthur insists they make camp as it's getting dark. After a bit of fun with the Knights where Merlin thought they had eaten all the food, leaving none for him when it turns out they'd been hiding a plate for him the entire time.

Merlin sits with Arthur by the fire as the Knights sleep on. Merlin's mind is consumed by old memories.

"You're very quiet." Arthur remarks as he lounges back on a log while Merlin sits on it, facing the fire.

"I'm sorry." Merlin apologises softly.

"What is it?" Merlin doesn't respond. "Merlin."

Merlin sighs, knowing Arthur is not about to let it go. "It was here that I last saw my father."

Merlin glances at the King to see him processing the statement in surprise. "You never talked about it."

Merlin shrugs with false carelessness. "There's not much that I can say. I didn't really know him that well, but... I was proud of him. I want him to be proud of me." He admits.

"I can understand that. You should try being in my shoes." Arthur comments. "It was hard enough while he was alive, always having to live up to what he expected of me. It's even harder now. I now know what he faced, the decisions he had to make. I tell you Merlin, don't start measuring yourself against a man who's dead. You'll never win."

Merlin nods understandingly. "I know. He will always be better than me. I hope my child will be proud of me as well. I worry I won't be good at it. Being a father."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be a good father. You can't fail at that." Arthur remarks.

"Was that a compliment?" Merlin asks with a small grin on his face.

Arthur scoffs. "Don't be ridiculous."

Merlin chuckles, his mood uplifted. If he does this, saves the egg, he's building a legacy for his child and their children to protect. This has been his drive ever since he learned of the egg. His duty to the future.

——

Percival's POV

The next morning, Merlin is feeling resurged with new determination. He tells Percival as they sneak along the woods towards Borden's camp that the Druids had come to him last night. They had told him of the direction in which Borden is heading as well as a warning for what they'll face there. It had been difficult to convince the others, after finding the camp empty, of Merlin's sudden knowledge of where to go being legitimate, Percival was honestly prepared to lie about finding some tracks, but thankfully Elyan spots some horse dung.

This convinces the others and they head on their way and soon reach a Cave with a stream trickling nearby.

"It's a dead end. That's it. Let's go back." Arthur declares.

The Knights turn back. Percival and Merlin don't, sharing a worried look. There must be something here. Percival begins looking around for any signs.

"What about the Cave?" Merlin questions, stopping the others in their tracks.

"We're wasting our time." Arthur dismisses.

Percival finally spots something, a muddy footprint by the water. "Arthur." He calls, drawing his King's attention and points down at the footprint.

They enter the Cave and draw their swords, going deeper and deeper. Still, nothing can be seen but a waterfall at the end.

"Merlin, this is ridiculous." Arthur complains. "Where's he heading?"

"There's light ahead." Merlin replies.

They come to the waterfall. Arthur sheathes his sword and puts his hand through it and crosses to the other side. They continue on the other side and emerge to find a lake the water pours into and a valley up ahead.

"No wonder no one's ever found it." Gwaine remarks.

They walk further into the valley where they finally spot the tomb looming in the distance. Percival shares a look with Merlin, they've finally found it. Merlin pushes forward, down the hill towards it and the rest follow.

——

They are walking down a large trench path towards the tower when Percival suddenly creases over in pain when an arrow lands in his leg causing him to fall to the ground.

"Take cover!" Arthur cries.

They press their backs into the trench walls. An arrow lands between Arthur's feet. Borden is clearly not taking any chances with them following. Percival groans in pain, unable to move from his spot meaning he's in a dangerous spot.

"You all right?" Arthur calls.

"Yeah." Percival groans but as soon as he says those words, an arrow flies and lands in the rock next to his head. That was close.

"Where's he firing from?" Arthur turns to Leon. "I'll draw fire, get him to safety."

Arthur nods to Percival. Borden shoots at Arthur as he dodges to the other side and Leon helps Percival to his feet so he can take cover against the wall. Elyan pulls the arrow out before bandaging it.

"Arthur." Merlin directs Arthur's line of vision. Arthur peeks out for a moment, then motions a plan to the Knights. Arthur sprints to the other side of the trench. It is then, as Percival glances at him, that Merlin's eyes turn gold. Probably stopping Borden from shooting at them anymore.

Arthur appears at the top of the trench. "What happened? Where's he gone?"

"Perhaps he ran out of bolts." Merlin suggests. Percival gives Merlin a knowing look but the manservant simply shrugs.

Percival limps along as they all emerge from the trench and move through the forest. Again, Merlin dashes ahead.

"Careful!" Arthur yells. Merlin stops and slides and Arthur pulls him back. "Who knows what he's left lying in wait for us."

"We can go around that." Merlin argues.

Percival knows Merlin wants to save this egg but honestly, Percival isn't looking forward to the increased probability that he'll explain to Anne how her husband got himself killed with his carelessness.

"No." Arthur grabs Merlin to stop him. "He knows we're coming."

"That's a risk we have to take!" Merlin insists.

"We'll make camp, continue at dawn. Merlin, help Percival." Arthur orders and the Knights immediately get to work preparing camp.

Merlin huffs irritably but gestures for Percival to sit on a fallen log a few feet away. Luckily the arrow had struck him in the calf so Merlin merely rolls the bottom of Percival's trouser leg up.

Merlin pulls out a few bandages from a small bag he'd brought, kneeling before the Knight and glancing around the tree to see that the Knights have actually already made camp. Percival knows there's not much to do but roll out bedsheets and start a fire. There is plenty of wood around them so the fire is already about to be started and they've thought to gather supplies and food before they'd set out again this time to save time. Arthur is speaking to Leon, both men with their backs to the camp as they seem to be discussing the woods and likely the order of the watch for the night.

Merlin smirks as he turns back to Percival. "How good are you at faking a limp?" He asks.

Percival starts to smile at that and chuckles. "I would say quite fair."

Percival leans back and observes as Merlin turns his leg slightly to see the wound, biting his lip to not hiss at the slight pain and watches in awe as Merlin merely mumbles a few words under his breath, his eyes flash and the wound closes up as though it has never been there, there isn't even any tenderness at all.

"It is a travesty." Percival murmurs as Merlin wraps a false bandage around his leg, leaving the blood there so that it would stain and seem like the wound is still bleeding a bit even though there is none left. "That a gift such as yours is persecuted the way it is."

Merlin nods. "It is."

"I had thought with Uther's death..." Percival trails off at that.

Merlin again nods. "One day when Arthur is ready."

——

Merlin cooks dinner for them. Once again, the others decide to pull the same prank they'd pulled on Merlin the night before. Percival chuckles to himself as it plays out in front of him. Arthur sends Merlin off to collect firewood as Elyan hands Percival his plate as he sits there 'injured'.

They all laugh and joke about the look on Merlin's face as they continue to eat but then Percival begins to feel drowsy. Maybe an after effect of Merlin's spell...

Percival startles awake along with the others at the sound of what seems to be multiple rocks crashing on one another. He and the Knights bolt in that direction. When they get to the tree line, Merlin is there crouching over his satchel as the tomb collapses in the distance.

"What the hell happened?" Arthur immediately questions.

"The tomb is a trap. He set it off. He never got out." Merlin replies.

"What about the egg?" Percival questions.

Percival gives Merlin a questioning look and the manservant gives him a slight nod before turning to the others. "It would've perished with him."

"Are you sure? We need to be certain." Arthur demands to know.

"Nothing's going to survive under all that." Leon says.

The tower completely collapses. Percival glances down at the bag at Merlin's feet.

——

Amelia's POV

The small party returns to Camelot with a pleased Arthur announcing to all that the fabled Dragon egg is dealt with. Amelia had dined with him to celebrate but afterwards said she wished to speak to Merlin and the Knights of their account of what had happened, remarking that Arthur's large head seemed to inflate certain events. He'd merely laughed and turned in for the night, exhausted after such a long tracking mission. Which is just perfect for the group to go to the clearing to meet with Kilgharrah.

And so, they are standing in the clearing, the egg on a small tree stump, Kilgharrah beaming happily down at them as he lands and looks at the egg.

"Gaius said that they could live for a long time." Anne remarks. "Is the egg still alive?"

"It can live for more than a thousand years." Kilgharrah reminds them with a nod.

Merlin grins to hear that confirmed. "So, you are no longer the last of your kind."

"It would seem not." The Dragon chuckles.

"So..." Amelia begins, bobbing on the heels of her feet excitedly. "How long before it hatches?"

"Young Dragons were called into the world by the Dragonlords. Only they had the power to summon them from the egg."

"I wish Arthur had known that," Amelia grumbles. "What use would there have been to hunt down the egg if the 'last' Dragonlord is dead?"

"He would have gone after it anyway, Amelia." Percival tells her sadly, making her nod at that.

"As the last Dragonlord." Kilgharrah continues. "This solemn duty falls to you, Merlin."

"How do I summon it?" Merlin asks.

"You must give the Dragon a name."

Merlin closes his eyes and after a few moments, he breathes, "Aithusa."

The egg begins to crack. They all watch intently as more and more cracks appear before a tiny white lizard with wings pops out, shaking off the excess shells and staring up at them adorably.

"Awww..." Anne coos. Amelia has to agree with her, the small Dragon is sweet.

"A White Dragon is, indeed, a rare thing and fitting." Kilgharrah remarks, "For in the Dragon Tongue, you named him after the light of the sun."

"Like with dawn it's a new day, it's like a new dawn, a new reign." Amelia murmurs. For the first time since Uther's death, she feels hope for the future that maybe things may be okay.

The little Dragon begins to inspect themself and stretch their wings.

"No Dragon birth is without meaning. Sometimes the meaning is hard to see, but I believe it is as clear as his name. The White Dragon bodes well for Albion, for you, for Arthur, and for the land that you will build together."

Anne and Amelia look at each other with tears in their eyes as the little Dragon hisses and seems to try and breathe fire but it only comes out more like the Dragon is trying to smile and laugh.

Amelia can only hope that this omen will prove true. Amelia needs a good sign for the future.

——

A/N: This turned into a bit of a Merlin and Percival bonding along with Merlin contemplating and worrying about being a father.

Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

#bbc merlin #merlin

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shitsnacks · 3 months

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Incredible mac n cheese

This recipe is not the cheapest, requires a lot of dish washing and time, but is delicious and very worthwhile if it can be managed.

Made about 5 generous entree servings for me, your mileage may vary. Could be a side dish and it would make more servings, but why on earth would you do that? Made to direction, this dish is a star.

Freezes and microwaves well.

I've tried to make the recipe as clear as possible and walk through every step of the process, so that anyone regardless of cooking experience can succeed.

Ingredience:

8 oz dry pasta of choice [recommended: rotini, fusilli, or similar. egg noodles acceptable but don't hold the sauce well itself but not an issue if meat present. not recommended: ziti, fetuccini, farfalle. any kind of relatively flat pasta will not hold sauce]

8 oz shredded mild easy melting cheese [borden easy melt shreds, pizza blend, quesadilla blend, american all good choices]

8 oz strong aged cheese [can be shredded or chopped into small pieces, can use multiple for enhanced flavor. smoked cheese is ideal. prefer cheddar but gouda or other strong cheeses would work for a different taste]

1 lb ground meat or meatless crumbles of choice [LOW FAT CONTENT. recommend at Least 80/20 beef, prefer 90/10 or less] Optional, but highly recommended

1 cup milk

1/2 medium yellow onion, white for stronger flavor

several cloves of garlic [recommend more than 1/2 bulb up to one whole bulb, per taste]

1/2 large hothouse tomato or equivalent

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

turmeric

optional: single drop of yellow mustard [i do not like mustard normally but it does enhance the flavor]

optional: soy sauce, worchestershire sauce, liquid smoke

Materials needed:

skillet, cast iron works excellent if available [to cook meat]

small stock pot [to cook pasta]

saucepan or stock pot [to cook sauce] It needs to be big enough to hold all of the sauce, pasta, and meat.

strainer [to drain pasta]

tool to stir meat [appropriate for your skillet. do not use metal utensil on cast iron or nonstick]

large spoon [to stir sauce]

Cutting board

flat edged knife

How to make it:

Slice up your ingredients in this order: tomato, garlic, onion, cheese. Set aside a small portion of the onion and garlic. Keep tomato and cheese in their own places. Onion and garlic may be combined

LOW AND SLOW

Begin heating skillet. [on a numbered stove, set between 3 and 4] Melt a small amount of butter [less than 1/2 tbsp] to grease the pan. If using cast iron, butter optional. If butter is limited but not using cast iron, it can be substituted for a small drizzle of oil. I prefer to use sunflower or canola.

When the butter/oil is crackling, or a drop of water in the skillet sizzles when dropped in, add the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally until all pieces are translucent.

Add in the pound of meat and break up. I like to slice perpendicular to the strands of meat [this can be done in the tray the meat comes in if you buy it in a tray] before dropping the meat in. Stir often, making sure ALL meat is browning well. When about half has browned, you can add a small drizzle of worchestershire, soy sauce, liquid smoke [any or all, I prefer all. for smoke, hickory or mesquite are best, pecan or applewood will be too sweet]. Salt and pepper to taste.

When almost all meat has browned, add in the chopped tomato. Continue cooking until ALL meat is thoroughly browned. [E-coli is no joke.]

Turn off heat, and let cool for a few minutes. Meat should then be drained, NOT into the sink, that's bad for the plumbing. I place a paper towel in the trashcan and drain onto it. Set aside meat mix.

In the stock pot, boil enough water to amply cover pasta, dash of salt may be added to the water if desired. When water is boiling, add pasta and cook to al dente instructions.

Strain pasta, rinse with cold water [halts the cooking process so noodles don't become overdone], strain again, and set aside.

In the saucepan, heat one cup milk. On a numbered stove, can set up to 4 to start.

Once milk has gotten very warm [you can hold your hand over it in the pot to check], add in 1 tbsp butter and allow to melt. Stir thoroughly to combine.

Add to the milk 1/4 tsp turmeric, drop of mustard, and salt and pepper as desired. Stir thoroughly.

Once milk is very hot, turn down heat, on a numbered stove turn to 3. Add the remaining garlic and onion, and let them simmer for a minute or two.

Begin adding strong cheese pieces. Do not put all in one pile, spread around the pan and allow some to melt before adding more. This process is slow and annoying. It's worth it. Stir often to ensure distribution of heat and check meltiness.

When all of the strong cheese has been added and melted, add the shredded mild cheese. Be sure to spread around the pan. Stir continually until all melted.

Once all cheese has melted, the sauce is ready. Turn to 'warm' or 'low' while combining. You will add the pasta and meat to the sauce, don't try to add the sauce to the pasta. Add your cooked pasta first, a little bit at a time and stir to coat. Once all pasta has been added, add in the meat mixture and mix it in. Turn off heat.

Serve and enjoy. Servings go farther than you might think, it's VERY heavy and hearty. If not putting in a serving dish or storing immediately, turn off heat, but turn on to warm periodically and stir to keep it from clumping up nasty and making cleanup harder.

Store leftovers, and wash sauce pan IMMEDIATELY. If you don't you Will regret it. It will be so much harder to clean once sauce remnants have solidified. Powerwash with very hot water as much as you can out of it with a sprayer, and soak in extremely soapy hot as possible water for 10-30 minutes if it doesn't all wash out. Good luck, it usually requires some scrubbing even after a soak.

Chef's notes:

Not sure this could really be translated into a fully vegan recipe. I also suspect from my experience with gluten free pasta, it would not work well as the noodles tend to be fragile.

Whole milk is my preference in this recipe, but as long as it has some fat content it should work well. If subbing the milk for a plant milk, use a thicker variety with higher fat content, like soy or oat. Almond milk would perform terribly due to its low fat content and usual runniness.

The absolute best version of this i have made I used: pizza blend shreds, 5 slices of Kroger Private Selection brand hickory smoked cheddar slices, and about 4.5 oz of Belton farm brand Smoked Red Fox red leicester cheese. Red leicester is a fantastic candidate in general due to its crumbliness and intense flavor.

This recipe could be made with 16 oz of velveeta and 2/3-3/4 cup milk, but it absolutely will not have the exceptional punch of using quality strong flavored cheese.

#recipe #entree #mac and cheese #easy freeze

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 6 months

Text

"WOMEN TRAM OPERATORS AND TAXI DRIVERS NOW "ON THE JOB"," Toronto Star. October 22, 1943. Page 2. ---- WOMEN OPERATORS appeared for the first time today in Toronto street cam. One of them was Mrs. M. Corbin, formerly in the C.W.A.C.

"IT'S SWELL and I like it very much." declared Mrs. M. Muir, one of the three who will undergo a 21-day probation period. All have husbands in the armed forces and are determined to make a go of it.

MRS. I. V. LAMPERT says she prefers the work to an office job. T.T.C. already employs women bus drivers.

FIVE taxi drivers' licenses have also been issued to women in Toronto. Two of the recipients were Mrs. Phyllis Murray (at wheel) and Mrs. Phyllis Webb. All five have had many years of driving experience.

"MOTOR-MATRONS RUN TRAMS OTHERS BEHIND TAXI WHEELS," Toronto Star. October 22, 1943. Page 2. ---- "This Is the Life," Says One as Toronto Transport Turns to the Ladies ---- HUSBANDS SERVING ---- Transportation in Toronto took on a "feminine twist" today with the Introduction of "motor-matrons" to drive street cars and the issuing of the first taxi drivers' licenses to women.

Each of the three new motor-matrons has a husband in the armed forces, and one has a four-month-old baby at home. The feminine version of street car operators are training on the Bay St. run for their new job. They must serve a probationary period of 21 days.

Three women applicants for taxi-driving authority were given licenses at police headquarters. Two others, Inspector Edward Dunn said, had also passed "a very strict test in handling cars and the rules of the road." All five will start work Monday with a Yonge St. taxi firm.

"This Is the Life" Mrs. M. Muir, one of the new T.T.C. drivers, started as a conductor, and before that worked at the Inglis plant. This is the life" she said as she took the controls.

The second driver is Mrs. I. M. Corbin, formerly a motor transport driver in the C.W.A.C.

Mrs. U. V. Lampert, formerly an office worker, was concerned over her car being late on the run.

"We are late," she demurred as she stopped the car at the Wychwood barns. "I have never driven a motor car... my husband is in the R.C.A.F. at Lakeview, training to be a pilot... I have two brothers In the R.C.A.F. Sorry, but we must start this street car moving we mustn't be late and she was off down the tracks.

Taught Others Before "I was a private driving instructress, and put some 400 persons through for their driving permits, "said Mrs. Ella Murray, Castlewood Rd.. the first to pass her taxi-driving test. "I drove trucks and private cars with the R.CA.F. for two years during the last war. This war I was a civilian driver at Malton airport." Mrs. Phyllis Webb, Laird drive, a major with the women's volunteer corps, was a private driving instructress for five years, and has two daughters going to school and a on stationed at Camp Borden in the R.C.C.S. Her husband is a veteran of the last war.

Driving Since 1916 "I've been doing war work since the outbreak of war, and I want to continue to do my it," said Mrs. Esther Burns, Delaware Ave., who sald she has been driving since 1916.

The other licensed drivers are, Mrs. Emma Gorrie, Glenrose Ave., and Mrs. Dorotny Buchanan, King St., Weston, Each will wear the regulation badge and a uniform consistaing of navy blue tunic and skirt, blue shirt, black tie and chauffeur hat.

"The women will clean and polish their cars just like our men drivers," said P. E. Amie, president of the Deer Park Livery, "and if they get a flat tire while they're out on a trip, they'll change the tire. They'Il work ten and a half hours a day, and receive the same pay as the men."

#toronto #women workers #war workers #manpower shortage #toronto transit commission #patriachal society #streetcars #public transit #mass transit #street railways #canada during world war 2 #taxi driver

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woodishsa · 1 year

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The invention a “wood watch. ”

Curious about just the story behind this development or perhaps just the history of the wooden watch altogether? Well, it’s no wonder. This history is one infrequently told but fascinating, nevertheless. It has its roots in 16th century Europe, evolving from the spring- driven movable timepieces of the time. It was made by a German locksmith named Peter Henlein in 1505, who was presumably tired of the impracticality, imprecision, and importability of other timekeeping results, and is largely considered the world’s oldest watch.

Although, it wasn’t him who actually declared the invention a “wood watch. ” That honor belongs to original mariners of the day, who used it in place of their stopwatches to cover their 4- hour shifts that were generally called wooden watches. The association stuck and snappily came the sanctioned term, indeed to this veritably day. From that point on, wood watches snappily evolved, with moment’s recognizable flat design in 1675, the wristwatch in 1868, the electric bone in the 1950s, and the first quartz movement in 1969.

What about the rustic wooden watch, however? That came a many times latterly in 1980, created by James Borden, a repairer who had noway had any experience with the little tech’s mechanisms. still, he was fascinated by it and decided he wanted to try his own hand( or rather, wrist watch) at it. Since metalwork was n’t particularly accessible to him, he decided to draft his wood watch from what he’d on hand and could work with wood. He did, therefore the rustic watch was born, all pieces minus the quartz demitasse being made entirely of the stuff.

While born due to a lack of other accoutrements – necessity is the mama of invention, after all – the rustic wooden watch has come commodity further. currently, it’s a fashion and particular statement all in one, a move to stand out while also getting a step closer to nature. It’s come kindly of an ethical statement over the times, too, a move to reduce the detriment done to our terrain as nearly every ultramodern- day wood watch is made entirely of reclaimed accoutrements . Where will it go from then? That’s anyone’s stylish conjecture. But we ’re sure that whatever’s next will be just as great and innovative as everything that’s come ahead, and we ca n’t stay to see it.

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lane-san-marcos-living · 1 year

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Blue Jean Movers

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Link to maps

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goalhofer · 2 years

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U.S. Daily High Temperature Records Tied/Broken 5/17/22

Unincorporated Cochise County, Arizona: 98 (previous record 97 2018)

Jerome, Arizona: 92 (previous record 91 1997)

Lost Dutchman State Park, Arizona: 103 (also 103 2009)

Alamosa, Colorado: 83 (previous record 82 2003)

Colorado Springs, Colorado: 90 (previous record 88 1970)

Unincorporated Costilla County, Colorado: 67 (previous record 66 2020)

Devil Mt. summit, Colorado: 82 (also 82 2009)

Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, CO: 78 (also 78 2009)

El Diente Peak summit, Colorado: 65 (also 65 2020)

Unincorporated Fremont County, Colorado: 83 (previous record 80 2020)

Greeley, Colorado: 92 (previous record 89 2013)

Gunnison National Forest, Colorado: 69 (also 69 1992)

Hayden, Colorado: 88 (previous record 84 1948)

Huntsman Mesa summit, Colorado: 71 (previous record 70 2009)

Unincorporated Las Animas County, Colorado: 67 (also 67 2020)

Lone Cone summit, Colorado: 68 (also 68 1992)

McClure Pass summit, Colorado: 70 (also 70 2020)

Pike National Forest, Colorado: 78 (also 78 2018)

Pueblo, Colorado: 95 (previous record 94 2018)

Rangely, Colorado: 87 (also 87 1970)

Ridgway, Colorado: 84 (previous record 83 1996)

Rio Grande National Forest, Colorado: 63 (previous record 61 2018)

Unincorporated Saguache County, Colorado: 81 (also 81 1996)

San Isabel National Forest, Colorado: 69 (previous record 68 2020)

San Juan National Forest, Colorado: 67 (also 67 2020)

Boca Chica Key, Florida: 92 (previous record 89 2019)

Ft. Pierce, Florida: 93 (also 93 1985)

Unincorporated Palm Beach County, Florida: 94 (also 94 1995)

Vero Beach, Florida: 92 (also 92 1995)

Unincorporated Kaua'i County, Hawaii: 88 (also 88 2019)

Cicero Township, Indiana: 89 (previous record 86 2017)

New Roads, Louisiana: 94 (previous record 92 1963)

Oberlin, Louisiana: 92 (also 92 1963)

Shreveport, Louisiana: 92 (also 92 1988)

Middleborough, Massachusetts: 83 (previous record 80 2013)

Great Basin National Park, Nevada: 82 (also 82 1997)

Mt. Charleston, Nevada: 77 (previous record 76 2014)

Carlsbad, New Mexico: 102 (also 102 2018)

Unincorporated Chaves County, New Mexico: 91 (previous record 90 2018)

Unincorporated Colfax County, New Mexico: 90 (previous record 87 2018)

Farmington, New Mexico: 90 (previous record 87 1996)

Unincorporated Grant County, New Mexico: 96 (also 96 1988)

Las Cruces, New Mexico: 99 (also 99 2000)

Unincorporated Torrance County, New Mexico: 90 (previous record 89 1996)

Burns Flat, Oklahoma: 96 (also 96 2000)

Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Oklahoma: 90 (previous record 89 1998)

Unincorporated Municipio De Arecibo, Puerto Rico: 91 (previous record 90 2020)

Amarillo, Texas: 101 (previous record 100 2013)

Angelina National Forest, Texas: 91 (also 91 2018)

Austin, Texas: 99 (previous record 96 2018)

Unincorporated Bandera County, Texas: 97 (also 97 1978)

Unincorporated Borden County, Texas: 102 (also 102 2013)

Unincorporated Brewster County, Texas: 105 (previous record 104 2013)

Unincorporated Brewster County, Texas: 101 (previous record 100 1995)

Burnet, Texas: 98 (also 98 2003)

Crane, Texas: 102 (also 102 2013)

College Station, Texas: 95 (also 95 1996)

Cotulla, Texas: 107 (previous record 103 1978)

Unincorporated Dallas County, Texas: 95 (also 95 1966)

Unincorporated Erath County, Texas: 99 (previous record 98 2000)

Ft. Stockton, Texas: 104 (previous record 103 1996)

Ft. Worth, Texas: 95 (also 95 2018)

Hondo, Texas: 102 (previous record 101 2013)

Unincorporated Jeff Davis County, Texas: 97 (previous record 96 1996)

Laredo, Texas: 106 (also 106 1995)

Lubbock, Texas: 101 (also 101 1996)

Unincorporated Midland County, Texas: 103 (also 103 2013)

Mt. Locke summit, Texas: 92 (previous record 91 1996)

Mt. Pleasant, Texas: 92 (previous record 91 2015)

Persimmon Gap summit, Texas: 105 (also 105 2000)

San Antonio, Texas: 100 (previous record 97 2013)

Snyder, Texas: 100 (also 100 2001)

Van Horn, Texas: 98 (also 98 1974)

Waco, Texas: 96 (also 96 2018)

Unincorporated Winkler County, Texas: 105 (also 105 1996)

Unincorporated Box Elder County, Utah: 83 (also 83 2012)

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah: 76 (previous record 75 1970)

Dinosaur National Monument, Utah: 91 (also 91 1970)

Fremont Indian State Park, Utah: 86 (previous record 85 2006)

Loa, Utah: 86 (previous record 84 1927)

Provo, Utah: 89 (also 89 2006)

Randolph, Utah: 82 (previous record 79 2006)

Vernon, Utah: 86 (also 86 1970)

Dubois, Wyoming: 81 (previous record 80 2006)

Green River, Wyoming: 87 (previous record 86 1948)

#U.S.A.#U.S.#Puerto Rico #Arizona #1990s #Colorado #1940s #Florida #1980s #Indiana #Louisiana #1960s #Massachusetts #Nevada #New Mexico #Oklahoma #Texas #1970s #Utah #1920s #Wyoming #Hawaii

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lighthouses-click · 5 years

Text

Rhode Island Lighthouses and a Surprise in Massachusetts

This was originally posted on my other blog Big Toe In The Wind on February 4, 2019, which was just before I started this blog.

I saw some lighthouses this weekend! I was in Rhode Island for a wedding and decided to revisit some lighthouses that I’d seen before to get better pics.

This is Borden Flats Lighthouse in Falls River, Massachusetts. A cute little puppy jumped on my leg here. I just happened to see it while driving over a bridge this time but I’m pretty sure I went the same way last time and totally missed it. I was working from a list of Rhode Island lighthouses and didn’t think about having to drive through MA to see more in RI.

This is Castle Hill Lighthouse in Newport, RI. Last time I went here it had snowed and I was afraid to approach this cliff knowing that it would be slippery.

This is Newport Harbor Lighthouse also known as Goat Harbor Lighthouse in Newport, RI. I didn’t get close to the lighthouse last time but made sure to this time.

They also had a goat there on Goat Island. lol

This is Rose Island Lighthouse in Newport, RI. I wasn’t necessarily planning on seeing this one because it was so far away from King Park where I saw it last time. This view was from Goat Island and I had left the telephoto lens in the car.

One day I’m going to go back and take one of the many lighthouse cruises to see it close up. There are so many that you either have to do the lighthouse cruise or take a ferry to see close.

This is Ida Lewis Yacht Club formerly known as Ida Lewis Lighthouse or Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport, RI. I have been by here twice and still haven’t seen the actual light. Of course, it’s private property and the pier next to this one at King Park (where you can have the best view from land without being there) has a “No Trespassing” sign and some type supplies on it.

This is Plum Beach Lighthouse in Jamestown, RI. I took this pic completely not looking with my phone. I, of course, had to rotate and crop it so it looked like something. I’m pleased.

These are Dutch Island Lighthouse in Jamestown, Rhode Island, and Sakonnet Lighthouse in Middletown, Rhode Island. I went back to these because I brought my telephoto lens.

This is Pomham Rocks Lighthouse in Riverside, Rhode Island.

I got a great pic of the sun about to set here as well.

I finished up here at around 5 and my flight was at 7:30. So I took the chance to go to Iggy’s which was recommended by an Uber driver.

Added later: Looking at this map of my location history, I can see why I missed that lighthouse in Massachusetts last time. Last time I went to Bristol Ferry Lighthouse which completely bypassed Falls River.

#borden flats #massachusetts #newport harbor #goat island #rose island #lime rock #ida lewis #plum beach #dutch island #sakonnet #pomham rocks #rhode island #2019

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koro-is-caffeinated · 3 years

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My Demon!Shane headcanons because I saw somebody else do it lmao

His height is an illusion. He can make himself look as much as a foot to 3 metres taller than any being, but on camera he will always appear 6'4, and no matter how you measure him, he will alter reality so the ruler reads as 6'4.

His skin turns a sickly grey colour when in his true form.

He's not actually all that powerful, but he has powers that make him appear much scarier and bigger than he is.

He's an average-ranking demon, slightly above Annabelle

His true form's height visually is between 7 and 8 feet tall.

Black eyes fo-sho, they don't reflect light.

His ears stick out flat and pointy like elf ears.

His legs are like the legs of a goat, but slimmer and bonier like a wolf's, and covered in short, matted, black fur.

His forearms and chest have some scruffier black fur as well.

His tail is as long as his body and covered in diamond-shaped black scales with a thin strip of fur down the base, tipped with a sharp spear-tip.

His face has some scattered similar black scales.

His tail is prehensile and strong enough to pick up Ryan effortlessly.

His feet are clawed and animal-like.

His fingertips look burnt or charred and fade into sharp, hooked, black claws made of stiff keratin.

The air around him is cold and smells like matches and copper.

His tongue is blue and pointy, like a lizard's without the forked tip.

His wings are like a bird's, feathery with tawny feathers near where they connect to his shoulders, because for a demon he's basically a baby.

He's almost 200 years old.

He feeds off of Ryan's fear, and he says it tastes like pancakes.

The wings have layers of black, brown, and white feathers, and his wingspan in 20 feet.

He has the horns of a giant sable antelope that curve far behind his head and are a light brown, like the colour of toffee.

He sits like a cat sometimes.

If you took an X-ray of him, you'd see a large, mangled raggedy-ann doll (Annabelle) stuffed into his chest cavity, and there is a long scar down his torso where he dissected himself and shoved the demon into his ribs.

Moths and spiders are very attracted to him.

His voice is distorted in his true form, three different pitches layered on top of eachother.

He protects Ryan, while also screwing with him.

When he came out to Ryan as a demon, Ryan tried to shoot him with holy water. It didn't do anything. Ryan came to accept it, eventually.

Ryan scribbles pentagrams sometimes just for the sake of bothering him, since it usually creates a buzzing in his head.

Shane's main power is necromancy, he can raise the dead and have him do his bidding. He once slow-danced with the reanimated skeleton of Lizzie Borden.

He loves to mess with camera equipment and throw in little supernatural occurrences on film. The worst he's ever scared Ryan is when he came up behind him and opened his mouth, to which hundreds of moths came flying out.

He heals very quickly!

Being in his human form is very tiring, one time he accidentally turned into his true form while sleeping and ripped his sleeping bag. Ryan had to edit that entire video himself just so that none of the crew found out about Shane's secret.

Sara is the only other person who knows about his demonhood.

#demon!au #demon!shane #headcanons #Demon!shane headcanons #watcher #watcher entertainment #shane madej #ryan bergara #buzzfeed unsolved #Buzzfeedunsolved headcanons #bfu supernatural #bfu true crime #bfu #bfu au

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saglovesu · 2 years

Text

𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐

— 𝘽𝙪𝙯𝙯𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 ♡

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CW: lots of swearing, furries (idk if I need to put a warning for that?? I‘ll just put it here like I do w/every kink/fetish related stuff lol), descriptions of violence

A/N: I‘m having WAY too much fun doing these quotes,,, if you want more parts/ other shows let me know!! Requests are open so feel free! 🤍

Atsumu: I think you need to learn how to start seeing things for what they are.

Sakusa: I think you need to learn how to shut the hell up.

♡

Makki: I think the moon having a boner is about as realistic as ghosts.

Oikawa: *laughing* no it‘s not!

♡

Yahaba: in today‘s episode we investigate into the question: are ghosts real?

Kyotani: *shakes head*

♡

Sugawara: By the way, anybody could sketch anybody. Like, I could just- that means if I drew a sketch of you murdering someone back in the day, I could show up to the police station and be like „here it is. Here‘s evidence that Tanaka Ryūnosuke in cold blood, killed this woman dressed as a furry.“

Tanaka: And I feel like you would do that.

Sugawara: and they‘d be like „you‘re right. We had a lot of reports that Tanaka Ryūnosuke is in fact a furry.“

Tanaka: slap the cuffs on those hooves.

♡

Kuroo: so this is part of the recurring theme that you‘ve had throughout this show, where if there weren‘t modern devices you‘d be-

Kenma: I‘d be a monster

Kuroo: - an insane psychopath

Kenma: yes.

♡

Osamu: you hear that ghosts? That‘s Miya Osamu 1, Waverly Hills Sanatorium 0. How does that feel?

Suna [from behind him]: you fucking wimps!

♡

Yamaguchi: the first theory is ridiculous.

Tsukishima: *bursts out laughing*

Yamaguchi: I‘m just gonna say that right now, it‘s ridiculous

Tsukishima: never heard you just flat out-

Yamaguchi: I know, for- for me to say it‘s ridiculous-

Tsukishima: this is a first

♡

Akaashi, counting down: 10,9

Bokuto: 8

Akaashi: I‘m counting in my head.

♡

[in a haunted house]

Oikawa: alright, iwa-chan is doing his lock up in there- oh boy oh god my fucking light just died goddamn it turn back on please please please

Iwaizumi, in the other room: *laughing*

Oikawa: iwa-chan is your lock in done??

Iwaizumi: No I‘ve just got another two min-

Oikawa: *screams* fuck fuck fuck come back out! AH! Come back out!! Come back out!

Iwaizumi, laughing: I got two more minutes-

Oikawa: NO NO!!

Iwaizumi: this is one of the best days of my life.

♡

Atsumu: and the worst part is I don‘t even have my holy water! I went to eight churches today to try and get some holy water and I could not get one bit of holy water so now I‘m going into a demonhole with no holy water!

♡

Tsukishima: I‘m gonna take everything said by a ghost hunter with a grain of salt.

Kuroo: well technically now you‘re a ghost hunter so think about that.

Tsukishima: oh shit.

Kuroo: So I don‘t know if I could trust you.

Tsukishima: uh, I‘m a ghost hunter but I‘d- *stutters*

Kuroo: oh my god did your brain just explode?

Tsukishima: Am I a ghost hunter? I don‘t wanna be a ghosthunter. This is all bullshit!

Kuroo: (wheezes)

Tsukishima: Oh no, do I have to put that on my business card?

Kuroo: yeah „Tsukishima Kei, Ghost hunter“

Tsukishima: son of a bitch

♡

[in the borden house]

Bokuto, holding an axe: andrew this look familiar?

Kuroo: oh my god

Bokuto: *imitates axe smashing his own face* AH! AH!

Kuroo: *laughing* that‘s so fucked up

Bokuto: *imitates swinging axe at kuroo*

Kuroo, still laughing: dude get away from me!

♡

Y/N: that‘s Jodie

Atsumu: the- the doll?

Y/N: mhmm

Osamu: what‘s her deal

Y/N: she will be the overseer of the haunted nursery of dolls that I‘m going to have.

Osamu, whispering to Atsumu: I‘m gonna buy you one of those for christmas.

Atsumu: shut up 'samu!

♡

[in a haunted house]

Sugawara [to the ghost]: I heard you like balls- NO WAIT *laughs*

Daichi: you wanna do a retake on that one? That had to be intentional

Sugawara: I swear to god I‘m not doing this on purpose

Daichi: I mean this is a bit-

Sugawara: *still laughing* no it‘s not a fucking bit I‘m sorry

♡

[talking about a haunted house]

Atsumu: It’s been reported that shadows follow you.

Kita: shadows do tend to follow you though. That‘s sort of how they work.

Series Masterlist

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indelibleevidence · 3 years

Text

2x02 is actually way more awesome and full of plot points than I always remember.

The team's mistrust of Jane, including Zapata and Reade being downright hostile.

Kurt's hangups about his dad, and about Jane, and the team fighting, and Jane bringing up Taylor, and Valentine being paralysed after he argued to let her into the field, and the baby... a LOT gets dropped on him in this episode. No wonder he's drinking like a fish at the end of the case!

Jane's Orion flashback, and seeing the memorial.

Jane's querying whether Sandstorm are worse than the government and its law enforcement agencies, saying the country runs on lies. Kind of hard to disagree with that, from what the rest of the show has shown us!

Roman's borderline panic at the thought of his sister being out there without him, and Shepherd's attitude with him, and the info that Cade's been spotted.

Patterson being pissed at Nas, and the bright spot in her day Borden gives her.

Reade's whole thing with Freddie and Coach Jones, and realising that he's forgotten his own abuse.

Nas promising Jane that she can trust her, but then going straight back to listening to her session with Borden.

The info that Carter probably ran Orion.

I always think it's a real shame they reshot the scene where Jane tells the team about her Orion op, because I love Patterson in that scene. Everyone else in the room is telling her to shut up, to keep Jane out of the loop, and she just flat out ignores them. "Secrets got Mayfair killed, and if we're going to stop Sandstorm, we have got to stop lying to each other." And Nas gives Patterson an order like SHE'S the boss, and Zapata is antagonistic towards Jane, and the whole atmosphere is so tense. I just think it's a great scene, way better than the reshoot. But I think Jaimie must have been sick that day - her voice is really hoarse at times.

#blindspot #blindspot rewatch 2021 #blindspot 2x02

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hoodoo12 · 3 years

Text

The Ties That Bind (And How To Follow Them) 1/?

Heave ho, here we go!

@werwulfy @rainingpaint @bunnys-beetlejuice-blog @mel-time @heresathreebee @sweetcat-666 @turtlepated @infptarius

Pate was dreaming, and this time she knew it.

For weeks she had been checking her reflection in mirrors, examining her hands to make sure they were normal, asking herself while awake “Am I dreaming?”, all in preparation for when she was actually dreaming.

“I am dreaming,” she told herself matter-of-factly.

In the months since her encounters with the demons Beetlejuice and his brother Rigel, Pate had apparently had many, deeply unpleasant dreams from what Beetlejuice told her afterwards; moaning and tossing in her sleep, desperate to escape something. She never remembered when she woke, which might be a blessing but was mostly annoying.

Now she had developed the ability to take control.

“I am dreaming,” she repeated to herself in the same, flat tone.

She looked around herself to see where she was. In her mind’s eye, she was standing amidst the hazy impression of a coniferous forest, the sky overhead gray like it was threatening rain. The road she stood on (and she felt sure it was a road, it was hard underfoot) was a rainbow of colors all splotched and running together like an impressionist painting.

Everything was slightly fuzzy around the edges, as though it was all out of focus and if she could just tune in her mental binoculars she could see it clearly. But already the dream was beginning to unravel and she felt herself waking up. She opened her eyes, finding herself reclining on a squashy pleather couch where she’d lain down to fall asleep. With a sigh, she sat up.

“Did you see anything?” asked the older woman sitting in a worn wingback chair across from her. Pate nodded and relayed the muddled details of the rainbow road in the watercolor woods. “Don’t forget to write it down,” she advised. Pate had begun keeping a dream journal for the purposes of trying to remember as much as she could from her dreams, carrying it with her to add details if and when they came back to her.

“It’s been the same pieces and fragments for weeks now,” Pate griped. “And I don’t know what any of it means.”

“You will,” assured her mentor, shrugging absently. “Or you won’t. It might not mean anything. The important thing is learning how to take control of what’s inside your head.” Pate grumbled, her face in her hands, but privately acknowledged that maybe the other woman had a point.

It was sheer happenstance, or maybe fate, that had brought Pate into Lillian Borden’s second-hand shop. She liked antique stores and sometimes used goods stores had interesting or rare finds. Pate had probably passed the shop a hundred times without ever going in, but Mrs. Borden had recognized something in her from the moment they met. Whatever Pate had, Lillian Borden had it, too.

At Beetlejuice’s urging, Pate had asked Mrs. Borden to teach her how to manage her . . . whatever it was she was having. Psychic episodes? Recurring nightmares? Visions? Either way, his concern had prodded her to seek outside help and Lillian had agreed to do what she could.

“Try to go back to it,” Lillian was saying. “See if you can make anything else out.”

With a sigh Pate shut her eyes and willed her mind to revisit her dream. It was overcast but not raining, and as she focused the irregular splotches of color on the rainbow road became brighter, the details of the surrounding woods more defined. They were definitely cone bearing trees.

The beginnings of a headache were making their appearance behind her eyes and in her temples and Pate checked the time. They’d been in the back room of Lillian’s shop for over an hour, and she still had to do something about dinner and get ready for work tomorrow.

“I guess we’d better call it a night,” she said.

Lillian hummed noncommittally, then said, “You burn that sage I gave you?”

Pate hesitated, only for the briefest second because, no, she hadn’t used the smudging tools. “Yeah,” she lied, hoping it was more convincing than it felt. Lillian’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if she didn’t believe her.

“There’s a presence around you, girl,” she said. “A dark presence, a powerful presence. The smart thing to do would be to get rid of it.” Pate nodded her understanding, but immediately dismissed the idea.

There was only one dark, powerful presence she knew of that would be around her, and she had no intention of sending him away. In fact, he would be waiting on her to come home.

⁂

Puttering around Pate’s apartment, Beetlejuice couldn’t find a thing to do. He’d already read ad nauseum the graphic novels Pate had gotten from the library for him. She’d expressly forbidden him to shove any dirty kitchen towels back into the drawer he found them in; he was permitted to use them--her nose had wrinkled at the word “used”--but if one was “used”, she made him promise to wash it. The birds on the birdfeeder were just dumb sparrows and starlings, nothing fun like crows or vultures. He had the brilliant idea to put scraps of meat out to attract them which worked to draw in the acceptable alternative of raccoons, until Pate got a letter from the landlord that made her yell because it threatened eviction, so raw meat outside was even less allowed than using the towels to wipe his junk and putting them back where they belonged.

Seeming to realize that a bored Beetlejuice was a potentially destructive one, she did concede to purchase the streaming Disney channel. He spent some of the time she was gone flipping from The Muppet Show and documentaries about animals. He promised not to watch WandaVision without her. Sometimes she allowed him to go to work with her, if she knew no one else would be there. During her visits to Lillian’s, however, he was not invited. “I have to concentrate,” she told him, “and you hanging around distracts me.” She didn’t say it, but one time he’d chased a pesky minor poltergeist out of a chest of drawers in the older woman’s antique shop. It caused a racket and broke the drawers, and he knew that was more likely the reason he wasn’t to go back. He lazed around and watched TV and practiced card tricks in front of her mirror. He didn’t need to practice card tricks; he had his own sleight of hand better than any stage magician, but it gave him something to do to fill the time. Like a dog, he was tuned to when Pate returned. In a quick movement he made the deck he was holding disappear faster than humanly possible, and was beside the door waiting for her to open it the next second. Tonight was taco night! He took the bags of food the moment she was in the door. It was a move more greedy than gracious, but she didn’t seem to mind because she asked him how his day was and told him not to eat the raw ingredients in the same breath as she hung up her jacket. The specter waited for her to come into the kitchen before hugging her. “You look tired, baby,” he announced, eyeing her critically. “Are you sure Lillian is helping you? It seems like she’s just making everything worse.” He wanted Pate well and whole, but wasn’t pleased that although Pate had faith in this woman, it didn’t seem to be doing much good. He had to admit, however, that nothing he’d done had been able to help alleviate her nightmares either.

⁂

Having never had a live-in partner before, Pate had never given much thought to what it would be like to actually have someone waiting for her at home. But she found that she liked it. For the most part, anyway.

Despite the few hiccups like the incident with the racoons and the time he’d ruined her good skillet melting marbles in it on the stovetop, they had a pretty good thing going she thought. The way he always appeared at the door the second she walked in, like an overlarge, excitable, slightly moldy golden retriever never failed to make her smile. Tonight was no exception.

Pate gratefully allowed him to take her bags through to the kitchen while she deposited her keys and purse and jacket in their usual spots, following him and sighing contentedly as he wrapped her in his arms. She smiled against his chest, wishing she could simply live there and not have to worry about work or training or anything else. At his proclamation, she drew back enough to look him in the eye, smiling wanly.

“I kinda am tired, Beej,” she admitted. It had been some time since she’d gotten a decent night’s sleep, the dreams and nightmares taking turns with a general sense of unease and restlessness that kept her awake.

“The dreams may not be getting better, but she’s helped me enough that I can remember them when I wake up. Maybe that’s the key to figuring out what they’re all about. And if I keep practicing the lucid dreaming thing, maybe I could even stop them myself.”

Raising herself on tip-toe to press a quick peck on his lips, Pate then set his destructive proclivities to chopping up the tomatoes and jalapenos and other toppings while she browned and seasoned the meat for their tacos. It filled her with a cozy, domestic feeling as Beetlejuice jabbered absently about whatever had come into his head, interspersed with the ambiance of sizzling hamburger and the clacking of the knife against the cutting board.

She considered telling him about Lillian’s insistence that she cleanse her apartment and dismiss him, but she had a good idea how he’d respond to that and didn’t want to upset him. Besides, if she had anything to say about it he wasn’t going anywhere he didn’t want to. He was here because they both wanted him to be, and that was the end of it.

Instead she removed the pan from the burner, turned off the eye and moved to stand beside him at the island and the heaps of thoroughly massacred vegetables. “What’re we watching tonight?” she asked, opening the taco shells and arranging them on the plates.

⁂

She made him use a knife--knife tricks! He should practice knife tricks!--on the tomatoes since on the first taco night he’d simply crushed them to pulp, but she did say it was okay to rip the lettuce with his hands. Beej did that with relish, managing to fling bits into the air. Like he was imparting a secret, he told Pate that they recorded the noise of breaking lettuce and celery to substitute for bones breaking in movies.

Pate reminded him he told her that every time they had tacos, but softened her chiding with a kiss.

There was a Nicolas Cage movie he was interested in seeing, Color Out of Space, but maybe that wasn’t Pate’s idea of a good time. It was Friday, so the decision was easy: what was with the recasting of Pietro? Did it mean there was finally going to be a connection between the X-men and the Avengers? They settled on the couch to catch up on the latest episode of WandaVision. For the entirety of the show, with the exception of once or twice having to rewind because it was hard to hear over the crunch of the taco shells, they ate without interruptions. Once it was over, the dishes had been cleared, and Pate changed into pajamas, Beetlejuice escorted her back to the couch. Sometimes she had emails to answer from work or simple tasks to complete from Lillian, but tonight she seemed more tired than normal, so he held her while she told him about her day. She said something about wanting to . . . Beetlejuice waited a moment for the rest of the sentence, but Pate had dozed off without completing it. Despite what they’d been through, he still marveled at how easily she gave her trust to someone like him. It would be easy enough to get her into her bed, but he liked being her pillow, so he pulled a blanket from the back of the couch over them, and turned that Nic Cage movie on low to watch it while she slept. Maybe it was the different location, maybe it was because she had just had a lesson with Lillian--maybe it was Nic Cage!--but Pate didn’t stir while they were on the couch. Smiling and hopeful that maybe her nighttime dreams were getting under control, Beetlejuice carried her to bed. It was in the darkest part of the night that she kicked and cried out against him, lost in her head. ⁂

Pate sat bolt upright with a gasp, chest heaving and heart racing. After taking a moment to orient herself, she buried her face in her hands. The same dream, the same tantalizing images, the same mounting sense of dread that grew worse and worse as the dream wore on, pressing between her shoulder blades and against her breastbone, constricting her chest.

The scenes flashes behind her eyelids again: standing on the rainbow road in the middle of the misty forest; the strange red brick tower that stood like a transplanted European castle turret on top of a hill; the sound of rushing water; and standing the in center of a round room with no roof, the starry sky overhead, surrounded by figures that all looked exactly like her.

And the overwhelming notion that something was coming, something unfathomable and indescribable, something powerful and ravenous, drawing closer and closer.

Sighing into her fingers, Pate dropped her hands, sure that she must’ve roused Beej from his restive state, but before she could turn to him another figure appeared in her periphery. Standing by the side of the bed was a strange woman, tumbles of auburn waves falling over her shoulders, her eyes glinting like a cat’s in the darkness.

“Hello, dear,” she purred at Pate, a friendly yet unsettling smile on her pretty heart-shaped face. “You have something I want.”

Without taking her eyes off the intruder, Pate fumbled behind her for Beetlejuice, to wake him, to warn him, but her hand found only empty air. Jolted by this realization, Pate turned to find his place in the bed vacant. Jerking back around to face the smiling woman with her strange eyes, panic surged through Pate’s chest and propelled her heart into her throat.

“Where is he?” she demanded, somehow knowing the woman was responsible for her vanished demon lover.

“Where he belongs,” the woman responded, her smile widening into a predatory grin that froze Pate’s blood in her veins. The terrible foreboding she felt quickly grew into abject terror that she would never see him again.

Then, blessedly, her eyes snapped open to find herself wrapped in Beetlejuice’s arms as he cooed and whispered into her hair that everything was okay, she was just dreaming. Shaking, she clung to him to assure herself that he really was there, feeling the wetness of tears on her cheeks.

“You were gone!” she croaked against him. “There was this woman, her eyes were wrong and she took you!”

She said this with the certainty that comes with dreams, where you simply know something to be true. That certainty told her that something, be it the strange red-haired woman with the glowing eyes or the unknowable presence that stalked ever nearer in her nightmares, was going to try and take him from her. She couldn’t let that happen, wouldn’t let it happen.

⁂

His lover’s abrupt startle awake after twisting and turning and being unable to be roused made him feel worse. What use was he if he couldn’t help her? During her struggles he held her as best he could and soothed her, even though he wasn’t sure Pate even heard him. The tears weren’t uncommon, but specifics about what her mind conjured up were. Beej brushed it off as simple lingering fear, and assured her he wasn’t going anywhere and there was no woman. A weak joke that if she wanted to invite another woman in he wouldn’t object was summarily chewed up and spit out by the rational portion of his brain, the one that had a slightly better understanding of what may and may not be appropriate. It was small, but getting larger. It also nixed allowing him to say, “I guess Nic Cage isn’t the answer.” So he continued to whisper to her and let her cling to him, and because she’d requested it before, asked open-ended questions to help her try and recall as much of the dream as possible. He didn’t understand why that seemed to be important to her mentor, but it was easy and maybe if Pate talked through it, she’d be less frightened.

Mostly he hoped she would just be able to go back to sleep, and vowed to let her stay in bed as long as she would like the next morning.

tbc . . .

#writing #fanfiction #Beetlejuice #Ties that Bind

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