#i have to go to an easter lunch in like an hour and i’m ._. so not looking forward to it HAHAHA
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good morning my boyfriend’s parents are watching comedy shorts from the 40s and one of the actors sounds like vox so much i’m going to cRY
#christian was born to play sleazy men from the 40s and the 50s i swear to GOD#his voice is so perfect for it#i wonder which part of america vox was from#banging my little fists on the tabletop big we need mORE LORE#anyway i hope everyone has a good sunday#i have to go to an easter lunch in like an hour and i’m ._. so not looking forward to it HAHAHA#we’re gonna be there for like eight hours watch#clari chatters
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I don't know if you still want WIP Wed asks but I was busy earlier so I'm going to send some in case.
Word game for BB:
Effect
I meant to respond and totally forgot to, so here they are now!
A snippet of a scene with the word "effect":
On his lunch break, he’s practically bouncing off the walls in the break room as he fixes himself another cup of coffee. It seems counterproductive, but caffeine has always calmed him down.
Robin walks in as he’s stirring in his mountains of sugar. “You know pouring sugar into water would have the same effect, right?”
He shrugs. “Leave me and my sugar addiction alone, Buc– Harley.”
She pats his shoulder carefully as she manuevers around him to top off her own mug.
Eddie steps out of the way and takes a sip of his coffee, leaning against the counter. “So, any travel plans? Heading back home this holiday?”
“For us,” Robin says with a sigh, “this is home.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Oh, so do your folks come down–”
“No,” Robin says, short and to the point. “We spend it with Steve’s family and our little family down here. It’s enough for us.”
“I’m surprised Steve hasn’t dragged you back to spend the holiday with the Henderson’s at the very least,” he says.
Robin shakes her head. “We go down to visit Dustin and his mom for Easter, but the big ones, we stay here.”
Eddie doesn’t know what to make of this new information. He pockets it, leaves it alone to ruminate on later when he’s driving the twelve hours up to Bloomington. “Well, you won’t miss much. Wayne says the weather up there’s been something awful lately. I’m not looking forward to the drive, that’s for sure,” he says, just to fill the air. He sounds like a proper adult, though; whining about the weather and long drives, having small talk with someone who should know him better than he knows himself.
“I’m sure Wayne is excited for you to come home, though,” Robin says. She mirrors his stance, holding her mug with both hands as she takes a small sip. “How is he?”
Eddie lets out a long breath. “Good. Retired. Hates it, but he can’t keep up with the younger guys that were on his team so he had no choice. Spends most of his day bitching with his neighbors and fishing, now.”
Robin gives a soft smile. “I’m glad he’s doing well. Tell him we said hello, yeah?”
‘We,’ she says. ‘We’ as in RobinandSteve, SteveandRobin. They’re a unit, a ‘we,’ and she speaks on both of their behalf, like a wife would.
Eddie knows his smile is strained by the look she gives him. “Yeah. Will do.”
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re: my tags on this post, @psychicbluebirdmiracle wanted a list so here’s some of my favorite Robin Hood adaptations in no particular order:
Sidenote: most of these are either extremely niche and/or “you may think it’s bad but I think it’s good” because that’s just what my tastes are.
BBC’s Robin Hood: You all knew this one was going to be up here and if you didn’t, you haven’t been following me long enough. This is what gave birth to my brain worms. I’ve given a PowerPoint presentation about this which was three hours long. I have subjected other people to this show to the point that there is now a yearly celebration where we watch only one specific episode of this show and make memes about it. I am insufferable about this. The day I stop thinking about this show is the day I have lost all brain activity.
Back to Sherwood: I am once again reminding everyone that I have offered to exchange my firstborn child for the original English version of this show. The Vibes on this show are perfect and I will never forgive the people that cancelled it after only 13 episodes. Fun time-travel related hijinks? Sign me up.
Princess of Thieves: Who doesn’t love a Keira Knightley movie?
Disney’s Robin Hood: Listen, you just can’t go wrong with this one. Very solid all around. But there’s another reason I’m putting it on this list. My cousins (ages 6 and 4) were staying over with us on Easter and I put this movie on at one point to get them to sit down for a few minutes while my parents made lunch. My godson (the 6-year-old) asked me why I knew so much about what was going on in the movie and I explained that I watched it when I was young, and then my dad said that the movie is so old that he watched it when he was a child. It was a lovely inter-generational bonding moment over my special interest as my dad explained to my cousin about the different characters and how there’s a lot of different versions of the story.
Not really an adaptation but continuing from the last one, this YouTube video: Some of the best analysis on why most mainstream Robin Hood adaptations suck. This is why I mostly just like the versions that have good Vibes.
This soundtrack to a Swedish Robin Hood musical: I can’t even begin to explain how upset I am that I found out about this musical after it had already been cancelled due to the pandemic. I could have gone and seen it. There’s not even a DVD of it. At least we have the soundtrack which is full of bangers. Everything sounds as over-produced as you’d expect from the country that makes over-produced Eurovision songs, and I love every second of this. If you’re not going to listen to the whole thing, at least listen to Prince John’s song.
This even more obscure soundtrack to a Finnish Robin Hood play from 1997: Everything here is just Vibes. I wish I knew what the actual plot of the play was but these songs are great on their own. The fact that the singer from a famous Finnish band (Neon 2) sings a couple of the songs is just ?????A Choice???? but a perfect one at that.
Robin Hood: The Great Escape: My most vivid memories of listening to this play that’s a podcast is when my IBS was really bad and I was on the bathroom floor crying in pain, so I just put this on to distract me. Anyway, this one has good characters, interesting mix of different cultures and LGBT+ representation, and it all works seamlessly in a way that doesn’t feel forced. Definitely worth a listen.
Robin McKinley’s The Outlaws of Sherwood: I bought this book from my local library’s clearance about 15 years ago. It’s a solid fun adventure and that’s pretty much all I can say about it.
The Finnish opera adaptation of Robin Hood: The dogs in this are nightmare fuel and the whole thing is bordering on the “so bad it’s good” line. The lyrics are so weird at times, it’s awfully cringy sometimes but I love it so much. I own it on DVD and it has English subtitles so if anyone wants to watch it sometime let me know.
Carrie Vaughn’s The Ghosts of Sherwood and The Heirs of Locksley: I need a third part of this. These are a quick read, about 100 pages each, about the children of Robin Hood. And although the premise may sound cliché and childish, I swear these are so good and worth your time.
C.K. Brooke’s Marian: Princess Thief: Ah, yes, the “disappointingly heterosexual” one. Putting aside the fact that this book missed a great opportunity in making at least one of the characters gay, it has an amazing all-female-cast of characters (there’s a male love interest there too I guess, I don’t care about him). This book made me feel like how Sailor Moon made me feel in high school with it’s focus on the Power of Friendship.
That one Finnish audio drama that’s based on Finnemore’s version: Everyone sounds so horny in this one for some reason and the actual text is not helping. The theme song is a banger. It’s a shame the CDs were copy protected so I couldn’t rip the files for myself.
A black-and-white recording of a Finnish play from 1971: The fashion is so 70s it hurts my eyes. The songs are so bad. The plot is almost non-existent but I love every second of this. (I would have linked it but you can unfortunately only watch it in Finland)
The 2009 movie with a dragon in it?????: I don’t remember most of this except that it’s definitely in the “so bad it’s good” category. They just shouldn’t make high-budget versions of Robin Hood when low-budget productions are so much more entertaining.
Edale Lane’s Heart of Sherwood: I need to re-read this one because it had everything I could have asked for. A lesbian Robin Hood with a good story that was a fun adventure which still somehow made me very emotional. 10/10.
That one zoom-play on YouTube: I bought the novel that was made based on this play just because this was so entertaining. In a year I’ve only read about 20 pages of the book but the play was so good and at one point so full of twists I was staring at the screen with my mouth open for like 10 minutes.
I could probably include even more things from my List (I have a list where I collect all the different versions I’ve seen/read/listened to etc), but this is already too long and I ended up taking a few things out. I only included versions I’ve enjoyed the most but there’s still plenty of good ones out there.
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Innocence (Andy Barber x F!Reader) Chapter 2: Unbelievable (18+)
Summary: y/n’s boyfriend rapes her, and andy barber is the lawyer for her case
Chapter 1
tag list: @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @maylaysia109 @avoyen1998
contact me however you like to be added to my taglist!
wc: 930
content: mentions of grooming, mentions of sexual assault, rape, sexual themes, alcohol, swearing, angst, you’ll probably get angry, not being believed, andy is a good guy, y/n is 5’10, andy is 6’, lots of dialouge bc idk how to end a conversation
currently not proof read
I have never seen an episode of Defending Jacob because my broke ass can’t afford Apple TV. Can’t afford the book either, and idk how to get a library card. Everything I know about the show is from fanfiction. If anything is incorrect, I apologize.
Yes, the restaurants in this chapter are Bob’s Burgers and Jimmy Pesto’s. No, I’m not THAT original. Shhhh I just wanted a lil easter egg.
Sorry that it’s a bit short.
Pov: second person
This fic was written to spread awareness on sexual assault
This fic is inspired by “Prima Facie” starring Jodie Comer, and my own personal experiences. If you or anyone you know has been a survivor please know that you’re not alone. If you need anyone to talk to, know that as someone who has been groomed, I am here for you. My Discord will be available below. I am not a professional however. Professional services will also be linked below. Remember: YOU. ARE. NOT. ALONE. and if anyone tries to gaslight you into thinking that it was YOUR fault. Fuck them. It wasn’t.
My Discord: chxrry#3063
MeTooMvmt.Org
DomesticShelters.Org
YWCA Canada
Nikki Land
Grooming Definition: Grooming is when someone builds an emotional connection and a trusting relationship with someone, typically younger, in order for them to manipulate, abuse and/or exploit them. People of all ages can be groomed and can be the groomer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
775 days until the trial
Nervously toying with your necklace, you sit down across from Mr. Barber. You watch Officer Johnson leave as Andy gives you a sympathetic look. When you look back at him, he gives you a warm, compassionate smile before softly saying, “It’s okay.”
“So you know what happened?” You ask, your voice just above a whisper.
“Yes, but don’t worry. You don’t have to talk about anything that you’re uncomfortable with.”
You nod before Andy continues, “For now, I just want to get to know you. Tomorrow we’ll go over the details of your case.”
For the next forty minutes you two share where you’re from, your Starbucks, your favorite type of cookie and pretty much every personal detail about your lives. In that moment, Andy felt like your best friend, and you almost forgot about why he was there. That was until Officer Johnson came in with your phone.
“There’s a text from someone named, ‘Katy Kat,” he hands you your phone and before you read the text, you ask if Jake has texted or asked about you. He shook his head "no".
katy kat:
Hey, girlie! It’s Katy.
I’m in town and I was wondering if you wanted to go out for lunch and hang out a bit.
I went over to your place yesterday but Jake said that you weren’t home.
That you haven’t been home for a while.
If you get this, let me know that you’re okay.
I really want to catch up with you!
You look up at Officer Johnson, and he gives you a nod of approval. Signifying that you can respond to Katy’s text.
y/n:
Hey!
I’d love to hang out with you.
It’s been so long!
I’m so sorry I wasn’t home. Things between Jake and I haven’t been the best lately, and I’ve been staying at a hotel for the past week.
I’ll explain everything when we meet up
Katy responds right away.
katy kat:
Great! I’m glad you're okay!
Can you meet me at Jimmy Pesto’s in half an hour from now?
y/n:
Of course!
katy kat:
Awesome!
See you soon xx
You place your phone on the table, face down and explain the texts to the two men in front of you. Andy offers to drive you as Officer Johnson needs to talk to Jake about what happened that night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before you exit the car, Andy asks for your phone. Confused, you hand it to him and watch as he opens contacts.
“My personal cell number. If you need anything, call me.”
You thank him before exiting the car. Katy sees notices, smiles widely and waves you over. The table she’s at is on the patio of Pesto’s. Two seater. There’s two glasses of water on the table. One in front of her, and one where you’d be sitting.
“Hey,” you said as you sat down.
“That’s a nice car that you got out of. Definitely not Jake’s.”
“It belongs to a friend of mine.”
“We have the same friends, and none of us own a Prius THAT nice.”
Shit.
“It’s my lawyer’s.”
“Lawyer?” Katy said as she leaned over on the table.
You took a large sip of water before stating, “Jake and I,” another sip, “had an incident that requires legal action.”
“What was it?” She asked.
You took a deep breath before looking up at your best friend and telling her what happened. You were in absolute disbelief when she responded with, “He’s your boyfriend so it doesn’t count. You have immediate consent.”
“Katy, I told him ‘No’,” You told her with slight hurt in your voice, “I told him to stop, and he didn’t. He went harder, and put his hand over my mouth”
“And you didn’t fight back?”
“You bitch,” You stood up and stormed to the restaurant across the street, Bob’s Burgers. It was much smaller and emptier than Jimmy Pesto’s. There was only one customer, and he was sitting at the counter. He was a larger man. He wore a gray beanie, a blue button down shirt and brown khakis. He and the woman working at the counter were laughing about something. She was tall, wore a red shirt and glasses of the same color. When you sit down at the seat next to the man, the woman asks if you’d like anything. You shake your head no, and she asks if you’re alright.
“Not really, “you sigh, “my best friend, well ex-best friend now, is being quite bitchy in such a way that I can’t be her friend anymore.”
“I’m sorry, Hun,” the woman says.
The man chimes in before you can say anything, “I could never stop being friends with my best friend, Bobby.”
“Teddy, not know,” states the woman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You shoot Andy a text and within a few minutes he’s picking you up.
“Hey, why were you in-” before he could finish, you were breaking down in the passenger seat of his car.
“This past week, I’ve been telling myself that this wasn’t going to change anything, but then I tell my best friend what happened, and she doesn’t care.”
You wipe away your tears, “Fuck, I’m sorry.”
“Hey,” Andy turns in his seat to face you, and places his hands on your biceps, “you’re a strong, independent woman, and I promise that Jake will be put in jail for his heinous crime.”
You sniffle, and smile a little.
“Thanks, Mr. Barber.”
“Hey, if I put myself in your phone as ‘Andy’, you call me that in person too.”
“Thanks, Andy.”
“Anytime, y/n.”
#dark fic#andy barber fanfiction#andy barber x you#andy barber x y/n#andy barber x reader#andy barber imagine#andy barber fic#andy barber#defending jacob fanfiction#dark andy barber fic#chris evans x y/n#chris evans x you#chris evans x reader#chris evans#chris evans imagine#chris evans fic#chris evans fanfiction
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today I went to a drag show put on by my colleges gsa. the only one in drag was the gsa president. I had thought about putting on an outfit with a skirt on but a lot of people I know would be there, and I don’t want the cis people in my life to associate me with femininity. I'm friends with the gsa president, I make him lunch nearly every day since I work at the college café, we sit next to each other in class, worked on a project together, and chatted a bit on discord. on discord he told me about the drag show.
Someone had posted a picture of their flyer to twitter, and our state representative quote tweeted the post with the caption “call to action!”. When he told me that I started to dig around the original posters twitter account, the person would have to be at my college. the original poster had tweeted some other concerning and borderline threats about trans people, the college board, women, democrats, the works. a republican with a bit of a Nazi twist. comparing every group he doesn't like to them. having joe bidden photoshopped over Hitler in front of a swastika.
Since I found it I’d be repeatedly frantically scrolling through this dudes twitter to keep tabs on it, cause its scary! someone who is typically the shooter so close to my location during a queer event. I was scared to put on a dress. I wore my very subtle rainbow pride shirt, but no trans flag, cause I was scared that if something were to happen it would just be a target to shoot at. but I had fashioned my very first t shot bottle into an earing. it felt personal. I wore the boots that I've only ever worn around my very best friends twice.
I walked in nearly half an hour late, and on the way to the building I pass two people, holding Easter buckets with religious church cards about an event the church is doing, as well as some Easter themed candy. I could tell those people were there to be against the event, but I smiled and took the card and a candy anyway.
I go into the drag event and its just tables set up along the wall leaving space in the middle for would be performers, catering against the wall with the people I work with, and a place near the entrance to get pictures. The gsa president is giving a long winded disjointed speech, but you could feel how scared he was. wither it be general anxiety of being on stage in drag or the stress of possible agitators. but he spoke. and he wore the dress. and I didn’t.
At some point someone walked up to me and asked if they knew me. we were in theater together, although and they just weren’t 100% able to recognize me after being on T for a while. The food was spaghetti with meatballs and pasta sauce, with the spaghetti noodles being neon rainbow colored pasta. I remember hearing the cook be so proud in the most adorably cishet ally way about it. the positive people to negative was ten to one. I felt seen for the first time in a long time. The cis girls in the gsa who were all dolled up sung karaoke songs, all of them a little younger then me. one getting stage fright while singing butch for butch, a song I know by heart, we all cheered her on and supported her. it all eventually devolved into them singing musical numbers so after a while I went home. it was boring in the most small town queer club way and I don’t think I could have asked for more.
Things are scary right now, but we as trans people have so much support from all over. What you see online is not representative of the whole of reality and you will hyper focus on the negatives but that’s not 100% real. We must be as active in our communities as we can because we are so much stronger together!
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So close! Back in the 1990s, I used to work near a jukebox distributor in midtown Manhattan and would occasionally go in there to buy records on my lunch hour, even though vinyl was basically dead by then. One day, they had a few Beatles 7”s on colored vinyl and I couldn’t resist—classics on crazy colored vinyl for $1.50 each? Bring it on! I got maybe five—and had no idea I was starting a quest that would take almost 30 years to almost complete. Capitol released two series of “For Jukeboxes Only” Beatles 7” in the Nineties for a total of 34 different records. Naturally some are worth more than others and all are fairly hard to find since they were never sold at regular record stores. I found this half-dozen (!!!) the other day and that brings me to 30. Out of the four left, there’s one that goes for $15 (“Norwegian Wood” on that unusual record color, black) and then the rest are in the realm of Stupid Money—variously between $90 and $1,000. Someone may have that kind of money to throw around, but not me, so I am almost done completing what will have to be an incomplete set. I see it as one of those self-teachable moments in record collecting, where the hobby reminds you to enjoy what you have and not to focus on what you don’t have. Also, to appreciate the journey, because it’s been a thrill to find these records over the years, like brightly colored Easter eggs at shops throughout the US. I’m blessed to have gotten a running start on this project back in the Nineties, and I’m blessed to have been able to follow it down through the years to now. And most of all, blessed to get to enjoy the music, because that’s the whole point.
#beatles#thebeatles#coloredvinyl#jukebox#forjukeboxesonly#paulmccartney#johnlennon#georgeharrison#ringostarr#vinyl#vinyls#record#records#recordcollector#recordcollection#vinyligclub#vinylrecords#vinyladdict#collection#collector#music#vinylcollection#vinylpost#vinylcommunity
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02.04.24
starting a “omad-diet” now. on sunday i did not eat dinner, and ate not much on monday. today i fated for 23 hours and ate dinner with my mom.
i have eaten so much food and sweats on easter break and now i have to lose all the weight i gained. i’m going to a party on friday and want to look good so for now that is my motivation.
i fast the whole day and eat dinner with my mom, since i cant get away from that. i try to eat as little as possible, but i can feel my mom’s stare when i say i’m full and my plate isn’t even half empty. I’ll have to take some food from the kitchen so my mom thinks i eat breakfast and lunch.
and what happened to €d-tumblr??! like i have been gone for like 2 months and no one is posting. now i read trough my old post for motivation
#i wanna lose weight#@na motivation#@tw edd#i will reach my ugw#ed di3t#ed not ed sheeran#tw ed rant#ed behaviour tw#ed bllog#disordered eating thoughts#tw ana diary#ana bllog#ana meal
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#12 Ha Long Bay & The Secret Easter Bunny
The overnight train stopped twenty times throughout the night (surely!). I was feeling the exhaustion levels for sure the next day. When we arrived (I’m actually not sure where haha!) we then had a four hour bus drive to Ha Long Bay. It was a huge travel day for sure. On arrival at our hotel, I was pleasantly surprised to be given a single room - with a superior king bed AND the shower was amazing! Absolutely incredible. I had the nap of all naps for one hour, and woke up very disoriented with dribble on my pillow. Excellent nap signs. We then drove to the harbour for our Ha Long Bay cruise. This was a part of the trip I was looking forward to the most. We boarded and having opted to the no seafood option, we had a multiple course - as per the Vietnamese standard - lunch of spring rolls, rice, beef stirfry, chicken stirfry, fried pork, fried tofu, greens.. you name it, we were served it. Lunch was excellent, but the views were epic. Sailing toward the mountains with the oceans horizon was so pretty! We went to the top level for photos and to take it all in. We made two stops after lunch, the first being to see move caves, the second for our kayaking trip. I was hesitant to go kayaking, not many of the group were and to be honest I didn’t necessarily feel like the effort if the views were similar to the boat, but I wisely chose Elias, my ATV adventure buddy whose twenty and fit to be my paddle mate. He was chief paddler and I was chief group photographer - kidding, I did a lot of paddling also, but thanks Elias. I’m so glad I did the kayaking. There were six of us in three boats, including Libby and Connor, and it was so incredibly peaceful. We were able to sneak through caves in the mountains into secret little areas and the nature was simply beautiful. I was seriously in awe. Upon arriving back to the boat, Connor decided to put his drone up and get some footage, the video was incredible! So grateful they had the drone! We then shared a bottle of wine and relaxed on the boat trip back. It was definitely a moment of ‘oh my goodness, I’m in Vietnam in Ha Long bay with a wonderful group of people.’ Back at the marina we made our way to a rooftop bar. The views were stunning!! The cocktails also expensive, but hey! We stayed for a couple of hours soaking in the last nights together and beautiful views before heading to dinner and then a market and bed… Or did we. Connor, Libby, Sonia and I hatched a plan. Today was actually Easter Sunday, but with the Vietnamese religious culture generally not celebrating the holiday, there was little excitement and no chocolate eggs etc to be seen. We decided we would purchase chocolates and write notes and play Easter bunny. Leo then joined the plan, deciding to purchase the chocolates for us - Snickers chocolates was the best option we had. So together we smuggled them upstairs and wrote beautiful notes and left them at everyone’s doors - a day late is better than never! We were so giggly and so excited, but nobody caught us, so we were excellent bunnies! The group were so grateful Monday, they loved it!
Written late Tuesday April 2nd at 5.14pm
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LOUISIANA
2024 Apr 5 (Fri) – We went into the lodge at 5:30 p.m. for fried catfish dinner. It was OK. The pieces of catfish looked weird and were dipped in cornmeal. They seem to prefer cornmeal to flour in their fried food down here in the south. They had a band playing on the stage and the place was packed. This Elks Lodge is doing very well, although the bartender told us they had 2,000 members at one time. Not so many now. Just like all other lodges.
2024 Apr 4 (Thu) – We packed up and left the Leggetts at 11 a.m. It was less than 2 hours to the Shreveport Elks Lodge. There were six parking spaces designated as RV sites. Ha ha ha. This must have been done before RVs had slideouts. It was extremely tight.
This has to be the biggest Elks Lodge we have ever been to. There is a huge swimming pool with two slides and a kiddie pool. They have a train caboose converted to a bar. There is a large pond in the back with lots of woods and grassy area. Inside the lodge, they have a very large party room adjacent to the large bar/lounge area. Yet, we only paid $25 a night. That’s what I’m talking about!
2024 Apr 3 (Wed) – We stayed around the camper all day. I worked with Linda to sew a few things. Paul helped Johnny around the place to include a good, long ride on a mower. He got his fix! We watched the sunset from the boathouse and shared our fellowship for the last night. Tomorrow, we move.
2024 Apr 2 (Tue) – We worked around the camper today. I have been sending emails out to campgrounds and venues in Michigan and Wisconsin for our caravan next year. It is a little disheartening. There are areas that are so popular that there are no sites available. The EAA airshow is especially hard to get near. I hope we can pull this caravan off.
In the meantime, Johnny’s Louisiana caravan has been approved and is posted on the SMART website. Paul is working on building the route and getting pictures to post on our video promoting the caravan.
2024 Apr 1 (Mon) – Paul and Johnny rode to Monroe to pick up Johnny’s new truck. It turned out not to be the color they promised (charcoal grey) but he took the truck any way. Depending on how the light hits it, it can look grey or brown. In the meantime, Linda and I went into Ruston and I shopped for capris and shorts.
2024 Mar 31 (Sun – Easter) – We wanted to go to church but the Methodist Church in Chatham closed permanently. We weren’t sure about Jonesboro either. So we had our own service. We went out to the boathouse where Linda sang hymns and I read from the bible. It was very nice. Then we had a delightful meal of baked ham, sweet potatoes, collard greens, broccoli and brownies.
2024 Mar 30 (Sat) – We went out for lunch today at Johnny’s Pizza House. As New York pizza aficionados, I was leery but it was OK. It was like some other places where we have been. They have several kinds of pizzas on the buffet. Included are dessert pizzas with sweet toppings rather than cheese and meats.
2024 Mar 29 (Fri) – Linda and I went into West Monroe to buy her a dress for an upcoming retirement ceremony for their son. They live really far from everything. It was an hour just to get to a mall. I like their property right on the lake with lots of trees and few neighbors, but I don’t think I would like being so far away from civilization.
Tonight, we went to a nearby marina on the lake where they had karaoke night. Several people were lined up to sing. They were all pretty good. The burgers were tasty.
2024 Mar 26-28 (Tue-Thu) – We’ve been busy catching up with each other. Linda is recovering from a broken foot and has taken up a walking routine as part of her therapy. We have been walking together.
2024 Mar 25 (Mon) – We packed up and left Breaux Bridge at 9:30 a.m. It was raining along the route. It really came down when we arrived at Johnny & Linda’s, where we will be parked in their back yard for 10 days. We sat in the truck for about 15 minutes waiting for the storm to blow over. When it lightened up (it never stopped raining), I got out and talked Paul into the back yard. We were almost in place when the truck got stuck in the mud. We stopped right there and ran the lines out.
Johnny & Linda were thrilled to see us. Linda had leftover chicken spaghetti. Their grandchildren were over yesterday and she had made a large casserole for them. We enjoyed the meal very much. We spent the evening talking about our two caravans set for next year. Johnny is working on a 32 day caravan around Louisiana and we are working on the 48 day caravan through Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.
2024 Mar 24 (Sun) – We went out to get fuel for tomorrow’s move. Also stopped at Super1Foods to pick up some groceries.
2024 Mar 23 (Sat) – I am back from my trip to New York. It was a quick, whirlwind trip. My sister picked me up at the airport and I stayed with her for 2 nights. We went out to dinner to Matsulin on Friday. Sue went with me to the VA on Thursday where I got a new set of hearing aids. The right ear does not fit very well. The audiologist tried sanding the piece down but it just doesn’t fit well. I will have to bring it back for adjustment the next time I go to New York. That night, we went to play in Quogue to see a play by the Hampton Theater Company, Strictly Murder. It was a nice local theater production. Sue brought me back to the airport on Friday. I was back in Louisiana at 6:30 p.m.
This morning, we packed up and left Slidell at 10:35 a.m. The drive a little over 3 hours. We are staying at Poche’s Fish Camp. We have been here a few times before. It is very nice with 4 lakes for folks to fish in. Campsites are lined up around the perimeter of the biggest lake. We stopped at their market on the way in to get cracklins and some lunch.
2024 Mar 19 (Tue) – We drove to the post office to send off postcards to our grandsons. Lunch was back at the Southside Café. We hadn’t intended to eat there but a few wrong turns brought us back there. The food wasn’t bad. Afterward, we stopped at Home Depot so Paul could get some parts, etc. for projects around the rig. I will be flying back to NY tomorrow. It’s a quick trip for 3 days – fly out on Wednesday, go to the VA on Thursday, fly back on Friday. Move to the next campground on Saturday. It will be a fast few days. I will be staying with my sister, Susan.
2024 Mar 18 (Mon) – We went out for lunch to Southside Café. It is apparently owned by a former Marine. There were tons of military paraphernalia around the café. We enjoyed our meal. Everything is soaked around the campground. We didn’t go out much today.
2024 Mar 17 (Sun – St Paddy’s Day) – We pulled up stakes and left Eglin AFB at 9:30 a.m. It took us a bit longer to close up than it did with the Vilano. This rig seems to require a bit more work. Anyway, we left and drove over 3 ½ hours to our next stop. It rained most of the way, sometimes quite heavily. We stopped for a quick bite to eat at a rest area about 20 miles from our destination.
We arrived at the Elks Lodge in Slidell around 1 p.m. This is where our high adventure began. As I said, it had been raining heavily. The campground had laid down gravel in their parking area. Their six campsites all back up to a pond, with another one on the opposite side next to a pavilion. When Paul tried to back up into the campsite, the truck got stuck in the mud. He tried rocking the rig back and forth but he only dug the tires in deeper. We wound up dropping the legs on the trailer and raising it so that we got the weight off the truck. Then Paul dug around the tires and tired laying down boards. The camp host, Lee, also tried to help. None of that worked. By the way, we were doing all this in a light rain. We were all covered with mud and soaked through.
Finally, exhausted and spent, Lee brought over a tractor. We disconnected the RV and Lee pulled the truck out. Then Paul brought the truck back under the RV at a 90° angle. He then dragged the RV sideways. It came along and we were out! We then chose a different site to back into. We were finally set up around 3:30 p.m. After set up, we went to WalMart to get groceries and more specifically, food for Sheba, since she was down to one can. We stopped at Copeland’s for their red beans and rice. Delicious, just as we remembered.
We slept well.
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feelin’ alright
saturday, march 16th, 12:42pm
listening to: telephones - vacations
i have been feeling really good recently. i’m a couple weeks clean and everything is looking up!
i’ve spent lots of time with people i care about in the last week or so, just hanging out and chatting nonsense with each other. i stay up until the early hours of the morning talking and laughing and singing with them, and i feel so loved. i haven’t really felt genuinely accepted by people for a long time, and i feel like i belong. i’m wanted and they think about me when i’m not there, i get invited to places with them, they send me memes of things i like, they know my favourite songs and my favourite foods. it’s so nice to be known. to be cared for. they make me really, really happy, and i hope they know it.
i’ve successfully finished the artwork for my first year exhibition, and i mounted it yesterday! it’s on display for people to come and see next thursday, and i’m hoping that my friends will come to see it. i’m proud of myself for getting it done - just a few months ago i was having so much trouble with finding the motivation to go into uni at all so the fact that i’ve finished my paintings and they’re being exhibited??? in a real life exhibition??? i think that’s so damn cool.
and today i am seeing my mum! she has never been to brighton before, so i get to be her little tour guide. my auntie is here too, and i’m not sure if she’s been before, but i’m showing them my favourite places. it’s so weird to think that they’re not a part of this aspect of my life. i have a whole city to show them! and a really cool city too. i think they’ll like it - brighton’s quite an eclectic place, much like glastonbury village (and festival) which they both adore. they’re taking me to lunch and i think we’re getting drinks later, too. i’m actually beyond excited. i had to calm myself down earlier and tell myself to get it together because i couldn’t stop smiling. i’ve really really missed them.
i go home next week, it’s easter break, so i’ll get to see my little sisters and my stepdad, too.
the sun is shining and the birds are singing and i am having such a good day. i’m listening to my favourite music and wearing my new jeans and everything is just… perfect lately.
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April 1999 - New Zealand
1 April 1999
New Zealand Ministry of Magic, Wellington
It was with a ‘thud’ I arrived in the international arrivals area at the New Zealand Ministry of Magic. Pain erupted up my left leg as it met whatever was underneath the grass.
Pushing myself up the best I could, I pulled out my phone. Dead. The amount of magic it had been around probably drained the battery. Hopefully, Eileen had gotten the message I’d sent during lunch.
Finally managing to get to my feet, a quick glace told me everything had managed to stay together.
“Welcome to New Zealand!” came a far too chipper voice to my right, and I bemusedly took in the figure standing there. “I’m Brian Redpath.”
He looked more like an airplane pilot or steward than a ministry official, though the dancing figures decorating his tie more than confirmed that he was.
“How long will you be here?” He asked, settling in at his desk. I stole a glance at the calendar sitting on the desk facing out. April 1st.
“Erm…” Ii rubbed my head. “Monday afternoon at the latest, so… Four… days? Sounds about right…”
“Visiting family?” he continued, jotting down something on a piece of parchment. I nodded. “And any restricted items?” I shook my head. That I had been very careful about.
“Please fill out the rest of the form, then you’re free to go.”
Filling out the rest of the details, I scribbled down the candy I’d brought to share, before scribbling my signature at the bottom. Tapping my wand at the bottom sealed it.
Finding the exit, I took in my surroundings. The ministry appeared to be set within the grounds of the muggle parliament here, not dissimilar to London.
As I made my way towards the street, I caught sight of a familiar, red-headed figure standing next to a shiny jaguar. “Ellie!” she cheered, waving her hand. “You made it!”
I hurried over the best I could, Eileen hurrying towards me as well. “Oh, am I glad to see you!”
A teasing smile flitted across her lips. “You must be really out of it, El.” She joked, taking my suitcase. “Oof, what’s in this? Bricks?”
I snorted a laugh. “What d’you think? Plenty of books and some candy to share with the family, along with some clothes for the next few days.”
We shared a laugh before making our way over to the jaguar. I noticed a familiar Pride of Portree scarf on the front seat as I slid in.
“Andre’s been here?” I asked, picking up the scarf to move it as Eileen got in. She blushed, but said nothing on it.
“We’re going to have to portkey up to Auckland,” she said instead. “I know it’s not entirely your favourite way to go…”
“It’s not as bad if it’s the car.” I noted. “Whiplash is the only problem.”
“Then buckle up,” Eileen ordered. “Because I’m not spending eight hours on the road again.” I shuddered in response and clicked it in place.
Another gut pull and we were at a road stop near Auckland, blinking in the sunlight. Twenty or so minutes later, we pulled into the drive of her house.
“…So mum and dad should be here, either tomorrow or Saturday. Elliott said he’s coming tomorrow…”
“Which means he’s on his way here already.” I deadpanned, still feeling the extreme time difference.
Suitcase extracted, we headed inside. Stepping in, it took more than a little willpower to just leave my suitcase and not crash face first on the bed.
Instead, I recharged on the couch, before Eileen dragged me out to the local grocery store for both some snacks for me and items for Easter. There were plenty of interesting things on the shelves and, between the both of us, managed to pick out a couple.
Getting back to Eileen’s, dinner was eaten and I crashed not long after, routine be damned. There was no way I was going to be able to stay up anywhere close to my usual time.
Elliott arrived the next morning, somehow surviving the brutal time change like a champ.
It also turned out that he and our parents had coordinated their arrivals.
We had just enough time to grab something to eat, before mum and dad arrived in not much better shape than I had been. A round of hugs, and we ended up walking along the quayside area, before cramming ourselves into Eileen’s car. It was a tight fit for the four of us and what luggage was brought.
At least I’d brought Andre’s scarf inside the night before. I figured Eileen wasn’t much in the mood for questions while playing taxi driver for the rest of the family.
Of course, who should be waiting for us at Eileen’s, but Jacob and Olivia, both of whom appeared just as exhausted. We all tumbled out of the car, eager to greet the unexpected arrivals.
The rest of my time in New Zealand passed in something of a blur. We spent Saturday exploring some, mainly around Auckland, and even managing to find spots that Eileen hadn’t seen yet. Mum even managed to drag us all out on a grocery run with only minor complaints.
Easter was peaceful enough, in that, no one was outright demanding that I go. Jacob, Eileen and I all went out for a quiet breakfast instead, before finding a lone bookstore daring to be open. I would’ve liked a little extra sleep, but enjoyed the company of my siblings none the less.
Mum, dad and Elliott were all back by the time we got back to Eileen’s. Mum was in the kitchen, as was dad, bouncing between the countertops, the oven and the stove. Olivia also hovered at the edge of the kitchen, tossing a salad of some kind.
While me and Eileen had decided on a ham earlier in the week, mum had grabbed a cut of lamb during the family run on the grocery store.
Monday was far more chaotic.
Having noted that I intended to leave in the afternoon, the ministry had dispatched an owl with a reminder. Nice as you will, merely asking to not overstay too long.
I think I burned it, not before groaning and texting Charlie to expect me in the next few hours. Mum packed me a bag of leftovers, mainly the lamb and a fruit salad she’d put together, which I put in my bag.
There were rounds of “see you laters” and hugs, before Elliott appariated us down to Wellington. He was leaving later in the day, only needing to get back before Tuesday morning in Britain. He’d also frequently visited the New Zealand ministry while hiding out here.
I turned my phone off before entering the ministry, not needing it to go dead while using the portkey again. Following Elliott, I gaped at the visitor’s entrance. It looked almost like a futuristic tube station.
Completing the wand check, we passed through security and headed down to the international portkey arrivals and departures area.
Checking out, I headed over to the open area. Shoving the beach ball into the box, I pulled out the other object: an empty flour bag. Grabbing my things, I waved one last time.
“la Roumanie,” I muttered, and with a sharp tug, I was off.
Romania
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This weekend has been a roller coaster of emotions and I’m confused and tired of it.
Friday was a bad day. I think I wrote here that day? But I honestly can’t remember. The days blend and mesh with each other and my dreams.
Saturday was a weird day. I wasn’t good but I wasn’t bad. It was so, so nice to see mum and nan, and we had a really big hug when I snuck up on them in the foyer. Mum even went to the effort of getting me an Easter goodie bag that had my favourite chips and popcorn and SO much chocolate (I’m going to share it around because it’s genuinely too much for me). But she also included a cute little “happy Easter” decorative piece, same necklaces based around the idea that onyx is for strength and amethyst is for peace. Plus a little keychain bunny which is really cute but needs surgery because it has a pretty big tear in the back.
And then Dad showed up. I had to make him give me a hug, and you could tell he was pissed (for context they got scammed in accommodation and paid 700 bucks for a place that doesn’t exist, so are trying to get their money back). He soured the room the entire time they were here, and made it really hard to talk. I think it was also hard for him being in one of the places that he called a “loony bin” for so long. I still want to have a talk with him but he hasn’t given me the chance to talk privately.
It honestly kinda sucked having them visit in the room. It’s 4 hours, Mum and dad have their heads in their phones, Nan can’t hear for shit and there’s not much we can talk about because Dad makes every conversation about him or mum asks me about how I’m “doing in [my]self” of which I have to answer awkwardly because I don’t want to give too much detail to worry her again.
It’s nice when we go out though. I think the big mood changer is that in my room, it’s obvious I’m in a ward, even if it’s a good looking one. But out there, they forget. I hide my tag and we act like we’re just out for tea in Melbourne and it’s nice. But it’s also exhausting going out into the real world, and I hate the fact that I have to act like I’m not a psych ward patient in order to have a normal conversation with my parents.
We saw Aunty N and Uncle Bo for dinner, and honestly, I wanted to lean in for a hug from Aunty N just as much as a hug from Mum. That’s never happened before. I think it’s the fact that she actually understands. Hell, she even made me realise that what I was feeling leading up to seeing my parents wasn’t excitement, it was anxiety. When Bo and N came to visit, I was excited. Basically bounced out of the lift. When AB said she’d visit, I got excited and then depressed when I realised she wasn’t coming. MC? Even though we haven’t been best friends for a long time, excited. But every other person is accepting of me being in here. Mum has been worrying herself sick, Nan didn’t really know what she was walking into and Dad? Well, he’s… him.
And tomorrow, we’re going to lunch with some ex army friends who used to add to my mental health problems back in the day. Literally pushed me to the point once where I got so overwhelmed I cried over spilt milk. They don’t believe in mental health problems, and think only people who have seen war shit should have PTSD. So I have to hide my tag, and not tell stories about my current situation, and try to avoid questions and paste a smile on and act like everything is normal.
But another part of me wants to say “fuck that and fuck them. Fuck society for making me act this way”. Who knows, I might just scream to the world that I’m a psych ward patient and laugh at their reactions. Because I have, quite frankly, had enough of this bullshit.
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Semana Santa pt. 1, Paris
Hey everyone,
This week is officially Semana Santa in Spain! Semana Santa stands for Holy Week, aka the week leading up until Easter. The Spanish take this week very seriously, so it counts as my “Spring Break” as there are no classes. I’ll skip over the past couple days leading up to it, as they were filled with last minute homework assignments and packing.
For the first few days of this week, I traveled to Paris, France. Paris has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Me and my friends flew in early Sunday morning, and then took a bus to our Airbnb within the city. We had been up since about 3:30am, so we took a quick nap before heading to a local cafe near where we were staying. After grabbing a bite to eat, we set off to explore!
Unfortunately, our first day was overcast and pretty cold, but we were still able to make the most of it. We took the metro to the Eiffel Tower, and also walked along the Seine to Notre Dame. These two landmarks were farther from each other than we expected, so we were pretty exhausted after our day of traveling and walking the city. We stopped for a quick break, and then walked to L’Entrecote. This is a favorite in Paris, and I had heard a lot about it before going. It’s a restaurant in Paris that only serves one dish - steak and frites. You tell them what drink you’d like and how you’d like your steak, and then they start you with a salad before bringing you the main course. Halfway through eating, they will walk around and refill both your steak and fries! It was so delicious, and the ambiance of the restaurant was super fun. It was a great way to end our first day.
The next morning, we were up early to head to the Louvre. Luckily we had booked our tickets in advance, and it’s free for students 18-25 in the EU! The museum was huge, and we spent hours wandering its halls. Of course we saw the famed Mona Lisa, and also saw a lot of other cool exhibits. Afterwards, we walked through the Tuileries Garden to Angelina. Angelina is a famous cafe in Paris that specializes in hot chocolate and whipped cream. I’m not a big sweets person, but I thought this was delicious!
After grabbing lunch at Angelina’s, we walked back along the Seine to Le Marais, a neighborhood known for its local boutiques and vintage shopping. We were able to spend a good amount of time here, and then decided to take advantage of the sunshine and grab some drinks! We went to Le Terrass, a boutique hotel that has a bar on their roof! This was super fun, as we could see the Eiffel Tower from the top while enjoying our drinks. We then returned to our Airbnb and took a quick rest.
As many others studying abroad know, sometimes you are craving a piece of home after a few months. I have been feeling this way as well, and me and my friends actually figured out there was a Chipotle in Paris, so we knew we had to go. This honestly was such a fun dinner, and it was a good way to save some money on food. Afterwards, it was a quick walk back to the Eiffel Tower so we could take in its beauty at night. It was so gorgeous sparkling, and I have about a million photos in my camera roll to attest to that.
Tuesday was sadly our last full day in Paris. We decided to take full advantage, and hopped on a train early in the morning heading to Versailles. I actually was unaware that the Palace of Versailles is not directly in Paris, as Versailles is technically a suburb of Paris. But, it was only a 20 minute train ride to get there. Once there, we went to the palace for a full tour, and it was amazing! It was huge, and no details were overlooked. It was so big and opulent, and while that is beautiful, it definitely makes you think about wealth back in those times, and how it was distributed. Definitely an interesting trip!
We grabbed the train back into Paris and got some much needed lunch, including some famous French crepes. We then took the metro to visit the Arc De Triomphe. It honestly was a lot larger than I had imagined in my head, but that makes sense as a lot of people go to the top for some great views. We wandered back down to the Seine, and ran into the famous bridge filled with locks! This was fun, and we spent a few minutes looking at all of the different initials and notes engraved on each.
That night, we had our last dinner in Paris. We booked in advance a reservation at Pink Mamma, a popular Italian spot in Paris. I had heard a lot about it from both friends and research, and it did not disappoint! One reason for its popularity is its beautiful inside, as it’s covered in windows, plants, and paintings. I also had their famous truffle pasta. It was a great ending to our time in Paris.
Now, I’m heading off to London for the rest of the week. I’m excited to share my time there next :)
Abbey Almeda
Industrial and Operations Engineering
UP Comillas
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Not Your Typical Deviled Eggs for Easter
Deviled Eggs are a must at any Southern Celebration, however, this year, I decided to jazz mine up a bit! It’s no secret that I’m not a huge fan of eggs. I’ve tried to like them all my life, but at almost 60 years old, I don’t think it’s going to happen. If I have to eat eggs (other than in cake or pie), a boiled egg with lots of salt and pepper and a dash of hot sauce is my favorite way…until I made these fabulous deviled eggs.
In the South, deviled eggs are taken very seriously…there are even plates made especially for holding these jewels! I’ve always liked the idea of deviled eggs, more than I’ve liked the eggs themselves, so typically, I let someone else make them for family occasions. This year, I decided to make them myself and put my spin on them. I was inspired by a picture I saw on Pinterest several weeks ago and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. These eggs are truly a work of art and they took me forever, but I enjoyed every second and I actually ate two!
I wanted a very colorful plate, so I pickled some of the eggs (recipe below) with beets to give the eggs their beautiful pink color. The longer you let them sit, the darker the pink becomes and in addition to the color, they have a wonderful pickled flavor. I also added curry powder to my filling. There is a debate in my neighborhood (you know who you are), about whether sweet pickle relish should be added to the filling or only mustard. Normally, I would have added the relish…probably just because my mother did. This time, I didn’t use it because I piped the filling into the eggs with a pastry bag and didn’t want it to get clogged and I didn’t want the filling to appear lumpy. The mayonnaise is also important…you can use any brand you like, but I think Duke’s is the best.
I didn’t create a formal recipe card because this recipe is so easy…simply add enough mayonnaise to make a creamy mixture - for 12 eggs, I used about 1/2 cup, really good Dijon mustard to taste (2 - 3 teaspoons), a teaspoon or so of curry powder and salt to taste. I also would normally add a bit of black pepper but didn’t want the flecks in my filling. Mash it all together with a fork and put it into a pastry bag with a big star tip. Pipe the filling into the eggs and garnish as desired.
My garnishes included crumbled bacon, dill, capers, crumbled blue cheese, small pieces of diced celery, thyme leaves, dill, sliced pickled okra (another Southern staple and delicious in Bloody Mary’s), micro greens, and sweet and tangy pepper drops (these are addictive). In the center of the plate, I added a tiny bowl of coarse salt, and small piles of some of the garnishes…just in case someone wants extra. I will say that the curry powder made all the difference for me and the bacon wasn’t bad either!
{"image":"https://i.imgur.com/fr1sSPk.png","name":"Beet Pickled Eggs","prepTime":"PT5M","cookTime":"PT5M","totalTime":"PT20M","description":"These eggs make the most beautiful deviled eggs and they're also delicious on avocado toast!","yield":"6","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Suzanne Smith"},"recipeIngredient":["1 package cooked beets","6 hard boiled eggs, peeled","1 cup water","1 cup apple cider vinegar","1/2 cup cane sugar","1 teaspoon kosher salt"],"recipeInstructions":["Place beets and eggs in a 24-ounce mason jar","In a small saucepan, bring water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt.","Pour the mixture over the beets and eggs. Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before enjoying."],"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Recipe"}
You may not want to go to quite this much trouble when you’re also cooking an entire meal, but this would also be a fun appetizer for a summer picnic…or if you’ve been delegated the task of making the deviled eggs, this would certainly be an impressive addition to Easter lunch or dinner! And…don’t forget the ham biscuits because no Southern celebration is complete without them!
When I photographed these eggs, I placed them on an antique linen that I’ve had for years. I have quite a collection, mostly purchased from Pandora De Balthazar. Pandora has a line of bedding and pillows that are the best I’ve ever found as well as a large collection of antique textiles. I’ve been collecting for years, and quite honestly, didn’t know what in the world I would ever do with all of these beautiful pieces, but now that I’m cooking more and photographing my food, they are very nice to have!
For our Easter celebration, I’m veering from our typical menu, which is usually some type of salmon. This year, I’m making an herb crusted rack of lamb with potatoes, asparagus, homemade rolls and of course, these deviled eggs. I think another Southern tradition, a Brownstone Front Cake will be perfect for dessert!
What will you be making for your spring celebrations this year? Let me know in the comments!
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