#Coffee shops north wales

[athomewiththecicadas]

Life as a Senior NCO for a Head of Household that can't Provide.

I am not a woman. She literally doesn't think like a male. So, my logic doesn't contort with everything I do, as to think about being a woman.

And that's a major difference.

But as far as a Senior NCO, I raise ranks. And part of that could even look like child rearing.

Now, if I held up a product that looked like vomit bile, then I could generically say that it was a Chinese product.

T-Mobile would get fined for advertising their mobile plans.

But, I'm not a woman. I as a Senior NCO know exactly what I am supposed to do.It isn't alienated from a Mandarin setting either. The same is true for every single NCO assigned to duty.

However, my experience as a Senior spans several different genres. General Enlistment, Private Enterprise, and Birth Right.

It's easy to say you assign a singular duty of separating the men and women. But, those are seven different women, with seven different minds. And I don't think like any of them.

So let's trim down a few things.

1) Life Expectancy is still over 72 years

2) Genocide is illegal, because it's the same as fighting a hurricane. And you're just not going to get much over 200,000 before the entire world brings you to trial outside of court.

3) Roadkill is still a natural mechanism

4) If I said what everybody wants to believe, at minimum wage "it's just her," then it's a little difficult to point to which woman it is.

Well, that's half of the world's population you're pointing at.

And all of this brings me back to 2006, where "I'm simply pointing out that the money you are spending isn't that effective when it comes to maturing family facilitation."

And I have all of these young men who will volunteer, but as far as his entitlement goes, he really is at risk as time moves on, because I don't think she is offered the facilitation with spending that is going to make her qualify institutional standards.

And now, I'm stuck with employees that aren't subject to the spending they need, for a system that isn't going to produce the quality the economy expects.

And for that reason, I don't think the economy is going to do a very good job at conveying the "military values," the hard, unquestionable values we rely on, in any kind of form we expect it to, with the system we believe we are paying for.

And really what you are getting into is defining the reason why you were born. And having a reason to be born, is a much different ideology.

And now, you could expect performance to be inherently limited, if there isn't a deed to go with your birth certificate.

So when I say, "$14/hr, deed and birth certificate," these are different values then what we expect from general commerce.

Roadkill is a reasonable solution. But Chinese bile is to be expected somewhere.

Besides being a Paperboy, my first job was a Waiter. Even my experience as being a Waiter when Minimum Wage became Law, I know I'm gonna find it somewhere.

I'll go down there to the Coffee Shop and have a cup of Coffee with the Deputy, and listen to some of the stuff they're talking about. And you have to keep things in perspective.

In a few months when you start buying new smart phones for Christmas gifts, we'll find a way to relate with Christmas songs:

"Angels we have heard on high. Sweetly singing over the flame."

Which was generally preceded by:

"God rest ye merry gentlemen, give nothing to dismay. Remember Christ the Savior was born on Christmas Day."

And when they open their presents, just remember that I took my special time with all of these young men, to offer a fine.... quality.... gift.

And when you look her in the eyes, and give half the world's population such a quality gift, we'll remember, the other half of the world....

....was never as fortunate as her.

Sergeant Major Nathan Marksmith, North Wales Militia/ Joint Militia Detachment Brigade (Virginia Militia Association)

[acrossthearctic]

Manchester to Manchester

A very long but enjoyable day as I travelled to North Wales through Snowdonia National Park and then to Chester before reurning back to Manchester.

An early start in drizzle but by the time (about 45 minutes later )when we crossed the border into Wales it was sunny. A coffee plus a flat croissant ! was needed before my tour of Conwy Castle.

This shop had the most amazing sweet and savoury pastries and had the largest meringues I have ever seen.

Conwy Castle does not disappoint. It is possible to walk a complete circuit around the battlements of the castle and from the eight towers you get a great view over the harbour and the town - not to mention the suspension and tubular railway bridges .

The next stop was Llaneris, a pretty town where the mining of slate was a big industry. You can still see the remains of the quarries. There is also a sculpture commemorating ?the myth of King Arthur pulling the sword out of the stone

A fabulous drive through the beautiful Snowdonia National Park.

It was then onto Betws-y- Coed for a lunch stop. This cute town has a railway museum which attracts many visitors and is often called the entrance to Snowdonia.

I founds it quite amusing as it was 18degrees and "locals" were in sleveless tops and having their summer ice creams. We had 4 Australians among the 14 on the tours and we all were wearing sweaters / jackets .

A lovely drive through the rolling hills of Wales and then back into England and a visit to Chester.

Therev was ample time to visit The Rows with its covered arcades and half timbered Tidor style buildings as well walk the walls and visit the Cathedral.The Cathedral is lovely but I was not too taken with its Hornby Train Exhibition . It did not allow one to sit and reflect which I usually like to do in a church.

Then it was time to return to Manchester after a very long but enjoyable day.

[jaydeemedia]

[ad_1] Enjoy the Victorian splendour and Bohemian allure of Britain’s most progressive seaside resort with our guide to visiting Brighton on a day trip.   LAST UPDATE: 30 Dec 2023 Anywhere We Roam is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support - Paul & Mark. Since King George IV built his party pad, Brighton Pavilion, for regular royal romps by the seaside, Brighton has been the go-to-destination for a weekend of revelry. Closer to modern times, Brighton prides itself on being the poster child for inclusivity and counterculture. It has the highest density of vegan restaurants in the country, a thriving LGBT scene, edgy street art and quirky shops in run-down Victorian buildings. Our day trip to Brighton covers the most important attractions in the right order so you can see the best of Britain’s diverse seaside resort. The map at the end of this guide provides a walking route to take with you on your Brighton day tour. BRIGHTON DAY TRIP / MORNING COFFEE Brighton has excellent coffee, fuelled by a competitive independent café scene. Start your day out in Brighton with Coffee@33 near the train station. NORTH LAINE After coffee stroll around North Laine, (not to be confused with The Lanes, see below) a collection of quirky independent shops spread along a couple of narrow streets. The main section is based around Sydney Street, Kensington Gardens, Gardner Street and Bond Street. It’s our favourite part of Brighton with a laid-back, alternative vibe. You’ll find everything from vintage clothes to musical instruments. Stores packed with curiosities overflow onto the streets. There are cool record shops, bookstores, cafes, and plenty of great finds to be discovered. NORTH LAINE, BRIGHTON Keep an eye out for the street art and rooftop installations giving North Laine area its distinctive personality. Here are some of the shops to check out: Snooper’s Paradise – This famous vintage shop on Kensington Gardens sells bric-a-brac, clothing, vinyl, antiques, toys and much more.   Photomatic – Get a retro-styled snap at the Photomatic booth to remember your Brighton day trip. Dave’s Comics – Check out the excellent selection of graphic novels, comics, posters, children’s books, and Manga at Dave’s Comics. DAVE’S COMICS PHOTOMATIC SNOOPER’S PARADISE ROYAL PAVILION After exploring North Laine, continue down to the Royal Pavilion. The Royal Pavilion is a Grade I listed former royal residence. It was built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV while he was the Prince of Wales. His extravagance and passion for the good things in life resulted in the richly decorated whimsical palace you see today. It’s one of the most popular things to do in Brighton and it’s well worth visiting on a day trip. Tickets // Book Royal Pavilion skip-the-line tickets. BRIGHTON PAVILION PAVILION GARDENS Don’t miss the beautiful garden that surrounds the Pavilion. The organic garden maintained by a team of volunteers is a lovely free green space in the centre of Brighton.   BRIGHTON MUSEUM & ART GALLERY (OPTIONAL) The Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is just across the gardens from the Pavilion. The Fine Art collection contains some old masters and modern artists. The Ancient Egypt section is one of the largest in the country. There’s also a fashion collection, images of Brighton through the years and a section on design and technical innovation.   // Pavilion or Musum For a day trip, we’d recommend doing either the Pavilion or the Museum, but you probably wouldn’t have time to do both.   BRIGHTON PAVILION BRIGHTON MUSEUM PAVILION GARDENS THE LANES Next head downhill and into The Lanes. It was once the hub of the old fishing port of Brighton. Today it’s an area of tight lanes with restaurants, tea rooms, and some traditional pubs. It’s an often-recommended Brighton attraction. However, in our opinion, it’s only worth a quick stroll.

It’s mostly dominated by jewellery stores, but there are a few interesting spots including the Lanes Armoury and Paxon & Glew Art Gallery. THE LANES, BRIGHTON BRIGHTON DAY TRIP / LUNCH By now you’re probably ready for lunch. You could either grab something in the Lanes or walk down to the Fishing Quarter on the seafront and try some fresh seafood. Here are some suggestions: Lost in the Lanes – A contemporary restaurant in the Lanes with an excellent brunch and lunch menu. Brighton Shellfish & Oyster Bar – A Brighton institution on the seafront selling an excellent range of shellfish including Oysters from Jersey. The Brighton Smokehouse – Try a sandwich with traditionally smoked fish at this hole-in-the-wall café. LOST IN THE LANES BRIGHTON DAY TRIP / AFTERNOON FISHING QUARTER The Fishing Quarter is home to Brighton’s fishing heritage. Take a quick look around the free Brighton Fishing Museum then visit the other old vaults occupied by local artists, photographers, and independent traders. BRIGHTON BEACH Head along the seafront, towards the i360 to explore the beach. If the weather’s good you might have time for a quick swim. Alternatively, there are plenty of water sports available. You’ll also find plenty of bars and pubs spilling onto the beach. BRIGHTON FISHING QUARTER BRIGHTON BEACH BRIGHTON i360 Stroll past the iconic Brighton Grand Hotel on your way to the Brighton i360. Experience 360-degree views of the city and the seafront from the 162-metre-high rotating observation deck. Tickets // Book Brighton i360 skip-the-line tickets. WEST PIER RUIN Just opposite the Brighton i360, is the West Pier Ruin. It originally opened in 1866 and it was the first Grade I listed pier in England. Closed since 1975, the pier fell into gradual ruin until fires in 2003 destroyed much of what was left. It remains a slightly eery photo spot in Brighton. I360 WEST PIER RUIN UPSIDE DOWN HOUSE Continue along the foreshore to stop at the Upside Down House. Combining street art with an entertainment space, experience the illusion of zero-gravity inside the mind-bending house. Purchase a combined entry ticket for the Brighton i360 and the Upside Down House, saving 20%. BRIGHTON PHOTOGRAPHY Just behind the Upside Down House in the King’s Road Arches, we recommend popping into Brighton Photography. They have stunning images of the city and South Downs area by local photographers. UPSIDE DOWN HOUSE BRIGHTON BEACH BANDSTAND Continue along the seafront to the Brighton Bandstand. The ornate structure opened in 1884 and it was restored to its original condition in 2009. It’s considered to be one of the finest examples of a Victorian bandstand still surviving in England today. BRIGHTON PALACE PIER Retrace your steps and head back to the Brighton Palace Pier. The iconic Brighton attraction opened in 1899 and has provided fairground entertainment ever since. There are rides, arcade games, side shows and various play areas. The Helter Skelter is one of Brighton’s most recognisable attractions.   BRIGHTON PALACE PIER BRIGHTON BANDSTAND BRIGHTON DAY TRIP / EVENING SUNSET DRINKS After getting your kicks on the Palace Pier, grab sunset drinks. Palm Court Restaurant occupies a prime spot on the pier with unbeatable sea views. From November to January, large numbers of starlings congregate at dawn and dusk around Brighton’s pier. When they take to the skies it is a fantastic wildlife spectacle known as a ‘Starling murmuration’. BRIGHTON BEACH NIGHTTIME ENTERTAINMENT Brighton has a long reputation as an inclusive destination. At just 50 miles from London, it’s easy to take advantage of the nightlife on a day trip. The area of Kemptown is the gay capital of Brighton and it’s the perfect spot for a pub crawl. Black Dove, Plotting Parlour and Proud Cabaret are all worth checking out. The Brighton Dome is the top live music destination in town. It’s a unique venue that features everything from classical music to dance and comedy.

At the end of the night, walk back to Brighton train station and take the train back to London. BRIGHTON DOME MAP | BRIGHTON DAY TRIP Starting at the train station, this map provides a route through North Laine towards the seafront then back to the Palace Pier to capture all the attractions on this day trip. >> How to use this map / Click on the top left of the map to display the list of locations, then click on the locations to display further information. Click on the top right corner of the map to open a larger version in a new tab or the star to save to your Google Maps.   OTHER THINGS TO DO IN & AROUND BRIGHTON Here are a few more things to do in Brighton if you have some more time, or perhaps for a 2nd day trip. SEA LANES The Sea Lanes opened in June 2023 and transformed a previously neglected area of the Brighton seaside. While you may not have time to visit on your Brighton day trip, it’s a fantastic swimming venue with several bars and cafes overlooking the water. BEACH BOX SPA The Beach Box Spa is an all-year sauna set on the pebbles of Brighton. There are 3 different saunas: two 6-seaters and one 12-seater. The wood-fired, converted horse trailers also have panoramic views of the sea. Several treatments are available, and they host regular events with a healthy and mystic focus. BEACH BOX SPA SEA LANES SEA LIFE & ZIPWIRE Sea Life Brighton holds the distinction of being the oldest operating aquarium in the world. It opened in 1872 and continues to be one of Brighton’s star attractions. There are around 5,500 creatures in the Victorian aquarium. Just across the road Zip Wire Brighton is the longest zip line on the South Coast. BRIGHTON TOY MUSEUM The Brighton Toy Museum is located underneath the Victorian arches of the railway station so it’s a good thing to visit on your way in or out of town. It’s home to an extensive collection of toys from the golden age of toy manufacturing including rare vintage model train sets. BRIGHTON MARINA Brighton Marina is a harbour with shopping, dining, and entertainment options. Most of the restaurants are chain outlets you could find anywhere and it’s around 40 minutes’ walk from the Palace Pier, so we suggest you give it a miss on your day trip. TOY MUSEUM ZIP WIRE BRIGHTON MARINA HOW TO GET TO BRIGHTON Brighton is a seaside resort, 47 miles (76 kilometres) south of London. The fastest route to Brighton from London is by train from either London Victoria or London Bridge. Direct trains depart regularly and take just under 1 hour.   Check cheap train tickets on thetrainline.com DAY TRIPS FROM BRIGHTON If you decide to stay on a little longer in the South Downs area, here are some great day trips from Brighton we highly recommend. The Seven Sisters Cliff Walk is one of the finest in the country and just a 20-minute bus ride from Brighton. Lewes is a traditional market town and a great day out from Brighton. The high street has a mix of nostalgic and contemporary shops, and Lewes Castle dates back to 1066. It’s around 20 minutes by train.   Devil’s Dyke is a 100-metre V-shaped valley, 6 miles from Brighton. It’s a great place to enjoy the wonderful outdoors of the South Downs. IS ONE DAY ENOUGH IN BRIGHTON? Given the proximity to London, one day in Brighton allows you to see the main attractions including North Laine, the Pavilion, and the Palace Pier. You’ll also be able to enjoy Brighton’s great food scene and stay a little later into the day to enjoy sunset. Turning your Brighton day trip into a weekend break is a great option in summer when you can laze on the beach and take advantage of the newly opened Sea Lanes. WHERE TO STAY IN BRIGHTON If you decide to stay over and enjoy a longer, lazier day in Brighton, here are some hotel recommendations. OUR PICK CHIC PUB THE GINGER PIG Blending tradition with contemporary style, The Ginger Pig is a luxurious stay in a modern pub with excellent food and cocktails. BOOKING.COM | HOTELS.COM

MORE UK GUIDES ANYWHERE WE ROAM ISREADER-SUPPORTED Booking your trip via the links on this page earns us a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can also buy us a coffee. Big thanks – Paul & Mark. INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK [ad_2] Source link

[gokitetour]

10 top tourist destinations in Australia for visitors in 2023

Travellers are invited by the continually expanding horizons of Australia’s majestic landscapes in 2023 to explore a realm where natural marvels converge with bustling cities. First among them is Sydney, the harbour city, which exhibits an array of sails gracing its Opera House and the looming arch of the harbour bridge. For dive enthusiasts the great barrier reef truly is a paradise here on earth, such a magnificent masterpiece so large that it can be seen from space, a haven of coral wonders and marine life unparalleled by any other. On the other hand, Australia’s cultural hotspot of Melbourne is embellished by its engaging lanes, unmatched art scene, and rich culinary heritage, which draw tourists in their numbers. The attraction for tourists in the Sub-Continents region is much stronger. These essential experiences have resulted in tailor-made Australia tour packages from India that capture and encapsulate them in a journey of beautiful moments. Therefore, have a look in the direction of Australia and its famous sites that are waiting for you.

1.Iconic Harbour City, Sydney

The New South Wales capital is a popular first destination. See the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, its prominent sights. Attend an Opera House performance, climb the Harbour Bridge for a city view, or visit Bondi Beach. Visit bustling Darling Harbour, Surry Hills, and The Rocks.

 2.Great Barrier Reef: Divers' Paradise

                The Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system in the world, is located off Queensland. Diverse marine life is there where visitors may snorkel and dive. Resorts on islands like Hamilton and Hayman provide opulent lodging. A beautiful fly above the reef provides a unique vantage point.

3.The Cultural Capital: Melbourne

Melbourne is a cultural hotspot with art-filled laneways, cafés, and shops. The city holds many festivals, events, and exhibits due to its lively cultural sector. Sports fans may attend the Australian Open or Melbourne Cricket Ground, while coffee lovers can visit several attractive cafés.

4.Heart of the Outback: Uluru

The Anangu people's holy location is a mesmerising crimson monolith in the Australian outback. Visitors should learn about its spiritual importance, local flora, and animals. The "Field of Light" display with thousands of shimmering LEDs against Uluru is stunning at night.

5.Surfers' Dream: Gold Coast

Surfers Paradise is Australia's greatest beach in Queensland. After the beaches, there are amusement parks like Warner Bros. Movie World and Dreamworld, rainforest hikes, and Mount Tamborine vistas.

6.The thriving west is Perth.

Perth is Australia's west coast jewel and the world's most remote big metropolis. Visit Kings Park, Rottnest Island, to see quokkas, or enjoy its laid-back pace. Day visits to Margaret River wine country are ideal.

7.Wilderness and heritage in Tasmania

This island state is known for its natural and historic features and fresh vegetables. Hobart's MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) is famous worldwide, while Cradle Mountain and Freycinet National Park provide wonderful hiking.

8.The Ancient Daintree Rainforest

The oldest rainforest in the world is the Daintree in Far North Queensland. Take a guided stroll, cruise the Daintree River, or zipline through the canopy to see its richness.

9.Wine lovers love Adelaide and the Barossa Valley.

Adelaide, with its colonial architecture, is the entrance to various wine areas, including the Barossa Valley. This area offers vineyard tours, world-class wines, and gourmet meals.

10.Kakadu National Park—A Lost Land

Wildlife, waterfalls, and Aboriginal rock art fill Kakadu's roughly 20,000 square kilometres in the Northern Territory. The park has natural beauty and a rich culture.

In 2023, Australia will remain one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, known for its inimitable combination of natural, cultural, and modern wonders. Australia presents an array of unforgettable memories in the waiting; whether it will be when you stand on top of a cliff by the crystal-clear turquoise waters of Bondi Beach or dive into the enchanting blue sea of the Great Barrier Reef, the journey to this alluring continent is a saga of adventure itself; however, it is even more fascinating when one books a tour package for Australia through Book Australia Tour Packages. The packages have been packaged in a remarkable manner that caters to all travellers’ wishes, whether it is about the wild Outback terrain or chic city centres. Essentially, as each year proceeds, a trip ‘down So why wait? Discover Australia’s Dream Today!

[umichenginabroad]

Week 4: Starting Australian Travels!

The first half of this week was spent in Sydney. I spent most of the time getting ahead of my work in various coffee shops in preparation for upcoming travels where I knew I’d be too busy to stay on top of my summer class. Besides work, I also celebrated my friend’s birthday at a cozy Italian dinner spot and bar downtown. 

On Thursday it was Australia Day! This is a very controversial day since it marks a day of colonization for the Aboriginal people. Rather than a celebration, this day represents Invasion and Survival for the Aboriginal people. Keeping that in mind, my friends and I took this public holiday as a chance to relax and do something fun with the free time. We went to a boat party on the harbour from where we could see the opera house and bridge! Afterwards, we just spent time together by the beach. 

On Friday I had the opportunity to travel northwest, about an hour and 15 minutes by transit, to spend time with people my dad went to high school with! Even though they haven’t seen each other for 40+ years, the family was welcoming and happy to host me for dinner. It was nice to spend time with them and see what it looks like in Suburban areas outside of Sydney. It also helped with any nagging feelings of missing home. 

On Saturday the adventures began! We took a short flight in the afternoon to Byron Bay, a beach town north of Sydney. On our first full day we went on a bus tour. First, we stopped in Killen Falls where we saw an Australian Python in the wild! Then, we stopped at a historical pub with an art gallery and met an older man who had some crazy stories to share about his time growing up in Australia. Our last and main stop was Nimbin, a hippie town an hour west of Byron Bay. There were so many natural herbs and unique things being sold in markets and shops on the streets. I also got a short tarot card reading which was an interesting experience! After getting back home, we went to the beach which was one of the best beaches I have seen so far in Australia! 

On our second day in Byron Bay, we woke up at 4:30am for a sunrise hike to the Byron lighthouse. After a steep hike up & being rained on a few times, we watched the sun come up at the most Eastern point on Australia mainland! Afterwards, we got breakfast and got ready for sea kayaking. We headed out into the ocean to the reefs and saw dolphins swimming by us only a few hundred feet away! Later, we spent time on the beach and walked around town.

Thanks for reading! Tune in next week to hear about the rest of this trip on the Australian coast!

Anika Satish

Mechanical Engineering

University of New South Wales

Sydney, Australia

[seatosomert]

A trip to North Wales.

A couple of weeks ago, My Wife and I went on a weekend to Anglesey, North Wales, UK.

If you've not been, I would highly recommend it. It's one of those unspoiled corners of the British Isles and not very often spoken of as a holiday destination (probably so as not to attract the wrong people who may ruin it for others.

We stayed at a place called Benllech on the East Coast of Angelsey.

These are all shots from the beach area of Benllech, as i didn't grab some from the main town. It's a great little town with the main amenities, a few good places to eat and the beach is just so peaceful and stunning.

We stayed in a 1 bedroomed apartment in the main town, which we booked through Air BnB and it was absolutely spot on to be fair. Beautiful views out to the sea and all the feeling of a home from home (Big shoutout to Beth and Tom who host 'Island View', apartment at Benllech, Anglesey).

This was our morning view that we awoke to!!!

Whilst we were in Wales we visited a couple of recommended beaches and towns.

Penmon beach was on of those locations, where we had breakfast at the Pilot House Cafe, which was pretty decent.

Just be aware that there is a £3.50 toll charge just to get through to the beach and cafe.

(One of the views from Penmon Beach above).

We got a trip in to see Llandonna Beach, which is just beautiful. Although on this day it was really windy. I decided to fly my Flexifoil Big Buzz kite. I was almost dragged off down the beach and had a fight with the kite for about 30 minutes before I'd had enough.

Brilliant, but it was probably just a little too windy! Check out the short video my wife shot below:-

On our way back on the Sunday, we called to Betswy-Co-Ed in the Snowdonia National Park. Just the drive there was lovely.

Parking was cheap, there were plenty of eating places and coffee shops/cafes to choose from and if you're into Mountain Biking, this is somewhat of a mecca for that. We mooched about, put in a short woodland walk, had a bite to eat then headed on to Llanberis, the town at the foot of Mount Snowdon, Wales' highest mountain.

The views surrounding Llanberis are simply stunning. If you visit the old slate mine, there is both a museum there and a Country Park, with a lake and little spots in the woodland to have a picnic. There were paddleboard activities, there was a go ape type adventure thing and a cafe or two.

If you walk 10 minutes back towards the train station you can catch the train up Mount Snowdon and a return trip is around £35 per person. Expensive, but I've done it before and I'd say it's worth doing at least once.

So, all in all a really great trip and we crammed a lot in over that weekend. We will probably look to do a week there next time as there is so much to do and we want to Hike Snowdon next time.

Hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any questions, as usual, fire a comment in or contact me if you're a bit shy and don't want your comments seen.

I'm happy to give my opinion on the locations we visited, to share photo tips etc.

All the best and speak soon.

Regards,

Neil.

[inchestothefloor]

some taywhora hcs for no reason at all

the accuracy of these is debatable but we move😎

- tayce always makes a big mess of her room when she’s getting ready

- a’whora goes round after her cleaning it all up bc she’s the only one familiar enough with all of tayce’s stuff to know where it all goes

- they’re both terrible chefs, but it usually falls upon tayce to make anything that requires a bit more skill than opening a tin

- she ropes a’whora in to be her sous chef every time bc ‘even you can follow instructions’

- except she really can’t and they always end up scrapping the whole thing anyway 

- a’whora tends to have the best taste in tv shows, and tayce will watch almost any genre

- so a’whora is always the one picking their next binge watch

- except for when tayce wants to watch a horror film, bc a’whora isn’t a fan at all

- however she does enjoy slashers, which ironically are the only ones tayce flat out refuses to watch

- a’whora has a fucking cast iron stomach, literally nothing gory or gross really phases her at all

- she’s the one who catches the spiders and ignores tayce telling her to let them go instead of killing them

- a’whora hates it when tayce goes to do the weekly shop alone

- bc tayce never pays attention to what they actually need, so she comes back with little moons and the newest flavour of gin but they haven’t actually had a loaf of bread in a week

- a’whora tries to write a list, but she always accidentally throws it away before she has the chance to give it to tayce

- tayce gets up at the crack of dawn every day and still manages to look fresh as a daisy

- a’whora can sleep for england, and cancels any plans before 11am

- tayce spends all the money on plants

- every time a’whora comes home there’s a new plant somewhere in the house

- ‘don’t look at me! she looked like she needed a nice stable loving home, and who was i to deny her?’

- a’whora rolls her eyes and tries to be annoyed, but tayce could burn the house down and she’d still be swooning

- tayce has the most unreal music taste ever

- it’s a really broad range of stuff and she has the perfect playlist for every situation ever

- a’whora listens exclusively to teen pop and demands little mix and/or the saturdays on every playlist tayce makes

- tayce protests but secretly she knows that shit slaps

- tayce is also the most motivated person ever

- she’s always got all her work done before a’whora has even thought about looking at hers

- a’whora always gets it done, but prefers to pull an all nighter the day before it’s due

- tayce stays up with her for moral support and is more than happy to furnish her with percy pigs at quarter to three on a wednesday night

- but if tayce is struggling with her work, she needs a’whora’s original recipe pot noodle sandwiches to get her through it bc she has a habit of giving up too quickly

- tayce has a major floating rock mentality and it baffles a’whora every time

- a’whora knows tayce’s phone password purely bc tayce forgets it too often

- a’whora guards her own password with her life for no particular reason - she has no reservations about leaving tayce with her unlocked phone

- a’whora is always stealing tayce’s expensive hair oils and she thinks she doesn’t notice (she does)

- half of the face masks tayce does are a’whora’s, partly as revenge but partly because for all the money tayce spends on her hair, a’whora spends double that on her skincare, so it’s always really good shit

- a’whora is a coffee person; tayce drinks herbal tea

- ‘london is going to your head, you hound’

- talking ab up north/wales a lot bc it really is like a different world to london

[starsarestars]

❤️ for Winona or 🏡 for Wren (I cannot decide) pleeeeeeaseeee and thank you 🥰

I’m so self indulgent and annoying that I’m doing both at once:

Wren lives in an apartment above the coffee shop he helps his family run, meaning that the place is (more often than not) absolutely reeking of coffee, but there’s the odd twinge of sandalwood and turpentine. There’s plants all over the place and he should really move the ones that drape his bed because he keeps getting hit in the face every morning, but he hasn’t quite got around to it. Most of the time the place is in a state of controlled chaos - It’s cluttered, but he’s familiar with the mess, can navigate his way through it and he knows where everything is. Save for whatever Punk B-side or old 70s film soundtrack is playing, the only thing you can really hear in the flat is Wren humming along to whatever’s playing and the sound of Bubbles trotting through the flat while grumbling. Wren will not shut the fuck up about Criterion Collection films, David Lynch or Suspiria (but will conveniently forget his stint on Degrassi as an extra when he was 13 in which he got ran over by a bus and was permeated through flashbacks for a good five episodes.) His inclinations towards pretentiousness means that there’s shelves lined with all these really brooding and thought provoking films but he’s got a box dedicated for the self indulgent ridiculousness he’s not supposed to like which he will frequently pore through (who doesn’t love Bridget Jones?) Most of the time he’ll either be painting, pawing at his record collection or out for the count on the couch while cuddling up with Bubbles after a shift.

I’d be lying if I said things with Winona and Henrik start relatively easy or in the Villa itself. They instead start all the way in a Caravan Park in North Wales where a four year old Winona lives with her grandparents. By mere coincidence do Henrik’s family go to this park every summer as the cost of renting a caravan for the summer there is dirt cheap. Since she was raised by her Grandparents and wasn’t really around many kids, socialisation and making friends with people her age proved to be a struggle - the reach of her grandparents' influence extended to her not wanting to play games with the other kids in fear that her knees would give out and how she’d horrified Henrik the first time they’d ever met by saying that she’d soon be turning five “if the lord will let me live to see it.” When he asked her how old she was.

Winona was a gifted kid and had a lot of pressure to be this intelligent go-getter, she was expected to seek out independence as quickly as possible and although at first she really liked it and thought it made her more mature there wasn’t much room for her to be a kid and that made the time they’d spend together all the more important. It was the first time in her life she could actually be a kid and have fun and because of how easygoing he is, he draws out a silliness in her and she draws a more serious side out of him. Winona had a habit of abusing the fuck out of her provisional drivers license to drive all the way to the Isle of Wight to visit him and as Henrik would point out, there’s never been a birthday since they’ve met which they haven’t spent together. He’s a stalwart at every Visit to Winona’s family in Greece and if the mere possibility of him not being able to come arises, the absolute kick off from them is ridiculous like you’d honestly think someone died. Same applies for the Bergströms - Henrik’s Nana has been mastering her Princess Cake recipe and Winona will be damned if she isn’t getting a massive slice when she’s there.

The two of them have weathered a lot of stuff over the past few years - serious relationships, break ups, major stressors and career changes, pivotal moments and now they’re at that awkward stage where he’s a Climbing and Wilderness Survival instructor who drinks Seamoss for the flavour and she’s a beleaguered Primary school teacher whose side hustle is a podcast in which she talks about her extensive vibrator collection and how much she’d want to shag a pixie while her roommate looks on in horror. There’s a lot of yearning, pining and crushing which ultimately goes nowhere until Lily signs Winona up for love island and Winona sends Henrik this elaborate five paragraph text before she leaves (which is absolutely memed and copypasta’d post-show) which kicks off the plot of Primary. because now Henrik is wondering what the fuck his best friend is playing at going on something like Love Island when she’s already the countdown champion of 2016, just what he feels for her and how he’s going to tell her all this.

When the two of them actually get together it’s mostly awkward (the five paragraphs is a lot to take in - Did she really have to throw in a Gemma Collins quote?) and now they’re running around like headless chickens all “what the fuck do we do now? How the hell do we go from friendship to being romantic like obviously we want it but holy shit how do we go about it?” And they’re just panicking completely struggling to kiss and act romantic like normal people meanwhile everyone else is like “dear fucking god the intensity, the passion, the deep love they have for each other 😔🤚.” But because they’re so well acquainted with each other and their best (and worst) habits, the dynamic between them romantically is usually silly and they can poke fun at each other while knowing each other's boundaries and never going out of their way to push them. The love and care they have is immense and it’s especially so when they get together romantically - there was always signs of it when they were friends as the hugs would always linger and they’d get all smiley, but now they’re very affectionate and more often than not Henrik will drop off Winona’s lunch for her and they’ll always gush about each other to anyone who’ll listen. They’re very supportive of whatever they pursue and there’s no pressure to be anything or fulfill an idea of what they’re meant to be, it’s easygoing and there’s a familiarity to it that makes it so much easier and more intrinsic to them.

If that doesn’t seal it, the fact that Henrik is the only person in the world allowed to touch the Countdown teapot on the mantle probably does.

[moonlightserenadeeznutz]

Remus shows Sirius around Wales (part 3)

I’m afraid there’s a lot of Welsh in this chapter, but as usual, translations are at the end! (And I’m getting better at writing out the pronunciation). Hope you enjoy!

For @daylily-evans

(Part 1)

(Part 2)

~ The next morning, Sirius awoke before Remus. He usually always did. Moony wasn’t a morning person, and Padfoot was. A strip of sunlight highlighted the bed. They’d both fallen asleep in each other’s arms and had remained in pretty much the same position throughout the night. And while Sirius was eager to get up and start the day, he was also perfectly content to stay where he was, with Remus’s arm lying across his chest, the boy snoring lightly every so often. Sirius liked looking at him.

He was, however, slightly- instinctually- nervy. Even though it had been three years since he’d set foot in Grimmauld Place, he still expected to be woken abruptly by someone- most likely his mother- barging into his bedroom without knocking. While Sirius’s eyes were fixed on a lock of brown hair that had fallen over Remus’s eyelid, his ears were straining for any outside noise, any movement from the landing, that would warn him to quickly jump out of Remus’s bed and back into his own. But none came. A late start must have run in the family.

Sirius brushed the lock of hair away, tucking it behind Remus’s ear, and as he did so, Remus’s breathing grew quieter, almost inaudible. An indication that he was waking up. Sirius kissed him. When he pulled away, he saw Remus looking at him with half-lidded eyes.

“How do you say good morning in Welsh?” Asked Sirius, in no more than a murmur.

“Bore da,” replied Remus, his voice thick with sleep. Sirius kissed him.

“Bore da, carru.”

Breakfast was toast and cereal. Lyall didn’t join them at the table.

“He works late,” explained Remus. “Sometimes he sleeps till almost midday.” Sirius chuckled.

“Like father like son,” he said, eating a spoonful of now soggy cornflakes.

“Oh, Remus, I hope you’re not staying up so late,” reprimanded Hope, who was sitting at the table with them, reading the paper with her second cup of coffee.

“No, mam,” Remus sighed, the two boys knowing full well that he was lying.

“So, what are you two planning on doing today?” Hope continued, not taking her eyes off whichever article had caught her interest.

“I’m gonna show Sirius around. See the village maybe.”

“Oh that’s nice. You should visit Mrs. Hughes, she’d love to see you.”

“Yes, Remus, you really must introduce me to this Mrs. Hughes. I’m dying to meet her. I can already feel a connection.” Remus simply smiled and rolled his eyes.

~

The sun was bright, although it wasn’t throwing off a lot of heat in the early morning hours, so Remus and Sirius walked side by side wearing jackets and scarves. They were ambling down the lane outside Remus’s house, with the birds singing. It was the only noise they could hear. Sirius had never felt more relaxed in his life.

The first stop on Remus’s tour was a little stream that stood at the end of a wall-lined alleyway. Brambles grew all over the walls and Sirius noticed clusters of blackberries hidden among the leaves. Remus picked a few.

“I used to come down here when I was a kid,” began Remus. “I’d pick the blackberries and wash them in the stream, then eat them with my feet in the water.” Sirius picked some himself, and the two made their way towards the stream, the gentle sound of the water reaching their ears as they drew nearer. The two banks of the stream were connected by a stone bridge. Sirius looked over the side at the water lapping over the stones and pebbles, reflecting the sunlight. Along with the birdsong, the whole setting was completely idyllic. He knew places like this existed in the UK, but he’d never seen them before. He’d spent his whole life in the dark, gloomy street of Grimmauld Place, where he’d never even met his neighbours because they were muggles, and he’d therefore been banned from going near them. Besides, his muggle neighbours didn’t even know that he or his house even existed.

The Potter’s house too, while much nicer and far more friendly than Grimmauld Place could ever dream of being, and while it too was tucked away in the countryside, it still felt rather cut off, and the countryside felt... empty.

But here... here it felt like a community, and Sirius had yet to even meet another person.

“S’mae, Remus!” Said a woman, suddenly breaking the silence. She was walking past with some shopping bags. She only looked around forty, maybe fifty years old, but she dressed like someone much older: short blonde hair curled tightly into ringlets, and a long, flowery skirt with a matching beige blouse.

“S’mae, Mrs. Cooper,” replied Remus. “Ti’n iawn?”

“Rwy’n iawn, diolch. Ywyt ti newydd ddychwelyd o'r ysgol?”

“Ydw.”

“Pwy yw dy ffrind?”

“This is Sirius,” said Remus, switching back to English to include Sirius in the conversation. “He’s a friend from school. He’s English.”

“Oh, how awful for you!” Mrs. Copper called to him, in the thick Welsh accent that Sirius simply loved. Sirius smiled good-naturedly. “Whereabouts in England are you from?”

“Islington,” Sirius replied. “It’s in London.”

“I went to London once. Very loud. Very bright.” Sirius nodded. Mrs. Cooper began to walk on. “I’d best be off. Don’t want the milk to turn.” She held up one of her shopping bags, indicating that there was some milk inside. “See you, loves.”

“Hwyl!” Called Remus. Sirius repeated him. They watched her leave, and Sirius sat down upon the bridge. It had railings on either side as barriers, and Sirius put his legs through two gaps in the bars so they swung over the side. A duck came floating past, quacking every so often. Sirius threw the blackberries that he still had in his hand into the water for it to eat. Remus copied him.

“It’s so... quaint here,” observed Sirius eventually. “And I swear I mean that in the best way possible.” Remus threw another blackberry. The duck dived headfirst into the water to pick it up.

“Yes, well... not much has really changed since the fifties. Forties even. This place wasn’t much affected by either of the muggle wars, and progress isn’t exactly rife in the north-west Welsh countryside. It’s like a time warp here.” He looked almost sad, but Sirius couldn’t understand why. Of course, he knew what it was like to deal with people who were stuck in their ways, and their time, and their ancestors’ time, but the people here seemed nice enough. And even so, at that moment, Sirius felt that throwing blackberries at a duck and sitting next to his best friend on a bridge was all he needed in life.

“You know...” he began. “I never saw myself as a countryside person. Too quiet and boring. I thought of myself as more of a city person. All loud and bright like Mrs. Cooper said. But... I don’t know... I can see myself living here. With you.” Remus looked at him.

“That’d be nice...” A silence passed before Remus slapped his palms on the railings. “Come on,” he instructed, his voice louder and more confident. “Lots to see!” He started to walk ahead, and Sirius stood up to follow, grinning.

“Ooh, Moony. I like a man who can take charge.”

~

The two walked a few more miles until they reached the village. It was a nice place. Quaint. The shops all looked like cottages, and trees lined the street, some of the foliage entangled with bunting. People were milling about with shopping bags and buggies and bikes. The shop names were all in Welsh, as were the signs, but they all had the English translations printed underneath in small lettering, so Sirius didn’t have to pester Remus every five minutes.

Remus eventually stopped outside a shop that Sirius recognised: chairs and tables sat underneath a frilled, baby pink canopy. Remus held out his arm.

“Mrs. Hughes’s cake shop,” he announced. Sirius clapped his hands excitedly. A bell tinkled as the door opened, and a short, plump lady with curly dark hair appeared from within an adjoining room. She spotted Remus and smiled brightly.

“Remus! Mae wedi bod cyhyd! Sut mae, cariad? Edrych pa mor denau ywyt ti! Ywyt ti wedi bod yn bwyta?” She drew him into a hug, and Sirius was starting to get the impression that Remus was well-liked in his village. This was of no surprise to Sirius. What wasn’t there to like about his friend?

“S’mae Mrs. Hughes. Mae’n dda eich gweld chi.” Mrs. Hughes stepped back finally and turned to Sirius.

“Bore da. Nid wyf wedi eich gweld o gwmpas yma o'r blaen. Ydych chi’n ffrind i Remus?” Sirius blinked awkwardly, as Remus quickly cut in.

“Nid yw’n siarad Cymraeg. Mae’n dod o Llogr. Ei enw yw Sirius.”

“Oh... hello. It’s nice to meet you,” she said, rather slowly, as if she was concentrating on each word.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Hughes.” She smiled and nodded, before quickly returning behind the counter.

“Ywyt ti dau newydd gyrraedd?” She asked, taking out a tray of cupcakes from behind the glass and rearranging them into neat little rows. They all had chocolate frosting on them, and they looked delicious. Sirius couldn’t help but stare rather longingly.

“Ydyn. Fe gyrhaeddon ni nôl ddoe i.”

“Taith braf?”

“Oedd, diolch.” Remus saw that Sirius was struggling to participate, so Remus attempted to involve him in the conversation. “Mae Sirius yn fy mlwyddyn yn yr ysgol,” he said to Mrs. Hughes, who turned back to Sirius with interest.

“Wyt ti’n hoffi’r ysgol?”

“She asked if you like school.”

“Oh! Yes, very much. It’s fun.” Remus quickly translated.

“Hwyl!” Mrs. Hughes remarked. “Yn fy niwrnod, roedd ysgolion yn ymwneud â dysgu. Gwaharddwyd hwyl.”

“She says schools shouldn’t be fun.”

“Well, they weren’t till I arrived.” Sirius grinned as Remus rolled his eyes and reluctantly translated. Mrs. Hughes let out a bark of a laugh.

“Ryw’n hoffi ti!”

“She likes you.” 

“I like you too, Mrs. Hughes.” Mrs Hughes giggled, not needing Remus to translate. She brought out a tray of small but very tasty looking muffins. She picked up two and held them out.

“Am ddim i'm dau fachgen!” She said, as Remus went to take them. He handed one to Sirius.

“Diolch, Mrs. Hughes!” Said Remus. Sirius repeated him, and the two left the shop, walking out into the sunshine, muffins in hand. Sirius quickly took a bite.

“Shit, Remus,” he began, having barely swallowed his mouthful of muffin. “I may have to ditch you and run off with Mrs. Hughes instead.” Remus laughed.

“You’d have to learn Welsh first.”

“No need. I will happily sit in silence as she brings me muffins everyday. No Welsh required.”

~

Sirius didn’t want the day to end, but he was content in the thought that he’d wake up tomorrow and they could do it all again, and the next day, and the next, until the holidays ended. He couldn’t believe that Remus hardly talked about this place. If he was Remus, he’d never shut up about it. He almost felt angry. He hated his house, his street, his parents. He never wanted to talk about them. He was happy to forget all about them. Remus had a lovely house, and a lovely street and lovely parents. So why did he pretend otherwise?

“Do you think you’ll live here when you’re older?” Asked Sirius. They were sitting on a wall that bricked in a nice green. The green was filled with trees and a little playground area. As the sun grew lower and three o’clock rolled around, a few children started to filter into the playground, laughing and carefree after what must have been their last day at school. Hogwarts finished a day early so everyone had a chance to prepare for their journey back on the Express.

Remus pondered Sirius’s question.

“I don’t know,” he said eventually. “It is nice. And I do love Wales, of course I do...”

“But?”

“I don’t know,” seemed to be his final answer. But Sirius was too curious to let it drop so soon.

“But everyone here seems to love you. Mrs. Hughes. That lady with the shopping bags. Don’t you like it here?”

“The people are nice, but they talk. They talk about me. They pretend otherwise, but I know they have their own rumours. About why I go off to boarding school every year. Why I have scars on my face. Why...”

“Why what?”

“My mother and I are very close. They know that.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Remus looked at him steadily.

“You know what they say about boys who are close to their mothers.”

“Oh.” The two fell silent. Until Remus decided to speak again.

“In the real world, it’s 1976. Here it’s 1953. The people say good morning and bake you muffins and drink tea with their neighbours, but that’s about all you can do. You’re either married or widowed, and your kids go to the local school and leave the village when they’re eighteen to go off to London, or Cardiff, or some big city that they can write about to their families. I don’t fit in here. Not really. And I think the people know that. They’re nice to me because they feel sorry for me. Maybe not Mrs. Hughes. She really is nice. But I can’t stay just for Mrs. Hughes, can I?” Remus wanted to end his little speech on a light-hearted note, and usually Sirius would take the cue, grin and say “I would.” But he was letting Remus’s words sink in, and suddenly feeling guilty about his previous anger. Yes, Remus’s life was completely different to his, but scratch the surface and they were still in the same boat. Outcasts in a conformist society, waiting for the day they could leave and never come back. 

Remus jumped down from the wall.

“Come on. We can head back and I can show you the TV set if you want.” Sirius jumped down after him, realising that Remus was keen to change the subject. Sirius permitted him to.

“I’d forgotten about that. I’d love to see it.”

~ Welsh translation:

Bore da (b-oar-reh d-ah): Good morning

Ti’n iawn? (Tin y-ow-n): How are you? (Informal)

Rwy’n iawn, diolch (R-ooh-n y-ow-n dee-ol-kh): I’m well, thanks

Ywyt ti newydd ddychwelyd o'r ysgol? (Ow-eet tee neh-with th*-uh-kh-wel-eed or ee-sg-ol): Have you just returned from school?

Ydw (uh-doo): Yes

Pwy yw dy ffrind?: (p-wih ee**-oo d-ee fr-ih-nd): Who’s your friend?

Hwyl! (H-w-eel): Bye/Goodbye

Mae wedi bod cyhyd! (M-eye weh-dee bod kuh-heed): It’s been ages!

Sut mae, cariad? (Sit m-eye, kah-ree-ad): How are you, sweetheart?

Edrych pa mor denau ywyt ti! (Eh-dr-ee-kh pa m-oar deh-n-eye ow-eet tee): Look at how thin you are!

Ywyt ti wedi bod yn bwyta (ow-eet tee weh-dee bod ee-n b-oo***-ee-ta): Have you been eating?

Mae’n dda eich gweld chi (m-eye-n th-ah ay-kh gw-eld kh-ih): It’s good to see you.

Nid wyf wedi eich gweld o gwmpas yma o'r blaen. (N-ih-d oo-ee-v weh-dee ay-kh gweld oh g-oo-mp-ah-s ee-ma or bl-eye-n): I haven’t seen you around here before.

Ydych chi’n ffrind i Remus? (Uh-dih-kh kh-ih-n f-rih-nd ih Remus): Are you a friend of Remus?

Nid yw’n siarad Cymraeg. (Nid ee-oo-n sha-rad Cum-r-eye-g): He doesn’t speak Welsh.

Mae’n dod o Llogr. (M-eye-n dod o Ll-oh-gr): He’s from England.

Ei enw yw Sirius. (Ay en-oo ee-oo Sirius): His name’s Sirius.

Ywyt ti dau newydd gyrraedd? (Ow-eet tee d-eye neh-with g-uh-r-eye-th): Have you to just got back?

Ydyn (Uh-deen): Yes

Fe gyrhaeddon ni nôl ddoe i. (F-eh g-uh-rh-eye-th-on nee n-uh-l th-oi ee): We got back yesterday.

Taith braf? (T-ay-th b-rah-v): Nice journey?

Oedd, diolch (oi-th dee-ol-kh): Yes, thanks

Mae Sirius yn fy mlwyddyn yn yr ysgol (m-eye Sirius ee-n f-ee ml-oo-uh-th-een ee-n ee-r ee-sgol):  Sirius is in my year at school.

Wyt ti’n hoffi ysgol? (Wih-tin h-oh-f-ee ee-sgol): Do you like school?

Hwyl! (H-w-eel): Fun!

Yn fy niwrnod, roedd ysgolion yn ymwneud â dysgu. (ee-n f-ee nih-wr-nod, r-oi-th ee-sgol-ee-on ee-n ee-m-wn-ay-d ah**** d-uh-sg-ee): In my days, schools were about learning.

Gwaharddwyd hwyl. (G-wa-har-th-wih-d h-w-eel): Fun was banned.

Rywn hoffi ti! (R-ew-n hoh-f-ee tee): I like you!

Am ddim i'm dau fachgen (Ah-m th-im im d-eye vah-kh-g-en): Free for my two boys

*pronounced th as in that or this

**very short ee; yw sounds very similar to yew.

***short oo

****long ah

Bonus British translation:

Buggies: Strollers

[gailventic]

Scotland

United Kingdom is a collection of 4 very beautiful countries. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland – all interconnected via train. And having had an excess travel day on my Eurail pass, I decided to give Scotland a go.

Scotland was an 8 hour train ride from London, encompassing the beautiful sceneries up the north. And escorting my parents to this beautiful country (and going back to London the next day), I thought wasn’t really worth it. But as we arrived at the old town Scotland, we were welcomed with ironically jaw dropping grotesque city. Locals wearing their old highland dress, humming Scottish folk music up the streets. It was a beautiful sight. Never minding the rain nor the the negative degrees. Nor the awful taste of their national delicacy they’d like to call the Haggis, a savoury pudding containing sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs. Yuck.

It is also in this old town where I learned that J. K. Rowling, for those of you who knows her, wrote the infamous Harry Potter series on this very street. The Nicolson’s Cafe at Edinburgh, Scotland was where she spent hours and hours writing her masterpiece. And having been able to read all 7 books and being a self-proclaimed Potterhead, this is a dream come true for me. “It’s no secret that the best place to write, in my opinion, is in a café. You don’t have to make your own coffee, you don’t have to feel like you’re in solitary confinement and if you have writers block, you can get up and walk to the next café while giving your batteries time to recharge and brain time to think.” Says so by JK Rowling herself.

And I have to agree with her. Quite honestly, a good coffee shop is where I usually am the most productive. May it be writing a little prose or poetry, or plotting the time line of my up and coming business. Well, more about that soon because I don’t want to jinx it.

[solitaria-fantasma]

Great-grandfather Llyr

Local rumor claimed he had ties to the local Fae court, or was Fae, himself

Very aloof and stand-offish to nearly everyone but his beloved wife and children

Owned a castle that local historians still can’t properly trace the origins of

Great-Grandmother Angharad

Rumored to have sold her first-born to the Fae for unmatched talent in tailoring and weaving

Owned the best tailors shop north of Llandovery

Found her Happily Ever After and wanted her children to find theirs, too

(Ex) Grandfather Mordred

The black sheep of the Fay family

Married Lunette, had three children with her, then cheated on her with a married woman from France, and ran away to Egypt with her, breaking up both families, and stealing most of Lunette’s life savings

60% of the family will throw hands with him on sight

Grandmother Lunette

Took over her mother’s tailoring shop after her death

Never married again after Mordred, and banned his name from her household

Stopped speaking to her oldest son, Tom, after finding out that he gave his own son her ex-husband’s name for a middle name, and still holds her silence to this day

Grandfather Owain

Offered to castrate Mordred on his sister’s behalf, and only failed because he met his future wife and fell in love halfway to Egypt

Met his wife Sarah while hitchhiking across Europe, and she picked him up

Eloped back to Wales with his new wife, and never made it to Egypt

Grandmother Sarah

75% of the family Chill and 95% of her husband’s impulse control

Never did learn how to swim

Never told her family she was getting married....or moving to Wales

(Dad) Dylan

Career accountant who’s happiest when surrounded by calculations to be done

Always has a bag of pretzels within arm’s reach

Has an entire bookshelf filled with ‘dad jokes’ in four languages

(Mom) Enid

Third generation pagan who takes any excuse to throw a party

Has a lifelong goal of teaching her Aunt Sarah to swim

Keeps asking her daughter if she’ll ever get married again

Uncle Pwyll

Forklift operator extraordinaire

Swims so well that his mother used to joke that he was part selkie

Works the night shift but it’s okay because he’s nocturnal

Aunt Rhiannon

Technically not yet engaged to Pwyll but has 100% embraced the title of ‘aunt’

Drinks enough coffee in a day to kill your average man

Former Color Guard

[i-ghd]

Pembrokeshire, county of castles, coves and film star sands.

The eye was piercing. The gaze was imperious. The message an unspoken “Do you know who’s in control around here?” Eventually, of course, the human in boots, inching forward as quietly as he could along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, prevailed over the haughty feathered hunter perched on a fence post.

I was no more than 15 feet away, with the summit of nearby Carn Llidi as a backdrop, when the sparrowhawk very reluctantly gave way. It lifted off and, after a few grudging wing beats, alighted again about six posts along.

In the space of ten minutes, as I moved slowly forward, it repeated this procedure: lift off, lazy flutter of wings and perch again, about fives times, before cutting back in a wide arc across the field to roughly where I first met it.

The guidebooks tell you to look down from the cliffs for seals, porpoises, dolphins and to the windy space between land and sea for choughs, those comical blackbird-size birds with red legs. But not a word about this top predator, which had clearly dined so well on the local singbirds that it scarcely needed to move. (The birds sang on, despite the predations.) 

Approach this national trail as you might a long, detailed menu in a restaurant, one with a wide choice of starters, many of them a meal in itself. There are also some main courses, specialities of this county, and you will want to sample one or two of them. However you would need a giant’s appetite to consume the whole 186-miles, still less the entire 870 miles Wales Coast Path, of which this is only a section.

Let’s start with those appetizers. (The sparrow hawk would be in the “today’s specials” section.) I stayed at the county’s western end, on its final thrust towards Ireland. As the chough flies, Waterford is closer than Cardiff.

Hearabouts any three to five mile stretch contains many permutations. The trail twists, it lurches, it plunges, it turns severely back on itself then climbs steeply down into and up out of tiny coves. Little tumbling streams cross your path. Banks dense with foxgloves enclose your way. A flower strewn meadow ends in a sudden sheer drop down to waves boiling over jagged rocks. The view constantly changes. Nothing stays the same on this path for more than a few minutes.

I did an idle measurement on Google Maps afterwards. Made into a straight line the Pembrokeshire Path would stretch here roughly from London, 198 miles away. In 2010, duly impressed, National Geographic Magazine judged this the second best coastal destination in the world, just behind the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland, Canada.

Every three or four miles, over much of the western end at least, there is a convenient pause, in the shape of an attractive little harbour, and there’s a fair chance it is served by the coastal bus.

This part of the coast was bristling with unexpected, at least to me, industrial history. We think of the Welsh valleys studded with smokestacks and pit heads, but there is the evidence of long and serious industry in this quiet backwater. The clues that somewhere, such as Abereiddi, was once very busy is in the eroded remains of labourers’ cottages. In other places those that stood up long enough after the decline are now holiday cottages.

We dropped down into Porthgain, an industrial powerhouse  in its day. The roads of England were paved with crushed dolerite processed here. Now gentrification is complete. The main industrial building is now the Shed Fish and Chip Bistro. On our visit no fewer than ten Norwegian-registered vintage MG sportscars were neatly parked on the quayside.

The drivers and passengers were in the Shed, where they may well have been enjoying the exquisite if expensive fresh crab sandwiches, sold at prices Chiswick visitors would recognize. We ordered the same at the Sloop Inn opposite. We were perfectly positioned, some time later, to see the MGs set off in orderly convoy on the road to Fishguard.

The coast continues like this for miles, with a spot of strenuous striding, frequent heart-lifting views, tantalising glimpses of islands big and small just off the coast. Here and there an encounter with a profound religious past, in the ruined chapel and well of St David’s mother St Non, for example.

There are other, bigger harbours. In Solva the man in the car park handed out leaflets promoting all the little art craft shops, restaurants and guest houses. The Dutch and German cars underline the county’s appeal to a discerning international market – the drivers were not there for the weather.

And so to those landscape “main courses” I mentioned. On the path from the lifeboat station at St Justinians, heading north, I am suddenly above a wide, flat,  sandy beach where somebody had expertly drawn a vast jellyfish, so big it could only be seen to proper effect from 200 yards up, on the footpath.

Pembrokeshire’s beaches are now an international hot property.  Hollywood could have chosen some enchanted strand on Bali or Hawaii as the location where Kristen Stewart thunders through the surf with 80 muscular extras on horseback in the 2012 movie ”Snow White and the Huntsman”. Instead the studios chose the wide, flat, golden film-star sands, perfectly smoothed by the outgoing tide, of Marloes Sands, on southern Pembrokeshire, even if they did computer-generate an extravagant outburst of fairy-tale towers on the conveniently flat-topped Gateholm Island, which stands just yards off the headland.

Marloes first broke into the movies in 1967 when The  Lion in Winter was filmed here. Whitesands was used in the BBC4 Richard II. 

In 2010 Hollywood came to another Pembrokeshire beach, Freshwater West. Ridley Scott had filmed Robin Hood there, with Russell Crowe. The filmmakers built higgledy-piggledy Shell Cottage there for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The beach is clearly visible in the film. You will find no trace that the scrupulously tidy film makers were ever there. It’s the same at Marloes, left just as they found it.

You could easily construct a week or ten day holday around this sublime coastland, mixing up walks with boat trips to Skomer or Ramsey, dining out in the many harbour pubs on fresh local fish. The coast path has been conveniently cut up into 200 bite-size local walks, some of them circular.

One took us a few miles inland to St Davids, which is Britain’s smallest city, by virtue of the cathedral. We arrived early to benefit from its remoteness. Most day trippers, coming from afar, don’t get there until well on in the morning. We came across the intimate little cathedral, nestling in a green valley, well before the throng.

In the nave we had plently of room for some entry-level surveying, measuring the startling incline on the spirit level app on my daughter’s smartphone. It is almost two degrees.

St David’s has an understated nobility, because of its size and unusual position. On a scale of conspicuous cathedrals, Lincoln would be a 10. St David’s would be a 1. It was a steep climb up to the city, in reality a pleasant little town, where we gave in to the Italian charms of  the Bench cafe for coffee and ice cream.

Until the early 1800s Pembrokeshire would have been as remote by land as some European cities were for a traveler starting out from London. Railways opened the county up, and oil at Milford Haven and the Irish boat traffic through Fishguard Harbour ensured the rail links survived even in the bleak post-Beeching era.

The trains helped build Tenby into as gracious a Victorian resort as Whitby or Ilfracombe. Novelist George Eliot was inspired enough by her visit to this perfect little resort in 1856 to take up writing. It has been a destination of rare distinction ever since.

A cordon of high, narrow Georgian and Victorian town houses in delicate pastel colours still wraps around Tenby’s sea front. To dodge the wind you either head to the sandy beach on the town’s north flank, or, if it’s blowing from the other direction, seek out the little harbour to the south.

Praise, then, for frequent services direct from Manchester deep into Pembrokeshire, connecting with services from London and the west and south.

It’s still the case, of course, that most visitors drive here. They will find the car necessary for visiting the centre of the county where the excellent bus service doesn’t reach.

Pembroke, is technically on the coast. The tide probes almost under the walls of the castle where  Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII, was born in 1457, (It was restored to its formidable Norman pomp after a crumbly, ivy-covered interlude in the 1900s.) But it feels like an inland town.

The castle, proud and imposing above this ancient town, is just one the county’s rich crop of citadels, The list includes Manorbier, Cilgerran, Haverfordwest, Lamphey, Llawhaden, and Picton castles. There are over 50 all told, if you include forts and the reconstructed 600 BC Iron Age citadel Castell Henllys. Leading the list is Carew Castle. It overlooks a serene millpond, with a 11th century Celtic Cross and Wales’s only restored Tidal Mill. Narberth is another appealing little castle town. If you buy the Welshcakes in Waitrose, they come from here.

[itschrisrobertsblog]

Food and Drink in the Community

Whenever we travel across the UK, we know that we will stop for a drink along the way, or to get food, so we will always have a look to see what social enterprises are around that we can go to.

Liverpool for example, they have a cafe called The Brink which is a revolutionary venue that’s so much more than your usual café bar. They’ve taken alcohol out of the mix to provide a truly welcoming, creative and intelligent space where people from all backgrounds and walks of life can dine, hang out, socialise and relax.

Best of all, The Brink is a recovery social enterprise, which means that all their profits go directly back into the community to fund support for those who have suffered through alcoholism and addiction.

Another place in Liverpool is Homebaked, a community land trust and co-operative bakery situated on the boundary between the neighbourhoods of Everton and Anfield, just opposite Liverpool Football Club.

The project is co-owned and co-produced by people who live and work in the area. Starting from having saved an iconic neighbourhood bakery from demolition and developed it into a thriving community-run business, they are proposing to regenerate the high street ‘brick by brick and loaf by loaf’, using money that is spent in the neighbourhood to benefit their communities.

You see, I would much rather give my money to a social enterprise rather than to big corporate food or coffee chains, where all the profits go to senior staff or shareholders.

We should be supporting more of these enterprises and helping them to grow, I want to buy a coffee at a railway station from an enterprise that supports vulnerable people back into employment.

I want to stop in a layby with a sandwich from a shop that uses locally sourced ingredients and re-invests its profits in reducing food waste.

This is not pie in the sky thinking, it’s a pie in Homebaked thinking, it’s a butty in The Brink thinking, it’s the ‘We’re in this together’ thinking.

Next time you’re heading somewhere, check if there are any social enterprises you can call into on the way, you will help make a difference.

Chris Roberts is co-founder of the North Wales Dragons Community men’s and women’s Football Teams, helping to raise funds and awareness for good causes using recreational activity.

*See the Dragons in action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBoU3UjNSag

*See how your business can use recreational activity to make a difference. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/change-chris-roberts-/

If you would like to know more about what Chris and the Dragons get up to, or how they can help you support your community projects, please contact chris@northwalesdragons.co.uk

[misslisterkeepsajournal]

1822 Monday 22 July

8 1/2

12 1/2

Capital lodging room good bed and slept well - Breakfasted at 10 - the worst breakfast I have had because the butter strong and not good and the coffee bad or perhaps boiled milk a little inclined to be sourish - Rained all the night sometimes very heavily and rainy morning that we at once gave up all thought of going to Barmouth or doing anything but make the best of our way home - My aunts bowels better this morning but she looks ill - ‘Tis now 12 - have been reading Nicholson’s guide ever since breakfast -

(Drws y Nant Inn (ale-house by the roadside) with Jones 8 miles from Dolgella). Stopt here to bait the horses at 2 20/60 having left Dolgella at 12 3/4 - Beautiful drive as far as here, chiefly thro’ wood, the Wnion # river accompanying us from Dolgella, and foaming on our right - it forms several pretty cascades particularly 1 under a bridge perhaps a mile or 2 from here -

Just before leaving Dolgella for 20 minutes walked round the town - certainly a poor place according to English ideas - the cottages miserable tho’ apparently of the better sort for North Wales - mud floors - the smell of the peat-fires is strong and disagreeable to those not accustomed to it - and the large masses of the dark mountain stone used for building, the unevenness of them in all but the better kind of houses filled up with lesser fragments, give the buildings an unusually dark rude appearance which with poor broken windows completes the shabby look of the cottages of North Wales - But the fine blue roofing slate very commonly used is remarkably neat, and seems oddly contrasted with the rest - there is a sort of square (market place) at Dolgella - on one side the Angel Inn with a penthouse or covered way in front, facing a row of poorish looking cottages with a covered way also in front - at another side the “Caravansery” or red Lion Inn, and opposite to it the Ship Inn apparently, a new erection and next best Inn to the Golden Lion close to the church to which you turn to the right on entering the town from Tan y Bwlch - this Inn consists of 2 capital erections (for a Welsh town, where the Inns seem generally the best houses) on each side of the street fronting each other - the one to our left as we arrived has the sign - here everything is cooked, and carried across the street to the other house in which we were, the former being full - but our part had a covered door-way supported on 2 slender pillars, and I think cut the best appearance - the people very civil - woman watier - steady elderly woman who had lived there many years - nice steady elderly chamber maid - Stopt a minute at a small Slaters shop in the Square at Dolgella - a cattle doctoring book in Welsh and English. Description of Dolgella and Caden Idris 2/. - English testament - map of North Wales in a case - 2 or 3 Welsh pamphlets in the window - As we entered the town, near the bridge on the left a handsomish new erection nearly finished for a town and county hall - In the walls of this as of the Golden Lion and ship Inn, the large masses of stone cut regularly, and look well enough, tho’ dark and heavy - The clouds came over the mountains and we feared a continuance of rain - we have had only a drop or 2 for a moment once or twice, and seem to have left it behind us - yet the clouds have quite hid the higher summits of the mountains, that we have had no good view of Caden Idris -

(Bala - White Lion Inn - Ellis. 8 1/4 p.m.) Left Drws y Nant at 3 3/4 and got here at 5 50/60 - all the guide books mention the Bull as the best Inn; the people at Dolgella recommended us to the White Lion - Drove thro’ the town to compare appearances, and stopt at the latter tho’ my aunt thought the Bull’s head rather the better looking of the 2 - However I think we are right - the landlady is a very nice woman everything seems very clean and comfortable, and so far I should certainly recommend the house - my aunt rather had a little mutton broth with a boiled steak or 2 in it - I had a small loin of mutton (very good) roasted - good peas and potatos, and a very good bilberry tart - no wine - only cold water - walked a little into the town before dinner (Sat down to table about 7) and also afterwards - Better town than Dolgella - we admired it very much as we entered - wide street 7 or 8 young elm trees on our left -  a neat town-hall opposite our Inn (our Inn on the left) a neat church a little farther, on the same side as the town hall - the church very neatly pewed (peeped in at the window) and apparently recently built - 3 or 4 little streets besides the main street, and I should think Bala must rank high among the good towns in North Wales -

The drive from Drws y Nant very uninteresting till we came in sight of the Bala lake - which we kept close on our right (often no fence to guard the road from it) up to the very town, at least within a field’s length - A beautiful sheet of water - full when we saw it, its surface curled like the waves of the sea, and at this end a little surf - quite as much as we saw at the foot of Penman Mawr - a gentleman’s cottage very prettily situated on the East bank of the lake - very fair road all the way - great deal of hay to get in North Wales and a good deal to cut - the grass very thin and short, not at all equal to one of our middling pastures - little corn to be seen anywhere, and that only thin short oats or barley - I have somewhere seen a little rye, but do not remember any wheat in North Wales very few cattle and those only the small black breed, and occasionally a few brindled red - Sheep up and down the mountains, but not so small as I expected. Have only seen 1 goat a little tame thing at Caernarvon - I had an idea of pretty grey welsh ponys, but have seen nothing of the sort - should not have known the horses I have seen from English -

The weather improved before we left Drws y Nant, and had a pretty fine afternoon a few drops of rain sent us in about 8 1/2 - but it seems gone off again for the present - Settled with George and paid the bill, meaning to be off to Corwen at 7 in the morning - went upstairs at 9 50/60 - sat up hunting for a frill and adding up all my accounts find one pound short In taking out my purse at Tan y Bwlch, I let fall some sovreigns, and surely did not pick them all up - I must thus have lost one + great deal of discharge -

# pronounced as if spelt anglice Winnion

+ Wednesday night 21 August 1822 On setting my accounts at home found I had not lost a sovreign - I had omitted setting down the Cambrian Guide bought at Cernioge.

Reference: SH:7/ML/E/6/0030

[thatsagevetblr]

Tagged by @pinkpondofasgard​

Thank you so much! Sorry it’s taken me a little while to get round to this, I’ve been working hard and now I have an evening off because of it!

PART 1

**RULES: Answer the questions and then tag some people**

Nicknames: My best friend calls me Mabel, or Angelina, and my family sometimes call me Daisy Mai!

Zodiac: Very, VERY, Aquarius with a fairly strong moon in Leo... I’m rather terrifying star sign wise is the conclusion.

Height: I’m 5′7.

Hogwarts House: I’m a proud Hufflepuff <3 

Last thing Googled: “Peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway” as I was trying to find a better diagram than the one in my lecture notes lolll

Do you get asks: Nope :(

Amount of sleep: Depends, usually somewhere between 4 and 8 hours - I planned to go to bed around 12 once I finished my essay last night but ended up chatting with my flatmates until like 3am and had to get up at 7:30 for my 9am and that’s the norm tbh oops.

Lucky number: 2

What are you wearing: My brothers pj bottoms (I saw them when I was helping him unpack in his flat and I decided they would suit me more.) and a bralette - what can I say, I’ve gotta look cute in case the fire alarm goes off!

Instruments: I had a couple of years of guitar lessons when I was 13-15 and now just play casually (anyway, here’s wonderwall). I taught myself flute, piano, little bit of drums and sax, I own and can play an Irish whistle. I can improv most instruments except for brass and violin/viola (throw a cello at me with a couple of hours and Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 will be my bitch. 

Dream trip: Literally Britain, just avoiding the bit of England I’m from: Cornwall, Portland, Peak and Lake districts, North York Moors, West Yorkshire, Northumberland, literally all of Wales, Scotland, Ireland. 

Languages: Sad to report only English fluently - I grew up bilingual (Spanish) but lost it all as I moved to England very young. 

Favorite song(s): Well my “current” favourite (i.e the song I keep playing on repeat at the moment) is Unstoppable - The Score. Otherwise these are songs that are my ultimate favourites:

Nine in the Afternoon - Panic! at the Disco

Light the Night - Ilan Eshkeri & Andy Burrows

Your Song - Ellie Goulding 

Oblivion - Bastille 

Home - Gabrielle Aplin

Aesthetic: Rose gold; frosty mornings; pink sunrises; bustling streets; clouding breath; lattes in tiny coffee shops; running at first light; Sunday mornings; rum in coffee; piano music played with love; lost in crowds; someone and nobody all at once;

PART 2

Write three random facts about you

1. I am really squeamish. I can’t look at cuts, blood, skin, ooze, muscle, fat, anything. Lord knows how I’m gonna be a vet. 

2. I (am supposed to) wear a hearing aid in my left ear and my hearing is really quite bad but we roll with it guys. 

3. I have considered quitting everything to go to British Racing School on more than 1 occasion, even getting as far as getting through to interview stage at one point. 

Tagging @aspiringveterinarian @simeramise @study-diaries @philtruum @lizziedoesvetpath @vetisntdead @gettingvetted

[luthienebonyx]

Gwenspiration Self-rec

I wasn’t going to do this, but what the hell.

I am in a more or less permanent state of shock at the moment because since the show ended I’ve been writing like a fiend. Until then, I’d barely written a thing in two years: one ficlet and one drabble coming to a grand total of 1,251 words. In two years. 

It’s 20 years since I first started writing fanfic. Literally. I posted my first fic in August 1999, so it’s something 20 years this week, or even 20 years ago today. (Sorry, couldn’t resist that.) But for the past two years I’d really been thinking that maybe I wouldn’t write fanfic again.

But then the show ended, and I was seized with the need to get into Brienne’s head. I started writing the day after the final episode aired. I honestly thought I was writing a ficlet, and the googledoc with the draft in it remained titled “Jaime/Brienne ficlet” until about the 20,000 word mark, when my beta gently suggested that I should call it something else. A bit over three weeks after I started, I had a 33,000 word, five chapter story called:

More Than a Memory

This story is special to me because it wouldn’t let me NOT write it. And it’s special because it brought me back to the fic-writing headspace that I thought I’d lost. I’m also quite fond of it just as a story. It’s post-series, but it isn’t a fix-it, in the sense that I didn’t wave away any of the character deaths that happened in the show. What I did do was try to find a way to make Brienne as happy as possible in those circumstances. It’s still sad, because obviously, but I think there’s a lot more hope by the end than there was at the beginning.

You I Know

This is the novel-length Regency AU that I’ve been wanting to write for over a decade. I’ve loved the Regency since I was introduced to both Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer when I was 13 - which was... some time ago, and I’ve been reading about and researching this period for literally decades. 

I first had the idea for a story of this kind when I was in SGA fandom, but it never happened, mainly because my stupid chronic illness got in the way. I have written a couple of Regency one-shots in other fandoms over the years, but it was only after More Than a Memory came pouring out of me that I decided to bite the bullet and try to write a proper Regency AU with absolutely everything, all the period details, all the tropes, all the references to the canon, that I could cram into it. 

And this was the result. I’m currently 36,000 words and eight chapters into it, and there’s still loads of story to come. I’m having a huge blast writing it, and I hope that’s coming through in the reading. I’ve put it on hiatus for a few weeks while I do Writer’s Month (more about that below) but I will be back working on this one as soon as August is done. If there is one fic that is the fic of my heart in this fandom, this one is it.

The Aussie Coffee ‘verse

I decided to do Writer’s Month on a whim a few weeks ago. It involves a prompt every day for the month of August. I thought I would be writing some mostly stand-alone ficlets and drabbles, maybe connected loosely in a few different universes. This lasted a whole three days into the challenge, when I wrote a ficlet in response to the prompt ‘coffee shop AU’. I set it in a coffee shop on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia, because Australia is what I know in RL. The basic premise is that English tourist Brienne gets left beside the highway with her luggage after an argument with her travelling companion, Hyle, so she walks to the nearest small town through the summer heat, and finds a coffee shop  - and Jaime, who may or may not be a barista, or possibly some sort of Hemsworth - there. 

And then it spawned a sequel. And another. And another. And now 10 of the 13 stories I’ve written for Writer’s Month (yeah, I gave up on writing a ficlet every single day when these started topping 3,000 words each) are in this universe and the story as a whole is over 30,000 words long (this seems to be a recurring theme for me) and I know how it’s going to end. Eventually. There are still quite a few more instalments to come.

This universe has just been utter fun to write in. I’d call it fluff, but my beta says it’s too deeply romantic (at least in places) to be simply fluff, and now I’ve added humour AND angst as well, so who knows what it is at this point? Though honestly, if you want realism (the first ten stories take place in a 24 hour period) I’d go somewhere else.

So, those are my three self-recs, plus lots of self-indulgent explanation. I’ve written a few other small fics as well as these, which brings my grand total in the past three months to 16 stories and 112,664 words. As I said at the beginning of this post, I’m in shock. But happy shock.