#Sachet ZIP

[raceofhearts]

Ok so I went through my little backpack for this and:

wallet and documents

water bottle

notebook and pen

hand cream

hand sanitizer

foldable reusable grocery bag

compressions gloves for my fucked up joints

tissues

buff

termoprotective hair mist (summer only)

fan (summer only)

sunglasses (all year)

a flat pack of facemasks

sanitizing wipes

safety pins

tiny sewing kit

corn plaster pack (lifesaving!)

earplugs

chewing gum

tiny resuscitation kit with single-use gloves and a mouthpiece

medicine for: pain, stomach problems, sore throat, migraine (for my wife) and my own blood pressure pills

chapstick

keys

Notably, no phone, I prefer to keep it in my jeans pocket.

I swear this backpack is bigger on the inside, all this stuff and it's still half-empty, I can fit an additional raincoat in there and still have space for some snacks. It's my fave hiking backpack, but I take it everywhere.

@ people who carry bags everywhere what do you put in them what is there to bring other than chapstick, keys, phone and maybe a tampon why are you packing a suitcase to be outside for 5 hours

[jimmyscanongf]

headcanons: calling up your mouthwashing bf to come over when you’re sick <3

because i’m sick.

ft. curly, jimmy, and daisuke

its my first time writing daisuke… idk brother but i had ideas for him so

Curly:

-this sweet, loving man is on the scene to come to your aid asap. like it’s his destiny to be your sicknurse. he loves being there to care for you

-he shows up with everything: warm blankets, hes got cold and flu medicine, he brought your favourite sweater of his for you to wear, little snacks, a thermometer to take your temperature

-if you’re lucky, he asked his mum to make soup, and he brought a serving or two. the man can’t really cook. he had a lovely mother who fed him and then spent way too much time in space eating prepackaged meals and slop assembled from gelatin water and sweetener.

-but her soup is not something you can just whip up really fast; so if not, he’ll try cooking anyways - an easy recipe. pre made broth cartons and all that. might even go for the pre packaged dry soup sachets. he’s aware of his culinary shortcomings. but it’s made with the utmost love.

-he does make a great cup of tea. nice, warm, and sweet to soothe your sore throat.

-he’s typically a well dressed man but he shows up in comfy clothes. he’s ready to lock down and cuddle with you for as long as you need, on the bed, or on the couch watching a movie, something lighthearted and low stakes. he’s a furnace, theres no better man to lie with when you’re shivering from the fever and cant get warm.

-he’ll gently massage your achey body, the man has magic hands, you feel so much better.

-when the fever breaks and you’re sweaty and flushed he’s there to help strip you out of the thick layers and dab cool water on your face and neck and chest

-he knows he’s gonna get sick. but he doesn’t mind that much, its all worth it to be there and to show you how much he cares <3

Jimmy:

-not gonna lie, his first thought is “what the fuck, i don’t wanna get sick, i can’t afford that shit.” he almost doesn’t want to come. cause when he gets sick, he always has to weather the sickness all alone.

-he doesn’t eat that well on earth. so maybe he’s a lil malnourished, his immune system isn’t the strongest. when he gets sick he’s fucking down for the count.

-but he zips it up, and thinking for a second more he realizes that he was the first one you called for help and comfort and he just. pauses and pinches the bridge of his nose, sighs. “…just hang on, I’ll be right there.” he does care about you, when it comes down to it.

-and imagine your surprise when you amble weakly to the door and he’s there, with a bottle of nyquil and, a bag of vegetables, some pasta, and is that a whole uncooked chicken?! he dug deep into his coffers to get ingredients to make you real chicken soup. if that doesnt show you how much jimmy loves you idk what will.

-he’s no 5 star chef, but he can cook pretty well. he can follow a recipe no problem. there were a lot of “fend for yourself” nights growing up. sometimes he’d even save his own money as a kid to buy ingredients to make a real proper meal.

-(and also slaving away over the stove for hours gives him an excuse to keep his distance as much as possible, man does not want to get infected.)

-he’s still gonna sit with you, let you lay your head on his lap while he waits for the soup to all simmer together. stroking your hair while you’re under a pile of blankets, both watching nothing tv just to pass the time and fill the silence. you can kinda smell the soup, what you can smell is rich and delicious

-you both eat his incredible hearty nourishing soothing soup and cuddle on the couch when you start getting cold. and when he starts thinking it’s time to leave he realizes you fell asleep on his chest. fuck, i guess he’s stuck now.

-he really, really hopes you’ll return the favour in a week’s time when he’s sick as a dog. (you better go nurse that man and make him feel so cared for)

Daisuke:

-the man is thrilled. hes like AWWW YEAH DAISUKE TO THE RESCUE COMING TO NURSE MY BOO BACK TO HEALTH. he’s so happy you asked him for help. he’s determined to make you feel better.

-he really does the absolute most. he pulls up with like, several different kinds of medicine, he’s got games and movies to pass the time, he’s got so many snacks and junk food. he was at the store thinking, what food always makes me feel better? and filled his cart. there was a get well soon balloon at the checkout line so you know he bought it last second.

-he’s a little. much. he’s just enthusiastic about making you feel better. he’s going through the whole laundry list of everything he brought while your sluggish sick brain is in circles trying to keep up. and not gonna lie, you’re a little too fatigued to play video games.

-so you’re lying there next to him under the blankets watching him play video games and munching on like. chips and candy and stuff. coughing and dripping from your nose. kinda drifting in and out of sleep. he’s doing his very best to keep it down. but just being near him is so comforting.

-eventually. the junk food just is not cutting it. and your mouth kinda hurts from the hard salty snacks and your tongue is coated from the candy. “daisuke, baby… did you bring any real food?” and you sound all weak and hoarse and youre aching all over. he’s like. OH, shit. yah i guess chips arent the most nourishing food for when youre sick huh…. he sits there thinking for a moment and then the lightbulb goes off

-“hold on babe, i know just the thing, i’ll be right back!!” and he rushes out. on the way to the grocery store again he’s calling up his mom like MAMA how do you make that soup you gave me when i was sick as a kid???

-he comes back and whips up estrellita soup in no time, because its just like, chicken broth and some salt and little star pasta. and he looks so damn pleased handing you the bowl. how the fuck can you feel bad when he’s smiling like that over this bowl of tiny little stars.

-he’s so happy watching you eat his childhood sick soup. he spends the night, all he wants is to make you feel better, he doesnt even think once about getting sick himself.

[fayes-fics]

Moments: Sweet and Spice

Moments Masterpost

Pairing: Benedict Bridgeton x fem!reader

Summary: One-shot set in the Moments universe. Benedict introduces his new baby daughter Isobel to his family (aka the sweet), and he and his wife flirt (aka the spice).

Artwork credit: @margowritesthings

Warnings: not much... a few suggestive lines of dialogue but otherwise all fluff.

Word Count: 1.5k

Author’s Note: Unbetaed. This is an Anon request fill (ask HERE) about Benedict introducing his baby daughter to his family, that I thought would fit well in the Moments universe. Enjoy! <3

As you pull up outside Aubrey Hall, James is sleeping in Benedict’s lap, and baby Isobel is asleep in your arms, the gentle rocking motion of the carriage soporific. It’s been a long journey from Wiltshire to Kent, and it is now early evening in late summer, dusk beginning to settle in.

“I don’t want to wake him,” Benedict murmurs, gently petting his six-year-old son's hair. 

“It is late,” you point out softly. “If you can lift him without waking him, perhaps we can get both our children to our guest rooms undisturbed?”

“Darling, I do so love your optimism,” he chuckles. “You do know everyone will be clambering to meet our new arrival, especially my mother,” he points out as little Isobel moves slightly in her sleep. 

“Can it not wait until morning? Surely they are all busy with evening pastimes, perhaps a spirited round of bridge?” You shrug.

Just then, Violet appears on the front steps, the sound of your approach obviously alerting the household to your arrival. 

The jerk of the carriage halting awakens James with a start, and Isobel's eyes fly open, large and concerned.

“So much for that plan,” your tone is sardonic as you brush your daughter's cheek reassuringly with your finger. She calms instantly. 

“Look at my mother,” Benedict says, briefly waving through the window. “She is practically beside herself to meet the next of her grandchildren.”

She does indeed look ebullient, rocking on her heels.

A few moments later, as the footmen open your carriage, James, as he did eight months earlier at your Christmas visit, leaps out and runs to his grandmother for a hug. She obliges, but as she does so, you can see her attention is on you, craning her neck to catch sight of Isobel.

Benedict assists you out of the carriage with a steady hand and then looks briefly confused as you hand him Isobel. 

“Go introduce your daughter to all of her family,” you smile, giving him a peck on the cheek. “I will ensure James does not feel left out.” 

The look he shoots you is pure devotion. 

“You can thank me later if you like,” you whisper cheekily with a wink, unable to resist flirting with your handsome husband; something about the sight of him holding your daughter so very stirring. 

His mouth falls open even as his pupils dilate rapidly. “You say such things before our daughter’s very ears?!” he gasps in mock indignation.

“Oh please, as if that is not the entire reason she exists,” you volley back, twisting your mouth into an amused pout as you walk, shoulders touching, towards the house.

“This conversation is not over, my dear…” he warns in a low tone that makes a tiny thrill zip down your spine just before you pull up in front of Violet with warm smiles.

“Mother,” Benedict beams with pride, “meet Isobel Violet Bridgerton.”

Violet’s hand flies to her mouth, and her eyes are immediately glassy. 

She kisses Benedict’s cheek and then looks down at the bundle in his arms, just three months old.

“Oh! She is the most beautiful creature!” She enthuses, “may I?” She gestures to take Isobel and Benedict’s hands her over.

“Hello, my lovely.” Violet coos, all of her attention on the babe as she walks indoors.

James patiently stands aside, and you crouch next to him, producing a bonbon from a sachet in your reticule.

“This is because you are such a wonderful big brother, James,” you smile as his face lights up.

“Thank you, Mummy!” He gratefully takes the treat and your hand as you enter the house.

There is a rapturous greeting as you walk into the drawing room, where the extended family is all gathered.

As you take a seat with James and wrap your arm around him, you watch as Benedict retrieves his daughter from his mother and stands in the middle of the room, holding her proudly in front of his siblings and their families. 

“This is my sweet, sweet baby girl, Isobel,” he announces to all but looking down devotedly at her as he says it, running a finger down one of her apple cheeks.

Again, he positively beams with pride as each person showers compliments and congratulations. You are so happy he gets to have this moment that he missed with his son. Your hand flexes on James' shoulder as you think it.

“What a darling!” Kate exclaims as she and Anthony move in first to take a closer look. 

“Congratulations, brother,” Anthony nods. “Mark my words, you shall never sleep another night of your life peacefully now you have a daughter,” he adds dryly as Kate swats his arm.

“Pay him no mind,” she breezes, “Isobel will be no trouble.”

“It’s the suitors I’m more concerned about,” Anthony responds, looking over at his own daughter, barely five, as Kate rolls her eyes at the absurdity of his concerns running at least ten years ahead of time.

“She is as beautiful as her mother, so I suppose I should ensure I stay fighting fit for when that time comes,” Benedict responds lightly, looking over to you.

“Do you not wish to join Benedict, my dear?” Violet asks as she takes a seat opposite you.

You cut your eyes pointedly to James, and she nods her understanding. Being the mother of eight, she is more than aware of the juggling act of ensuring older siblings do not feel left out with a new arrival.

“This is his first… baby girl,” you say pointedly, knowing she understands why you chose that phrasing with James present. “He deserves the spotlight.”

She clasps her hand over her heart, and her eyes are filled with emotion. “I could not ask for a more wonderful daughter-in-law or match for my son,” she affirms, reaching out and grasping your hand briefly.

“Thank you, Violet,” you demure, as both of your eyes cut back to that very man, now standing with arguably his favourite sibling.

“You made a good one there, brother,” Eloise concedes, “as in a girl who does not look at all like you, a man.”

He pulls his trademark face at Eloise, making her grin a satisfied smirk. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” you pipe up from across the room, “those are Benedict’s eyes, not mine.”

Initially, when she was born, Isobel’s eyes were like yours, but, as sometimes happens with babies, her eyes changed over the intervening weeks. Now it’s Benedict’s eyes that stare up at you every time she suckles from your body. The very same as it was with James.

Eloise seems to lean in and confirms your diagnosis with a conciliatory nod towards you.

“Ah, well, better luck next time,” she jests and returns to her book, even though you can tell she is secretly proud of her older brother.

Isobel is as good as gold as she is passed around the other family members, Simon and Daphne, Colin and Penelope, and even Francesca and Michael, whom you have only met briefly. 

By the time Hyacinth and Gregory bound over, Isobel is starting to fuss, and with a kiss to James’ hair and a murmur that you will be right back, you get up and join your husband, taking Isobel from him and soothing her with a rocking motion.

“I believe someone may be hungry and overtired and getting a touch fussy,” you pronounce.

“Yes, but enough about your husband, what of baby Isobel?” Penelope barbs and everyone laughs loudly; another new Brigderton wife who is more than up to the task of holding their own.

To keep up with the fun, you touch Benedict’s forehead as if taking his temperature. “There there, you are just fine, my darling. Be a good boy for your family,” you joke as they laugh harder.

He leans in. “I’ll be a good boy if you give me that thank you you promised me,”  he murmurs in your ear, their laughter drowning out the dusky words.

And just like that, your body flushes warm, and you stare at him enrapt, wanting nothing more than to be alone with him, even as your baby girl fusses in your arms.

“Good Christ. Get a room, you two,” Anthony grouses, but it’s entirely without heat, knowing the passion runs just as deep in his marriage, even with three children now.

“We would love to, brother,” Benedict quips. “Perhaps now would be a good time for you to appoint us a room?”

“Your belongings have already been taken there from your carriage,” Anthony replies smugly. “Third door on your left up the grand staircase. Your children have the adjoining nursery with your nanny, who is already there, as I understand.”

“Thank you, Anthony,” you nod, then turn your attention to your husband. “Stay here with your family; I will feed Isobel and put James to bed,” you smile at him.

“I will be there, anon,” he promises, kissing Isobel on the head and then dropping a kiss on your temple. “And I hope you are very naked when I arrive, darling,” he adds, sotto voce.

Some Moments are very auspicious indeed.

Benedict taglist: @makaylan @foreverlonginguniverse @iboopedyournose @colettebronte @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @margofiore @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @bridgertontess @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @angels17324 @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @benedictspaintbrush @miindfucked @sorryallonsy @lilithseve @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @truly-dionysus @fictionalmenloversblog @zinzysstuff @malpalgalz @panhoeofmanyfandoms @kinokomoonshine @causeimissu @delehosies @Mlovesbridgerton @m-rae23 @last-sheep @kmc1989 @desert-fern @starkeylover @corpseoftrees-queen @jeanfreau @magical-spit @bunnyweasley23 @how-many-stars-in-the-sky

[inmate62763]

Like your blog! Do you think you will ever go back to prison?

I read somewhere that in HMP / British prisons you get a "Welcome pack" when you first enter the prison and get processed. What does that mean and what does it include? Hope you don't mind me asking but I don't know much about UK prisons

Hi. Thanks ever so much. I'm very pleased you like my blog!

Yes, I know what you are referring to. Things vary a bit depending on which prison you end up in over here in the UK but generally it's the same sort of things you will receive. Please bear in mind that the things I am about to list apply to when I was in prison 8 years ago so what I describe may have changed a bit now but it will be mostly the same sort of stuff.

One of the questions you get asked when being processed at reception and intake is wether you are a smoker or not and this will determine what type of welcome pack you get. For instance I was and still am a non-smoker so I had the non-smokers welcome pack which consisted of a toiletries bag with soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, hand towel, hand sanitiser, roll of toilet paper, tea bags, coffee sachets, some cartons of long life milk and some suger sachets. Also had a phone card with £3 worth of credit on it and your prisoner rule book. You also get issued with your own plastic plate, cutlery and mug. The smokers pack is virtually the same but you get less tea bags, coffee etc in that pack and you get some vape sticks instead (used to be tobacco and papers but replaced with vapes now). Even if you don't smoke I advise you to still ask for the smokers pack because vape products are a extremely useful form of currency in prison. I regularly bought vape products from the prison canteen list / commissary because of it being a useful form of currency even though I didn't smoke.

The other things I got at the same time as my welcome pack was my prison clothing issue. This consisted of the following:

1 x short sleeve HMP prison stripe shirt, 1 x long sleeve HMP prison stripe shirt, 2 x green t-shirts, 2 x HMP prison blue denim jeans, 2 x grey sweatpants, 1 x grey sweatshirt, 5 x white boxer shorts, 5 x white socks, 1 x wolly hat, 1 x outdoor jacket. A little tip with HMP prison issue stuff... always size up one size with the prison issue jeans and shirts. They always seem to be a bit smaller than the size they should be. I was a 32 inch waist and when I tried to put the prison issue 32W jeans on I couldn't even do up my button and zip on them so size up one usually. Same applies with the shirts because they shrink a bit in the wash. In some UK prisons these days you can also wear items of your own clothing with certain restrictions and this will be explained to you at intake but back when I was in prison a few years ago I was in prison issue stuff.

As for the question of if I will ever go back to prison, the answer is probably not even though I admit I do miss it sometimes. My life is completely different and settled now and I've not been in trouble at all since my release 8 years ago so no I probably won't ever go back but can never say never as you never know what life throws up!

Thanks for the questions and if you need further information please message me.

Best wishes.

62763.

[fandom-gt]

The Code Problem

COMMISSION TYPE: Full Page + 2 Additional Page Add-ons PRICE: 95 FANDOM: Stranger Things CHARACTERS: Steve & Eddie, ft. Robin REQUESTED SUMMARY: ”Steve loves having a giant boyfriend. He also loves having a rockstar boyfriend. Unfortunately he’s not used to either, and winds up stumbling across what each code means personally, sometimes dragging Robin along.” WARNINGS: Entrapment, feet, insertion, unaware, dubcon, edging -——

The first code Steve ever learned was 6, and he probably should’ve realized after that point he’d be learning the first five the hard way. The fact that they even have codes should probably have been a red flag, because it means they’re common enough occurrences they get their own categories. Getting personally peeled out of his boyfriend’s balls by Chrissy had been an embarrassing affair that left him flushed red and flustered, but oh, what a naive fool he’d been to think that was either the last time it would happen, or the most embarrassing thing that could happen. Code 2 was worse. He learned through a little ill-advised snooping that Eddie likes to wear a condom throughout some of his performances. He’d wondered they were for, those enormous foil-wrapped sachets in Eddie’s giant nightstand. After all, Steve’s his boyfriend, in theory they’re the only ones involved in their sex life, and Eddie’s definitely not sticking it anywhere that could possibly require protection — mostly because until Steve turns into a latex balloon or a stretchy rubber doll, it literally just wouldn’t fit. In a bid of frustration and curiosity, he’d peeled open one corner of the package, snuggled his way down over the rubber ring, and waited for his opportunity to pop out and declare an angry “gotcha!”, only to be absolutely baffled when Eddie pulled the latex onto his completely flaccid cock in an utterly empty room. He’d been too baffled, even, to remember to jump out, or to successfully flag down his boyfriend’s attention. “Hey- wait- no, hold on, EDDIE-” was all he managed to get out, before the swooping sensation of gravity kicked in so fiercely he’d nearly upchucked his lunch. Flashes of metal studs and dark leather passed by in a blur, until suddenly he was face to face with the head of a very familiar cock, smashed soft, mostly-clean flesh just beneath the tip, and those unyielding fingers carried on rolling the remainder of the condom down its spongey length.

And then Eddie pulled his underwear up, then zipped his leather pants, and Steve was so firmly sealed beneath so many layers he could barely move — a full reverse snow-angel under his boyfriend’s slit. Through all those layers, he could still hear the voice that came over the PA system. “Five minutes until showtime, Ed,” came a cheerful call. Unrelenting force squished Steve so hard his back popped as Eddie gripped himself and answered, “On it. Almost ready.” As it turns out, performing gives Eddie one hell of a hard-on. The more he gets into the riffs of his guitar, the harder the bass kicks and the drums pound, the more the blood rushes to his cock. By midway through the show, Eddie’s sporting a raging boner that keeps leaking down over the tip of his slit, smearing over skin, and flooding down Steve’s back. He guesses Eddie wears that condom to keep the precum from soiling his underwear or leaving them fully damp while he’s trying to perform. After the nightmare of Code 6, they gave Steve a wristwatch walkie to wear for other such incidents. It takes nearly an hour for him to be able to move his arm close enough to his mouth, and it’s only thanks to the lubricated precum that he can manage it, but he finally does, engaging the walkie and hoarsely pleading for help.. “I’m stuck- oh crap, he’s doing a solo, why does he have to hump his guitar every time he does a stupid solo-” “Steve, is that you? What do you mean? Also, you’re supposed to say ‘over’ when you’re done talking. Over.”

“I’m stuck in Eddie’s stupid crotch again, in the condom, i can’t get out, you gotta make him stop doing the stupid solo!” Silence follows for a minute, before he impatiently snaps, “Over!” into the mic. “You mean you’re- in there right now? Over?” “Yes! Tell him to stop and get me out!” The silence that follows is unsettling, and is ultimately broken by a regretful, “We can’t do that, Steve, I’m sorry. We can’t just- stop the show, he’s only half way through. You’re gonna have to sit tight until after the finale, and then we’ll try to catch him before he- you know. Fills it up. Over.” A full hour of Eddie’s cock rubbing against the hard back of his guitar later, Steve finally catches a break as Eddie’s PA stops him in his dressing room to whisper an urgent, code 2. His boyfriend peels him out, salty and soaked and exhausted. There’s an irreverent, amused smile on Eddie’s face as he holds his tiny boyfriend up to inspect him. “I should’ve known. I always play better when there’s a Code 2. It felt great, babe. Maybe you should hop in there for my next show, too.”

Code 3, as it turns out, is nowhere near as exciting. He finds himself tumbling down a combat boot the size of a house, and before he can call for help on his watch, Eddie’s bare toes make an oppressive sight at the top of the boot, and force themselves into the shoe, taking up every inch of space, and slamming him against the sole. One big toe smothers his face, too big to wrap his arms around, and he squirms beneath it. Dating Eddie for so long and repeatedly running into these scenarios must be getting to him, or building some kind of weird association, because along with the fear and frustration and humiliation, Steve finds himself getting inexplicably hard under Eddie’s unrelenting toe. And then Eddie starts to walk, pounding weight onto him again and again rhythmically, and Steve’s too crushed to call for his watch. So… look, it’s not like he has much else he can do down here, right? He wraps his arms and legs around that toe as best he can, and he grinds his hips up into his boyfriend’s foot, desperately seeking relief for his anxiety-induced hard-on in between every step. It’s an exercise in frustration, because just as he’s finding a rhythm, the foot slams back down again, crushing him too tightly to move. And then it lifts up, and he rolls his hips quickly, frantically, hoping- Only to have that foot slam back down again, cutting him off prematurely before he can get close enough. And so it goes for half an hour, Eddie blissfully unaware, Steve uncomfortable and terrified and trying to come. Only once Eddie finally sits down at his final destination does he realize there’s something in his shoe, but rather than investigate, he just starts wiggling his toes around, manipulating it, turning Steve’s little body sideways and scrunching them, catching him between them, rubbing them. An absent, thoughtless assault on his entire person that leaves Steve in near-tears from the friction and overstimulation, none of it regular enough for him to finally just get off. And then Eddie walks home, peels his boot off, and investigates. Seeing Steve’s sweet little body in despair, and seeing exactly how hard his boyfriend is, he chalks it up to Steve having some kind of foot fetish. “Sorry to interrupt, I didn’t realize you were in there having a good time, Harrington. You should’ve told me you were into Code 3,” he says, lowering Steve back down into the boot. He can’t hear Steve’s miniscule little protests as he shoves his foot back in, and carries on playing with Steve’s little body. Code 1, though… Code 1 has to be the most intense of all the code Steve’s run into so far. He never in a million years would’ve guessed it happened with any kind of regularity, but there he sat at the bottom of a crushing tunnel, the light above so far from him it’s barely visible, and then Robin’s voice calling down to him. “Wooooow, seriously, Steve? A code 1? You guys are such- dudes, you’re so weird, and horny, and unsafe, and I can’t believe I have to do this again-” “Again?! What do you mean again?!” Steve called up, his voice thick and strained as a muscle spasm of pleasure rolled through Eddie involuntarily. “And could you tell him to stop getting off on this?! I’m slipping!” There’s a moment of silence, and then Robin calls back down, “He says he’s sorry, he can’t help it, you’re in a really good spot right now. Which is exactly the same thing that happened to Chrissy, and to the last one that ‘accidentally’”- she made air-quotes with her fingers. Steve can’t explain how he knows, he definitely couldn’t see it, but he’s one hundred percent certain she did the air quotes. “Tripped and fell down your giant boyfriend’s stupid giant dick. Now, if you wanna get out before you wind up in an even worse spot, you’ll shut up and stop moving! Otherwise, this could go from a code 1 to a code 9 really fucking quick, and trust me, you do not want a code 9.” Steve looked down at the flesh-paneled walls behind him, and gulped.

[chemicalindustryresearchers]

India Flexible Packaging Market Growth Size, Trends, Revenue Share Analysis, Forecast 2034

The India Flexible Packaging Market has emerged as a key player in the global packaging landscape, driven by the country's dynamic consumer preferences, expanding industries, and growing focus on sustainability. Flexible packaging, which includes materials such as plastic films, paper, aluminum foils, and laminates, has gained prominence for its adaptability, cost-efficiency, and ability to preserve product integrity.

Market Overview

India's Flexible Packaging Market Size was valued at USD 22.8 Billion in 2022. The Flexible Packaging industry is projected to grow from USD 24.00 Billion in 2023 to USD 36.29 Billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound yearly growth rate (CAGR) of 5.30% throughout the forecast period (2024 - 2032). This robust expansion is fueled by increasing demand from sectors like food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, personal care, and e-commerce. The market's growth is also supported by India's demographic dividend, urbanization, and evolving retail landscapes.

Flexible packaging offers numerous advantages, such as lightweight properties, reduced transportation costs, extended shelf life, and the ability to cater to diverse product types. These attributes make it a preferred choice for manufacturers aiming to meet consumer demands while optimizing logistics and reducing environmental impact.

Key Drivers of Growth

Rising Consumer Demand With a burgeoning middle class, increasing disposable incomes, and changing consumption patterns, Indian consumers are gravitating towards convenient, portable, and attractive packaging. Flexible packaging meets these requirements by offering resealable pouches, easy-to-open sachets, and lightweight designs.

Booming Food and Beverage Sector The food and beverage industry is the largest end-user of flexible packaging in India. With a growing preference for ready-to-eat, processed, and packaged foods, the demand for flexible packaging solutions such as stand-up pouches, zip-lock bags, and multi-layer laminates has soared.

Pharmaceutical Growth India's pharmaceutical industry, one of the largest globally, heavily relies on flexible packaging for products like blister packs, sachets, and medical-grade pouches. The need for tamper-evident, durable, and hygienic packaging has further boosted adoption.

E-commerce Expansion The rapid growth of e-commerce platforms has led to a surge in demand for protective and functional packaging. Flexible packaging materials are widely used to package goods securely, reduce shipping costs, and provide an enhanced unboxing experience.

Emerging Trends

Sustainability Initiatives Environmental concerns have prompted companies to adopt eco-friendly packaging solutions. Many businesses are now exploring biodegradable films, recyclable materials, and compostable packaging to reduce their carbon footprint.

Technological Advancements The integration of digital printing, barrier technologies, and intelligent packaging has enhanced the functionality and aesthetics of flexible packaging. Smart packaging solutions, such as QR codes and NFC tags, are gaining traction for providing consumers with product information and ensuring authenticity.

Shift Towards Mono-Material Packaging To simplify recycling, manufacturers are increasingly adopting mono-material packaging, which uses a single type of material instead of multi-layered composites. This aligns with India's sustainability goals and regulatory framework.

Focus on Lightweighting Reducing material usage without compromising durability is a growing trend in the flexible packaging industry. Lightweighting helps manufacturers save costs and meet consumer demand for minimalistic yet functional designs.

Challenges Facing the Market

Environmental Concerns Despite its advantages, flexible packaging, especially plastic-based materials, faces criticism for contributing to environmental pollution. The lack of efficient recycling infrastructure exacerbates this issue.

Regulatory Pressure The Indian government has implemented stringent regulations to curb plastic usage, including bans on single-use plastics. These policies compel manufacturers to innovate and invest in sustainable alternatives.

Rising Raw Material Costs Fluctuations in the prices of raw materials like polyethylene and polypropylene can impact profit margins and production costs for manufacturers.

Opportunities for Growth

Rural Market Penetration As rural areas witness increasing consumer awareness and purchasing power, the demand for small-sized, affordable, and flexible packaging formats is on the rise.

Export Potential India’s growing expertise in flexible packaging positions it as a key exporter to international markets. High-quality, cost-effective solutions cater to global demand, especially from developing economies.

Collaborations and Investments Partnerships between packaging companies, technology providers, and consumer goods brands are driving innovation. Moreover, government initiatives like “Make in India” encourage investment in the packaging sector.

Future Outlook

The future of the India flexible packaging market lies in innovation and sustainability. With consumers increasingly prioritizing convenience and eco-friendliness, companies are expected to invest heavily in research and development to create advanced, sustainable packaging solutions. The adoption of circular economy principles, such as reducing, reusing, and recycling materials, will further shape the industry's trajectory.

Additionally, advancements in material science, automation, and digitalization will enhance production efficiency, reduce waste, and improve product performance. The market is also likely to see heightened competition as global players expand their footprint in India, prompting local companies to scale up and innovate.

MRFR recognizes the following India Flexible Packaging Companies - Berry Global Inc.,Bilcare Ltd.,Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH,Cosmo Films Ltd.,GARWARE HI TECH FILMS Ltd.,Huhtamaki Oyj,Jindal Poly Films Ltd.,Multiflex Packaging India,Nichrome Packaging Solutions,Packone Solutions LLP

The India flexible packaging market stands at the cusp of transformative growth, driven by consumer trends, industrial advancements, and a strong push for sustainability. While challenges like environmental concerns and regulatory pressures persist, the industry's adaptability and focus on innovation make it well-positioned to thrive in the coming years. By embracing eco-friendly practices, leveraging technology, and tapping into emerging opportunities, the market can solidify its role as a leader in the global packaging ecosystem.

Related Reports

Smart Food Packaging Market - https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/smart-food-packaging-market-12297  Packaging Tapes Market - https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/packaging-tapes-market-1406  Display Packaging Market - https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/display-packaging-market-4881  Child Resistance Packaging Market - https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/child-resistance-packaging-market-3867  Edible Packaging Market - https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/edible-packaging-market-5435  Recyclable Packaging Market - https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/recyclable-packaging-market-8535 

[inquisitor-of-hearts]

Broken (2)

Nathan Drake/Chloe Frazer, Chloe Frazer & Victor Sullivan

Chloe withdraws after the events in the Tibetan village and Sully comes after her. Almost two years later she suddenly hears from Nathan again. (Spoilers for Uncharted 2 & 3.)

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 710

Chapter 1

“That’s what he said? He wants to meet you at your hotel? Alone?”

“Yeah. Let’s catch up before we meet with everyone. Give me a call when you arrive.” Chloe spoke, stopping in the middle of her packing to show Sully the text on her phone. Once Sully took the phone from her hands, she continued stuffing her bags for the trip to Syria.

“Huh. Kid’s got crazy ideas.”

“That’s what I was thinking. I thought you said he had gotten married?”

“Yeah well he did.” Sully confirmed, putting the phone down on the bed next to him, his other hand holding a mug filled with coffee. “For a while at least.”

Chloe’s was hunched over her bag trying to push some more clothes in, but then as she heard the answer she straightened up, looking over.

“For a while? How long are we talking?”

“Argh, I don’ t know the details. You don’t wanna know either.” He waved it off, but was met with her persistent gaze. “A few months maybe. Not much longer.”

“I just-- I don’t understand why he says call me and then he never picks up.”

“From what I heard you didn’t pick up either when he called you for the job.” Sully reminded her.

“Yeah but that’s different. I’m the victim here.” Both of her hands pointed to her heart. Sully chuckled.

“You really want to keep this up with him?”

“Keep this up? He started it.”

“Well I heard different things there, too.” He said and drank the rest off the coffee.

“You know what? Whatever. I’m not doing this anymore. -- You want another coffee?” She walked over to the little tray on the side table next to the TV that had one cup, a kettle, instant coffee and several wrapped tea bags stacked, then rustled through them, holding two of the sachets up. “Okay, coffee is out. But I can offer you some, uhh” She read the label, “British luxury tea.”

“Nah, don’t worry.” Sully answered, holding the empty mug in his hands. “Look kid, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Hey, don’t kid me” She pointed at him menacingly.

“Kiddo then?”

“Mhh no, not that one either. And you know, I already got hurt long ago. He made his choice. I don’t care anymore.”

“Don’t you think you might have hurt him a little too?”

“So what, maybe I did? Maybe I didn’t do everything right.” She walked towards her bags again and squished the clothes inside, then started to zip it up. In the middle of it, she stopped, sighing and letting go. “He’s a grown man, he can take it, right? It’s not like he can’t forgive me.”

“Did you forgive him?”

“I did. Sort of. Not the point.” She shook her head.

“Look, why don’t you just try to talk to him?”

“Talk? To Nathan Drake? I can barely get a word out of him.”

“Yeah, he’s like that these days again.” Sully sighed.

“All in his head? He was never any different. He’s a stubborn man-child and I can never get through to him.” Chloe commented.

“Yes, right now it might seem that way. But you just give him some time.”

“You think it’s because it didn’t work out with Elena?” Chloe asked. Sully shrugged.

“Probably. You know how he is. With his pride and all.”

“Huh” Chloe sat down on the other bed next to her bags, across from Sully. “You might be right. There’s no point talking to him now.”

“That’s not really what I said.” Sully cautioned.

“No, but you’re right anyway.” She smiled in that sly fashion that was typical for her and grabbed her phone from the other bed, unlocking it. “And since we’re not talking, well, we’ll actually not be talking.”

Sully leaned over to catch a glimpse at her phone but as soon as Chloe realized it, she pulled back with the phone close to her chest.

“You know, I don’t really like the sound of that.”

“Oh he knows what’s coming.” she reassured, “He’s practically been begging for it. And he knows perfectly well how to deal with it. All he has to do is talk to me.”

Sully sighed wearily.

“Oh you kids these days.”

[blgtm]

ZIP Individual wrapped Firestarters 6s, Individual Wrap Firestarters Lighting your fires for 80 years It was experts from Zip who invented the domestic kerosene fire starter in 1936, and the company has grown since then to become one of the world’s leading ignition experts. ZIP® invented the kerosene firestarters in 1936 and today, our latest high performance products are designed to make lighting a fire easier than ever. The ZIP® INDIVIDUAL ODOURLESS FIRESTARTERS are formulated to light even the most difficult fuels. They are clean, odourless, long burning and provide a convenient & reliable method of instantly lighting a fire. Simply light the ignition wrapper to get your fire going in minutes. - 6 fire starters to light 6 fires*. - All-purpose format, ideal for camping or hiking - Ultra-fast lighting thanks to its unique Energy formula - Odorless thanks to enveloping sachets - Clean = simply light the sachet, without touching the cube - 14-minute burn time

[sellerie-du-loudunais]

Friandises pour chat au malt exo'poil saumon beaphar

Exo’Poils goût saumon, friandises au malt pour chat Aliment complémentaire pour chats. Disponible en : 35 g   • Empêche la formation de boules de poils grâce au Malt  • Favorise le bien-être intestinal et l’évacuation naturelle des boules de poils • Sachet fraîcheur refermable avec un zip • Au d��licieux goût de Saumon Exo’Poils Saumon est une friandise saine et croustillante pour chats. Ce…

[forbro]

Men's Shorts: A Guide to Fabric Care and Maintenance

In the realm of men's fashion, shorts stand out as a versatile and essential wardrobe staple, especially during the warmer months. Whether you prefer classic chino shorts, athletic styles, or casual beachwear, taking proper care of your shorts is crucial to ensure they look sharp and last longer. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the fabric care and maintenance tips that will keep your men's shorts in top-notch condition, helping you make a lasting impression with your style.

Understanding Your Shorts' Fabrics

Before diving into the care routine, it's essential to understand the various fabrics commonly used in men's shorts. Different materials require different approaches to maintain their quality.

                                                       BUY NOW

Cotton Shorts Cotton shorts are a popular choice for their breathability and comfort. To keep them looking their best, machine wash them in cold water to prevent shrinking and fading. Forbro's cotton shorts, with their durable construction, are known for standing the test of time.

Chino Shorts Chino shorts often feature a cotton blend, combining comfort with a polished appearance. Machine wash them inside out to preserve color, and opt for a medium dryer setting. Ironing on low heat can help maintain a crisp look.

Linen Shorts Linen shorts are perfect for a laid-back, casual vibe. While they may wrinkle easily, embrace the relaxed aesthetic. Hand wash or use the delicate cycle, and air-dry to avoid excessive wrinkling.

Athletic Shorts Typically made of moisture-wicking fabrics, athletic shorts demand a slightly different approach. Wash them promptly after workouts, and avoid fabric softeners that can impede their moisture-wicking capabilities.

General Care Tips for Men's Shorts

Separate Colors and Whites Sort your shorts by color to prevent bleeding. Washing dark and light colors separately helps maintain the vibrancy of your shorts.

Zipper and Button Care Before washing, zip up zippers and fasten buttons to prevent snagging. This simple step can significantly extend the life of your shorts.

Turn Shorts Inside Out To minimize friction and protect prints or delicate finishes, turn your shorts inside out before washing.

Avoid Excessive Heat High heat can lead to fabric deterioration. Opt for a gentle cycle and lower dryer settings to preserve the integrity of your shorts.

Stain Removal Techniques Address stains promptly using appropriate stain removers, following care instructions for the specific fabric.

Storage Tips for Men's Shorts

Hang or Fold Properly Hanging chino shorts and dressier styles can prevent wrinkles, while folding more casual options saves space and minimizes creasing.

Avoid Overcrowding Give your shorts breathing room in the closet or drawer to prevent wrinkles and maintain their shape.

Use Drawer Sachets Consider adding drawer sachets with a mild, pleasant scent to keep your shorts smelling fresh between wears.

Elevate Your Style with Forbro

Maintaining your men's shorts is not just about preserving their lifespan but also ensuring you always look polished and put-together. By understanding the unique care requirements of different fabrics and following these simple tips, you can extend the life of your shorts and showcase your style with confidence.

At Forbro, we understand the importance of quality and style. Our range of men's shorts is crafted with care, combining comfort and durability. Elevate your wardrobe with Forbro – where fashion meets functionality, ensuring your shorts always make a statement.

Remember, a little care goes a long way in preserving the vibrancy and longevity of your favorite shorts. Embrace these fabric care and maintenance practices to keep your shorts looking as good as new, every wear.

[pratleskitties]

Fostering 101

Banyak, sebenarnya, 'detail' fostering yg sudah aku post di Grup Prosteril - cuma mostly di bagian comment & sudah entah kemana.

Anyway.

Fostering = pengasuhan. Tujuan dari fostering adalah supaya hewan2 yang di rescue bisa disehatkan terlebih dulu sebelum nantinya dicarikan rumah & pawrent(s) baru. Fostering =/= hoarding; walaupun ada kejadian2 dimana si foster parent baper & ujung2nya jadi hoarding, instead of melepas si anak asuh untuk dirawat orang lain.

Ada 3 jenis fostering. Nomer 1 adalah fostering kitten2 yang tidak ada induknya. Nomer 2 adalah fostering kitten2 dan induknya. Yang terakhir adalah fostering kucing non-kitten (remaja/dewasa/senior).

Mana yang paling drama?

Ya kitten2 tanpa induk, pastinya.

Tergantung usia si kitten2 waktu sampai di rumah foster pawrent, kadar drama-nya bisa mulai dari cara dan waktu pemberian makan/susu, buangan2 (pip & poop) yang kondisinya astaga, sampai per-parasit-an mulai dari kutu, cacing, protozoa, sampai virus.

Sejauh ini, 'rekor' ku dengan kitten2 tanpa induk masih 'cakep' di 80%. Ini semua 'berkat' bayi2 bakaran sampah, 4 ekor, yang hamdallah sehat sejahtera sampai lepas adopt (yg 1 masih ketinggalan, belum di adopsi). Sebelum2nya malah ada yg datang 4 ekor sisa 1, dan 6 ekor sisa 4. But that's a different story.

Persiapan apa saja yang harus ada untuk fostering?

Idealnya, 1 kamar kosong. Tapi yang namanya di Indonesia, sekarang2 ini, apalagi kawasan Jabodetabek, sangat langka orang yg punya kamar kosong. Solusi satu2nya adalah kandang. Jangan sekali2 nyinyir sama orang2 yang mem-foster di kandang. Ga usah baper kucingnya 'tersiksa' di kandang. That is not the case. That is NEVER the case.

Masalahnya kembali ke space alias ruang. Rumahku cuma 60m2. Kucing2 indoor-ku 8. Melepas liar fosteran = huru-hara. Plus TIDAK sehat.

Rule no. 1 rescue yang harus di camkan baik2:

KARANTINA.

Kucing pendatang TIDAK BOLEH DISATUKAN dengan kucing penghuni - berapapun usianya. Titik. Jangan ditawar.

Minimal selama 2 minggu.

Kenapa?

2 minggu itu adalah masa minimal inkubasi virus2 seperti panleukopenia, calici, dan rhinotracheitis. Semuanya virus2 yang bisa mematikan untuk kucing2 yang tidak ter-vaksin.

But we're not here to discuss that.

Fostering 101:

Alat:

Timbangan kue/digital kecil. Khusus untuk kitten. Kitten HARUS ditimbang begitu datang dan kalau beratnya di bawah 800gr, ditimbang SETIAP HARI. Kitten harus mengalami kenaikan berat minimal 5 gr sehari, dan kalau ada penurunan berat, maka sudah waktunya dibawa ke drh. Also berguna untuk MENIMBANG MAKANAN. Jangan membiasakan memberi makan kitten baru langsung se-sachet atau sekaleng. TERUTAMA untuk kitten yang kurus kering. Overfeeding (kelebihan makan) bisa fatal untuk kitten, apalagi yang dari awalnya malnutrisi, dan berujung pada shut-down-nya sistem pencernaannya. Berikan makan MAKSIMAL 20gr, per 2-3 jam. Timbang. Ga usah jumawa mikir tangan kalian lebih pinter dari timbangan.

Kandang. Foster yang sudah berpengalaman pasti memiliki minimal 3 ukuran kandang, dan masing2 lebih dari 1. 30x40 cm, 60x45 (atau 70x50), dan 90x70cm. Bayik HARUS ditaruh di kandang kecil, berapapun bayiknya. Kitten remaja yang sudah bisa pakai litterbox/akan diajar pakai litter box bisa di kandang medium. Kucing dewasa sakit/tidak friendly harus di kandang medium. Kucing dewasa sehat dan friendly bisa di kandang besar.

Kain lebar/plastic sheet - gunanya untuk menutupi sekeliling kandang (atasnya jangan, ntar ga bisa napas) supaya kucing di dalamnya tidak kedinginan, plus supaya kucing2 yg sudah dewasa tidak stress melihat kucing2 yg di luar kandang.

Litterbox. Selusin. Sebaiknya lebih. Untuk memudahkan bersih2 (dan mencegah tumpah), aku mengikat 1 litterbox kosong di kandang (pinggirnya dilubangi, lalu diikat pakai zip ties), dan yg berisi litter ditumpuk diatasnya.

Sediakan litter mulai dari pellet kayu, pellet tofu, dan pasir gumpal. Kitten dibawah usia 6 bulan sebaiknya TIDAK dikasih pasir gumpal, karena akan ditelan.

Lampu penghangat dan/atau alas penghangat. Kitten dibawah usia 6 bulan belum bisa meregulasi suhu badannya sendiri. Lampu penghangat sy beli di toko reptil, yang lampunya bisa di-adjust. Mode hemat adalah bohlam kuning 5 watt. Catatan: JANGAN SEKALI2 MEMBERI MAKAN KITTEN SAAT BADANNYA DINGIN. Kitten yang kedinginan tidak bisa mencerna makanan dan malah akan MATI. Hangatkan dulu minimal 30 menit, kalau bagian dalam kupingnya sudah hangat, baru tawarkan makanan sedikit.

Selimut2 bayi (orang). Selusin. Lebih baik lebih. Tidak ada foster pawrent yang hanya punya selimut 2 buah. Bersyukurlah kalian wahai orang2 yang baru mau mulai jadi foster pawrent, sekarang selimut2 bayi sudah banyak yang edisi KW dan murah. Doeloe yang paling murah harganya masih ratusan ribu. Edisi lebih murah lagi bisa beli selimut 'bulu' yang besar (1x2m) seharga 45-50rb-an, lalu dipotong2 jadi 30x50cm.

Underpad. Juga kembali bersyukurlah kalian foster pawrent pemula - sekarang sudah ada yang jual undepad curah dan menyediakan ukuran S, M, dan L. Doeloe hanya ada underpad bermerek yg harganya 30rb per 10 lembar, dan cuma 1 ukuran. Jangan tanya berapa waktu yg sy habiskan untuk potong2 underpad ukuran 90x60cm jadi 30x45cm - supaya ga boros.

Cable ties/zip ties. Percayalah, ini penting 100%. Bayik2 yg teramat kecil (dibawah 150gr) BISA LOLOS dari jeruji kandang. Jangan tanya sudah berapa kali aku menemukan bayik belom melek di luar kandang...

Botol susu bayi hewan dan nipple-nya. Doeloe hanya ada merek Miracle Nipple yg hargnya 150rb per-1. Sekarang sudah ada KW-nya merek Popi-Dot yg harganya 25rb per 1. Jangan berharap bisa berhemat - 1 dot itu hanya bisa dipakai 1 kitten sampai bisa makan. Ga akan bisa dipakai fosteran berikut.

Spuit/syringe. Again, minimal 3 ukuran: 1, 3, dan 5ml. Kalau bisa disediakan juga yg 10 & 20ml - untuk susu. Nipple yang dibeli sebaiknya yang muat di ujung spuit 3 atau 5ml. Sediakan selusin masing2 ukuran, jangan pelit.

Tissue basah. Jangan pun berpikir mau hemat and/or 'menyayangi bumi' dengan menghindar dari tissue2 disposable/sekali pakai. Kalau pakai handuk, handuk harus direbus setiap kali pakai supaya tidak mengkontaminasi seisi rumah. Kalau pakai tissue biasa (yang lebih murah dari tissue basah), tidak akan bisa mengangkat poop dari vantad bayik. Apalagi poop yang cair.

Susu dan/atau Makanan basah kitten. Untuk susu aku sedikit kurang confident, karena susu yang benar2 terjamin bagus (RC, KMR, Breeders' Edge) harganya mahal dan tidak di semua tempat ada. Opsi berikut adalah susu kambing TANPA GULA. Opsi yang lain seperti susu beruang atau susu sgm tanpa laktosa aku tidak pernah pakai. Untuk bayi2 fosteran terakhir, yang paling sukses adalah simply wf dicairkan dengan air dengan rasio 80% air + 20% wf. Konsistensi susu kucing yang baik adalah *SEPERTI* susu evaporasi, sedikit kental tapi tidak seperti susu kental manis. Tapi berhubung bayik2 fosteran terakhir sudah berumur 3-4 minggu, perut mereka sudah bisa meng-handle makanan, walaupun mereka belum mengerti cara makan.

Cairan infus Ringer Laktat dan jarum infus butterfly. Ini gunanya untuk mencegah/mengobati dehidrasi pada kucing. Mintalah pada dokter hewan kalian untuk mengajarkan cara infus subkutan. Subcutaneous injection adalah obat dehidrasi paling cepat. Tapi kalau dokter kalian tidak mau mengajarkan karena takut kalian jumawa & sok2an mengajarkan ke orang lain tanpa tanggung jawab, sediakan:

Pedialyte atau oralit. Pedialyte lebih baik, karena walaupun tidak bisa disimpan, pedialyte lebih aman untuk kitten. Kalau ga salah ada merk2 lain yg isinya hanya 200ml (jadi ga mubazir). Tapi untuk kasus2 superduper urgent, berikan oralit minimal 5ml per jam.

Norit. Atau arang aktif (activated charcoal). Diare yg tidak ketahuan sebabnya (dan/atau dugaan keracunan) sebaiknya dikasih norit. Bayi kucing dibawah 500 gr bisa dikasih 1/4, dibawah 1kg dikasih 1/2, di atas 1kg bisa dikasih 1 tablet - dihancurkan & campur air.

Obat cacing cair. SEMUA kitten yang datang dari jalanan pasti membawa cacing. Aku pakai combantrin cair dengan dosis seperti di gambar di bawah

JANGAN memberi obat cacing langsung pada hari pertama. Observasi dulu, gimana kondisi poop-nya. Kalau kondisi poop normal dan/atau seperti pasta gigi, boleh dikasih obat cacing. Kalau kondisi poop cair seperti bubur ayam, jangan. Itu bukan cacingan. Itu infeksi protozoa. Bawalah ke dokter supaya dikasih obat yang sesuai.

Aku tidak akan menyarankan obat2an, karena kondisi setiap kitten berbeda dan aku bukan dukun yang bisa tebak2an. Biasakan untuk membawa kitten/kucing rescue-an ke dokter dulu, minta dokter memberi arahan dan/atau obat sesuai dengan kondisi si kucing/kitten, baru dibawa pulang untuk dirawat.

Jangan main dokter2an. Jangan kegedean ego. Kitten Lady Hannah Shaw yang sudah puluhan tahun mengurus ribuan kitten saja akan terus berkonsultasi dengan dokter hewan urusan kitten.

Jangan pulak berdalih, "ga ada duwid..!" Ngurus kitten itu yang utamanya ada adalah DUWID. Kalo ga punya duwid lebih, ga usah ngurus kitten. Itu sama aja hanya memindahkan penderitaan dia dari jalanan ke rumah kamu - cuma demi EGO kamu.

Oh, ini baru untuk kitten & fostering umum, yah. Edisi berikut adalah fostering kucing bunting.

[xtrailadventures]

The Cook Box Contents

The back of The Millennium Falcon in brewing up mode.

Our gear is constantly evolving & also depends on what we’re up to. Here is what we are currently using & why, listed below the relevant picture from a recent trip car camping & walking on Dartmoor. (Links & comments if I have them.)

From top left to right, fixed in with readily available shock cord or zip ties:

Recyclable rubbish bags. Leave no trace & take it home.

Small grip seal bags. Lots of uses.

Coffee sachets in a small grip seal bag.

Hand sanitiser. Useful if water is short - wash your hands when preparing food & avoid getting ill.

Mora Companion Spark. Actually in the sheath from a Companion SRT (S) as I wanted it to stand out. A sharp knife rattling around in a cook box is inviting injury, especially in the dark, so it seemed sensible to use one of these. Stainless steel for easy/sloppy care. The "Spark" refers to the ferro rod in the handle which is an alternative means of lighting the Trangia.

The strap from the Trangia.

One of two microfibre towels used as teatowels.

Matches in a small grip seal bag.

Pan scraper. Never used it as I strive not to get pans dirty in the first place.

Brabantia swing bin liner - no idea why.

Army issue tin opener. Simple, light & effective.

Kitchen roll.

From left to right, fixed in with readily available shock cord or zip ties:

Bottlegreen Elderflower Cordial (quite concentrated so lasts) in a bottle from the versatile & ubiquitous Nalgene Leakproof Container Travel Kit - Medium.

Various brew kit items - coffee, tea bags, sometimes creamer or hot chocolate etc. which we keep in small Tropicana orange juice bottles from McDonalds or supermarket meal deals.

Random spork from a British Army ration pack. (What we were eating on this trip.)

Unbranded cool bag. Just enough for bacon & eggs, butter, ketchup & some bread rolls for breakfast when the rations ran out.

Sistema box. Really useful in various forms to keep food.

Insulated wine bottle. Actually contains milk on this trip & is a really annoying size but it’s what we have so we use it. If we go to the beach it will contain Gallo Family Vineyards White Grenache 75cl.

Wet wipes. Hard to find ones that don’t smell of babies but since I worked with a Royal Marine who swore by them I’ve used them too.

Thermal mugs from The Clachaig Inn, Scotland. A most excellent hostelry frequented by gnarly mountain climbing types. Marks their owners out as proper outdoors people.

Brewing up gear includes:

Trangia 25 with the Trangia Gas burner GB74 for speed & adjustability (or the spirit burner for peaceful early mornings). This is non-stick but beyond that I couldn’t identify it from the bewildering array of materials & weights on the Trangia website. I’ve used them for 40 years & this one is about 25 years old. Bomb proof - get one.

AeroPress coffee maker. Because it’s important to have good coffee wherever you are.

Carte D’Or tub for storing AeroPress filters which comes with a fee serving of ice-cream. This came from Sainsburys but now seemingly unavailable.

Coleman C500 Performance Gas Cartridge. Any 80% Butane / 20% Propane gas canister will be fine at low altitude - these are freely available & last us a while. Coleman are mysterious about their ratios & as not all their canisters are marked I had to ask. They say: “We can confirm the following difference between Performance and Xtreme gas cartridges: • Performance: 80% Butane / 20% Propane • Xtreme: 70% Butane / 30% Propane The higher % of Propane of the Xtreme make it tthat you can use it in colder temperatures”.

Sigg Fuel Bottle. Sigg don’t seem to have fuel bottles on their website any more but they were always good & reliable. The holes in the thread mean you don’t need to take off (& lose) the lid to pour. The loop in the lid means you can apply plenty of leverage is the lid gets stuck.

The rubbish bags hang neatly over the end of the handle so ditching used teabags etc. is simple.

Cooking makes use of the Trangia 25 again but if frying (bacon & eggs on this occasion) moving the Trangia work surface away from the open box minimises the effects of spitting oil & fat.

The bars of the handle make a convenient place to hang the tongs.

Sea To Summit’s Delta Range are excellent & our Goldilocks plates because they:

Stack well enough.

Have high sides so your food doesn’t slide off.

Curve perfectly so your Spork can remove maximum food.

Have a thumb grip which also serves as a hanging loop. (Or a cord on the bowl lids.)

The bowls have a lid to seal in food.

I searched for a long time before deciding on these & they have proved outstanding.

Top left to right:

Delta plate

Delta bowl Lid

Two Delta plates

Two Delta bowls with a lid

Long handled Delta spoon - as we were eating Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) as issued to British troops.

Generic tongs (these from TK Maxx but ubiquitous)

Pencil case containing:

Several Light My Fire Original Sporks - still the best IMHO

TREKMATES Snaxtool 6in1 Camping Utensil - so convenient I had to buy them, though possibly just the Sporks would be fine.

Bamboo chopping board. This one was from Morrisons but they are everywhere - get one the size that suits your box.

Trangia accessories:

Pan Stand

Triangle

A bag I made myself.

We've had several of these blue stacking boxes at home for years. This happy little accident makes moving gear away from the car easier.

The hatches in the lid store, in bottles from the Nalgene set above, from top left to right:

Washing up liquid (AKA Dishsoap).

Cooking oil.

Pan sponge/scourer.

Methylated spirits (for the Trangia if we don't pack the larger fuel bottle).

Always looking for possible improvements - next is a better way to hang the mugs which avoids spillage whilst brewing up.

Share & enjoy.

[racingliners]

Life In The Fast Lane Chapter 5 - 2023 Race 1: Australia (Part 1)

Rating: Teen & Up

Warnings: None apply

Pairings: Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s); OFCs & OMCs

Work Tags: Re-write of a previous work; Mentions of IRL current and past F1 figures; Eventual romance; friends to lovers; found family/work family; actual family; racing drivers and their various shenanigans; how to handle pressure (and how not to); with a sprinkling of the power of friendship; tags will be updated as work progresses

Chapter 5/57

Word count: 8.6k

Summary: Anticipation builds for the first race of the 2023 season

As this is an original work, I’ve made up an entire fictional grid of drivers which are listed below! (with the 2023 teams for the most part, Audi are there for eventual plot reasons)

2023 Teams & Drivers Red Bull - Benedikt Schmitz (SUI) & Alistair Mitchell (GBR) Ferrari - Giovanni Carotti (ITA) & Teo Martinez (ARG) McLaren - James Hewitt (GBR) & Sophie Knightsbridge (GBR) Mercedes - Nathan Watkins (CAN) & Marc Pavard (MON) Alpine - Cristóbal Vasquez (ESP) & Daniel Jakobsson (SWE) Aston Martin - Owen Nichols (NZL) & Aaron Jones (GBR) Alpha Tauri - Nico Dumont (FRA) & Antonio Lima (BRA) Audi - Erik Braun (GER) & Jan Martens (NED) Haas - Tadashi Sato (JPN) & Leon Bauer (AUT) Williams - Evan McKinley (AUS) & Aidan Glover (GBR)

Thursday 16th March – Melbourne

Much to Vanessa’s amusement, Sophie’s room was indeed a small suite. Though it was furnished in the exact same style as hers down to the soft grey curtains framing the windows. The living room area was compact, with a two-seater sofa opposite a flatscreen TV, and a glass coffee table with two armchairs next to a sleek black counter with a kettle, mugs, and baskets with complimentary biscuits and sachets of instant coffee and various kinds of tea.

“Charger, spare socks, notebook, ball point pens, marker pens, bottled water…” Sophie reeled off as she searched through her bag, triple checking to ensure she wasn’t leaving anything she needed behind. “Helmets are on the sofa” She pointed over her shoulder with her thumb and the two white Arai boxes. “Drinks bottle!” Sophie looked up with wide eyes and the smallest hint of panic in her voice.

“In my bag to be prepped when we get to the track”

“Okay…” Sophie sighed, first zipping up her bag, then double checking that her red paddock pass was still hanging around her neck. “Can you carry one of the boxes?”

“Sure” They took a box each from the grey sofa, and left once Sophie was happy she still had her phone, car keys and room key card in her pocket.

Richard was waiting for them in the lobby, dressed in his white collared team shirt, black shorts and trainers. As seemed to be the norm he was scrolling through his phone. Most likely checking emails or trying to juggle messages with various journalists.

“Morning Richard!” Sophie said brightly once they were a few metres away from him. He looked up, and greeted his colleagues with a smile as he pocketed his phone.

“Morning… ah you did get your nails done!” It was something that Vanessa and Sophie had been mulling over on the flight. And last night after dinner they had went over to the hotel’s spa, and had their nails painted papaya orange to celebrate Sophie’s first race weekend. “Are you both ready to go?”

Sophie and Vanessa briefly glanced at each other before nodding.

“Ready as we’ll ever be”

Richard led his colleagues out of the hotel lobby and towards the car park, where they stopped by a white Mercedes. One of the perks of McLaren using Mercedes engines was that their higher up personnel were granted the use of their road cars at some races. Sophie pulled the keys to the rental car out of her pocket and unlocked it, allowing the group to put their bags and boxes in the boot.

Sophie got in the driver’s seat, with Richard in the front in case there was any issues when they arrived at the circuit.

“I’m in!” Vanessa called from the back after being the last to fasten her seatbelt. Sophie started the car which hummed with the gentlest of purrs as she navigated her way through the car park and onto the road.

“Now you will want to follow the yellow arrows for F1 personnel, there should be signs once we’re over the bridge,” Richard explained. “I also put the car park stickers on the window last night when the car arrived, since you have more than enough to worry about this week”

Carefully, Sophie drove her way through the Thursday morning downtown Melbourne traffic, following the signs for Albert Park. After fifteen minutes the outer grandstands came into view, with marshals dressed in bright orange overalls topped with white and neon yellow bibs directing cars to the correct entrances. Sophie followed Richard’s instructions to head for Gate 1, where she stopped the car and rolled down the window as one marshal almost bounced over towards her.

“Good morning!” She looked to be in her late 30s or early 40s, with her hair hidden under a grey baseball cap. “How are we Richard?”

“Very well thanks Maggie!”

“Lovely to finally meet you!” She turned her attention towards Sophie, and nervously stuck out a hand, which Sophie happily shook. “Can I see everyone’s accreditation please? It’s procedure I’m afraid” Maggie asked as Sophie, Richard and Vanessa all showed their red F1 passes. “Right, everything looks in order” Maggie gave the stickers on the window one last look before taking a few steps back from the car. “You’re free to head on through, Richard will tell you where to go!”

“Thank you” Sophie gave Maggie a small wave as she drove down the narrow access road that briefly went under the circuit, where more marshals and volunteers stood waiting to give people directions. They were waved into the F1 personnel car park, and Sophie parked the car with a small sigh.

“Thanks for not letting me get lost” She said as the trio got out the car and collected their things from the boot. Richard shook his head with a small laugh, saying that it was all part of his job.

He led the way towards the paddock, with a few stops along the way as various marshals and volunteers asked Sophie for autographs and pictures. Each one she gave with a bright, wide smile, whishing everyone a nice day as they wished her luck for the race.

When the trio finally reached the paddock turnstiles, they scanned their red passes and walked on through. Some accredited photographers wearing similar bibs to the marshals snapped away as they headed down the narrow tarmac road, walking past parasol covered tables that sat in front of the temporary hospitality buildings until they saw the sign that sat outside McLaren’s assigned building, and quickly dived inside.

Richard directed Sophie and Vanessa down a narrow corridor, where Sophie’s small driver room sat at the end. In it was a massage table, a couple of chairs with a tiny coffee table in between, a clothes rail that Sophie’s race suits and fireproofs hung from, and a small mini fridge.

“Honey we’re home” Vanessa said quietly. Sophie chuckled as she set down the helmet box by the clothes rail, before looking around the small room.

“They only use the motorhome for the European races” She explained.

“Well I wouldn’t want to be the person responsible for shipping all that freight halfway across the world” Vanessa huffed. “So, how ridiculous is your schedule today?” Right on cue, Richard knocked on the door three times before stepping into the room carrying a few sheets of paper.

“Your schedule for the weekend, fresh from the printer” Richard pinned one sheet on the wall, and handed another to Vanessa. “Only makes sense to keep you in the loop. You’ve got about twenty minutes before your track walk, there’s pesto eggs going if you’re quick!” Richard left the room as quickly as he entered, and Sophie and Vanessa quickly followed him at the prospect of food.

  Most circuits on the F1 calendar were either purpose built, or temporary street circuits. Albert Park was unique in that it was a combination of both. Though the pit buildings were the only permanent structure, every February the complex was transformed with the roads being painted and grandstands, the paddock, hospitality areas and fan zones all built in a matter of weeks.

It certainly made a beautiful sight as Sophie walked with Vanessa and Richard towards the pits, where she would be meeting her engineers for their track walk. They made a beeline for the entrance to the McLaren garage, with Richard trying to avoid as many rogue journalists as possible. Once in the safety of the garage, their walking pace slowed to a stroll as they meandered through the passage way that opened out into the McLaren team garage.

It was predominantly white, with the exception of Sophie and James’ names written on either side of the wall in orange, and an almost unbroken row of LED screens going from one side to the other. Most of them had the team’s name and logo on a papaya orange background, while others that would be tuned into the global TV feed come Friday showed coloured bars.

Sophie’s attention quickly turned to her mechanics, who she greeted in turn, thankfully having remembered all their names.

“All in one piece?” She asked Steve, gesturing to her car.

“Of course!” He replied with a broad smile. His dark skin almost seem to glow in the sun and his short braids were tied back into a ponytail. “A couple of us wanted to join you on the track walk”

“Oh” Her eyes widened. Stood a few metres away in the pitlane was Sophie’s Race Engineer Chris, the team’s Chief Strategist Amir, Junior Engineers Aaron and Gary, and McLaren Team Manager Leon Helmsley, all chatting away. “Is that allowed?” Sophie asked Steve, who chuckled and clapped Sophie’s shoulder with a firm hand.

“It is if you say so”

“Tommy even remembered to put deodorant on this morning” Luke jibed, throwing a greasy rag at his colleague who quietly swore at him. Sophie couldn’t help but smile. All though pre-season testing her mechanics had been nothing but normal around her, accepting her into the team almost immediately. Most mechanics were wary of working on a rookie’s car, but Sophie wasn’t exactly inexperienced, being the reigning Formula 2 champion.

“Well Tommy, if you went to all that effort…” Sophie teased, as Tommy and Luke made their way past their colleagues while Steve gave instructions to the remaining mechanics before the group went to join their colleagues.

“We’re not late are we?”

“No Rich you’re right on time” Leon replied, checking his watch. He stood a little shorter than Sophie’s press officer, with almost curly ginger hair and a very neatly trimmed beard. “Everyone ready to go?”

The track walk was scheduled to take just over an hour, given both the length of the circuit and that it was Sophie’s first time at Albert Park. With an okay from everyone, the group turned left and headed for the pitlane entrance to access the track. They walked across the small stretch of grass that separated the pitlane from the final corner and walked onto the circuit, and the sight of the start-finish straight bathing in the warm mid-Autumn sunshine was more than enough to take Sophie and Vanessa’s breath away.

“Yeah, it’s not a bad view” Chris remarked before looking at his notebook. “Now as I said at your last sim session, any questions, just ask. We want you up to speed as quickly as possible” The comment pulled Sophie out of her daze, and brought her attention to her own notebook. She already had a page set aside for her track walk notes that she started to scribble in as the group made their way down the main straight.

Sophie and her engineers spent almost the whole time chatting about breaking points, corner speeds, and the various points where Sophie wasn’t to breech track limits. Occasionally she would stop and crouch down, to get a closer idea of what her view would be when sat in the car. While she had run countless laps of the circuit in the team’s simulator, nothing was better than seeing the real thing. She was starting to feel comfortable with both her colleagues and the circuit even before they strolled down the long curve between turns 8 and 9 that straddled the Albert Park lake. When they reached the chicane at turns 9 and 10, Sophie tilted her head to the side and slightly narrowed her eyes.

“They still have sausage kerbs at the apex?” She asked aloud. All of Sophie’s engineers muttered in agreement, not sounding that pleased. It had been a talking point amongst the drivers as well for the last two Australian Grand Prix. Sophie wrote it down in her notebook with stars on either side, as a reminder to mention it in the Friday evening driver’s briefing.

“The FIA seem pretty stubborn about using them” Leon remarked, as Sophie pressed her foot against the kerb with a frown.

“Well, getting rid of those kerbs will be one way to make everyone like you” Tommy remarked. Sophie had been trying not to think about the drivers briefing too much. As much as she didn’t want to give a damn about what the drivers she hadn’t met thought about her, she couldn’t help but worry about what kind of response she was going to get from them. Would it be silent acceptance, or judgemental stares?

“You okay Soph?” Vanessa asked, having noticed Sophie’s more furrowed than usual brow.

“Yeah…” Sophie paused, looking across turn 11, and let out a small sigh. No matter what anyone thought, they would never be able to take this weekend away from her.

Sophie didn’t want to leave the circuit when they returned to the pitlane entry, but as she was due to be a participant in the driver’s press conference, she sadly didn’t have a choice.

“Thanks for letting us tag along Sophie” Steve said with a smile. “And don’t worry about the press, Richard will look after you”

“For my sake I hope so” Her mechanics all laughed, with Steve jokingly telling Richard to bring Sophie back to the team’s hospitality building in one piece. “You’re uh… welcome to join my other track walks, that goes for all of you” Sophie said to her mechanics once they had returned to the garage, before quickly handing her notebook and pen to Vanessa, swapping it for her drinks bottle. “See you all later” A chorus of byes rang out as Sophie left the garage with Richard, heading for the pit building’s main entrance.

They didn’t chat about much as they made their way inside and walked through various corridors until Richard stopped outside the correct room.

“Now as I said, this is going to be moderated, and everyone had to submit their questions beforehand. So you should have nothing to worry about,” Richard paused and opened the door to the press conference room. “This is where the driver’s briefing will be taking place as well” Richard said before lowering his voice, as Sophie was the first driver to arrive almost every eye was on her. “But we still have the signal we discussed, hopefully we won’t need it” Richard gave Sophie a reassuring smile as he handed over her team cap. “You also forgot this”

“Thanks” Sophie took the papaya orange cap off Richard’s hands and put it on her head as a tall man in an FIA shirt walked towards them.

“Morning Matteo”

“Good morning Richard, you must be Sophie” Matteo politely extended a tanned hand that Sophie happily accepted. “Nice to finally meet you”

“Lovely to meet you too”

“We just need to fit you with a microphone, then you can sit down. You’ll be in the middle”

Of course I’m front and centre. Sophie thought as she was fitted with a thin wire microphone that was fitted over her ears. Once the sound levels were checked, Sophie made her way to the long black table at the front of the room, emblazoned with the F1 logo in bright red.

As instructed Sophie sat down in the middle chair and looked over at Richard, who gave her a small thumbs up, mouthing ‘you’ll be fine!’ as someone approached the table from the rows of seated journalists.

“At least you can count two friendly faces in here” Sophie whipped her head round, and smiled at the sight of one of the few journalists she actually knew.

“Lee!”

“I’m the new host of the press conferences, and I’ll be doing some of the podium interviews. We both got promoted!” He joked with a wide smile. Lee Howard had been the official reporter for the Formula 3 and Formula 2 series for the past few years, and at every single one of Sophie’s podium finishes and wins, he never sneered or implied she got lucky. He treated her with the same respect as he showed every other driver. And over the past three years they had gotten to know each other fairly well. “No family this weekend?”

“No, um… we tried everything but Will’s swamped with uni assignments, and my parents both have a lot on so…”

“Ah… Edinburgh Airport would have fallen apart without your Mum I take it?”

“Something like that” Sophie said with a small laugh, suddenly feeling a pang in her chest. “They’re coming to other races though. Mum’s going to be at Monaco, everyone will be at Silverstone and Hungary, we’re still working out the second half of the season”

“Oh well that’s good, and I suppose you’ve got the team to rally around you?”

“Yeah…” Sophie trailed off “Everyone’s been… really great”

“Good, good” Lee nodded before looking down at his notebook. “I need to finish my notes, but don’t worry yeah? Me and Matteo will deal with anyone who steps out of line”

“Thanks Lee” Sophie took a quick glance around the room before taking a small sip from her drinks bottle as she heard the door to her right open. A bright laugh was followed by its owner as Benedikt Schmitz walked in with his press officer Annika, both dressed in Red Bull navy blue.

“Good morning” He smiled at Sophie, taking the seat immediately to her left once he had been fitted with a microphone.

“Morning Ben” She noted the strange irony that she felt more comfortable around a triple World Champion, and potentially one of her on-track rivals, as opposed to a room full of journalists.

“How was your track walk?” He asked, and saw the slightly confused look on Sophie’s face. “You must have started five or ten minutes before us, we ended up following you the whole way round!”

“Oh… it was fine, nice to see everything in person”

“It’s a nice track, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the first few laps” Ben paused to take a sip from his own drinks bottle that was styled like a Red Bull can. “Good luck by the way, for the season”

“Thanks…” Sophie paused, and gingerly extended her right hand towards him. “Same to you” Ben gladly shook Sophie’s hand firmly, and went to say something else when another driver joined them after being fitted with a microphone.

“Morning everyone” A North American accent said quietly, just loud enough for the two drivers to hear. Ben looked behind him and greeted the driver that Sophie recognised immediately. Canadian double World Champion, F1’s second ever Black driver, and her McLaren predecessor, Nathan Watkins. “Hi Sophie, so nice to finally meet you. I wanted to say hello at testing but I assumed you would be swamped” Nathan was stood above his seat, his dark curly hair hidden under his Mercedes team cap, and he also held out a hand for Sophie to shake.

“It’s great to meet you too” Once she’d happily shook his hand, he sat down in the chair to her right.

“The team looking after you?” Sophie nodded in reply, as Matteo crossed the room, frantically looking at his watch. “So it’s just us three then?” Nathan asked with a small laugh as he folded his arms across his chest.

“I’m pretty sure everyone only wants to speak to you anyway” Ben remarked in Sophie’s direction. She just leaned her head back and let out a quiet laugh.

“You’re probably right” Sophie huffed. After another couple of minutes, the two missing drivers arrived, and were very quickly shown to their seats. Almost immediately someone started counting down, and the camera man placed right behind where Lee was sat suddenly sprang into action.

“Good morning everyone, and welcome to the first FIA driver’s press conference of the 2023 season at the Australian Grand Prix…” Sophie found herself sitting up a little taller in her chair, suddenly realising that she was on live TV. She quickly adjusted her cap, her fingers brushing over the number 16 that had been embroidered into the peak in light blue thread, when Lee looked directly at Sophie.

“Starting off with you Sophie… we all know that for yourself and the sport this is going to be a massively historic weekend. But all of that aside briefly, what many people might not know about you is that that you do come from a racing background. Specifically your father Mark, worked as a mechanic for McLaren in the 90s. Does it feel almost full circle in a way, bringing the Knightsbridge name back to the team?” That was something Sophie had always liked about Lee, he took the time to think up genuinely interesting questions.

She drummed her fingers against the desk, and took in a deep breath before she answered.

“It’s certainly very surreal. Though the team has changed a lot since my Dad was there, there’s definitely a sense of familiarity in a way. Although I don’t think Martin and Andrew knew about my Dad until after I signed my contract,” She paused, after giving a slightly awkward laugh. “But yeah, to be making my F1 debut is one thing, but to be making it with the team that my father worked for is really, really special” Sophie tried her best to smile away the ache she felt in her chest. What she would have given to have at least one of them waiting for her in the team’s hospitality unit.

“You’re still a rookie finding their feet in the sport. How have you been finding your first few months as a Formula 1 driver?”

Sophie paused, pressing her lips together, and continued to look at Lee as she spoke. “I certainly can’t complain. McLaren have been incredibly welcoming, I actually had some of my mechanics join me on my track walk just now. I think the huge amount of travelling is something I’m going to have to get used to. We mainly race Formulas 2 and 3 in Europe as I’m sure everyone knows…”

“Lots of new circuits to race at this year”

“Yes! I’m so excited to race at all the new tracks this year… well new for me, starting off with Albert Park this week. So… yeah. Definitely lots to look forward to” Sophie added with a bright smile, feeling significantly less nervous than what she had done ten minutes ago. Each driver was asked an opening question by Lee, before the floor was opened up to the gathered journalists. Almost every single one of them raised their hand.

“Hi, Christopher West, BBC Sport. Question for Sophie,” As the journalist paused, Sophie took in a small breath, and turned slightly in her seat to look at him. “As I’m sure a lot of people have asked you already, of the almost 800 Grand Prix drivers, you’re going to be only the sixth woman to compete in a Formula 1 race, assuming you hopefully make it through qualifying. You’ve only recently turned 24 and had quite the rise through the feeder series… can you try and sum up how it all feels?”

Sophie nodded, and let out the breath she had been holding in, having absolutely no idea where to begin.

“Happy Birthday by the way, for last week” Nathan said quietly. Maybe it was to buy Sophie some time to think up an answer, maybe he genuinely meant it. But Sophie said a quiet and polite thank you, before looking back towards the journalist.

“Well…” She started, scratching at a small spot on the side of her neck. “…the plan certainly is to qualify for the race” Sophie used the quiet laugh that rippled through the room as another moment to think. “I have so many feelings going into this weekend, excitement, nerves… but I think the one that I feel the most is gratitude. As you mentioned I’m female F1 driver number six, but the five that have come before me… and every single woman that has ever driven an F1 car, has helped lay the road that’s got me where I am today,” Sophie paused to quickly swallow a small lump in her throat.

“You know, I’m used to being the only female driver in the room most days, but I do so knowing that I’m not the first woman to walk in the room. So… when I take to the track tomorrow, and hopefully the race on Sunday, yes I’ll be driving for myself, and driving for McLaren… but I’m also going to be driving for them”

“Considering the fact that you’re driving for one of the big teams, you could match or even beat Lella Lombardi’s points record this weekend. In once race. How does that feel?”

“I could… but,” Sophie paused, suddenly feeling overwhelmed at the thought. “I don’t want to think about that too much you know? I want to get settled in the team, and with driving the track first before I start thinking about any potential race result. Who knows what order the grid will be in come Sunday”

  The press conference concluded after just over forty minutes, with Sophie answering the bulk of the journalist’s questions. So she took a long sip from her drinks bottle as she left the press conference room with Richard, feeling very grateful for the added minerals and electrolytes.

“You, handled yourself really well Sophie” He clapped her on the shoulder with a smile. Sophie didn’t know what to say, as well as a dry throat, her brain felt quite well fried.

“How far through the schedule are we?” She asked.

“Sadly, not very. Though you do have a twenty minute break before your first batch of group interviews,” Richard paused, and even briefly stopped walking as he scrolled through his phone. A small smile made its way onto his face. “But first we need to make a quick stop at the garage”

“We do? What for?”

“Uh… Leon just wants have a quick chat”

“Oh, okay” Sophie gladly followed her press officer as they exited the pit building, and headed back over towards the McLaren garage. The paddock seemed much busier than what it had done earlier on in the morning. Some TV crews were filming pieces to camera, more photographers were snapping away at anyone they deemed important, and there were a few individuals wearing VIP passes milling around.

“We shouldn’t be too long, I know you’ll want to have a small rest after the presser” For some reason, Richard appeared to be doing a terrible job at hiding a grin. Sophie went to ask what he was so happy for, when they arrived in the garage.

Leon wasn’t alone, he was showing Sophie’s car to a man in his late 50s. He wore glasses over his peridot green eyes and had small streaks of silver running through his dark brown hair, and a very familiar furrowed brow.

“Dad!” Sophie exclaimed, not caring who heard, and lunged towards her father as he turned round, embracing him in a bone-crushing hug. For a second, Sophie almost felt like bursting into tears.

“Hello love” Mark replied, sounding on the verge of crying himself, as he placed a gentle hand on the back of his daughter’s head. Eventually Mark let go of his daughter, and they both wiped their eyes, with Richard and Leon both looking quite pleased with themselves.

“I don’t… I thought you said the garage was going to be too busy?” After Mark had retired from being a Formula 1 mechanic, he worked at various repair garages before finally becoming co-owner of a local garage when the rest of the Knightsbridge family moved to Edinburgh a few years ago.

“Well… the lads said that I would regret it if I wasn’t here, so I got in touch with the team and they arranged everything”

“We weren’t going to let you be without some of your family for your first race, think of it as a belated birthday present” Leon added.

“Yeah, I’m here too you know…” A lanky dark haired figure walked into the garage from the pitlane, putting his phone in his pocket.

“Julian!” Sophie greeted her younger cousin with an equally strong hug. Julian was also a racing driver, and had taken her vacated Formula 2 seat. Sophie’s manager Becks was also going to start managing Julian too when the F2 season started in May. “I’m… so happy you’re both here” Sophie sniffled. “I’m glad I don’t have to do this without you”

“Us too” Sophie’s Dad beamed.

“We… should be getting back to the hospitality suite, I did promise Sophie a break before the rest of her interviews” Richard cautiously interjected from the back of the garage.

After checking his watch Leon politely shuffled the Knightsbridges out of the garage and back through the paddock. They caught more attention from journalists this time, noticing the extra members of Sophie’s entourage.

“Now, neither of you have to speak to any media if you don’t want to” Richard explained once they were back inside the McLaren building. “I’ll make sure you get properly shown around later, I know you’ll want to catch up, I’ll grab everyone some drinks” Richard headed over to the bar once he had everyone’s orders as Sophie, Mark and Julian sat down at a table Vanessa had claimed earlier.

“Oh good you made it!” Vanessa said with a relieved smile.

“Wait… you knew this whole time?!” Sophie gawked at her personal trainer.

“Yes of course, I helped arrange it” Vanessa replied, smugly. “Don’t say you’re mad at me, because I know you aren’t”

She certainly wasn’t wrong, as Sophie rested her chin on one of her hands, smiling at the sight of her family.

“Here we are…” Richard returned a few minutes later with a small tray of teas and coffees. “I’ll give you all some space, I’ll see if I can re-arrange things to give you a few extra minutes” He jogged off with his phone pressed to his ear as Vanessa passed around everyone’s drinks.

“So, here’s to Sophie’s first Grand Prix weekend” Vanessa raised her espresso cup with a grin.

“Well done sweetheart, you made it” Mark held out his mug to Sophie, who gently clinked it with hers. She had absolutely no idea what the rest of the weekend would entail, but at least she had her family.

  James cut a cool figure as he walked through the paddock towards the media pen. He was dressed in his usual choice of white collared team shirt with black straight cut jeans and plimsole style trainers (purely for comfort, as Thursdays were the busiest in terms of footfall). He wore his orange team cap, the number 12 embroidered on the peak, and dark aviator sunglasses over his eyes. His press officer Katie briefly talked him though the journalists they were going to talk to before they entered the small media pen.

As they made their way round they had to jostle for position with other drivers and their press officers for about twenty minutes or so, before James was finally stood in front of the last journalist, who unfortunately worked for one of the UK tabloids.

“Do you think you can get your third win in a row at Albert Park this weekend”

“Uh… It’s hard to say. It’s always tricky trying to figure out the pecking order after pre-season testing, we’ll have a better idea tomorrow of where we sit in the field, but I’m always hopeful” James replied with a small smile.

“I know there’s been so much talk about your new team mate over the Winter. Are you particularly phased by all of the hype around her, as opposed to the focus being away from the team’s chances for the season?”

James was grateful that his dark sunglasses allowed him to briefly scowl at the journalist, as he contemplated his answer. He didn’t mind being asked about Sophie as much, he’d certainly been expecting it. Only one or two drivers on the grid had been born when Giovanna Amati competed in her last race.

“Sophie has every right to be here, as much as myself or anyone else on the grid. She’s the reigning F2 champion, she won in F3 a few of years ago… on paper she has the making of a really good racing driver. And you know, I’ve worked alongside women in almost every aspect for my Formula 1 career… so why should having a female team mate be any different?”

The journalist let out a sheepish thank you and Katie led James out of the media pen.

“The fuck was that about?” James asked under his breath.

“Oh we all know exactly what that was about…” Katie frowned, checking her phone. “Still, it’s going to mean a lot for people to hear you say what you did” James hummed, this was set to be his thirteenth season in Formula 1, and he’d seen the sport change an awful lot since his debut in 2011. But when it came to Sophie, he wondered if it had changed enough.

  Friday 17th March – Albert Park Circuit

The atmosphere at the circuit was somewhat relaxed come Friday morning. Members of different teams smiled and said hello to each other in the paddock, photographers and camera crews milled around looking for good shots in what was another bright sunny day in Melbourne. All of the drivers had arrived early for meetings with their teams, and for Sophie it was a much needed sense of normality as opposed bouncing between interviews like a pinball.

The engineers briefing lasted just under an hour, as they had to plan for both first and second practice. Sophie had scribbled as much as she could into her notebook while listening to all of the engineers and James’ comments, and once the meeting was over she went to her room for a few minutes of peace and quiet before she got changed out of her team gear and into her fireproofs. Once changed, Sophie went through her pre-session stretches with Vanessa, before finally pulling one her race suit and boots. And with a final tug of her ponytail, they left for the garage.

Mark and Julian had decided to stay in the team hospitality suite for first practice, claiming that they didn’t want Sophie to be too distracted. She suspected the reality was that her Dad was simply too nervous to be in the garage. Sophie hugged her relatives as tightly as she could, saying she loved them both before walking with Vanessa towards the garage. Both women wore dark sunglasses over their eyes as they briskly walked through the paddock.

“It’s a normal day” Vanessa said, handing Sophie her drinks bottle as she carried Sophie’s helmet with her other hand. “Just a normal day…” Sophie wasn’t sure who Vanessa was trying to reassure as they entered the garage.

As she handed the bottle back to her personal trainer, mechanics on both sides of the garage were running final checks on the cars. Sophie did her best to squeeze by them as she approached Chris, who was stood by the end monitor on the island that separated the two sides of the McLaren garage.

“Hey” She smiled a little breathlessly. “I’d like to do that additional lap on my outrun, just to be sure” The agreed plan for first practice was to ensure Sophie got acclimatised to the circuit as quickly as possible, so they could turn their focus to fine tuning the car’s setup.

“Not a problem” Like almost everyone in the garage, he had his own orange headset that in this case was hanging around his neck as he wrote into his own notebook. “We also want you to be the first car on track, Martin’s call”

“Oh… really?” Sophie asked with genuine surprise. Chris just gave a small nod and a knowing smile, it didn’t sound like she had much of a choice on the matter. “Okay then”

“Great, session starts in five so you’ll want to get ready,” Chris looked at the back to the garage to give a signal to Vanessa to prep Sophie’s helmet, when a small smile crept onto his face. “Looks like there’s someone here to see you”

Sophie looked towards the back of the garage where her small assigned seating area was, and saw her Dad and Julian next to Vanessa. She smiled as she walked towards them, and held out a hand towards her still anxious looking father.

“It’s just first practice Dad”

“I know, I know… Julian was right, I would regret it if I didn’t see you drive out for the first time in person” Sophie said nothing, and enveloped her father in another tight hug. “I love you” His voice cracked slightly, as he kissed the top of Sophie’s head.

“Love you too Dad”

“Don’t crash” Sophie looked at Julian in mock disapproval as she brushed past him to collect her things.

“Thank you, dearest cousin” She quipped, putting in her radio in-ears. Next was her balaclava, then Sophie completely zipped up her race suit, making sure the radio cable didn’t get caught in the zip, before lastly, putting on her helmet and HANS device.

As she was making her F1 debut, Sophie had decided an upgrade of her helmet colours was in order. The British Racing Green base now had a soft metallic sheen to it, and the three alternating horizontal stripes had been changed to a matte white and chrome silver, the only new addition was the number 16 on the very top of her helmet, also in matte white, as well as the team’s sponsor logos.

Once the helmet was on her head, Sophie tightly fastened the chin strap, and took in one last look at her family before walking over towards the car. She stepped into the cockpit from the left hand side, and held onto the underside of the protective halo as she lowered herself down into her seat. Once comfortable, one of her mechanics fastened the harness as she plugged in the radio cable, and lastly, put on her gloves.

“And radio check Sophie, radio check” Chris’ voice drifted into her ears, as he must have taken his seat on the pitwall.

Sophie paused to let out a quick exhale.

“Radio loud and clear” She gave her steering wheel one final look over, mentally going over what every button and dial did, as well as checking the small screen in the middle. Thanks to the sheer number of laps she’d done in pre-season testing, it was all thankfully drummed into her memory.

“Session starts in two minutes”

“Copy” Sophie wriggled her shoulders as she looked at the two TV screens that was placed in front of the cockpit, almost entirely blocking her view in front. One screen showed a map of the circuit with a timing screen, the other was tuned into the global TV feed that switched from a panning shot of the circuit to a close up of one of the Aston Martin garages.

“Car 16 is ready to go” Steve’s voice came over the radio, as number one mechanic it was his job to give the all clear to the pit wall. And his confirmation brought a flurry of life to Sophie’s side of the garage. Vanessa moved the screens away with one hand, as the rest of Sophie’s mechanics whipped the heating blankets off the tyres, laying them back on top once the car had been lowered off its jacks to the ground. As Sophie flicked down her visor, Steve walked backwards into the pitlane. Looking once, then twice over each shoulder, before giving the okay signal to Sophie with one hand, and pointed down the pitlane with the other.

Sophie eased her car out of the garage, immediately pressing the pit limiter button as she turned right, and trundled to a stop at the end of the pitlane. As the team had wanted, she was the first car in front of the red stop light.

“Session starts in thirty seconds. We will be doing out lap plus one, then in lap. Try not to have too much fun out there”

“I’ll try” Sophie chuckled back to her race engineer, and slowly exhaled. After all the buzz and frenzied attention from the world’s media, this was where she wanted to be. In the quiet of her own F1 car, waiting to go out on track.

And when the pit exit light finally turned green, she pressed her foot down on the accelerator pedal, and drove onto the circuit.

Sophie meandered carefully through her out lap, not wanting to do the unthinkable and bin the car in the gravel, knowing full well the global TV feed cameras would be following her at every turn. So she took it easy as she accelerated out of the final corner and onto her timed lap. As it was purely for Sophie to have more time to get familiar with her breaking and turn in points, she deliberately wasn’t going terribly quick, but she wasn’t driving at a snail’s pace either.

She broke hard for turn 1. Turning sharply right, before gently veering left for turn 2. Then went down the second DRS straight before braking hard again for turn 3, and weaved through turns 4 to 8, as the track opened out to the long curve before the chicane at turns 9 and 10. Taking it easy around the kerbs, Sophie went through the final short straight that led to turn 11, and eased through the two right handed corners before the pitlane entry came into view. She ignored it, turning sharply for turn 13, and finally easing onto the accelerator as she went through turn 14, and down the main straight to finish the lap.

“Very nice Sophie, that is a 1:22.674, we are the only car out but that’s still P1. And box this lap”

“Copy” Sophie smiled as she replied to Chris’ message, she knew that being the fastest of one wasn’t a huge achievement, but she realised now why the team wanted her to be first out onto the track. It was McLaren’s way of making a statement not just to the entire sport, but to the rest of the world too.

  The first and second practice sessions passed by in a fairly structured pattern. Out lap, return to the pits, look over data, drive more laps, quick debrief with the engineers, post-driving stretches, have lunch, get back in the car, repeat.

It had been a fairly smooth day. Sophie thankfully hadn’t crashed, but she hadn’t been blisteringly quick either. And neither had James. As everyone sat down for the post-session debrief, some of the engineers were visibly scratching their heads as they looked at the data screens. It seemed like McLaren were off the pace compared to Red Bull and Ferrari. Everyone had assumed that their days in the midfield were a very, very long way behind them. But maybe the shine was starting to wear off.

Despite picking up on his team’s flash of anxiety, Martin kept a cool head in the debrief. As well as the race team in Melbourne, there were more engineers back at the factory in Woking analysing the data from both practice sessions, trying to extract every tenth of a second from the car they could find.

“Good work today everyone, hopefully today was just a blip and we’ll be faster tomorrow. That’ll be all”

Sophie let out a small sigh as she slid her headset off her ears and down onto the desk. She collected her notebook as she stood up from her chair, and got in the queue to leave the room. Herself, James and Team Manager Leon were the last to leave, as they were headed for the Driver’s Briefing that was due to start in around twenty minutes. It was one of the last items on the day’s itinerary before Sophie was free to go back to the hotel.

“I wouldn’t worry about this too much” Leon sighed with a frown. “Everyone spends most of their time trying to drag each other under the bus”

“Ah, the same as Formula 2 then” Sophie chuckled. Racing drivers were competitive by nature, especially when it came to calling out the inconsistency of who did and didn’t get penalties for the same offence. “I’m going to ask about the kerbs at 9 and 10” James and Leon looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

“Good luck, we’ve been asking for the past two years for the FIA to remove them” James sighed.

“Well…” Sophie paused as they reached the door to the pit building. “There’s no harm in trying a third time” She huffed, following her colleagues inside. They made their way to the press conference room, which had been converted for the drivers briefing by adding two extra rows of chairs, and removing the TV camera that had been sat in the middle. About half of the drivers and their respective team managers had arrived already. And the volume of conversation in the room quietened somewhat when Sophie, James and Leon walked in.

Sophie followed her colleagues to seats in the second row as FIA race director Pat Robertson was sat at the long black table with two of his colleagues, closely reading various sheets of paper.

“Bonsoir ma amie!” A hand clapped Sophie’s shoulder as she sat down. She carefully turned round in her seat as she was rather snuggly sat in-between her McLaren colleagues, and saw Nico grinning at her. “How was your day?” He asked brightly.

“Fine, yours?”

“Not bad” He shrugged.

More drivers and team managers slowly filed in, and the briefing finally got underway five minutes late, with Pat giving a small reminder to all ten present team managers about punctuality. Once going over the lap count for the race, the tyre compounds that were to be used, and the various small tweaks to the sporting regulations for the year, Pat opened the floor to questions from the drivers. Sophie was the first to half raise her hand.

“Yes, Sophie” Pat and both his FIA colleagues all looked squarely at the McLaren driver.

“I’d like to ask about turns 9 and 10,” Sophie quickly flicked through the pages of her notebook until she found her track walk notes. “I just wanted some clarification about why the FIA is still choosing to use sausage kerbs at those corners, when you don’t use them anywhere else on the track. I know just about everyone com-”

“Hey, shut up. She’s speaking, let her finish” Sophie, and just about everyone else in the room heard Nico hiss at someone behind her. She tried her best to carry on, unphased.

“Just about every driver on the grid complained about them last year. For exam-” Sophie heard someone talking not so quietly behind her, and blocked it out as best as she could, only for James to turn round in his seat.

“It’s common curtesy to let every driver say what they have to Erik. I know you’d give everyone else in this room that same privilege. Do the same for Sophie would you?” He said extremely coolly.

Sophie bit down on her bottom lip as James turned back round. This wasn’t the first drivers briefing where she’d been disturbed or interrupted by someone trying to start up a conversation, but she’d certainly hoped that her new F1 colleagues would be as gracious as Nico, James or Benedikt had been.

She quickly cleared her throat, and swallowed the urge to summarise what she had planned on saying. Sophie was going to finish her sentence, and then some.

“As I was saying, when Nathan Watkins had his crash with one of the Ferrari’s last year, it wasn’t any fault of his own. He simply hit the kerb at turn 9 at the slightest wrong angle, and half his car flew up into the air meaning he couldn’t control where he was going when he landed. So he couldn’t stop himself from driving into the Ferrari. It’s dangerous. I get that it’s to help with policing track limits, but we all know you won’t hesitate to give us a penalty if you feel we’re too far out of line… surely it’s our fault as drivers if we don’t listen to our engineers”

Unlike some of Sophie’s fellow drivers, Pat listened to everything Sophie had to say.

“We’ll take that on-board, thank you Sophie”

Ben Schmitz, Cristóbal Vasquez from Alpine, Nico and James, all expressed their agreements with Sophie’s complaint, with Pat repeating that himself and the stewards would discuss it after the briefing.

Nothing much else was said, as it was only the start of the season, and the briefing was concluded after fifteen minutes. As Sophie stood up from her chair, she felt two hands on her shoulder, and nearly jumped out of her skin. James looked at her with an apologetic smile, while Nico looked almost seething with rage.

“I’ll deal with him” He squeezed Sophie’s shoulder before marching out of the room, following the Audi driver in question. Sophie felt rooted to the spot as half the drivers glanced at her as they walked past. It was hard to tell if they were staring out of curiosity, or glancing out of pity.

“Come on” James whispered into Sophie’s ear as he moved his hand to between her shoulder blades. “Best foot forward”

Half of Sophie wanted to run after Erik Braun and ask what the hell his problem was, but she feared that causing a scene and shouting at him wouldn’t give her the best public image. So she followed James’ advice, and walked in step with him and Leon all the way back to the team hospitality suite.

“What happened?” Mark asked when they were barely in the door. He was sat at a table with Julian, Vanessa and Richard, and they were the only ones in the room that could tell Sophie was trying to hide how stunned she was. “Soph?”

“It was nothing Dad” She said quickly, and took a step in the direction of her driver room, when Leon put a hand on her shoulder.

“One of the Audi drivers tried to start up a conversation with someone else while Sophie was talking in the drivers briefing, myself and Martin will handle it” Mark’s face almost turned red as he let out a restrained breath. “I’m going to find Martin, and we’re going over to Audi to deal with it. You do not have to put up with that kind of behaviour, okay?” Leon said firmly, turning his attention to Sophie.

As if on command, Martin emerged from his office, and headed straight for the group. Once the incident had been explained to him by Leon and James, the Team Principle and Team Manager left, making a beeline for the Audi building. Leaving their two drivers and Sophie’s entourage alone.

“Don’t Dad, you’ll say something you regret” Sophie looked her father square in the eyes, she could tell he was seconds away from jumping out of his seat and marching over to Audi. “Nico and James stood up for me, and the team are handling it” She hated how quiet her voice sounded as she spoke.

“I know Martin and Leon, Mr Knightsbridge, and some of the people at Audi. I can assure you it’ll get dealt with… not just because Sophie’s our driver, but because of your history with the team as well” James butted in. After a few moments Mark let out a sigh, and slowly sat back down. “Speaking of the team… we’ve got one more engineers meeting”

“It’ll be fine Dad… we don’t have to fight these things alone anymore, okay?” Sophie went over to the table, and squeezed her father’s hand tightly, remembering every single karting race where Mark had defended Sophie’s mere presence as well as her victories. Mark didn’t say anything, and just squeezed Sophie’s hand back, before letting her go with James to the engineers office.

[inmate62763]

Hello inmate 62763 What is the Induction pack you get when you first get processed into a UK prison? Read it in one of your blog posts but can't find it again now. What does that mean and what does it include? Is it useful stuff for when you first get there?

Hi there. Yes, I know what you are referring to. Things vary a bit depending on which prison you end up in over here in the UK but generally it's the same sort of things you will receive and it's usually called a "Welcome pack". Not sure it's that welcoming lol but that's the name they used for it. Please bear in mind that the things I am about to list apply to when I was in prison 8 years ago so what I describe may have changed a bit now but it will be mostly the same sort of stuff.

One of the questions you get asked when being processed at reception and intake is wether you are a smoker or not and this will determine what type of welcome pack you get. For instance I was and still am a non-smoker so I had the non-smokers welcome pack which consisted of a toiletries bag with soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, hand towel, hand sanitiser, roll of toilet paper, tea bags, coffee sachets, some cartons of long life milk and some suger sachets. Also had a phone card with £3 worth of credit on it and your prisoner rule book. You also get issued with your own plastic plate, cutlery and mug. The smokers pack is virtually the same but you get less tea bags, coffee etc in that pack and you get some vape sticks instead (used to be tobacco and papers but replaced with vapes now). Even if you don't smoke I advise you to still ask for the smokers pack because vape products are a extremely useful form of currency in prison. I regularly bought vape products from the prison canteen list / commissary because of it being a useful form of currency even though I didn't smoke.

The other things I got at the same time as my welcome pack was my prison clothing issue. This consisted of the following:

1 x short sleeve HMP prison stripe shirt, 1 x long sleeve HMP prison stripe shirt, 2 x green t-shirts, 2 x HMP prison blue denim jeans, 2 x grey sweatpants, 1 x grey sweatshirt, 5 x white boxer shorts, 5 x white socks, 1 x wolly hat, 1 x outdoor jacket. A little tip with HMP prison issue stuff... always size up one size with the prison issue jeans and shirts. They always seem to be a bit smaller than the size they should be. I was a 32 inch waist and when I tried to put the prison issue 32W jeans on I couldn't even do up my button and zip on them so you will probably need to size up one usually. Same applies with the shirts because they shrink a bit in the wash and i had to go up one extra shirt size. In some UK prisons these days you can also wear items of your own clothing with certain restrictions and this will be explained to you at intake but back when I was in prison a few years ago I was in prison issue stuff.

Sometimes you get issued bed sheets at intake and sometimes they are already made up in the cell you are being allocated to. All depends on the time of day you arrive and wether the cell had been already or very recently occupied so that can vary a bit.

Thanks for the questions and if you need further information please message me.

Best wishes from 62763.

[swisspacfr-blog]

Nos sachets à goussets latéraux sont disponibles avec des accessoires supplémentaires, comme les soupapes de dégazage et fermeture adhésives. Nous proposons des sachets de café à goussets latéraux dans de nombreuses options en tailles et couleurs, y compris les effets de finition brillante et matte. Ces sachets sont principalement utilisés emballer du café torréfié, du thé torréfié, les produits alimentaires secs, etc. Les soupapes de dégazage sont indispensables pour les sachets de café et thé torréfiés.

[haravath0t]

Taken Care Of

Word Count: 1.1K

Pairing: 40s!mob!Bucky x 40s!Reader

Summary: When the King of Brooklyn, Bucky Barnes, hears that the rival gang has gained intel about you, he makes sure that the matter is immediately taken care of.

Warnings: depictions of violence/blood, a soft Bucky in the end

Hello, everyone! We have started to get an influx of ideas and I’m more than excited to share them with you as I get back into the groove of writing! This is my first ever mob!bucky fic, so I really am excited to do this! Needless to say, I’m following the lead of my lovely Bucket @world-of-aus by writing drabbles/oneshots through a gif sent in! And the wonderful gif below has been submitted by the MUCH LOVELY @chickenmcstucky (pssstttt check out her work too) and I hope you like it! And to my bucket @world-of-aus thank you for helping me set the scene and using your knowledge of the mob!au to help me! I’m so nervous at the outcome of this phew! Enjoy everyone!

Feedback through likes, comments, and reblog are highly appreciated! Masterlist is on my bio!

He watched the bloodied man squirm in the chair, painful groans spilling from the barely conscious man's lips.

He twirled the knife in his deft fingers, “Did you really think word wouldn’t get to me? Didn’t think I’d found out what you had to say or do about my girl?”

The man whimpers further, small pleads coming from his lips as Bucky Barnes draws closer to him, “You must think me a damned fool if you didn’t think I would find out,” he grunts as he sends the knife into the tied man's right thigh.

The man screams in agony, eyes shut as an attempt to suppress the pain that he was experiencing. The King of Brooklyn, the charming man he was, was also feared. Everyone knew that to toy and interfere with Bucky Barnes’ demands and personal matters was to ask for a death wish, especially if it included putting what he valued most in jeopardy.

You.

The cold blue eyes had stared into the target of the night, the target who had been caught with a file of information, a manilla folder that had contained information of you, your address, and other personal contact information of you. It didn’t take long to reach Bucky's ears that their rival gang, Hydra, was going to use you as blackmail, to make the King himself vulnerable and blunder. But it would not happen, for they were foolish enough to make the mistake not once, but twice. However, contrary to this second occurrence reaching to the gang’s Consigliere, Steve Rogers, it had reached the attention of the King himself.

Bucky did not hesitate to pull the blade right out of the writhing man’s skin, expertly stabbing the knife on the wall, right next to the victim’s temple. The man can only whimper as Bucky’s fingers wrapped themselves firmly around his neck.

“Make this a warning to you and your Hydra folk. You don’t wanna piss me off, understand? If you dare try to pull this stunt again, tell Rumblow that I’m gonna rain hell on you all. Understood?”

Bucky did not wait for an answer, letting go of the ropes that had bound the rival and turning around to look at his men. “Take care of this for me. I’m busy tonight.”

And without hesitation, his men did as they were told as he made his exit with the manilla folder now clutched in his hand. This information would never leave the warehouse. Not on his watch.

You smiled softly at yourself as you carefully zipped up the nice satin evening dress that your boyfriend had picked out for you, sighing in content as the dress nicely hugged your torso, but the skirt was enough to look like it was flowing as you walked, spun, and twisted. He knew you all too well. He even had gifted you a nice silver jewelry set and handbag to match the dress and shoes for the night, called it his reward to you for making it through the week.

You had just finished tidying yourself until you heard a soft and familiar rhythmic knock on the door, causing your lips to curve into a soft smile. It was time. Handbag in hand, you cutely sachet to the door humming softly to yourself excitedly as you open the door and see a familiar burly blond man. “Hey, Steve.”

The man couldn’t help but smile at you and offer his arm. “Good evening, Y/N, you look lovely tonight. I think Buck will be drooling over you tonight.”

The remark made you blush. “Oh goodness Steve, stop,” you giggle, heat filling up your cheeks and body from embarrassment, causing the man to laugh softly as you took his arm, escorting you out of the apartment and into the parking lot.

“I’m only speaking the truth, doll. Alright you have fun.”

“Thank you, Steve.”

You couldn’t help the big toothy smile that had adorned your face as you saw your charming boyfriend waiting for you, his well-dressed form leaning against the trunk of the sleek black car. Butterflies had erupted within your stomach, heat returning once again as you made eye contact with his ocean blues as well as the charming smile that appeared on his face as the man had stood upright and walked to you with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

You smiled big as you saw a flash of that little boy that you had remembered growing up with as you took in that lovely charming smile of his, noting how it hasn’t changed despite the circumstances. Who knew you would have ended up to be James Buchanan Barnes’ lover? You surely did not.

“Hello, handsome,” you whisper with a giggle, taking the bouquet gently as he cups your face gently with his hands, his soft lips quickly pecking yours as your fingers instinctively lose themselves in his hair taking in the texture.

“Hello, gorgeous. I’ve missed ya,” he murmurs back, smiling as you did not hesitate to nuzzle your nose with his. He quickly returned the motion, rubbing your cheek delicately with his thumb, relishing you with his sense of touch. He then excitedly pulls himself away from your body, taking you in up close in admiration and in awe. “I had a notion that you’d look amazin’ in this sweetheart, but my oh my do you blow me away every time.”

“You’re quite the charmer aren’t you, Barnes?”

“Only for the best dame I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

You were beaming, glowing even from the way he made you feel. From the time that he had saved you from a bully at an ally next to the ice cream parlor, until now. This man in front of you could read you like an open book, and that history from friends to now lovers had been a great source of comfort for you both. That meant that Bucky had taken note of your tired eyes.

“Long week, huh?”

You nodded, sighing in relief as you were then wrapped in his arms, nuzzling yourself into the crook of his neck, aiming to take a whiff as his cologne. “Oh yeah. Long day at the diner… had a bad encounter with a few customers. I assume you’re no better than I am, huh?”

“No, had a run in with a few folks from Hydra, but hey that’s what tonight is for. Let’s go dancin’ I know this one speakeasy,” he states giving you one more reassuring peck before he guides you to the car, your questioning gaze being unnoticed by the man.

“James…” you start as he opens the car door for you, your eyebrow raised as you look at the man before you. “C’mon, honey talk to me, I know when you’re bothered by something you know.”

A sigh leaves the man’s lips before the same charming smile returns as he leans in and presses a gentle and reassuring kiss against yours. “Don’t you worry about me, baby doll. I’ve got it under control I promise.”

And you took his word, for the King of Brooklyn would never tell a lie to his queen.

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