#complete plumbing inspections

[aptplumbingsblog]

Embrace the Spring Season: Complete Plumbing Overhaul in Sydney

Sydney is not an exception to the notion that springtime is a time for renewal, rebirth, and refreshment. As the chill of winter starts to recede, and blossoms start to adorn the trees, it’s time to give your plumbing system a much-needed overhaul. Prepare your plumbing for the new season with Plumbing Services Sydney to ensure it functions optimally throughout the spring and beyond. This article intends to walk you through the necessary actions to maintain a plumbing system in peak condition.

Identifying Potential Leakages

The onset of spring calls for a comprehensive check for leaks around your home. Even the tiniest of leaks can lead to an enormous waste of water, resulting in inflated water bills. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Begin with a thorough examination of all taps in your home, both inside and outside. Look for any signs of dripping or leaks and promptly address any issues.

Next, scrutinise all visible pipes, particularly under sinks and in the basement. Look for water stains or dampness around the pipes, indicating potential leaks.

Finally, keep an eye out for discoloured spots on walls and ceilings, which could suggest hidden leaks.

Outdoor Plumbing Inspection

The cold winter months can wreak havoc on external plumbing elements such as garden hoses, sprinkler systems, and outdoor taps. To avoid any surprises when you start using these outdoor fixtures in the spring, a detailed inspection is crucial.

Start by disconnecting garden hoses from outdoor taps and thoroughly draining them to avoid damage from frost.

Look for any breaks or leaks in the hoses, and replace them if required. Additionally, look for any broken or damaged sprinkler system components and make the necessary repairs.

Finally, check the outdoor taps for leaks and ensure they are in good working condition. Address any issues before you start using water outdoors regularly.

Keeping Gutters and Downspouts Clean

The accumulation of leaves, dirt, and other things in your gutters and downspouts over the winter months can result in potential clogs. Clogged gutters can result in water overflow, damaging your roof or even causing leaks inside your home.

To prevent these issues, clean out the gutters and downspouts thoroughly. You can use a gutter scoop or a garden trowel to remove the debris.

After the debris removal, use a hose to flush out any remaining dirt and check for proper water flow.

Water Heater Maintenance

Your water heater works relentlessly throughout the year, and spring is an excellent time to service it. At the base of the water heater tank,mineral deposits can build up over time, decreasing performance and even resulting in corrosion. To service your water heater, start by shutting off the power or gas supply.

Then, connect a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and direct it to a drain or outside area.

Open the drain valve and flush out the sediment.

Once the tank is empty, close the valve, remove the hose, and refill the tank.

Checking Toilet Functionality

A leaking or malfunctioning toilet can waste a significant amount of water and impact your water bill.

To check for leaks, perform a simple dye test. Add a few drops of food colouring to the toilet tank and wait for about 30 minutes. If the colour appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak that needs fixing.

Additionally, check the flushing mechanism to ensure it works smoothly. If you notice any issues with flushing, it’s best to address them promptly to avoid further problems.

Testing the Sump Pump

Spring showers can bring excess water, and a properly functioning sump pump is essential to prevent flooding in your basement.

To test your sump pump, pour a bucket of water into the pit. The pump should automatically turn on and start pumping water out. If it doesn’t, or if it’s making strange noises, you may need to have it serviced or replaced.

For added protection during power outages, consider installing a battery backup system for your sump pump. This makes sure that everything keeps working even if there is a storm and the electricity goes off.

Insulating Exposed Pipes

While Sydney’s climate is relatively mild, occasional chilly spring nights can still pose a risk of frozen pipes. To prevent this, insulate any exposed pipes in unheated areas of your home, such as the basement, attic, or crawl spaces. Insulation sleeves or heat tape can help protect your pipes and prevent them from bursting due to freezing temperatures.

Upgrading Water Fixtures

Older water fixtures can be inefficient and wasteful. Consider upgrading to more water-efficient models to save water and reduce your utility bills. Low-flow toilets, aerated taps, and water-saving showerheads are great options to consider. Low-flow toilets use less water per flush, and aerated taps mix air with water to maintain water pressure while using less water. Water-saving showerheads offer a similar experience to regular showerheads but use less water per minute.

Preventing Drain Clogs

Spring cleaning often involves disposing of various items. However, it’s essential to be mindful of what you put down your drains to prevent a drain blockage.

Avoid disposing of grease, food scraps, or non-flushable items in the sink or toilet, as they can cause clogs and damage your plumbing system.

Use sink strainers to catch food particles and hair in the bathroom, and never pour grease or oil down the drain. Put grease in a container and throw it away in the garbage.

Preparing for Storms

Spring in Sydney can bring heavy rain and storms. To avoid water buildup around your property, ensure that your stormwater drains are clear of debris and functioning correctly. Regularly inspect and clean the stormwater drains to ensure smooth water flow and prevent potential flooding.

Professional Plumbing Inspection

If you’re uncertain about the condition of your plumbing system or seeking expert guidance, it’s advisable to engage a licenced plumber for a comprehensive inspection. A professional plumber is well-versed in plumbing codes and can identify any potential issues while ensuring compliance with the relevant regulations. They can offer valuable recommendations on maintenance or repairs to keep your plumbing system in excellent condition, adhering to the highest plumbing code standards.

Conclusion

As the season of renewal and growth, spring is the perfect time to give your plumbing the attention it deserves. You may avoid expensive repairs by performing routine maintenance and taking preventative actions to maintain your plumbing in good working order all year long. Get ahead of any potential plumbing issues this spring and enjoy the season worry-free! Contact Plumbing Services Sydney today and ensure your plumbing is in top-notch shape for a refreshing spring ahead.

[robinsegghead]

Danny's Daycare Part 1

      [Master List]

  Danny liked to believe he was a good person, with a good heart, but even he knew he’d decided to do this more out of boredom than anything else. There were a lot of places and people he could help with his powers and wealth but there were only two reasons he’d agreed to help Lady Gotham. The first being; she’d asked. Who was he to turn down a city spirit who’d come to ask his help? What reason could he have for turning her down? Well, he was busy with his kingly duties, but that was exactly why he had to do it. He was bored.

            Having graduated with his bachelor’s in the previous semester and the realms being completely calm and peaceful for the first time in a few thousand years, he’d grown bored. He’d honestly been considering finally dealing with the GIW on a more official basis (though he wasn’t sure he would be able to without overturning the Anti-Ecto Acts) but had ruled it out. He’d banned ghosts from Amity Park years ago and had discovered the GIW wasn’t doing too well for itself anymore.

            So….

            He’d agreed.

            Of course Lady Gotham had been entirely ambiguous with her request and thus he’d decided to take certain liberties in the way he chose to help. If he was being honest he thought his ideas were much more helpful than what she may have been expecting. He’d hung up his metaphorical cape and retired Phantom shortly after high school. As king, he was still Phantom, but he didn’t plan on ever flying around as a vigilante again.

            He wouldn’t have agreed to help if it meant he’d have to pick up his old mantle again.

            Teen hero Phantom had died on a dissection table and there was no amount of Ectoplasm strong enough to bring him back.

            Only a bit of research told Danny all he needed to know about Gotham and how he could best help. The birds and bats had rogues covered, they didn’t need Phantom anyways. But the thing that led to so many people becoming goons? To dealing drugs? To taking up crime? That was something neither the birds nor the bats were handling.

            So using an infinitesimal amount of his disgustingly vast wealth, Danny bought a decent sized building in the middle of the Bowery, bought and apartment building nearby, and packed his things. Moving wasn’t difficult considering his handle on opening portals to the infinite realms and the fact that he was currently living in his keep.

            Jazz had been… confused. She thought he was throwing away his freedom, shunning her hopes that he’d go for his PhD, but after he’d explained what he was doing  she was more than happy to help in any way she could. After all, she was interning as a psychologist at Arkham Asylum while finishing her PhD at Gotham U. Anything that got her little brother to spend more time with her was a win in her books.

            Getting the building ready for Danny’s plan was the most time-consuming part, but nothing he couldn’t handle. He took all the necessary precautions, had the building inspected and fumigated, installed heating and air conditioning, replaced the worn-out plumbing, and had Tucker create the best security system known to man- or ghost. He did all the same in the apartment building he’d bought (he also lowered the rent a fair bit without telling any of the current tenants).

            Once the building wasn’t literally collapsing, he had the carpeted floors replaced (there was no saving the blood crusted carpets) with hard wood floors and colorful area rugs. At this point people had begun to notice all of the work going into the building, they didn’t ask questions though, that would be very Gothamite of them. Danny had spent every waking moment working on the building, hadn’t stepped outside more than a handful of times, and certainly hadn’t met any of the neighbors.

            That was kind of the opposite of his intentions.

            So he’d looked around for soup kitchens in the area, found one that served dinner at a time that fit in his schedule, and started volunteering. A few days after contacting them about volunteering he got a call that he was cleared to start whenever, and he agreed to come the next evening.

            He arrived a bit earlier than they’d suggested but the woman in charge didn’t seem to mind too much.

            “I’m Molly, you’re early.” A woman much taller than Danny with broad shoulders and biceps thicker than his head, crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow. “I assume you want to work?”

            He nodded, dumbstruck.

            “Good. This way.” He followed her without a second thought. He found himself in a large kitchen filled with the sounds of chatter, chopping, and music. A couple of the volunteers were singing to the music while cooking. It was overall, really pleasant. “You know how to chop vegetables?” Molly asked.

            He felt… condescended a bit but brushed it off. “Yeah I can chop.”

            “Good, Les! You’ve got a new chopping buddy. Lanky, take a break.” Molly shouted orders to the rest of the staff while Danny took over chopping from Lanky, apparently.

            A young woman -he assumed she was Les?- handed him the knife Lanky had been holding and pointed to a large sack of potatoes. “Chop all of those, then put them into the pot to your right.” She brushed a strand of light brown hair behind her ear and continued chopping carrots.

            The two chopped in relative silence, the sounds of the kitchen washing over them, until he finished the sack of potatoes he’d been working on. Danny was a lot slower than Les but she had more carrots than he had potatoes, so he finished first. “Done.”

            She looked up, finished what she was doing, and wiped her hands on her apron. “Good. Can you finish these carrots while I move the potatoes and see what else we need done?” He got to work on the carrots while Les ran around making sure everything was running smoothly. By the time she returned he had finished the carrots as well.

            “Good,” There was approval in her voice, and he fought off a blush. “Dinner is starting soon. We’ve plenty of people working on the food, you up for serving?” He nodded, wiping his hands on his own apron before following her away from the kitchen.

            “Wash up here.” She gestured to a sink beside the door leading to the eating area. While he washed his hands she explained what he’d be doing. “You’re just serving one dish, so it’s not complicated. One ladle-full per tray, no seconds, there won’t be leftovers as it is. Be kind and respectful, we have people if anybody gets rowdy so don’t try to be a hero.” It was a strange warning but… well, it was Gotham.

            He nodded obediently and followed her to the pot of stew that was already made which he’d be serving from tonight.

            “Service starts in ten minutes; we’ve already got quite a line. Someone will come to relieve you for a break in two hours. Dinner last four hours- I assume you’re here for the whole night?” He nodded again. “Good, you’ll get a twenty-minute break to eat and rest before going back to give someone else their break, understand?”

            It was a relatively easy job- though he tried not to think too deeply about some of the people he served. You can’t save everybody, Danny. Jazz’s voice echoed in his mind as he watched two young boys get food, refusing to make eye contact with any of the volunteers. The older boy muttered a quiet ‘thanks’ before dragging the younger boy away and finding a spot in the corner away from everybody else.

            He tried to put them out of his mind as he continued to serve the everybody else. He couldn’t. Danny found himself glancing towards the corner every few minutes to watch out for the boys, something about them reminded him of Jazz and himself- though he wasn’t sure why. Other than the overprotective older sibling thing, there wasn’t much to compare. Still, he felt a sort of… pull towards the boys.

            It wasn’t ectoplasmic, they just… clearly they needed help- two kids wouldn’t be in a soup kitchen if they didn’t but- You can’t save everybody, Danny. And you’ll kill yourself fully trying to. Jazz was right, like usual- of course he’d never tell her that but-

            “-nny? Hello?” Someone tapped his shoulder, his head whipped to the side, startling the newcomer. “Sorry man, just trying to send you on your break. You good?”

            Danny nodded, setting down the ladle and moving aside for the other man. He needed to clear his mind.

~~~

            He painted the walls. Pale colors that complimented the even more colorful posters he hung over top and went nicely with the rugs. He considered tuning it down a bit when it came to the furniture, but what was the point? Colors were fun- kids liked colors, right? So the plastic tables and chairs were yellow and red and green and blue and purple and any other color you could think of.

            And once the furniture was moved in he was able to buy toys. Toy boxes were filled with various brand new and colorful toys, shelves were packed with unread books in perfect condition, and crayon boxes with coloring books were laid neatly on each table. The cabinets were stocked with Sam-approved snacks, the first aid kit was over-stocked, and the closet was filled with a wide range of clothing for kids who might not have hats, gloves, coats, or anything else they might need. He'd buy more when he finally had kids to buy for.

            Lady Gotham hadn’t said a word about his plan, but she’d nodded resolutely, thanked him, and went on her way, and that was enough encouragement to continue.

            On one of the last days of constructions, Danny received a visitor.

            “So this is where you’ve been, eh babypop?”

            Looking up from the paperwork Danny had been poring over, he smirked. “I guess I missed living in a haunted town.”

            She rolled her eyes and sauntered closer. “So you’ve- what? Traded your throne for a plastic rainbow chair?”

            “I didn’t trade anything. Lady Gotham asked for help, and I had time. It’s not like I’ll be here forever. Just until Gotham is faring a bit better. Maybe I’ll find someone I trust to give this place to sometime down the line.”

            Ember leaned her hip against his desk and crossed her arms. “And you’re doing this alone?”

            He shrugged. “Jazz is in school and interning at Arkham, Sam’s in San Francisco with Val and Tucker, and who knows where Dani is.” He frowned at something on the paperwork before shrugging again and writing something down.

            “That wasn’t what I meant, kid.”

            “I’ve gotten really good at the whole duplication thing recently so, yeah, I was going to do this alone. Who else would help me? I mean, maybe I’ll hire some help down the line, but I’ve got to be established first.” Danny knew full well that his current plan would have him exhausting himself on a daily basis. Working long days, by himself, while duplicating himself enough to take care of an unknown number of kids would drain him.

            A hand grabbed his pen away before he could keep working on his paperwork and he looked up to try and snatch it back. Ember was leaning into his space, holding the pen away from him. “I was offering to help, Babypop. Actually, I’ve talked to a few people who are offering to help.”

            Frowning, Danny searched the desk for another pen. “You do realize this isn’t like the Infinite Realms, right? You can’t duel a kid, you can’t mind control children, you aren’t allowed to fuck shit up here.”

            “Wow, is that all you think I’m capable of?” The hurt in her voice was feigned but he wondered if there was a tiny bit of truth behind it.

            “That’s not what I meant, Ember. I- just- who wants to help?”

            She smirked.

            That was how Danny found himself surrounded by ghosts, going over rules and expectations if they wanted to help. Lunch Lady, Ember, Dora, and a few others he didn’t know as well, listened as he laid down the law. The safety of the kids came before all else. It came before their own safety, it came before Danny’s identity, it came before everything. If they were going to do this, they would be doing it the right way.

            “There is also the matter of the birds and the bats.” Danny sighed, leaning against his desk and facing his friends? Subjects? Fellow ghosts.

            Ember scoffed. “I don’t need that talk from you, babypop.”

            “No no- not the birds and the bees. The birds and the bats. Gotham vigilantes.” The ghosts nodded in understanding. “They are not to be messed with, understood? The Anti-Ecto Acts are still very much in play, and I cannot tell you what side the birds and bats will be on but presumably, the governments. Batman founded the Justice League so not only does he work for the government, but they failed Amity multiple times, I do not trust them.

            “First and foremost; Batman. He’s the leader of the birds and bats as far as I can tell. He’s been around for over twenty years, the world’s greatest detective, and keeps up with heroes like superman, avoid at all costs. His sidekick is Robin, a kid in green, red, and yellow, he has swords, and we all know that despite his age, he is probably pretty dangerous.”

            “Okay we get it; you beat all of us while you were a scrawny fourteen-year-old.” Ember scoffed.

            “Everyone else is listening quietly, Em.” He glared pointedly. “Anyway, next is Nightwing- he’s technically Bludhaven’s vigilante but he helps around Gotham on the regular. Wears black and blue, my understanding is he’s generally pretty friendly, but I don’t want to take any chances. Then there’s Red Robin, he’s said to be a tech genius and considering Tucker’s obsessed with him, I’d say that’s probably true. Despite that, he’s not chump, I’ve seen some videos, he can fight, and he fights dirty. He wears black and red.

            “Red Hood wears the bat emblem, but he works mostly on his own in Crime Alley. He wears a red helmet- I know, he should be wearing a hood, but whatever. Hood is the only one that I’ve heard a good deal about, I’ve heard whispers of him in the realms, spirits who are grateful to him for avenging them like to call him the avenger of the dead. I have a great deal of respect for him. That being said; Red Hood kills, he is the only vigilante in Gotham that carries guns- not dangerous to you, but still, avoid him at all costs.”

            “I don’t see the importance of such a warning, we cannot die.” Dora frowned.

            Danny nodded in agreement. “No, you’re right, you probably don’t need to be all that concerned. However, if they find out about us and what we are, there’s no telling if they’ll get their hands on ghost tech from my- from the Fentons.” Ember gave him a sympathetic look at his slip. “I don’t want them learning anything about us or the Realms for all of our safety.

            “Signal is the daytime hero, he wears bright yellow and my understanding is he’s also super friendly. I found a video of him teaching street kids how to do a backflip. I’ve also seen him punch goons into next week so again, dangerous. Spoiler wears purple, she’s a badass any way you look at it. She’s quippy, flippy, and intense. More intense though is black bat, who wears all black and doesn’t speak.” He took a deep breath and made sure he’d said everything already. “I think that’s everyone. Questions?”

~~~

            The daycare was almost entirely finished, Danny had been spending more time there than at his apartment, and he’d had Tucker craft fake identities for everybody who wanted to help out. With how stressful things had been Danny felt the need for an extra-large, extra caffeinated, heart attack inducing coffee. There was one coffee shop he loved in the Upper East Side that knew him well. He’d come by for a coffee every morning since moving to Gotham five weeks ago and the barista’s had quickly began recognizing the man who got a black coffee with seven shots of espresso and a disgusting amount of syrup. He imagined not many people got that kind of drink. (He hoped).

            Jesse smiled when Danny approached the counter and began typing his order from memory. “How’s the construction going, Danny?” They asked.

            Offering his own tired smile, Danny nodded. “Construction’s done, just finishing up some stuff on the inside and paperwork.”

            “That’s great!” Jesse accepted Danny’s card, swiping it through their register. “My uncle lives in the Bowery and he has a little girl. The daycare could really help a lot of people.” Their voice was warm and slightly sad at the same time. “I hope it works out.”

            Taking his card back and their words as a dismissal, Danny gave a nod and moved towards the hand-off plane to wait for his drink. He checked his phone; Jazz had been blowing it up with more ideas for his egregious wealth could benefit the people of Gotham. She’d mentioned a lot of ideas that were… well they weren’t bad per se, but Danny already had a lot on his plate with the Daycare opening in just under a week.

            He wrote each suggestion down in his notes app anyways. A lot of them were things Gotham already had; food banks, homeless shelters, etc. but some of them were more interesting. A mechanic who fixed up cars for free, a tutoring program for kids who weren’t in school but wanted to go back, classes on how to combat different kinds of gasses and poisons (specifically fear gas, Poison Ivy’s different toxins, and Joker Venom), first aid programs, and a whole lot more. Danny hoped to implement a lot of Jazz’s ideas at some point, but for now, he was just one guy.

            One guy who barely saved himself.

            Jesse handed Danny his drink and waved as they turned to help another customer. Moving towards the exit, Danny narrowly avoided crashing into a bigger man who clearly didn’t have special awareness but in turn crashed into a much smaller man.

            “Oh shit!” Danny’s drink spilled all along his front and onto his shoes and he cringed at the painful heat coming into contact with his sensitive scars. “I’m really sorry.” He sighed, looking over the other man to see he hadn’t actually spilled any of his drink on the other man. Thank Ancients.

            The other man, who was only slightly shorter than Danny, was pressing napkins into Danny’s shirt. “Don’t worry about it. Are you okay? That looked really hot.”

            Danny nodded, taking the napkins from the other man and wiping away what he could without rubbing his scars. “Yeah… it was. I’m just glad I didn’t spill it on you.” He froze. “I didn’t, right?”

            The other man shook his head. “I’m fine, thanks. Let me buy you another one- it was kind of my fault anyways.”

            “We both know I crashed into you.” Danny raised an eyebrow. He didn’t need anyone to buy his coffee, he was disgustingly wealthy, if anything, he should be buying the stranger his coffee as an apology for crashing into him.

            “Whatever, let me buy your coffee as an apology anyways.” Danny shrugged, following the man up to the counter. He was going to buy a replacement anyways; he might as well let this stranger buy it for him.

            Jesse raised an eyebrow at the duo. “Oh god. I was hoping you two would never meet.”

            Danny and the man looked at each other strangely before looking back at Jesse. “Why?” They asked in unison.

            “Two large hot coffees with seven shots of espresso and fifteen pumps of vanilla?” They raised their eyebrow, looking between the two men judgmentally.

            Danny turned to the stranger, who in turn did the same, both looked at each other before promptly bursting into laughter. “Oh my Ancients, you too, huh?” Danny pretended to wipe away a tear as the other man ran a hand through his hair.

            “A man of taste.”

            Jesse swiped the man’s card. “I’ll have them in a minute, Tim, Danny.” They nodded to each of the men dismissively and they took their cue.

            They took a seat near the hand-off plane and Danny realized he’d never introduced himself properly. “I’m Danny, sorry about almost dropping my coffee on your very expensive looking suit.”

            The man -Tim apparently- waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it. I’m Tim, sorry about making you dump boiling hot coffee all over yourself.”

            “Better my t shirt and jeans than your Armani suit.”

            “I save the Armani for special occasions.” Tim smirked. “So what could you possibly be doing that requires a level of caffeine that could kill an elephant?”

            Danny rolled his eyes. “Jeez, you sound like my sister. I’ve spent the last five weeks renovating a place in the Bowery and turning it into a daycare. Only a few days before it opens, and I’ve already got a couple of kids signed up, so I imagine I’ll be drinking this every day for the rest of my life. How about yourself? You must have a crazy job to be drinking that much coffee.”

            Tim looked surprised briefly before masking it. “I’ve got some business meetings today I’ve been putting off for a while. I usually drink a few coffees a day to get through all the bullshit the board likes to pull.”

            “You must be pretty high up to be dealing with a board. I know how much those meetings suck. I usually just fake an emergency- of course they start to catch on when you do it every single time- but you know- I don’t really care.” He chuckled thinking about the last council meeting in the realms when Frighty’d almost had an aneurysm from Danny’s antics.

            Tim’s head tilted. “Where do you work?”

            He hadn’t anticipated this question which was stupid because he was the one who’d brought up dealing with his own board, Danny was saved by Jesse. “Tim!” They called from the bar. Two identical coffees sat on the hand-off plane and the men moved in unison.

            Drink in hand, Danny turned to Tim. “Well thanks for the coffee, Tim. I’ve gotta get back to the daycare but it was nice meeting you!” He smiled, offering a hand to shake.

            Tim took it, holding his own coffee in his other hand. “You too, Danny. I’ll see you around?”

            “Unfortunately!” Jesse called from behind the bar.

~~~

This is a fic on AO3 but thought I'd post the parts here separately for anyone who wanted to read them on Tumblr

AO3 Link

Original Prompt from @glow-in-the-dark-death

Next

[satrs]

#partnerlook @toji.fushiguro

A/N; HEY HEY HELLO HEY LOVES! I’m BACK! Well, partially. I’ll update some time when I manage to so, I BEG you to be patient with me this will probably suck ass but whateva, I'm a bit rusted from the long break

Plus, DIDN’T AND COULD NEVAAAAA FORGET ABOUT U GUYSSS MUCH MUCH LOVE AND KISSES MWAH <3

TAGS; NSFW CONTENT. petnames: baby, ma, my girl. naaaastyyyyy. Kinda hand kink? doggy. pwp.

WK; 1.1K.

The whole idea of the whole partner look thing started off innocent, with small little changes.

At first, it would be just for fun, successfully convincing Toji to match the color of your outfits when you would go out on dates.

Those things would slowly progress into more - same shoes, jewelry, head-to-toe almost identical outfits and at last - tattoos.

Of course, couple tattoos are quite controversial with all the ‘what if’s’ surrounding them, with many people having their eyes knitted, uncertain about the whole ordeal, with Toji being one of them.

It took him some, well, a lot of convincing, but all it took were a couple of pleading puppy eyes and pouty lips to drag his feet right into the trap he never excepted to fall into.

“You serious about this, ma?” His question was rather rhetorical, giving his position, seated in the chair in front of the tattoo artist, buzzing machine in hand.

You only hum in return, agreeing with an excited glint in your eyes, adrenaline rushing through every inch of your body as you inspect the pre-written masterpiece at your lower back in the mirror. “So serious.” You could barely bite back your grin, thinking of the finished product and how your boyfriend would react.

And it sure was a reaction.

You wouldn’t even make it out of the car, his eagerness impossible to tame as he guides you to the backseats, throwing you onto his lap with your back facing him, the raging boner in his pants hurting to be buried into your welcoming cunt.

“Fuckkkk, baby. Shoulda’ knocked this into me sooner.” A deep groan echoed through the room, causing you to clench down onto his shaft.

You whine in return at the way he was stretching your walls in an almost ridiculous way, followed by a high-pitched gasp as you feel his rough hands caress the dark ink adoring your sweaty skin, the letters forming the name ‘Toji’ in the most beautiful font imaginable.

This alone had him snap his hips up into you, robbing a loud cry from you in the process. “C-careful, Toji!”, you babble, hand trying to hold onto his, accidentally grabbing the arm where the dark, vibrant ink adored his skin.

He slapped your hand way, clicking his tongue at the process. “Huh, want me to kiss it better?” He snickers, an inked arm snaking its way around your body to play with your plumb clit, giving it a teasing smack.

Your eyes wander down, a moan flying past your lips at the sight of your name on his lower arm, lightly ranking its way down to his beefy hand.

You feel his sharp fangs attack your neck, soon replaced by apologetic wet kisses.

Your head was spinning, unable to make out on what to focus - his girthy cock bumping into your sweet spot repeatedly, or the way your name so perfectly fitted onto his beefy arm.

“Nah. Gotta get a clear view on this.” His other hand forced your upper body to the front so nothing hindered him from obsessively gawking over the piece of art on your lower back.

Oh, he couldn’t wait till it healed completely, so he could finally get a little rougher on you.

“T-tojiiii” you protest to his antics, only to be caught in surprise by him throwing you on all fours, swiftly aligning his angry red tip to your gasping hole.

A bright smirk adores his face, scar crinkling in the process as he pushes your head into the leather seats, the different angle now providing him with the best view imaginable.

His hand comes down, ripping your flesh at impact, leaving a bright red print of his hand on your rear, earning a scream from you in return. "Hm, why not tattoo that shit on yer cheeks-" His hand made contact with your skin again at his teasing remark, your upper body slumping down into the seats with a cry, "-Whaddya' say?"

You nod eagerly, mind drunken in the pleasure you're receiving. The only thing that you could think about was the ringing in your ears with each smack of his hips against your ass. His balls slap against you aching clit, adding to the pleasure, causing your mouth to hang open, eyes rolling to the far back of your skull.

"Fuck, gonna cum, huh? Can fell your slutty cunt tryna suck me dry", he grunts, increasing the speed of his hips, hissing from your continuous clenching.

His hand reached for your throat, pushing you up against his back, careful not to hit your head against the roof. You moan, eyes flickering down to the hand around your throat, big orbs staying glued to the black shade on his skin, humping your hips against his to chase your incoming high.

"Mhm- fuck! m' so close, Toji! sososo close!", you mewl, earning a sharp thrust, followed by a deep grunt from the raven haired man. "Tatt s' gettin' my girl so worked up?" He slowed down his thrust to let his eyes trail down your back, orbs latching back onto the body art that decorated your shiny skin. "Can't lie, that shit s' gonna make me burst too." With one more thrust, your cunt clenches down onto him, robbing a groan from his lips. Your juices splash onto his pelvis as your legs gave out on you, the hand around your neck holding your back from falling flat onto your stomach.

"jusss' like that, baby, shittttt- gonna cum too. Gonna bust all over that pretty tattoo, yeah?" His hand loosened around your neck, causing your upper body to fall down. Both hands back on your hips, drilling his throbbing cock into your abused cunt, threatening to burst any second.

"Yeahhh, gonna paint it all over, fuckkk." He swiftly pulled out, causing you to softly whine at the loss. Impatiently pumping his cock in fast motion before spurting his cum all over your back, white semen covering up most of the black tint on your lower back.

A chuckle rang your ear as you took deep breaths, turning your head to come face to face with his menacing grin, eyes glued to your back. "Look at that."

You propped yourself onto your arms, adoring the view on your back with your lower lip between your teeth, shacking your behind in a teasing manner.

A giggle rang through the air at the harsh smack against your ass, your eyes following the inked arm up to the culprits face. The man grinned down at you, canines showing, teasingly tapping his cock head onto your ass, before spreading your cheeks with his length, retrieving it right after.

"m' still sensitive, Toji-" but before you could finish your sentence, he already threw you onto his lap, fingers teasing your gasping hole, ignoring the sticky fluid against his pelvic and his already hard cock.

"Nuh uh. Gotta match mine with yours now."

©︎SATRS. all rights reserved. Do NOT plagiarize, copy, modify, republish, or translate my work in any way!

[lcortes]

In the Mushroom Kingdom, the sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the vibrant landscape. Luigi Mario, usually the cheerful and optimistic brother, was now weary and worn. For days, he had toiled alone, laboring to rebuild the plumbing systems that Bowser had ruthlessly destroyed during his latest attack. Mario was away, safeguarding Princess Peach during an important kingdom conference, leaving Luigi to face the daunting task by himself.

As he wiped the sweat from his brow, Luigi sighed deeply. The echoes of his hammer striking the pipes resonated in the dimly lit tunnel. "Just a few more hours," he whispered to himself. "I can do this. Mario and Peach will be back soon, and I promise I’ll have everything ready." He had promised the Mushroom people that the repairs would be completed before his brother's return, but with each passing hour, exhaustion settled heavier on his shoulders.

Luigi’s hands trembled as he inspected the damage in the west tunnel. The ceiling had sustained significant damage from Bowser's relentless attacks. He could almost hear the echoes of the chaos that had ensued—the roars of Bowser, the screams of the Mushroom citizens, and the frantic rush to safety. “Just one more check,” Luigi told himself. “Then I can rest.”

As he ventured deeper into the tunnel, the air grew heavy with dust and despair. Luigi’s heart sank when he saw the cracks in the walls and the debris scattered across the floor. He knew the risk; he had seen what had happened in other tunnels. But he pressed on, determined to finish the job. Suddenly, without warning, the ground beneath him trembled violently.

A small earthquake shook the Mushroom Kingdom, rattling the stones and causing debris to fall from the ceiling. Luigi barely had time to react before a cascade of rocks and dirt tumbled down, trapping him beneath the rubble. Panic surged through him as he struggled to move, but the weight of the earth was too great. “No! Mario!” he cried out, his voice barely a whisper in the darkness. “Help me!”

In the suffocating silence that followed, Luigi’s heart raced with fear and sadness. He thought of his brother, of the countless adventures they had shared, and the times they had always looked out for each other. He had never said goodbye, never had the chance to tell Mario how much he loved him. Tears streamed down his face as he lay there, trapped and alone.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly. Luigi’s body ached, and the pain from his injuries pulsed with every heartbeat. He tried to call out, to shout for help, but all he could manage were muffled cries, swallowed by the darkness around him. The thought that Mario would be busy with Princess Peach, unaware of his predicament, gnawed at him. “What if he never finds me?” he thought, despair creeping into his heart.

Suddenly, as if the universe was listening to his cries, a glimmer of light pierced through the darkness. Luigi's heart raced. “Could it be?” he wondered. He strained his ears, and through the rubble, he thought he heard the distant sound of voices. Hope flickered within him, igniting a spark of determination. He began to pound on the rocks above him, calling out as loudly as he could, “Mario! Help! I’m down here!”

Meanwhile, Mario and Princess Peach were returning from the conference, their hearts filled with hope for a peaceful kingdom. As they approached the castle, Mario couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. “Luigi should have finished the work by now. He’s been down there too long,” he said, worry etched on his face.

Peach placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Let’s check on him. He might just need a break.”

They headed toward the west tunnel, the very place Luigi was working. As they arrived, they noticed the ground was disturbed, and debris lay scattered about. Mario’s heart dropped. “Luigi!” he shouted, rushing to the entrance of the tunnel. “Can you hear me?”

A faint, muffled response floated back. “Mario! Help! I’m down here!”

Without hesitation, Mario began to dig through the rubble, his heart pounding with urgency. “Hang on, Luigi! I’m coming!” He worked furiously, clearing rocks and dirt, driven by the fear of losing his brother. Peach joined him, pulling aside debris with all her strength. After what felt like an eternity, Mario finally uncovered a small opening. With a final shove, he cleared enough to see Luigi’s face, pale and bruised but alive. “Luigi!” he cried, relief flooding his voice. “I’ve got you!”

With Peach’s help, they carefully pulled Luigi from the rubble. As soon as he was free, Luigi collapsed into Mario’s arms, tears of relief and pain

[bomberqueen17]

inspections

in terms of the kitchen remodel we are still waiting on like five pieces of trim and the door of one cabinet. so we're to the final details phase. which means the electrical and plumbing inspectors from the town have to come by.

the plumbing inspector came by and was super friendly and funny and was like "i guess i gotta run some water, i'll feel silly if i don't and there was a problem, but mostly i mean, if there was a problem you'd probably have noticed right?" and i was like yeah fair enough, wanna look at the gas lines they moved? and he was like oh i guess i will, sure. Super low-key.

The electrical inspector was similarly chill but he looked grimly up at the smoke detector they'd put up in not the place I'd expected them to, and said "that's. not where that goes." I said "it goes off all the time" and he was like "yeah it's way too close to the stove, I would not have put it there. But the problem is, you need there to be a carbon monoxide sensor within fifteen feet of your bedrooms, and the closer bedroom is seventeen feet that way."

Sure enough. It's the right kind of smoke detector but it's in the wrong place.

I looked up the manufacturer's instructions and they say to put it 20 feet from the main cooking appliance. Ten if that's not possible, but preferably 20. I measured, and it's eight feet from the stove. I can't get emojis to insert but this is the upside-down smiley, right here.

So the hallway location would have been completely fine for that, and in fact better. And that's where I had pointed out that they should put it, and that's where Jim had said they'd put it, and it's where I fully believed they were putting it until they finished the job.

So I'm displeased and have to psych myself up to call Jim and break the news to him, that it's not just that I could put another sensor up and be good-- the one they put in is just plain in the wrong place. I don't know if they can properly move it, they hard-wired the communication wire to the basement alarm, and I don't know if they can fish that through the ceiling that direction. (They can't, I'm one thousand percent sure the joists go the other way.)

But the alarm they installed, which cost me extra outside of the five figures of work done on the kitchen, is incorrectly located, and meets neither the manufacturer's guidelines nor town building codes. So I gotta put my big girl panties on and complain about that. I'd been preparing myself to just suck it up and set the smoke detector off every time I cooked but realizing that it's absolutely not supposed to be there has removed my last shred of putting up with that shit.

Hell fucking no. Now, how to say that nicely???? *deep breath* I can do it. Polite but firm.

On another note-- I went out of town for the weekend and got stuck there because of the snow, and finally made it back Monday morning, and when I texted the family groupchat that I'd made it home my mom was like "great!" and then literally one minute later was like "so what color are you painting your kitchen" so understand that y'all are not the only ones waiting to find out.

LOL any color would workkkkkk so I gotta pick one and do it. But probably not this week, as today's the last break in the weather and then we're supposed to get absolutely slammed with snow.

[jessicanjpa]

cottage

An excerpt from this chapter of 2003. The Cullens have just moved to Forks and Edward is exploring the woods behind the house.

I was surprised to find the remnants of an old trail not far from the river. It hadn't been used in a long time; for most of its length, the only sign was a winding track of evergreens that were significantly shorter than their neighbors. A rusted tin can was the only other evidence that a human had ever passed this way. Maybe this path led to an old deer stand or something like that.

I explored here and there, finally taking to the treetops so I could follow the "path" more easily. I was finally rewarded with the sight of a big rectangle so regular that it had to be manmade. It was partially obscured by the overgrowth and the rotted branches that had fallen on it in recent years, but it was definitely a building. I swung back down to the forest floor, surprised to see not a deer stand or a spartan hunting shack, but an adorable little stone cottage.

It was like stepping into a fairy tale. I had landed just far enough away to use the little path of flat stones that led the way home to the front door. The decaying, broken roof was an eyesore, but everything else was perfect... in a crumbling, half-reclaimed-by-nature sort of way. Wild, meandering honeysuckle had completely taken over one wall. Nearly every stone was outlined and softened with moss. The arched door wasn't in the best shape, but it was made of sturdy oak that had easily outlived the roof.

I walked a wide circle around the whole thing. A stone chimney crowned the southern corner, and there was a little door in the back that opened directly into what probably used to be a garden. Now, it was just a little outline of rotted miniature fencing, completely overrun by natural growth. Only a single climbing rose plant had survived to tell the story of the former inhabitants, clinging to the mossy stones as if to escape the encroaching wilderness.

I reached out and gently touched its petals. Stubborn rose, I thought with a smile. It was a good omen; Rosalie and Emmett were going to love it out here. It'd been a while since they'd really needed four walls of their own to knock down as they pleased, but it wasn't every day we found a house that came complete with a fairy tale cottage, either. I was almost jealous.

I carefully inspected the rest of the exterior before easing the door open. Esme would want to know every detail, though of course she would soon be out here to see it for herself. I stretched my gift back toward the main house to her mind abuzz with renovation plans. She might not be able to get to the cottage right away. I grimaced around the tiny living room. The beehive fireplace was in good enough condition, but the wallpaper was an affront to all that was good and holy. Hopefully the smell would get thrown out with it.

The kitchen was little more than a camper's stove and a sink, which was just as well. Two rickety chairs crowded up to a tiny breakfast table that had seen better days. I was far more interested in the old piano that took up the wall across from the fireplace. I didn't expect much, what with the exposure and the humidity it must have suffered over the years, but I still let out a disappointed sigh when the keys refused to be pushed, much less make any sound. I took a peek inside; the strings actually didn't look too bad. I already had the Steinway baby grand anyway, but it would be a shame to send it to a junkyard. Maybe I could find a local piano repair shop that enjoyed restoring hard luck cases.

Just like the main house, the cottage seemed bigger inside than out. I followed a little hallway—it was arched like the front door, as though I had wandered into a tiny castle—and found a generous bedroom matched against two smaller rooms. No signs of plumbing ever having been installed: that would give Esme a pleasant challenge.

The whole thing was perfect. Maybe if Rosalie and Emmett spent enough time out here, they would even agree to switch bedrooms with me. I didn't exactly need a full suite, but I wouldn't say no to my own shower and enough room for all my books to come out of their boxes. They were getting the better deal by far; this place was a jewel. And it felt right, somehow; it had been a shame to see the hunting cottage back at our old Hoquiam place fall into disrepair. Having this little find on our new property seemed to make up for it.

I headed back to the main house, wondering who had lived out at the cottage once upon a time, and why. I supposed it might be as old as the house, or even older; there could have been a whole line of occupants. The cottage had its own little story to tell. Perhaps it had been used as a mother-in-law unit once: a whimsical grandmother with plenty of cats and plenty of time to tend her roses. Then a little honeymoon retreat for a blushing couple who had set up house with a second-hand breakfast table, then a brooding pianist who needed solitude to work on his compositions.

And now it would house a pair of lovesick vampires who would hopefully leave it in one piece and pass it on to continue the story. The older we all got, the more distanced we felt from stories like these, no matter how picturesque the setting or how vivid an imprint our renovations left behind. But I supposed we were just stewards like the rest: here for a day, then nothing more than a fading memory.

[growing-yet-into-magic]

Hello. I will be grateful for your reply. Do you think there is a magical reason for my condition? The fact is that I was attacked by laziness. It so happens that there is quite a lot of free time now, but I put everything off for later - not only runes and rituals, but also certain household chores, self-care, the same fitness, cosmetology. As for the runes, if they used to always work for me with a bang, now I approach the launch of any formula for a very long time - then there is no desire, then there is time)In general, the question is - what could be the reason for such a situation and what to do about it in your opinion? With respect to you, your admirer.❤️

There's no reason to assume magic first and foremost. The world moves in mysterious ways, but something like....95% of it is predictable.

You could just be bored. That happens. You lose interest in something and then the attention is gone. The larger option may be to change up your schedule or add something new to your routine or otherwise give into the lack of motivation. It's happened to me before and will again, but that's largely symptomatic. Speaking of symptoms...

If it bothers you enough to ask advice from strangers online, make an appointment with a mental health professional. I'd recommend a seeing a therapist, but dial up your insurance and see who's in your area and in your personal pay bracket. The higher likelihood of the nature of your problem is that you're in a mental health downswing. Anhedonia's a common symptom in a variety of different possible flavors of the unable-to-attend-to-own-needs variety, so the best way to identify what's up is to get a professional to take a look and start a plan up with you.

It's very easy to romanticize what's going on in our lives, but I've often found that identification of a root cause works most effectively when you start off grounded in practicality. Magic can be great for symptom management when new things pop up, but a witch is in charge of your own craft, and often leaves gaps where one isn't an expert. If the man at the head of the ship isn't a captain, they shouldn't be steering. If the man is inspecting the plumbing, they should be a plumber. You're not a doctor. I'm not a doctor. Ask someone who knows what they're doing, make a plan with them, then try to see what spells and sympathetic rituals help you stick to what you learn. If you want to find a possible magical reason you feel unwilling to complete self care and enrichment tasks afterwards, just hit the problem from both ends rather than just magically.

Laziness doesn't exist, but barriers to completing tasks do. Best of luck,

[vintagecamping]

Plumbing inspection complete on the new outhouse!

Covelo, California

1981

[trisitaengineering]

Facility Management Companies in India

A Comprehensive Guide to Facility Management Companies in India: Elevating Operational Efficiency

Facility management is a critical component of successful business operations, ensuring that facilities run smoothly, efficiently, and safely. In India, a diverse and rapidly growing economy with numerous industries requires top-notch facility management services. From maintaining infrastructure to optimizing operational performance, facility management companies play a pivotal role. This blog explores some of the leading facility management companies in India , highlighting their services and what sets them apart.

Why Facility Management Matters

Facility management encompasses a wide range of services designed to ensure that buildings and infrastructures are safe, functional, and efficiently operated. Key areas include:

Maintenance: Regular upkeep of facilities to prevent breakdowns and ensure safety.

Cleaning: Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in commercial and residential spaces.

Security: Protecting assets and ensuring safety through surveillance and access control.

Technical Services: Managing HVAC systems, electrical systems, and other technical infrastructure.

Energy Management: Implementing strategies to reduce energy consumption and costs.

Core Functions of Facility Management

Maintenance Management

Preventive Maintenance: Regular inspections and servicing to prevent equipment failures and ensure optimal performance.

Reactive Maintenance: Addressing repairs and issues as they arise to minimize downtime and disruptions.

2. Cleaning and Hygiene

Ensuring cleanliness and hygiene through regular cleaning schedules, waste management, and sanitation practices. This is vital for maintaining a healthy and productive environment.

3. Security and Safety

Implementing security measures such as surveillance, access control, and emergency preparedness. Ensuring the safety of occupants and protecting assets are key responsibilities.

4. Technical Services

Managing HVAC systems, electrical systems, plumbing, and other technical infrastructure to ensure they are functioning efficiently and reliably.

5. Space Management

Optimizing the use of space to improve functionality and accommodate changing needs. This includes layout planning, space allocation, and managing relocations.

6. Energy Management

Implementing strategies to reduce energy consumption and costs, such as energy-efficient systems, sustainable practices, and monitoring energy usage.

7. Project Management

Overseeing facility-related projects, such as renovations, upgrades, and new constructions, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to the required standards.

8. Vendor Management

Coordinating with external service providers for specialized services such as landscaping, security, and janitorial services. Ensuring quality and compliance with service agreements.

Benefits of Effective Facility Management

Enhanced Operational Efficiency

Streamlined processes and well-maintained facilities lead to smoother operations and reduced downtime, allowing businesses to focus on their core activities.

2. Cost Savings

Proactive maintenance and energy management can result in significant cost savings by preventing costly repairs, reducing energy consumption, and extending the lifespan of assets.

3. Improved Safety and Compliance

Ensuring that safety protocols are followed and that facilities comply with regulations helps to create a safe environment for employees and visitors, reducing the risk of accidents and legal issues.

4. Increased Productivity

A well-maintained and comfortable environment contributes to employee satisfaction and productivity. Proper space management and ergonomic designs can enhance workplace efficiency.

5. Sustainability and Environmental Impact

Implementing sustainable practices and energy-efficient technologies contributes to environmental conservation and helps organizations meet their sustainability goals.

6. Enhanced Reputation

A well-managed facility reflects positively on the organization, enhancing its reputation among clients, partners, and employees.

Trends in Facility Management

Technology Integration

The use of smart building technologies, IoT devices, and advanced software solutions for real-time monitoring and management is on the rise.

2. Sustainability Focus

There is a growing emphasis on green building practices, energy efficiency, and reducing the environmental footprint of facilities.

3. Data-Driven Decision Making

Leveraging data analytics to optimize facility operations, track performance metrics, and make informed decisions is becoming increasingly important.

4. Employee Well-Being

There is a greater focus on creating environments that support employee well-being, including improved air quality, lighting, and ergonomic design.

5. Remote Management

The ability to manage facilities remotely through digital platforms and automation is becoming more prevalent, providing greater flexibility and efficiency.

Conclusion

Facility management is a multifaceted discipline that plays a vital role in the smooth operation of buildings and infrastructure. By encompassing a range of services from maintenance and cleaning to security and space management, facility management ensures that environments are functional, safe, and efficient. Embracing the latest trends and technologies can further enhance the effectiveness of facility management, leading to improved operational efficiency, cost savings, and overall success for organizations.

Whether you are managing a small office or a large industrial complex, understanding and implementing effective facility management practices can make a significant difference in achieving your operational goals.

[thatgoldentrickle]

The Golden Key, Part One

Four friends all get stuck in a magic room that won't let them out unless they pee their pants. How long will it take them to figure out how to escape?

My three friends and I were on a road trip and it was getting late, so we pulled over, looking for a place to stay the night. We found a small town motel, but when we walked into the lobby, no one was there. We rang the bell for service, and still nobody.

I squirmed impatiently. I had needed the bathroom for awhile now, but I was too embarrassed to make my friends pull over. When Luisa had suggested finding a place, I jumped on the chance to find a bathroom without looking too desperate. But it was just my luck that we'd have to wait for whoever was on duty to wake up and help us.

The seconds stretched into minutes, and Darcy yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth. Piper paced around the lobby, then rang the bell again.

Maybe there was a public bathroom in the lobby? I walked around looking for one, but every depression in the wall that I had thought might be a hallway was actually a dead end. Who built rooms like this?

"Should we leave and try somewhere else?" asked Darcy.

The rest of us agreed, but when we tried to leave the way we came, we couldn't find a door. "This can't be right," said Luisa. "We came in from the east side. There was a door right here." She pointed to a blank wall painted yellow.

"You must have remembered wrong," said Piper. "Maybe we came through here." She walked into one of the crevasses I had thought was a hallway and walked right back out, shaking her head.

We followed every inch of wall all the way around the room, but we seemed to be completely closed in. Were we in some kind of escape room? Were we being pranked?

I was too exhausted to deal with this. If I kept standing, I would start potty dancing. I collapsed onto an armchair, hoping I could hide how badly I had to pee. But my prospects for finding a bathroom were looking pretty bleak. I crossed my legs, hoping it looked casual and not like I was holding back a waterfall of piss.

Darcy pulled out her phone and announced that she had no service. Nor did any of the rest of us. Piper and Luisa started rummaging through the front desk, looking for anything that might help us. When they picked up the landline phone, it made the blaring tone of a dead line.

"Do you think this is, like, some kind of government experiment?" I asked. I had heard stories of remote towns with fake buildings before, cover up for a secret base.

"What would they be testing for?" Darcy replied. She opened the fridge and pulled out a Coke zero. "Want one?"

As if I needed to fill my bladder even more! I shook my head. "Won't they make you pay for that anyway?"

"Nobody's here. And if they were, I'd say they owed us free drinks after putting us through this." She handed me one despite my protests.

When Darcy opened her bottle, I couldn't help it. A trickle of pee leaked out of me. Fuck. I could not piss myself in the middle of this weird lobby, possibly on camera if this was some kind of prank show.

"Hey, I could use a Coke," said Piper. "Maybe it'll help me clear my head." I handed mine off to her.

"Do they have anything else?" asked Luisa. She ended up settling on a lemonade.

Okay, there were way too many yellow things in this room. The paint on the walls, the lemonade, the flowers on the desk. It definitely didn't help that I could hear plumbing in the walls flowing intermittently enough that I couldn't just tune it out. It was like this room was designed to make me pee.

Another leak escaped me, as did an internal string of curses.

Piper started inspecting her bottle. "If this is an escape room, do you think there might be a code, or a puzzle or something on these drinks?"

"Hang on, I think you might be onto something," said Darcy. She opened the fridge again and started rearranging bottles. When she stepped back, the top row had the labels rotated so that they read "PUSSY."

Piper shoved Darcy playfully. "Shut up." Darcy shoved her back, causing her to spill her drink.

When the Coke splattered on the ground, that was it for me. I started peeing again and this time I couldn't stop. My urine shot out of me with the intensity of a fire hose. I felt the warm piss soak my butt, the backs of my thighs, and into the seat cushion. I could feel the padding beneath me expand as it absorbed the liquid pouring out of me.

I couldn't help but sigh with relief even as my heart raced and my face heated up from embarrassment. I hadn't wet myself since I was five, yet here I was, a full grown adult, pissing helplessly where I sat.

"Ah fuck, where are the paper towels?" asked Piper, which made me jump slightly in my seat. Then I relaxed when I realized she wanted the paper towels to clean up her drink and not my piss. The last bit of pee trickled out of me with a quiet psssh. None of my friends were even looking at me. They didn't seem to have noticed my accident.

That was when I saw it. "Guys!" I said. "The door's back!"

"What?"

"It's back?"

"Where?"

"Right where Luisa said it was, the way we came in." I pointed.

"Cass, there's nothing there," said Piper.

"But I can see it," I insisted.

Luisa started running her hands along the wall. She passed over the doorjamb three times, but she didn't seem to feel anything. "Maybe you should try opening it," she told me.

I could feel the blood drain out of me. "I can't," I said.

"Why not?"

Because if I get up, you'll all see that I've wet myself, I thought but didn't say. What could I say? I had to come up with an excuse, and fast. My mind started racing . . .

[aptplumbingsblog]

Know the Most Common Australian Plumbing Problems and How to Resolve Them

Whether a property is used for residential or commercial purposes, plumbing concerns are a necessary component of ownership. A country such as Australia is prone to plumbing issues as it has many different types of landscapes and climates as well as common reasons, such as weather conditions, the plumbing system’s age, and ordinary wear and tear. You may save time, money, and the annoyance of dealing with unforeseen inconveniences by being aware of these common plumbing issues and learning how to handle them.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the most frequent plumbing problems Australians have and provide practical solutions.

We’ll also go over Sydney plumbing solutions and how critical it is to choose trustworthy service providers that offer reasonably cost plumbing services in Sydney, including commercial plumbing services.

1. Blocked Drains and Toilets: A Common Nuisance

Blocked drains and toilets are perhaps the most frustrating plumbing problems encountered by Australians. Hair, grease, and foreign objects are just a few of the things that can clog your pipes and cause unpleasant effects. In bustling cities like Sydney, where plumbing systems are under constant strain, dealing with blocked drains is a regular challenge.

Be careful about what you put down your drains to avoid obstructions. Use drain guards to catch debris and avoid flushing non-biodegradable items down the toilet. If you find yourself contending with a blockage, a plunger or drain snake might provide a quick fix. However, for more stubborn cases, engaging professional plumbing service providers is recommended. These professionals have the knowledge to remove even the most stubborn clogs and provide inexpensive plumbing services in Sydney.

2. Leaky Faucets: A Silent Culprit

Leaky faucets not only create an annoying drip-drip sound but also contribute to water wastage. Given Australia’s varying water availability, addressing leaky faucets promptly is essential.

Most leaky faucets result from worn-out washers, O-rings, or seals. Replacing these components can put an end to the incessant dripping. Reach out to a reputable plumbing service provider if you’re not confident performing DIY repairs. These professionals, familiar with both residential and commercial plumbing services, can restore your faucet to perfect working order.

3. Burst Pipes: A Winter Worry

In regions prone to freezing temperatures or possessing ageing plumbing systems, burst pipes are a recurring concern. A burst pipe can result in property damage, water waste, and increased utility costs.

If you suspect a burst pipe, turn off the main water supply immediately to minimise damage. Next, contact an emergency plumbing service provider promptly. In a fast-paced city like Sydney, where quick responses are vital, having access to reliable commercial plumbing services can save the day.

4. Low Water Pressure: The Irritating Intruder

Low water pressure can make routine activities like taking a shower difficult. Mineral accumulation, pipe corrosion, or undetected water leaks can all cause this problem.

Check to see if the low water pressure is present across your entire property to start. If so, the issue can be more complicated and call for expert help. Reputable plumbing service providers in Sydney, possess the skills to identify and resolve the underlying issue, restoring optimal water pressure.

5. Water Heater Hiccups: Chilly Challenges

An inconsistent water temperature or a complete lack of hot water can be traced back to water heater issues. This is particularly unwelcome, especially during the colder months.

Start by checking your water heater’s thermostat settings. If that doesn’t solve the problem, a malfunctioning heating element or sediment accumulation might be the culprits. Trust the situation to experts that provide both residential and commercial plumbing services for complicated water heater problems. Your comfort depends on a working water heater, and these experts can make sure it runs efficiently.

6. Running Toilets: A Quiet Drain

Running toilets are notorious for silently hiking up your water bill. A continuously running toilet is a leak that shouldn’t be ignored.

A damaged flapper valve frequently contributes to a running toilet. This component can be replaced with ease, and hardware stores usually carry replacements. But if the issue continues, don’t be afraid to get in touch with a plumbing service provider for a full analysis.

You are better able to preserve the balance of your house if you are knowledgeable about typical plumbing issues and practical fixes. Remember, while DIY fixes can work wonders for minor issues, professional plumbing service providers are your allies when it comes to tackling complex problems or plumbing emergencies. Seek out trusted experts who offer affordable plumbing services in Sydney to ensure your plumbing system remains reliable and efficient.

Contact us to schedule a consultation. Discover how we can work with you to maintain the comfort and functionality of your property by exploring our extensive selection of services. With us by your side, plumbing problems will become a thing of the past, allowing you to enjoy peace of mind and uninterrupted daily routines.

[tedcruzblogs]

Essential Steps in Water Damage Restoration

Water damage can wreak havoc on your property, leading to costly repairs and potential health hazards. Whether caused by natural disasters, plumbing failures, or human error, the impact of water damage can be extensive and devastating. Effective water damage restoration is crucial to mitigate these impacts and restore your property to its former state. Here are the essential steps involved in water damage restoration.

Assessment

The first step in water damage restoration is a thorough assessment of the affected area. Identifying the extent of water damage is critical to determine the necessary course of action. Quick assessment is vital as prolonged water exposure can lead to structural damage and mold growth. Professional restoration companies use advanced tools like moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to detect hidden water damage.

Water Extraction

Once the assessment is complete, the next step is water extraction. Removing standing water as quickly as possible minimizes further damage to the property. Various methods and equipment are used for water extraction, including submersible pumps, wet vacuums, and industrial-strength water extractors. While DIY methods may be effective for minor leaks, professional extraction is recommended for significant water damage to ensure thorough removal.

Drying and Dehumidification

After water extraction, the affected areas must be dried and dehumidified to prevent mold and mildew growth. Techniques for effective drying include the use of high-speed air movers and industrial-grade dehumidifiers. These devices accelerate the evaporation process and remove moisture from the air. Monitoring humidity levels and adjusting equipment as needed ensures that the drying process is efficient and complete.

Restoration and Repair

Restoration and repair are essential to return your property to its pre-damage condition. This step involves repairing structural damage, such as replacing drywall, flooring, and insulation. Addressing mold and mildew is also crucial, as these can pose serious health risks. Professional restoration services use antimicrobial treatments and specialized cleaning techniques to eliminate mold spores and prevent future growth.

Prevention

Preventing future water damage is the final step in the restoration process. Regular maintenance and timely repairs can significantly reduce the risk of water damage. Here are some preventive tips:

Inspect and maintain your plumbing system regularly.

Ensure proper drainage around your property.

Install a sump pump in your basement.

Use water leak detectors and alarms.

Keep gutters and downspouts clean and functional.

Conclusion

Water damage restoration is a multi-step process that requires prompt action and professional expertise. By following these essential steps—assessment, water extraction, drying and dehumidification, restoration and repair, and prevention—you can effectively mitigate the impacts of water damage and protect your property. Taking preventive measures and being prepared can save you time, money, and stress in the long run.

[everydayplumber]

Is Your Home Due for a Re-pipe?

Did you know that in the next few years, around 360,000 homes in the Tampa Bay area will need a partial or complete water line re-piping. Homes built before 1980, which make up about 30% of our local housing, often used galvanized steel or early copper pipes that are now reaching the end of their lifespan.

At EVERYDAYPLUMBER.com, we specialize in professional and reliable re-pipe services to keep your home’s plumbing in top shape. Our experienced team can help ensure your water lines are safe and efficient. Don't wait for a plumbing disaster – contact us today for a free inspection and quote!

[zuppizup]

And They Were Zoom-mates… Chapter 45

Summary: Callum thought being a graphic designer for a large, multi-national company would be a boring, if safe, career choice Callum thought wrong.

Threatened with a lawsuit over copyright infringement, he has no choice but to rely on renowned ‘Ice Queen’ Rayla from legal to get him out of a nightmare scenario.

This is really the last thing he needs in isolation.

Pairing: Rayla/Callum

Rating: Mature

AO3 Link: And They Were Zoom-mates

“Okay, so…what do you think?” Harrow opened the door to the bathroom in the shack, looking a strange mixture of pleased and anxious.

Peering around the door, Rayla blinked in surprise. While still clearly unfinished, it looked a whole lot better than the last time she had seen it.

Once all the leaks and drafts were repaired, Harrow had set himself the task of fixing the small bathroom, reasoning that up-dated plumbing was very much the next thing on the agenda for the little place. On their last visit, the room had been completely gutted, with even parts of the concrete floor missing, so that Harrow could rearrange the layout as he saw fit.

Now, a new slab had been laid, the bones of a large shower was taking shape and, best of all, there appeared to be a working toilet.

“Wow.” Rayla stepped into the space, closely followed by Callum. “Did you do all this by yourself?”

“Oh no, not at all.” Harrow waved her off. “I can do most of the building stuff myself but I called in some favours from a plumber friend to do most of this.”

“It looks amazing, Dad.” Callum began to wander around the small space, inspecting the walls.

“I took your advice too, Callum.” Harrow gestured to the shower and stood proudly beside what looked to be a low shelf.

“Oh?” Callum sounded puzzled as he stood before the shelf, Rayla peering around him.

“A seat!” Harrow proudly proclaimed. “After a long day hiking, it would definitely be nice to sit in the shower and relax. Fantastic suggestion, Callum.”

“Oh… oh yeah.” Callum’s face went bright red as he glanced in a not unsubtle manner at Rayla.

Read More On AO3: And They Were Zoom-mates Chapter 45: The Trend

[junebugwriter]

Fortress Cathedral Theology

Conservatism as a thought process is inherently reactionary, by which I mean, it is done in reaction to perceived changes or threats. I like to call it “Fortress Cathedral” theology. Imagine, for the sake of argument, that there is a city in which there is a cathedral, and around the city is a fortress wall. Within the city are the only true believers in the world, and their cathedral is the only true church in the world. The cathedral has always been there for as long as anyone in the city remembers. Outside the city are other people who worship the same God—or at least they claim to. However, there are some differences between how people outside the cathedral worship, and how people who regularly go to the city cathedral worship. The people outside, well, they have some different ideas about how God works, and who is authorized to come and worship God, and how they worship God. Instead of learning from or communicating with the people outside the city, the people inside the city grow angry—how dare those people mock our God! How dare they worship differently, or just let any person worship God in whatever way they want to! There are rules that need to be enforced. There are boundaries that need to be maintained. Because of that, they see the solution not in understanding but in building up the other thing that the city is famous for: the wall. The wall needs to be secured! We must protect the sanctity and holiness of our God! Whereas the people outside the city see no need for such walls, and are surprised at the negative reaction that the city-dwellers are displaying. And so it goes, the solution is to cut the problem out entirely: seclude the city away from those who would threaten our way of life, and build the wall. 

Now, this is an imperfect metaphor, and perhaps I’m building a strawman—completely valid critique. However, the approach and methodology is the most important part of the analogy. The conservative-evangelical theological landscape is one that is defined by its need to protect and defend—in a word, conserve—the tradition of the church, to the exclusion of any and all alternative approaches or methodologies. The tradition is perfect, and we need to change ourselves to fit the mold that was cast long before we were born so that people long after we die can do exactly the same thing.  

Don’t get me wrong, tradition absolutely has its place in theology and religion. I’m a Methodist after all, apostate as I might be currently. Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience are essential aspects of how I do theology currently, and that won’t change anytime soon. However, there is a delicate balance to the big four. Scripture and tradition are the foundations, to be sure, but always interpreted with our reason and experience, and through the reason and experience of others.  

I’m a constructive theologian by nature. It's the methodology by which I’m most comfortable with, and that’s the approach that makes the most sense to me. I’ll explain with another metaphor. Imagine that you have a building, one that is very, very old. You have been tasked with upkeep and maintenance of the building. However, because of the age of the building, there are going to be some issues with it; any person who has been tasked with maintaining an old building will tell you this. The building, if it is going to last into the future, will need repair. As you investigate further and deeper into the structure, you find that not only will it need repair, it will need actual renovation. You'll need some analysis on the foundations. You'll need some inspection of the walls, the building materials inside and out, the roofing, the flooring, the plumbing, the wiring, the HVAC system, and so forth. The more you investigate, the more you realize that though the foundation is mostly good and needs relatively little updating, there are some rotten walls, warped floorboards, holes in the roof and all the plumbing, wiring and HVAC are in desperate need of replacement. However, there is still some good material in there. The bones of the house are good! But there’s going to need some major updating if it’s going to last another ten years, let alone another hundred. So, you take out or address that which needs addressing, reinforce it with things that need some updating, do your best to make sure that the structure is more solid, if not perhaps any more outwardly different than before.  

That is theology, to me. You take out the rotten wood and broken bricks, and you replace it with better materials. It might be costly in some ways, but better and longer lasting in the long term.  

--excerpted from my substack:

[takeariskao3]

I’m asking for you to copy and paste the scene!!! 🤪🤪🤪

YOU ASKED FOR IT

Ginny was supposed to be finding salvageable materials in the ground floor dining room. At least, that’s what she’d volunteered to do. There was hardly anything salvageable to find, but at least she was alone. 

Harry was one floor above, supposedly working on the full bath attached to the guest suite. Any other time she would’ve paid a sack load of galleons to watch him try and fix the plumbing, but after the previous evening, she couldn’t stomach being in the same room as him for longer than a few minutes.

The problem, she found, was that denial was only possible through awareness, and her refusal to accept the things staring her in the face meant they had to exist in the first place. 

Ginny would rather do anything than admit they existed in the first place, but botched Amortentia schemes aside, her nightmare from the night before would have been enough to confirm the very obvious conclusion that she still had feelings for Harry. Feelings seemed a good enough descriptor since she was actively avoiding the L-word.

Which was a real inconvenience seeing how she had to share a half-destroyed house with him for the foreseeable future.

Said house seemed to mock her as Ginny spun in a slow circle. The dining room looked even worse in the light of day. Haphazard stacks of lumber sat in disorganized piles along one wall, while torn wallpaper hung from where Harry had apparently attempted to strip it away. Both the floor and the ceiling had chunks missing, and the chandelier in the corner looked more cracked than whole. 

In short, the place was a disaster. Much like the current state of her well-being: ragged, frayed, coming loose at the seams.

However, unlike her own internal anguish, when she sent a Reparo! in the direction of the light fixture, the twisted metal straightened and gleamed, the crystals mending in an instant to reflect tiny rainbows of sunlight in all directions. 

Ginny felt a small sense of accomplishment, until she inspected her handiwork a little closer. 

Her minute achievement turned to ash in her mouth. The restored brackets revealed each candle fitting to be an open-mouthed snake head, their carved intertwined bodies linking together to make up the frame, and a multifaceted crystalline ouroboros dangling from the center.

She wished she would’ve left it broken. 

Giving into the impulse pounding through her skull, Ginny battered the chandelier with hex after hex until it was nothing but a knot of pulverized bronze and shattered glass.

She felt much more than an errant sting of pride at her destruction. She felt vindicated. Chest heaving from the exertion, she sent another Reparo! at it, thinking this time it was surely destroyed for good. Her spell hit, and shards of crystal soared from all over the room, fusing together as if never parted while the disfigured serpents curled and bent back to their original shape. 

Whole. The damn thing was whole again. Not an adornment or fang out of place.

Ginny felt it like a punch to the gut. It was supposed to stay mangled. Scratched, gashed and dented. It was supposed to stay unrecognizable. 

Like her. 

She started in with her hexing once more, shooting off every version of Diffindo, Confringo, and Reducto she knew. Because Ginny wasn’t about to be the only thing in this house broken beyond repair. 

As instinct took over, her thoughts turned unwillingly inward. To the parts of herself that were splintered and ripped just like the wainscoting and wallpaper surrounding her. 

How could she have let this happen?

No, scratch that. How could he have let this happen?

Because this was all his fault. 

A couple of months ago, Ginny had been perfectly, completely, and utterly fine. All the shite she’d gone through had been effectively tucked away. All her unresolved feelings had been disregarded.  All her nightmares had been a distant, albeit unpleasant, memory. 

Now look at her, wrecking a chandelier as some sort of violent remedy for her own discontent.

All it took was one look. One sodding look from him on one sodding dance floor and she was undone. Absolutely doomed. Ravaged.  

Ruined.