#donna the village bike

[bobbie-robron]

I lost my nerve though. Let my dad talk me out of it. I should’ve blown him away when I had the chance. (Part 2)

First off, these string of episodes… we are learning so much about these characters that would affect how things play out when Ryan!Robert arrives. Donna decides to drown her sorrows with the only friend she has left… Andy. The strain continues between Jack and Andy even as Jack offers to work the farm for Andy to sort his head but it’s an emphatic no! Scott has a word with Robert but he brings up two instances that can only be seen as worse than Robert has done. Donna’s taken aback how Andy would readily kill Robert if he had the chance (Andy is premeditated murder talk full on unlike in the heat of the moment Robert with the scumbag). Andy attacks ‘village bike’ Donna and she flees!

07-May-2004

[thelightningthatjumpsbetween]

Thirteen

RE8 | Wintersberg | Romance, Slow Burn | Action, Sci-Fi

Sequel of Winters and the Beast, a Resident Evil: Village Story

Table Of Contents

excerpt:

Ethan’s widened gaze dropped from Heisenberg’s scarred face, to the wildflowers at his feet.  The lonely, Gothic setting of this cliffside, rose-laden garden, and the country home beyond it, suddenly made more sense than anything had in awhile.  It was bleak, cynical, and wove loss together with love as if they were one entity.  

------------

The group lingered on Donna’s doorstep while Ethan fussed over Rose.  The girl was unfazed by the show of powers she had just displayed, and seemed content in her surroundings.  Ethan was terrified she would just blink out of existence again, and refused to tear his eyes from her.  

Donna sheepishly invited the group to stay for dinner, when it became obvious that long talks were in order.  Her voice was soft, but carried a different undertone than Eva’s melodic vocals.  Ethan wondered aloud how food had even been delivered to the home, and Heisenberg pointed out the mostly-overgrown trail behind them; he’d used this when arriving.  A Soviet-style antique motorcycle was parked at the edge of a hidden stone wall; his hammer was propped against the bike.  

Ethan did a double take at the sight, and it caught Donna’s eye as well.  A flicker of a smile passed over her face and she stepped forward, gazing past the motorcycle.  “Our play area was there.  It was just past those bushes.  We called it the Secret Garden.  I suppose it’s…all grown over now.”  The smile disappeared as quickly as it had arrived and she turned away from the group abruptly. 

“I believe…” Eva had already proven herself to be less socially awkward than either Karl or Ethan, which said something about them as she’d been in the mold’s consciousness for a hundred years, “Perhaps you and I, Donna, prepare the food.  We can talk, and the boys can…” she flung a dainty hand toward Karl and Ethan, as if shooing them.  “Entertain themselves.” 

Karl’s head snapped toward the blond, and his grin was almost menacing when he suggested, “We can check out the old garden for ya, Donna.”  With his accent it was Donner.  She giggled behind a slender hand.  

Ethan’s scowl deepened at all of this, but with another glance at the doorstep of the home, he felt the familiar fear brewing in his chest, and he moved his gaze back to Rose.  She was already meandering toward the motorcycle, and Ethan moved after her wordlessly.  

Karl sauntered behind them.  As they passed the archway where Karl’s motorcycle still ticked, the engine cooling, Ethan threw over his shoulder, “By the way…thank you for…whatever it was you did.” 

“No problem, Papa,” Karl’s voice was curt, beyling the easygoing sway with which he walked.  Ethan was struck at the beauty behind the garden wall.  The trail that led up to this area was more like a road, and mostly clear of debris.  Tall rose bushes threaded around the clearing, climbing up the steep, mossy rocks as if to find sunlight.  Wildflowers and several statues dotted the clearing and a single old-fashioned lamp marked the continuation of the road, which wove down a hill and out of sight. 

One of the granite fixtures was a simple bench, and Ethan made his way toward it, surveying the area as if skeptical of its innocence and beauty.  Rose squealed with happiness, finding a butterfly, and she unsuccessfully tried to poke at it before it flitted away.  Karl sat tentatively on the edge of the bench by Ethan.  His posture gave away the indignation that he clearly felt.  Ethan’s leg bounced anxiously while he gazed at Rose’s bright rusty hair.  She bounded through the yard, grasses as tall as her head.    

“We tried calling her every so often.”  Ethan spoke without looking at his companion.  “Eva and I, both.”  

Karl stroked his beard but said nothing.  Ethan was chewing on his lip.  

“She never answered.  Eva could sense her in that…place, I guess, that she made for Donna.  And I could see through her eyes, if that makes sense.  She didn’t respond.”

“Can’t all be favorites.” 

Ethan sighed, aggravated.  “She came to you.”

Karl’s repetitive strokes stopped, and he rested his palm on his knee.  He finally attempted to speak his mind.  

“You know,” it was not a conversational tone.  “You’re always pokin’ in my fuckin’ head, seein’ things, feelin’ what I feel.  Without even tryin’.  Could you just do me this ONE favor, Winters, an’ get in my fuckin’ head on purpose, to see how much I care about her?  So that you believe it?  So that you stop actin’ like I’m gonna steal her from you?” 

Ethan’s head snapped to the side; he was unintentionally glaring at Heisenberg, but when he saw the intensely hurt look on the other’s face the glare softened into a puzzled stare.  He hadn’t meant to, but he glimpsed something of Heisenberg’s memory anyway.  A darkened corridor.  Loud, wailing cries.  And a pair of aides, whispering as they pushed a despondent-looking figure in a wheelchair.  

Just as quickly as it appeared, the imagery and sounds disappeared.  Hazel eyes widened at the sight of Karl, staring him down with the garden of roses as a backdrop.  The engineer exhaled, shook his head as if affirming something, and spoke, his eyes on Rose now.  

“I went in there after you, if anybody.  BSAA took a hell of a lot with ‘em when they left.  Not Redfield.  The others.  I came in one night….destroyed what I could.”  Karl shrugged.  “I was lookin’ for….” Heisenberg gestured toward Ethan with a calloused hand.  “But, I heard Rose cryin’.  This place,” Karl sighed, shook his head.  

“Made my factory look like a resort.  Old town hospital they bought.  Had the full lab, shitty place.  Had known about it from…anyway.”  He was struggling to continue, but Heisenberg soldiered on despite Ethan’s gaze.  “So I knocked all the power, backup power too.  Figured she was cryin’ from the dark.  Gonna just destroy the samples, be on my way.  Goal was you, Ethan.  Not her.  She was with her mom. I’d never. But then I heard ‘em talkin’.  The docs, not security.”   

Karl paused once more, heavy weighted silence draping over the two men.  Ethan thought back to the memory: the dark hall, the wheelchair.  Whoever was in it seemed almost sedated, slouching forward.  After several moments, Karl cleared his throat.  

“Mia wasn’t..she wasn’t, well.  I’m guessin’ that bitch, bein’ in the lab….”  Karl’s agitation grew, and he shivered in the sun, willing the energy away.  “Anyway.  Heard they were separatin’ her, gonna run tests on Rose while Mia wasn’t well enough to….” 

Ethan’s widened gaze dropped from Heisenberg’s scarred face, to the wildflowers at his feet.  The lonely, Gothic setting of this cliffside, rose-laden garden, and the country home beyond it, suddenly made more sense than anything had in awhile.  It was bleak, cynical, and wove loss together with love as if they were one entity.  

Family was supposed to be forever, a promise, a solidarity.  Something as permanent as the stare on the face of the granite angel that peered down at them now.  

It was what had kept Ethan going, what felt safe and indestructible.  More often than not, it was the only thing that kept him going, through the darkest days he’d ever experienced.  Days that should have ended with his death, Mia’s death.  Rose’s death.  But they’d all come through.  And he thought, stupidly, it had been because they were family.  That wasn’t why.  

Since Dulvey, the only thing that Ethan had truly learned was how truly ephemeral family could be.  From the Bakers, to Eveline’s longing, all the way across the world to this godforsaken spot, where family seemed synonymous with decay.  

He’d always known, hadn’t he?  Ethan’s stubbornness was truly just denial of what he’d always bore witness to.  Family was a house of cards, a rotting foundation that could go away at any time.  He thought it gave him strength, but it wasn’t family.  It was the Mold all along, making all of them superhuman, but still broken.     

He’d given Rose to Chris.  Handed her over to the only man he’d trusted, at one time.  The BSAA saw them all as nothing but experiments after all of it.  Ethan hadn’t known his own wife was sitting in a cavern while Miranda was with him…an entire village slaughtered, and he a last-minute witness to the end of even more families.  All of it caused by the dreams and ambition of a broken mother.  

The person Miranda sought never appeared to her, after all this time.  

Ethan’s breath was loud in his ears.  Tears stung his eyes and for the first time since she’d reappeared, he lost sight of Rosemary thanks to his blurring vision.  Ethan had never openly sobbed in front of Heisenberg, or anyone else, but he buried his face in his hands and heard his own ragged breaths turning into hiccuping sobs.  

If Heisenberg thought this emotional display inappropriate, he didn’t comment on it.  Instead his hands danced around his coat pockets, finding the winning combination of cigar and lighter.  

The flick of the metal caused Ethan to peer between his fingers, searching for and finding Rosemary.  She was now sitting on the ground, happily playing with more flowers and, probably, bugs.  To himself more than Heisenberg, Ethan said in the most timid voice, “How do I keep her safe?”

“Might try talkin’ to her,” Karl suggested, inhaling, and then allowing the cloud of smoke to curl around his face.  “She listens, Ethan.”

Ethan’s laugh was bitter, cold.  “To you, maybe.” 

“Yeah, to me.  I don’t see why that’s such a bad thing.”

Ethan’s head went back to his hands.  “It’s not.  It’s really not.  I…I’m thankful for everything you’ve done, Heisenberg.  I want things between all of us to feel more natural.  I just don’t, I don’t know how to start over.” 

“It’s not startin’ over,” Karl said, sounding almost hurt at the insinuation.  “You just gotta see that she’s safe with me.  Just like she is with you.” 

“I don’t think she is safe with me,” Ethan blurted out, his own eyes widening again at this horrible confession.  His ears were flaming.  “I don’t, I never have thought that.  I say I’ll protect her, I’ll do anything for her, but I’m the reason she… I couldn’t keep her safe from Miranda.  I didn’t even know what I was, let alone know what she was.  I was just as in denial about that as everything else.  Doctors said we were fine, I believed that.  Stupid.  I’m stupid.  I’m the one I don’t trust her with.”  

Well, now the emotional floodgate had opened, and Ethan couldn’t stop.  Karl gazed, perplexed, cigar periodically coming to his lips, but didn’t say anything more.  

“She laughs more when she’s with you.  She fusses less.  She eats better.  Me? She hugs ME, like I’m the one who needs comforting.  She cries when I cry.”  Ethan’s laugh was even more bitter now.  “First it was Mia telling me to loosen up, telling me to act like everything was fine.  Now it’s you and Eva both.  Everything’s not fine, Karl.  We should be dead….she was torn apart!” 

He dissolved into sobs, finally saying the last part aloud.  Rosemary moved to her feet and toddled toward her father assuredly, predictably laying her head on his knee and hugging him tightly.  Ethan laugh-hiccuped and picked her up, embracing her fully and sighing with relief when her sun-warmed face nuzzled his neck.  He was still crying, but scoffed and shrugged at Karl as if to say, Do you see?  

When the engineer didn’t answer, not indulging Ethan, the blond slowly stilled, rubbing his daughter’s back and closing his eyes.  He was broken enough to take Karl’s advice, if only to break the agonizing silence in the clearing.  

“You scared me, you know that?  You can’t just disappear on me.”  Ethan often spoke to Rose, but never about his own fears.  He supposed he tried to keep his words to her positive, cheerleading.  Now that he considered this, it seemed a very dull way to speak to a child.  Rose babbled in response.  

“Karl,” Ethan said, wiping his eyes and meeting the other’s gaze again.  “Thank you, for everything you’ve done.  I know we’re…Rose and I, we’re not, means to an end for you.”  

Though Ethan rightfully suspected that Karl had longed to hear such words from him since the moment they’d met, the engineer seemed embarrassed when they actually manifested.  He squirmed on the granite, fidgeted with the cigar, and finally, smirked.  It took years from him.  

From beyond the wall came the call, Eva’s voice floating along the rocks, telling them dinner was nearly complete.  When Ethan rose from the bench, his daughter still in his arms, he felt both lighter and far heavier than he ever had.  

Now that his stubborn denial, the lie of infallible family, was gone, what came next?  He’d never known anything else.  Never believed in anything more.  But the truth was like a knife, cutting him to the core and threatening to twist if he ever believed that family was anything more than a security blanket.  

No one better to be around than the present company, probably.  Donna included.   

[16syd]

Heisenberg Revival Theory!

I have a theory that Karl Heisenberg is still alive! Other people may have thought of it as well but I wanted to share my thoughts (This is a repost from before e3 btw) 🥰

*Spoilers below*

1. The only reason I have this theory to begin with is because of the movie Akira that I finally sat down and watched a few days ago for the first time. While watching the movie I of course recognized how many cartoons and tv shows made reference of Akira, especially the bike scene (posted below).

2a. For Example, when I watched Akira, I was screaming over the fact that Teen Titans Trouble in Tokyo is basically a child friendly Teen Titans version of Akira 🥴

ANYWAY

1. In the Beginning of the Game when Ethan first Meets the Duke he’s told go look for his Daughter in the House of Dimitrescu. Once Ethan has completed that task and finds his first flask, the Duke says he has his daughter in his hands. He then tells Ethan, Roses essence is still intact.

2. Once you’ve basically completed majority of the game and go talk to Duke one last time before dealing with Miranda, it is still possible to sell the crystal Heisenberg (😞) just like you’ve done with all the other bosses and lords. When you/Ethan sell Heis, the Duke also says the word, essence like he did for Rose.

3. When I watched Akira for the first time, during the end of the movie, Akira itself, turned out to be a child’s separate body parts inside of a bunch of flask…..Later on in the movie, the 3 esp kids bring back Akira’s essence. I noticed the flask Akira was in resembled the flask that Rose was in.

4. The fact that the Duke said the word, “Essence” TWICE makes me wonder if that was an accident that Capcom didn’t catch, OR was this a possible dlc hint (regardless of how well they thought the game would turn out as well as regardless of the fact they had SOME dlc ideas in place). With that said…..

Rose essence = Alive!

Heisenberg essence = Alive?

What do you think 🤔

…

Something else I’d like to mention is monster fetus Baby hallucination residing in the house of Beneviento…Ik the baby in Donnas house was most likely brought by the fear of Ethan being a father as well as being a mold man and the baby being Tetsuo unable to control his powers…I still thought a giant monster baby was a good coincidence to prove the Akira references in this theory.

Lastly, a random HC is that Karl rides a motorcycle around the village therefore he would do the Akira Bike thing 😌

I understand this is all a stretch and since e3 and finding out capcom already had a list of possible dlc options for res8, I still wanted to share this and manifest capcom to create a “take Heisenbergs deal” or “Heisenberg revenge” DLC🥺🛐🛐🛐

[cookiekitten91]

Donna Beneviento is like Professor Oak who knows when some 10 year old child is trying to ride their bike indoors, except in Donna’s case she instantly senses if an unknowing peasant in the village is breaking uncooked spaghetti noodles into the pot.

[tornrose24]

Other than Alcina replaying the footage of Heisenberg getting his ass whooped by Mia, I’m not sure what she and the daughters would watch. My best suggestion is “Sesame Street”. And the girls would love “The Count” (a purple vampire muppet who teaches viewers about numbers).

Actually, Maybe that show is something Donna would like. Maybe she could get inspiration from the shows to make a more suitable puppet show for Rose.

Or Alcina and the girls watch horror movies and in each movie they yell whenever the protagonist of a movie does something stupid like “NO DON’T GO IN THE BASEMENT THE KILLER IS OVER THERE OH MY GOD”.

But when Rose is over they watch kid friendly programming.

Lmao luckily Ethan has regeneration powers from the mold otherwise he would have died when the daughters dragged him like that. Mia is horrified even though she knows he can regenerate and Alcina is all like “don’t worry your man-thing will be fine.”

Omg Heisenberg building Rose a motorcycle is quite the visual. But somebody’s going to have to give her lessons, and do any of the Winters know how to ride one? Ethan is annoyed and concerned, but he reluctantly allows it. However he puts his foot down when Heisenberg wants to make flames come out the exhaust because it is a safety hazard (and he relents because Ethan threatens that he will get another ass whooping by Mia if he hurts Rose again after the static shock incident).

Considering magnets and electronics don’t mix, there is no way Moreau would let Heisenberg near his electronics. I also imagine since Ethan works in IT, he can fix Moreau’s stuff if it breaks. Also Ethan still has yet to win against Moreau in any fighting game. Maybe Ethan introduces Moreau to other games and consoles.

I don’t know about Alcina’s daughters watching Sesame Street of all things (unless Rose is there), but I’m sure they’d like the old classic vampire films and documentaries about insects. I suppose they would like horror films but a part of me thinks they’d be the kind to root for the villains (especially depending on if the protagonist isn’t all that likable or stupid). I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them ends up a gamer and also plays games with Uncle Moreau. (Though it sucks when it gets colder because you can’t go out and play side by side unless you want to risk dying from cold. Unless the village finally gets internet).

It’d be funny if right after that throwing Ethan out incident, Alcina changes the subject to ‘So what is it like raising a child from birth to as they get older? Mine didn’t go through that.’ And Mia is still trying to figure out how to get back to things without making them worse on accident.

Donna would be the kind to like those old 80’s Jim Henson films (most likely The Dark Crystal). Maybe she’d try her hand at doing her own show and show it though online to get recognition but she’d need to figure out what her target audience is and the stuff WOULD need to be toned down a bit.

That is an excellent question regarding who would teach Rose to ride the motorcycle. I don’t know if either Ethan and Mia have ridden one before but I’m sure Heisenberg built one before and figured out how to ride it (probably around the factory and scaring the workers at one point). I’m sure the fire thing would have required consulting before he gave her the bike, and he’d be a bit reluctant to drop that part, but he’d find a way to compromise in order to save his skin (and his head from another beat down).

That does raise a question as to what kind of electronics Heisenberg can use or not because of his biology/powers. (Because if he could be ok with video games, he’d be one of those online trollers who’d mess with Ethan and Moreau as well as Alcina if she ever picked up a controller).

It’s tricky to think of the right game that Moreau would like that Ethan, but he’d probably enjoy Subnautica due to the water theme and all the cool/creepy creatures, and he’d like the adorable cuddlefish.

[dougrobyngoold]

March Madness - Tucson, AZ

The above picture was taken from one of the cafeterias at University Hospital in Tucson, where I had breakfast while Doug was in surgery.  I think the surgery lasted a couple of hours, the surgeon talked to me after the surgery - all went well and the atrial fibrillation should stop.  After a one-night stay, Doug was sent on his way.  We were grateful to have the surgery over with and to be on the road to recovery.  Activities were limited for a week, then Doug was free to resume normal activities.  Onward we go!

A week after his surgery, Doug was back on the golf course, awesome!

HOWE TIME FLIES

About 10 days after Doug’s surgery, our friends Art and Donna Howe came to visit us.  It was their first time in Tucson, so we planned a whirlwind tour to give them a little taste of desert living.  

On their first day in town, we headed south to the Titan Missile Museum, we managed to arrive in time to sign up for a tour (they fill up fast!)  We have been on the tour three times now, we still love it.  I would recommend a visit when you are in the area, it is just off I-19, about a 30 minute drive from downtown Tucson.  After the museum, we drove further south to Tubac.  We wandered around town, taking in a few of the artisan shops and some of the local artwork:

One of multiple painted javelinas in the village of Tubac.

Donna made a new friend in Tubac.

After a lunch stop at one of the local restaurants, we meandered back through the village for a little more exploring.  Getting our fill of Tubac, we continued southward to the Santa Cruz Spice Company.  We did a little spice shopping and then made our final stop of the day at the Tumacacori National Historic Park.  It was a gorgeous spring day, which made for some fantastic photo ops at the mission.

Look at those spring flowers and the magnificent sky!

We stopped at the tortilla and beans stand inside the park - yummy!

Crystal-clear day, the Santa Rita Mountains in the distance.

The craftsmanship on the buildings is amazing.

This moth was on one of the sidewalks at the mission, such pretty markings!

What a fun-filled day!  We headed back to our trailer for dinner and games.  More adventures planned for tomorrow!

We filled the morning of the second day with a trip to Barrio Bread, a short walk along Pantano Wash, and then lunch on our patio.  We went out to Saguaro National Park East to show them a crested saguaro on the Loma Verde Trail and for a sunset from Javelina Rocks.  We ended the day with a trip to El Molinito for take-out and then went to the Arizona Beer House to enjoy our food and a few brews.

Day 3 - we headed to downtown Tucson.  We walked along the Turquoise Trail, checking out the history of the area.  We enjoyed adult beverages at The Congress Hotel Bloody Mary Bar and even found some ice cream for Art!  We ended the day at the trailer, perfect weather for outdoor entertaining!

Day 4 - after a breakfast of sausage gravy & biscuits (vegan-style), we went to the range to whack a few golf balls around.  We love the driving range at Fred Enke - the view of the Catalina Mountains is wonderful!

After golf, we made our way out to the Desert Museum.  At this point, we were experiencing a mild shut-down and a few restrictions due to Covid-related concerns.  A few of the exhibits at the Museum were closed and they were not doing the Raptor shows.  However, we ran into a family on our way into the museum and they gave us 4 free passes.  We had a great time wandering around the museum, it is always beautiful out there.

Brittle brush was blooming and the views to the west were spectacular!

Caught the javelinas during naptime.

March is usually a great time to visit the museum, the temperatures aren’t too hot and the cactus are starting to bloom.  We were not disappointed:

We completed our exploration of the Desert Museum and made the long drive back to our place.  Happy hour, dinner, and then more games wrapped up our final night with the Howes.  We are so happy that they finally came for a visit, we hope they will make it an annual thing!

Thanks for coming to see us!

COVID INTERRUPTUS

The week following our friends visit things became more serious around the Covid virus.  Restaurants and indoor spaces were closed down and we were forced to limit our activities with friends here in the park.  Luckily, outdoor activities were a good option for us - we took lots of walks and bike rides.  The weather was gorgeous and the flowers were blooming.

Pretty blooms along Pantano Wash during one of my many walks.

More desert colors!

Some evenings the sky just explodes around here, we feel pretty lucky to be in a place where we can be outside enjoying nature most of the time.

Photos from our 15 mile walk along Pantano Wash - the weather was cool, but we didn’t get wet, just a little wind-blown!

A nice rattler I came across on a bike ride up Harrison Greenway - yikes!

I was very grateful for my new e-bike, lots of great rides along the bike path here in town.  Kept me from going stir crazy!

TANQUE VERDE RIDGE HIKE

During March Doug started training for his planned 2022 trip on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).  The CDT runs 3100 miles from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada, staying within 50 miles of the Continental Divide along its course.  He is doing 3 consecutive days a week of 15+ miles each day with his backpack, just to see how his body holds up.  Friday and Saturday he does his miles along the Pantano River Park path, then on Sundays he does an actual hike.  I am joining him for 2 of those 3 days, my feet need a day off!  Today we hiked around 16 miles on the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail.  The hike is fairly steep and I think it is an understatement that my toes were REALLY happy to be done with the descent.  Pretty sure I am going to need a few recovery days after this hike!  In spite of the physical discomfort, it was a beautiful day in the desert and things were blooming along the ridge and Doug grilled us Beyond Meat burgers for dinner. Perfect end to the day!

REALITY HITS

By the end of March, we had come to the conclusion that our trip to Europe for this summer was going to have to be canceled.  We had reservations to fly to England on May 9th and had planned to be over there until some time in August.  Our plan had been to stay at AirBnBs, we were very disappointed to have to cancel all our plans, but Europe was closed down due to the spread of the Covid virus and things here in the United States were not looking any better.  A large portion of our Canadian friends here in the RV park had already headed north, due to recommendations from their government.  Social gatherings were frowned upon and we were doing our best to follow all of the social distancing guidelines in place.  We decided that our best option is to stay in Tucson for the time being, as many RV parks and campgrounds are closed in the U.S. at this point due to Covid.  We feel fortunate to have a place where we can wait this out.  Guess we will just have to hang around for a few more Tucson sunsets.

[carolinenicolettes]

MEET CAROLINE ESTELLE NICOLETTE ! 

(IN)CORRECT QUOTE -

“ this is taking too long ! i’m going to miss the farmer’s market ! ” —scary terry or scary caroline? who knows

“ she liked messy beds and movie nights without any lights on. she liked the quiet company of a few good friends. her idea of love was gentle and silent, like a whisper of a touch. some things are magical and magic, contrary to popular opinion, is often found in the most ordinary of places. ”

BASIC

NAME: caroline estelle nicolette NICKNAMES: n o p e it is caroline or NADA  AGE: 21 BIRTHDAY: may 1st SPECIES: starchild  GENDER: cisfemale PRONOUNS: she/her

FAMILY

MOTHER: amelia nicolette — born into money, massive name in the fashion industry, only wears fashionable power suits and celestial themed jewelry, drinks expensive whiskey neat FATHER: unknown PARENTS: raised by her mother, kind of. had a nanny named maggie growing up whom she loved dearly and was very good friends with a doorman named robert as well. it takes a village, you know. FAMILY: direct relation to the nicolette family that you all know and love aka odette. caroline’s mother is odette’s father’s sister. SIBLINGS: not at all.

PHYSIAL ATTRIBUTES

FACE CLAIM: scarlett leithold NATIONALITY: american HEIGHT: 5′7 WEIGHT: 139lbs BUILD: slender, and a bit insecure about that HAIR: long with a subtle wave , nearly down to her waist for now  HAIR COLOR: golden blonde with a few summery platinum highlights EYE COLOR: baby bluuuue DOMINANT HAND: left ANOMALIES: during warmer months, and nearly year round since moving to california, there are little freckles dusted across her nose  SCENT: seasalt, cocounut, sunscreen . . . . and occasionally mon paris by ysl ACCENT: she fought against that new york accent tooth and nail so none ALLERGIES: cats but also bullshit DISORDERS: dbd — dumb bitch disorder FASHION: an odd mix of vintage. corduroy dresses, plaid skirts, ribbed turtlenecks, velvet headbands, doc marten boots. a lil 60s, a lil 70s, a lil 90s. despite having quite a bit of money, she’s always wearing at least one thing that looks hand-me-down and that’s because her mother never threw anything away, so it likely is.  NERVOUS TICS: rocks back and forth from her toes to her heels, death grip on a camera strap, tucking her hair behind her ears QUIRKS: collects enamel pins, always has a camera on her, closes her eyes when trying to focus on listening

LIFESTYLE

RESIDES: east side, victoria BORN: new york city RAISED: new york city VEHICLE:  black 1969 chevy camaro, rarely ever drives it though as she bikes/skates most places PHONE: iphone 11 pro :\ COMPUTER: mac desktop collecting DUST PETS: too busy sneezing bc of odette’s cat

HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION: graduated COLLEGE EDUCATION: senior MAJOR: museum studies, photography MINOR: film studies CAREER: freelance photographer, current waste of space living off of that family $$$ EXPERIENCE: apprenticeships in fashion photography, internships in museum curation  TRAINED IN: photography and classical ballet (reluctantly) OTHER: literally just .... she’s had a camera of some sort in her hand since she was like 12

POLITICAL AFFILIATION: liberal RELIGION: worships the ground stevie nicks, cher, and debbie harry walk on but that’s about it BELIEFS: you have to be really careful when buying sweaters from thrift stores because 80% of them are absolutely haunted MISDEMEANORS: none FELONIES: none  TICKETS AND/OR VIOLATIONS: NONE  DRUGS: once or twice but she’s strung out enough on her own  SMOKES: weed, on occasion. cigarettes are gross. ALCOHOL: leisurely, mostly socially. Queen of Beer Pong™ DIET: fairly healthy, not at all picky, a little bougie.

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: labels are stupid SEXUAL ORIENTATION: and sexuality is fluid MARTIAL STATUS: never going to happen CHILDREN: *nervous laughter* AVAILABILITY: not at all LOOKING FOR: she’s actually legally blind so

LANGUAGES: english, french

PHOBIAS: fuck spiders SPECIFICALLY. might cry but also doesn’t want you to kill it just... take it out and awaaaay HOBBIES: photography, film — the act of and the watching of, hiking, live shows, bothering odette. literally has/had 3294328049 of them but is really only good at photography/film TRAITS: + adaptable, loyal, charismatic, clever, playful, adventurous ; - flighty, forgetful, cynical, unforgiving, disorganized, impatient SOCIAL MEDIA: the works - snapchat, twitter, instagram

FAVOURITE

LOCATION: photo pit at small venue concerts, anywhere within 10 feet of the pacific SPORTS TEAM: whomst  GAME: playin w people’s HEARTS ...... jk ....... kinda MUSIC: haim, fleetwood mac, the aces... any band with a female lead singer SHOWS: ghost adventures, big little lies MOVIES: frances ha, almost famous, bob dylan: don’t look back RADIO STATION: anything that strictly plays oldies FOOD: loves baked goods BEVERAGE: cold brew coffee, cinnamon spice tea COLOR: a nice dusty rose :\

CHARACTER

MORAL ALIGNMENT: chaotic good MBTI: isfp — the adventurer ENNEAGRAM: type 7, the enthusiast  ZODIAC: taurus HOGWARTS HOUSE: hufflepuff TAROT CARD: the empress TV TROPES: max mayfield, serena van der woodsen, ainsley howard, donna sheridan and honestly? eloise  SONG: summer girl - haim

IDEOLOGIES: shove it down shove all the emotions DOWN do not feel. you can tell a lot about a person based on the music they listen to when they’re sad. three is the luckiest number.

THE RUNDOWN 

amelia nicolette never intended to be a mother. she was freshly 21, inches from a moment that could launch her career in the fashion industry, and she hadn’t been in love or even interested in the idea since she was seventeen. so when a one night stand with a wealthy older man, left her with morning sickness and an odd appetite for two, she was less than thrilled. 

he was even less thrilled, insisting that she terminate the pregnancy. i’ll drive you, he’d said in a hushed tone. only then did she see the tan line wrapped around his ring finger. a married man. a one night stand. and a complete bastard . amelia decided, then and there, to carry to term and then put the baby up for adoption.

until may 1st at 3AM on the dot when the most obnoxious scream split through the air. a baby, just slightly too small, kicking and screaming relentlessly was born in manhattan. a baby who wouldn’t shut up until she was placed in the arms of her mother, where she fell quiet and calm and she slept. 

amelia nicolette never intended to fall in love, but holding her tiny baby girl, she knew then and there that she was a goner. caroline, as a song that sounded like joy played from a radio at the nurse’s station. estelle, for the stars. nicolette, the only family name she’d ever need. 

for three years, it was just the two of them in a new york penthouse, and amelia learned quickly that she was good at being a mother. but that didn’t change her free-spirited nature or the way her heart had a tendency to yearn for more. she had the resources, and caroline was old enough — . . . and she’d been sketching for years, sitting on top of a portfolio that piled a mile high.

along comes nanny, maggie, and thus began the life she’d lead for the rest of her childhood. mom spent a lot of time at work, building a fashion brand that went international by the time caroline was 6. because of this, she was gone more often than not, leaving caroline to grow up under the watchful eye of a nanny.

but she called every night. made it home for every big holiday, every recital, every birthday. in the summers, caroline would spend her time split between visiting her mother, visiting odette, and visiting a beach house in victoria. there was a certain lack of permanence that caused her to be adaptable, allowed her to be comfortable with change and give into the whims of a free spirit like her mother’s.

but people filtered in and out, came and went, and on the flip side of the same coin, there was a sense of detachment , a fear of getting too close to people who would move out or move on.

despite this, caroline never found herself to be lonely. she was a friendly little thing with bright eyes and a sparkling curiosity, picking up hobbies instead of toys, but never quite being exceptional at any of them. she made friends with doormen and caused problems for the people behind the desk. she became good, early on, at keeping herself busy, making her own fun – . . . all things that have very much carried into adulthood.

she was lucky, and she’s fully aware of it which is why, from a young age, she always did her best to find ways to give that luck to people who seemed to need it. 

things had a tendency to be tumultuous, what with her mother coming and going and her very best friend being in and out of the hospital, but she tried to go with the flow as best as she could. things were good but never truly exceptional.

until she met jude. he’d been in the same children’s wing as odette, and they’d known each other for a little bit before caroline met him. the three of them were inseparable, at first, simply best friends. but as they got older, feelings shifted and two friends became more than that.

our girl was in love for the very first time. and it was sweet and gentle and everything a first love is supposed to be. over time, that love grew, just as they did, and it was visible to anyone with eyes that they were in love. for two years, it was good, he was good. 

and then he wasn’t. despite two years of remission and a healthy life, he fell ill again. there was nothing to do but stand by and watch as six months passed by, far too quickly, and he slipped away into nothing. ultimately passing away just a week before his 20th birthday. 

caroline didn’t allow herself to feel it, for a while, lingering in the denial stage of grief for far too long. new york felt empty without him, without odette, without her mother, and it didn’t take much for her to pack her things and join her mother overseas, taking a gap year from school and focusing on herself, on her photography.

she spent a lot of time with a press pass around her neck. fashion shows and fashion shoots. major events and sports games. concerts and festivals. but there was one thing she loved more than anything else, and that was capturing the off-guard joy of life in candids of strangers on the street or in the crowds of bars and concerts. she found her own style, her own way of storytelling through a lens, and slowly but surely she began to heal.

still, there was no way around the way her heart felt a little heavier, a little darker, and how smiles from strangers at the other end of the bar made her stomach churn. she developed an aversion to new relationships of any sort, anything deeper than surface level becoming a bit too close for comfort. 

and while life traveling was fun, she missed having a sense of home, so she went to where the only other person who felt like home was, finding herself moving into a house with odette in victoria.

she’s been around for a couple of months, coming out of a gap year and looking to finish her degree in the spring. victoria, for now, is home.

these days she’s a little bit more cynical. a little bit less likely to let people too close. a little bit lost but also who isn’t when they’re 21

[winesocialclub]

Istria Croatia

It was Harvest time, when I was invited to join dear friends and excellent winemakers from Friuli, the Butussi family, on a visit to some family in Istria.. Istria forms the western-most peninsula of Croatia. We started off in an area that is so often compared to Tuscany, Momjan and its soft rolling hills, Cypress trees and gorgeous oak forests are certainly reminiscent of the Tuscany I know and love. Istria is famed for it’s tourism offer with charming seaside towns and hilltop villages, the region produces notable wines, olive oils and truffles  along with abundant fresh seafood and I was lucky enough to taste all of  these on day one. The area is also famed for its outdoor adventures, sailing, paragliding, mountain-biking which draws many visitors to this beautiful region.

Some Geography

The geographical features of Istria include the Učka mountain ridge, which is the highest portion of the Ćićarija mountain range; the rivers Dragonja, Mirna, Pazinčica, and Raša; and the Lim bay and valley. Istria lies in three countries: Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. The largest portion (89%) lies in Croatia. "Croatian Istria" is divided into two counties, the larger being Istria County in western Croatia. Important towns in Istria County include Pula/Pola, Poreč/Parenzo, Rovinj/Rovigno, Pazin/Pisino, Labin/Albona, Umag/Umago, Motovun/Montona, Buzet/Pinguente, and Buje/Buie. Smaller towns in Istria County include Višnjan, Roč, and Hum.

The northwestern part of Istria lies in Slovenia: it is known as Slovenia Istria and includes the coastal municipalities of Piran/Pirano, Izola/Isolaand Koper/Capodistria, and the Karstic municipality.

North of Slovenian Istria, there is a tiny portion of the peninsula that lies in Italy, This smallest portion of Istria consists of the comunesof Muggia and San Dorligo della Valle, with Santa Croce (Trieste) lying farthest to the north.

Central Istria (Pazin) has a continental climate  

The northern (Slovenian and Italian) coast of Istria (Ankaran, Koper, Izola, Muggia) has a sub-Mediterranean climate.

The western and southern coast (Piran, Portorož, Novigrad, Rovinj, Pula) has a mediterranean climate  

The eastern coast (Rabac, Labin, Opatija) has a sub-Mediterranean climate with oceanic influences.

The warmest places are Pula and Rovinj while the coldest is Pazin

Precipitation is moderate, with between 640 and 1,020 mm (25 and 40 in) falling in the coastal areas, and up to 1,500 mm (60 in) in the hills.

  Winemaking

The four princes of Istrian wine are:

Teran a tannic,  robust  red with high acidity  that has surprising complexity.

Borgonja

 The ancient grape famed beyond Croatian borders, Malvazija ,which Istria is justifiably proud of. Grown here for centuries, its pale golden yellow colour with elderflower on the nose and a refreshing aroma.

Then the sweet  Muscat from Momjan used for those dessert wines.

Most of the larger estates also cultivate international varieties such as Chardonnay Cabernet Sauvignon, merlot and Cabernet Franc for their wine range.

 Our first stop was at Winemakers the Markezic family, who have been making unique terroir wines here since 1891, at   Kabola  Winery at Momjan on the  Istrian wine route. Their property is a dream with ancient  sprawling oaks around the property  that stand guard over the traditional  stone homestead, featuring an excellent  cellar, the wine shop, tasting room, and  a small museum dedicated to wine and wine making process. Rolling hills with vineyards 270m above sea level, nestled between indigenous  forests.  

 Kabola Winery use amphorae buried underground for fermenting the Malvaziaj wine. The perfect combination of soil, climate and winemaking passion. Wonderful hospitality and there were so many amazing wines, from sparkling whites to muscley reds and  right through to orange wines. I took away their excellent Amfora Malvazija 2009  wine.  An excellent start to my trip in Istria.

 The Momjan area makes for an excellent vantage point, on a clear day you can see both the glistening Adriatic Sea and the nearby alps. Cool nights and distant sea breezes make for some really delicious wines.

 For Winery visits. Kanedolo 90, Momjan Buje t: +385 99 7207 106. info@kabola.hr     Closed on Sundays.

  Close by is the charming winery-centered village of Brtonigla where I was staying over for a few days to explore the area. The local boutique hotel is of a high standard and all the winemakers have a relationship with it., making my job of tasting all the wines I wanted to experience but didn’t have time to visit, a lot easier.

Second visit was to Veralda a large modern winery with a substantial production, 33 hectares of vineyards and 5 hectates of olives located on the sunny hills of Buje, that is sent all over Croatia. Owned by the Visintin family the wines are well known in the region   Here I tasted the whole range including the intense reds and was fortunate to be invited by the winemaker’s family to join them for a fresh truffle pasta freshly prepared with the fortunate pairing of the Veralda Rose which was a Decanter winner of which the winery was justifiably proud.   Notable was the red Istrian made from the indigenous Istrian variety Refosco. Intense deep red colour with violet hints with raspberries, dark chocolate tobacco and cinnamon with a good expression of round, velvety tannins and long finish.   

 For Winery visits, Krsin 4, 52474 Brtoniglia

  The Kozlovic winery located in stunning scenery in Buje with a unique architectural style to the modern winery, is a well-known winery with a tradition of making unique wines that stand for quality and the particular twist of Istrian wines.  Later Over dinner, we sampled their flagship Malvazija and the excellent Teran. Paired with local fish and steak respectively.

 For Winery visits:  Vale Momjan 78     52460 Buje

    Day three saw me visit a Long-standing family winefarm and winery, Cattunar near Brtoniglia . The Cattunar family have been flying the flag for Istrian wine where  Father Franko and his son, with the hospitality assistance of their wives and extended family, run an excellent winery and offer regular tastings of their wines of autotonous grapes also and international varieties in an elevated position 5kms from the sea.  I tasted my way through their wines looking out over the 56  hectares they farm carefully and with transparence.  Istrian grapes like Malvazija, Teran, Muskat Momjanski and Muscat rose and also have  substantial international vineyards.

 Catunnar Wines.. here its hard to choose but certainly the standouts were the 4 soils Malvazija wines, each one grown on different parcels and vinified separately so the red soil, the white, the black, the grey each with a particular something, all  so very drinkable, with a mineral quality and white flower  finish but so fresh and vivid with layers of complexity.

Franko Cattunar also makes a lovely sparkling with his chardonnay which we started on and then lead up to the stunning multi-layered Teran with its nicely firm but integrated tannins and then Cabernet and also beautifully made Merlot, which was a surprise.

This visit to Cattunar was a highlight and as I sat later that evening  in the sailboat dock in the nearby town of  Novigrad  with my feet in the gently  lapping waves watching the sunset with an array of local wines and a few orange wines on offer, I knew I had only scratched the surface and that I would be back to explore more of this amazing place and its unique terroir wines.

For winery visits: Nova Vas 94 52474 Brtonigla      info@vina-cattunar.hr

    Recommended visits.

 Roxanich winery  in Motovun  are pioneers in the  unfiltered, unadulterated long-macerated wine scene, Mladen Roxanich was producing natural local wines and orange wines long before it was trendy and each year at Raw in London I made sure to visit them.  The Super Istrian 2009 is simply amazing.

 Bruno Trapan  is the new generation of winemakers in a style all their own, and making big waves along with  Damjanic wines. Robi Damjanic near Porec  is one of Istria’s youngest winemakers leading the charge into the future. Then Matosevic and his pioneering aging of Malvazija in acacia rather than oak.  I can’t give an exhaustive list of the superstars and their stories, but these must be visited.

Dobravac Winery in the Rovinj region they produce a range of wines again from sparkling to dessert wines.

Near Umag in the north CUJ wines are produced by the Kraljevic family in the village of Farnazine.

Pilato’s winemaking tradition goes back to 1934 and the family winery in Istria is well known.

Degrassi produces some amazing wines too and I was surprised by the blend of Malvazija, chardonnay , sauvignon blanc and Viognier.

These are some, there are many others.

   Novigrad, Rovinj and even the smaller towns all have numerous wine bars where you can stop over and taste the wines paired with local cold cuts and cheeses.  There is also so much for the taster’s family to do, shopping in fascinating cobblestone towns and villages, layers and layers of interesting wine and food culture. On offer, is sailing, windsurfing, fishing, boating, and relaxing on beaches with refreshing and delicious chilled wines and seafood at hand.  The third weekend in September is the festival of grapes in Buje.

The Istrian peninsula and those unicorn wines call me back. 

Donna Amanda Jackson 

[hollyoaksloversx]

Kidnap, Racism and a Beaten Bike...

Rounding up a week in Hollyoaks (22nd - 26th April 2019)

The daggers were out for Sienna this week following her accusation of sexual harassment towards Laurie at the Easter fete. Despite most of the village being on his side, Laurie found himself suspended from work pending investigation but this didn’t make Sienna feel any better as she realised that no one other that Brody and Liberty believed her. Brody was so enraged by the injustice of the situation that he did what every Hollyoaks resident does in times of crisis and resorted to kidnap! However, kidnapping Laurie only made the situation worse, as Sienna pointed out that Laurie could use it against her. As Sienna met with Sally to discuss her complaint against Laurie, the headteacher informed her that they’d had concerns from parents, and she felt it would be best if Sienna didn’t continue her training at Hollyoaks High, for now at least, leaving Sienna devastated.

Meanwhile, despite standing in support of Laurie publicly, it was clear that Sinead was privately having doubts about his innocence and her concerns were seemingly proven when Laurie grabbed hold of her. Sinead’s screams were heard by Hannah, and it was this altercation that made Sinead see that she had to get herself and Hannah away. Lying to Laurie that Misbah was sending her on a residential training course, Sinead packed a bag and planned to leave, collecting Hannah from nursery on the way. However, her plan was rumbled when Laurie dropped into the hospital to find out more about the course, and Misbah revealed that she knew nothing about it. Unfortunately for Sinead, she hadn’t managed to flee in time, and she was talked into giving Laurie another chance. 

Elsewhere this week, Ste’s extremism story was back to the forefront as he posted an offensive meme about Misbah online. Ste was delighted by the positive response that Stuart and Jonny gave his ‘creativity’ but one person who wasn’t happy was Peri, and she demanded that Ste remove the meme. The bad atmosphere between Ste and Peri soon escalated when Peri told Ste about Jonny’s crush on her. Ste felt betrayed, however, with encouragement from Stuart, decided to forgive Jonny, and the group ordered a takeaway. However, the delivery driver turned out to be Shahid, the man that Jonny and Stuart had viciously beaten a few weeks back. Shahid was horrified to come face to face with his attackers, and the next day, returned to the village and told Jonny about the impact that the attack had had on his life. Typically, Jonny couldn’t have cared less and a fight broke out between the two men. Jonny ended up falling over during the ruckus and Stuart insisted that he visit the hospital, even though he wasn’t badly injured. Ste was concerned for his family’s safety following the attack, but he was soon in for an even bigger shock when Stuart revealed that Shahid was the man they had beaten up at the football match...

Despite initially wanting to call the police, Ste was talked round by Stuart, who insisted that they had to teach Shahid a lesson. With encouragement from Stuart, Ste phoned the same takeaway and Shahid’s brother, Amir, soon arrived at The Teahouse. With Stuart, Jonny, and the rest of the racists shouting words of encouragement, Ste angrily trashed Amir’s motorbike. The situation was captured on camera by one of Stuart’s mates, claiming that it would be their insurance if Ste ever got cold feet...

In other news this week, James tricked Donna-Marie into confessing to Mac’s murder whilst Martine and Lisa tried to put a smile back on Scott’s face by organising a quiz night. In a bid to cheer Walter up, Cleo and Goldie set him up on a date with Marnie, much to her horror! Finally, over at The Dog, Mercedes was beginning to tire of Breda’s interference in their lives and asked her to leave. However, after seeing how much the murdering nanny meant to Max and Bobby, she relented and allowed her to stay. 

5 Things We Learned This Week:

1. The parents of Hollyoaks High are a strange bunch. Apparently a trainee teacher reporting someone for sexual harassment should not be tolerated and they’re concerned about Sienna being around their kids. As a result, they have to let her go. This is the very same school that continued to employ Patrick Blake after he’d been accused of domestic violence! No consistency! 

2. Marnie’s had lots of embarrassing moments since she arrived in Hollyoaks. She’s had to wear a curfew tag after taking the blame for pushing Mac from a window, she spent months living in the McQueen’s hovel after she was made homeless and she had to share a bed with Cindy Cunningham night after night. But the worst thing to ever happen to her is, of course, being set up on a date with the local shopkeeper. Oh, the shame! 

3. Prior to this week, Ste didn’t know what a ‘meme’ was. He’s got so much catching up to do! There’s a whole world of amusement and wasted hours awaiting him! 

4. Breda likes to do all the voices when she reads a story to Max and Bobby. I bet she’s great at the baddies! 

5. Hollyoaks loves an original business idea. Goldie managed to pick up a tanning booth from The Emporium and Nana was immediately seeing pound signs. Get ready for ‘Golden Grannies’! Now, remind me what happened to Ste’s tanning business, again? 

Characters Featured:

Bobby, Breda, Brody, Cindy, Cleo, Diane, Donna-Marie, Goldie, Hannah, James, Jonny, Juliet, Laurie, Liam, Liberty, Lisa, Marnie, Martine, Max, Mercedes, Misbah, Mitchell, Nana McQueen, Nancy, Peri, Prince, Romeo, Sally, Sami, Scott, Sienna, Sinead, Ste, Stuart, Sylver, Tony, Walter and Yasmine. 

Past Characters Mentioned:

Sebastian Blake, Sophie Blake, Lily Drinkwell, Lynette Drinkwell, Tegan Lomax, Simone Loveday, Mac Nightingale.

[icekitten]

James Nightingale and co. spoilers for mid-October:

Wednesday October 17th (Tuesday October 16th First Look): Donna-Marie turns up at Prince and Lily’s flat asking for a hand out. Marnie decides to take James out for a mother and son bonding day. Thursday October 18th (Wednesday October 17th First Look): It’s Dee Dee and Rose’s birthday. Diane and Tony have bought them both bikes, and Tegan promises to give her daughter the best birthday. Kim decides it’s time for her to leave Hollyoaks village. 

Friday October 19th (Thursday October 18th First Look): Romeo decides to blackmail Harry into giving him some money, and the doctors plan to wake Dee Dee from her coma to see if the seizures have stopped.

STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES...

[some1foundme]

Repost: The Long Way Home

So I wrote this fic years ago (2015) and posted it to ff.net but I was scrolling around in my documents folder and remembered that it was there and had never been posted to AO3 or here.  Anyhow, here it is.  I’m going to post this rather quickly considering its complete so check back for the next installment soon.

Read on AO3

Chapter One

Cold, crisp October air tugged strands of blonde hair free from her ponytail, whipping it across her face.  The body of the man at her side did little to shield her as they stood at the bow of the ferry.  Not that she minded.  Felicity relished the bite of the ocean air.  It reminded her of the life she’d left behind.  It reminded her that this was real, that she was finally going home.

Ray’s arms tightened around her waist and she sighed, leaning into his embrace.

“You okay?”

She nodded, “I am.”

“You seem nervous.”

She snorted, “You think?  It’s been a long time, Ray.  Years.  And I just – I don’t know.  Maybe I’m a little freaked out about coming back here.”

He chuckled at her rushed response and settled his chin on the top of her head.

They’d met at work almost two years earlier. She had taken a job as the head of research and development at Palmer Technologies, the company that Ray now ran after his father’s retirement.  She hadn’t meant to end up in a relationship with the boss’ son, it had just happened.

“Wow, Felicity…”

The awe in Ray’s voice brought her eyes up from where they’d been focused on her shoes.  Star Island appeared like a mirage before them.  The early morning fog had lifted and from the direction of their approach, they had an unimpeded view of its southernmost point.  On the cliff overlooking the channel, her family home stood proud.  She pointed it out to Ray.

“There it is.  That’s Verdant.”

Ray let out a whistle of appreciation.

“The way you described it doesn’t do it justice. It’s beautiful, Felicity.”

She couldn’t find the words to respond.  It had been a long time since she’d stepped foot on Star Island.  Five years, to be exact.  And seeing it now before her, rising out of the Pacific with such grace, caused a swarm of butterflies to take flight in her belly.

Felicity hadn’t wanted to come.  She had – in fact – adamantly refused.  Until her mother’s guilt trip had become too much to bear. She hadn’t really given an explanation as to why it was suddenly so important for Felicity to return, but her mom’s persistence had finally worn her down.

When she’d brought it up to Ray that she was taking a week to return home, he’d invited himself along.

She couldn’t exactly tell him that she’d prefer it if he didn’t join her.  They’d been a couple for more than a year.  They lived together, worked together, spent almost all of their time together.  And while Ray was a great guy and they had so much in common, her heart and her brain couldn’t get on the same page where their relationship was concerned.  She had wanted to ask him to stay home in Coast City but she hadn’t been able to come up with a reasonable excuse.

When the ferry reached the dock, the fluttering in her stomach erupted like a volcano.  She thought she might hack.

They left the boat with their luggage in tow and Felicity clutched the strap of her bag with both hands to hide the fact that they were shaking.  She moved on autopilot with Ray right behind her and when her mother suddenly appeared on the crowded pier, tears sprang to her eyes.  She released the handle of her suitcase and rushed into her mom’s arms.

“Oh my baby girl, I’ve missed you.”

A tiny sob escaped her and Felicity buried her face in her mother’s shoulder.

“What is it?  What’s wrong, hun?”

She sniffled, drawing away, and wiped at the tears behind her glasses.

“Sorry, Mom.  Nothing’s wrong.  I – I just missed you,” she explained, hating how vulnerable she sounded.

A throat being cleared behind her reminded Felicity that she hadn’t come alone.

“Mom, this is Ray Palmer.  Ray, this is my mom, Donna.”

Ray stepped forward to shake her mother’s hand and Felicity didn’t miss the appreciative gleam in her mom’s blue eyes. She rolled her own.  Ray was an attractive man, she couldn’t deny that, but it was her mom’s obvious approval that she found amusing.

“Mrs. Smoak, um, Smoak-Lance?”

Donna smiled, “It’s just Lance.  Felicity is the only one who chose to hyphenate.  Not that her dad and I mind, of course.  It’s nice to get both family names out there. And please, Ray, call me Donna.”

Ray graced them with a brilliant smile.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Donna. Felicity has told me so much about you.”

It was the appropriate thing to say but Felicity knew it couldn’t be further from the truth.  She never talked about home.  Or her family, as much as she loved them.  When she’d run from Star Island, she’d left everything behind.

She reclaimed her bag and followed after her mom and Ray as they headed toward downtown.  Her mom had her arm looped with Ray’s, guiding him along as she spoke animatedly about the island and its residents.  Her voice acted as narrator to the scenes playing out before Felicity’s eyes.  She found herself examining everything, her gaze wandering from storefront to storefront, person to person.  Memories came flooding back quickly and a sense of longing shook her to her core.

“Our family has lived here going back three generations now,” her mom explained, “Of course, the island and the village were originally founded by the Queen family.  They’re still here, as are a handful of other families that live here year-round.  It’s mostly seasonal, I’m sure Felicity explained that, but there are a couple hundred of us who stay during the off-season.”

She had explained the gist of it on their drive from the city.  Star Island had been founded in the mid-1800’s by the Queen family as a home for their summer house.  Over the years, it had turned into a permanent residence for the family. Rumor had it that a scandal on the mainland had chased them to the island in the forties and they’d simply chosen to stay.  Whatever the reason, Star Island had become a flourishing spot for vacationing families of all shapes and sizes.

But for Felicity, it was home.  It was where she had met her first friend, where she had ridden her first bike, kissed her first boy, built her first computer.  It was the place all of her memories centered around.

“No way!  I must be dreaming!  You’re a hallucination, right?”

Her mind didn’t register the voice quickly enough and she was swept up in a crushing hug before she could prepare herself.

“Barry!  Put me down!”

She was laughing by the time he set her on her feet and she smacked at his arm.

“Wow, look at you, little ‘Lis is all grown up.”

She was sure she was blushing but she couldn’t wipe the stupid grin from her face.  Barry grinned back.

“I don’t look all that different, Barry. Where are you headed to this early?” she questioned, “Catching the ferry?”

He nodded, “Some of us do work for a living. I didn’t know you were coming home, though, or I would’ve taken some time off.  Wait ‘til Caitlin finds out!”

She hadn’t seen Barry and Caitlin since their wedding almost a decade earlier.

“Oh, gosh, I’m sorry.  Barry, this is my boyfriend, Ray.  Ray, my cousin Barry.”

Barry hesitated for just a moment before taking the hand Ray had extended to him.  She didn’t think that Ray had noticed, but she certainly had.

“Nice to meet you.  Felicity doesn’t normally bring her boyfriends home.  As a matter of fact, ‘Lis doesn’t normally bring herself home so…”

The awkward silence that would’ve inevitably followed that statement was avoided when the blast of the ferry horn cut through the air.

“Shit.  I’m going to miss it.  I’ve got to go!  I’ll see you later!”

And then Barry was off and running, heading in the direction from which they’d come.  The three of them watched him go for a moment before resuming the trek to the inn.

“Any other family members that we can expect to run into while we’re here?”

Her mother explained to Ray that Cisco, Barry’s younger brother, and their parents lived on the island as well.  Cisco, Felicity discovered, was on sabbatical from his job at Star Labs after an accident in the lab.  It was more than likely that they would see her cousins and her aunt and uncle before they returned to Coast City.

“And what about your oldest daughter?  Laurel, right?”

Ray’s question was so unexpected that Felicity stumbled.  He didn’t seem to notice.

“Laurel isn’t here,” her mother answered softly, “As far as I know, she’s fine.”

Felicity watched as her mom disengaged herself from Ray’s side and continued up the road without them.  He turned to her, clearly confused, and she sighed.

“Should I not have asked about Laurel?”

She rubbed at an ache that seemed to be forming in the middle of her forehead.

“I should’ve told you.  My sister is kind of a sore subject for my parents.  We don’t … it’s probably in everyone’s best interest if we don’t talk about her.”

Ray took her hand as they trailed after her mom.

“What’s the deal with that?” he asked, “You never really talk about her.  I guess it didn’t dawn on me that something was wrong there.”

She let out a huff of frustration.  This was exactly why she hadn’t wanted him to come with her.  His line of questioning, while not ridiculous, was unwelcome and while she hadn’t set the decorum of what she did and did not want to talk about, she had hoped the fact that she avoided talking about her family at all would’ve been a big enough hint for him.

“Laurel is just- we don’t… please, just don’t bring her up again, okay?”

Her tone was more harsh than she’d really intended but after only twenty minutes on the island, he’d upset her mom and caused her own hackles to rise.  She’d known that bringing an outsider to Star Island was a mistake.

“I understand, Felicity.  I’m sorry.”

Her ire faded in a rush and she squeezed his hand.

“It’s fine, really.  Come on.”

She tugged him forward and as they reached the crest of the hill, Felicity stopped to look out over the harbor.

“I can’t imagine what it was like growing up with this as your view day in and day out.”

She nodded, “It’s breathtaking.  You should see it in the summer.  Boats dotting along the horizon for as far as you can see. And during a thunderstorm, when the lightning flashes out over the water.  It’s incomparable.”

They turned together to face the house behind them.

Verdant.  Her parents’ livelihood, their inn.  Her home. It was just as she remembered it, its tall turret a sign of the Victorian architecture that was prominent on the island.  The soothing green wood shingles and white trim the reason for its name.  

Her mother waited on the front steps.

“The house looks beautiful, Mom.  Has Dad painted it recently?”

It looked to be in impeccable shape, better even than when it had first opened, and as she took in more of the details, Felicity noticed a number of small improvements.

“Dad’s been working so much down at the docks that he hasn’t had time to do anything around here at all, really,” her mom explained, “We’ve actually hired someone on to do the maintenance for us.”

Felicity frowned.  She wasn’t keen on the idea of anyone outside of their family working at the inn.  It meant too much to her parents.

“Anyone that I know?”

Her mother didn’t respond and Felicity felt the hair on her arms rise.  When her mom turned to face her, there was something in her expression that Felicity didn’t recognize.

“Mom?”

“Honey, I’ve been meaning to te-“

“Mrs. Lance, I took care of the ceiling fan on the back porch but I couldn’t –“

She felt herself moving, knew that she had turned to face the person whose voice she had recognized the moment that it’d reached her ears, but she hadn’t consciously decided to do so.  Her eyes met his, dark blue and haunted and staring back at her for the first time in longer than she could remember.

A ghost.  He has to be a ghost.

Her heart was thrumming loudly in her ears, so loudly that it drowned out the sounds of her mother and Ray beside her.

“Oliver?”

[aion-rsa]

How The Simpsons Enjoys a Special Relationship with Santa Claus

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Santa Claus has been a consistent presence on The Simpsons from the very first episode, and not strictly contained within the holidays. Homer wanted to be him. Abe and Bart wanted to kill him. The family dog is named after him, and Mr. Burns routinely releases the hounds on him. The very image of Santa once saved Homer’s life. The town of Springfield brought a class action suit against him, even if they do trust him enough to hawk TV savings at Sprawl-Mart or buy Dancing Santas off YouTube. Here are the many ways in which Santa Claus has impacted The Simpsons.

Santa doesn’t get special treatment in the first episode of season 1, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” which was titled onscreen as “The Simpsons Christmas Special.” The episode premiered on Dec. 17, 1989, when the world still treated Father Christmas with respectful kid’s gloves. “There’s only one fat guy that brings us presents and his name ain’t Santa,” says Bart, who never wears mittens, not even in winter. Little did he know, but his father would live up to that bit of foreshadowing in ways no one, except for writer Mimi Pond, could have seen coming.

Homer puts on the fake beard, red suit and offers his lap as a mall Santa. It’s a rough road, he has to go through intensive training. He memorizes the reindeers’ names, though Donner and Blitzen merge to form Donna Dixon. He practices his ho-ho-hos. He even promises to like children “all the time, even when they’re nuts.” He does it all because Marge had to spend all the money in the Christmas jar to remove a truly radical tattoo from the not-of-legal-age arm of Bart, who then proceeds to bust his old man’s nuts by pulling off his fake beard.

Homer is not the only character to pull mall Santa duty on The Simpsons. He gets the idea from Barney, who recommends the gig as easy money. In season 18 episode “Kill Gil, Volumes I & II,” Gil Gunderson takes the job as the Costington’s department store Santa. He gets fired for making sure Lisa got a chance at a sold-out Malibu Stacy Pony Beach Party Set. Homer makes a far larger splash in town when he puts on the Santa suit for Costington’s Thanksgiving Day parade. He passes it over to Mr. Burns who happily makes the rounds, reaching into his bag of presents and pulling out fish guts which he throws to the crowd. Merry Everyone.

Sideshow Bob slips his oversized feet through the padded pants in “Bobby, It’s Cold Outside.” Written by Jeff Westbrook and John Frink, season 31’s tenth episode sets Robert Underdunk Terwilliger Jr., Ph.D., up to be the holiday villain because more merchandise is being stolen at the mall than being wrapped up to go. But, having ditched his solitary lightkeeper’s job to sit down for the little guy and speak truth to power when it plops in his lap, Sideshow Bob finds Christmas spirit at the bottom of his bag of toys. Not that that pardons him from the mall crimes.

On the season 3 episode “Bart’s Friend Falls in Love,” Channel 6 News Anchor Kent Brockman breaks the news to Springfield that, while the idea of jolly fat men like Dom DeLuise or Alfred Hitchcock is a source of joy to the world, the reality is far less bright. A real Santa Claus would be on his deathbed, hospitalized for gallstones, hypertension, impotence and diabetes, he reports. Brockman also once pronounced Santa Claus dead, or at least that he might as well be, because Homer was doing a better job than the North Pole resident. Rachel Maddow later puts down Brockman for reporting Santa Claus’ route across the world as news.

Santa’s not the best of bosses, though. At least not on The Simpsons. People with chimneys take the toys for granted without thinking of the poor elves toiling in the sweatshop known as Santa’s Workshop. Homer, Barney, Moe and Bart are saved from enraged reindeer at Springfield’s Santa’s Village by guest star John Waters. No, it’s not a Christmas miracle, “Ultrasuede is a miracle.” It is a Japanese robot Santa Claus. The Pink Flamingos and Hairspray director knew it would be effective because of the harsh work ethic which precedes Claus’s reputation. “I figured reindeer would naturally be afraid of their cruel master Santa Claus. I mean, wouldn’t you be,” Waters asks.

Bart gets a first-hand view of the workshop in “The Fight Before Christmas,” from season 22. It’s only a dream sequence but the men in the Simpson family always seem to live out their dreams. Bart only took the job to kill Santa for not bringing him a dirt bike three Christmases ago. He’d previously fantasized about killing Santa in “The Front” from the fourth season. Bart points a machine gun at Santa Claus, tells him to hit the ground and hijacks his sleigh. Krusty the Clown plays Santa in the dream sequence from “The Fight Before Christmas” (Krusty also got to play Santa in “Behind the Laughter” from season 11), and kvetches about the diminishing returns of presents for cookies. It’s just not a sustainable business model. Bart lets Santa off the hook, and Santa throws a party in honor of how stupid kids can be.

While we don’t exactly know the full story, the entire town appears to get wind of the flamboozling, one-night-a-year-working, unlicensed parcel delivery man in “New Kid on the Block” from season 4. As Homer is in court fighting the most flagrant case of false advertising “since The NeverEnding Story,” the attorney for his opponent tries to pull a dramatic courtroom reveal. “Your Honor, I’d like to show the court just how much shrimp Mr. Simpson ate,” the lawyer says as aides shoulder sacks of material to be entered into evidence. As the boys bring in the “Eighteen thousand letters, all addressed to Santa Claus,” we learn it is a missed delivery. “You want the People of Springfield versus Kris Kringle. That’s next door,” we hear. We never get a follow-up.

But Abe does.

Abraham Simpson is not known for his follow-through. But he is infamous for his interminable tales of woe and confusion. One of those confusions has to do with the time Abe was stranded with Monty Burns on a deserted island as World War II was coming to an end. The way Abe tells it, Santa was flying over the island on Christmas Eve when Burns shot down his sleigh thinking it was German issue. After learning who it is, they help Santa repair his sleigh. They round up all the reindeer but Rudolph and Prancer. While Abe is herding in Prancer, Burns bashes Santa on the head with a coconut, and takes off in the sleigh with all the presents. Abe mounts Prancer to catch up with the airborne Burns, throttles him with a tricycle, and brings the leigh in for a safe landing. A grateful Santa promises to come back for the stranded soldiers when he’s done delivering presents.

Santa never came back. He wanted to, but kept putting it off until, well, it just got embarrassing. He does continue delivering presents to Grampa, including the lucky watch his brother was wearing when his plane went down in World War II. All is forgiven when Santa tells Abe his brother survived the air attack, and is happily living with his 50 wives in Tahiti, where his plane went down. Abe forgave him enough to play Santa in his telling of the origins of Christmas traditions. Whether Santa Claus forgave Abe for that we don’t know

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We do know Santa Claus is one of the few people who read the book “The Answer.” We also know he’s no match for an armed Gnome in Your Home, even with the help of Jack Frost, The Abominable Snowman and Wayne Gretzky. Santa Claus is always welcome on The Simpsons, even if the chimneys on Evergreen Terrace are death traps.

The post How The Simpsons Enjoys a Special Relationship with Santa Claus appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3mUqNx8

[jonathanmilliondollarsmile]

So cool!!! #Repost @cheapoldhouses with @make_repost ・・・ 3090 Greenbriar Rd, Draper, VA — A simple one, but there are mountain views and the setting is so pretty. And I have a thing for old linoleum rugs and whoever buys this house is going to strike gold 💛 Listed by Donna Travis of Long & Foster-Blacksburg. “Classic farmhouse just waiting to be restored back to the early 1900s! This home, listed on the Historical Registry, is conveniently located only 1/2 mile off of I-81 exit 92. It is located directly across from The Village Chapel and within walking distance of the Historical Draper Mercantile. Enjoy hiking and biking on the New River Trail located 1/2 mile from this charming home. Beautiful views of Peaks Knob from the upper windows and backyard. Enter the home through the large covered porch--perfect for relaxing! Original hardwood floors. Five bedrooms in this large house---1 bedroom on the main and 4 bedrooms upstairs. Mtn view from the screened in back porch. Large 1 acre tract also has a 16 x 13 workshop with electricity. So much potential in this home.” — link at cheapoldhouses.com #cheapoldhousesva https://www.instagram.com/p/CGAbvihAQo1ojAjuJKDkjSDbnVW8gaRJDlS7Tk0/?igshid=1dwleqe1e0t61

[middlerice79-blog]

Wednesday, December 12: Milo Ventimiglia, Vanessa Hudgens, French Baking + 60 More

Today’s Events

Milo Ventimiglia, Vanessa Hudgens & Peter Segal

Gene Editing & the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library Branch, Brooklyn

Bake Like a French Pastry Chef Albertine Books, Manhattan

Fashion Mamas Holiday Mini Market + Free Sake & Bites

Olive Oils of the World Tasting Workshop + Bottle of Specialty Oil to Take Home Essex Street Market, Manhattan

Swordplay Class Led by an Award-Winning Fight Choreographer

Sites, Memorials & Social Justice American Folk Art Museum, Manhattan

Haunted NYC Trolley Tours (Through Friday, December 14)

BX Little Italy & Arthur Ave. Tour + Treats (Through Wednesday, December 26)

Free Christmas Craft-Making (Wednesdays Through December 19) Bryant Park, Manhattan

Nifty NYC is supported by community members like you. Share the love & donate to help me maintain the site. Every dollar is appreciated. :)

See free & cheap NYC events for tomorrow, Thursday, December 13.

Ongoing

See more ongoing & upcoming NYC events

$7 Admission to the Museum of Sex (Through Sunday, June 30) Museum of Sex, Manhattan

NYC Slavery & Underground Railroad Tours (Through Saturday, December 29)

Greenwich Village Haunted Walking Tours (Through Sunday, December 30)

1/2 Price Central Park Bike Tours (Through December 2018)

High Line Art Installation Examines Art & Public Space (Through March 2019) The High Line, Manhattan

Save $5.75 on Movie Tickets

'Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color' (Through Sunday, January 13) Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Manhattan

'Underground Heroes: New York Transit in Comics' (Through Sunday, January 6) New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn

'Rebel Women' Who Defied Victorian Era Expectations (Through Sunday, January 6) Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan

Discounted Tickets to Interactive M.C. Escher Exhibit in NYC (Through Sunday, February 3)

'Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color' (Through Saturday, January 5) Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Manhattan

'Germ City: Microbes and the Metropolis' (Through Sunday, April 28) Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan

'Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power' (Through Sunday, February 3) Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn

'Before Projection: Video Sculpture 1974–1995' (Through Monday, December 17) Sculpture Center, Queens

Jerome Robbins ('West Side Story') & New York (Through Saturday, March 30) New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Bruno Walter Auditorium, Manhattan

Cheap Indoor Ice Skating in Brooklyn (Through Monday, December 24)

'Harry Potter' Exhibition Brings Rare Manuscripts & Magical Objects to NYC (Through Sunday, January 27) New-York Historical Society, Manhattan

'Tablescapes: Designs for Dining' (Through Tuesday, April 16) Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Manhattan

Velvet Underground NYC Experience (Through Sunday, December 30)

'It’s Alive! Frankenstein at 200' (Through Sunday, January 27) The Morgan Library & Museum, Manhattan

'Yasumasa Morimura: Ego Obscura' Questions Eastern & Westerns Notions of Gender (Through Sunday, January 13) Japan Society, Manhattan

Cheap Theatre Walking Tours of The Met (Through Friday, December 21)

$10 Big Apple Circus Tickets (Through Thursday, December 13)

Free NYC Circus Tickets—Human Cannonball, Acrobats & More (Through Sunday, December 16)

120th Anniversary Exhibition at The National Arts Club Displays Treasures from the Collection (Through Friday, January 4) The National Arts Club, Manhattan

The Contenders 2018: MoMA Film Favorites Screened (Through Tuesday, January 8) The Museum of Modern Art, Manhattan

2018 Gingerbread Lane, the World's Largest Gingerbread Village (Through Monday, January 21) New York Hall of Science, Queens

2018 Holiday Fair at Grand Central (Through Monday, December 24) Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan

Andy Warhol Retrospective at the Whitney Reimagines the Iconic Artist (Through Sunday, March 31) Whitney Museum of American Art, Manhattan

2018 Holiday Train Show (Through Sunday, February 3) Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan

2018 Union Square Holiday Market (Through Monday, December 24) Union Square Park, Manhattan

Discounted Tickets to 2018 NYC Holiday Train Show (Through Monday, January 21)

2018 American Museum of Natural History Origami Holiday Tree on Display (Through Sunday, January 13) American Museum of Natural History, Manhattan

Check Out Charles Dickens's Original Manuscript of 'A Christmas Carol' (Through Sunday, January 6) The Morgan Library & Museum, Manhattan

1st Ever WinterFest at BK Museum with Market, Performances, Tree Maze, Chocolate Tasting & More (Through Monday, December 31) Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn

2018 Columbus Circle Holiday Market (Through Monday, December 24)

2018 NYC Winter Lantern Festival with Huge Light Installations & Performances (Through Sunday, January 6)

Free Meals Paired with Art—Cook & Celebrate Together (Through Monday, December 31) Open Source Gallery, Brooklyn

NYC Christmas Sing-a-Long Adventure (Through Sunday, December 16)

2018 Vintage MTA Bus Rides for the Holidays (Weekdays Through December 21)

2018 Wreath Interpretations Exhibition (Through Thursday, January 3) Central Park Arsenal, Manhattan

Free Tickets to 'Cleopatra' Musical (Through Saturday, December 22)

2018 BKLYN Arctic Adventure VR Experience—Meet Santa & Have a Snowball Fight (Through Friday, December 14) City Point, Brooklyn

A Harlemettes Holiday 2018 (Through Sunday, December 16) Harlem School of the Arts, Manhattan

Holiday Classics Screened at Nitehawk (Through Saturday, December 29) Nitehawk Cinema, Brooklyn

2018 ARC Holiday Record & CD Sale (Through Sunday, December 23) The ARChive of Contemporary Music, Manhattan

PaleyLand 2018 with Vintage Holiday Shows, Games & Free Cocoa (Through Sunday, January 6) The Paley Center for Media, Manhattan

'It’s a Wonderful Life' Screenings Introduced by Donna Reed's Daughter (Through Monday, December 24) IFC Center, Manhattan

Make Yourself a Superhero at the 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Pop-Up (Through Sunday, January 27)

Subscribe to our free daily e-newsletter or follow us on Twitter or Instagram.

Source: http://www.niftynyc.com/2018/12/12/wednesday-december-12-free-nyc-events/

[hollyoaksloversx]

Break ins, Bonding and Brienna...

Rounding up a week in Hollyoaks (1st-5th October 2018)

Is it Mac Nightingale or Little Britain’s Andy Pipkin? It was hard to tell this week as Mac continued to feign disability. Having returned to the village with girlfriend, Asha, last week, Hunter headed to Cindy’s to have it out with the villain, only to find himself accused of assault when Mac, hearing Alfie approaching, suddenly threw himself out of his wheelchair and claimed Hunter had pushed him. Alfie took the whole situation surprisingly well and after Hunter had left, filled Mac in on Hunter’s addiction to anxiety meds. Sensing he’d found another way to be despicable, Mac ordered some pills from the internet and forced them on to Hunter. Later, after a chat with Asha, Hunter agreed to try and put Mac behind him, but he was soon put right back to square one when he discovered that someone had defaced Neeta’s memorial...

Back at the McQueen’s, Hunter suffered a panic attack and secretly took some of the tablets. Later, Hunter bumped into Mac in the village and accused him of vandalising Neeta’s memorial. Somehow, without anyone noticing, Hunter dragged Mac from his wheelchair and up onto the archway, threatening to throw him to his death if he didn’t confess. Prince’s arrival on the scene stopped Hunter from committing murder but that wasn’t the end of the matter as Roxy later turned up at the McQueen’s to arrest Hunter. However, as Roxy’s got far bigger fish to fry, she soon abandoned the arrest when she received news that new evidence had been found regarding Carl Costello’s murder. Wanting to put the past behind him, Hunter decided to leave the village with Asha and the pair headed off for a new life in Brighton. 

Meanwhile, over at The Dog, Russ’ jealousy continued to get the better of him as Mercedes and Sylver spent time together. Mercedes was playing the proud Mum this week as she taught Bobby to ride his bike. However, she was later sent into a panic when she couldn’t find the youngster. Seconds away from phoning the police, Mercedes was relieved when she found Bobby at the garage with Sylver and she raged at him for taking her son. Back at The Dog, Mercedes felt bad for shouting at Sylver and told him that her experience of losing her son, Gabriel, had made her protective of Bobby (so protective that she had nothing to do with him for years!). The pair made up and shared a hug, but were spotted by an angry Russ...

As if facing the wrath of Mercedes wasn’t enough trauma for Sylver, he soon found himself with a lot of explaining to do when he was arrested on suspicion of murdering Carl. At the station, Roxy informed him that his DNA had been found on Carl’s body and he would almost certainly face prison if the case went to court. Sylver admitted that he’d argued with Carl on the day of his death but still maintained that he hadn’t killed him. Sylver was released on bail whilst investigations continued but Mercedes was alarmed when she caught him attempting to burn his trainers. After Mercedes confronted him, Sylver admitted that he’d moved Carl’s body as he’d assumed she was responsible for his death. Although horrified that Sylver would think she could ever do such a thing, Mercedes was touched by his declarations of love and leaned in for a kiss. However, the pair were stopped in their tracks by a sudden noise. Someone had seen them...

Elsewhere, Romeo was back in the village and quickly picked up where he left off by trying to lure Prince into another money making scheme. After having a run in with Ste at the Lunch Box, Romeo came up with the idea to steal Ste’s menu, recreate his sandwiches and undercut his prices. Ste soon got wind of what was happening and turned up with James in tow. James’ words forced the lads to shut up shop, leaving Romeo furious and he later broke into James’ house and trashed the place. However, he was interrupted by a half naked Harry, who had arrived to surprise James. As Harry attempted to give chase, he fell and sprained his ankle, leaving him with lots of explaining to do when Marnie returned home! Realising what had been going on, Marnie told Harry that he would have to chose between James and Ste...

Knowing that it was James he wanted to be with, Harry tried to give himself more time to break the news to Ste by attempting to postpone the wedding. With Dee Dee being so ill, it seemed he had the perfect reason, however, Tony stopped him in his tracks by telling Harry that he and Diane were really looking forward to it. Feeling like he couldn’t ruin his family’s only chance of happiness, Harry told James that it was Ste he needed to be with. Manwhile, Romeo found himself with more to worry about when his Mother, Donna-Marie arrived in the village and informed him that they were facing eviction. 

Finally, there was gossip, make overs and sisterly bonding as Liberty moved in with Sienna. Liberty was left heartbroken after Brody rejected her and Brody himself wasn’t doing any better as he used Damon’s ID to visit Buster in prison. Struggling to cope with everything, Damon slept with prostitue, Donna-Marie. The following day, Donna-Marie arrived in the village, claiming that Brody had forgotten to pay her. Sienna was only too happy to take Donna-Marie to Brody and humiliated him in the pub when she told everyone what he’d been up to. Brody ran off and Sienna felt terrible when Damon filled her on Brody’s past. Sienna soon apologised to Brody and admitted that she knew just what he’d been through as she opened up about the abuse she’d suffered. As the pair grew closer, they shared a kiss, just as Liberty returned home!

5 Things We Learned This Week:

1. The Hollyoaks police force are really struggling at the moment. In fact, they have so few officers that they will release you, mid arrest, when they receive new information for a different crime. 

2. On the other hand, Dee Valley Hospital isn’t struggling at all. In fact, they have enough resources to not only give someone with a sprained ankle a bed, but his own private room! Fantastic!

3. 6 year old Bobby is really into maths and equations. Are we sure he’s the son of Mercedes and Riley, who probably didn’t even have a brain cell between them? 

4. Roxy took great delight in telling Sylver that ‘forensics had got more sophisticated’ since he last did time. So what’s her and her co-worker’s excuse for arresting the wrong people 99% of the time?

5. James has a table in his flat filled with framed photos of himself. Of course, Marnie could have put them there, but it’s far more fun to believe that James himself is responsible. 

Characters Featured:

Alfie, Asha, Bobby, Breda, Brody, Buster, Cleo, Darren, Donna-Marie, DS Roxy Cassidy, Goldie, Harry, Hunter, Jack, James, Joel, Kyle, Liberty, Lily, Mac, Mandy, Marnie, Mercedes, Myra, Nancy, Prince, Romeo, Russ, Sally, Sienna, Ste, Sylver and Tony. 

Past Characters Mentioned:

Nico Blake, Patrick Blake, Sebastian Blake, Sophie Blake, Carl Costello, Jonno Dean, Milo Entwhistle, Neeta Kaur, Luke Morgan, Frankie Osborne, Anna Savage, Dirk Savage, Shane Sweeney.

[suitcasetales]

Angst and Ants

After staying local last year, visiting state parks and only traveling within Virginia and North Carolina, we are back to our Bucket List for 2019 which brings us to Costa Rica. We have always heard good things about it and many folks have told us we would love it. 

One year, we tried to do a February vacation to a warm place. We went to Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks and planned some R&R at a groovy little renovated retro motel with a pool in Palm Springs, California. And what happened? It snowed! But as I sit here wearing shorts and a t-shirt, smelling of suntan lotion, I am happy to report that we have found a warm place to be this winter day.

We bought a package tour through a company called Exottica for this trip but we could choose our departure trip from many different days so we don’t think we are going to be with one set group of folks the entire trip. We had to drive to Dulles and then we made our virgin flight with Avianca Airlines, first to El Salvador and then on to Costa Rica. We tried to play up the fact that it was my birthday but no upgrade ensued. In fact, when I was boarding in San Salvador, when the gate agent put my boarding pass under the beam, it read “unable to board this flight”........twice. My heart and mind were racing. She typed something on her keyboard and then handed me a new boarding pass where someone had written Happy Birthday. Still no upgrade but while waiting to deplane in San Jose, they wished “passenger Donna Copley a happy birthday.”

Going through Immigration and Customs was a breeze.  Between the legal taxi drivers, the non-sanctioned taxi drivers and the tour group buses and vans, the ground transportation area was a three-ring circus. We finally found the right contact and we were delivered to our downtown San Jose hotel where we simply needed to check in but no, there was a group of American teens and their chaperones in front of us and well, let’s just say it took a while. It was midnight before we went to bed in our bizarrely windowless room; I think I would have been paranoid if I hadn’t been so tired!

Sunday morning, we were up at 5 to shower because we were being picked up at 6am for our first real day of our Costa Rican adventure. With a French woman and her parents — not surprisingly French also — already on board, ours was the second stop. Next we picked up a female French couple and at the final stop, the people we were supposed to pick up were not there. So, it was we seven with a driver who only spoke Spanish. Luckily the French daughter spoke French, Spanish, English and, for the record, Japanese, too! She was a big help to us today. I later learned she is a flight attendant with Air France which explains the languages, her manners and just her overall niceness.

The route from San Jose east required crossing a winding mountain road where there was epic Afton Mountain-esque fog and roadwork, both causing delays! A second delay was when the place we were supposed to have breakfast was unaware we were coming and were not open. The alternate choice was a little cafe across from a public park and beside a very busy grocery store where caffeines and pastries were consumed.

Back on the road, it was not long before we came upon a small tour bus pulled off the side of the road and all the people were out looking at something. Our driver stopped and we all hopped out to join the viewing of a two-toed sloth on which Janet crowned the first new-to-us species of this trip. Unfortunately for folks like Janet, who left the side of the road to cross the small ditch to get closer to the sloth, designated species number two of this trip were tiny, fast and biting ants. Not pleasant and not a good start!

Our itinerary for Sunday had simply read “today transfer from San Jose to Tortuguero” which we assumed meant by van/road. Imagine our surprise when our driver pulled through a busy gravel parking lot and down a slope where groups of people were coming and going, some with luggage, some with none, and getting on to small boats. I thought we had been tricked in to a surprise episode of The Amazing Race! So onboard we went with our luggage and our van-mates. The level of the river was so low our boat captain was having trouble navigating due to the weight of our boat. There were times he simply hopped out and pushed the boat! It was quite funny the first time because I think the older French woman was nervous about the boat ride so laughed in embarrassed relief when she realized the depth of the water.

The river was aptly named Chance River......”chance,” as in, there may or may not be enough water in it! We slowly made our way up the river, seeing some beautiful waterfowl, our first monkeys, a green spiny lizard and our first spectacled caiman. Eventually we came to a much larger river where a left turn leads to Nicaragua and a right turn toward Tortuguero, our home for the next two nights.

Can you see the spectacled caiman in this photo?

Upon landing at our resort, we were relieved to find our names on the list of expected guests. As we learned over our stay there, there are no roads, no vehicles. There are waterways and one airstrip (our guide joked that they call it “the airport”) but for the most part, everything and everyone comes and goes via water. In the village itself, we saw some bikes, too. 

Our home for our visit to Tortuguero was beautifully landscaped — the grounds crew was working constantly. 

None of the rooms had windows, just screens. We had a ceiling fan that was stuck on high but the sound from it helped drown out all the animal noises during the night, even maybe the howler monkeys if you were sleeping deeply.

The view from our window:

All meals were alfresco but surprisingly, the only non-human visitors were hummingbirds coming to the decorative plants with red blooms.

We paid a reasonable cost to upgrade our rooms to “deluxe.” Here this meant a big room with a river view but no front porch. Our “outdoor chairs” were inside but at least we had a place to sit other than the bed. While relaxing for a while in the room until lunch was ready, a light rain began to fall. But we were grateful our boat ride had been dry as our boat was one of the very few that did not have a roof!

The adventure we had come for and hoped for is well underway. Lots more to tell you about. Stay tuned if interested!