#move out cleaning san jose

[americanhousecleaningca]

4 Important House Cleaning Tips for a Fresh Start This New Year

It's a new year and that means it's time for a fresh start! One of the best ways to get your home feeling brand new is by taking the time to clean up and declutter your living space. Whether you’re looking for a deep clean or just want to keep your home looking and smelling great, we’ve got you covered. Here are four tips for effective house cleaning in San Jose.

Always Start Cleaning at the Top of Any Room:

When you're cleaning your home, it's important to start at the top and work your way down. Start with the ceiling and walls, then move on to shelves, furniture, and other surfaces. Cleaning from the top down ensures that dirt and dust don't settle on surfaces that have already been cleaned.

When cleaning walls, use a damp cloth or sponge and a mild detergent. Be sure to wipe away any stains or spots. Dust shelves and furniture with a soft cloth and use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment for upholstered furniture.

Sort Through and Organize Cupboards and Closets:

Cupboards and closets are often some of the most cluttered spaces in our homes. First, take everything out of the cupboard or closet and place it on a counter or table. Then, sort through it, keeping only what you need or use.

As you go, decide what belongs in that area and make piles for each category. Once you have gone through all the items, start putting them back in the cupboard or closet. Group like items together, label shelves, and utilize space saving containers to maximize the storage space.

Ensure Dirt & Dust Never Come Inside:

To do this, start by making sure all doors and windows are properly sealed. This will help keep air from coming in and out of your home. You can also use rugs, mats, and other items at the entrance of your home to help trap dirt and dust before it enters.

Next, use vacuum cleaners with a HEPA filter to clean your home. HEPA filters help capture and remove dust, dirt, allergens, pet dander, and other debris from the air. This ensures that you don't bring dirt and dust inside when you open the door. Investing in an air filter would also help.

Hire a Periodic House Cleaning Service:

A professional service for regular house cleaning or move out cleaning in San Jose will have the right products and skills to get your home sparkling clean. Not only that, they also understand the proper techniques and procedures for cleaning your home from top to bottom. They can help with all areas of your home, from carpets and floors to windows and mirrors.

The New Year is an ideal time to start fresh and give your home a thorough cleanse. But, with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays and everyday life, it can be hard to find the time and energy to give your home the deep clean it needs. That’s why hiring a professional maid service in San Jose can be a blessing.

[instamaids]

Planning to move out and move into a new apartment or home in San Jose? Call InstaMaids and we will clean up after you completely! We have all faced moving at one point or another. We know that it is almost inevitable that rubbish will be left behind after moving out your belongings. We have been working closely with real estate agents to clean out houses and apartments after a tenant has moved out.

[maxverstappensflatbrim]

Show Me Yours | Matty Healy [42]

chapter forty-two, act five: the ballad of me and my brain

masterlist

November 3rd 2017

Tommie had woken up alone in Phoebe’s apartment, with many missed calls and texts of people asking if she was okay.

Her brows had furrowed and she’d hesitated to call Adam back first. He’d called her eleven times, and although they haven’t spoken since that day he came to the apartment she still worries something is wrong.

Her mind goes to her grandparents, but she spoke to her nan yesterday. They were on their way to a trip to Tenby in the caravan with the dog, they’re fine. Unless something happened on the trip. 

Nan can’t swim. Granch got sick. Or a heart attack, or an accident-

“Tom? Tom, thank god, are you still in LA-?”

It’s then she realises how late into the LA afternoon it is, her clock reads one o’clock and she realises she’d probably been up way longer than she should’ve been writing away until her heart's content (until she passed out from exhaustion).

“What’s going on?”

“Matty’s missing.”

This is the first time she’s heard his name in months, and her heart stops.

She sits up straighter, both Button and Max looking up at her in question. “What?”

“We tried to stage an intervention, shit-” She hears him sigh, can hear Ross and George arguing in the background with another voice that sounds a lot like Jamie, “He took off, a few days ago, he’s been doing it alot lately, he’s never been gone this long.”

“Where are you?”

“San Jose.”

She sighs and climbs out of bed, putting her phone on speaker and setting it on the bedside table. She grabs a pair of jeans from the chair she’d thrown them onto last night, getting a random t-shirt and throwing it on quickly, not even bothering with the effort of finding a bra. She does however, go to the effort of saying goodbye to the two dogs before shoving on her shoes, grabbing her bag that holds her essentials (keys, wallet, journal, lip balm, cigs, lighter and some other unnecessary shit.).

“I’ll come meet you, you in the place we stayed in last time?”

“No, we’re in the fancy one across the road you liked the look of.” She hears more arguing, and then a door slams, “It’s seven hours, Tommie, you- stay in LA, I just- has he tried calling you?”

“No, no he hasn’t. I haven’t talked to him since TRNSMT.”

Adam sighs, “He’s not himself, Tommie, I don’t know what’s going on with him. He’s in his own head, doing so many fucking drugs, Tom, I-” He sighs, she hears a sob-like sound get stuck in his throat, “We’re trying but he’s not listening, saying he needs to clear his head-”

Suddenly it dawns on Tommie and she pauses halfway down the steps outside of her building, “What has he said?” She asks quickly, fumbling to get the Uber app up as she walks down the street, “Tell me exactly what he said before he left, Ads.”

Adam sighs, stutters a few times as he tries to remember the conversation he had with Matty five days prior, “Um, something about the drugs helping him sleep, clearing his mind, helping him write and create, said that the drugs are his muse or some philosophical shit. I-I don’t know, Tommie.”

She watches her Uber pull up and puts the phone to ear, “Ads, I’ll call you back, don’t worry alright.”

“Tom, please don’t-”

“Don’t worry.”

⋆｡ ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ

The studio is a mess, clothes thrown over floors, crumpled up pieces of paper, cans of beer, coke and all different kinds of things ruin her path to the booth.

There’s a drum beat on loop, it's so loud she can hear it through the headphones and it almost drowns sounds of snoring from the curly haired musician.

He’s half on the settee half off, wearing only a pair of boxers and a large hoodie of their own band.

Tommie pushes her way through the mess on the floor that her hands shake to clean, she satisfies the urge for her hands to move by moving her foot to kick at Matty's side.

When he doesn’t wake she hits him harder and he gasps, curling over on himself, “Ow.”

“Get up.”

His eyes snap open at the voice and he sits up, fumbling to pull the hoodie down to cover himself and she rolls her eyes, “What are you doing?”

“Making music.”

She looks around, “Looks like it.”

She walks over to the mixing board and pauses the drum beat playing then looks back at him, “What are you doing, Matty?”

“Why don’t you call me Roddy anymore?”

She sighs and clenches her jaw, “You’re not my Roddy,” She tells him quietly, “I don’t know where he went, but… he’s been gone a while. I miss him, If you see him- if you see him, will you let him know?”

Matty rolls his eyes and runs a hand through his hair, “What are you doing here?”

“The guys are worried, so worried that they actually mentioned your name to me, which, I’m gonna be honest, I haven't heard since Scotland.”

“Bet you loved that.”

“I did, actually.”

He scoffs, eyeing her up and down, she crosses her arms and leans back against the desk behind her.

“What are you doing here, Tommie?”

“I care about you, Ma-”

He scoffs again harsher this time and stands up, “Don’t make me laugh, you’re the one who walked out on us all, remember? Back in July, picked up your guitar and ran off to LA like it meant nothing.”

“I- what did you expect me to do, Matty?” She asks, keeping her voice on a lower level despite his shouting a few minutes prior. “Did you expect me to sit beside you and hold your hand as you killed yourself I-”

She shakes her head and looks away, “You left us. Not just me, you left-”

“Just because I left doesn’t mean I don’t still love you.”

He pauses, mouth open as he was preparing to shout something else. Tommie sighs, hands coming up to cover her face for a few seconds. Too many seconds, although he counts his head, he reaches twelve, he still thinks it's too long for her to hide away from him.

“I’ll always love you, Matt.” She promises, she avoids looking at him and he takes a few more steps forward to get closer to her, “I love you too much to sit by and watch you do this to yourself-”

“So you left me? Made it worse-”

“You won’t listen!” She moves her hands away from her face to shove his chest. He moves back to arms length then. Just watching her.

She shakes her head, finally raising her voice, “You won’t listen to any of us, to me, G, Ads, Ross, your own mother who’s gone through the same thing, we’re all worried about you.”

“I’m fine-”

“No you’re not.” She tells him, “Look at yourself,” Despite his better judgement he lets his eyes glace to his reflection in the dark tinted window behind her, “You’re a fucking mess, Matty, and quite frankly it’s fucking pathetic.”

He lifts his head, looking at her down his nose, “Half the time you can’t string a sentence together, you’re passing out on stage, lashing out at everyone, you’re a mess, Matthew.”

His jaw quivers as he tries to keep his composure, “You’re so- so god damn stubborn, and blind. Look around, Matt, you have so many people here trying to help you, trying to love you and you just won’t let them. Why, because you’re scared?”

“You don’t know anything about-”

“Quite the opposite, “She bites back, “I know you, Matty, I know everything about you. I know everything about my Matty.”

She steps to him this time, lifting one hand ready to hold him, “Are you scared, Matty?”

He looks to the small coffee table in the studio, one they'd spent many nights gathered around with pizza boxes listening to music and telling jokes. On the table sits a joint, beside it empty packets that she doesn’t even want to know are inside of it.

“I’m not-”

“Matt.”

‘You’re in love with her but you’re afraid a guy like you will ruin her. And you will.’

He nods quickly, letting the tears welling in his eyes linger a little longer, “I’m afraid, Tom.”

“Of what?”

He shakes his head, mumbling something under his breath; neither of them can understand, “Of what?”

She shakes her head and walks closer to him but he fights her off, not letting her touch him, “I-”

“Matt-”

She watches his eyes dart to the door as he licks his lips, “I’ve got a flight.”

“Matt-”

“Tomorrow, I need to pack all my stuff.”

“Matty, please, just slow-”

He nods to himself as he gathers the only thing he brought with him, a little tote bag, her little tote bag. One from the record shop she likes in London. He shoves inside his wallet, phone, charger and notebook then starts stumbling around until he finds his jeans and shoes.

“Matty, would you please-”

“I’ve got to go-”

“Matty,” She huffs, trying to follow him around but his longer legs are moving too fast, closing up his laptop, stopping the demo, throwing the stupid memory stick with the song he was working on into the mess around them, “Matt, please, just stop for a couple seconds- Let’s talk-”

“Nothing to talk about, I have to go, seven hours to San Jose-”

“Matt!”

He still doesn't listen so she pauses as he opens up the door, “I broke up with Caleb.”

⋆｡ ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ

“Why’d you break up?”

Tommie watches him dip his fries into the red sauce and then shove them into his mouth as if he hasn't eaten for years.

She sighs and looks down at the table in the little diner they’re sitting at, she picks at the table cloth beneath them and leans back.

“Creative differences.”

He snorts and she finds her lips curling a little bit into a smile.

“Seriously?”

He shakes his head a little, “I always hated him, I mean, not just because of the whole you thing, but because he was a raging arsehole-twat-prick dude.”

She nods her head in thought, “I mean, he hated Deftones, you love Deftones, if I hated them- hell, if I uttered a single bad word about them you'd break my neck- literally! I can’t believe you didn’t break up with him over that. And one major thing you should’ve ran from was his love of country music, I mean, If I heard Jesus take the whe-”

“He got me pregnant.”

Matty pauses, fry mid air, mouth open ready to bite down on it, instead his gaze is settled right on her, missing the ketchup dripping down to stain the white table cloth on the table.

“What?” He looks down towards her stomach slowly and she shifts uncomfortably covering herself with her arms, “You’re pregnant?”

“I had an abortion, few weeks ago, that’s why I’m out here, Matt.”

“What did he-”

“He told me I had no right because it was his baby too, and threatened to tell the press.”

“Did he? I mean, I haven’t seen anything but-”

She shakes her head “I told him if he did that then I’d make sure his band never made it. Then I kicked him out of the apartment, cut my lease short and moved in with Phoebe.”

He hums in thought, picking at the table cloth.  

“I was so scared, Matt. I’m terrified of the thought of having children, of ruining my career, my life, not because I’m not as strong as other women or anything like that, or I won’t be able to do that. Because I just don’t want that-”

She breaths in slowly and tilts her head at him, “I wanted my Matty. Phoebe told me I asked for you, when I was out of it. Said I asked her to go get you for me.”

He looks down, staring at the heart shaped hole he’s ripped into the dining table cloth. “I was terrified of doing it without you. What were you scared of?”

He scoffs and shakes his head, “Matty, please-”

“Did you tell me that just to try and get me to open up?”

“Trade you.” She shrugs and leans over to steal a chip.

He sighs, “When Gemma broke up with me she told me some harsh truths, one’s that I needed to hear and I don’t know. I guess I just know deep down that she’s right. I don’t want to ruin you.”

She tilts her head, reaching across the table to set her hand on his, “You won’t ruin me, Matty.”

“I will. Cause you’re you, you’re a good person, Tommie. I don’t want to ruin you.’

“Matt-“

He shakes his head and stands, “I have to go. I’ll see you around, yeah?”

“Matt-“

⋆｡ ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ

She looks around the mess in the studio. Now that he’s gone, that he’s back on his way to the rest of the band she can let herself go nuts and clean it.

She starts by cleaning up the takeaway boxes from the floor, then she folds the blankets and cleans the messy table.

Half way through cleaning up she finds the discarded memory stick he’d tossed aside. There’s a post it note wrapped around being held there with cellotape.

‘Baby, two.’

She lifts up the memory stick and then slowly puts it into the computer. 

There's a small sniffle and then a sighs as he strums a few chords. "Baby, two. Um..." He sighs again and shifts around, the leather chair creaks but is cut off as he clears his throat, "This is my deepest confession, I guess. This is for Tommie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about a lot, that it took me so long to realise and that when I finally did I'd already pushed her out. But, I don't want to hurt her, I don't want to let her back in-" He sighs again, "Anyway, this is take one. Baby, I don't have a title yet."

I've been watching you walk I've been learning the way that you talk The back of your head is at the front of my mind Soon I'll crack it open just to see what's inside your mind … Inside your mind

Marry me, I will wait until you're fast asleep Dreaming things I have the right to see Lately you are dreaming you're in love with me The only option left, is look and see inside your mind

… Inside your mind I can show you the photographs Of you getting on with life I've had dreams where there's blood on you All of those dreams where you're my wife

Inside your mind Inside your mind Inside your mind Inside your mind

She raises her brow at the deep voice but sits there to take it for a few moments taking it in.

Every moment between her and Matty has ever shared floats through her head. From meeting to starting the band, to being on tour, to living together, to that night in LA, to watching him leave yesterday.

She thinks over every decision she’s ever made.

Being with Caleb, never telling Matty.

Maybe if she just told him, if she’d let him know how she really felt none of this would have happened. He wouldn’t have turned to drugs, he’d be safe.

Or maybe he still would have. And they’d be unhappy. Together but unhappy. And they’d hate each other.

They must be good. She wonders. The drugs, there must be something about them. Why else would he love them so much? More than her, more than the band.

Before she can stop herself she’s sitting on the floor, eyes not moving from the baggie on the table as her fingers drum right beside it.

She just wants one look. One look inside Matty Healy’s mind.

taglist

@thereisaplaceintheheart, @indierockgirrl, @sofaritsalrightt, @julezs-bl0g, @eaglestar31, @sophinthealpss, @noacfemcel, @if-my-heart-bleeds, @befrwime, @fallingforel, @sexorchocolateorpillowsorclouds, @3terna15unshin3, @1975sophie1975, @thesocraticjunkiewannabe, @littlesoldierelleora, @procrastinatinglikeapro, @beatr2x, @byyourside28

-let me know if you want to be added :)

[ladylooch]

Can we see more of how Emma is feeling

About how she got thinks her and the baby is a distraction to Timo

Does she tell Timo about her worries

Does she create somewhat of a distance from timo and he notices

Timo comes home from the West Coast road trip that included his return to San Jose. He had played well, and the Devils had won, but it was their only bright spot of an otherwise dismal road trip. Across the dinner table, Timo picks at his steak. He wasn’t hungry, but Emma had been so excited about having dinner on the table for him when he got home. He didn’t have the heart to tell her he wasn’t hungry. 

“Did I not cook it right?” She asks.

“No, it’s great, baby.” Timo insists, nodding intently. “Really good.” He puts a renewed focus on eating the meal. 

Emma hesitantly picks up her sparkling water, taking a sip while studying him. He has been so quiet the last few weeks. A lot of their conversations lately has been him agreeing with her or “mmm” in acknowledgements. He is so distracted. She isn’t sure if this is normal or not, but her hormonal pregnancy brain has convinced her it isn’t. He is like this because of… their circumstances. 

In her belly, the baby kicks. Emma winces, then moves to the right, trying to squish him away from her organs as much as possible.

“He kicking?” Timo asks after swallowing another bite. Emma nods. Timo licks his lips, watching her. “How are your feet?”

“Swollen.” She sighs.

“You want me to rub them?”

“No, you have film to watch. I can just soak them in the salts.”

“I can do both, babe.” Timo chuckles. “It’s not rocket science. It’s hockey. Lives aren’t at stake.” He goes for a joke, hoping to see the corners of her mouth turn up. They don’t.

“Okay. If you want.” Emma shrugs, looking away.

“Yeah, I do. I want to take care of you. I was just gone for a week.” Timo says, leaning back in his chair. He is giving up on eating anything else. It’s too heavy of a meal to keep picking at. 

Together, they clear dinner away from the table, then Emma begins cleaning up the kitchen.

“Go.” Timo insists, swatting at her butt to move her towards the living room. 

Emma doesn’t fight him. Her feet are really bothering her between standing to cook dinner and eating salty, red meat. She eases herself down on the couch, putting a pillow behind her lower back for some added support. Timo joins her on the couch eventually, an ice cream sandwich in his hands. 

“Thanks.” Emma mumbles, taking it from him.

“What’s on your mind, baby?” Timo sighs, gathering her feet into his hands. Emma looks down at the ice cream, feeling emotional. Then she meets his gaze, teary as she looks at him. Timo is unfazed, used to these hormonal swings at this point in her pregnancy. 

“Maybe I should go home earlier.” His thick eyebrows furrow. He inhales heavily, looking above her head as he contemplates.

“Do you want to?”

“I… feel like I should.”

“Because of the baby?” Emma shakes her head no. “Then why?”

“I feel like we are distracting you… pulling your focus away from where it should be.” Timo shakes her off immediately.

“No, babe. That is not what is happening here.”

“You were doing fine before I got here.”

“That is not true. I was struggling this season even before you arrived.” He tells her honestly. “And regardless, what I do on the ice is my problem. Not yours. It’s never yours.” Emma bites her bottom lip, making it raw and puffy as it rolls out of her mouth. “Besides that, I don’t want you to go earlier. I want you here until the very last second. Every day we get closer to you leaving, my heart gets heavier.” 

“See, I should leave.” Emma insists. “You can’t be worrying about that.” 

“I don’t… know what else to say to you, Em. I don’t want you to leave. I am not counting down the days. I am torn between hoping we don’t make a deep run and… wanting that for us too.” Timo sighs. “But my play is my problem and has nothing to do with you.” 

“I just don’t want you to resent us.” Emma whispers, rubbing her hand over her belly. Timo reaches out, pushing her shirt up so he can touch her bare bump. Maroon stretch marks are starting to form around her belly button and on her hip bones despite their best efforts with cream and oil. Timo doesn’t care at all. He thinks it is so sexy watching her get bigger with their baby. He gets on his knees, leaning over, so he can fasten his lips to her and the baby.

“You’re everything.” He mumbles against her belly. “This is what matters to me this year. That our baby is healthy and safe. You too.” Emma gives him a hard look.

“I’m not dumb. Even if you were distracted by us you wouldn’t tell me.” Timo chuckles. “I know you, T.” He looks up at her, blue eyes twinkling. 

“Then you know how much I love you. And how important you both are to me.” He rubs the baby, who kicks under his hands. Emma stares back at him, then nods slightly in agreement. “So stop worrying.” Emma nods again, then Timo smooches her. He sits back up, continuing to massage her feet. Emma finishes her ice cream. Timo puts on one of her favorite trashy TV shows. Emma settles in deeper to the couch, turning to her side so she can sit more comfortably. A content silence settles over the room until:

“Just think, babe…” Timo begins. “Next year, at this time, Lio will be here.” 

[joselialopes]

“And when I first showed him my scar, he said it was interesting. He used the word ‘textured’. He said ‘smooth’ is boring but ‘textured’ was interesting, and the scar meant that I was stronger than whatever it was that had tried to hurt me.”

BIOGRAPHY | CONNECTIONS | MUSINGS | PINTEREST | SPOTIFY

STATS

Name: Joselia “Jo” Lopes Silva Faceclaim: Bruna Marquezine Gender & Pronouns: Cis woman & she/her Sexuality: Pansexual Age: 30 Birthday: June 3, 1993 Zodiac: Gemini sun, Leo moon, Virgo rising Education: BSW, UC-Riverside Occupation: Addiction Counselor (Social Worker) Neighborhood: Bighorn Hills + open-minded, adaptable, passionate - hot-headed, flaky, impulsive

BIOGRAPHY

tw: drug mention, alcoholism, abortion

also tw I say “daddy” one billion times and I’m so sorry that’s just what Joselia would say

Daddy was always a free spirit. He and Mama married young– him 17 and her 16– and he promised her the world. He painted a beautiful picture of a long, successful career as a football player, a big move to America, and a life where she seldom had to lift a finger. But Gisele Lopes Silva was always more grounded than her husband. She didn’t want all of that, really, just a man who loved her and happy kids. Still, Daddy was determined to shoot for the stars and, in the end, he landed pretty close. Roberto Silva qualified for the Campeonato Brasileiro Series at 19 and he swore up and down it was a straight shot to US Nationals from there. Mama got pregnant with Roberto Jr. that winter, 1984, and five years later in 1989 they had Miguel. With two babies, Mama’s asking Daddy to retire and get a real job graduated from passing remarks to deadpan questions to begging. 

They were doing okay, what with Grandma helping with the boys while Mama worked, but Gisele was wise. She knew it wouldn’t last long. Besides, she’d rather have Daddy around the kids than him be some big, international soccer star. It was a fight she didn’t have the energy for but every now and then, and Daddy became an expert at weasling out of it– bringing home expensive gifts, magazines about life in America, VHS tapes of sitcoms. Money was tight, though, and it was Daddy’s magic-making that made the room dividers in the living room that hid Jr.’s cot feel enchanted, like a portal to another world instead of a family bursting at the seams. In retrospect, Jr. says Mama resented him even then. She was caught in the trap of working all day in the factory and coming home to cook and clean, all the while the boys tugged on Daddy’s pant legs and clamored on top of him and asked to hear the story of his trip to San Fransisco for the hundredth time. 

Mama says that having Joselia in 1993 changed everything. She was finally getting somewhere with Daddy– touting the baby, the only girl, as the reason why he should quit chasing this crazy dream and get a real job. Settle down and give them all the life they deserved. Of course, the very next year was the beginning of the San Jose soccer club. The Earthquakes wanted Daddy on their inaugural team, and Daddy leaped at the chance to move to California– the land of opportunity. According to Daddy, getting recruited to the U.S. was the best thing that ever happened to him. Mama was just grateful that he finally got a kick in the ass to make something of himself. In 1994, the family migrated to San Jose to start their new life. 

Daddy always talked about those first few years like they were something out of a fairytale– all blue skies and palm trees and balmy breezes. Long days of doing what he loved, coming home to a slice of Brazil in Mama’s cooking and Jr.’s singing and the artifacts they’d managed to bring with them. Mama isn’t so romantic about it all. Sure, it was nice to not be so strapped for cash. But it was lonely, she says– hardly anybody else spoke Portuguese, and Daddy was alright with his English but Mama struggled. She could hardly make it through trips to the grocery without aid, and she missed her mother. But, Daddy was happy, which had been the point all along, right?

Daddy’s first season with the Earthquakes was a building year– at least, that’s what all the players would say when they would crowd around the kitchen table, drinking and talking and making messes that Mama stayed up well into the night cleaning up. But the kids loved it, crowding around the table with wide eyes and hanging on every word they said. It was this way that Joselia learned English; When her kindergarten teacher wrote home and asked where she’d learned to say “damn it all to hell!”, Daddy just laughed and laughed and laughed. 

Season two was better. By the end of it, everybody was talking about the Earthquakes, and Daddy was even named in a couple articles as a player to watch. That was 1996, a year he still calls the best of his life. Joselia remembers the whole family travelling to LA and Washington, DC and Dallas to see Daddy play. It was exactly what Daddy always promised– traveling the world, staying in fancy hotels, a balanced diet of stadium hot dogs and room service. Even Mama loosened up on their trips, had a glass or two of champagne and got giggly. It was like they were really in love, then. Life should’ve been like that forever– and it would’ve been, if Daddy hadn’t gotten injured.

Three games before the end of the 1997 season, an ill-timed slide tackle caused Daddy’s leg to break in two places. Mama, Jr., Miguel, and Joselia were watching from home, and everything instantly devolved into chaos. Mama screamed and immediately called the neighbor to come watch the kids while she rushed to the hospital. The three kids planted themselves in front of the TV, watching any and all coverage they could find on the local channels, and praying to every saint they knew. 

Daddy put on a brave face, at first. He had high hopes, unreasonable expectations that he’d be as good as new after surgery. But then came the minimum two years of physical therapy, and by the time he was in any condition to run again, they were so far behind with medical bills that Mama put her foot down. He had to get a job– they had to get back on their feet before he started his crazy training regimen. His old teammates still came around back then, and one of them even pulled some strings and got Daddy a job as a daytime bartender at a pub near the training facility. 

But there’s always a point in time where the sympathy runs out. People can’t hold pity forever. The guys stopped coming around, Coach stopped inviting him to closed practices. Mama was never gentle with him– she said that was that, it was time to move on. Find a new dream. Joselia wouldn’t know until much later, but underneath all of his bravado, Daddy was incredibly sensitive. He didn’t take to normal life well, and started mixing his pain meds with a few too many drinks. At first, it was an inconvenience. He would get too drunk and forget to pick up Jr. from school, he would leave Miguel an hour or two longer after school than he meant to. Most nights would end in whispered arguments behind Mama and Daddy’s door– Jr. learned to press a glass to the wood young, but he’d never tell Miguel and Joselia what was said unless it was really bad.

It got really bad when Joselia was in middle school. Jr. was twenty-one and still home, fulfilling the role of oldest child and peacekeeper while he saved up for college. Plus, the income he brought in from his grocery store job helped keep them afloat when Daddy overslept and missed his shifts, which was becoming more and more frequent. Jr. kept them together, with Miguel’s help– they would divide and conquer, Jr. going to Daddy and Miguel going to Mama. But when Daddy started gambling and they lost the apartment, Mama was done. 

Joselia was thirteen when Mama moved them into a new apartment and refused to give Daddy the key. Jr. had to drag her, kicking and screaming, refusing to leave Daddy behind. She’d let him in at night, and Mama would wake her up yelling every morning that she woke up to discover him on the couch. He can’t be trusted! she would say, pleading with Joselia to keep him out. Everybody else had enough of his broken promises, except Jo. She loved him so much that she moved with him to Philly at fifteen, pledged the next decade of her life to following Daddy around, dreaming big dreams with him and picking him up when he fell.

It was difficult leaving Mama and her brothers behind, but Joselia was so hurt that they could be so cruel to Daddy that she buried the grief under anger. Life with him was the same as always– high highs and low lows. On good days, they’d catch a game in the city and share a hotdog and Daddy would tell Jo-Jo all about how he was gonna become a soccer coach. If you can’t do, you teach, he said, and she believed him. She always believed him, and that belief carried her through the bad days, when he would stumble home angry at four a.m., cursing her Mama and her Grandma and the world, vomit dribbling down his chin and too-heavy footsteps.

It took an extra year, but Joselia graduated high school. Her part-time waitressing job became full-time, and her steady paycheck made up for the weeks and months that Daddy was out of work. Mama sent money every couple months with express instructions not to let Daddy touch it– but she always did, and he always blew it on a scratch-off or a round for all his friends. He was chaos personified, but Joselia wasn’t afraid of his self-destruction. Mostly, she was afraid of who she’d be without his fantastical tales and his believing the best in her and his promises that he’d take care of her, one day. 

Joselia met Matthew Foster in Philly, at a show for some grungy band she was just drunk enough to enjoy. Their whirlwind romance felt like home– the ups and downs, the unbridled passion and the teeming rage felt like what Joselia reckoned love was supposed to be. Daddy wasn’t consistent or stable, and he loved her more than anybody in the world– So must Foster. Midnight screaming matches faded into afternoon picnics and so on. He never said so, but Joselia knew he loved her– he showed it dozens of ways, whether by making the best food she’d ever eaten in her life (aside from stadium hotdogs, of course) or by buffing out the same dent in her car over and over from the damn apartment gate. 

They were young and dumb and it felt like everything. Daddy hated him and loved him, depending on the day– and when things were going right for everybody and the three of them drank and watched Daddy’s old matches, well, that was the best feeling in the world. It was after one of those days and a couple of Foster’s custom-made cocktails that they decided to get married at the courthouse. They didn’t have a ring or a dress or a care in the world, and somewhere in a box covered in a thin layer of dust, Joselia has a picture from that day: her in one of Foster’s button downs and a Dodgers hat, him in his usual tshirt and jeans combo, all bright smiles hanging off one another.

Being married didn’t stave off the fighting at all. If anything, it made it worse– gave them each more ammunition to launch at each other, and made it a hell of a lot harder to untangle from the mess. They fell into a familiar pattern– a couple of good days, maybe a week, a fight where they swore they were broken up for good this time, and a couple days later they’d make up. Anything was fair game on these breaks– and it’s not like Joselia had a ring or anything to stop her from seeing other people, so she did. Nothing that stuck, but a couple one or two night flings before she surrendered to Foster’s gravitational pull again.

When Joselia found out she was pregnant after a week “off”, she panicked. She wasn’t going to tell Foster, she was just going to take care of it on her own– but they had such a good day, and she was half convinced they could make it work. They were perfect, they only fought so hard because they loved each other so much. He bolted after that, and in retrospect, she couldn’t blame him. Joselia still harbors that hurt on especially lonely nights, revisits the feeling of waking up and seeing his shit gone, the days-late realization that she’d never see him again.

But it was okay, because there was always Daddy to take care of, and with no Foster and no baby to distract her, Joselia poured all of her energy into him. She was twenty-five and working the same waitressing job she’d had since graduation, spending her weekends taking care of her drunk father– and with nothing else in Philly, reality stung. She started to resent Daddy the same way Mama always had– she resented being the stable one, she resented not being able to fall apart because it’d hurt them both when that’s all she really wanted to do.

A decade late, Joselia’s breaking point finally came when Daddy wrapped her truck around a streetlight. He survived, thank God, but he had a broken arm and a couple of years in jail and mandated therapy. With no other choice, Joselia made her way back to California and turned up on Mama’s doorstep, tail between her legs. The rush of apologies for years of hating her, of thinking Mama was selfish and wrong for abandoning Daddy, was crushed in her mother’s arms. She was home, for real this time, and reconnecting with Mama and Jr. and Miguel helped Joselia figure some things out.

It wasn’t perfect, and she still felt an unreasonable degree of protectiveness over Daddy– they kept in touch, between letters and phone calls– but Jo decided to enroll in college. Better late than never. She started at UC-Riverside and declared Social Work as her major, staying home with Mama until she graduated at 29. It was a big deal, because Jr. had enlisted at 22 and Miguel had gone to trade school. Joselia was the first in their family to graduate college, a fact that Daddy cried about on the phone the morning of her graduation– a fact she still holds with pride.

Her fresh start extended to Colorado Springs, where Joselia took her very first “real” job a year ago as an Addiction Counselor for a nonprofit serving unhoused and at-risk individuals. It was Jr.’s idea, originally, and Joselia ended up loving it– finally her life experience was helpful with something, and the tough love she always should’ve given to Daddy was a requirement. It’s such the perfect fit, in fact, that she was promoted after only a year and transferred to the Providence Peak location. Joselia was hesitant at first to leave Colorado Springs and the comfort of Jr. right down the street, but it was high time for her to forge her own path. She made it up to Philly one more time, to visit Daddy and to clear out the rest of her shit from a storage unit, and is now settling into her new routine.

[huggybug]

"thomas i can't go in there. what if someone sees us" you tell him before walking into the mens bathroom at the airport

"babe there's no one here. it's four in the morning" he says dragging you in

your flight back to san jose got delayed. thomas decided to use this time to take care of what he couldn't while you two visited his family in montreal.

"every time we tried to have sex someone would interrupt. i'm not letting that happen here. it's been two weeks too long" he says bringing you into the farthest stall.

he pushes your front up against the wall. starts slowly kissing down your neck, to your shoulder. his hands sliding around your waist, slipping into your pants and straight to your pulsing clit.

you mouth falls open letting out a breath. "t-thomas"

"sh babygirl, don't want anyone to hear us" he whispers covering your mouth with his free hand still rubbing your clit with the other.

you throw your head back on his shoulder and he smirks. he removes his hands from you and helps pull your pants down, just enough to expose you. he does the same with his, his dick hitting you in the ass as it springs free.

"ready?" he asks teasing you with his tip

"y-yeah" you nod your head

just as thomas enters you someone walks into the bathroom. his hand flies up to your open mouth. he continues to slowly thrust in you, trying to stay quiet. you try so hard not to moan but it was getting harder and harder as thomas was fully thrusting into you, hitting all the right places.

finally the guy left, waiting a few more seconds. thomas moves his hand and you let out a loud groan. he gets right to work. getting faster with every thrust. "oh my god" you groan arching your back and sticking your ass out more.

thomas held up his shirt under his chin. his grip tight on your hips as he pounds into you. you didn’t know where to put your hands. you reached down and grabbed at thomas’ wrists. holding onto him as you pushed your ass to him meeting his thrusts.

he pulls out and turns you around. smashing his lips into yours. you pushes your pants down all the way so that you could step out of them. “jump” he says holding one of your legs up on his hip.

you jump up and thomas holds you against the wall. he eases himself back into you as you hang on to him, arms wrapped around his neck.

“fu-fuck thom” you moan as your head hits the wall. he thrusts into you as he holds you up. thomas’ groaning gets louder the more he gets closer to finishing. the grip on your ass tightens, his pace speeds up. so much pleasure is running through your body you can’t keep up with it. your pussy tightening around his duck. it was instantly you were cumming all over him.

he felt you release and pulled out. his dick was throbbing to finish. you knelt down in front of him as his stroked himself quickly to finish. he dumped a huge load on your tongue and on your face. you smiled as you swallowed what was on your tongue. “fuck baby. that was fucking hot” he groans as he pulls up his pants.

he grabs toilet paper and helps clean the mess he made.

“last call for the flight to san jose” you hear over the announcing system.

you were still getting your pants on when you and thomas looks at each other.

“how did we miss every single call for our flight” you say quickly finishing up

“i’m just a good distraction i guess” you smack thomas in the chest “we need to get going”

“ever wanted to join the mile high club” thomas whispers in your ear as you two are seated on the plane. you just blush and shake your head. “can’t you wait until we get home?”

-nick smut anon, just a little something something

AGHHOJDHAH OMG THIS ONE RIGHT HERE WOW.

[chiss-ticism]

what's pauline's relationship with her ghoul like? how did they meet and end up in their current arrangement ?

Tysm!!! Sebastian was initially apart of the Herd she'd amassed after moving to San Jose and setting up her Asylum Club.

While their relationship is currently akin to a boss/eager-to-please employee, Seb -at least when he still had complete autonomy - would've considered her to be a friend before he pieced together that she isn't exactly alive. He'd attempted to persuade the other members of her herd (of which there were 2 at the time) to acknowledge what he'd discovered. That, as I'm sure you can tell, didn't exactly end how he would've hoped. From the Scene Queen description in the V5 Corebook:

Your victims adore you for your status in the scene, and the ones who understand what you are disbelieved.

When word got back to her, rather than kill him or silence him in some otherwise morose way, she decided to Blood Bond him so that his talents wouldn't otherwise go to waste (or so she'd tell you. She still has enough room in her undead heart to care for him in her own way, seemingly distant way.) As of the moment, she trusts him enough to manage the Asylum, which he's done admirably so far (he did an excellent job at getting the Asylum cleaned for the Baron's visit on a moderately short notice) whenever she's needed to step away and makes sure that his basic needs are tended to - hence the Wendy's. He's on the Asylum's payroll and the only other vampires that he's met directly (that Pauline is aware of, in any case) are Leo and Blake (her coterie) which happened in tonight's session! She, uh, does not tell him anywhere near what he needs to know. Here are some texts between them as an example:

--- (Private: PAULINE @ SEB) ----- P: Need you to grab my gun. Should be in my bedroom. S: uhhh sure. but. gonna need extra wendys' for that boss. having a normal night i see P: Okay. S: I'll do it tho!

and

---- (Private: PAULINE @ SEB) ---- P: Sebastian. When you've got a free moment, I need you to take some money out of the safe for me and purchase a shotgun. It does not need to be tonight. Much appreciated. S: Oh. Uhm. Are you sure everything is ok boss? Do we need to talk? But yes I'll do it tho! P: Thank you, Sebastian.

[justforbooks]

The rapper Coolio has died at the age of 59 in Los Angeles, his manager has confirmed.

The artist, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, passed away at a friend’s house, his longtime manager, Jarez Posey, told the Associated Press and other outlets including TMZ, Rolling Stone and Variety.

Coolio is best known for his 1995 single Gangsta’s Paradise, for which he won a Grammy for best solo rap performance. The runaway hit came from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film Dangerous Minds and sampled Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song Pastime Paradise.

He was nominated for five other Grammys during a career that began in the late 1980s.

His career took off with the 1994 release of his debut album, It Takes a Thief, on Tommy Boy Records. Its opening track, Fantastic Voyage, would reach No 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A year later, Gangsta’s Paradise would become a No 1 single, with its haunting opening lyrics: “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death / I take a look at my life and realize there’s nothin’ left / ’cause I’ve been blastin’ and laughin’ so long that / even my mama thinks that my mind is gone.”

Earlier this year, the song hit 1bn views on YouTube. “I want to thank everybody for all the years of love and being there for me,” Coolio said in a video marking the milestone, Billboard reported. “I hope I got you through some good times and got you through some bad times.”

Pfeiffer was among those to pay tribute to the rapper. In a post on Instagram, the actress said: “Heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist @coolio. A life cut entirely too short … I remember him being nothing but gracious. 30 years later I still get chills when I hear (Gangsta’s Paradise).”

Rapper Ice Cube wrote on Twitter: “This is sad news. I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace.”

Born in Monessen, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh, Coolio moved to Compton, California, where he went to community college. He worked as a volunteer firefighter and in airport security before devoting himself full-time to hip-hop.

His early work for firefighting crews in the San Jose area was “a way to clean up”, he told the Los Angeles Times in 1994. “In firefighting training was discipline I needed. We ran every day. I wasn’t drinking or smoking or doing the stuff I usually did.”

Coolio would go on to become an actor as well as an award-winning musician, appearing in dozens of films and TV shows throughout his career. Starting with a guest spot as himself on “Martin” (1995), Coolio’s credits include the “Dangerous Minds” TV spinoff (1996), “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” (1996), “Batman & Robin” (1997), “The Nanny” (1998), “Tyrone” (1999), “Midnight Mass” (1999), “Charmed” (2002), “Star-ving” (2009), “Futurama” (2001, 2010) and “Gravity Falls” (2012).

In recent years, Coolio had appeared on the reality show Big Brother and developed a cooking series, which grew an online following. He made headlines in 2013 for a planned auction of his music rights, including to Gangsta’s Paradise, in order to fund his career as a chef. He also wrote a cookbook and appeared on celebrity cooking shows.

Tributes have been paid to the Grammy award-winning musician. The death of the rapper was confirmed by Sheila Finegan, who represented him at Trinity Artists International, and said in a statement: “We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client, Coolio, who passed away this afternoon.

“Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing. Please have Coolio’s loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.”

The actor Michelle Pfeiffer, who starred in the 1995 film Dangerous Minds, for which Coolio recorded the multi-award winning hit single Gangsta’s Paradise, said she was “heartbroken” to hear of his death.

Writing on an Instagram post, Pfeiffer said: “Heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist @coolio. A life cut entirely too short.”

She added: “30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song. Sending love and light to his family.”

Ice Cube, a former member of the hip-hop group NWA, said Coolio’s death was “sad news”.

Writing on Twitter, the rapper and actor said: “This is sad news. I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace @Coolio”.

MC Hammer, best known for his hit single U Can’t Touch This, paid tribute by posting a picture of Coolio, describing him as “one of the nicest dudes I’ve known”.

American rapper Snoop Dogg also paid tribute, writing “Gangstas paradise. R I P”, while singer Bret Michaels said: “My deepest condolences go out to the family, friends, and fans on the loss of @Coolio. Awesome guy who will be missed.”

The cause of Coolio’s death has not been confirmed, although it is understood that he was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of a friend’s house in Los Angeles.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[bobbinacrosstheequator]

March 25, 2023 North Seymour Island

As we met out on the back deck first thing in the morning, and a birthday greeting on the white board, Dan spontaneously started a good round of Happy Birthday to Jill!

Wilderness Travel did not disappoint to the bitter end. Off we went in the pangas early for a walk on a tiny island with mostly sandy beach. We were entertained by sea lions snuggling with each other on the beach, honking, swimming and flipping in and out of the water, iguanas meandering about, all with a glorious sunrise over the sea in the background. It was a relaxing and low key stroll – perfect before breakfast back on the Passion and the very last throes of packing up. We waived farewell, exchanged contact info with our fellow travelers, shared our bobbinacrosstheequator.tumblr.com with anyone who might want a peek, and headed off for shore. A quick bus ride (dodging iguanas crossing the road!) to the airport and though the easy processing and we’re on our way. Farewell Galapagos!

Today’s transition was, well, let’s say it was not our favorite day of the trip. The flight to Guyaquil was a few hours, where we had to collect our bags and check in for an international flight. Since it was too early to check in, we hung out, Jill connected to Wifi and Sarah got increasingly frustrated that she couldn’t connect and get rid of a weeks worth of junk mail. Jill enjoyed birthday texts from friends and fam and Sarah ultimately got connected. The next thing we knew there was a long (!) line to check in and when we were next in line, Avianca’s computers appeared to go done. At the next bank of kiosks, the Copa lines continued to move. Our check-in agents just sat and appeared to restart their computers. Finally, something resolved and we were moving again. Past security, which was fairly easy, we had a marginal airport sandwich as lunch/dinner. Exhaustion was setting in and the flight to Bogata was unforgivingly eventful. Toward the end, some poor soul tried to get to the loo, but instead got sick at the front galley of the plane, right where passengers would deplane. The flight attendants were initially at a loss, and finally one donned a pink hazmat suit to clean up. We were oh-so-grateful that masks had been required on this flight! More time at the Bogota airport and on to our 11PM final flight to San Jose. That flight was thankfully much more comfortable (economy plus) and restful. We just (!) made the 12:30 hotel shuttle to the Doubletree where we crashed until morning.

[americanhousecleaningca]

Looking For a Maid Service in San Jose? Remember These 5 Important Things

Hiring a maid service can be an overwhelming experience, with all of the websites you have to sort through and the companies that you feel pressured to choose from. The good news is that we’ve done some of the heavy lifting for you, with this list of five things to consider before hiring a maid service San Jose. Follow these tips and you’ll be able to find the perfect one for your needs!

Know Your Budget:

In order to hire the best maid service for you and your needs, it's important to know what you're working with. A good way to narrow down your budget is by taking a look at your finances. If you have a tight budget, then you can schedule a one-time deep cleaning rather than hiring them on a regular basis. There are many high-end services out there that can do an amazing job for you at reasonable prices.

Ensure the Maids are Well Trained:

The next thing you should consider is whether the maids are well trained. Even though they may have been with the company for years, it never hurts to do some research. Many agencies offer you the opportunity to speak with past clients who have hired their maid service, so make sure to take advantage of this resource. You'll also want to ask about how often they clean, what their rates are and how good they are at their job.

See if They are Ecofriendly:

Before you hire a service, for house cleaning San Jose, consider whether or not they are eco-friendly. If the cleaning company emphasizes on green cleaning, then you can rest assured that your cleaners will be using non-toxic and environmentally safe products. These cleaners work just as well as their traditional counterparts but are better for our environment and provide a safer home for you and your loved ones.

Are They Equipped With Cleaning Supplies?

Maid service companies should be equipped with the supplies they need to get the job done. It's frustrating to hire someone and then not have them show up with their own supplies or the right equipment to do the work. Even if you're paying for everything, it feels like it's unfair when they don't have what they need on hand.

Are They Licensed and Insured?

One of the most important things to consider when hiring a company for regular house cleaning or move out cleaning San Jose is whether or not they are licensed and insured. Having the proper licenses will ensure that your home is treated with care, and that you can get any necessary compensation if damage to your property occurs. A company should be able to show you their certificates and insurance coverage before you hire them for any job.

Poorly trained and unprofessional maids can do more harm than good. But if you take the proper steps to ensure that you’re working with reputable maid service provider, then you shouldn’t have to worry about dealing with any issues down the road.

[ppllumbersblog]

When You Should Call a Plumber

Ever thought of playing plumber in your own home to save some bucks? Hold up! You might just unleash a tidal wave of chaos. Trust us, calling a pro to handle your home's intricate plumbing maze is the smarter (and drier) choice.

Hey, did you know your home's plumbing is like a big puzzle where all the pieces are connected? So, if you try to play handyman with one part, you might end up creating chaos in another. Plus, imagine the horror of water damage if things go south! Though saving cash seems cool, letting a pro plumber take the reins is usually the smartest move—unless it's a teeny-tiny fix, of course.

Did you know that your water heater isn't just about those warm and cozy showers? It's a hygiene superhero and a cleaning genius! But what if you're faced with icy water gushing from your taps? Worry not, here's what to do.

Got an electric water heater? Peek at your breaker panel. Rockin' a gas one? Make sure the pilot light's got your back. If these little checks didn't save the day, it's time to call in the professionals. Get a licensed plumber, and they'll swoop in, diagnose the whole thing, and either fix it up or set you up with a brand new water heater. 

Hey, guess what? If your pipes are chatting with you through rattling or knocking noises, you might be dealing with a sneaky issue called water hammer! It's like the Hulk of the plumbing world, where water suddenly and brutally changes direction in the pipes. No worries though, just call a pro to handle this not-so-friendly pipe monster and save your plumbing from long-term damage.

Ever experienced a random plunge in your water pressure that just won't bounce back? Watch out - it might be hinting at some serious plumbing drama! You could be dealing with leaks, blockages, or even busted pipes. No clue what's causing the dip? Better call a plumber to do some sleuthing! It could happen that a water heater runs out of hot water quickly. What to do in this case and to get know more information about this problem you can in blog 5 Star Plumbing. It is a company that provides full services of professional plumbers in Sacramento and San Jose. 

Thinking of jazzing up your bathroom or kitchen? Renovations in these spaces often require tampering with the plumbing. So, why not play it safe and let a pro handle it all? Even just changing your faucets can be a breeze with a plumber. And for more complex stuff like rearranging fixtures, a licensed plumber is an absolute must! Trust me, you won't regret it.

Did you know that hidden burst or broken pipes can wreak havoc in your home? And tracking down that sneaky damage isn't easy either! But don't sweat it, a licensed plumber can save the day by fixing that nasty leak and making sure it stays fixed. Oh, and if you're chilling in a cold area, watch out for frozen pipes. Even if they don't burst (yet!), better let a skilled plumber work their magic to thaw 'em out and check for any ice damage. Plus, they'll even give you some cool tips to avoid frozen pipes down the line. Stay leak-free, my friend!

Hey, here's the deal with plumbers: sometimes, you can handle minor plumbing hiccups on your own, like busting out the trusty ol' plunger for a clogged toilet. But let's be real - when it comes to serious leaks and mega clogs, it's best to leave it to the pros. Just trust your gut - if you feel like you're in way too deep, call a plumber, and save yourself from turning a small problem into a big, costly mess.

[beckyandrick]

See you later, Boston! ❤️

It’s been just over a week since we packed up our home and took a one way flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. The last 10 days or so before the move was a whirlwind. I think it was only as I sat down on the plane that I started to process it all.

This move has been the definition of bittersweet. We absolutely LOVED our life in Boston. We made lifelong friends as a family, Kai had a great school community, we loved living in Southie, the northeast is the perfect combination of seasons for outdoor sports all year long, I am having so much fun in my job, Rick fell in love with mountain biking in the area and it has been so great to be a short flight from the grandparents. To say it’s been hard to leave is an understatement.

The week before we left was a series of ‘see you later’ events. Not goodbye…because if there’s anything I’ve learned from moving countries 3 times in the last decade it’s that the world can be a really small place if you make it that way.

Thanks to our sweet friend Julia for organizing, Kai got one last Southie beach day with her buddies and we all got to give and get plenty of hugs.

Seeing her give Ben a big hug was hard. He was probably her first good buddy in Boston and they’ve spent countless hours swimming, fishing, biking and even doing little triathlons together. But all the more reason to get together again soon!

Then I had to say ‘see you later’ to my Thursday running crew. These girls have been my sanity…especially during the pandemic lockdown when the only thing we could really do was run and chat. We’ve celebrated birthdays, milestones, achievements and each other on those early morning runs. I’m so grateful for this crew and for the effort to get together for a nice dinner out before we left (thank you Juli for organizing and coming home from Canada!!). These girls clean up well! ;) I may have ugly cried all the way home after our last run together. ❤️

The ‘see you later’ we all dreaded was Kai’s best friend Eliza. They are both only children and really created a bond the last few years. Eliza’s mom described the move well…their first broken heart. 😢 The girls soaked up lots of play dates and sleepovers the last few weeks and have already been texting and calling each other from afar. I’m hopeful that technology will keep this girls close until we can get together again. ❤️

We got super lucky during our time in Southie with a bit of Ohio. First, we hit the jackpot with our townhouse neighbors. Kara, Bill, ‘baby Thayer’ who grew up before our eyes and became big brother to ‘baby Shep’ are also from Ohio. So we bonded over the Buckeyes and small town Ohio. We had pizza dinners across our respective rooftops at the height of the pandemic and enjoyed watching the kids play and grow together the last several years. Kai would always excitedly run downstairs anytime she heard the boys playing out back. We didn’t anticipate just how hard it would be to leave the family we’ve almost lived with over the past 4 years. Thanks for being amazing neighbors and friends!

And finally, our other piece of home we have had is my cousin Megan. Megan moved to Southie last summer to start her career after graduating from Ohio State. After having ‘Meggy Megan’ babysit once, Kai would never accept any other sitter. So we planned our date nights around Megan’s availability and everybody won! It’s been sooo nice to have family in the neighborhood! Take care of Southie for us, Meg!

And just like that, the house was packed and it became real.

Ashe left with pet transport the day before we did. While we always know they take such great care of our dogs…it’s a hard moment. If only we could tell him what’s happening and we’ll see him soon. 🥹

We had been so busy checking items off the list just to get it all done that it all seemed to happen in a blink of an eye and next thing we knew we were at the airport…with 7 bags, one bike, multiple carryons and heavy hearts.

My good friend Julia drove us to the airport (thank you, thank you!) so after some quick tears and hugs, we were off.

As the saying goes…how lucky I am to have something so hard to say goodbye to. It’s so true.

While we are thrilled about the next chapter in Costa Rica, our Boston chapter was pretty amazing, thanks to the people who became our family. We love you all and miss you already. Come to Costa Rica!!

[diggz2024]

How to Find a Roommate in San Jose if You're New to the City?

Finding a roommate in a new city like San Jose can be both exciting and challenging. Moving to a new place often means navigating unfamiliar territory, both literally and socially. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you roommate finder in San Jose. using Diggz, a unique and efficient roommate finder platform.

Utilize Diggz’s Online Platform

Diggz is a cutting-edge roommate finder platform designed to connect like-minded roommates who share similar lifestyles and criteria. Whether you are looking for a room to rent, offering a vacant spare room, or looking to partner up to find a place and sign a lease, Diggz has got you covered. The platform’s proprietary algorithm suggests and ranks personalized roommate prospect results, helping you find the right roommate much faster.

Leverage Diggz’s Match and Messaging Features

Interactions on Diggz work similarly to popular dating apps, where you can “Like” to “match” with potential roommates. This feature streamlines the process of finding compatible roommates. Additionally, Diggz offers Instant Messages, allowing you to skip the matching part and directly message your favorite prospects. This feature can be particularly useful for quickly establishing connections and moving forward with your search.

Check Out Co-Living Spaces

Co-living spaces are becoming increasingly popular in urban areas, including San Jose. Companies like WeLive, Common, and Bungalow offer fully furnished apartments with shared common areas. These spaces are designed to foster a community atmosphere, making it easier to meet people. Using Diggz can complement your search by providing additional potential roommates who are interested in co-living arrangements.

Use Real Estate Agents and Services

If you prefer a more hands-on approach, consider hiring a real estate agent who specializes in rental properties. Agents can help you find roommate-matching services or properties that fit your criteria. Some rental agencies in San Jose also offer roommate-matching services, where they pair you with other tenants based on compatibility. Diggz can serve as an excellent supplementary tool, enhancing your search with its algorithm-driven recommendations.

Ask for Recommendations from Friends and Family

If you have friends or family in the Bay Area, let them know you are looking for a roommate. They might know someone who is also looking for a place or can introduce you to their network. Personal recommendations can be very reliable since your friends and family will likely have your best interests in mind. This approach can complement the use of Diggz by providing trusted referrals.

Be Clear About Your Preferences and Expectations

When using Diggz, be explicit about your living habits, preferences, and expectations in your profile. Mention important details like your work schedule, social habits, cleanliness standards, and any deal-breakers. Clear communication from the start can prevent potential conflicts and ensure that you find a compatible roommate. Diggz’s platform is designed to highlight these aspects, making it easier for you to connect with like-minded individuals.

Conduct Thorough Interviews

Once you have a list of potential roommates on Diggz, set up interviews to get to know them better. Prepare a list of questions that cover topics like their daily routine, how they handle shared expenses, their approach to cleaning, and how they like to spend their free time. It’s also a good idea to meet in a public place first before inviting them to your home. Diggz’s messaging features facilitate these initial conversations, making it easier to arrange meetings.

Verify References and Background

Don’t hesitate to ask for references from previous landlords or roommates. A little due diligence can go a long way in ensuring your safety and comfort. If possible, conduct a background check to verify their rental history and check for any red flags. Diggz focuses heavily on safety and security, using A.I. and human oversight to prevent bad actors from joining the platform.

Visit the Apartment Together

Before making a final decision, visit the apartment with your potential roommate. This will give you both a chance to discuss how you would share the space and address any concerns on the spot. It also helps to see how they interact with the current living environment.

Sign a Roommate Agreement

Once you’ve found the right person through Diggz, draft a roommate agreement. This document should outline the terms of living together, including rent payment schedules, division of utilities, house rules, and the process for resolving conflicts. A written agreement helps ensure that both parties are on the same page and provides a reference in case disputes arise.

Conclusion

Finding a roommate in San Jose when you’re new to the city can be a manageable process if you leverage the right resources and take a systematic approach. Diggz offers a unique and efficient way to connect with potential roommates who share similar lifestyles and preferences. From its personalized matching algorithm to its safety-focused features, Diggz can significantly streamline and enhance your search. Clear communication, thorough vetting, and a solid agreement are key to establishing a harmonious living situation. With these steps and the help of Diggz, you’ll be well on your way to finding a compatible roommate and settling into your new home in San Jose.

[yourmikecounsilplumbing]

Spring Plumbing Maintenance

Spring is upon us, and it’s time to think about all those homeowner chores that add up to spring maintenance. When you look at your list, you’ve probably got spring cleaning, lawn maintenance, and maybe even auto maintenance, but have you included spring plumbing maintenance? You should, and we can show you how, in a few simple steps. - Check for leaks. Inspect your faucets, toilets, and pipes for leaks. Sometimes toilet leaks are inconspicuous, but you can check for leaks in the tank and bowl by putting several drops of food coloring in the tank. If the color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak. You can also look for hidden leaks by checking the water meter and watching to see if it moves when no water is turned on in the house. By fixing any leaks you find, you’ll save money on your water bill and avoid costly repairs. - Tend to your drains. Make sure that all your drains have strainers to keep scraps and hair from clogging your pipes. If there are any drains in your house that aren’t used frequently, rinse them by pouring in a gallon of water. This can help ensure that odors won’t enter your home and the drains won’t be problematic. If you have a floor drain, make sure it’s not running slow. If it is, snake it. - Flush your water heater. Once a year, empty the water heater and flush out any sediment. If your water heater is over ten years old or requires frequent repair, consider replacing it with a more energy efficient model. To keep your energy bills low, keep the water heater set no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. - Check your appliances. As part of your spring plumbing maintenance, inspect the water supply hoses of your dishwasher, ice maker, and washing machine to make sure they’re not bulging or leaking. If they have visible signs of damage or are over three years old, consider replacing them. Check the lint trap on your washing machine to keep debris from getting into your plumbing. - Clean your fixtures. Especially if you have hard water, you’re likely to have mineral buildup on your shower heads and faucets. This can be prevented by installing a water softener, but in the meantime, you can clean your shower head by soaking it in vinegar overnight. - Inspect your outdoor plumbing. Your spring plumbing maintenance shouldn’t be limited to the interior of your house. Clean out your gutters and downspouts and make sure your exterior faucets are working properly, with no leaks or damage from the winter. No matter the season, you can count on Mike Counsil Plumbing and Rooter to provide stellar plumbing service with a smile. Since 1994, we’ve served San Jose, California, and the South Bay Area, building a reputation on excellent service and a 100 percent satisfaction rate. Our family-owned and -operated company is committed to exceeding our clients’ expectations, and our staff is kept up to date on all the latest advances in the industry. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we’re available to take care of plumbing issues that can’t wait. Call 408.705.4820 or contact us through our website to learn more. Read the full article

[originalsandwichpaper]

Oakland Automatic Gate Repair: DIY Maintenance Tips for Homeowners

Introduction

Oakland automatic gate repair is an essential aspect of maintaining the security and functionality of your property. As a homeowner, it is crucial to understand how to properly maintain your automatic gate to ensure its long-term https://storage.googleapis.com/optimizeseo/bayarealionsgate/uncategorized/hayward-automatic-gate-repair-finding-the-right-parts.html durability and efficiency. By implementing some simple do-it-yourself (DIY) maintenance tips, you can save time and money on professional repairs while ensuring your gate operates smoothly.

In this article, we will provide you with comprehensive DIY maintenance tips for homeowners in the Oakland area. We will cover everything from basic troubleshooting to advanced maintenance techniques, enabling you to keep your automatic gate in optimal condition. Whether you reside in Palo Alto, San Mateo, Fremont, San Jose, San Francisco, Pleasanton, Gilroy, Santa Cruz, or Hayward, these tips are applicable to all homeowners seeking to maintain their automatic gates.

Oakland Automatic Gate Repair: DIY Maintenance Tips for Homeowners Why Regular Maintenance is Important

Regular maintenance plays a vital role in extending the lifespan of your automatic gate. By proactively addressing any issues and preventing further damage or malfunctions, you can avoid costly repairs down the line. Additionally, well-maintained gates offer enhanced security for your property and give a polished appearance to your entrance.

Inspecting Your Gate Regularly

To ensure that your gate remains in optimal condition, perform regular inspections for signs of wear and tear. Look out for any loose bolts or screws, damaged wiring, or misaligned tracks. Identifying these issues early on allows you to address them promptly before they escalate into major problems.

Lubricating Moving Parts

One essential aspect of DIY maintenance is lubricating the moving parts of your automatic gate. Over time, these components may become stiff or rusty due to exposure to various weather conditions. Applying a high-quality lubricant such as silicone spray or white lithium grease can significantly improve their performance and prevent unnecessary friction.

Checking the Safety Features

Automatic gates are equipped with safety features to prevent accidents or injuries. It is crucial to regularly test these features, including the photocells and safety edges, to ensure they are functioning correctly. Test the gate's response when an object obstructs its path and verify that it immediately stops and reverses. If any safety features are not working as intended, contact a professional for repairs.

Cleaning and Washing

Regular cleaning and washing of your automatic gate are vital for maintaining its appearance and preventing the buildup of dirt, grime, or debris. Use a mild detergent or soap and water solution to clean the gate's surface thoroughly. Avoid using abrasive materials that may scratch or damage the gate's finish.

Adjusting Gate Opener Settings

If you notice any issues with the opening or closing speed of your automatic gate, you may need to adjust the opener settings. Most modern gate openers allow you to customize parameters such as speed, force, and travel limits. Refer to your gate opener's user manual for instructions on how to make these adjustments safely.

Testing Battery Backup Systems

Automatic gates often come equipped with battery backup systems to ensure functionality during power outages. Regularly test thes

[hazmatcleanupca]

Purpose of Hoarder Clean Up in Berkley and San Jose, CA

Accumulating small items without any reason amounts to hoarding! The concerned person does not want to let go of the articles easily. Something as innocuous as wrapping paper, a piece of string, and even cardboard boxes are stored indiscriminately. Such behaviors cannot be characterized as normal by any stretch of imagination. On the contrary, the concerned person may be diagnosed with deep-rooted psychological problems that require treatment. The family members, neighbors, and even the authorities may request professional services for hoarder clean-up in Berkley and San Jose, CA. Such an action is appreciable as it can clean the area and make enough space to be appropriately utilized. The individual who hoards things may be examined by medical professionals as well.

While the hoarded items may not seem much, with many individuals coming forward to clear them, this is a strict no-no for various reasons. Using the services of a professional company noted for excellence in clean-up procedures can help one to gain the following eventually:

· Removal of Allergens- Dirty and unclean environments attract multiple microbes that spread infections. The hoarded items are sure to contain several allergens that result in the spread of allergies. Sure, sorting and organizing the assorted items neatly may reduce this threat. A hoarder usually refuses to let anyone else touch the possessions. The allergic reactions are sure to result in health conditions that are more serious and may even be a threat to life. Using a skilled team to clean out the area will have the allergens out too.

· Meticulous Cleaning - Huge piles of hoarded materials require a lot of effort to clean properly. No worries! The professional team will arrive well-prepared to carry out the task. The accumulated dust, dirt, and debris will be removed carefully with the aid of proper equipment and cleaning products. The risks of ill health thus get minimized, and no health conditions become evident in the occupants of the home.

· Reduced Risk of Injuries - Having multiple piles of hoarded items inside a room increases the risk of physical injury. Trying to move any one item may cause the entire pile to crash. The heavy items may collide with the individuals, resulting in severe injuries, too. The professional crew, on the other hand, will be equipped with the right skills. They will be knowledgeable about the best practices for cleaning unwanted items from the room without hurting others.

· Lower Stress Levels- The sight of ungainly piles of junk is sure to set tempers soaring. The family members will likely become quarrelsome when they fail to make the hoarder see reason. Trying to dig through the accumulated stuff only results in grief! Finding the important objects becomes challenging, too. All of this and more psychological pressure results in increased stress levels. A hoarding clean-up can help decrease stress and ensure the well-being of all concerned.

There are numerous reasons to contact a reputed company for hoarder clean up in Berkley and San Jose, CA. This action will help one to get life back on track!