#septic system problems

[shortyssanitaryservice]

Don't let a septic system overflow cause havoc in your household. Stay informed and take preventive measures to keep your septic system running smoothly. Check out our latest blog on septic system repair and maintenance services in Oakland for some useful tips.

[the-queen-of-bithynia]

Common Septic System Problems and How to Fix Them

Septic systems are one of the most important but often neglected pieces of infrastructure in a community. They are used to dispose of wastewater from homes and businesses, and when they don’t work properly, they can cause many problems. In this post, we will look at some common septic system problems, as well as how to fix them.

Fixing Septic System Problems

Having your septic system checked regularly is essential to ensure it functions correctly. Here are some common problems that can occur:

Clogged or Slow-Draining Pipes

A septic system is a vital component of any home not connected to a city sewer system. Septic systems treat and dispose wastewater from toilets, showers, sinks, and washing machines. Although septic systems are built to last, they can sometimes experience problems. One common issue is clogged or slow-draining pipes.

This can be caused by an accumulation of grease, hair, soap scum, and other debris. If your pipes are starting to drain slowly, you can take a few steps to resolve the problem. First, use a plunger or a plumber’s snake to clear the blockage. If that doesn’t work, you may need to have your septic tank pumped.

Backup of Sewage

A blocked or jammed septic tank can cause sewage to back into your home through toilets, sinks, and drains. If you have a blockage, you'll need to hire a professional to clear it. Sometimes, tree roots can grow into the pipes and block them.

You may be able to clear roots yourself with a drain auger or plumber's snake, but if the roots are too thick, you'll need professional help. In addition, the septic tank may be full and need to be pumped out. You must act quickly to prevent further damage if you have a sewage backup.

Overflowing Leach Field

One of the most common septic system problems is an overflowing leach field. When this happens, it's usually because the leach field is clogged or overloaded. There are a few things you can do to fix the problem. The first thing you need to do is pump the septic tank. You'll get some waste and water out of the leach field, relieving pressure by doing this.

Next, you'll need to check the leak field for any blockages. If you find any, you'll need to clear them out so that water can flow freely through the field. In the end, you might need to add more bacteria. Keeps the leach field working correctly by breaking down waste?

Strong Odors

Septic system problems often involve strong odors coming from your system. If you notice a foul smell near your septic tank or drains, it could indicate your system is not functioning correctly. There are a few possible causes of this problem, such as a blockage in the pipes or a build-up of sewage in the tank.

To fix this problem, you will need to contact a septic professional to inspect your system and determine the cause of the odor. Once the cause has been determined, they can recommend the best course of action to fix the problem.

Conclusion

Septic system problems can be costly and inconvenient to fix, but with a bit of knowledge and some preventative care, you can avoid most of these issues. By knowing what to look for and how to take care of your septic tank, you can keep your home’s plumbing running smoothly without any nasty surprises down the line. Have you had any experience with fixing septic system problems? Leave us a comment below.

[youvereachedthebadend]

((Nope, got the two mixed up. Sorry!!))

Oh sorry I meant the corrupted! I made the same mistake when I told Jack and I didn’t even notice 😅😅

"Don't worry about it, I understand!" Stacy shouts as she runs, getting a few weird looks from passerbys. She keeps going until she bursts through a tent and into the clinic. Even then, she doesn't stop as she runs through the hallway.

Fern is sitting at the nurse's desk, messing around on her laptop. She jumps when Stacy stops next to her. "What the hell?! What's the emergency?!"

"It might...be happening," Stacy pants. "Do the...the thing."

Fern's expression grows serious. She nods and pulls out a red glass globe from one of the desk drawers. And she crushes it in her hand, where the shards dissolve into red dust before it can hurt anyone. "Don't you have one? Why didn't you do it?"

"I...agh, sorry!" Stacy hits her head. "I completely forgot, I-I panicked!"

"Probably because you're tired," Fern says casually. "After all this is over, go take a nap."

[homestead-inc]

Homestead Inc | Septic System Service | Septic System Inspection in Ashfield MA

We are your dependable and trustworthy go-to for exceptional Septic System Service in Ashfield MA. Whether you want to install a new septic tank or need to repair the existing one, we have you covered. With state-of-the-art equipment and a commitment to quality, we ensure that your septic system operates smoothly and efficiently. Moreover, hiring us for comprehensive Septic System Inspection in Ashfield MA will help you discover the exact condition of your septic tank. From tanks and pipes to drainage fields, we meticulously inspect every component of your septic system. By identifying any potential issues, we help you address them before they become major problems. So, if you need our expert assistance, call us today.

[engineeredseptic]

Everything You Need To Know About An Engineered Septic System Maintenance

Getting maintenance service is extremely important to ensure an effective treatment in the long term. So better look for engineered septic system maintenance to find an expert who can provide the services at the right time.

[howtofightwrite]

I'm trying to write a scene where someone is stitched up when there isn't a hospital around. They got a stomach cut and I'm wondering if you have to lay down for it or if you can do it sitting up?

The short answer is, having them lay down is probably for the best. When you sit up, the tissue around your abdomen tends to fold a bit, and that can make finding, and sewing up, wounds much harder.

However, having said that, gut wounds are notoriously messy, and sewing one up in a non-sterile environment is pretty risky. Granted having a gut wound in a non-sterile environment is a pretty risky situation.

Among the many things that can go wrong, perforation of the intestines can lead to septic shock, and death. Your intestines (and, really, a lot of your digestive system) are filled with symbiotic bacterial colonies. It is absolutely imperative that those bacterial colonies do not get out of your digestive system and into the rest of your body. You do, actually, need that bacteria to properly digest and process food, but, again, that bacteria getting into your stomach cavity is a very bad thing.

Similarly, a bacterial infection from the environment in that would likely prove fatal. Worth remembering that, bacterial infections can get started either from the wound itself, or the clothing pressed into the wound when it occurred, or it can occur from non-sterile dressings used to bandage the wound.

You didn't say it, but it almost sounds like this might be self administered. (This is one of the only realistic situations where you'd even try to suture the wound from a sitting position.) I'm going to phrase this carefully: That is theoretically possible. However, the amount of pain you would experience, combined with the amount of precision necessary for effective surgery, and you're talking about someone with a borderline superhuman pain threshold. I suppose it's possible if you had someone with fused nerve endings, they might be able to perform this task with minimal difficulty (not having a good angle on the wound would still be a problem), but that's a weird edge case, and I'm honestly not sure how that would shake out.

But, yeah, the short version would still be, they need to lay down, if at all possible, and the surgeon needs easy effective access to the wound. After that, this is an injury that can go very wrong depending on the available tools and the skills of the surgeon. Gut surgery isn't something you want an amateur doing, even in an emergency.

-Starke

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[xagave]

Absolutely, get ready for BABIES. The oldest foster we have right now is Lazarus who we got when he was 3 months old from a hoarding case. He had an extremely bad case of herpes that almost killed him and it turns out he has a really bad immune system so he's always getting sick. He's about 8 months old now and he's sort of a long term foster because he currently has FIP and treatment requires one shot every day for 80 days minimum. The meds are a bit expensive so shameless plug but if anyone wants to help us pay for the meds my wife's ko-fi is here

Here he is the day we brought Lazarus home ^

And here he is now! His FIP treatment is going very well so far ^ Our second oldest are Penny and Kazoo. We got Penny when she was 5 weeks old from a guy whose dog brought her home in his mouth (she was fine the dog was gentle.) We got Kazoo when he was 10 days old from some dudes in the next town over who didn't have time to bottlefeed a newborn. Kazoo is 2 weeks older than Penny and they became best friends!!

10 day old Kazoo and 5 week old Penny ^

Kazoo and Penny now ^

Kazoo and Penny at an adoption event ^ We're having a hard time finding them a home because we refuse to split up bonded pairs

Penny playing in the tub lol ^ Next are a batch of kittens we got from an irresponsible breeder who was fine with letting kittens get sick and starve to death. We originally only got 2 of them when they were 3 days old (breeder let mom cat get sick and die because she didn't want to pay for vet care and tried to pawn the babies off on the other nursing moms and it didn't work out) and they were born premature so they had a lot of health problems. They had rhinovirus and coccidia and the little brown kitten had an umbilical hernia that then became septic and THEN she started getting big pockets of infection in random places like under her chin and in her toes? But we managed to get them healthy and fat and thriving. My wife was able to convince the breeder to give us the remaining kittens 3 days ago and they're half the size of our first two because they've been sick and slowly starving this entire time (they're now 5 weeks old). They're still really sick and have Poop Liquid Until You Die disease so it's not fun on our end but we're working hard on getting them fat and healthy. They don't really have official names but we've been calling them Zoosmell Pooplord, Insufferable Prick, Flighty Broad, Farmstink Butlass, and Huss lol

The first two nuggets ^

They were sooooooo small ^

Finally fat and healthy at 3 weeks old! ^

The full litter now at 5 and a half weeks old ^

Comparison pic ^. Right kitten is the nugget we've had since he was 3 days old and left kitten is his brother who the breeder just now let us take. It's hard to tell with the fluff but he's borderline skeletal :( Next is a 3 month old kitten that a foster brought to an adoption event who was very clearly sick. Skinny and lethargic with a bad coccidia infection so we took him home that day 1.5 weeks ago and also sent the foster person home with some medicine to fix the coccidia in their other kittens. We've been calling him Christmas Tree Boy cause he's always got a poofy tail or Poop Boy because he hates sharing litter boxes and keeps pooping in random corners 😒 Didn't take long to get him healthy so this weekend he's getting yeeted into another adoption event and whoever adopts him needs to give special attention to his Litter Box Needs

^ He's very cute and loves playing with our other fosters but for the love of god we are TIRED of his Poop Surprises Someone who adopted a bonded trio from us a few months ago is returning them to us tomorrow because their fiance is allergic, so as of tomorrow we will have 12 fosters in our house. Sounds like a lot but we've had 30+ foster kittens crammed in here at the same time so it's a breath of fresh air in comparison💀

Edit: Not a foster kitten but honorable mention to my new betta who I named Gemini because You Know Why

He has a 5 gallon tank all to himself but I don't have a pic of him in it cause he's shy and he hides lol but it's the one behind the cup. Aiming to give him live plants soon

[petertingle-yipyip]

WORLD CLASS SINNER - FRANK CASTLE

six - so what now?

tags: n/a // five // seven // masterlist

Pairing: Billy x Reader , Frank x Reader

Word Count: 7,682

Summary: Limits are pushed and more secrets pile up as she continues to pretend on both sides. When they creep closer to one another, can she maintain all of her lies and save face or will she be forced to pick what relationship matters most?

You and Lieberman got Frank onto a table in the small kitchen area before you shooed him away. You stressed that if he didn’t come back with Curtis, then he didn’t need to come back at all. You dug through your own bag seven times to try and find something to help, anything that might give you an idea to fix it, but you had nothing. Instead, all you could do was track the vitals you could feel with the small batch of equipment Lieberman had pulled, which luckily included a forehead thermometer and a stethoscope.

“Do I even wanna know what you’re doing here?” Curtis asked when he got there. Suddenly, you were hyperaware of the blood splatters still on your skin from earlier but at least you had changed out of the suit.

“BP hovering around 90/60 and temperature’s 104 and climbing.” You explained instead. “He’s been on fluids and antibiotics the entire ride back but it’s not helping.”

“Does he need blood? I’m a universal donor.” Lieberman offered and you rolled your eyes.

“So am I but I don’t think the blood’s the problem. I tried to pack his wounds in the field so he wouldn’t have that as a problem.”

“No, it’s not the blood.” Curtis confirmed, opening Frank’s lids to check his pupils. “I think he’s septic. That arrow’s a foreign body and his system’s trynna fight it off. Antibiotics are fighting a losing battle.”

“Okay, so we take it out.” You agreed.

“So you’re gonna just pull it out?” Lieberman asked.

“Pulling it out’s gonna do more damage than when it went in. All this swelling and inflammation means the arrow’s crowded now. You try to pull it out, you don’t know what you’re gonna tear up in the process.” Curtis countered. “You alright?”

“Yeah. Mhmm, yeah.” Lieberman nodded.

“He doesn’t do this often.” You explained and moved to stand at the head of the table.

“Well, you’re gonna have to help me hold him still so Y/N can get it out.” Curtis explained and you rubbed your sleeves against your forehead to try and push them up.

“Right now?” Lieberman’s eyes went wide.

“Yes, now.”

The men shifted Frank to his side and you looked between the front and back, realizing the arrow didn’t fully penetrate. You made a face to yourself and gently pushed the arrow from the front, only to find tension and resistance. You came back to the other side and pressed your fingers firmly until you felt the protrusion of the arrowhead. You looked at your waist habitually for a knife but you were in your regular pants. Instead, Curtis passed you the scalpel.

Using one hand as a guide, you began to slice through Frank’s back. As the cut got bigger, the smell of blood began to permeate the small area and Lieberman looked like he would pass out.

“I swear to God if you don’t get it together.” You muttered without looking away from the task at hand.

“No, I’m good.” He sniffled from the other side of the table. “I’m good. I got this.”

“Do not lose your shit.” Curtis said firmly from your side. “Say it.”

“I won’t lose my shit.” Lieberman repeated and you laughed to yourself.

“Can you-” You began but Curtis was already reaching a hand to help move some of the muscle out of the way. He handed you a set of forceps.

“Put some pressure on the arrow.” You told Lieberman, watching for the movement on your end. “I see it.”

“Good.” Curtis said, peering over your shoulder. “Can you get it?”

You made a small noise as you tried to position the forceps. “It keeps slipping.” You grumbled and shifted your angle, trying to hook the forceps between the points of the arrowhead. “Wait, I think I- Yeah, I got it. It’s coming.”

You pulled gently and the arrow slid out the open wound. You dropped it on the plate behind you and dropped the forceps with it. You grabbed a small handful of gauze and wiped the excess stream of blood away. You looked over and repositioned Lieberman’s hands to put pressure from the front. Curtis moved you away so he could pour alcohol over the open wound before he stapled the wound shut. Lieberman backed away and made small exclamations of stress while Curtis cauterized the entry wound.

“What about you?” Curtis looked to you while Lieberman took the bottle. “You good?”

“Uh, yeah.” You nodded. “I saw most of them coming so I’m good.”

“Most of them.” He repeated with a small nod. “I’m guessing the blood across your chest was the one you didn’t.”

You hummed a small noise of question before you glanced down and realized you bled through your shirt. You closed your eyes and sighed slightly. When you opened them, you saw Curtis giving you an expectant look. He gestured for you to remove your shirt and you shook your head, to which he lifted a pair of scissors. You flipped him off quickly before carefully pulling your shirt over your head.

“Jesus, Y/N.” He sighed and changed his gloves before he came closer to examine your wound.

“Don’t tell him you got me to take my shirt off that easily.” You tried to joke, pulling a face when he pressed on the tender area.

“I don’t think Frank’s gonna care that much.” He answered with a small laugh.

“I didn’t mean him. I meant our other mutual friend that I haven’t told Frank I know…”

“You haven’t…” He looked at you with wide eyes and you shrugged innocently. “What do you think is gonna happen when he finds out?”

“Honestly?” You blew out an exaggerated sigh. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’m just going day to day at this point.”

“Y/N.” He groaned before placing a gauze square over the missing chunk in your shoulder. “It sounds like you’re trying to be someone different with every person you meet.”

“That’s what I was taught to do.” You shrugged your other shoulder while he taped the gauze into place. “Don’t worry about this. It’ll heal quicker than you think.”

“Do I wanna know how?” He sighed while you replaced your shirt.

“I don’t think you should.” You said honestly. “Every time someone finds out, they end up like him-” You nodded to Frank. “-or worse.”

“You say that like I wouldn’t get it.” He said simply as he turned to dress Frank’s wound.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Go ahead and look in the bag.” You gestured to your duffel while you moved to the sink to gather a wet towel to clean up some of the blood. “Seems to be the one thing people recognize.”

Curtis was quiet but you heard the shuffle of the material. You kept your eyes on your task, gently wiping away the excess blood, when you heard the heavy sigh.

“Y’know that explains a lot.” He said and you dared to look up at him. “Not everything, but a lot.”

“Explains how I keep up with him, why I can’t tell anyone how I can, and why I don’t talk about a good chunk of my life. Everyone looks at me differently afterward, like I’m suddenly not a person anymore. All they see is the blood.”

“I don’t.”

You offered a small, thankful smile. Leave it to Curtis to actually get through to you. He offered a small pat to your shoulder before turning towards Lieberman.

“Why’d you have to go after him?” Curtis asked plainly. It was a fair question, given the only real explanation you had was that the same people who came after Frank came after him - allegedly - for distributing the video of Ahmed Zubair.

Really, when you sat back and thought about it, Lieberman brought his so-called death on himself. You and Frank owed him nothing. You two had no reason to help him get back to his family. But if Lieberman was right and Agent Orange tried to orchestrate both of their murders, then Agent Orange killed Frank’s family. And that was the answer you were willing to chase down. Not for Lieberman, you hardly knew or cared for the man. Not for Sarah and her kids, mourning their dad who was mere miles away. But for Lisa Castle, Maria Castle, and Frank Castle Jr. For the family stripped away from one of your closest friends due to no fault of their own. For the innocent kids gunned down in Central Park. Kids you didn’t even know…

You didn’t know Frank’s family…

Why did their closure matter to you?

Then a new possibility hit you.

Closure.

You couldn’t get closure for Matt’s death so you wanted to help Frank get closure for his family. After everything, maybe you owed him that much.

The tension in the room had grown exponentially by the time you focused back on the conversation. The men seemingly had nothing left to say to each so Curtis offered you a small smile and nod before he left.

“You um.. You need anything?” Lieberman asked awkwardly, now just you and him in the small kitchen.

“Help me move him?” You asked simply. “I was planning on staying with him, at least for a little while.”

“Sure, yeah.” He nodded before managing to help you get Frank to the cot in the next room.

Lieberman brought you a chair first, then a sleeping bag and pillow. He apologized for the lack of comfort but you shrugged it off. For a while after he left, you sat in the chair holding Frank’s hand. The sound of the IV drip was all the noise in the room and it dripped steadily, like a metronome for your thoughts.

“Lieberman?” You called out after some silence. There was no verbal answer, just the sound of the desk chair’s wheels skirting across the floor. “We promised Gunner that we’d bury him… Think you can help us out?”

“Yeah, I’ll take care of it.” He answered.

“Thanks, ‘ppreciate it.”

He went back to his typing and you leaned your forehead against your forearm, your free hand thumbing across your screen to flip through your phone. Your mind was finally slowing and you felt everything from the past few hours settling in. You seemed to finally realize Gunner had died in those woods. Whoever went after him had to have gone because you and Frank were going, but that conversation never left that hideout. You thought about that team a bit more.

You had assumed it was an Anvil team since Billy offered you the lead, but given their performance, that didn’t make sense. Billy may not have a completely elite roster at his company but they would’ve been smarter than those men were. But Billy knew, which could’ve meant that whoever sent that team told him. Either because of his relation to Gunner, having served together as well, or due to his relation to you. The first seemed more likely, given the assumption that whoever the alleged friend was was going to be Agent Orange, and that man would’ve known nothing about you or Exodus.

You were yanked from your thoughts when Frank shot up on the cot suddenly. You jolted upright and tried to calm him, but the words seemed to go in one ear and out the other. His eyes were wide but not seeing, muttering about him still being out there and that he had to go back.

“You’re alright, Frankie, okay? It’s just me.” You put your hands on either side of his face and turned him to look at you, the contact sending a shock to your palms. You shuddered at the sensation but gave no other indication of anything and after a few seconds, Frank’s eyes focused and he realized where he was.

“We’ve gotta go back.” He said quietly and you sighed softly.

“It’s okay.” Lieberman said from the small doorway and you leaned back in your seat when the tension in Frank began to melt away. “She took care of it.” He nodded towards you.

Your head turned quickly and you shot him a quizzical expression. Lieberman gave you a quick nod and waved his hand, signaling for you to not say anything. Your brows furrowed and you slowly turned back, though your eyes lingered on him for a bit longer. When you finally looked back to Frank, his expression was soft with appreciation. You offered a gentle smile and he laid back down, adjusting on the stiff material before closing his eyes again.

You gave it a few minutes before you got up and went out to where Lieberman was still typing and his eyes darted across the monitors.

“Why’d you lie to him?” You asked simply, though you made sure to keep your voice low.

“Didn’t.” He answered plainly. “You handled it.”

“No, I told you to handle it.”

“What difference does it make? He knows you. He trusts you. I tell him you took care of it, he’s gonna trust it more than if I said I did… Besides, if it was that big a deal, why didn’t you tell him?”

You sighed slightly and turned away, knowing he was partially right. You could’ve told Frank the truth, too. But with the state he was in, maybe it was easier to let the little white lie go. You were going to head back to the room when you saw the light reflecting off the blue lenses of the mask in your bag.

“Hey.” You began and looked over your shoulder. “The body cams they were wearing. Is there any way you could find out where they were streaming to?”

“If I had one of them, sure.” He shrugged. “Why? You have a lead?”

“Maybe. What if I had something that could mimic the signal?”

“Mimic? I don’t know, I’ve never tried that.”

You hurried to grab your mask and held it to your eyes, tapping the side to try and find the signal it captured earlier. Your mask had been able to get a vague direction, but it was too far for even your technology to do anything. You gestured between Lieberman’s computer and your mask and he allowed for it to be detected by bluetooth devices. You found the connection and transferred the data from your mask before sliding it into your pocket.

“This is…” He breathed out as his skimmed the newly shared information. “Wow. This is a good start, yeah. I mean I probably can’t get an exact location but I can get within a few mile radius, hopefully.”

“Great.” You nodded. “Work on that but don’t tell him when he wakes up. If this is what I think, it might do more harm than good.”

“Why?”

“Need to know basis, Lieberman.” You shrugged. “I’m actually gonna head out. He’s stable and now that he’s woken up, I’m pretty sure he’ll be fine in a day or two.”

“Yeah, okay.. If he asks, when should I tell him you’ll be back?”

“I’m pretty sure there’s a leak somewhere. I’ve gotta see what I can find. Could be a couple days, could be sooner. But call me if something comes up on your end.”

He nodded quietly and you grabbed your things before you headed home. When you got into your apartment, you kicked off your shoes and pants almost immediately. You threw your bag behind the locked doors and threw on a loose shirt and sweats to sleep in. Once you hit the bed, you fell asleep almost instantly as.

—-------------------------

You drew your staff and stuck it out in front of Matt, causing Nobu’s weapon to clatter against it. He switched grips and slammed his elbow into your nose which made you stagger back. When he turned to slam the weapon into your stomach, you saw Elektra coming closer from the corner of your eye. She moved to step in front of your but you reacted quickly.

You grabbed the back of her collar and hooked a foot around her leg. You yanked her back quickly and threw her to the floor, just before the weapon pierced your abdomen.

A small whine left your mouth before you fired a sharp jolt from your Bites. As the electricity hit its mark, your knees gave out and you landed in Matt’s arms. His hands were as careful as ever to avoid the weapon still lodged in your side as he lowered you to the ground.

“You’re okay.” He said in a quiet panic. “You’re okay, I got you. I got you, you’re gonna be- Gonna be okay.”

“Matt..” You said quietly, but the simple syllable came out as a gurgled sound. “You should know…”

The night hadn’t been cold just minutes before. But as you laid on the rooftop, uneven breaths shaking your chest, you felt the cold creeping across your body. It started at the point where the weapon protruded and radiated out, soaking up every degree of warmth your body had. It was an illusion, your body’s way of telling you something was wrong. Realistically, your body wouldn’t go cold for a few hours, but in your head you were turning to ice at that moment.

“You can tell me later, okay? Stay with me.”

You reached for one of his hands and pushed your mask up. His fingers were shaky as he traced your features and you watched the tears gather in his eyes. His mouth opened and closed, trying to give shape to the words tumbling around his brain but unable to do it. He couldn’t say anything as you were dying in his arms and he recognized who you were.

“Y/N?” He said, hardly above a whisper. “Please.”

“I love you, Matty.” You managed before roughly coughing blood down your suit front.

“Don’t leave me.” He breathed and shook his head quickly. His arms pulling you closer. “You can’t. I- I need you.”

“You’re safe now.” You tried but there was no sound in your throat.

There was no air in your lungs.

There was no life in your eyes.

Rightfully so, you were dead.

————————————

The sharp bangs on your door woke you quickly. You pushed yourself up, noting a faint red line across your sheets. Glancing at your chest, you saw the red line seeping through your shirt and you groaned when you realized you had slept the later portion of your night away face down. You tried adjusting the shirt but the material was stuck to the scab beneath so it only tugged the skin. You gently rubbed at the line on your shirt with one hand and ran the other down your face as you shuffled across your apartment to answer the repeated banging.

You opened the door without checking and turned away quickly, looking down at your shirt and gently pulling at it again. You winced slightly and headed into the bathroom, hardly registering Billy’s voice in your living room.

You turned on your tap and wet your palm before pressing the water against the cut. You watched from the mirror as you dampened the material, in turn softening the scab beneath it. You sucked in a sharp breath between gritted teeth as you were able to peel the fabric off the injury, which allowed you to rid yourself of the bloodied shirt.

You stared at the newly exposed cut in the mirror, an angry red and irritated length of exposed muscle bubbling with droplets of fresh blood mingling with crusted patches of scab. You pursed your lips in a slight pout before gingerly prodding at the surrounding redness. There was no pain in the palpating so you took that as a good sign. You shrugged slightly before heading back into your living room, only to be met by Billy staring at you expectantly.

“Sorry, I wasn’t listening.” You confessed. “Start over?”

“What the hell is that?” He asked instead, gesturing to your chest. “What’d you do this time, Y/N/N?”

“Some guy tried to get tough, I fought back, he pulled out a blade. I’m fine. What has you riled up?”

“Agent Madani.” He answered with a sigh. You gestured to the couch and he took a seat while you went back into your bedroom for a shirt.

“Little early for that, don’t you think?” You called out as you grabbed the first shirt out of the drawer, which seemed to be Matt’s. Again.

“Unless…” You popped your head out instead of thinking too much on the shirt. “You woke up with her, didn’t you?”

“Jealous?” He quirked a brow and you pulled a face before ducking behind your door again. “Anyways. You know she has a file on Frankie? And I can’t help but think she’s been using me to fill in the gaps, y’know?”

Frankie.

You paused for a moment when you realized you picked that up from Billy. And you said it out loud to Frank when he woke up in a panic. If he was lucid, he probably would’ve connected the dots. You forced yourself to shake the thought quickly and padded back into the living room to sit beside Billy on the couch.

“Yeah, I figured there was a file. She called me in to talk about how I knew him and the court case.” You explained as you folded your legs under you. “I didn’t tell her much.”

“She asked me about you, too.” He offered a small smirk. “I didn’t tell her much either.”

“Hmm. Makes me one of your better kept secrets then… What’d she say?”

“She asked about your past, where you came from and what you know how to do. I told her you could clear a battlefield on your own without breaking a sweat but the hell if I knew where you learned it.”

“I could’ve told her that.”

“Well she also said you seemed like a maneater.”

“A maneater?” Your eyes went wide. “I’ve never been called that before.”

“Really?” His brows raised teasingly.

“Not that I know of. And here I thought we really hit it off.” You pouted, which made Billy laugh. “Unless she just wanted to keep you all to herself. If that’s the case, I don’t blame her.”

“You want me for yourself too?” He kept the teasing tone and you shook your head with a small smile of your own. “Just gotta say it, y’know.”

You sighed loudly and patted his chest before you got back to your feet. He groaned slightly and dropped his head as you wandered to your kitchen.

“Hey, maybe she’s into you.” He called out and you snorted a laugh.

“Yeah, cause that’s how you talk about someone you wanna sleep with, huh?”

“Why didn’t you tell me Dinah called you in?” Billy asked and you glanced over to see him still looking at you with his head hanging over the back of the couch.

“I figured it would go away on it’s own.” You shrugged. “Most things regarding Frank Castle do. Why did you tell me what Dinah said about me?”

“Figured you deserved to know.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“I know.”

“Why’d you come to me about this whole thing anyway?”

“I…” He trailed off and shifted to face you. “You were the first person I thought of.”

You smiled slightly and suddenly the crater in your heart didn’t feel so deep.

The rest of your day was relatively normal. You felt your chest wound mending itself as the hours passed and you found yourself constantly checking your phone for a message from Frank or Lieberman. But there never was one. Billy didn’t stay long, blaming some investor meeting. You even tried checking in with Dex, but there was still deliberation on your official office given your training scores caught every SAC’s attention.

You made time to go to Curtis’ meeting, which you regretted by the end of it. The same man, O’Connor, was ranting about how weak recent veterans were.

“How real Americans are put at the back of every goddamn line!” He shouted and you made a noise of complaint. “Life’s tough, Princess. Learn your place and get over it.”

He spat the name sarcastically and it reignited an old fury within you. It was similar - but not quite the same - as when Fisk would refer to Exodus as his friend. Your hands made tight fists that were hidden since you had your arms folded. Your jaw clenched and your brows raised in a quiet challenge.

“Real Americans.” You repeated with a slow nod.

“Y/N.” Curtis tried but you ignored him.

“See, I know my place.” You continued, shifting your legs so you could lean forward. Coincidentally, the movement made O’Connor lean back. “I’m your perfect, all-american bitch. And I’m grateful -so grateful - all the time, for men like you. For men who think they have a say in anyone else’s business.”

“There you go, with that feminist bullshit.” The man scoffed. “You wanna go print pamphlets and sing the Beatles? Huh? Tough shit, Princess. Words aren’t gonna win this fight.”

“Call me princess one more time and I’ll give you a goddamn fight you won’t win.” You warned firmly, but before anything else could be said, Curtis stepped in.

You weren’t even completely sure why you were angry. Maybe it was what the man was saying, maybe it was something else. Maybe it was everything. All you knew was that you were wearing yourself dangerously thin and you would break at any minute. You were too hollow, too breakable to keep going the way you were.

“You go through all this shit just to get patched up and so it all over again.” Curtis said with a slight edge in his voice. You didn’t need to look up to know he was looking at you, only a glance but you knew it was a pointed one.

You knew he was thinking of Frank. So were you. Maybe he was even talking about you.

Either way, you just had to keep going until you became like Curtis’ goat. Until you died from just too much.

The next morning, Billy was outside your building when you were on your way out. Initially, you were going to try and get in with Dinah to talk about Kentucky and what she knew of Gunner Henderson but he caught you before you had a chance. Conversation was casual as he drove you to a more secluded portion of a shipyard. There was a certain uneasiness from him that you couldn’t quite place but it stemmed from you, from what you may or may not know about Frank. And admittedly, you liked it. It made it easier to keep him from getting too close. Ensuring he couldn’t fully trust you meant he could never be with you because there would always be that uncertainty. The sideways glance at something you said, the hesitation due to something you brushed off.

Billy came around and opened your door, his hand landing on your lower back to guide you towards the secondary car. As you drew closer, you saw none other than Dinah Madani standing in front of you. She glanced between you and Billy and there a hint of green around her, which made you smile slightly.

“Hello, Dinah.” You said kindly, leaning into Billy for show. “Nice to see you.”

“I’m glad you’re here, Y/N.” She nodded to you before looking at Billy. “Thank you for coming.”

“Great place for a romantic apology. Or mob hit, whichever.” Billy shrugged, though there was humor in his tone despite his annoyance.

Clearly, he was still bothered by Dinah’s confidentiality regarding her Kandahar and Castle investigation. You tuned out Billy’s short rant but came back into focus when you heard Dinah’s demand dressed as a request, as a favor.

“I want you to tell me about Frank Castle, both of you.” She said curtly, looking between you two. Despite the firmness of her tone, you felt her waver.

“You first.” You spoke simply, chin tilting up slightly as you stepped away from Billy. “Tell me what you know.”

“Castle’s alive.”

“Says who?”

“You didn’t know?” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Maybe you did, maybe not. I’m telling you that I know it.” “How?” “You think I’m lying?”

“No, I don’t think you are.” Billy spoke but Dinah’s eyes didn’t leave yours, alowing you to see the challenge within them.

“You didn’t know?” She asked again but Billy only answered with silence. “You strike me as a pair that would’ve protected him even if you did.”

“That’s the beauty of lawyer-client privilege.” You taunted with a small smirk. “Without a warrant, I’m no use to you.”

“You and I both know I can get one.” She returned your challenge.

“On what grounds?” You nearly laughed. “You go pulling skeletons out of closest, someone’s bound to have a probem with it.”

“Someone like you?”

You simply lifted a brow with a small head tilt, only egging her frustration on.

“Why are you telling us this now?” Billy asked from behind you and you wondered why he hadn’t tried to move you back.

“I need to bring Castle in.” Dinah continued and you had to refrain from rolling your eyes. “If you already knew where he was, I was going to ask for your help. As it is, if there’s anyone who can find him, it’s probably one of you. Can you?”

“Can I, yes. Should I, well… You tell me.”

“Why should we?” Billy asked and there was a controlled anger from within him. Not directed at you or Dinah. Not at Frank for his secret survival. But at something beyond his control, something that was coming.

“I think he knows everything about my Kandahar case.” She explained and at that, you couldn’t contain the scoff.

“You’re still on that?” You laughed mockingly and her own anger spiked for a moment, like a flash in a pan before retreating.

“How does that help him?” Billy urged.

“It doesn’t.” You said flatly, earning another glare from Dinah that made you smile. “You’re so easy.” You taunted with a condescending smile. “It’s adorable.”

“Because I think he went after it himself.” Dinah spoke through you to Billy. “And somebody left him half dead on a mountain. I think he’s hurt and he needs help. The people he’s up against… He’s gonna get himself killed, Billy.”

“What do you know about these people?” You asked, sidestepping to block her path when she tried to move around you. “Frank’s just intel for you. You’ve already admitted it. Even if we find him, you’re gonna need to offer one hell of a deal to get us to hand him over.”

“Find him and I will.”

“Should’ve gotten that on record.” You mumbled and turned to the side, allowing her clearance to go to Billy.

“I’ll shake the tree and see what falls out.” Billy agreed and motioned for you to head to the car first.

You hummed in agreement and turned, giving one more look to Dinah. She didn’t like you and you didn’t like her, which you were fine with. You didn’t need more friends. You didn’t need more people to look out for. So let the conversations be tense. Let them be filled with undertones and condescension and disdain. Let there be rage and distrust and a lack of pleasantries.

“So what now?” You asked Billy as he opened the door for you.

“Got a few options.” He said with a small shrug. “You got any ideas?”

“Boat explosion was last news I heard.” You answered, which technically was true. There was no news stories on Frank Castle since.

“I’m gonna try something and we’ll see what happens, I guess.”

“You sure we should? What if she just tried to send him to prison after she gets what she wants?”

“He’s gonna need a pretty good lawyer then, huh? I think I know a lady.”

You clicked your tongue in fake disappointment before smiling slightly. “I don’t know, I heard her retainer fee is pretty steep. And her hourly’s up there with the best of them.”

He laughed slightly and pushed down on your head so you would drop into your seat.

You went back to Liebernan’s that afternoon. Being in your apartment still felt strange from the dream you had the night before. Lieberman didn’t bring up the signal and neither did you. Instead, you cleaned and dressed Frank’s side, chatting about nothing when you heard it.

In your head first, so you thought you hallucinated it, but then Frank acknowledged it.

It was Billy’s voice, calling out to someone.

“Blackbird to Raven, come in. Raven! Blackbird, come in!”

“What the..” You trailed off, shutting down your implant and still hearing it. “Is that a recording?”

“I’ve been monitoring radio chatter.” Lieberman explained as he toyed with the dials. “Just in case I hear something about us or one of our targets. Mostly it’s just been random shit, you know, dead air.”

“You know what this is?” You looked to Frank.

“Yeah. I’m Raven.”

You out there, Frankie?

“I figured that much but why is Billy Russo calling for you?” You asked, pointing firmly to the radio to punctuate your faux ignorance.

“Who’s Billy Russo?” Lieberman asked while Frank challenged you with “How the hell do you know Russo?”

“Does he know you’re alive?” Lieberman came around you to stand in front of Frank.

“No, I don’t think so.” Frank answered.

“See, that sounds to me like he does.” He said instantly, pointing at the radio before turning to you.

“I haven’t said anything but all the interest in you as of late may be allowing speculation.” You explained. “He knows about Madani’s file on you and Kandahar so maybe she’s convinced him to try.”

“Yeah and you-“ Frank groaned as he tried to get to his feet, but decided against it. “-didn’t answer my question, Princess.”

“I don’t have to.”

“Frank, Y/-“ Lieberman began to say your name but the glare you shot his way made him backtrack. “Exodus. Do we need to worry about this?”

“I can handle Billy.” You waved him off as Frank argued “He’s my friend.”

“What kind of friend?”

“The life or death kind.”

“That’s all I get?” Lieberman scoffed. “C’mon, Frank. This is a serious development here, alright? Some guy - I never heard of him - all of a sudden he’s broadcasting your name all over the radio.”

“What did I just say to you?” Frank said firmly and you quirked a brow as the tension rose.

“Why do you think he’s calling?” You tapped Frank's shoulder to gauge his response to the situation.

“I dunno.” Frank shrugged. He longed for that familiarity, for the comfort of that close knit relationship, but he was also keeping himself from acknowledging it. Because acknowledging that desire made it real, made it dangerous. It gave power to those feelings and that was a risk no one could take.

“Okay.” You nodded slightly. “I’ll see what I can find.”

“Jesus Christ, Y/N/N… Please tell me Russo isn’t one of your boyfriends.” Frank sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

“He’s not.” You shrugged. “Neither of them are. We worked together for a little while.”

“Neither, wow.” Lieberman muttered as he walked away.

You had half a mind to start an argument with the hermit but decided it wasn’t worth it. Instead, you pulled your phone out and tried to dial Billy. You had to wander around the compound to find somewhere with decent service, but ultimately decided to take the call outside.

“Morning chat and a phone call? Sounds like someone wants me after all.” Billy joked when he answered.

“Real funny, Blackbird.” You rolled your eyes. “What are you doing, Billy?”

“You heard..”

“You’re feeding a loop on every open radio channel. Of course I heard you putting his name out there. That was your great idea?”

“Everything with Dinah, it just got me thinking, yknow… He’s out there somewhere.”

“He’s not. He can’t be. The boat explosion was massive. There’s no way he survived. I don’t know what she’s on about but-“

“They never found his body, Y/N. I just- Alright, look, you’re probably gonna be pissed at this one but what if there was even a chance your Matt was still alive? I mean, wouldn’t you wanna find him?”

“No.” You said flatly and the word was bitter in your mouth. You had to give up that thought quickly because while it was the same in the sense that his body was never recovered, you knew that not even you would’ve been able to cheat that death, let alone Matt. “Because if he was alive and he hadn’t come to see me, then he didn’t just didn’t want to.”

“You think I should cut it?”

“I think you need to be careful. If the people he’s up against are as bad as Dinah says they are, we’re all gonna be in dee shit before we know it.” You warned, though the tone you used made it sound like genuine concern. “Someone else may just hear this and think the Punisher is on his way back, which brings problems to your doorstep, in turn bringing them to my doorstep.”

“What would you say to him? If we manage to find him.”

“Billy..”

“C’mon, just humor me.”

You sighed slightly, but took a minute to formulate a response nonetheless.

“I’d ask what was worth throwing away the case.” You said honestly. If memory served, that was what you had first asked. “I’d ask if he got the bastard that took his family. I’d ask where he’s been. And I’d probably knock him on his ass for tanking my career… It’s a dangerous game you’re playing here, Bill. We don’t know every player in the game yet.”

“Yeah, I know.” He said carefully and you knew calling him Bill sparked something in his head. “Sounds like you’re worried about me.”

“I’m allowed to do that every so often.”

“I like it.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

You chuckled slightly before ending the call and making your way back inside. As far as you could tell, Billy was running solely on Dinah’s information. But in the back of your mind, you couldn’t help but wonder if Orange had gotten to him , given that you didn’t feel any surprise from him when Dinah spoke. Only annoyance, maybe at the fact that she knew before he did or because of something with Orange.

You wanted to warn Frank to take Billy’s outreach with a grain of salt, but how do you convince someone that their best friend may be setting them up? You decided to keep it yourself for the time being but remain vigilant in the meantime. The second you had proof that Billy was connected to Agent Orange - willingly connected or not - you would bring it to Frank, whether he wanted to see it or not.

When you got back to the guys, they were talking about Thanksgiving. Lieberman offered to make one of the frozen meals from his stockpile but you refused it, saying you’d pick something up on your way home.

“What about you, hmm?” Lieberman gestured to you with his fork and your brows raised in question. “What were your Thanksgivings like?” “I never had a real one.” You shrugged, though the admission stung your heart a bit. “I do remember when I was a kid, we took these pictures. It was me, my cousins Nat and Yel, my aunt Mel and Uncle Alex. There was one of me and Nat putting mashed potatoes on Yel’s cheeks and one where me and my aunt were breaking the wishbone… I wished for a real family, to protect me and care for me.”

You found yourself smiling at the memory, despite the fact that it was all for show and you had done a Christmas, Easter, and birthday photoshoot that same day.

“It wasn’t real, obviously.” You continued to ensure that the quaint reminiscing was cut short before the tears could embarrass you. “And I never really stayed anywhere with anyone long enough so that’s the best I got.”

“Well, uh, you can be a part of ours.” Lieberman gestured to the countertop before holding out a lazily closed fist.

“Thanks.” You nodded and gave him the fist bump he was waiting for.

“So uh..” He began before an awkward sniffle to buy time. “What do you know about this Russo guy?”

You blew out a long sigh, though you were thankful for the conversation shift.

“He’s a private military contractor.” You began simply, knowing there were both worse and better ways to describe Billy, but neither would’ve been what Lieberman wanted to hear. “Company called Anvil… He’s relatively well-connected. I think some of his contracts go overseas, too.”

“So my impression is that he’s not a man that’s gonna reach out to him-“ He gestured to Frank. “-unless he knows that he’s alive.”

“He doesn’t know.” You insisted on your earlier lie. “Suspect it, sure. I mean who wouldn’t when the body was never recovered, but he doesn’t know.”

“You’re not gonna call him?” Lieberman asked Frank, who finally looked up from his microwaved meal.

“We’re Marines.” He shrugged and you chuckled to yourself. “We can handle disappointment.”

“Maybe someone else knows you’re alive and they’re using Billy to-“ Lieberman had turned to you and you knew it was about the signal. He had found a source, and it wasn’t a good one.

“There’s something you need to understand, okay?” Frank cut in firmly. There was no edge or venom in his tone but there was no room for debate either. “I had two families, all right? I had Maria, I had my kids, and I had my unit. I was a father and I was a husband, but I was also a Marine. And I loved being a Marine. I loved that shit. There were times where I would’ve rather been neck deep in bullets and blood than be with my own kids. And that’s something I gotta make peace with, alright?”

“Yeah, you’re not the only one.” You muttered to yourself and were relieved there was a way to put words to the lurking feeling in your mind. “Some of us are wired differently. What’d you tell Red on that rooftop, that we don’t pick what fixes us?”

He looked at you for a moment with an expression that showed not only did he understand that idea, but also that he knew how much you missed him.

“Billy and I did eight years. He’s got my back, I got his.”

“It’s a hell of a coincidence. Don’t you think?”

“Billy Russo is my family, same as her.” He nodded to you. 

“As your friend, I want to say Billy reaching out isn’t a problem.” You said carefully, keeping your eyes on the countertop while you spoke to ensure that any eye contact couldn’t derail your thoughts. “But I know Billy, too. Differently than you, but I do. If Orange knows, then he could’ve reached out to Billy and be fueling his speculation.”

“You think Bill’s the kinda guy to let someone else tell him what to do?”

“I think Agent Orange is the kind of man to ensure leverage and manipulate people to think his idea was theirs.” You corrected and faced your friend. “All I’m saying is take this with a grain of salt, alright?”

“You don’t trust him?”

“Not enough.” You said truthfully and the response was almost automatic. You made a face to yourself but kept focus. “This whole situation is getting more convoluted each day, Frank. Everyone involved is connected to each other. Him-“ You gestured to Lieberman. “-you, Page, me, Madani, Billy, Curtis, Gunner, Orange. With this twisted fucking web we’re wrapped in, Billy and Orange are bound to overlap at some point. If it’s now, before he knows anything, I might be able to get close enough for a real name or a location or motives. Something that can help end this.”

Frank scoffed and took his plastic tray of food to another room. You made a face behind his back as he left, despite your button pushing being purposeful to get him to leave. When he was definitely out of earshot, you turned to Lieberman.

“You got something, didn’t you?” You asked quietly.

“Nothing exact but close enough.” He answered in the same hushed tone.

“Government?”

“Langley.”

“CIA.” Your brows went up in interest. “Any name on the device?”

“No, if I touched those firewalls, they would’ve had everything.” He shook his head. “But I did figure out it was probably a personal device. It’s gotta be Orange, right?”

“Mhmm… And that makes everything else more suspicious.” You nodded before you clapped your hands together and took a few steps back.

“Okay.” You announced loudly for Frank to hear. “There’s a leak somewhere. I’m gonna find it and plug it. Whoever has something new, find the other.”

You went home that night and collapsed from exhaustion. You hadn’t even done much that day but the mental power it took to ignore the deep rumbles that reverberated with every step, the haunting screens that echoed in every voice, the wet feeling of blood across your clean hands, the sick knots in your stomach while in your apartment. To remain heartless, to remain in the headspace of a Widow, it was harder than you thought. It had been easy before, more natural and subconscious. Now, you had to remind yourself every morning, every time your mind wandered, you had to yank your humanity back into the shadows. Push her into that chasm and step on the fingers she used to cling to the ledge.

But somehow, some godforsaken way, she hung on and clawed her way to the forefront of your thoughts whenever she could.

[shortyssanitaryservice]

Are you experiencing septic system problems and in need of emergency services? Check out our latest blog on "Emergency Septic Services: Important Factors" to learn about the essential factors to consider when choosing a reliable septic service provider. Don't let septic problems cause damage to your property and health. Contact us today for professional and timely solutions!

[rederiswrites]

Speaking of ecology and my land, though, I do feel like there's at least one really obvious moral to this place. When Europeans began to settle here, which was really only like 250-300 years ago, the whole place was woods as far as I know. I don't know how much if any of it was grassland. So of course for 200 years or so settlers in this community cut down trees to make fields until mainly the wettest areas were left to trees. And now, you can fly a drone over and see all the deep green areas where everyone's septic fields are failing because the ground is so wet, and a heavy rain creates ponds in everyone's fields. The VFW three doors down recently paid tens of thousands of dollars for a sand-mound septic system that would serve the volume of people they get, because you basically can't get approved for an in-ground septic system here now. And I can't help thinking, uhh, that if some of that water were in like....trees? As would be the case had we not cut them all down? We might not be having this problem.

[sincerelyyellingback]

I'm so damn irritated rn. I wanna get out of the house, but there's nothing to do. I want to go see Inside Out 2, but I don't have anyone to go with. And I can feel that I'm on the verge of freaking tf out and/or crying rn, so I don't wanna be in public anyway. But I would like to at least have the option to leave, but I don't, because my hair and face are greasy and I'm not allowed to shower until after my dad mows the lawn (bc of our septic system that is not up to code 🙄), and he has arbitrarily decided to wait until after dinner to mow the lawn, even though there's plenty of time for him to do so rn. And dinner is salad, because my dad is apparently having heart problems. Dinner has been mf VEGETABLES all gd week. Except for humans obviously can't live off of vegetables, and I'm a salad hater, so I have to defrost something for dinner or else I will die.

[king-starscreams-fics]

World Building

Sicknesses mentioned (so far) in my stories

Colds/flu: congestion of air intakes that is uncomfortable but not overly serious, as they tend to resolve themselves with rest and medgrade. Coughing/sneezing is enough to keep the intakes clear enough to cycle air. These illnesses are caused by the same germs – "flu" is harder to clear than a cold and therefore results in overheating and the more serious symptoms that that often brings.

Cold symptoms:

Congestion of facial air intakes

Minor congestion in chest intakes

Coughing/sneezing

Sore vocaliser

Sensitive/runny optics

Helmache

Flu symptoms:

As above but with additions:

Fever (see below)

Thick, stubborn congestion

Harsh cough with violent fits

Pneumonia: caused by the same germs as colds/flu, but much more dangerous. Chest intakes become severely and dangerously congested. Coughing/sneezing does nothing – often, the sufferer is not even able to cough or sneeze to begin with.

Pneumonia symptoms:

Fever

Constant urge to cough that comes to nothing

Wheezing

Difficulty talking

Difficulty cycling air through facial (sometimes referred to as "upper") intakes

Chest intake fans unable to move or else make scream-like noises when trying to function.

Fever: impossible to regulate temperature due to various possible problems or ailments.

Fever symptoms:

Dangerously high internal temperature, causing tanks to purge anything that could catch fire or explode (excessive vomiting)

Fatigue/exhaustion

Chills

Pains in joints and pistons

Dizziness

Disruption of septic tank functions, resulting in possible "spillages" (incontinence)

Minor self-repairs become difficult to maintain

Physical sickness: illness that causes purging of fuel. May or may not be accompanied by fever. Usually caused by fuel sensitivity or consumption of contaminated fuel.

Sickness symptoms:

Nausea

Purging

Helmache

Tank pains

Dizziness

Septic system impairment

Inability to swallow (in severe cases)

Inability to keep even high quality coolants and oils down (in severe cases)

Fever

Migraine: severe helmache which can last days and leaves the sufferer severely impaired and unable to carry out even basic tasks.

Migraine symptoms:

Intense helm pain

Fuel sensitivity

Purging

Light sensitivity

Optic pain

Visual impairment

Audial receptor impairment

Audial receptor pain

Inability to concentrate

Sneezing (in some cases – caused by pain in helm, which may be misinterpreted as pressure/inability to cycle air in facial intakes)

Psychological shock: severe reaction to stress/fear. Can last hours or take weeks/months to resolve, depending upon situation.

Shock symptoms:

Confusion

Startling easily

Difficulty communicating

Self-loathing

Self-doubt

Lack of independence

Feeling chilled

Shivering – often coming in violent bouts

Chest intakes working harder than usual, despite the sufferer already feeling cold

Nausea and purging

Septic system impairment

On Cybertron, these ailments have their own names. However, it is easier for humans to understand the concept of an illness when a Cybertronian uses human terms for them.

[insipid-drivel]

Your follow-up to the horse info post is just as good as the first one, and I offer a sincere thanks because those sorts of posts take forever, and are a lot of work.

But the reason I’m sending this is because of the joy of seeing the horsey prosthetics. I was aware that injury didn’t and doesn’t mean instant euthanasia, but I didn’t know what advances had been made and it’s a lovely thing to be able to help a friend live their best life.

For instances where euthanasia is the only course of action, would that be something like a horse has sustained a break that has gone septic in a time prior to antibiotics? So the horse would likely die anyway and it would be more humane to put it down than to let nature run its course, I’m thinking. Or is that completely wrong?

Thanks again for all of the hard work you put into these posts and answers!

Eugh, infections are a really horrible and scary part of horse health crisis management, because they can be very touch-and-go depending on where the actual infection is and how early it's treated with antibiotics. Once sepsis has taken hold, there usually isn't a lot modern medicine can do but try to provide comfort measures through medications, and pump the horse with large-bore doses of IV antibiotics, stress-reducing medications to keep them from panicking and their bodies from working too hard, and fluids while hoping the immune system is still strong enough to put the antibiotics to use and win against a case of sepsis. Sometimes, the bacterial load in the body is just too much or the infection has caused irreparable damage to a critical organ like the heart, and there isn't any other way to show the animal mercy but to euthanize. Most cases of sepsis, before death, result in a comatose state before the body completely shuts down from multiple organ failure, and it's an extremely miserable way to die. So yes, when euthanasia is discussed with horses, it's primarily when there is nothing else that can be done to make the horse's quality of life better while its suffering is only going to get worse (usually resulting in death) regardless of veterinary science or a limitless budget.

The problem with antibiotics in general is that they take time to work. If you've ever been miserable from something like a UTI or a chest infection, you know waiting 2-3 days for oral antibiotics to fully kick in sucks (IV antibiotics tend to work much faster, but still take a bit of time to reach full potency), because the infection is still there and causing intense pain and discomfort. The reason it takes so long is because antibiotics stimulate an immune system into going ham on an infection and destroying it. If there isn't enough time, or the immune system is already shot, then antibiotics may not be enough. End-stage or late-stage sepsis in pretty much any mammal is pretty much gonna be deadly, because sepsis is commonly called "blood poisoning" and kills by causing multiple essential organs to stop working in rapid succession - brain, heart, liver, lungs, etc. - like fairy lights on a string going out one by one after the first light fails. "Too far gone" happens, and that's when euthanasia becomes an open subject, because there's nothing left to anticipate for the animal but more suffering before they're going to die of their infection/injury.

Good vets will ALWAYS try to fight until the bitter end to provide options and other forms of intervention in saving an animal's life from disease or injury, but they also are specifically trained to know when a situation is just too beyond what they're capable of addressing and when continuing to try to treat an animal is only going to prolong its suffering before it inevitably succumbs to death. That's why prosthetics are becoming a thing for horses now! The cost of 3D printers have been going down, more designs for prosthetics are being published, and better materials are being employed for optimal horse comfort and recovery. Most injuries that result in a disabled leg in horses are caught and treated rapidly by owners and vet teams with no serious infections setting in, and so the main reason euthanasia has been employed for leg breaks and cases of amputation was more for preventing the horse from suffering without a mobility aid or prosthetic. Now, humans are catching up and figuring out what materials and structural designs work best in prostheses for horses, and we're seeing a huge increase in cases of horses surviving and living long, happy lives even after losing a leg!

[killed-by-choice]

“Lexi Roe” 29 (USA 1970)

“Lexi” was one of three maternal deaths reported in a study on early abortion legalization in Maryland. Like the other two, she was killed in the 1970 fiscal year (July 1969– June 1970).

Lexi was a 29-year-old white woman with a child at home. She was Canadian, but underwent her abortion in the United States. When she checked into a Maryland hospital for the hazardous procedure being advertised as safe, she didn’t know she would never make it home.

A hazardous saline abortion was done at 24 weeks. 24 hours after concentrated hypertonic saline was injected into her uterus, Lexi developed a fever. When she expelled her dead baby, the amniotic fluid was noticeably cloudy. She went into septic shock and was kept in the hospital, where blood cultures confirmed an infection of Staphylococcus aureus.

Despite being hospitalized, Lexi developed more unspecified complications and died 5 days later. An autopsy confirmed that she died of Staph. aureus sepsis caused by the abortion.

Since Maryland legalized abortion so early, many people traveled from outside the state to evade their local laws. The state’s law now permitted abortion in cases of fetal disability, pregnancy after assault, incest, physical maternal health problems and vaguely defined “mental health” qualifications. The mental health category was so loosely defined that in the fiscal year that Lexi was killed, 96.6% of Maryland’s reported legal abortions were approved for that reason. This meant that “therapeutic” abortion in the state was essentially allowed on demand.

It is important to note that in July of 1970 (start of 1971 fiscal year) that a new abortion data reporting system for hospitals was implemented because the old one had been inadequate. We don’t know how much data may have been missing from before, possibly including more deaths. Morbidity had also been previously defined in the abortion reporting system only as a “fever in excess of 100.4 on any 2 days exclusive of the first 24 hours postoperatively,” meaning that other serious and life-threatening complications like heavy bleeding, coma or embolism went unreported. As a result, the incomplete morbidity statistics deceptively made legal abortion in Maryland look less dangerous than it actually was.

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The Evolution of E-Commerce in the UK: A Closer Look at My-Jose.com

E-commerce has reshaped the retail landscape in the United Kingdom, offering consumers unprecedented convenience, variety, and competitive pricing. This shift has also provided businesses with new avenues for growth and customer engagement. One such success story is My-Jose.com, an online retailer that has rapidly established itself as a leader in the home maintenance and improvement sector. This article explores the rise of e-commerce in the UK and delves into the strategies and strengths that have propelled My-Jose.com to success.

The E-Commerce Boom in the UK

The UK has seen a significant surge in e-commerce, driven by widespread internet access, a tech-savvy population, and robust logistics infrastructure. According to the Office for National Statistics, online sales accounted for over 30% of total retail sales in 2021, a trend that has only accelerated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The convenience of shopping from home, coupled with competitive pricing and extensive product ranges, has made e-commerce the preferred choice for many UK consumers.

My-Jose.com: An Overview

My-Jose.com is a notable player in the UK’s online retail market, specializing in home maintenance and improvement products. The company has quickly gained a reputation for offering high-quality, effective solutions to common household problems. From powerful cleaners and degreasers to specialized items like Bacteria for Septic Tanks, My-Jose.com caters to a wide range of needs, ensuring that homeowners can find the right products for their specific requirements.

Diverse and High-Quality Product Range

One of the key factors behind My-Jose.com's success is its diverse and high-quality product range. The company carefully selects products that meet stringent performance and safety standards. For example, their bacteria for septic tanks is designed to enhance the efficiency and longevity of septic systems. This product works by breaking down waste and preventing blockages, ensuring smooth operation and reducing maintenance costs for homeowners. Such specialized products highlight My-Jose.com's dedication to providing practical and reliable solutions tailored to customer needs.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement

My-Jose.com is committed to innovation and continuous improvement. The company regularly updates its product offerings to include the latest and most effective solutions in the market. By staying ahead of industry trends and leveraging new technologies, My-Jose.com ensures that its customers have access to cutting-edge products that make household maintenance easier and more efficient.

Customer-Centric Approach

Delivering an exceptional customer experience is a cornerstone of My-Jose.com's business strategy. The website is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, allowing customers to find what they need quickly. Detailed product descriptions and customer reviews provide valuable information, helping shoppers make informed decisions. The checkout process is streamlined, offering multiple payment options and reliable delivery services. Additionally, My-Jose.com's customer support team is readily available to assist with any queries or concerns, further enhancing the overall shopping experience.

Importance of Customer Feedback

Customer feedback plays a crucial role in My-Jose.com's operations. The company actively encourages customers to leave reviews and prominently displays them on their site. Positive testimonials not only build trust and credibility but also provide insights into customer preferences and areas for improvement. This transparent approach to customer feedback highlights My-Jose.com's commitment to continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

Competitive Pricing and Promotional Strategies

In a competitive market, offering value for money is essential. My-Jose.com understands this and strives to provide high-quality products at competitive prices. The company regularly offers promotions and discounts, making their products even more accessible to customers. Additionally, My-Jose.com features bundles and bulk purchase options, allowing customers to save more on essential items. These strategies help attract a loyal customer base and differentiate My-Jose.com from other online retailers.

Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers, and My-Jose.com is committed to adopting eco-friendly practices. The company offers environmentally safe products, such as their septic tank bacteria solutions, which provide effective results without harming the ecosystem. My-Jose.com also minimizes packaging and collaborates with suppliers who adhere to green practices, reflecting a broader commitment to sustainability.

Leveraging SEO and Digital Marketing

Visibility is crucial in the digital marketplace, and My-Jose.com has effectively leveraged SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and digital marketing to enhance its online presence. By targeting relevant keywords and creating high-quality content, the company attracts a steady stream of organic traffic. For example, focusing on keywords like "Bacteria for Septic Tanks" drives targeted traffic to their site. My-Jose.com also maintains an active presence on social media platforms, engaging with customers and promoting their products. These efforts ensure that My-Jose.com remains top-of-mind for potential customers.

Future Prospects

Looking ahead, My-Jose.com is well-positioned to capitalize on the continued growth of e-commerce in the UK. The company plans to expand its product range further, incorporating more innovative and eco-friendly solutions. Enhancements to the website and improvements in logistics are also on the horizon, aimed at providing an even better customer experience. By staying attuned to market trends and consumer needs, My-Jose.com is poised to sustain its growth and success in the competitive online retail market.

Conclusion

The evolution of e-commerce in the UK has created new opportunities for online businesses. My-Jose.com exemplifies how a focus on quality, customer satisfaction, and sustainability can drive success in the e-commerce space. By continuously innovating and adapting to changing consumer demands, My-Jose.com is set to remain a key player in the UK's online retail landscape. For more information and to explore their extensive product range, visit their official website.

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My pond is gone: A follow-up

For those who don't know, I use the tag #sqland to talk about what I do on my property. It is mostly about my pond, which was amazing. I had it for ~5 years, and expanded it every year.

[Tumblr kept failing to upload my photos so this post has some but far fewer than I wanted. Boo.]

When I expanded it last year, I started having problems with my septic system's leach field (aka a drain field). I had built my pond directly above my field. At the time, I saw pipes and just worked around them and didn't think anything of it. I later learned that that can destroy a drain field. So, do not do that.

I had to get my entire drain field replaced, which cost a little over ten thousand USD. They tore up my whole back yard to do it. Before they did that, I disassembled the pond myself so I could save all my plants and re-use all the stone in a future endeavor. The pond is currently a series of kiddie pools. This has somehow not deterred toads and frogs laying eggs in them.

Anyway, during the replacement of the field, I learned there was so much wrong with it that I was frankly surprised it ever worked in the first place. Even without the pond, half of it was not working at all. Each subsequent pond expansion cut off the ability of another finger to disperse water, and the latest one cut off the last available finger. That's why my septic system failed.

The field was uneven, criss-crossed, not deep enough, collapsed and full of holes it was not supposed to have. Some of these problems may have been caused by the pond. But most of them didn't appear to be.

I found a new location for the pond - far at the back of my property, where a shed used to be - it's not as close to my house but at least I can still see it from the window.

I order heavy duty 40mil pond liner. This is expensive and, more importantly, extremely heavy. The people redoing my leach field let me pay them to take my old pond liner to the dump. It weighed (literally, not figuratively) half a ton. My new pond plan is about 30 x 40ft so it will probably weigh more, and, due to the new (further away) location, will be absolutely impossible to move by myself (I paid the freight driver 20 bucks to help me roll it to the location last time) and honestly, probably might not even be able to move it without machinery.

For that reason, I haven't even started digging the new pond yet (PS: I dug all the last ponds by myself with a normal shovel!). I'm not sure how to deal with the liner situation and if I have to ask for help from a neighbor's skidsteer again, at that point why even bother digging the pond by hand? Why not use his mini excavator too? lmao.

But I'm getting off-subject here.

Every year, I have 1-2 "big projects" that my parents usually help me with. This year's big project (before the leach field issue) was going to be to redo my front yard so it had no grass and finish landscaping it. When the drain field was replaced, I asked them to not put down any grass seed. So my backyard was straight up dirt and nothing else. No more weeds anymore, either. This presented a unique opportunity....

So this year's project ended up being to landscape the front AND back yards. We didn't 100% finish either of them, but we got maybe 90 - 95% done while my mom was here.

Now that summer's hitting, expect more #sqland posts not about the pond. Because the gardens are doing great!!