#the tadpole has plenty of swimming room in there

[stormcallart-blog]

ty Larian for the slutty outfits <3

[a-page-of-a-mad-mans-mind]

Imagine waking up convinced the night before was a nightmere. Because where else would you have a perfect baseball swelling form instantaneous out of your abdomen. In that fish bowl of swell there were swimming tadpoles. Except that bowl is your skin and the water is.......well also your skin. Imagine that lifetime of logical thought you built your reality on is now staring at a hand three times its normal size. So you hold onto that reality reality and proceed to put a healthy amount of salt upon the wound you assume is causing the sweeling. To now see those same tadpoles doing a little jingle on your hand as well expressing anger at your shotgun spray of salt.

Scary enough? Now try you went to 6 emergency rooms and you fought tooth and nail to get them to run any test that might help proving what you already know. There are parasites crawing just beneath the muscle. Everyone them does one test or another talking to you like your insane. Everyone you've known some your entire life all saying the same thing. Your lying, your crazy, your on drugs etc .. and dam if you're not crazy because they can't be found by the doctors and how would you have gotten such a rare parasite? Untill a young girl says "daddy somethings moving in that guy's leg. Dad being dad entertains this comment and stares over for a solid 3 maybe 4 mins before slowing raising his head to meet your eyes. Yup their real. And yup the doctors still don't believe you.

At this point doctors,friends,family, and associated people all think your crazy or on drugs or both. But you are not and they are real. Really real in the sense that they are moving towards your brain.

That is my reality right now, because only one person in 1000 miles has every successfully diagnosed them. Well was my reality. Because now I can prove it. All the doctors test and making fun of and telling you "your fine " get some sleep " maybe you need a syc evaluation" Yea those smart guys and gals couldn't find them in all of human history. They couldn't do it with all their gadgets and schooling. But guess what, I had a will to live, and some scatch tape which is all I needed to do what doctors failed to. I did the impossible. I found them and could prove it.

In all my life my absolute worse nightmare was just that. To be eaten alive while plenty could help but instead thought me crazy.

[mhdiaries]

Great Scarrier Reef Kala Mer’ri Diary

19/04

Dinner at Dad’s. He still has all of my old dance competition trophies in our family room. I begged him to let me put them in storage, even offered to do some scream cleaning! I told him with the Siren of the Sea talent show coming up, there will be plenty of new trophies to put in their place. But he’s such a nostalgic ol’ softie. He simply says he’s proud of me and that I’m the abalone of his eye, and then tells me to keep my tentacles off them. He’s so scary-sweet, I can’t argue with him. Plus, I know I’m all he has. He’s lonely, especially with me away at Great Scarrier Reef High, so I guess I can’t fault him for wanting to keep a few mementos around. But it’s really the pics that I don’t like to see when I’m home visiting. I deserved every single reward and trophy on the walls and shelves. No fish can deny I’m the beast dancer in the Great Scarrier Reef – probably in all of the seas. But that swim down memory lane – back to when Lagoona and I were dance partners – makes me feel like I’m floundering. I cut her out of the pics years ago, after our friendship took a wave for the worst. I also tossed the shots of her happy family fearing her on. There never were any pictures of MY dad at our performances. I don’t know why it boothers me that my dad never came – I didn’t want him there! But Lagoona was always flaunting her smiley family at every event! All I know is the constant reminder gives me a sinking feeling.

23/04

Practice with Peri and Pearl was troutrageous! Those two ghouls are always coiled for a fright. They can barely stop bickering long enough to get through one routine. I think today’s arguments were mostly about their hair colors! A couple of times, they got so fangry they kept trying to move in different directions, but since they have the same body, they only managed to spin around like a lobster-dog chasing its tail! They stirred up such a maelstrom, the backup dancers sailed around the vampitheatre! But when I demanded they stop their hissing, they apologized to me immediately. They even helped pry some of the others off the rafters where they landed, and brushed off their scales. Then we got back to work and they were in sync and moved bootifully together – a dance troupe leader’s scream. Anyway, they don’t argue with ME, so that’s the important thing. They’ve been my dance partners for a few years now. But when I say “partners” I really mean they follow my lead clawlessly; every flip, twirl and backstroke is to my precise instructions. I don’t have to worry about them attempting to choreograph their own moves. I don’t like when other dancers try to overswim their boundaries. Follow my lead and everyone fins. Well, except the no-hopers, of course.

25/04

Ace! Had a chummy seabrood brunch with Peri and Pearl at our fave beastro. It was a grave day to fang out in the seashine with my BFFs, and I really do appreciate the hissters’ company. Peri is sweetly fangtastic and Pearl has a biting sense of humor. And their constant banter is laugh-out-loud funny to me. I can just float back and enjoy the show. Afterwards, we went to the maul. We have a lot of shows coming up, and although all of our costumes are designed by our team’s screamstress, we get some ideas at the exclawsive bootiques. We also went ghoulery shopping, and that’s where Peri and Pearl’s expertise in gems and precious metals is clawsome. They helped me pick out a bootiful set of earrings that reflect my bold monsterality. And while they chose several necklaces for their parental heads, I covertly bought a finsome watch for my Dad that is the exact color of his eye.

26/04

Oh, my Poseidon! There’s another ridiculous article about a “legendary scare-monster” sighting on the front page of they Hydropolis Herald! The picture is so obviously fake, too! It’s only a blurred-out image of a tentacle. So what? It’s probably an octopus ghoul with one of her arms suckered to her morning high-sea latte, but they edited out the to-go cup and pasted in a shipwrecked vessel. It’s not that hard to make something look monstrously huge. We learned how to do that in beginners’ graphic die-sign class! But the whole reef is acting terror-fied! Everywhere I swim, monsters are talking about it. Why must I live in a sea of scaredy catfish? Monsters believe such un-believable stories! Gossip, rumors, stereotypes, innuendos… they are fintended to frighten and provoke… and sell boospapers! Can’t they tell the difference between fact and fangtasy? Don’t they understand the damage they can do? It makes me so fangry!

02/05

What was up with that ghoul, Posea? She was rooted at the back of the vampitheatre during practice today. She’s never shown much finterest in dance before, especially not a skulltra-modern performance like mine. I didn’t sink she even kelped up on what’s current. She always seems to just roll with the crests of her own waves. But she appeared to be doing her all-seeing, all-knowing goddess thing; however, with her, it’s more like all-planting, all-feartilizing. I pasted on my most swellcoming smile and told her that having her there was a fangtastic surfprise. I also told her that her outfit was positively to-dive-for! She bought it hook, line and sinker of course. I decided it could be beneficial to have a goddess beastie, so I invited her to the Siren of the Sea talent show. She said she would do her beast to attend, and bring the sea-mares with her. Those little ankle biters fright come in handy, too!

05/05

I can’t believe it! We gave a seatacular performance for the whole reef today – that part’s totes believable, of course. We always bring the moves! Even Peri and Pearl managed to be on their beast behavior and not fright too much, and they danced swell under my direction. But the shocking part was the uninvited guests that washed up from a distant shore… all the way from Monster High! It’s bad enough I had to put up with Lagoona and her family when we were mere tadpoles, but now she returns to show off her beasties and her boofriend, too? But I’ll show her… not only am I the beast dancer in the sea, I’m also the smartest and bravest. While she’s still getting her sea-legs back I’ll be setting the stage to finally prove to her that I’m not that same scared little squid anymore!

[tarithenurse]

Orphan - 5

Starring:  Fem!Reader and MCU characters! Contents: Spoilers for Endgame!! Good intentions, awkwardness, feels. A/N: PREVIOUS CHAPTERS can be found on the masterlist. Thanks for likes and reblogs and comments <3

5. Tea and Fate

There’s a fuzziness enveloping your mind that makes everything appear to happen at a slower pace than usual, voices distant and warped. You have to force every movement before your body begrudgingly accepts to carry it out, clumsily too, so it’s a miracle you don’t break anything before breakfast is over. At least the two big kids seem to be similarly slow this morning. Why’s he so hyper? Glancing at the little Nathaniel over your cup of coffee, it strikes you as unnatural how he can be so cheerful, constantly babbling about the things he is planning to do during the day as he bounces on the chair.

“– and then can we go down t’the creek and catch tadpol’th? You wanna come, [Y/N]?”

Huge, pleading eyes are staring at you and suddenly it makes sense when people talk about puppy eyes because not even a golden retriever would be able to reach the levels of cuteness the sticky, noisy kid just achieved. Scrambling for words (preferably a nice way to turn him down), you find yourself stuttering and mumbling before Laura saves you.

“There won’t be any tadpoles now, sweetie. It’s fall, and they’ve all grown up into toads and frogs.” She glances at you with an apologetic smile. “And I think, perhaps, [Y/N] needs a bit of time to get used to being here.”

What I need is a nap. Instead of saying it, you just nod with an attempt at a noncommitting smile that might not have amounted to anything more than a grimace of questionable characteristic. A nap and a plan.

 …   Morgan   …

Uncle Rhodes and mommy have gone into the kitchen and shut the door, leaving Happy as the only entertainment.

“I’m booooooored!” Morgan mutters, mainly to herself because the first attempts at getting the gummy-bear of a man to play with her have failed already. “Can I go play on my own?”

It takes a moment for him to react. “Huh? What, yeah…just stay in the house, ‘kay bug?”

She answers with a cheer and a wave, already bouncing up the stairs to fetch her favourite teddy bear and the space stone from aunt Nebula – you never know what you’re going to need when going on an adventure (even if it’s indoors).

…

Someway or other, Morgan doesn’t quite know how, the exploration has brought her to daddy’s work room where the broad table hums invitingly. He never keeps any of his tools in the house, they’ve all been banished to the shed except this one and all the boring books and papers. Sure enough. Resting the chin on the edge of the humming piece of furniture, she can see a stack of folders on one side and a few scraps with scribbles and lines looking like a robot…or a dog.

Daddy’s things aren’t toys. Crawling up into the soft swivel chair, she enjoys a few rounds before allowing the two treasures to take part in the joy of the secret carousel…now and then stealing a glance between the messy strands of hair at the table. Not toys.

He has used it so many times even with Morgan around. A pat in that corner. A wave of the hand. Blue light fills the room in the middle of the day, making the girl think of the swimming pool at grandma’s and grandpa’s.

“Hello, Morgan.”

The voice is so nice and sweet even if the little girl just did something she isn’t supposed to. “Hi, Fwiday.” Morgan doesn’t blush. Almost never.

“What can I help you with, sweetheart?”

The answering question pops out all on its own. “Where’s dad? Mom keeps cwying ‘cause he’s gone.”

“Oh, sweetie…”

 …   Reader   …

You had never quite imagined that you’d be doing a conference call with a handful of heroes while sitting on the hood of an old John Deere in a barn. There’s a shit ton of things I’ve never imagined. Looking over at Clint, sprawled in the seat and with the feet up on the steering wheel, you could almost be lulled into a sense of calm. That things aren’t completely deranged.

Time and again, you’ve felt like an amateur ice dancer trying to keep your life in balance despite the odds so you shouldn’t be feeling as lost as you do. And still…this time you have no counterweight, no place to call home and no person to guide you through the fog. The voices are familiar, in some twisted kind of way, talking gently as if that magically will calm your nerves…but they don’t know how it does exactly the opposite because they sound condescending just like the overbearing social workers and potential adoptive parents that turned you down for no other reason than being too old. For not looking enough like them that you could pass as their “real” kid on a photograph.

“She’s gotten a copy of the files,” Rhodes is explaining, “to go over with her attorney.”

To see if I’m good enough, if she really has to be stuck with me? “Why?” The question leaves the line silent. “I’m not asking for inheritance…or to be part of her life! I just...”

The sympathetic look Clint gives you is almost worse than the unanswered questions and you close your eyes to it. Deep breaths. Pictures of Tony Stark dance in your mind together with memories of your mother, each of them sporting features that you would be able to point out when looking in a mirror. Like when I was a kid.

Time and again, before the aliens attacked New York, you had conjured up an imaginary world where you had both a mom and a dad – the latter being none other than Tony Stark. In that world, you all lived together, and your mom would say that you had her looks and your dad’s smarts which would make him laugh and pull both of you into a hug. In that fairy-tale –

A hand brushes your arm gingerly, waking you with a start from the reveries – lost long ago in the smouldering rubble of a tiny apartment – to find Clint’s face a foot from yours. Keen eyes study every twitch of the brow, maybe even counting the blackheads on your nose, and you pull back in annoyance.

“Y’okay there?” he asks low enough that people listening in won’t hear.

What do you care? “Sure.” Clearing you voice, it’s all you can do to return the attention to the phone. “As I said…I just needed to know if it was true.”

“If need be, would you be willing to do a DNA-test?” You already recognize the voice as the Hulk’s.

A non-committal shrug before you realize they can’t see it. “Sure.”

…

From your spot on the bed on the second floor, you can look out over the field stretching towards the forest. Everything is drenched, covered by sheer greyness that makes the grasses bow and the fallen leaves stick to each other as if hoping the wind won’t be able to move them. The sun is setting somewhere beyond this drab world, but no colours of rose gold and purple reach this far to warm your body now the layers of borrowed clothes and a musty blanket don’t cut it.

You can hear the bubbling giggle that erupts sporadically from Nathaniel. This time you hear Cooper too, a boyish version of his mother…when he can drag himself out of the teenage moods, at least. He’s not that bad, according to your limited experience of kids in full families, just kind of sullen with a tendency to walk away when bothered. Like whenever I enter the room. He’d barely stayed in the seat to finish breakfast. At lunch he’d walked in, seen you, and declared not to be hungry before leaving.

Some people might think it was a relief that Lila sat through the meal, but the glaring was tough to ignore. What’ve I done to them? Your eyes prickle dangerously, and your nose is close to dripping too, callously ignoring the deep breaths and stubborn, unspoken promises that you don’t care. I don’t. It’s not like you haven’t gone through these things before back when you were their age, finding kids scowling at you for no apparent reasons. It’s better than pity. There’s plenty of that to go around and –

*knock knock*

Startled by the sound, body trying to crawl in on itself to feel small and inconspicuous, you hold your breath in the hopes that you heard wrong, but it happens again. Slow but resolute knocking.

“[Y/N]?” Even though she’s rarely spoken to you, the voice of Lila is easily recognizable. “Can I…is’t okay if I c’m’in?”

I’m an adult. I gotta act like one. Any wetness by the eyes is hastily rubbed away. “Sure.” Clear and steady.

The door creaks after ears of disuse, allowing the appearance of the back of Lila’s shoulder as she slides the elbow off the handle. Huh? The moment there’s room, she turns to reveal a little tray with two enormous cups of something steaming and a little tray of cookies. A shy smile, shoulders carefully rising before being lowered with a newfound confidence as you return the silent greeting by making room on the bed for the girl.

Outside, the rain fights to break the grey haze obscuring the world but in reality adding to it. The flaming colours that had managed to maintain a desperate hold on the twigs so far are disappearing in an early dusk. A moment ago that misery had your attention, resonating within, now it’s chased away by an awkward, lanky girl sitting cross-legged before you while apologizing for the lack of milk.

“Hey! It’s okay,” you manage to interrupt her at a break for air, “I’ll drink it any which way, so thanks…”

“Good, good…”

Drops pummel the window. Tea scent heats your faces causing a new flush to be added to Lila’s cheeks. Good tea, as if that’s the reason you feel guilt gnawing for the negativity against the girl…a negativity that evaporates like the steam curling above the hot liquid.

“I’m sorry,” Lila admits, and you’re not sure why even though you have an idea, “I…Cooper and me…” For a moment all her attention seems to be on the cookie she steeps in the mug. Seems. “I’ve been a jerk, haven’t I?”

Alright! Up front now! “Maybe. I guess I’ve been too...” Sharing a glance you recognize some of Clint in the way she takes in every detail. “So this is like…a truce? Ceasefire?”

“Hoped so.”

You can’t hug it out with her. There’s been too many fake hugs in your life from people who claimed they’d be there for you. Lila doesn’t promise anything except to try to be decent and that’s something you can mirror. Good thing too. You’ve got nothing else to offer.

“– they say I need to start school Monday.” Clearly, you’ve missed the start of whatever the middle Barton kid’s saying, but you can fill it out. “I’m gonna be like the only senior from my year left! Can you imagine?”

“A little, maybe. People did stare a shitlo–…sorry…a lot at uni. But hey! At least the sophomore was only surprised when I appeared on his lap. At first.”

“Nooo!” Wide eyes followed by a crinkle of amusement. “Was he hot?”

What?! That line of thought had never occurred to you. “Uhm…I don’t actually remember, I’m just glad he didn’t push me onto the floor.”

There’s a tiny snort of giggles, “Hey, welcome back! Yeet!” Her tea almost spills as she imitates the student forcibly tossing you aside.

[rockthecotswolds]

Thinking of moving?

Sam Butler of Butler Sherborn, the Cotswolds property specialist, says that people are already reappraising what’s important in life once Covid-19 passes.

Home is where the heart is and the quality of life will inform future property choices and lifestyle decisions.

Without in any way diminishing the seriousness of Coronavirus, and the impact it is having on the health and wellbeing of so many people, it will pass. 

However the devastating impact of the virus will have a lasting impact, and significantly alter our lives, including where and how we choose to live ‘After Coronavirus’.

The process of reappraisal has already started, with people reassessing what’s important to them: our homes, health, food, family, friends and community, schools, work, connectivity, the environment and travel will all be viewed differently.

Homes - People will reappraise where they want to live, and the idea of treating your house as a home rather than an investment will lead to them taking a longer term view; we will see a return to the ‘forever home’ where you put down roots for you and your children. Those considering a second home will also place greater importance of a UK based property rather than one abroad where access to it cannot be assured, restricted by the whims of airlines and foreign governments.

Health - The close proximity to good GP surgeries and hospitals will be closely considered, while practitioners of alternative therapies and remedies will also play a growing role.

Food - There will be an increased emphasis on good, British grown food - people are already questioning the validity of flying in mangetout from Kenya, for example - and having a variety and choice of local convenience stores, supermarkets, farm shops and farmers markets near to home seen as important. ‘Growing your own’ will become increasingly popular, so having a garden or smallholding will be on the list of ‘must haves’ when moving.

Family - Over recent decades families have moved apart, work often taking them to other parts of the country or even abroad. I think this will change, with families recognising the importance of staying close and supporting one another through the different stages of life.

Friends and community - Establishing and nurturing a strong network of good friends, and feeling part of one’s local community will be seen as increasingly key elements of our safety, security and sense of belonging.

Schools - Good schools, be they local authority or private, along with further education colleges are essential for young families, and close access by car and public or school transport to cut down on travelling time and cost will be deemed critical.

Work - This period of shutdown will have shown many of us that working from home is not only doable, but desirable, and many companies will gear-up to support and encourage this in the future. Obviously, not everyone can do their job from home, but those who can, will benefit from increased contact with their family, reduced stress from commuting, and money saved from reduced travelling.

Connectivity - The Government has already pledged in the recent Budget to help fund improved broadband, especially in rural areas, which will certainly assist those who spend more time working from home.

The environment - The Greta Thunberg effect will continue to gain traction, and homeowners will be looking more seriously at things like green energy, especially solar power, ground source heat and wind power generation. As well as costs coming down, such investments make more economic sense if you are planning on staying in your home for a number of years. Food miles and the number of overseas holidays we take will also be questioned increasingly, while properties will need charging points for the growing popularity of electric/hybrid cars.

When you consider all of the above, it is perhaps not unsurprising that we are already seeing a growing interest from people wanting to move the country, with rural counties to the west of the Home Counties such as Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire seeing a lot of uptake. The view we have picked-up from those looking to leave London is that ‘if we’re going to move to the country, we might as well move well away, while being able to return to the smoke easily by road or rail is still considered necessary for work or social life.

I can see that post-Coronavirus, there will be a general recalibration: a greater emphasis on the quality of life, a move away from the rampant growth-fuelled materialism that has characterised the last couple of decades, and a renewed interest in family and country living,” 

Below are just a few examples of properties available for different budgets:

6, The Mansion, Northwick Park, Blockley

A superb Grade I Listed apartment standing in exquisite gardens and grounds with views over the deer park. Northwick Park is a unique and very special Jacobean building located at the end of a long driveway, which sweeps through lawns and trees to a large turning circle and imposing double front door. 6 The Mansion is an impressive three bedroom apartment of 2,275sqft, on the top floor of the main building. There are 35 acres of grounds to enjoy, an outdoor heated swimming pool with changing rooms and two WC’s, an immaculate croquet lawn surrounded by lime tree avenues, four all weather tennis courts, wooden garden furniture and benches for all to use, parking for residents and guests along with 24 hour security. Apartments in the main building are perfect main and ‘lock-up and leave’ homes, which will appeal to buyers from London looking for a Cotswold retreat and for overseas buyers who require a base in the UK.

Guide price: £850,000

14 and 16 Coxwell Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire

14 and 16 Coxwell Street are two delightful Cotswold stone properties located in the heart of the historic Roman town of Cirencester. Coxwell Street is believed to have been named after the Coxwell family, 17th Century clothiers who lived there. This quiet residential road is made up of a selection of wonderful handsome period homes and is located within a short walk to the pretty marketplace. 

No. 14: The ground floor, which offers a generous and spacious dining hall, is approached via the front door and comprises of wooden floors, open grate fire, window seats with wooden shutters, and a useful storage cupboard. The kitchen/breakfast room is well fitted with a range of base and wall units, wooden worktops, and, integrated double oven, fridge freezer and dishwasher. 

The back door leads to the courtyard. Stairs rise to the first floor into the fabulous sitting room which offers an abundance of period charm with a beautiful open fire, four window seats, and ceiling beams. Along one wall, is a wonderful built in library. Also, on the first floor is the third bedroom/ study, which has a pretty window overlooking the courtyard, and a modern shower room. Stairs continue to the second floor where the landing leads to the master bedroom which offers a dual 16 14 14 aspect, period beams, a fitted wardrobe and a walk-in dressing room. The guest bedroom and modern family bathroom is also located on the second floor. 

No 16: Is approached under the archway to the side of 14 Coxwell Street and through the courtyard gardens. The entrance opens into a small hallway that leads into the cosy sitting room, with a feature fireplace and built in bookshelves. The dining hall leads into the fitted kitchen which has a pretty outlook over the courtyard. On the first floor, there is a generous master bedroom and a second double bedroom, both offering fitted wardrobes, and a contemporary shower room with rain shower. 

Both properties offer a beautiful modest courtyard, with flower beds. Space for a small garden table or bench. The courtyard also allows access to two other properties, 16 and 18 Coxwell Street which are not included in the sale. 

Guide price: £815,000

Barn House, Whittington

A unique family house with potential set in exquisite gardens and lawns Thought to originate in part to the 1700’s and extended over the years, Barn House is now a detached Cotswold stone property with just under 3,500 sq ft of accommodation arranged principally over a single floor, including garaging and plenty of parking. Standing in the grounds of the original kitchen garden of Sandywell Park, the property is in the loveliest setting and approached down a private driveway from the main entrance. Having served as a much-loved family home for over 30 years, it now offers buyers an opportunity to remodel the versatile interiors, create an annex and possibly extend over time if required, subject to planning permission. The gardens and grounds are exceptional just over 2 acres, these walled gardens, have been landscaped and planted from scratch by the current owners. There is scope to create a small pony paddock too. Barn House should suit those with an appetite to make this spacious property their own and create a wonderful family home complimented by enchanting gardens, all within easy reach of Cheltenham and the excellent selection of schools.

Guide price: £850,000

Thames Mead, Buckland Marsh

A superbly presented three bedroom detached house with spacious, recently extended, accommodation arranged over two floors. Set back from the road, with ample parking behind wooden gates, the house is well proportioned and offers light and airy rooms. Buckland Marsh is a hamlet of a few dwellings situated near the village of Buckland. Buckland itself is in a Conservation Area and benefits from a village hall, a renowned public house with restaurant and an outstanding (Ofsted) primary school. The Trout at Tadpole Bridge on the River Thames is 0.5 mile away.

Guide price: £750,000

Riverside House, Lechlade

An enchanting Grade II listed house with scope to update located in a picturesque riverside location

Dating from 1570 with later extensions this Grade II Listed detached house filled with character with wonderful period features including flagstone flooring, original fireplaces, exposed beams and sash windows with shutters within the Georgian extension. The accommodation is arranged over three floors with particularly good ceiling height in the reception rooms.

Outside there is a private walled garden and vine clad terrace, ideal for summer entertaining. An outbuilding currently used for storage has potential for conversion if required and the studio flat above the triple garage could be converted into an annexe. On the market for the first time in 20 years, Riverside now offers buyers an opportunity to update this wonderful Cotswold house and remodel the outbuildings, subject to the necessary consents.

Little Faringdon is 1 mile from the market town of Lechlade, with a range of restaurants, hotels, pubs, a small supermarket, dentists’ and doctors’ surgeries as well as sporting and leisure facilities. A wider choice of shops, and other amenities are available in Cirencester, Cheltenham and Oxford. Nearby Witney also has many independent and specialist shops, supermarkets and leisure facilities.

Guide price: £1,100,000

Elkstone Manor, Elkstone, Cheltenham

An impressive and inviting 19th Century Manor House, with six ensuite bedrooms, four reception rooms, a separate self-contained flat, an indoor swimming pool complex and a hard tennis court - all in grounds of around 7.5 acres comprising lawns, woodland, ponds and courtyard with mature, formal gardens including shrubberies and wild areas. Lying on the edge of the hamlet of Elkstone, and overlooking the village church, Elkstone Manor offers substantial accommodation over three floors with plentiful ground floor space for entertaining (both inside and out) and the distinctive feature of all its bedrooms having ensuite bathrooms. Every room retains original features, is well-proportioned, high-ceilinged and spacious as well as benefiting from an abundance of natural light from its large windows.

Guide price: £3,000,000

The Limes Farmhouse, Cirencester

A handsome detached Victorian farmhouse offering five bedrooms, four reception rooms, driveway, walled front and rear gardens and a wildflower meadow paddock. All in about 2.67 acres. Situated on the outskirts of the desirable and much sought after village of Rendcomb, The Limes Farmhouse is an attractive Victorian property offering well-balanced accommodation primarily arranged over two floors. The property has been lovingly extended, modernised and updated by the present owner to create a good, practical family home suited to modern day living.

Guide price: £1,385,000

The Old Rectory, Meysey Hampton

The Old Rectory, a very handsome house, sits behind a high stone wall in the heart of the village. This early 17th Century imposing property has seven bedrooms, five reception rooms, wonderful gardens and grounds with a swimming pool and a tennis court. It faces south west on the far side with the lawn leading down to a ha-ha and then overlooking the open grass meadow field, edged with attractive mature woodland. All in about 7.64 acres.

Guide price: £2,250,000

Quenington House, Quenington, Gloucestershire

With plenty of space to grow into, and take you through the different stages of life, this beautiful Grade II Listed village house includes a separate cottage and outbuildings, and sits in 3.28 acres of landscaped gardens and paddocks. Dating from the 1800s, accommodation is over three floors and boasts elegant proportions, charm, character and period features such as classic Georgian sash windows, original wooden shutters and double doors with tracery glass panels.

Downstairs is a reception hall, elegant drawing room, sitting room and dining room, a kitchen/breakfast room with Aga and a mezzanine study with an impressive vaulted ceiling over both. There is also a garden room with underfloor heating, utility boot room, cloakroom and cellars.

The first floor includes the master bedroom suite with ensuite bathroom, guest bedroom suite with bathroom and a double bedroom and cloakroom, and on the top floor, two further double bedrooms with cloakroom and two attic rooms.

The self-contained one bedroom cottage can be used for guests, a relative or staff while outbuildings that include two stables and a cart shed provide valuable storage space, with plenty of parking behind secure gates.

Unusual for a house located in the heart of a village, the outside includes up to 3.28 acres of mature gardens, grounds and paddocks offering plenty of privacy while still being part of the community. Quenington is a lovely Cotswold village with family amenities that comprise a primary school at nearby Hatherop, The Keepers, a popular pub, village hall, church and Pilates centre, and surrounded by wonderful countryside offering glorious walks.

Fairford is three miles away, Cirencester eight miles and trains to London Paddington can be taken from Swindon station in around an hour.

Guide price: £2.65million

Butler Sherborn - Cirencester - 01285 883740

https://www.butlersherborn.co.uk

About Butler Sherborn:

Butler Sherborn, is a property specialist with three regional offices across the Cotswolds, as well as an associated London Office in St James’s. Our areas of expertise include Residential Sales and Lettings, Land Sales & Acquisitions, New Homes & Development, Farm & Estate Management, Professional Valuations, Renewable Energy and Equestrian.

While we cannot actually visit property in person, we are absolutely working very much "business as usual". Calls, email, enquiries and ongoing management and workstreams are all being handled in real time by our staff and we are making extra efforts to help, guide and accommodate on any level.

[shaphillips04th-blog]

SPLASH ZONE: THE 10 BEST WATERPROOF BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS

The truth is that ancient man would have loved to have some waterproof speakers so that when they were camping, fishing, hiking, backpacking, hunting wild boar, or just spending a day at ye olde swimming hole they could have some music to set the mood. By grabbing yourself a rugged, portable, wireless sound pounder, you ensure that you’re the life of the party, even when that party is on top of the world, literally. So that you may become the master of funk, we’ve compiled the 10 best waterproof Bluetooth speakers for your listening pleasure. Please note that “waterproof” can sometimes just mean “extremely water-resistant” to certain manufacturers.

PHOTIVE HYDRA

Pro: Can survive full submergence

Con: Phone mic is pretty poor

 Water Wizard: Though it bears a rating of IP66, it isn’t as rough and rugged as some of its competition so it might not be the best to take camping and hiking, but for listening at the beach or while taking a soak this certainly performs. It handles dust and water like a champ and you can even give it a quick bath without worrying about long-term damage. It uses a dual set of 40mm drivers along with a passive subwoofer that creates a nice level of sound with just a hint of a bass bump. A shockingly good combo at a very reasonable price. All the on-board controls are easy to use and intuitive so once you’ve got it synced and ready for action, it’s usually easier to just work it right from the box. As far as connectivity range goes, the true 4.0 Bluetooth reaches up to the lower range of Airplay speakers without dropping a note, which is exceptional by most wireless standards. The HYDRA can be used as a speakerphone, but the mic is certainly one of the areas that the company cut costs. It’s better than a can on a string, but only just. [Purchase: $60]

BOOM SWIMMER

Pro: Flexible tail allows it to be hung anywhere

Con: Not loud enough for outdoor use

 The Insider: Don’t be put off by the fact that it looks like it is either a novelty-sized Hershey’s Kiss or is about to go get your girlfriend pregnant. That, let’s say “tadpole,” design is part of what makes this an incredible waterproof wireless speaker. The tail end is flexible allowing you to hang it in the kitchen, over the showerhead, or even through a belt loop. It also has a suction cup mounting capability which makes it one of the easiest speakers to tote around when you’re doing housework, out in the shop, or just giving yourself a refreshing straight razor shave since it can go anywhere without special mounting or taking up space. When it comes to fighting off moisture, the Swimmer can sit in water up to a meter in depth for up to 20 minutes without taking damage, so don’t sweat if it takes a quick dip. The sound is good for indoor use and relatively loud for the size of the speaker, but it won’t travel well in the open air and prefers rooms with good acoustics. [Purchase: $69]

ECOXGEAR ECOXBT

Pro: Floats

Con: Limited sound quality and range

 The Big Bobber: This goes beyond just being able to survive being submerged, if you want to drown it then you literally have to hold it underwater like you’re trying to kill Jason Voorhees because it is completely buoyant. It is the ideal waterproof speaker for taking your tunes out onto the lake, into fishing kayak, or along for the ride as you attack some whitewater rapids since if you drop it it can just be collected later. The battery will give you about 10 hours of life and it can take calls, though your caller will probably find your voice distorted as the microphone is not very sensitive and gets easily drowned out air currents. The overall sound quality isn’t stunning, so don’t expect it to bring tears to your eyes with its rendition of the Ave Maria, but you’ll get passable noise that works for a single person or small group. An included carabineer will allow it to clip to your belt or pack when you need a little travelling music. [Purchase: $90]

ALTEC LANSING LIFE JACKET

Pro: Vocal phone activation

Con: Machine’s voice can be annoying

 Hands Free: The first thing you’ll notice about the Life Jacket is it would be perfect for sitting by the pool if it weren’t so hideous that you would never sit anywhere public with it. The 80’s style goes great with your New Kids On The Block collection and the 2.5 inch drivers push good sound for their size that lets The Cure come through crystal clear. Though you might need to hide its looks under a bushel or at least a Rude Dog tee-shirt, the advantage is that it can be operated via simple voice confirmation that allows you to take calls without touching your phone. It also gives you audio updates, which are both convenient and obnoxious since you can’t turn them down or disable them. The NFC (Near Field Communication) lets it sync with up to 8 devices so you can travel with it or leave it out for the whole family to use. The battery life is exceptional for the overall size with 16 hours of playback possible so long as you keep the volume at half mast. [Purchase: $97]

KOHLER GPM MOXIE

Pro: Specifically made for the shower

Con: No on-board controls

 Shower Power: Kohler isn’t known for their great speakers, but they have made a name for themselves in the faucet and showerhead industry, which is why we had to give this item a look. If you’re one of those people who can’t resist doing a solo of “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” as you clean your bib and tucker, then you’ll enjoy this fresh, clean take on the bluetooth speaker. The speaker itself pops in and out of the showerhead so you can recharge it or carry it around, though the two really are meant to work in tandem for best effect. There aren’t any controls on the speaker itself, so that all has to be handled through your bluetooth device, but it does fill smaller spaces well and can easily overcome the sound of falling or splashing water. The actual showerhead itself is also well built and uses a 60 spigot system to give you a good spray with quality coverage even in larger showers. [Purchase: $110]

SCOSCHE BOOM BOTTLE

Pro: Fits in water bottle holders

Con: Can be drowned out by traffic noise

 Built for Bikes: This is a fascinating little piece of equipment that is geared directly to the cyclist crowd who want to take their music with them, but worry that a pair of over-ear headphones might interfere with their ability to navigate on busy streets or hear audio cues that could save their life. The Boom Bottle is a cylindrical waterproof speaker dedicated to fitting directly into the water bottle mount on a bicycle. The sound carries reasonably well, though high traffic areas or proximity to cars moving at higher speeds will drown it out, which is part of the point. The dual 40mm drivers are positioned internally to direct sound up and out for use exclusively in the outdoors and can add a nice accompaniment to a mountain biking group or be fit into the water bottle bag on a travel backpack to turn a hiking expedition into an impromptu dance party. While the actual sound needs work, the idea is clever and little else fills this niche effectively. [Purchase: $130]

BRAVEN BRV-X

Pro: Acts as a battery charger

Con: Bluetooth range is weak

 Most for the Money: This manages to take all the best bits and pieces from its competition and roll them into a single package. It can survive in water up to 1 meter so long as it isn’t there for more than a couple of minutes thanks to a tightly sealed rubber over molding. The molded exterior is also shock absorbent and keeps internal damage to a minimum should the BRV-X take a tumble. The 5200 mAh battery can be used as a charger for a couple of devices just in case your handheld GPS becomes more important than banging your head to your special thrash metal playlist. You’ll find it has two modes for indoor and outdoor use that make the most of the speaker’s power and clarity depending on your environment. A couple of BRV-X’s can be synced up to a single bluetooth device and assigned right and left roles for a stereo quality sound, even on the go. At a pound and a half with carrying strap, it’s easy to transport as well. [Purchase: $155]

LOGITECH UE BOOM

Pro: Multiple speakers can be paired with a single device

Con: Limited bass output

 Plenty of Power: The Boom is largely the go anywhere at any time choice these type of speakers. The cylindrical design is easy to just grab and go while the D-ring allows it to snap onto a bag or a bike in case you don’t feel like snagging your earbuds to take your music along. The sealed body is comprised of a 7.1 x 2.6-inch cylindrical speaker covered in mesh which surrounds two 1.5 inch drivers that are supported by a pair of passive sound radiators to help push out the bass. Despite the name, bass is actually where this seemed to fall the shortest as it hit highs and mids with clarity while lows tended to come out muffled and muddy. That aside, it can either be paired with two devices for easier music sharing or co-op playlists, or two Booms can be put with a single smartphone, tablet, or related device for stereo sound. This is one of those that can fight dust and a few splashes, but if it gets well and truly dunked, it’s dead. [Purchase: $170]

FUGOO TOUGH

 Pro: Resists all forms of damage

Con: Expensive

 The Warrior: This is the John Wayne of f the bunch. It boasts an IP67 rating that means it can handle more than just water but also mud, snow, and most anything short of gunfire, though low-caliber small arms might still find it tough to crack. Despite being tough as barbed wire, it also has a sensitive side with the ability to interface with Google Now and Siri so that you can operate it entirely by voice which works fairly well with the on-board microphone. 40 hours of battery life make it one of the longest running wireless speakers available, and the fact that it uses 6 drivers to create true 360 degree sound makes this feat all the more impressive. If using your smartphone isn’t enough, the Fugoo can also be bought with a nice little waterproof remote so that you can switch tracks without ever getting out of the Jacuzzi. Now if it could just fetch some cocktails… [Purchase: $200]

OUTDOOR TECH BIG TURTLE SHELL

 Pro: Works over a wide area

Con: Simple controls

 The Party Machine: It looks like a geometric rock in a post-modern Zen garden and the only claim it has to portability it has is yes, you can technically pick it up and carry it. In this case it isn’t meant to be a portable bluetooth speaker but a modular blaster that you can take with you to keep a patio party wailing. The increased size is a boon to battery life and can go all night with 7800 milliamps worth of power that let it run for 16 hours. The claim is that it can create 110 dB’s worth of sound, but it doesn’t quite hit that mark unless you’ve set it for directional blasting and are sitting directly in front of it. It does still generate plenty of clear music over a fair amount of space and the immense battery power also allows it to charge multiple devices simultaneously if so required. Navigation is pretty crude, but effective since you shouldn’t need to babysit it. [Purchase: $221]

Resource

boom swimmer waterproof bluetooth speaker review | waterproof bluetooth speaker best buy uk

[terrordave1]

I honestly never thought much about the State of Utah before visiting there last summer but was immediately captivated by its natural beauty. Utah is also a treasure trove of geological wonders with a direct link to a group of animals I absolutely adored as a kid and am still fascinated with today. Although it wasn’t the primary theme of our road trip, there was no mistaking that my best friend and I had entered the land of the dinosaurs and our journey would take a prehistoric turn. It all started on Tuesday, June 14th as we were just about to leave St. George when my buddy noticed a sign for the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm. Thankfully we’re of like mind when it comes to these sort of things so, with absolutely no debate, we altered our original plans in favor of staying in St. George a bit longer. I can’t tell you how glad he saw that sign! Then again, this place was all about surprising discoveries.

About fifteen years ago, a local optometrist named Dr. Sheldon Johnson was doing some construction work on his farm when he uncovered 200 million-year-old dinosaur tracks. I’m not sure what the laws are State to State but, in Utah, should you find fossils on your property you can pretty much do whatever you want with them. Thankfully, instead of continuing on with his excavation plans, Dr. Johnson contacted the right people and opted to preserve the tracks instead. The City of St. George eventually built a museum over that spot and now manage it themselves. And for this, we dinosaur fans owe him a huge debt of gratitude!

The find was so incredible it’s been described by Paleontologist, Dr. Jim Kirkland, as “the most significant dinosaur track site in western North America.” It’s scarce, even by dinosaur track standards, as many animal and plant fossils have been recovered there too. Since the conditions for fossilizing living matter and tracks are very different from each other, scientists are rarely ever given such a complete representation of an extinct ecosystem.

Before guests could view the tracks, however, they must first walk through the museum’s numerous fossil (mostly replica) displays. Many provided plenty of learning opportunities regarding the animals that once roamed (or swam) in Utah. One of the most interesting was a Phytosaur,  semi-aquatic reptile that resembled crocodiles.

I’ve always been a fan of Ceratopsians and Utah boasts many great finds including their own Utahceratops! This was the first time I’d ever seen parts of one on display.

Most of the fossil bones you see at any Natural History museum are replicas since there are few complete skeletons ever discovered and displaying a piece of skull, some chipped vertebrae, and a toe bone ain’t exactly going to “wow” the visitors. To me, as long as the bones are scientifically accurate, it makes little difference.

There was also a room full of faux fossils and interesting facts regarding some of the most fearsome and fascinating animals to have ever existed on the planet in general (and a few that are still here). The museum was both adult and child-friendly and I couldn’t help but wonder how many young minds this location has and will inspire.

Another simple but effective touch was including a plastic model figure next to the bone replicas for added visuals. These past few years have actually been exciting times for prehistoric models (I’m avoiding the word “toy”) thanks to companies such as Papo, Schleich, Safari Ltd, and CollectA (some of which were used by the museum and seen in these photos). While each of these companies has their hits and misses, there’s no denying that their competitiveness has inspired more detailed and scientifically accurate representations as well as depictions of the most recent dinosaur discoveries.

Some tracks discovered at this site didn’t belong to dinosaurs at all. Those included some that were believed to belong to Protosuchus, an ancient reptile and early relative of today’s crocodiles.

Early dinosaurs represented in the tracks were likely Megapnosaurus – pronounced meh-GAP-no-SORE-us. Your probably more familiar with its other name, Coelophysis.

The museum also offered some rare replicas of dinosaurs not related to the tracks at all, such as Scelidosaurus, an early Thyreophoran (armored) dinosaur like the more famous Ankylosaurus among others.

We made it to the tracks and while some were pretty obvious others not so much. Tracks that can’t be directly tied to any specific animal are given the generic name Grallator to indicate tracks made by small, three-toed Therapods (two-legged meat-eaters) such as the Megapnosaurus I mentioned earlier.

Eubrontes is the name given to larger Therapod tracks that were likely made by the twenty foot long Dilophosaurus, a statue of which could be seen in the track area.

Finally, we reached the track site which was surrounded by a walkway so guests could stroll the parameter with signage explaining what they were seeing (and my untrained eye sure needed a LOT of explaining).

Just like today’s healthy lake systems, indicator species such as amphibians existed in Lake Dixie too. This was proven by the discovery of fossilized tadpole nests.

Another amazing find was the presence of dinosaur swim tracks.

After we walked around what had once been the Prehistoric Lake Dixie, we stopped at the Museum’s gift shop. I purchased their book, “Tracks in Deep Time: The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm” which gave an even more in-depth look at this truly amazing place!

Utah is about as close to Dinosaur Heaven we Paleo-fans can get and you’ll definitely want to check out this unique museum!

  Revealing St. George, Utah’s Dinosaur Discovery! I honestly never thought much about the State of Utah before visiting there last summer but was immediately captivated by its natural beauty.