#wanting paint and gasoline for a lawnmower...

[natjennie]

what if I was never normal again.

[hangonsnoopy19]

Bill x Frank: Resource Management

(TW: Swearing, references to sex work)

Now available to read on Ao3

“Oh, fuck you! Come on!”

The door slams open and the daylight streams into the house as Frank strides outside, fuming.

It’s a shocking moment, and not necessarily just because of the profanity, or the passion with which Frank shouts it over his shoulder at Bill.

Bill is mostly just surprised that they’ve moved this far away from where they started, both literally and metaphorically. He’s not sure how they got here.

This conversation started in the living room. Yes, it must have been the living room, because Bill had been skimming through an old Guns & Ammo before lunch and Frank had started off this conversation, which was actually a roundabout sales pitch for a special project, by casually adjusting a framed picture on that side table near the window.

At least, Bill thought it was casual at first. A careless fidget.

Now that he looks back there might have been something pointed and deliberate about the way Frank flicked a speck of dust off the frame. At the time Bill had just dismissed the gesture as in keeping with Frank’s habit of cleaning things that, in Bill’s opinion, didn’t need cleaning.

Honestly, there never was such a man for dusting, and mending curtains, and beating out rugs. Bill allowed it with minimal grumbling because it wasn’t that disruptive, though it was rather pointless, and it gave Frank something to do that wasn’t accidentally electrocuting himself with one of Bill’s gadgets or messing with his guns.

Now the gesture seems like a harbinger of the conversation-turned-argument, which started in the living room and then moved to the hall, then the dining room, then back to the living room, and then here, now, with Frank walking out…

With Frank leaving.

There’s no reason for this kind of reaction. Frank made a request, softly spoken, without much ceremony. Like the casual adjustment of the picture frame, not worth deeper examination.

It was a request denied, reasonably enough in Bill’s opinion. He even explained why, using what he considered to be clear and faultless logic.

Resource Management. The watchword for everything. Spend time and materials on useful things only.

How did they get from that to Frank storming out of the house?

“Hey!” Bill barks, following Frank, something sharp and panicky in his voice that he can’t quite control. “Will you stop?”

It’s not exactly what he wants to say, not a witty argument or soothing concession.

Or maybe it’s exactly what he wants to say, because the sight of Frank’s back as he flees the house, upset, is like an unexpected dagger in his chest.

Three years together and it’s still difficult watching Frank walk away from him.

Rationally, Bill knows that this feeling is absurd. He is sure that Frank isn’t seriously planning on leaving him or (their home) the house permanently.

(He’s not sure.)

And even if Frank was going to leave, which he’s not, he certainly wouldn’t leave because Bill said no to gasoline for the lawnmower and a pointless supply run to the already-gutted hardware store. For paint, of all things.

(He’s not sure at all.)

Bill is sure, he knows that Frank isn’t actually leaving him, but he’s still almost giddy with relief when Frank spins back around and snaps at him, stops walking and faces him, continuing the fight.

Frank wouldn’t bother fighting still if he didn’t care, if he was just going to leave, right? This is a chance to talk, to convince, to make Frank understand.

And then the words Frank is throwing at him sink in.

“Do I ask for things? Ever?”

For a moment Bill is too stunned to respond, to unpack how the words make him feel.

They’re not quite a slap in the face… they feel more like an uneasy ripple in the water before a tidal wave comes.

Because no. Frank doesn’t ask for things. Ever.

And why is that?

Bill is aware that Frank consciously and emphatically resists any characterization of their relationship as transactional. He doesn’t like jokes about that kind of exchange, and has shut down those moments when Bill expressed a self-deprecating doubt about his own worth and worthiness.

Bill is aware that it was very important to Frank to tell Bill that first day that this was not how it was going to be. That he made a point of it.

“I don’t have sex for lunches.” Playful but firm. You’re not buying me and I’m not buying you.

Frank never wanted Bill to ever feel like he was buying sex and affection with resources and security, never wanted him to think that Frank doesn’t genuinely care for him. In his natural generosity of spirit, he was concerned for Bill’s feelings even that first day. He never wanted Bill’s first time, or any moment of their relationship, to be overshadowed by that kind of doubt.

And, Frank confessed much later, in the quiet darkness of their shared bed, he also didn’t want to be a whore.

Bill doesn’t know much about how things work in a QZ. He’s only got a rough sketch from Frank, who is good and honest but never wants to upset Bill if he can help it.

It doesn’t matter… he can imagine it. And what Frank has said, and hasn’t said, is enough.

“We tried. I swear we did. There were good people there. We helped each other when we could. I never… but we were all… reduced. Somehow. Diminished. In that place.”

Bill held his breath as Frank whispered his secrets in the dark, and he loved him so much in that moment for his courage, even as his heart broke for him.

“No matter how hard you tried, the QZ has a way of reducing everything to just bits and pieces to trade. Parts of you that are useful, that you can sell. Throw away everything else. No matter how hard you tried to be generous or keep… keep some of you for yourself, or make something beautiful just for the sake of it… it just kept picking at you, all the time. Couldn’t help feeling… ugly, after a while. Lesser. Less human.”

“I was almost glad when Baltimore QZ burned down,” Frank had whispered, only admitting it the once, ashamed and defiant. “I mean, it killed me. It was home, for a little while. There were good people there and I loved them and they were all wiped out. But then I was outside the walls. I was terrified, and I knew I couldn’t survive on my own and had to try to get to Boston, but it was still like I could finally see the sky again after living in a cage. Nothing was trying to break me down. Not even myself.”

And then…

“It’s not like that here,” said with a steely determination that belied Frank’s usual sunny and easygoing disposition. “It’s nothing like the QZ here.”

The silent, implied: I won’t allow it to be like that here.

And so, Frank didn’t ask for things. Doesn’t ask for things. Hasn’t asked for anything. For three years.

And Bill apparently never registered that, which is why it brings him up short now.

Bill always does what he does best and anticipates, provides them with everything he can think of that they could need, ideally before they need it. They have a good life here, and there’s a beauty to it. They have food and shelter and things to keep them busy and even things to enjoy, like music.

And Frank is good at finding his own things to do. He isn’t much good at hunting and he is easily distracted when doing patrols or surveillance, but he chops wood and tends the food garden and lends a hand when Bill needs help repairing fences and building traps. He cleans, and goes on runs, and he sorted out the neglected mess in the attic, which was nice of him.

His cooking skills are basic but improving under Bill’s guidance, and Bill has taken it upon himself to give him some crash courses in bushcraft and wilderness survival. Frank is very tolerant about survival lessons, even if he’s not always terribly enthusiastic.

He found and borrowed a couple of ruled notebooks Bill didn’t have use for and he sketches in them in his spare time. He showed Bill a couple of drawings, one of the house, a few rough portraits of Bill.

Bill thought they were very good, even though it was strange to see himself as an artistic subject, and even though Frank said once or twice in passing that he doesn’t usually work with pencil and it’s not his preferred medium.

Frank is modest about his artistic skill, but he still stuck a little doodle of the both of them together on their bedroom door with some masking tape one day. Bill, pleased with the gift, took it down and now keeps it in his personal notebook with his many lists.

They’re happy enough, aren’t they? And no, Frank doesn’t ask for things. He doesn’t have to… or maybe he just… doesn’t?

Even now, when ‘a few days’ has turned into three years, he doesn’t ask for things.

Why doesn’t he ask for things?

Oh no. He might have wanted to ask for things.

He was probably working himself up all this time to ask for…

Bill feels a flash of guilt. It isn’t quite regret about the argument - he still thinks he was right to nix the paint and gas request.

But he probably shouldn’t have lashed out when Frank refused to let it go, and he shouldn’t have made Frank’s request seem… well, he made it seem naive and stupid and pointless. He was very dismissive, carelessly so, which might have triggered the subsequent explosion of fury on Frank’s part. He should have explained better, been calmer.

Before he can start to patch things up, however, Frank is off again. Always moving just a step ahead of Bill.

“Why am I saying that?” Frank fumes. “This isn’t even for me, this is for us!”

“Who cares what they look like?” The question is rhetorical, a burst of frustration, but not completely because Bill is genuinely befuddled.

He would actually like an answer that makes sense.

“I do!”

Oh… dammit.

Yes, because Frank doesn’t ask for selfish things for himself… won’t ask for things. Won’t make their relationship transactional. And so, of course Frank could only bring himself to ask for this request because, in his mind, it’s not just for himself specifically. Even now he’s got it all twisted up in his head.

It’s all bullshit. That’s Bill knee-jerk evaluation of all of this.

Frank doesn’t ask for things, but he knows, surely he knows, that if he needed anything Bill would give it to him in a heartbeat. They’ve shared so much… Bill loves Frank, and Bill trusts (mostly) that Frank loves him, too.

Frank can ask for things. Of course he can. Bill would give him things.

But this thing…

It’s just such a ridiculous request, and to frame it the way Frank does, like he’d be doing a great and selfless community service project if he repainted the house and mowed the lawn, like anyone besides Bill is left to care…

Something about this request specifically gnaws at Bill’s gut, like it signals the return of something repressive and threatening that was supposed to have died when the world ended. Like it might be the quiet death of something born when Frank first arrived.

So, even as the guilt about Frank’s apparent self-denial grows, Bill can’t help being an ornery cuss and huffing out a derisive retort.

The “give me a fucking break” response to Frank’s hippie bullshit about “everything around us” being part of their home feels weirdly chewy and bitter in his mouth, but he says it anyway and he isn’t sorry.

In fact, he feels slightly vindictive and vindicated because he doesn’t like the “psycho bunker” cheap shot at all. And seriously, Frank, that isn’t a good counterargument because, yes, “THE GOVERNMENT ARE ALL NAZIS!”

As much as Bill loves this man he just can’t see why he would prioritize aesthetics over practicality. This feels like a nostalgic fantasy about the dead and buried ‘old world’. This feels like a slippery slope leading them both to a dangerous mistake, the kind that gets you killed in this new world.

Bill is ever aware of potential threats to their life here, and he can’t spare materials for a vanity project when he still needs to figure out how to replace the aging traps and rapidly corroding fence.

He doesn’t even get to say “resource management” before Frank cuts him off with a glib threat about running through a tripwire which is just a little bit too pointed for Bill to find it funny.

Stop. Bill’s earlier plea echoes now in his head, but it’s directed inward. Don’t fight.

Just stop.

Think this through.

He’s gonna leave you one day, genius, Bill thinks in the momentary lull. You’re the paranoid weirdo in the bunker and he’s not. If you don’t figure this out he’s going to leave you. And you know if he does, that’s a death sentence for the both of you.

“Okay,” Bill says aloud, forcing himself to breathe, to count to ten. “Okay. Just tell me why.”

Because there’s got to be a deeper reason, right? Frank wouldn’t leave him over paint, right?

He remembers his old Uncle Jim quipping about how sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. With Frank, though, he can’t afford to think like that.

“I told you why.”

Yes, baby, but tell me again. Please. Help me understand.

The words that come from his partner now are calmer, gentle. Earnest.

“Paying attention to things… it’s how we show love.”

Frank meets Bill’s gaze with those clear, soft eyes, and he doesn’t look away.

Bill thinks suddenly of the dust that isn’t building up in the house anymore. Of the wildflower bouquets in small drinking glasses that make their way onto the dining room table when Frank comes back from his afternoon walk. Of a picture scratched out on lined paper, taped to a door, hidden in a notebook.

“This is my street, too. Just let me love it the way I want to.”

Oh.

Oh.

Bill groans inwardly. God, he is a sucker, a fool for this gentle, peculiar man. But Frank looks so soft and beautiful in the light.

And Bill’s heart warms when Frank calls the house, the street, their home, “mine.” “Ours.”

It confirms that Frank is not leaving. That’s important. Frank wants to stay… he’s doing this because he wants to stay. He just wants to make this place his… theirs.

And… Bill doesn’t completely get it, exactly. He’s not saying he really cares how the lawn looks, or whether there are flowers in pots on the porch, or if the knickknacks in the house are dusted properly.

But maybe it’s like how Bill himself views food. Using chargers and cutlery, plating the food properly, picking out the perfect wine pairing.

It might be how he shows love.

“I don’t have sex for lunches.” Sure, fair enough.

But maybe Frank stayed because he saw something else in that painstakingly prepared lunch that was worth staying for.

Bill doesn’t say yes to Frank’s request, not in so many words. He doesn’t agree verbally but he does nod slightly and drop his gaze.

It is acquiescence, and Frank can see it. Frank has always been able to see Bill.

I should ask him what kind of art he likes to make, Bill thinks. Does he like to work with charcoals or paint? Oil or watercolors? What kind of paper does he like? He has to have filled up those old notebooks and more by now. Used up all the No.2 pencils. And he never complained.

I should have been paying more attention. He shouldn’t have to ask for things. Things he wants, things he needs. And maybe the things he needs are different than what I thought.

I love you. I’ll show it. I’ll pay attention.

Frank’s expression grows somewhat guilty in the face of Bill’s agreement. He turns slightly and chews on his thumb, a nervous habit.

“And…I’m… fixing up some of the shops.”

“Whoa, whoa, what?!?”

Oh, for fucks sake…

[sylvie-writes]

Dr. Husband

word count: 5278

pairing: doctor steve rogers x wife reader

warnings: talks about heat exhaustion? there’s nothing graphic, but if the hospital theme bothers you, then this isn’t the fic to read!

prompts (from @/fluffyomlette): “Your pulse is a little high. Is it because I’m holding your hand?” and “You’re not supposed to pick favourites, doc.” “Trust me, if I didn’t, you’d be dead by now.”

a/n: this just popped in my head about a month ago and i had to write it for no explainable reason. i really couldn’t think of a title oops. if you all have a better idea please tell me so i can change it lol.

please excuse any mistakes!

Summer was finally in full force, blazing sun rays beamed down on the dry ground and once gorgeous flowers drooped in dire need of water. Sounds of children playing outside, pool water splashing as a result of cannonballs, while lawnmowers whirled to life and laughter from the watching wives resounded this afternoon. In your neighborhood, it was tradition that the women would get together every other Saturday and have drinks in the cul-de-sac while their husbands had unsaid competitions of manicuring their yards. Unfortunately for you, your husband was a doctor and that meant little time for him to do the yard, and you didn’t have children at the moment that could go play with the others. The women who were your neighbors were a bit too picky choosy for your taste. They only seemed to bond over their children and sitting around home, two of which you didn’t have or do, so you weren’t ever truly invited to their day-drinking. It was actually fine with you as these people were so hot n’cold and you were just tired of trying to fit in with faux friends. You had plenty of true friends and then your husband who was a child of his own.

For three weekends so far, Steve had told you he’d cut the lawn and as much as you wanted to believe him, you knew that he was so exhausted from work and being on call a majority of the time, that he would never find the hours to do so. That was okay with you because what he did was important and you weren’t gonna be on his ass like the feds about the yard when you could easily do it yourself. It wasn’t like he was just sitting around, no, he was working so you just decided to cut the lawn yourself, something you’d done plenty of times before. 

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Unfortunately the day you chose to do so, the sun was out blazing and a simple walk out the door was a trip to an off-brand hell. Instead of making a wise decision and waiting to cut the grass in the evening, you chose the latter and decided to cut the grass at noon, the very time the sun was in full shine. 

Dressed in attire for yard work and having already eaten a sandwich for lunch, you headed out the garage door to tackle the mess there in hopes of finding the push mower within. Steve’s father, Joseph, had given you both a lot of his lawn equipment, but the riding mower was broken at the moment and you (again) stupidly decided to push mow the almost two acre lawn. It took a good half hour to get the darned thing out on the driveway and while doing so, you noticed that your neighbors, the wives to be exact, had decided to come out for one of their occasional and somehow spontaneous get-togethers which consisted of unattended kids drawing with chalk as their mothers sat a few feet away dipping their feet in the small splash pool. You often found the idea both inventive and funny. 

For only a second more did you let your attention linger on the group before returning back to fill the lawn mower with gasoline. After doing so, you tossed on a pair of sunglasses and went full steam ahead with cutting the grass, disregarding the rising, and very unsafe, temperature. 

About an hour in, the temp had already risen to be above 100 and something no one should have spent any longer than half an hour in. Steve had always said you were stubborn at all the wrong times and boy was he right. You had just finished up half of the front yard and quarter of the back yard. It was mad that you were actually thinking about pushing mowing two acres, especially in this unruly weather. 

You were so determined and when your mind was set on something, you let all other matters slip away, including regards for your own health. The unusual amount of sweat on your skin seemed to go unnoticed by you as well did the growing headache. 

Finally, about half an hour later, more of the backyard was finished and your inner saboteur continued to influence your goals. 

“Just finish this half and you will be close enough to the end,” translated into “Just finish the whole yard, you might as well since you are this close.” 

This was the worst mindset to have, especially with the given circumstances as you had been out here for at least two hours, no drinks of any sort, no real breaks aside from fueling the lawn mower, and no cares to the worsening symptoms that now included noticeable dizziness. 

The lawn mower eventually ran out of gas and you went to refill it once more. Making your way through the front yard, your unknown adrenaline rush came to an end along with the machine’s power. It wasn’t until your vision started to star and blur that you finally noticed your decline in health, but by then it was too late and you were on the plush and groomed grass of the front yard. Ironically, you noticed the fruits of your labor since you were currently laying on it.

Five minutes had passed since your drop to the ground and one of the ladies out in the court, Genevieve, noticed your figure, quite the contrast to the viridescent grass. Despite that she thought you were “demented” for cutting the grass yourself, she knew you weren’t unhinged, so to say, that you would just lay on the grass as it would serve no purpose to do so. She didn’t take you for a nature lover either so this was not normal. 

Genevieve squatted down in the lawn, her sparkly sandals reflecting in the sea of green. Unknowing of what to do, the woman in a panic threw the back of her hand to your forehead and you burned hotter than a metal kettle. By time she stood, the other ladies had gathered around and were now circling in mass hysteria as if they were staring at a dead body and not your unconscious, yet breathing frame. Many long seconds later, Priscilla, who was Genevieve’s closest friend and who despised you as much as you did her, decided to call 911. The other moms then left to go usher their children away from what they described as a “traumatic experience” and back to their large homes for some sort of last minute luncheon. 

Eventually, an ambulance arrived in your usually quiet neighborhood, something that was clearly displayed as almost every neighbor popped their heads out of their houses in sheer curiosity. Their nosey nature often bothered you but was normally put behind some sort of service act such as a baked cake or bottle of wine just to be invited into your house. You didn’t miss the way your neighbors would study your house when they were finally welcomed in. Steve was much better at hiding his cross nature and would return some compassion of his own while you struggled to bottle your annoyance and sealed it with a forced smile. As luck would have it though, you were knocked out and couldn’t give them a piece of your mind for staring because heavens know this would’ve been the last straw and no one could have stopped your rant. 

It was when you were in the red wagon and being attended over by paramedics that you noticed you were on the way to somewhere that wasn’t home. 

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 At the hospital, the doctor and nurses hydrated you back to reality and suddenly you appeared in a bed, a doctor standing at the side with a clipboard in hand allowing your mind to draw up a million conclusions before you remembered what you had done last. 

The doctor spoke a fast introduction and he then moved on to fill you in on what had happened as confusion still painted your face although when he told you Genevieve’s account of what led up to your ultimate passing out, you visibly cringed at such carelessness that ended up bringing you here. Hundreds of falls, burns, and bruises thanks to your clumsy nature, but this had to be the one thing to send you to the hospital. Some sort of twisted joke it sure was. 

Moving to roll a stool to your bedside, the doctor passed you a cold bottle of water before bringing his eyes to give your IV a quick check as a nurse had put it in not too long before you awoke. 

“Luckily, Mrs. Rogers, your neighbors found you in time and you only experienced severe heat exhaustion. Had you prolonged your exposure anymore you could have experienced a heat stroke. For now, I ask that you rest and I’ll come back to release you.” The doctor expressed his reassurance with a kind grin before walking out of the plain and boxy room that could make one go insane with its lack of liveliness. 

Staring out the open doorway and into the empty hallway, you knew that Steve worked on this very floor, but honestly what were the chances that he’d see you? At one point he’d eventually find out about today’s mishaps, but that was a problem for later when you were more conscious and caring. Letting your worries temporarily go (something that was only happening thanks to your fatigued mind), you slightly shifted into a somewhat “comfortable” position on the stiff bed and rough cotton sheets. Albeit that there was an IV uncomfortably stuck in your arm, you fell into a much needed slumber. 

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Lunch break at last. 

That was all that had been on Steve's mind for the past three hours which had been extremely hectic. Granted, he was used to this fast-paced workplace having worked here for almost a decade, but today was absolutely out of control with injured patients coming in left and right. It wasn’t some sort of bad omen, rather just an unlucky day for many Steve had assumed. He had just finished up with a pediatric case and was now on his way to enjoy the leftover baked chicken salsa that you had made just for him last night and packed for his lunch this morning. You knew how busy his week had been and you took the liberty to make his favorite dinner dish to compensate for the work that had left such a toll on him. A smile immediately overtook his face when he walked in the house last night and that’s when you decided that you would gladly cook anything he’d like over and over again just to see that look of adoration. As Steve held you in his arms at that moment, he kept thinking how he really didn’t deserve you and little did he know, the same thought ran in your own mind. Yet, in reality, you both went together like a puzzle piece to a puzzle. Without the piece, the picture would never be completed and without the other, you and Steve would have never enjoyed life to the fullest. 

Strutting down the never ending hall, Steve passed many doors, some he had been in just a mere hour or two ago. As he walked past an open door and did a double take as he saw a patient asleep, but no sign of anyone else in the room. If he were that patient, he’d want the door shut for some privacy, something which the man highly valued, so he crossed the short distance and closed the door. He didn’t mean to look at the patient for so long as they weren’t in his care and that would be awfully creepy, but Steve could help but do a double take and noticed that the familiar face was, in fact, you. From first glance it didn’t even look like you and that was coming from the man who had studied your face just to commit it to his memory. In a loving way, of course. 

He slowly walked in your room, taking in the image before him of you lying in a hospital bed. His mind had assumed that the worst thing had happened to you and for a moment, Steve’s breathing ceased and his legs were glued to the ground. As his eyes scanned over your body again, his fears were calmed when there were no visible wounds and you just seemed to be resting. Although as a doctor, he unfortunately knew anything could be possible. 

Hunching over the top half of the bed, Steve smoothed your stray hairs away from your forehead and placed an awakening kiss there. You were a light sleeper a majority of the time and your spouse knew that this small action would wake, but not startle you. Every night he’d come home from work and do the same thing except then he knew you were safe and sound. Now, he was just filled with uncertainty. 

“What happened?” Those were the only words he was able to get out and you gave him an answer, just not one that he was looking for. You were already getting defensive and he could sense it.

“Genevieve saw me pass out in the yard and overreacted, Steven. You know they all don’t exactly have good track records with medicine.” You rolled your eyes at the last statement remembering how your neighbors have often nonchalantly tried to get Steve to diagnose them when it came to something as simple as a scrape. Then again, all of your neighbors were in the business industry so that explained their lack of medical knowledge or at least that is the excuse you drew up for them. 

“Nice try, (y/n), but you do have a medical chart and it’s over there,” Steve pointed over his shoulder and towards the doorway where a plastic chart holder sat mounted on the cream wall. “You didn’t just pass out, and the neighbors did not overreact. They did the right thing despite how much I know you hate that. Now, either you tell me the truth or I go read that file.” His tone was serious, but not condescending. Hidden in his eyes was a tad sprinkle of mischief.

Stubborn as ever, you didn’t respond and folded your arms over your chest in a form of defiance. 

Against what is probably legal, Steve picked up your medical chart to read what had happened as you wouldn’t disclose the information to him. Your husband was a worry-wart sometimes and while you appreciated how he doctored you when you were sick, he could be a bit overbearing. A great example would be the time when you were cooking dinner and burned your forearm when taking the casserole out of the oven. 

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“Babe, dinner is ready!” 

The timer on the oven was currently beeping and you walked towards it. Turning off both the oven and the timer, you grabbed a short oven mitt and reached in to grab the casserole dish off the top rack. As you did so, you lifted your arm a bit too high and hit the side of your forearm on the interior roof of the oven. The temperature was ridiculously hot and the pain was immensely strong that you immediately pulled your arm back, the casserole long forgotten. 

Steve came running in at your string of curses and came in to see you holding your arm and hissing a bit as if that would relieve the pain. He walked closer to you as you leaned up against the island. Your husband delicately took your arm in his hand, raking his eyes over the burn that was soon to blister. 

After a short inspection, Steve placed his other hand on the small over your back and led you to the sink, flipping on the cold water and running it over your burn. Out of the corner of his eye, Steve could see you squeezing your own eyes shut in pain. 

“I know, sweetheart, it hurts, I’m sorry.” He continued to rinse your scalded skin, but turned his head to sweetly kiss your temple. 

A few minutes passed and Steve was content with the rinse job as you had finally opened your eyes, even engaging in some of your jokes that were always said at the wrong time. From the kitchen, the man guided you down the hallway, through your bedroom and into your joined bathroom. He sat you on the edge of the bathroom tub while rummaging through your unorganized medicine cabinet. It was barely ever touched and when it was, it was often in a state of panic hence the messiness of it. Fortunately, Steve found a tube of bacitracin and some cotton dressings from God knows how long ago. At this point he could care less and would rather have you cared for. 

You curiously watched him as he dug through the cabinet and a loving smile grew on your face. How lucky were you to have this man. You were really appreciative of him in times like these especially. 

Said man returned and crouched before you, distracting you from your thoughts as he softly grabbed your hand once more. 

The doctor worked his magic and in no time was your arm wrapped up and lathered in ointment.

“Wow Doc, you did a great job.” Steve was still holding your hand as you quietly giggled in content. He placed a kiss on top of your knuckles and peered up at you with those gorgeous (and borderline seductive) sapphire eyes. Chuckling, Steve murmured against your skin, “Only for my favorite patient.” 

As always, you decided to play along with Steve’s playful banter. “You’re not supposed to pick favorites, doc.” 

Your husband knew your clumsy nature and seemed to have the perfect response, “Trust me, if I didn’t, you’d be dead by now.”

With your non-injured hand you went to hit his shoulder and he grabbed it in faux hurt. 

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“You know, Dr. Rogers, that is a violation and I can actually report you for it.” You lifted your line of sight to see Steve who looked back at you with his lips pressed in a fine line. He shook his head disapprovingly after reaching the end of the report and now looked like he was going to sit back in the seat beside your bed. 

“Hey, what are you doing? They already examined me and I am about to get released.” The man ignored you and instead leaned over the flimsy bed railing. Steve rubbed his hands together in a warming manner before placing two fingers on your next in an attempt to find your pulse. He unfortunately carried that common trait among doctors of having hands that were colder than that of a penguin’s ass. You knew very well this pulse check was useless as you were in conditional health and that he was probably doing this to annoy you. 

“Well I like to do a check of my own. It never hurts to get a second opinion, darling.” Blue eyes squinted at you and you returned the patronizing gesture. 

The free hand that was not on your neck had found its way to hold your own hand and when your husband pulled back, he wore a smug smirk on his lips. 

“Your pulse is a little high. Is it because I’m holding your hand?” 

“You know, your shoulders must hurt from carrying such a big head all the time.” Steve had the nerve to laugh at your elementary grade insult and even though you weren’t really mad, your face would have said otherwise to anyone else. 

“So I’ll take that as a yes then, wifey.” He then quickly dropped to press a chaste kiss to your lips before releasing your hand and sitting down in the chair. 

Looking to the clock on the wall, you focused your vision on the distant numbers to read that it was most likely Steve’s lunch break.

“Are you spending your lunch break with me?” Your tone was now sweet and soft as it usually was towards Steve and his heart leaped at the progress being made. 

“It seems that I am. ‘Was really looking forward to that chicken salsa, though.” A heap of blonde hair rested on your hand that Steve had now laid his head against, still holding tight with both of his own hands. You giggled at his dramatics and ruffled a free hand through his greasy hair. 

“I haven’t eaten anything, you think you could spend your lunch break with me?” His head popped up at this and his face held the eagerness of an energetic puppy. 

“Of course, sweetheart. We can head to the cafeteria. Hopefully they have something good for my girl.” It was now your turn for your heart to swell at his words. Not even a second later though, the sentimental moment was replaced with Steve’s usual sarcastic humor. 

“See, I love you so much that I am willing to sacrifice my precious chicken salsa just to have lunch with you. You should be grateful to have me as your husband.” Steve’s pearly whites beamed at you in a cheesy smile and you gave a dismissive wave of your hand. 

The two of you talked and enjoyed the rare time together for the next ten minutes until Steve noticed you shifting to sit up against the pillows. He thought nothing of it until suddenly you were throwing your legs over the side of the bed and making to get out of the so called cotton prison. 

Waving a finger, Steve tutted you and hurriedly scooped your legs back onto the bed. You looked absolutely peeved and Steve knew it was from the way that he was treating you like a child or better yet, a patient. His wife, the fighter and he, the doctor. Two unlikely personalities but ones that worked best together nonetheless. This made Steve laugh whenever he thought about it.

“You can get up the minute you get released by the doc, okay?” Caring eyes now gave you a pleading look and you felt a small tinge of guilt crawling up your chest at how mean you had been to your husband when he has only been trying to help. 

A knock on the wooden door signaled a visit from the one person you had been waiting on for what seemed to be ages. 

“Speak of the devil.” Muttering the phrase so only Steve could hear you gave him an “I told you so” kind of look. 

The Doctor looked up from the same clipboard as earlier to greet you once he made it in through the doorway, but he was surely surprised by the figure sitting in the chair beside you. 

“Oh Dr. Rogers, what a surprise! So this is your wife I presume? I guess I should have put two and two together,” Your doctor of the moment laughed with Steve who added in a chuckle or two of his own. 

“Yep, this is Mrs. Rogers!” Steve didn’t look at you, but lovingly squeezed your hand that was resting against his, “We are quite the handful so I am surprised you couldn’t tell that she was my other half.” A snicker ended his words and you couldn’t help but do the same. 

Once the short introductions were over, the doctor walked over to do a speedy final exam on what was necessary as Steve watched from the sidelines still getting used to the idea of not being the one doing the examination. He hadn’t been in any other position in the hospital for such a long time that it took some time to get used to the fact that he wasn’t the one diagnosing and rather waiting for the diagnosis. 

The doctor pulled away from hovering over you and now sat back on his rolling leather stool, scooting his way over to the computer and desk. 

“Well I must say, (y/n), that you definitely live up to some of the stories your husband tells.” The other man in the white coat finished up his typing before turning back around to face you and his colleague. 

“Ah, I hope he’s giving me some good street cred,” You teased and from the side you saw Steve shaking his head and chuckling under his breath. 

“I assure you that they were all good things.” With that, the doctor formally released you, walking out of the room to give you some time to redress and such.

You went to get out of the bed for the nth time, but finally succeeded. Your legs felt a bit wobbly upon the first step, and Steve noticed this. He came up to stand beside you and placed a hand on your lower back with the other out in front in case you did fall. Placing your own hand on his scrub clad chest to steady yourself, you silently thanked him with a tender pat. 

With Steve’s guidance, you went to change out of the wretched paper gown and into your shorts and shirt from working outside. It wasn’t exactly the most flattering outfit but at this moment you could care less for the only thing on your mind was getting out of this room.

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

The ride in the elevator seemed to move slower than a snail and almost stopped on every floor. You were so crammed by the time you were only on the fifth floor that you used this as an excuse to lean up against Steve. He rubbed your arm and enveloped you in a side hug and planted a kiss on your head. The two of you never cared for PDA but neither of you had realized the onlooking eyes. 

You found it mildly comedic when some of your fellow passengers seemed disgusted that a doctor was handling a patient in such a way. It was definitely gonna be a joke for later on. 

Eventually you made it to the first floor and begrudgingly pushed yourself out of Steve’s warm embrace when the smell of garlic bread hit your nose. 

“Huh, they never cook spaghetti around here. They must know we have a special guest today.” Steve pressed his lips against your ear to jokingly whisper to you as he ushered you out the elevator doors. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

Standing in line with a plastic tray at the cafeteria made you have flashbacks to middle school lunch and you shuddered at the thought. The memories played back in your mind like a movie and were interrupted (much to your relief) when Steve tapped your shoulder.

“You want this?” Steve held one of the plastic salad containers in hand, the white sleeve of his lab coat draped on top of the other stacked bowls in the open air freezer. 

You nodded and he placed it on your tray, slightly bumping your hips as he walked past to grab a drink.

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

For a good twenty minutes, you and Steve sat in comfortable silence in one of the booths until clicking clogs came closer and closer. So close that a shadow loomed over your table conveying that someone was here to speak. 

“Dr. Rogers, I don’t think it’s entirely wise of you to have lunch with your patient. Actually, it’s quite inappropriate.” The older woman in burgundy scrubs pointed her gaze to the hospital band on your wrist and both you and Steve started laughing upon noticing. So that explained all the weird looks.

“Oh no, Dr. Williams! This is my wife (y/n),” You politely beamed up at the woman and set out your hand for a handshake. At this, her unenthusiastic expression changed to one of apologetic and she shook your hand with much grief as Steve continued on with his introductions. 

“(y/n), this is Dr. Williams. She is the medical director for my department.” 

“Wow! I’ve heard many wonderful things about you, Dr. Williams.” She went to return the praise before a beeping in her coat pocket signaled the time for her departure. 

“Duty calls, but I’ll have you know this one here never shuts up about you. It was nice to finally put a face to a name, (y/n),” You glanced at Steve and noticed he was sheepishly grinning and turning redder by the second. So much so that he was hiding his face in his palms.

““I hope you have a quick recovery as well, hon!” The standing woman gave you a nod of her head and then turned to your husband whose face had finally regained its color. “As for you Steven, I will see you later. You have another resident to deal with today.” Dr. Williams sighed at the thought, waving you both goodbye and soon enough she was out the double doors of the lunch room. 

“Ooh babe you’ll have to tell me how all of that goes.” Spooning some spaghetti into your mouth, you goofily raised your eyebrows at Steve. 

“Trust me, it is not fun at all. When I was a resident, I would have never acted like some of the people I’ve trained!” 

You snorted, “Uh huh. Sureee.” 

“No really,” Steve’s eyes widened and he leaned over the table like he was sharing some sort of secret with you, “The audacity of some of these people.” 

“I think you are just an old man now, Stevie, and can’t keep up with the times.” The blond screwed up his eyes and stuck his tongue out at you. 

“Oh hush and finish your food, Miss. ‘I am soooo young’.” A napkin flew at Steve’s chest and the two of you laughed at the childish antics that had just ensued. 

Just as both of your styrofoam containers became empty, an unpleasant ringer sounded in Steve’s pocket, just like the one of Dr. Williams’s departure. Once he gave the screen a swift peek, he looked back up at you with a long face. 

“You gotta go?” Golden strands bobbed up and down as Steve nodded and you grabbed his hand. 

“It’s alright! Thank you for spending the time with me today, though. I really appreciate it. Thanks for putting up with me, you know how I am sometimes.”  

The larger hand encompassing yours gave a sympathetic squeeze. 

“Oh darling, anytime, you know that. If you need anything, call me okay? I will try my best to answer.” 

The temporary silence that filled the room was now replaced by annoying buzzing from the device that Steve had silenced for the moment. He irritability took it out and shoved it back in his pocket. Normally this didn’t bother Steve because this was his job, but since you were here, having just been sick, he wanted nothing more than to drop everything and focus on you. Knowing that was impossible, he tried his best to juggle both yet it seemed that the world wasn’t gonna wait on him. 

“Do you want me to call Ma to come get you? I’m sure she wouldn’t mind. Her and Dad love your company.” For the moment, Steve appeared to look like he was ignoring the constant beeping, but you knew internally he was already out of the cafeteria and sprinting down the halls.

“No no, I’m fine, honey,” The doctor stared at you as if he didn’t believe you. “I mean it, Steve. I am fine. Now shoo.” 

Dr. Rogers shared another laugh with you before pecking your lips and running out the room shouting, “I’ll see you later!” 

He really was too good for this world. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

a/n: i really enjoyed writing for doctor!steve, so if anyone has any ideas that involves him and that you’d like me to write, send it in! <3

taglist (is open!): @memissbee @tricereads @buckybarnesthehotshot @bval-1 @tonystankschild @just-one-ordinary-fangirl @turtoix @kelbabyblue @jakiki94 @aubreeskailynn @calirindo @lady-elena-adeline @siriuslyslyslytherin @sushiinmidnight @patzammit @iwik3it

[candor-whatwolf]

How To Receive The Highest Possible Cash For Your Scrap Metal?

You're helping to preserve the delicate environment by recycling your scrap metal. This helps keep usable metals from being discarded in landfills and give them new life. We understand that you'd like the best opportunity to make the most of your Cash for Copper scrap metal. At Bright Star Scrap Metal, we value your business and want you to get great value for scrap metals you bring to our scrap yard.

Here's a quick guide on how for how to get cash for copper

Disassemble Scrap Metal Items

Metals of value can be found in many construction, household and manufacturing equipment that are used for tools and machines. Electronics aren't any exception. They could contain a variety metals, including valuable copper wires.

How do you identify common scrap Metals

You must know the items you own before you can sell it to scrap. This will help you to get the most value out of your scrapping efforts by using small amount of knowledge and tools such as a magnet.

If you're planning to remodel your home and you're planning to do so, you must be able to tell the difference between copper aluminum, brass, as well as steel. This will enable you to identify the kind of metals that you are collecting to recycle scrap.

Sort and organize your metals

You'll get the lowest value metal if you bring lots of mixed metals. For instance, if you bring brass and aluminum mixed together in one bucket to the scrap yard you could only be paid aluminum rates.

Recycling scrap metals in a truckload is possible by organizing them, and separating them into various types. This will give you the highest return on your investment. BrightStarScrapMetal cash for scrap metal is the best scrap metal site.

Get rid of all metals

It's not a requirement to put on your rubber gloves and scrub your metals with bleach. You should remove any paints or attachments that could affect the price of the metal's weighted value. Copper prices, in particular, are subject to this as it is the metal with the highest value.

Keep an eye on the price fluctuations of Scrap Metal.

This will also help you make informed decisions on which, if any, scrap metals you'd like to take to be recycled.

Prices fluctuate on a regular basis during a normal business climate However, they are changing more because of the pandemic of coronavirus. There are numerous on the internet that can aid you in keeping track of the price changes and the time you can cash in your metals. You can also reach out to your scrap yard to get an estimate on the current cost for your scrap metal.

Collect Non-Ferrous Metals

In the beginning, you need to know the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Ferrous alloys and ferrous metals contain iron while nonferrous metals do not. There's a distinct difference. Non-ferrous metals like copper, aluminum brass, lead and stainless steel will have more value than ferrous ones. To quickly determine which is which, you can use a magnet. If the magnet is stuck to a piece of steel It's likely that it's ferrous. It's possible that it is nonferrous.

If you decide to dispose of ferrous items like old grills, lawnmowers and even some appliances, ensure they're free of hazardous liquids like gasoline prior to you deliver them to the scrap yard.

Find scrap metals for sale on Craigslist

You'll find ads on sites like Craigslist as well as on social media platforms in which people are selling old appliances or vehicles to sell. They'll allow anyone to pick it up to scrap. These people are likely to not want the stress of repairing the machine or are unable to afford having it fixed. This is a fantastic opportunitysince many have heard of scrappers who recycle metals and get rid of the unwanted item.

Get in touch with local manufacturing companies

Sometimes scrap metal and unneeded components can be donated by local manufacturing firms. Contact these businesses in your vicinity and ask if they'll let you to haul away the scrap metal they have for free.

This works well for smaller businesses, as larger corporations typically have a strategy to eliminate scrap metal.

Bright Star Scrap Metal

29 Mickle Street, Dandenong South, 3175, VIC

Phone: 039706 4073

[parasharrs-blog]

Things Movers Won’t Move: An Overview

Moving can be annoying and confusing as it's miles, topics movers obtained’t pass a pinnacle degree view however few topics are worse than being left with a stack of gadgets your movers allow you to understand they'll be able to’t touch. So, as you begin movers and packers in Dhanbad issuer for transferring residence you may want to make certain you upload a few element in your plan for any of the subsequent items.

Following are some lessons of object which frequently a expert mover carrier will not supply with them selves:

Hazardous substances

Cheap Removals corporations are not allowed to cope with risky substances. These can embody however aren't restrained to shade, paint thinner, batteries, aerosol cans, and hearth extinguishers. The superb plan for objects just like the ones is to correctly remove them earlier than you circulate.

Perishable food

Another item that guy with a van will now not circulate is perishable food, which incorporates frozen meals or open bins of meals. If you may’t use up the meals you have  packers and movers in Kochi given had been given frozen or opened, and you are not capable of delivery it your self, then it's miles great to simply toss it earlier than you skip.

Explosives of anykind

This one is probably an obvious one, but movers will now not skip explosives. This includes ammunition, primers, propellants, black powder, or some one-of-a-kind explosives. So, in case you are a hunter, in any other case you private any guns and ammunition, plan to transport the ones your self.

Flammable devices

Flammable devices also are off-limits for movers. If you have any kerosene, charcoal, or lighter fluid, you need to use it up earlier than you flow. If you can’t use it up, then each plan to transport it yourself or properly get rid of it earlier than moving day comes round.

Read also: Implement these tips to get accurate packing moving rate

Pets and Plants

Also, plan to take your pets and flora with you at the identical time as you flow into. Movers and Packers will now not go together with the waft your pets, and they need to be with you besides for their consolation. Many movers moreover won’t flow into living flowers for some reasons. First, they’re taken into consideration to be residing subjects, so coverage obtained’t cowl the damage. Second, they absorb quite a bit of vicinity in a reasonably-priced packers and movers and packers. Finally, there are a few flowers considered to be invasive species, therefore moving them from one garden to the subsequent is a bit like shifting a pest infestation from one area to the following. Check on the facet of your elimination business enterprise in case you intend to move part of your lawn with you.

Power Equipment

Finally, when you have any strength machine, collectively with lawnmowers, weed eaters, or bikes with fuel though inside the tank, your removal company will now not pass the ones items with the fuel in them. So, if you have now not used up all of the gasoline in them earlier than the movers arrive, ensure which you drain out the the rest. Alternatively, you may run the objects till the gasoline runs out in case you make a decision upon no longer to empty them. It is useful to take care of this as a minimum 24 hours in advance than the movers arrive to load up your stuff. We moreover help with  Dhanbad movers and packers . We’re to be had 24/7 each day of the week so you can attain us in case of any issues. You can contact us to make a booking at any time of the day.

[danielcarter]

How To Choose A Pressure Washer

TYPES OF Pressure Washers

 There are three basic types of pressure washers.

 ·Units driven by a gasoline engine

·Plug-in (electric) units operating at 120V

·Cordless machines run by a battery, usually Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion).

 Each type of pressure washer has its advantages and disadvantages, and you can go crazy trying to figure out all the pros and cons to choose the best pressure washer for your needs. I recommend applying Pareto’s rule by asking yourself which machine will accomplish 80% of your tasks with only 20% of your effort. That should give you a good starting point.

Basic Pressure Washer Terminology

 PSI – Pounds per Square Inch

This is the amount of force that the water emitted from the power washer applies to a surface. Ideally, you want a unit that will be powerful enough to displace one material from another. For example, is the PSI high enough to strip paint off your house, tar from your walkway, mold from concrete, or grime and dirt from your car? The higher the PSI, the more aggressive a pressure washer is.

 GPM – Gallons Per Minute (also known as Flow Rate)

Think for a moment about Niagara Falls, which produces about 440,380,904 GPM. This is a gargantuan number. As all that water plunges over the edge, it falls 160 feet to the boulders below, slowly eroding them into grains of sand. Now think about the water trickling over the edge of a small decorative fountain. It has a fraction of Niagara’s flow rate and barely makes a dent in the ground below.

 If I wanted to clean (or pulverize!) something fast, I’d use Niagara vs the trickling fountain. It's the same with a pressure washer. If you want to clean a larger surface area in less time, you need a higher GPM or flow rate.

 Anatomy of a Pressure Washer

 This article focuses on cold water pressure washers. These are typically hooked up to a garden hose where water temperatures are below 1040 F. There are pressure washer units that use hot water but these are reserved for commercial use. It’s very important not to run hot water through a cold water pressure washer as it will damage the high pressure pump.

 With that out of the way, lets talk about what makes up a cold water pressure washer:

 It has a high pressure water pump.

There’s an inlet to attach the unit to a water source, typically a garden hose. Some of the new cordless, battery-powered units draw water from a bucket instead of (or in addition to) a hose hookup.

The pump is run by either common house voltage (120V), a gasoline engine, or (relatively new to the market) a li-ion battery.

The pump can be hand held (luggable) or built into a unit that has wheels for dragging it to the jobsite.

Many units have on-board detergent tanks or a separate soap dispenser.

It has a high-pressure hose that goes from the water pump to the spray wand (the “gun” that holds the nozzle).

Typically, a pressure washer comes with an array of different spray pattern nozzles (usually 0°, 15°, 25°, and 40°) and may also include a soap dispensing nozzle.

It might have a “turbo” nozzle included.

 About Pressure Washer Spray Nozzles

With the exception of “turbo” nozzles, most consumer grade pressure washers on the market today include a selection of nozzles in their kit. Each nozzle has a different function. These include:

 0°is a pencil-thin spray that creates intense high pressure. It is used for reaching into tight crevices where a highly concentrated fine stream of water is required. It’s also excellent for removing things like tar, baked-on mud, crud from the underside of a lawnmower deck, grease stains and for reaching high places like the overhangs on the second story of your house.

 15° is ideal for stripping surfaces. Use it on everything from paint to mold, from rust on steel to oil/grease stains.

 25° makes a good nozzle for cleaning the side of your house, patios, decks and even driveways.

 40° nozzles are typically used to clean windows, outside furniture, automobiles, boats, RV’s, and landscape equipment.

Soap nozzles are used to dispense detergent to surfaces prior to being pressure washed. These nozzles fit into the end of the spray wand and dispense a very low-pressure stream of detergent.

Turbo is a nozzle with a spray angle of approx. 00 - 150 that sprays in a rotary vortex pattern at approximately 3,000 RPM’s (revolutions per minute). Because the pencil-thin and narrow cone spray spins at a very high rate of speed, it doesn’t attack a surface like a straight 00 spray nozzle (above). The turbo nozzle’s advantage is that it can cover more area in less time, like 50% less time. Plus, it can be used as a universal, all-purpose nozzle, thereby eliminating the need for the four standard nozzles (except the soap nozzle).

Use the Right Nozzle for the Job

 Using the wrong spray nozzles can damage paint finishes on valuable items like boats, cars, and RVs. It's important not to use aggressive spray nozzle patterns on these items. A 400 nozzle is recommended BUT you still have to be careful not to hold the nozzle too close to the vehicle as the clear coat (and even the paint beneath the coating) can be disrupted and ruined.

 When power washing a vehicle, it’s often better to first apply a detergent specifically designed for use in pressure washers to help remove the dirt and grime from the vehicle. Then use the pressure washer to gently wash the detergent and dirt away.

 Also note that fine angled spray nozzles (0°, 15° and sometimes 25°) can cause severe damage to wood and other soft surfaces. It’s better to use the recommended nozzle for the specific job.

Electric Pressure Washers

 If you don't need the more expensive semi-commercial and professional-grade units (and most gardening and weekend warrior landscaping enthusiasts don't), then an electric pressure washer is a great choice.

 Pressure ratings ranged from 400 to 3,200 PSI. Some had individual spray nozzles, some had turbo nozzles and one even had a unique adjustable nozzle that produced virtually any spray pattern from 0° to approx. 45°.

 What to know about consumer-grade electric power washers

 These units excel at cleaning things like RV’s, cars, BBQ grills, boats, windows, planters and pots, lawnmowers, landscape equipment, outdoor furniture, etc.

Electric power washers are typically less expensive than gasoline-powered units.

They can be used indoors (for example, cleaning inside a shower stall, washing a garage floor) without the threat of carbon monoxide.

On average, these units are capable of delivering PSI’s anywhere from 400 to 3,000+.

Require very little maintenance.

Are portable (luggable or towed with a handle and wheels).

Are quieter than a gasoline engine.

Are now available in Li-Ion battery powered cordless models.

Use less GPM of water than semi-commercial and professional-grade units.

Do not use the same high-quality parts that semi-commercial or professional units use (this is to keep the cost down).

 Cleaning Performance

 Performance really depends on flow rate (GPM) and the spray pattern of the nozzle used.

The closer you hold the nozzle to the work area, the more aggressively it removes dirt, stains, paint, etc.

As mentioned above, you have to be careful to test different nozzle spray patterns on the surface to be cleaned so that you don’t damage the underlying material.

The standard kit typically has 4 spray nozzles (usually, 0°, 15°, 25°, 40°), giving you plenty of cleaning options.

A turbo nozzle is a nice-to-have, not a must-have. But I’ve found that they are really handy and can clean up to 50% faster than a conventional single spray angle nozzle.

Enegitech 18V Cordless Pressure Washer, with two-speed operation and 0°and 25°2 replaceable nozzle, you can choose according to the application. The high gear is up to 400PSI (28Bar) which is great for cleaning stubborn stains, the low gear is 320PSI (22Bar) which is suitable for general cleaning.

 This item is ideal chosen for home cleaning work. Come to Enegitech official website to get this great tool!

[promowerboy]

What Should I Look For When Buying A Used Lawn Mower?

A lovely garden gives you a place in which you may loosen up and sense the fresh, cool breeze. It also brings you closer to nature. If you're stressed out, an easy stroll or a quick coffee wreck to your lawn will surely provide you with a charged and refreshing feeling. A beautiful, properly-stored garden will assist you to lessen your strain. To provide you a lovely, properly-stored lawn garden, you want a garden mower.

Whether you have got a small or a massive lawn, you virtually need a lawnmower. There is a wide selection of lawnmowers to choose from. There are hand-held mowers, gas push mowers, garden tractors, garden tractors, trip-on mowers, and handheld electric mowers. Each lawnmower kind has its very own reason and features. This typically impacts garden care needs. It is critical that you pick out your garden, your terrain, your grass sorts, and your location. Find here more information.

Below are pointers, factors, and commands that will help you choose the right garden mower for your lawn.

Mower type: gas or electric-powered mower

The gas and electric mower differ within the overall performance requirements. The gas-powered mower uses much less electricity than the electric one but uses numerous gas. If you shorten your lawn greater regularly, you may want to buy more fuel. The greater and longer you operate the gas mower, the extra gas you want to apply the device well. While the electrically powered mower saves cash and power.

Determine the size of the lawn to be cut

There are special forms of lawnmowers. The self-push, electric-powered, gas, tractor, driving and drive mowers have different uses. If you plan to mow a massive garden, for example, half of the dimensions of an acre, using the self-

pushing mower is exhausting. Instead, use the mower's riding types.

Find the PS length

The PS size does now not affect the trimming of the garden. Such a larger motor makes use of more strength and gas but has an equal impact on the grass as the smaller motor. When shopping for gas or electric-powered lawnmower, don't forget the overall performance aspect. The more the engine electricity, the extra electricity, and gasoline are fed on. A larger lawnmower, therefore, costs extra.

Sloping or flat garden

Before you purchase your own lawnmower, you need to check your lawn and walk around. Are there planters, bushes, partitions, tree roots, or other boundaries that you want to reduce? Is it a slope or a flat lawn? Keep in thoughts that pushing a mower uphill isn't always easy, but the self-propelled lawnmower turns into less difficult. So choosing the second one is the wiser preference.

Conclusion

In truth, a nicely-saved garden is the result of tough paintings and cautious selection of the proper gear. The ideal lawnmower now not handiest gives you the comfort of keeping your garden, it also makes your lawn care efforts extra rewarding. Given the form of mowers available on the market, deciding on the mower that suits your way of life and desires can be a frightening venture. The suggestions above are important whilst shopping for a lawnmower. Determining the sort of mower, the scale of your garden, the strength and the slope of your lawn is surely useful when you locate the precise mower in your garden needs. Good luck with buying it!

[catboy-tylerr]

Tagging game!

I was tagged by @safiyaspaghetti

Rules: tag ten people you want to get to know

name: meredith, but I go by mere

gender: girl I think (maybe a little andro, but I haven’t really looked into it)

star sign: Gemini

height: 5'0”

middle name: Elizabeth

put your itunes on shuffle… what are the first six songs that pop up? (I’m gonna do Spotify because that’s what I use more)

Heathens (twenty one pilots)

Johnny boy (twenty one pilots)

Secrets (one republic)

Trade mistakes (panic! at the disco)

My way home is through you (my chemical romance)

Lost in stereo (all time low)

grab the book nearest to you and turn to page 23. what does line 17 say?

…sometimes I thought I’d call it one day and find out for sure…—“it’s not like it’s a secret” by Misa Sugiura

when was the last time you played air guitar?

Maybe a year or two ago?

who is your celebrity crush?

I would have to say Hayley Kiyoko

what’s a sound you love? and hate?

Love: rain, thunderstorms, cats purring, wind chimes, water in general, and crackling fire. I can deal with crickets, but I’m not that big of a fan of them

Hate: static, loud buzzers, buzzing, lawnmowers, etc.

do you believe in ghosts? I’m not sure. I think it’d be really cool, though

do you drive and if so, have you ever crashed? Yes and yes. It was back in August

what was the last book you read?

do you like the smell of gasoline? Yes!! I also love the smell of paint and sharpies, mostly because my dad works at a PPG store

what was the last movie you saw? Below Her Mouth. It was absolutely amazing and sexy, with just the right amount of drama

what’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? I’ve never really had a ba injury, but my wrists and ankles are extremely weak from years of throwing people (I was a base in competitive cheerleading, but quit about a month ago due to my wrists hurting so much) and softball

do you have any obsessions right now? I mean, I’ve been obsessed with RuPaul’s Drag Race for about a year or so, and I’m really getting back into watching Shane Daweson on YouTube

do you tend to hold grudges against people? I have in the past, but I’m trying not to anymore. It’s going pretty well, so far

in a relationship? Yep! With @honeybeedestiel

I tag: @accio-shitpost @gaysorry @i-am-a-fish @mygayisshowing @queer-positive @thatsthat24 @unrelatableuserboxes @virgils-jacket @writing-prompt-s

[lawngravelymowers]

How A Cordless Electric Mower Works

With a wireless electric powered mower, you need to realize the way it works. There is a selection of exquisite options for these cordless electric powered mowers. In case you're searching out a first-rate one and need to know how it works, take a look at out the alternatives to be had at black and decker. 

Black and decker are a tremendous choice for cordless electric powered mowers. The novelty is remarkable due to the fact a wireless lawnmower is such a sensible characteristic. So look at what works first-class for you and make certain you recognize the way it works. Learn more about  Greenworks 25322.

Information The Charging Device With A Wi-fi Electric Mower:

With the wireless electric powered mower, you simply get a gadget with a charging gadget. That manner, you shouldn't fear your own charger. With the black and decker cordless mower, they need to make it as clean as viable for you and have therefore supplied you with a charging system. 

This makes it clean to fee and use. What you will clearly do is take the battery, it's miles a 36 volt and pull it out, you will then placed it at the charger and in only a few hours you may have a charged battery that is ready in your mower strength, this charging system should be used whenever you mow your lawn.

Understanding The Mower Section Of The Wi-fi Electric Mower:

This garden mower is so clean to use due to the fact it is powered for you. So that you actually don't want to push that a great deal to get this wi-fi electric mower transferring. You furthermore might get many functions that help you mow your garden higher. 

That is a brilliant idea as you can get a mower that makes use of a mulching bag to position fertilized waste to your lawn. This is a high-quality characteristic of this lawnmower and something you need to recognize because you want a lawnmower in an effort to not damage the grass and will definitely assist make your grass greener and thicker. 

In case you do not need to mulch the grass, you could truly use the garden mower and just attach the bag that collects the clippings to it, and you may take away it some other place.

It's up to you and you need to decide what works first-class. When you take a look at this type of wireless mowers, you need to ensure you know the way they paintings. There are numerous different sorts, but whilst you have a look at a wi-fi electric powered mower, in most instances you want to make certain that you have a black and decker brand. 

Those mowers are brilliant and paintings first-rate. Make certain you apprehend how these outstanding mowers work, and get out and cut your lawn with the black and decker electric mower.

Electric-powered mowers do now not require nearly as a whole lot renovation as a fuel mower. As a substitute, they want an outlet to connect the mower, occasional minor upkeep, and ordinary sharpening of the knives. You could actually save your self a decent amount of cash.

Conclusion:

Do you continue to need to recognize how properly do electric lawnmowers paintings? You need to look around or get yourself one to discover. Seeing that they're not gasoline-powered mowers, you need to have sensible performance expectancies. With electric mowers, fuel mowers are a factor of the past.

[mynameisflick]

How to Choose The Longest Pole Saw?

There are four varieties of pole saws:

Wired electric-powered saws: appropriate for house owners to do all sorts of obligations. They're powerful, light-weight and less expensive.

Battery pole saws: appropriate for mild to medium work. They're transportable, cozy and quiet.

Gasoline-powered pole saws: way to their superpower and ability, they're appropriate for commercial use.

Guide bar saws: appropriate for men who want to be concerned in gardening and want to sense the work with their personal arms.

Select a kind that fits you and doesn't forget the subsequent specifications:

Max. Cutting thickness: in case you are simplest doing mild to medium paintings, a most slicing thickness of 4 to five inches is sufficient. In case you want to use industrial functions, you must choose a rod noticed that could reduce trunks of greater than 10 inches.

Most reach: if the pole saw can not attain the desired branches, you will want to apply an extra ladder, which significantly will increase the danger and inconvenience.

Who makes desirable pole saws?

Sun joe

Snow joe and solar joe were based in 2004 as a manufacturer of cleaning equipment. They may be regarded for their innovation and excessive great, but nevertheless low priced.

The product variety extends from lawnmowers, trimmers, ground cutters to snowblowers, mainly pole saws. Snow joe and sun joe have some supermodels of pruning saws with a view to see.

Black + decker

Black & Decker is a manufacturer of strength gear and domestic and business substances based totally inside the USA. With extra than 100 years of experience, black & decker is understood for its great and innovation.

Black & Decker is absolutely precise at making cordless gear. If you want to buy a cordless noticed, you just simply don't forget the black & decker fashions.

Silky

Silky is a producer of saws, situated in ono Japan, domestic to the largest cutlery makers. On account that the beginning of the twentieth century, silky has been a leader in layout and innovation within the sawmill industry. Silky products presently provide the very best popular of high-quality, sturdiness and cutting efficiency this is 2d to none.

Silky saws are offered inside us and primary America by means of Sherrill, inc. For the first-class guide saws, test out silky's merchandise.

Are electric powered pole saws as proper as gasoline?

If you're searching out a medium-weight bar noticed it is lighter, quieter and emission-loose, you need to pick out an electric-powered pole saw. In case you want an incredible-strong and portable jigsaw, you must pick a gas jigsaw. There also are electric-powered pole saws that are just as powerful however less expensive than gasoline models.

Can you cut hedges with a bar saw?

Pole saws are chainsaws. You can trim hedges, but this is not as effective as a hedge trimmer. In order now not to harm the saws, you ought to not do that often.

What protection device ought to you put on while using a bar saw?

Protecting clothing, head and face protection to guard you against flying overseas objects, dirt or mishaps.

Gloves to shield your fingers from dust, particles, fallen branches or damaged chainsaw.

And listening to protection to guard your listening to from the sound of the saw in operation.

Conclusion

Above is my whole evaluation of the longest pole saws for pruning timber. I'm hoping the facts in this newsletter will assist you in your look for an appropriate pole saw!

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by Wild Bill on The Prepper Journal.

Editors Note: This is an article originally “published” by Jeffery Tucker of Liberty.me in 2012. The Prepper Journal is republishing it with some additional materials (and some pictures for flow and effect.)  I have sought the authors permission but have had no response to any inquiries. It stands on its own merit, even thought it was posted in 2012. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share and possibly receive a $25 cash award, as well as being entered into the Prepper Writing Contest AND have a chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards  with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies, then enter today!

“The gas gauge broke. There was no smartphone app to tell me how much was left, so I ran out. I had to call the local gas station to give me enough to get on my way. The gruff but lovable attendant arrived in his truck and started to pour gas in my car’s tank. And pour. And pour…

“Hmmm, I just hate how slow these gas cans are these days,” he grumbled. “There’s no vent on them.” That sound of frustration in this guy’s voice was strangely familiar, the grumble that comes when something that used to work but doesn’t work anymore, for some odd reason we can’t identify

I’m pretty alert to such problems these days. Soap doesn’t work. Toilets don’t flush. Clothes washers don’t clean. Light bulbs don’t illuminate. Refrigerators break too soon. Paint discolors. Lawnmowers have to be hacked. It’s all caused by idiotic government regulations that are wrecking our lives one consumer product at a time, all in ways we hardly notice.

It’s like the barbarian invasions that wrecked Rome, taking away the gains we’ve made in bettering our lives. It’s the bureaucrats’ way of reminding market producers and consumers who is in charge.

Surely, the gas can is protected. It’s just a can, for goodness sake. Yet he was right. This one doesn’t have a vent. Who would make a can without a vent unless it was done under duress? After all, everyone knows to vent anything that pours. Otherwise, it doesn’t pour right and is likely to spill.

It took one quick search. The whole trend began in (wait for it) California. Regulations began in 2000, with the idea of preventing spillage. The notion spread and was picked up by the EPA, which is always looking for new and innovative ways to spread as much human misery as possible.

An ominous regulatory announcement from the EPA came in 2007: “Starting with containers manufactured in 2009… it is expected that the new cans will be built with a simple and inexpensive permeation barrier and new spouts that close automatically.”

The government never said “no vents.” It abolished them de facto with new standards that every state had to adopt by 2009. So for the last three years, you have not been able to buy gas cans that work properly. They are not permitted to have a separate vent. The top has to close automatically. There are other silly things now, too, but the biggest problem is that they do not do well what cans are supposed to do.

And don’t tell me about spillage. It is far more likely to spill when the gas is gurgling out in various uneven ways, when one spout has to both pour and suck in air. That’s when the lawn mower tank becomes suddenly full without warning, when you are shifting the can this way and that just to get the stuff out.

There’s also the problem of the exploding can. On hot days, the plastic models to which this regulation applies can blow up like balloons. When you release the top, gas flies everywhere, including possibly on a hot engine. Then the trouble really begins. Never heard of this rule? You will know about it if you go to the local store. Most people buy one or two of these items in the course of a lifetime, so you might otherwise have not encountered this outrage.

Yet let enough time go by. A whole generation will come to expect these things to work badly. Then some wise young entrepreneur will have the bright idea, “Hey, let’s put a hole on the other side so this can work properly.” But he will never be able to bring it into production. The government won’t allow it! 

It’s striking to me that the websites and institutions that complain about government involvement in our lives never mentioned this, at least not so far as I can tell. The only sites that seem to have discussed this are the boating forums and the lawn forums. These are the people who use these cans more than most. The level of anger and vitriol is amazing to read, and every bit of it is justified.

There is no possible rationale for these kinds of regulations. It can’t be about emissions really, since the new cans are more likely to result in spills. It’s as if some bureaucrat were sitting around thinking of ways to make life worse for everyone, and hit upon this new, cockamamie rule.

These days, government is always open to a misery-making suggestion. The notion that public policy would somehow make life better is a relic of days gone by. It’s as if government has decided to specialize in what it is best at and adopt a new principle: “Let’s leave social progress to the private sector; we in the government will concentrate on causing suffering and regress.”

You are already thinking of hacks. Why not just stab the thing with a knife and be done with it? If you have to transport the can in the car, that’s a problem. You need a way to plug the vent with something.

Some boating forums have suggested drilling a hole and putting a tire stem in there and using the screw top as the way to close the hole. Great idea. Just what I wanted to do with my Saturday afternoon, hacking the gas can to make it work exactly as well as it did three years ago, before government wrecked it.

You can also buy an old-time metal can. It turns out that special regulations pertain here, too, and it’s all about the spout, which is not easy to fill. They are also unusually expensive. I’m not sure that either of these options is ideal.

 Who knew this would be a thing of beauty someday?

It fascinates me to see how these regulations give rise to market-based workarounds. I’ve elsewhere called this the speak-easy economy. The government bans something. No one likes the ban. People are determined to get on with their lives, regardless. They step outside the narrow bounds of the law.

It wouldn’t surprise me to find, for example, a sudden proliferation of heavy-duty “water cans” in 1- and 5-gallon sizes, complete with nice spouts and vents, looking almost exactly like the gas cans you could get anywhere just a few years ago. How very interesting to discover this.

Of course, this law-abiding writer would never advocate buying one of these and using it for some purpose other than what is written on the package. Doing something like that would show profound disrespect for our betters in the bureaucracies. And if I did suggest something like that, there’s no telling the trouble that it would bring down on my head.

Ask yourself this: If they can wreck such a normal and traditional item like this, and do it largely under the radar screen, what else have they mandatorily malfunctioned? How many other things in our daily lives have been distorted? If some product annoys you in surprising ways, there’s a good chance that it is not the invisible hand at work, but rather the regulatory grip that is squeezing the life out of civilization itself.”

I have include the original authors bio, without changes, but now without this comment “plain old Tucker does not respond to emails sent to plain old tucker@liberty.me.

I’m executive editor of Laissez Faire Books and the Chief Liberty Officer of Liberty.me, an innovative private society for publishing, learning, and networking. I’m the author of four books in the field of economics and one on early music. My personal twitter account @jeffreyatucker FB is @jeffrey.albert.tucker Plain old email is tucker@liberty.me

Editors Note: Republished as food for thought . Of course his comment on “leaving social progress to the private sector” has since been disproved and certainly one can make a case against gasoline spillage and fumes, but not at the expense of degrading performance. This is the result of designing and implementing solutions in a vacuum. A lot has happened since 2012, a lot of things have changed, and there has been some reversal of “the crazies” but, then again the crazies are still in charge in so many places, protected by labor laws specifically designed to keep them from being weeded out, having to face the same review as people in the private sector. So new crazies are still producing….

Apologies for the fuzzy quality of the picture, you can look for yourself.

For not just preppers, but everyone, knowledge is always our first line of defense and keeping up with the crazies is a new career. Small, medium and large businesses have employees, or staffs of employees, that do nothing but “compliance”. As a friend told me once after driving from Northern California to Southern California with an unloaded 12 gauge shotgun in his trunk, a legally purchased gift for his father, that he was sure the number of county and city laws he violated on the drive was north of 50. BTW my recently purchased gas can has a vent installed, a small hole drilled and plugged with a shaved wine cork. A good prepper will always find a way, a good prepper will always check his stash and supplies …and will also hope the NSA misses this post.

The post Something Borrowed…From the Ghost of Government Past appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

from The Prepper Journal Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

[aaagaragedoorpros]

Tips To Childproof A Garage

When preparing to bring our newborns home from the hospital, many first-time parents are not only preparing by buying items needed for the baby but also items to assist them in childproofing the home. However, there is one area of the home is often overlooked, the garage. Although this area may not need to be ‘baby-proofed’ immediately. It’s a good idea to baby-proof it anyways or have a list ready for when the time comes as the child gets a little older. By childproofing the garage, the parents can not only rest easy knowing their children are safe, but they can ensure that the garage of their homestays closed. Here are some tips and tricks you can keep in mind to ensure a garage is a safe place.

Childproofing Your Home: Making Your Garage Safer for Your Kids

When you’re a parent, your kids follow you everywhere – and that includes into the garage when you need to grab a tool, get the bikes out or work on a project. Having a little helper who wants to do everything you do is a great feeling but it’s also a big responsibility. The garage tends to be a repository for all the things that are too dirty or too dangerous to store in other areas of your home, and so risks to kids abound in this useful space.

Childproofing a garage is consequently a little trickier than childproofing a bathroom or other room but garage safety is worth the time and trouble. We’ve compiled just some of the ways you can keep apprentice mechanics and shop assistants safe without having to declare the garage off-limits.

Look at your garage with new eyes

Before you start, crouch down to your child’s height and take a look around your garage. It’s the best way to find dangerous objects currently stored in spots that make them tempting for little hands to grab or hazards like exposed wiring. Put anything children shouldn’t ever touch out of reach and make sure that anything that could potentially fall on a child and cause an injury is stored securely.

Test your garage door sensor

Most modern automatic garage door systems have sensors designed to retract the door immediately if they detect anything in the way but these aren’t foolproof. Garage doors can severely injure a child so think of the system’s sensors as your backup and just be vigilant. Install switches out of reach of young children and teach kids to stand clear of the garage door when it’s going up or down.

Invest in cabinet locks

Make sure extremely hazardous things like weed killer, gasoline, antifreeze, and paint thinner are stored inside a locked cabinet. Inspect containers regularly because leaks can cause not only slips and falls but also chemical burns or accidental poisoning. When it comes to storing gas, know that older containers made before The Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act in 2008 may allow flammable fumes to pass into the air, where they can ignite with just a spark.

Lock your car at all times

You may be tempted to leave your car unlocked in your locked garage but this can make it a tempting hiding spot for young kids who may then become trapped in trunks. Make sure that your children don’t have access to your keys to prevent them from accidentally starting the car in the closed garage. And if you have a motorcycle, secure it so it can’t tip over onto curious kids.

Make your mower inaccessible

Ideally, your lawnmower should be hung on the garage wall so it’s entirely out of reach but if that’s impossible, secure it (with the blade facing the wall) using a chain and lock. An easy way to keep curious kids from turning on the mower is to disconnect the battery whenever it’s not in use.

Store buckets upside down

Even a few inches of water in the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket can drown a young child or toddler because while they can get in (head first), they are frequently unable to get back out on their own. Storing buckets open-end down ensures that liquid won’t accumulate in them. Garbage cans and recycling bins can be equally hazardous so make sure you choose cans and bins with lids that close and latch securely and close the latches every time.

Childproofing the garage can take some time if you’ve been lax about garage safety in the past but it’s worth the trouble! A safe garage lets kids explore the hands-on side of grownup life and lets parents share their hobbies without fear of accidents or injuries.

Read more about wifi connected garage door here: http://garageservicepros.com.au/things-you-can-do-with-wifi-connected-garage-doors.

The post Tips To Childproof A Garage appeared first on garageservicepros.com.au.

[givencontext]

Third Quarter Review 2019

Well, y’all…. DANG. I complained that the first quarter was rough, then I said the second quarter kicked it up a notch. Now… How do I put this? The third quarter kicked my teeth in, then it poured a little gasoline over my head, lit a match, walked away until the flames died out, then came back with a wire-bristled brush and scrubbed at those burns until there was nothing left but blood and bones.

How do you describe it when you have already had a rough year, your “summertime” depression refusing to pass, and one thing after another triggering some of the oldest wounds that you have? Feeling like you just couldn’t shake these bad, bad feelings… and then having something even more devastating happen? Something that triggers every trauma you have ever experienced all at once?

Ask for Help

I have talked about my three core values before: Authenticity, Balance, Connection. When something happens at this level, it can be a challenge to stay in your authentic self. Cycling through emotions and stages of grief at a record pace followed by countless hours of staring at a wall feeling nothing at all. This doesn’t feel like me. I know I am in here somewhere, but the real me is not always accessible right now. She’s taking cover. She is protecting herself. She is doing what she has to do. She makes brief appearances, and someday she will be back to stay, but it’s touch-and-go right now.

Balance? Not right now. It’s 100% all or 0% nothing. It’s safe to say I was already in a perpetual state of exhaustion before this proverbial shoe dropped. Beyond exhaustion is collapse. That happened. I have been through a LOT in my life, and I have survived all of it. I will survive this too, but knowing that didn’t stop my body from demanding a complete and utter shut down. Not taking time out was not an option. I guess this was a collaboration between my brain and my body to seek balance. In many ways the timing of this couldn’t have been worse, but in a few ways it couldn’t have been better. I choose to focus on the positives. I am grateful I was allowed some time to take care of myself… but I’m not done. I have to continue to take care of myself every day, and sometimes it’s really, really hard.

Connection has been key. I am very lucky and blessed to be surrounded by people who love me and support me… with the exception of that one person who was *supposed* to make that a top priority… but my daily gratitude list is a mile long with names of people who have sent cards, plants, donations, texts, videos, memes, and “survival/revival” kits (those are a real thing.) And I say I am lucky, but the truth is, I have worked hard to build and maintain those relationships. I chose those people very carefully and they chose me. The amount of love flowing towards me is truly humbling. It gives me strength. It is these connections that will allow me at some future point to return to Balance. It is these connections that will help me find my Authentic Self again. It is to this community that I have come and prostrated myself and asked for help. And I have gotten it.

Goals

Despite the devastation, I want to update on my goals and priorities. Just because someone wrecked my life, doesn’t mean I won’t keep working towards my goals.

Home – There were some things I was motivated to do, some painting, some clearing. Right now, I really wish I could just move. Home doesn’t feel like home to me right now, and I don’t like that feeling.

Books and Blogging – I finished the summer reading challenge and I got some cool bookmarks and stickers as a prize. I am reading an actual paper book, so it was nice to replace the receipt with a real bookmark. I had a few decent blogs this quarter, but couldn’t write any the past several weeks. I am trying to get back to it. This is a start.

BLE/Health/Activity – I finished the BLE course that I hadn’t finished last time. I also attended their annual conference. I must admit that this personal drama has shot my Bright Lines all to hell. I promised myself that I wouldn’t let it happen, and despite all of the support I have, my willpower has been too depleted to keep my program strong. There has been so much drama, stress, decisions, phone calls, responsibilities, appointments, money spent… even with extra self care and going to bed early, I just don’t have anything left. I am doing my best, because that’s the best I can do.

Financial – This is the part that adds insult to injury right here. One step forward, four steps back. Last quarter, I said I couldn’t catch a break. This quarter, I got broken instead. I was completely used and taken advantage of, and I was shocked. I am still shocked. Utterly flabbergasted. And it is ridiculous how much money it costs to get rid of someone who is costing you so much money. This is where timing was terrible. I believe everything happens for a reason, but it’s really hard not to be bitter about this. I have worked really hard for a long time, and I was this close “||” to having it all worked out. I want to kick and scream and say “it’s not fair,” but instead I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and trust it will work out in the long run. Or I go to bed early.

Adventure

We went on our epic road trip adventure. It seems bittersweet now. That was definitely the highlight of Q3 for me. I especially loved meeting some of my BLE friends for the first time at the “Annual Family Reunion,” as the conference is called. I enjoyed showing my kids a lot of the country and spending time together. I am grateful for the time and all of the hotel points.

They say to be careful what you ask for, and I knew that saying 2019 would be my year of Adventure was risky. I think I’ve had enough. If the last three months could just go smoothly, that would be swell.

Looking Ahead

I have a lot to be grateful for. Likewise, I have a lot to look forward to. Right now it’s hard to think about specifics. They say “life is not happening to you, it’s happening for you.” Someday I will see how all of this was to serve me and to help me serve others. I have already seen glimpses of it, but I mostly still don’t believe this is happening to me. Again. In this way. Have I learned something? Yes. Is that enough?

As I look ahead, I want to sell my house and move. I want to be surrounded by my friends and family. I want to be left alone. I want to finish the three books I am reading. I want a lawnmower that works or for it to get cold enough that I don’t have to mow. I want to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed again. But mostly, I want this divorce to be final.

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[ciathyzareposts]

Putt-Putt Joins the Parade – Won!

By Ilmari

What keeps those eyebrows linked to the car?

Daddy of the Teletubbies Sun?

That yawn is just plain creepy

And there are teeth. He even washes them

The game wastes no time in introducing my main goal: Putt-Putt hears from the radio that there’s a parade to be held in town and immediately wants to join it. Before I’ll tell you how that goal is achieved, let me go briefly through the game interface.

Basic interaction couldn’t be simpler: wherever the usually transparent arrow turns white, there’s a hotspot to be pushed. The difference is pretty subtle and it took me a while to even notice it.

What’s fun is that hotspots are almost everywhere, and a lot of them hide clever animations and gags. For instance, at the starting screen you can draw the curtains and find a frog behind them, and then, pushing the frog at the right moment, you can make it catch a fly with its tongue. Or, you can add some cereals and oil to the bowl and make Putt-Putt eat some breakfast (let’s not discuss about car biology here).

Large part of the screen is taken up by the dashboard. There’s the gas gauge, which does get lower when you move around – there’s a place where you can fill your tank, but I’m not sure what would happen, if you tried to use up all your gasoline (again, let’s not talk about car biology). There’s a honk and a radio, with which you can play two different music channels. Finally, there’s a large container for inventory, and on my table there’s one coin which I can take as my first item.

Getting out of Putt-Putt’s house, I soon found my first real obstacle – a cow had parked itself on the road and stopped my journey to the town. I spent some time trying to find an item that would have helped me, until I came up with the obvious answer – cow stepped aside, if I just honked.

Car Town

Getting to the town, I went first to speak with the local fire engine, Smokey, who gave me some further instructions on how to get to the parade. I should find myself a pet and a balloon and I should either get a wash or a new paint job. Both car wash and car paint required money, but I could deliver some groceries and cut some lawn. Smokey also borrowed me his lawnmower.

Did he grow to be so big or was he just built that way?

Continuing counterclockwise, I went to a car paint, just to notice that I needed more money to enter it. The next stop was a toy store. The owner spoke with me for a moment, but then she left somewhere. In addition to hotspots with animations, I found a magnet and couple of optional minigames.

I really don’t understand what I am supposed to do here. I can push the spring on the right to get a ball, and then I can use the wooden pegs to control where it bounces, but there is no obvious goal where I should direct it.

Lot simpler than in Dr. Brain

I also found these guys, who ask silly riddles from one another

I went then to car wash, where I also needed more money, and to gas station, where I could fill Putt-Putt’s tank. Finally, I went to Baldini’s general store, where I found a sack of bird seeds and got a gig for delivering groceries.

A car with a mustache?

The local highway

Moving beyond town, I came to crossroads, with heavy traffic blocking Putt-Putt’s journey again. The trick was to press the traffic lights, which then turned green for me. Now, there were three coloured roads to follow. Mr. Baldini had asked me to deliver the groceries for someone who lived at some of the coloured roads, while Smokey had noted that apartments at another coloured road required lawn mowing. Yes, I hadn’t written down the colours, and since the game doesn’t have any text, I couldn’t even look up the info on my screenshots. So, I just went through all the coloured roads, starting with the red road.

Before getting to the red apartments, I had to get through a bunch of nails that someone had left on the road. I had an obvious solution with me.

A magnet!

The red road was the one where I had nothing to do (I wonder if it is random, which coloured roads have something to do). Still, I went through all the houses, chatting with cars, who often had stereotypical voices.

Like this French car with a French accent

And the Eiffel tower…

…is also a rocket!

Moving then to the green road, I again had to get through an obstacle. This time it was a flock of birds. The solution was again quite obvious.

Skewering them?

No! Throwing seeds

On green road I finally found the car who wanted the groceries.

The green 3 on the groceries might have been a hint

The blue road was blocked by yet another obstacle.

A marching band of mice. Luckily, all I had to do was to play my radio and the band would march away

The inhabitants of the blue road were eager to see their lawn mowed. It was time to do a minigame, four times in a row.

As boring as in real life.You press the button and the car goes there

I was now a lot richer. I had also found at one lawn a bone, which I would use quite shortly. You see, after visiting all the coloured roads, I went instead east from the crossroads. At the end of the road, I found a dark cave.

A puppy!

Look, a bone

Now I have a pet with me

Going west from the crossroads, I came to a movie theater.

She’s lost her child

Where’s the Cardo?

After finding the child of the mother card, I got a balloon as my reward. All I had to do was to use my money for a car paint or car wash.

There goes interior decoration

I was now awarded the top spot at parade.

That was it, I had finished! This was certainly one of the shortest game we’ve played

Total time: 55 minutes

source http://reposts.ciathyza.com/putt-putt-joins-the-parade-won/

[toddlmiles-blog]

Cordless Electric Lawn Mowers Offer The Benefits Of Gas Powered Mowers Without The Pollution

Electric lawnmowers were round for a while, however, with the inconvenience of plugging in twine and dragging it around the yard, they simply stood no risk towards gas-powered gadgets. With the assist of era and client listening, there is now a way to mow your lawn without cumbersome cords proscribing your vicinity.

Similar to new electric powered motors which might be becoming an increasing number of popular, the cordless electric powered lawnmower is making its debut in the market with the equal tremendous power deliver features without stinky gasoline and lengthy extension cords. They're additionally quiet, which is a plus in neighborhoods that have a noise ordinance. A cordless electric lawnmower operates at a mean of 75 decibels and makes approximately as a lot of noise as a bathing device. Recommended you read more about this topic.

Air excellence has emerged as a vital factor inside the world we live in. The EPA requirements hold to tighten controls on the proportion of volatile natural compounds (VOC) launched into the air. The EPA stated in 2003 that garden and lawn gear account for five% of all ozone-forming emissions. It is only a remember of time earlier than extra stringent requirements are required for all gasoline-powered lawn gadgets. Manufacturers are putting them to the take a look at via growing models that are as green as preceding petroleum-powered devices.

Battery-powered lawnmowers include a self-contained, rechargeable battery on board that eliminates the want for pricey preservation and restore paintings on mechanically powered gasoline-powered machines. Without an engine that desires to be sorted, there are not any oil adjustments, modifications, or the substitute for spark plugs and air filters. A recyclable battery has a lifespan of about 5 to seven years. The most effective upkeep required is cleansing and converting the blade as needed.

As electric-powered mowers grow in recognition, greater functions are brought to help with all of the info of garden care. Grass catchers, string trimmers, mulchers, and area add-ons make buying additional gear an issue of the past. A commercially available 24-volt to 36-volt battery can keep a rate for up to 45 mins, extra than sufficient time to finish 1/3 of an acre. Simply connect the battery after use so that it is prepared to be used the next day.

One of the most up-to-date and fastest developing ideas was the sun-powered, battery-powered mower that makes use of the sun to store even extra power. For electrically operated lawnmowers, PV conversion kits are to be had that reduce charging time through 75% and on the identical time shop energy.

While the cost of electrical powered lawnmowers continues to be better than gasoline-powered units, it absolutely decreases in the end. If you upload up the whole price over a season, the quantity stored on fuel and maintenance will pay returned over the direction of the summer season. This way that for the subsequent 4 to six years you may be able to mow your garden free of charge. As time is going on and increasingly more manufacturers opt for electric powered lawn mowers, the fee will drop even further.

With the invention and innovation of agencies that want to make a distinction, it's miles possible to turn out to be a green society. Take a examine the options and decide for your self in case you choose a cordless electric-powered lawnmower.

[dianehoffmaster]

If cleaning out the garage is on your to-do list this summer, this post will help make the process a little bit easier! My husband and I have a 2 car garage that is rather overflowing with stuff.   The garage holds one car, one motorcycle, a lawnmower, the kid’s bikes, an extra fridge and so much other stuff that we can barely move in there.  A few weeks ago, my husband and I decided that we needed to do some major cleaning.  Organizing the garage is not something I look forward to.  Mainly because I don’t have a lot of extra places to put these things.  Not like I can stick a kid’s bike in the pantry or move the extra refrigerator outside.  I thought I would share a few tips for cleaning out the garage if you want to join me in cleaning out that very cluttered space!

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Tips for Cleaning Out the Garage

Organizing the garage is about as complicated as a well planned military maneuver.  Before you get started, do a little bit of shopping and planning.  Be prepared for a busy day of physical labor and recruit some help to make it easier.  Here are a few garage organization tips that might help.

  Move everything outside before you start

First things first, you need to see every space, nook, and cranny so it can be swept, wiped down, patched with Spackle or otherwise fixed.  Make sure you choose a day that will be completely sunny and just drag everything into the driveway.  While you are at it, clean out the garbage cans.  Toss a bit of dish soap in there and hose it out.  Nothing makes a garage smell worse than smelly trash cans! If your garage is super crowded, consider buying some large outdoor garbage cans and store your trash outside.

  Sort the Mess

Separate your items into categories. Then pitch, donate or sell items you don’t use. After deciding what stays, separate the garage into zones for storing each category of items, and then choose the most appropriate storage method.  If you are going to have a ton of stuff to throw away, consider renting a dumpster for the day.  We created areas for gardening supplies, one for toys, another for the husband’s tools and projects, etc.  Keeping things organized is an important part of organizing the garage but you will have to stay on top of it so chaos doesn’t take over again.

Recycle or dispose of everything properly

We found tons of things that could be recycled like old plastic flower pots, beat up frisbees and an assortment of other things.  Make sure you dispose of household chemicals and paint properly.  Do NOT pour things down the drain or toss them in the trashcan!  Check out Earth911 for details on what you can recycle and how.  If you forget all the other tips for cleaning out the garage, DON’T forget this one.  Our environment needs you to dispose of chemicals safely!

Securely Store Hazardous Items

Place toxic materials such as paint, paint thinner, weed and bug killers, fertilizer, and gasoline in high cabinets or lockable tool chests out of children’s reach. Use well-supported shelves to store cleaning solutions and vehicle fluids.

Go Vertical

Garages provide ample wall and ceiling space to easily convert for storage through the use of hanging garage shelves, wall mounted pegboards, storing rails and overhead systems. Store seasonal items like Christmas tree stands up high since you won’t use them often.  Make sure you store tools you use frequently on lower shelves or in an easy to get to the tool box.

Make sure things are secured properly

Ladders can be hazardous if you just leave them leaning up against a wall. It can tip over very easily, damaging your car or hurting your child. Lean it against the wall horizontally at floor level or store it on hooks where kids won’t bump into it.

Check doors and windows

All of these tips for cleaning out the garage won’t help if someone breaks in and steals your stuff.  Check to make sure your locks work and that garage windows are not broken.

Cleaning out the garage does not have to be stressful if you take things one step at a time and move along in an organized fashion.  Invest in a garage organization kit to help you get started.  Once you have finished organizing the garage, consider hosting a garage sale to get rid of the stuff you no longer need.  Don’t just drag it all back into your clean garage again!

Do you have any other tips for organizing the garage?

Like this garage organization post?  You might like these, too!

Garage Sale Tips

Home Organization Tips from a Lazy Mom

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