#you gotta stay on top of eating all your fresh fruit before it goes off?

[vegancas]

the thing is i would become a fruitarian if i didn't think it sounded like so much work

[quillquiver]

another chapter of this deancas wedding/honeymoon!fic. thank you @we-all-deserve-to-be-saved for the prompt! 

Castiel is not a morning person.

He likes lying in bed until he’s sore with it, stretching out on the memory foam like a king languishing among his pillows. He likes rolling over onto on a cool patch of sheet, and cuddling into the covers, and hooking his toes over the end of the mattress. Castiel likes holding Dean. Being held by him; tucked up against his chest or with a palm half-sunk into his boxer-briefs. Pressing kisses to neck and shoulders and the line of his hair.

Castiel likes the liminal space he occupies in the moments between sleep and wakefulness, where everything glows. It’s warm and wonderful and he draws it out for as long as possible, the minutes dragging along by way of tender touches. It reminds him of the peaceful parts of angelhood.

So, Castiel is not a morning person.

…But he can become one, for Dean.

Dean likes romantic gestures; not all of them—he isn’t the type of man who likes receiving flowers or chocolates or candlelit dinners. But picking up his favourite beer when Cas notices they’re running low, or staying up late to watch a movie despite being exhausted—kissing him, washing his hair, holding his hand, sitting with him while he works on the Impala… wearing women’s lingerie: these are all things Dean appreciates. Small things. Quiet things.

Cas knows that this is a gamble.

The alarm on his phone barely has the opportunity to buzz before he’s turning it off, carefully sliding out from between the covers. It’s dim, and Cas allows himself a moment to run his hand through the mess of his hair and dig his toes into the soft carpet. A breeze is coming off the water.

God, he hates early mornings.

“Where you goin’?”

Dean’s voice is slurred and muffled. He blindly reaches out and Cas meets him halfway, tempted into cuddling for just a moment longer. “Go back to sleep, Dean,” he murmurs, gently brushing over the pillow lines on his cheek.

“Mmm, w’sss hap’nin?”

“Bathroom,” Cas supplies, depositing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Dean’s reciprocation lags with exhaustion.

Dean frowns. Struggles to open his eyes. “Y’okay?”

“I’m fine,” Cas says. “Go back to sleep.”

“’Kay,” Dean mumbles. “C’m back.”

Cas melts like fallen ice cream on hot concrete.

He carefully extracts himself from their bed, padding into the other room and closing the bedroom door. The sun is beginning to paint the first impressions of light on the horizon; the water is calm—it’s going to be a beautiful day.

Castiel calls for room service.

He orders pancakes and waffles and eggs and sausages, lox bagels, a bowl of fresh fruit, mimosas. An espresso and a latte because Dean would never ask for it himself. “And would you mind putting a rush on this?” he murmurs into the receiver. “I know it’s early, but we’re newlyweds and I’m trying to surprise my husband.”

Cas has learned that the newlywed excuse goes a long way anywhere, but works especially well when paying outrageous amounts of money in a fancy hotel. He expects they’ll also leave the champagne bottle.

Despite the fact that Cas is pretty sure it’s considered impolite to do so, he moves the small table and chairs from the balcony and makes a nest on the marble floor out of spare blankets and colourful pillows from the couch. He tries to mitigate the potential mess by laying down some of their many extra towels. Room service knocks, Cas pulls on a robe, and then the smell of coffee and food starts rousing Dean from bed. Cas pushes the food cart—complete with opened champagne bottle—to the door of the balcony before entering the bedroom.

Dean has kicked off all the covers and is sleeping on his stomach.

There is no moment of thinking about what he wants to do—what he’s allowed; Cas moves without conscious thought, peppering kisses from Dean’s ass all the way to the nape of his neck and then lavishing his attention on his particularly freckled shoulders. “Mmm… smells good.”

“Breakfast,” Cas says.

“S’early.”

“I want to take you on a date.”

Dean’s eyes flutter open. “Now?” he asks, caught between sleep and incredulity.

Cas leans over and presses a kiss to his mouth. “Mm.”

“Sweetheart…” He whines. Cas feels himself start to smile. Dean doesn’t use pet names often, and more recently he’s taken to doing so while complaining; as if the verbal confirmation of his affection will bend Cas to his will. It was laughable until it became endearing—because Cas is sweet on him, and there is no one else Dean feels comfortable whining to.

“Your life is one hardship after another,” he agrees solemnly. Cas slides back down Dean’s body and nips his left asscheck. “Come on. Up.”

“What, we’re not even gonna—”

“After breakfast, Dean. Just come. Please.”

Dean rolls his eyes and grumbles about a different kind of coming. “Man, s’not even light out yet.” As Cas moves to get Dean his robe, he’s caught around the waist and pulled between bowed legs. “C’mon,” Dean needles, nuzzling at him until the robe parts. “A little nookie, a couple more hours of sleep… we can go on a date later.”

“Or we can go on a date now.”

Dean pulls away and looks up at Cas, narrowing his eyes. Cas smiles down at him beatifically, running a hand through his hair and tracing the shell of his in the way he knows turns him to putty.

“…You’re lucky I love you.”

“Yes.”

Dean continues to grumble to himself as he slides out of bed and towards his duffle, frowning when Cas catches his hand. “No need to get dressed.”

“But you said—”

Cas holds out his robe. “Follow me.”

Dean slips the thing on as they pad into the main room, his eyes immediately drawn to the food and coffee. He gives a low whistle. “Damn, Cas. We expecting company?”

And suddenly, the entire thing seems incredibly stupid. Cas dragged them both from the warmth and comfort of their marriage bed on their honeymoon to look at the sun rising, a thing that happens and has happened every single day since the Earth started turning. He did this knowing that neither of them get to sleep like this, or be alone like this, or touch like this—this much and this openly. He doesn’t even know if Dean likes sunrises; if this is one of those things that’s romantic in the wrong way.

“I know you like breakfast,” he says, instead of dragging Dean back to bed.

Dean eyes the set-up outside, turn around and… blushes. Is blushing, down his chest and all the way to the tips of his ears. “So this is, uh—you got up and did all this?”

Cas feels colour rise to his own cheeks. “I didn’t cook,” he says. “Obviously.”

“Obviously,” Dean echoes. He shoves his hands in his pockets. “So, uh, take me on a date, stud.” He looks nervous, Cas thinks, which is ridiculous and relatable all at once. Outside, the rising sun paints swathes of pink and orange across the horizon.

“…Right,” Cas says. “Yes. I will… do that.” He gestures to the balcony. “Please sit.”

They get settled with coffee, for the first time maintaining a respectful distance between them. It’s oddly hurtful, and the longer they remain apart the more awkward Cas feels. He’s practically shaking out of his own skin when he suggests they go back inside. “You’re tired,” he says. “We should just go back to sleep.”

“Wait, why?” Dean frowns. He has foam on his upper lip. Cas wants to kiss it away.

“You’re not having fun,” he continues. “And this was silly, anyway. We should just—”

“Who says I’m not having fun?”

“Dean—”

“C’mon, man, you gotta—” Dean cuts himself off. Shakes his head. “I’m not cut out for this stuff: dates, romance… you gotta know that by now. And I haven’t been with anyone long enough to, y’know, even get to the part where we’re mushy and shit. But… it’s not because I don’t want to. I mean, flowers and chocolate? Not my thing, but you know me, Cas. A-And we’re in love, right?”

Cas swallows thickly. He nods. “I’m in love with you.”

Dean’s huff of laughter is steeped in nerves. “Well, good,” he says. “’Cause I’m kinda crazy about you, too. So—so, why shouldn’t we have a sunrise picnic on the balcony at the fuckin’ Ritz?”

“We should, if you’re enjoying myself.”

“Hell yeah, I’m enjoying myself. Are you?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Drink your damn coffee.”

Cas stares at him for a moment before scooting closer. He wraps an arm around Dean and tugs, relaxing when over six feet of freckled hunter is suddenly plastered to his side. “Okay,” Cas breathes. “Good. This is good. I love you.”

“I love you, too, you loser.”

They come together more softly than usual, tentative in a way they haven’t been in a long time as they kiss. Eventually, Dean gets pulled onto Cas’s lap and shrugs out of the top of half of his robe. “Gonna need to work up an appetite to finish all that food,” he murmurs. He ducks down to suck and bite at the spot on Cas’s neck that makes him weak in the knees.

Cas snorts. “Very subtle.”

“So, uh…” Dean bounces his eyebrows like a lecherous old man.

Cas’s stomach growls. “Can we postpone the exhibitionism until after we eat?”

“There’s no one around!”

He’s smiley when Cas kisses him.

“What would you like for breakfast?” Dean opens his mouth and Cas rolls his eyes. “Besides me.”

“That’s mighty presumptuous of you, Castiel.”

Cas narrows his eyes. “I know you.”

“Yeah.”

It comes out much breathier than probably intended, and Cas can’t be expected not to kiss him. When they drift apart and Dean says, “Little bit of everything?” Cas gets up to make him a plate.

“Man,” Dean sighs, stretching out on the pillows. “This honeymoon thing is awesome.”

Cas hands him a plate piled high with bacon and eggs and pancakes and grins.

It really, truly is.

[selfindulgent-undertalerps]

Freshcomic part 2

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Previous | First | Next

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Comic woke up wrapped in a blanket, they looked to the side to see if Fresh is awake.

Fresh is passed out next to them, mouth wide open and snoring softly. His glasses are a touch askew and his hat's come off.

Comic smiled softly, they took of Fresh' glasses and hugged him.

Fresh let out a huff in his sleep when Comic hugged him and his arms wrapped around them, his face nuzzled into the crook of their neck. He lets out a content sigh and starts purring.

Comic is smiling, a quiet purr is coming from them.

A few minutes later Fresh groans squeezing Comic for a second and slowly blinks his eyes open. He's startled a bit by the lack of glasses, but relaxes when he sees it's just Comic. He looks at them blearily and smiles. "G'morning brah."

"good morning, how did you sleep?"

Fresh rubs at his right socket "Mmm just awesome." He yawns "You?"

"great" they snuggled a bit more to Fresh.

Fresh strokes Comic's head softly.

"Yo what if we like... stayed here forever. I could be chill with that." Fresh smiles at Comic, blushing at how cute they look snuggling into him.

"we could" Comic is smiling.

Fresh closes his eyes and nuzzles Comic, giving them a light squeeze. "Could we tho?" Fresh chuckles.

"we can" They are looking at his face.

Fresh opens his eyes meeting Comic's gaze. His expression is soft and sweet.

"but I'm hungry . . .so we have to get up" Comic doesn't really like it.

Fresh squeezes Comic tightly "Noooooooooooooo! The need for sustenance has totally forsaken me. Babe why? So un rad." Fresh laughs.

Comic chuckles "sorry"

Fresh sighs dramatically and lets go of Comic "It's aiight. I forgive you."

"hehe" They are still hugging Fresh.

Fresh smiles happily and pats Comic on the head head fondly. "Lets like, go get you some breaky then. Whatcha want?"

"hm . . ." Comic is thinking "maybe . . . pancakes or cereal?"

Fresh grins "Both radical ideas, why not both? Cerealcakes"

Comic laughs "sure"

"Aww heck yeah! Lets go." Fresh suddenly wraps his arms around Comic tight and barrel rolls the two of them off, landing so he cushioned Comic from the small drop.

Comic is giggling, their cheekbones are covered with a blush.

Fresh giggles too, his own blush present on his face. He raises his head and plants a chaste kiss on Comic and whispers "Now, what did you do with my glasses brah?"

Comic handed him the glasses, "i just took them off, you looked uncomfortable . . ."

Fresh chuckles "Maybe, thanks either way." Fresh plops the glasses back on his face the signature YOLO blinking on. "Now let's go make some heckin radical pancakes."

Comic got up and slipped on a sweater so they won't be cold, They looked at Fresh, a smile on their face.

Fresh sprung up and took Comic by the hand leading them to the kitchen.

Comic looked around for their glasses.

Fresh noticed Comic lookin around. "Whatchu lookin for babe?"

"my glasses, those regular ones"

"Ah!" Fresh lets go of Comic's hand and plucks them off a table, turning around and presenting it to them. "Here ya go."

"thanks" They took their glasses and put them on "better" Comic looks cute in glasses.

Fresh stares at Comic and blushes, his glasses displaying heart eyes. "totally..." He snaps out of his trance, blushing harder and takes Comic's hand with a grin, continuing on to the kitchen.

Comic giggles.

Fresh gets to the kitchen and goes straight for the pantry to pull out the pancake mix and cereal .

In the meantime Comic took out the pan.

Fresh turns around and holds out two boxes to Comic, his glasses displaying ????

"Hey babe, should we do like, trix? Or fruit loops? Both are pretty radical and I can't decide."

Comic gave a quick answer "froot loops"

"Fruit loops it is!" Fresh grabs the items and dumps them on the counter and does the same for the ingredients in the fridge.

Fresh lets Comic handle mixing the ingredients and decides to be useful by getting the pan ready and heating it up.

He turns the heat on all the way to high and puts an entire stick of butter in, watching it melt into a soup and bubble and brown. this looks right.

Comic soon started cooking.

Fresh watches Comic over their shoulder in excited anticipation.

After a while the pancakes were ready.

Fresh grins at Comic "These look totally amazing. You're like, so talented!" Fresh breathes in deeply "They smell so good too."

"yeah" They looked up at Fresh, they are so Tiny in comparrison.

Fresh blushes. cute.

Comic placed the pancakes on two plates. In the meantime Fresh fishes through the fridge and pulls out whipped cream, he absolutely buries his pancakes in it.

He hands the bottle to Comic.

Comic chuckled "i don't want any"

"Ok more for me then." Fresh grins and sprays whipped ceam directly into his mouth and puts it back in the fridge.

Comic took their plate and went to the table, Fresh followed and sat down immediately digging into his with a groan of delight.

Comic began eating too, a slight smile on their face.

"Thisf waff a goo ieaaa" Fresh says with his mouth full.

Comic chuckled again "yeah"

Fresh snarfs his pancakes down enthusiastically and lets out a satisfied sigh. "Oh man, dude, that was so good."

They soon finished eating too "really?"

Fresh wiped some whipped cream from his face and grins at Comic. "Yeah! You made 'em totally perfect."

"thanks"

Fresh smiles at Comic "No, thank you." Fresh chuckles. "So what does my cute little home skillet wanna do today?" He asks, leaning on the table and resting his chin on his hand.

"honestly just lay down and not do much"

Fresh grins "I'm down." His face lights up in a bright blush "Wanna cuddle on the couch and watch re-runs?"

Comic nodded with a smile on their face.

Fresh slapped his hands on the table "Aww heck yeah!" He stands up excitedly... and halts looking at the dirty dishes.

He has a second of deleberation and quickly tosses the plates through a small portal. "Haha! Totally not our problem now!"

Comic snorted and looked at Fresh.

Fresh moves to Comic and scoops them up out of their seat, nuzzling their face and carrying them to the couch.

They wrap their arms around Fresh, they are thinking about something.

Fresh flops on the couch and makes himself comfortable, keeping his arms wrapped around Comic.

Comic feels really comfortable, but they are still lost in thoughts.

Fresh nuzzles Comic some more "You good babe?"

"um . . . actually no, i don't feel good . . ."

Fresh' glasses diplayed "?!?!?!".

"What's wrong?"

"i just feel bad about myself . . ." Comic hugged themselves.

Fresh frowned "Why?"

"i just remembered a few things . . ."

Fresh pushed his glasses up on his head so he could make eye contact. "Are you remembering about what happened before we met?"

Comic nodded slightly, they aren't looking at Fresh.

Fresh shifted the way they were sitting and cupped Comic's face, gently nudging them to look at him.

"Hey..." He leaned his forehead against theirs. "Babe, nothing they ever said about you was true... you're the coolest, raddest, awesomest, most totally fly as heck monster I've ever met."

Fresh closes his eyes and his brows scrunch up. "And they can't hurt you anymore." His other hand grips Comic tight. "I won't let anyone hurt you ever again. I promise."

He opens his eyes and stares into Comic's "I love you... and yo, honestly that's a new experience for me. You gotta believe me when I say you're special babe... you're the peanutbutter to my jelly... you're- you're cooler than the flip side of my pillow." Fresh half chuckles.

Comic hid their face in Fresh' clothes.

Fresh kissed the top of Comic's skull and wrapped his arms comfortingly around them. He closed his eyes a soothing purr rumbled from his chest.

Comic quietly sobbed into Fresh' shirt.

Fresh pet their back softly and let them cry it out. He nuzzled their skull occasionally and whispered soft words of encouragement.

After a long while Comic calmed down.

Fresh plants another kiss on their skull. "Better?" He asks softly. Comic nodded.

Fresh nuzzles them again purring louder "Still wanna watch re-runs? Or do ya wanna nap?"

"how about both? we can watch until we fall asleep? or you can watch and I'll take a nap . . . "

"Sounds chill to me." Fresh single handedly rearranges throw pillows and flips tv on, not letting go of Comic.

He repositions the two of them so they're both spooning facing the tv with Comic being the little spoon.

Fresh then flings a blanket from the back of the couch over the two of them and snuggles in.

"can you stay without your glasses for a bit?"

"Yeah, anything for you." Fresh nuzzles Comic purring loudly.

"i like looking at your eyes"

Fresh blushes "Thanks babe. I like it when you wear your regular glasses, it's hella cute."

"Hehe, well only you can see me like this"

Fresh's blush darkens and buries his face in Comic's shoulder.

"i was really ready to show this side of me to many people, but only you saw it"

"You should let more people see all of your sides babe." Fresh kisses their cheek "Every part of you is awesome."

"yeah, but I'm scared"

"Why?"

"people are dangerous"

"You think I'm gonna let some scrub even look at you wrong? No one's gonna touch you." Fresh's eyes shimmer with rage at even the thought.

"but what if you won't be there?"

"I'll be there, all you gotta do is call for me and I'll be there." Fresh squeezes Comic.

"mhm" Comic is watching the re-runs but they are slowly falling asleep.

Fresh closes his eyes, he wasn't paying attention anyways. "I want you to be comfortable first and foremost though. It's cool whatever you wanna do."

Comic didn't respond

Fresh nuzzles Comic and drifts off to sleep as well.

[mymemoirs]

Unrecorded Memories & Missing Taiwan #7

I gotta admit that the last post (#6) seems much boring, it took a lot of effort for me to actually post that one. However, for the next post it’s going to be more exciting since we went to a lot of places and I’m also starting to feel better and have fun with my group mates too. So, I really was kinda reluctant that this has to end at some point. 

30) The day after our makerspace activity, we have classes as usual. Our professor gave us a group project that Thursday. He also let us have a day off on Friday for us to finish the project. The project is a group presentation and we’re required to present a video along with it. 

On Friday, my Thai group mates and I made an appointment to explore Taichung and find places we wanted to feature in our videos. Well, since the concept of our presentation is an international food court, I suggested going to ASEAN square. I knew this place because I previously stayed for a night with my parents in a hotel nearby. 

The entrance of ASEAN Square

When we arrived there, we can see quite a few Southeast Asian people and there’s also a lot of shops that sells Southeast Asian foods. Familiar writings of Thai, Vietnamese, or Bahasa can be seen all over this place. So, if you came from Southeast Asia and you’re homesick while living in Taichung, this is the perfect place to explore because it has that familiar vibe for Southeast Asians. 

I had to say that the ASEAN square is bustling with people only during evening or weekends because most Southeast Asian who came to Taiwan usually works on weekdays (duh?). This is because the place looks almost empty, like going to a market but they’re closing. I didn’t see much people that day when we’re exploring the place. I assumed it’s working hours and most shops might be active during the evening instead. 

After walking around the ASEAN square, we decided to find a place we could have our lunch. We kept on walking around inside the building, until my Thai friends got interested in a Thai restaurant. Since I’m okay with anything, we chose to eat there. My friends recommended me to eat Pad Kra Pao which is basically rice with stir-fried minced meat and basil leaves. All this time, I always goes for the Tom Yum when I ordered Thai food, so a change of menu is good too. I had to admit that Pad Kra Pao is an excellent choice, I can’t explained the taste but I just like how they cooked the meat. 

Pad Kra Pao with an egg. I feel this photo didn’t do the menu any justice, but it’s really good!

Afterwards, we continued to explore Taichung city. Some of my Thai friends wanted to shop while we’re in town so we entered a lot of shops. I am not really a shopper so I’m only tagging along. We also haven’t started filming our video, but we’re not really in a haste since we have all day. 

Since, I’m such a foodie, I only took photos of the food or desert I ate. That day, we went for a dessert! Yay! It’s Miyahara dessert yet again, but we’re not visiting the same store as before. This time we went to a seated store that sells the Miyahara Ice Cream. The place is called Fourth Credit Union in Google maps. Just like the previous store I visited, this store have exquisite interior too. Very interesting and worth to visit and it’s not really that far away from the Miyahara Ice Cream. It would be a 3 minute walk estimation from one store to another and it’s 210 meters away from each other. 

Mango Fruit Shave Ice, I think it’s a seasonal menu you can get in this store

And taraaa~! This is one of the desserts we chose and share with each other. It was worth it! Seriously! I really want to go back there just to taste it again! I am literally fangirling over the food right now. I think going to Taiwan is worth it for the food and personally for me it wasn’t really that expensive if you know how to plan your budget. 

After immersing myself with good food and company, we walk around the city again. I think we were hanging around the Taichung train station until it was evening. Then we head out to a mall and eat at the food court there while filming around the area. So that sums up my Friday. 

The evening view in front of Taichung Train Station

31) During the weekend, I went to a lot of places with my roommates. I kinda feel bad for my group mates that I didn’t accompanied them during the weekend to finish our group’s project but I think I did my part already and I have prior appointment with my roommates. I didn’t regret going out with my roommates. Iris always planned well for our trip and it was a fun one.

I think during this weekend, we only went for a one day trip on Saturday. If I still remembered it right, I think my roommates have a trip on Sunday. Together with my roommates’ classmates, Jasmine and Hui En, we went to Sun Moon Lake. Yep, I went there again, but we’re not really visiting the exact same place I went so it’s like I’m exploring new places too. 

One of the photo spots in Sun Moon Lake

For this trip, we have a taxi driver who act as a tour guide and our driver. I think each of us need to pay a certain amount. I forgot how much though but I think this way, we can visit more places and it’s a good thing actually. He’s not really a guide who took us to a souvenir shop but someone who took us to visit tourist spots. He also took us to eat tea eggs which he bought for us, he stop by a shop near Sun Moon Lake and said the tea eggs there is delicious. Speaking about tea eggs, you can also found tea eggs in most marts in Taiwan, like 7-Eleven. Although, I had to agree the tea eggs he gave us is fresh and tasty *laughs*.

He also took us to Feeling 18, which is a chocolate store. We don’t really buy anything there except from trying out free coffee or hot cocoa.  I bought and share some snacks from the street vendors there with Karen or Vincy, I think. He took us there so that we can eat first before going to our next destination. Well, girls eat light, so we didn’t spent that much time there. 

The main entrance of Qingjing Farm

Our next destination is very unique, it’s a farm! And not just any farm, it’s a sheep farm! It’s called Qingjing Farm. Unfortunately, when we went there the weather wasn’t sunny at all but cloudy with a light showers. There were even haze and it was so cold but I think it was a memorable experience nevertheless. To get into the farm, we need to buy tickets. That’s a given, but I don’t remembered it to be too expensive. The business hours is from 8 AM to 5 PM. 

The farm is a tourist spot with a vast grassland. The sheep are allowed to wander and the tourists are also allowed to get close to the animals. Since we came quite late, we missed most of the shows provided by the farm.  We bought sheep’s milk ice cream and spent the most time looking around the farm. 

At the top of the hill overlooking the farm and shows below

I don’t remembered much of what we did at the farm, but we there were a lot of walking and picture taking. The sheep are just so cute, so precious! We went to the souvenir shops and I think there were also some short of market that sells food at the end of the farm. In the maps it’s called “Food Court @ Qingjing Farm”. 

We eventually finished our farm tour and then we were picked up by our driver. He dropped us off in one of the night markets near our campus so we can go back by ourselves using the bus. We end our day with a dinner together before heading back home. 

- Reina

PS. Next post is a goodbye post :( since it will be the last of this series

[thebombdropper]

Life After Death Part 1

So I may or may not be dabbling in the fan-fiction scene. This is really my first time writing, and I wrote this in one go so. I really had hoped for this to be a series, but that is if you guys like it, so here it goes.

Warnings: It may be kind of bad and slight angst

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Death sucks. That’s putting it in simple terms. Death doesn’t care who you are. It doesn’t care how old you are, or what things you did in life, or even if you have a family. Suddenly it’s like the tower is so much quieter. There are no more explosions of botched experiments or even the occasion yelling at Pepper or y/n. Out of everyone, you were handling Tony’s death the worse. You had every right to. Your dad has ripped away from you, it was selfish, but you sometimes wished he hadn’t risked his life for mankind. You isolated yourself from everyone. Even Peter. You didn’t eat or sleep because every time you closed your eyes, you saw him. Everyone time you ate something you enjoyed, it made you think of how he wasn’t living. The team tried not to push you too much, knowing that you also loss Natasha, but it had been six months, and everyone was concerned about you. Today was especially bad for you when you lay in your bed crying after finding a picture of you and your dad on your first day of school. He had been so busy and up all night, but he made sure you had everything you needed, and he walked you to the bus. 

“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” you yelled. Your small body jumped on your father lying in his bed, exhausted. “Daddy, it is my first day of school!” you smiled right in his face, already dressed. This was before Pepper entered his life, and he was still doing everything by himself. 

“It is princess. How about you go make sure your book bag is packed, and I’ll make breakfast and pack your lunch” he said, bopping your nose as you giggled and jumped off the bed, running as fast to your room as possible. Tony sat up slowly, struggling to keep his eyes open. He willed himself out of bed and started walking towards the kitchen to fix your meal and pack your lunch. He made your favorite, chocolate chip pancakes, and they were delicious. He packed you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with fruit sack and a juice box. It felt like you were ready to conquer the world. Then as you approached the bus stop, the nerves started to get you. Suddenly your coat wasn’t warm enough, and the grip on your dad’s hand wasn’t tight enough. When the bus pulled up the tears instantly came as you looked at Tony,

“Daddy, I don’t wanna go! I don’t wanna go! I wanna go back home!” you cried, latching onto his neck for dear life. It was moments like these that he always he appreciated. He knew you wouldn’t be this age and crying for your daddy long. He looked at you then chuckled, pulling you off him and wiping your face. His eyes were filled with exhaustion, but looking at you was like a breath of fresh air,

“Y/N, you are a Stark. Most importantly, you’re my princess. Now you gotta get on the bus and show all the kids and your teachers how smart daddy knows you are. I promise I’ll be here when you get dropped off, and then we’ll get ice cream after. Sound good?” he asked as you nodded your little head. “Let’s take a picture, hm?” he asked as you nodded your head. He pulled out his phone as you put your face right next to his and gave the camera a big toothy grin as your dad kissed your cheek, making you giggle. Finally, you hugged your dad one last time before getting on the bus waving at him the whole way on, and just as promised at the end of the day, he was waiting right there for you and took you to get ice cream, and you told him all about the friends you made.

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Bucky and Peter walked in silence as they made their way downstairs for movie night. Movie nights used to be filled with laughter and more friendly arguing then actual movie watching. Nowadays, it seemed to be a task that was done to keep up the tradition. It was like something in our lives had to stay normal, something had to stay consistent. Peter stopped at your door as he usually does look at it longingly as Bucky squeezed his shoulder,

“Do you miss her?” he asked. Everyone knew what losing your dad did to you, and it had every right to. You isolated yourself from everyone in the tower. You stopped eating, sleeping, talking, and really just living all together.

“I miss her all the time,” Peter says, eyes softly, never leaving your door. 

“Then go get her kid. All we have nowadays is each other, and I’m sure she needs you as much as you need her,” he says, squeezing Peter’s shoulder.  Bucky nods his head at him before walking to the elevator, leaving Peter alone. For a moment, he second-guesses his decision, but takes a deep breath and knocks softly on your door.

“Y/n? I’m coming in,” He says softly before opening the door. He sees you sobbing and runs over, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you into his chest. “Shh. It’s okay I’m here, I’m here” he says. Your arms wrap around him, and Peter lets out a breath of relief. It had been so long since he held you, felt your embrace. He missed you so much but knew you needed space to heal. It still didn’t hurt, not feeling your soft skin or watching your eyes light up in a smile during something funny. He missed everything about you and cursed whatever gods brought them to the situation they were in. “I’m right here,” he whispers softly.

“Why me, Peter? Does the universe have something against me?” you asked sobbing. “First, my mother, then one of my best friends, then my father? What did I ever do wrong Peter?” you asked making him hold you tighter,

“You did nothing wrong, babe. Nothing at all,” he says to you, running his hands through your hair, hoping to offer you some reassurance.

“I know Pepper loved him, and Morgan was his daughter too, but he was my dad first. He was was my first. He is the one who taught me how to drive and took me to get ice cream, and he was supposed to walk me down the aisle. I love Pepper to death, but now I have no biological parents. Morgan has Pepper, but my dad and my mom are gone. Everything is numb, Peter. It is so unfair. I didn’t ask for this; I don’t deserve this!” you sobbed, holding onto Peter’s shirt tighter than ever. 

“I know y/n. I know,” Peter says, kissing the top of your head softly and letting you hold onto him and cry for as long as you needed to.

[yacht-charters-george]

Top 10 Things to Do in Seattle Washington

Attractions, activities and events are plentiful in Seattle Washington , Washington. Its unfortunate knowing many tourists avoiding traveling to Seattle because they've been misinformed about the rain. Yes, it rains more than your average city, and yes it's important to visit during the summer months to fully appreciate everything we have to offer. But if you do decide to visit our great city, and only have vacation time during the spring, winter or fall...go for it!

Professional sports, site-seeing, ethnic food, street performers, and art are just a few things Seattle has to offer. If you have a particular taste for something, Seattle probably has it. And if you stay in one of the local downtown hotels, most of the sites can be accessed on foot. But, before you make your travel plans, do yourself a favor and get a map to gather as much information as possible, so you don't overlook anything.

1. Seattle Center / Space Needle - Built in the 1960's, the Space Needle was constructed for the opening of the World Fair in 1962. One of the most identifiable buildings in the world; it's impossible to miss. Take the time to get a bite to eat and get a bird's eye view of the city in the rotating restaurant located at the very top. After your meal take in a little fresh air on the observation deck. The Seattle Center surrounding The Space Needle is an event in and of itself. The Seattle Center is a fairground loaded with concession stands, rides, art, a water fountain display, and home to the Paul Allen's Experience Music Project. Seattle Center hosts numerous outdoor events during the summer months. Schedule at a minimum one or two days to see all of these, at the very least.

2. Pike Place - Fish tossing, quaint restaurants and street entertainers are the heart and soul of Pike Place Market. Nearly 100 years old, Pike Market is a collection of small venders selling anything and everything from fruits, antiques, fresh produces, and of course, fish. Pike Place is a Seattle staple and a must-visit during your stay in Seattle.

3. Ballard locks - The Hiram Chittenden Locks, known to locals as the "Ballard Locks" help ships pass from the Puget Sound to Lake Washington by rising and lowering water levels. Another big attraction is the fish ladder in the viewing room that allows visitors to watch salmon swimming upstream into Lake Washington. The pristine landscaped grounds around the Ballard Locks allow visitors a place to eat or just watch the squirrels.

4. Seattle Pacific Science Center - The Pacific Science Center is one of the biggest tourist attractions, located just south of the Seattle Center, and is not your typical museum. There's no shortage of things to do: IMAX Theater, tropical butterfly house, and the planetarium. The Pacific Science Center also has hosted numerous traveling exhibits such as The Titanic's Artifact Exhibit, just a few years ago. If you are accompanied by children during this vacation, the Pacific Science Center is a no-brainer.

5. Safeco Field / Quest Field - The Kingdome was imploded years ago which gave way to Safeco Field, home of baseball's Seattle Mariners, and Quest Field, home of football's Seattle Seahawks. These state-of-the-art stadiums are loaded with added features and a great layout for awesome views of the fields. Views of the city, the Puget Sound and choices of food that go way beyond hotdogs and chili fries are standard here.

6. Pioneer Square - Pioneer Square refers to an area/neighborhood. Pioneer Square's historical significance goes back well over 100 years. Today, it's the city premier location for partying. Internet cafés, nightclubs, restaurants, bookstores and art galleries dominate this location. If you are looking to have a good time, get out your walking shoes, as no car will be needed.

7. Boeing Tours - Ever wonder how they make airplanes? Boeing's Everett plant, located roughly 30 miles north of Seattle off I-5, is the home to the largest free standing building in the world. Boeing offers daily tours on catwalks that allow you to look down on the making of some of the largest aircraft ever to be built. Make sure to check times, and their age and height requirements for children. Also check out the Museum of Flight located south of Seattle, another must.

8. Seattle Aquarium - Seattle Aquarium is located on Pier 59 in downtown Seattle. Starfish and plant life are amongst some of the things children and adults alike will enjoy seeing during their stay. Make sure to check out the numerous seafood restaurants in the area as well, they have amazing eats.

9. Washington Ferries - Nothing screams Pacific Northwest like our Ferries. Walk or drive on, then relax. Sea lions, seagulls and other wildlife are all part of the experience. And depending on where you plan on visiting, a ferry ride might be your only choice. I recommend standing in the very front to let the wind blow across you face. Ferry schedules are often, especially in downtown.

10. Bill Gates Residence - How does the richest man in the world live? Who knows, but it's gotta be good. And no, I'm almost positive Bill Gates doesn't offer tours of his crib. But if you get a chance, wouldn't it be cool to say you drove by his house with the slight chance you might see Bill Gates fetching the newspaper. For directions, just ask any resident of Medina, Washington, where you might find the mansion owned by the richest man in the world.

Visit Us:https://yachtsseattle.com/

[bluesakurablossom]

Life's Gift Of Love: Mikey's Love Story

Chapter 2 Sky's Pov... Well another day, another dollar. Waking up in my comfy bed with my cat curled up beside me and the rays of the sun shining through my silky yellow curtains, starting my morning before I headed off to work for my late morning shift. I pushed off my puffy comforter and rolled up in bed rubbing my eyes open. Kisa was rubbing against my side purring like a motor boat as I gave the back of her head a scratch. "Love you Kisa, such a good kitty", I said She then looked up and stood up on her hind legs giving my cheek a nuzzle and I giggled nuzzling her back giving her head a kiss, only to have some of her fur cling to my face. I blew a few raspberries as some of the hair got into my mouth. "Remind me to take you to the groomers this week, you are shedding like crazy", I said, getting up I walked out of my room and headed off into the kitchen and prepared some hazelnut coffee. I then heard squawking coming from behind me and I turned around to see my scarlet macaw hanging from her cage door in the corner of my apartment, cocking her head side to side. "Oh how can I forget my baby bird?", I said, opening the cage door I held up my arm as she climbed on top of it and I gave her beak a kiss as she flapped her wings repeatedly. "Morning Skittles, you hungry this morning? Want a snack?", I asked "Yummy yummy", she said I giggled and I rested her on top of my shoulder. "Okay let's get you some fruit", I said I opened the fridge and there was many shelves stacked with fruit, vegetables, almond milk, sealed up garden salads and my two giant tubs of peanut butter and jelly. Now you are probably wondering why I didn't have meats, cheese, yogurt or anything else of that kind in my fridge? Well it's because I am a vegan. I have been one really for most of my life, I just never ate meat or dairy when I was growing up. After hearing and seeing some disturbing and shocking truths about what really goes on in those industries when I was nine by watching a protest parade on the streets, I decided to become one. Growing up when I saw those images and undercover tapes of what happens to animals, I was shocked and disgusted. I don't see why anyone could hurt such an innocent creature to pleasure our needy greedy lives. I wanted to prevent myself for being one of the millions of causes to exploit animals and I believe that many silent and sentient creatures have a right to life and freedom, just like the rest of us. And besides to me it is a healthier lifestyle to live and I really have grown into it. I took out a bin of cut up peaches and I took out a jar of walnuts from the cupboard and I poured each of them into a small bowl as Skittles then flew down and used her foot to eat a peach. "Good girl, eat up", I said, stroking her back feathers After giving the rest of my animals their food, I left my pets to eat their breakfast as I went back into my bedroom to get ready for work. I took a hot shower and then got dressed into a dark navy blue plaid shirt with silver stripes, rolling up the sleeves to my elbows, slipped on some dark black skinny jeans, and my grey and white high tops. I tied on a simple long navy blue bandanna around my head. I pushed the tails behind my shoulder as I grabbed my phone, my wallet, and my house keys. Thank goodness it wasn't smoggy out today and it was nice and hot, so I didn't need my oxygen tank today. I made sure all my pets needs were taken care of before I walked out the door locking up. I walked down the stairs till I got down to the sidewalk and made my way to work. I arrived at work at a good fifteen minutes early as I walked in thorough the glass door making the little bell ring above the frame. There to greet me was one of my co workers straightening out the desk, with long black hair in a low ponytail and dragon tattoos on his arms in a tough guy outfit. "Hey Sky, what's chilling?", he asked "Hey Clint, oh pretty much the same thing, different day", I said, shrugging "Fair enough, feeling any better?", he asked "Actually quite good today", I said, clocking into my shift on the computer "Best I have been feeling for months" "Well that's good", he said "Meghan got back in last tonight" "Oh really? Awesome! I can't wait to see the designs she was going to bring back from LA", I said "She got so lucky to go on the set of LA Ink, I can't wait to know what knowledge that they gave her", he said "Maybe it could boost up business" "I sure hope so, we have been kind of slow these past two weeks", I said, unlocking my door to my station "By the way what time do I have that appointment with Christy? It was for restoration on her back" "She called this morning she had to rescheduled because of a meeting, you got her at four today", he said, as I walked inside turning on the light "Cool beans", I said, setting up my tray with my inks and tools Well at least we did get some business today after Meghan had shown us what she learned while in California. I had at least four appointments of doing tattooing and restoration and made some pretty good tips. I was cleaning up my station by making sure all my inks were in colored order and sanitizing my tools. I decided to stay and help clean up the shop since one of our cleaning staff members didn't bother to show up at his shift. I dusted the counters and artwork, wiped the glass and mopped the concrete floors. As I finished mopping up the area, my boss Bryan came in from his office. He had short brown hair and flame tattoos on his muscular arms. "Oh Sky you didn't have to do that, I am going to give that guy a good talking to, this is the second time this month he has done that", he said "Nah don't worry Bryan I don't mind", I said, mopping around the front desk "It's gotta get done one way or the other" "How's the therapy?", he asked, sitting down and starting some paperwork "To be quite honest, I am pretty much sick of it", I said "I mean I haven't made any progress for years, and it's more annoying that nothing has changed since I got this" "I'm sorry to hear that, be a shame if this doesn't go away", he said "Don't want to lose my next manager" "Thanks for your concern", I said, smiling a little "But I'm hoping a miracle will happen soon, I'm sick of dealing with this shit" "I wouldn't say I blame you, I would be fed up and throwing in the towel right about now", he said "Anything going on for you tonight?" "Pretty much the same thing, going to go home and take care of my so called zoo", I said, giggling "Oh yeah Mrs. Dr. Dolittle", he said, snickering "Haha you guys are so funny calling me that", I said, rolling my eyes "Well you kind of own every animal there is", he said "Oh contrary, not every kind...yet", I said, laughing He laughed along with me as I dumped the mop water outside on the street and store the bucket and mop in the storage closet. "Though something did strange did happen last night", I said "Like what?", he asked "Okay I helped this guy out from getting beaten up I guess by thugs or something and when I tried to see if he was okay, he took off running", I said He looked at me quite surprised. "Really? He just like vanished?", he asked "Yeah! I mean he jumped the wall and climbed up on a rooftop and disappeared", I said "He was so fast, like lightning speed!" "That's really strange", he said, nodding in agreement "I know right, but he did leave me a message saying that he owed me one", I said "Someone called Mikey" "You know anyone named that?", he asked "Not that I know of", I said, shaking my head "But oh well, probably not going to see this guy again anyways" "Yeah probably not", he said I shut off the lights in my station and locked it up and I clocked out of my shift. "By the way I got those invoices and bids sent out today", I said, tightening up my bandanna "Oh thanks Sky! You work way too hard, it's like you are trying to run me out of here as quick as possible", he said "Not my intention", I said, giggling walking to the door "Good night" "Good night, see you at noon", he said "See ya", I said, as I walked out of the shop I walked down the street and decided not to go home straight away. I wanted a little breather from work before I tended to my home life. Going past my apartment complex I headed towards the docks at the end of the block. I walked along the rickety boardwalk and leaned against the edge watching the sea quietly ripple under the light of the moon and seeing a few sailboats out in the distance. "Ahhh fresh air", I said I always loved the boardwalk. It was just where I loved to be to get some peace and quiet and enjoy the crisp ocean air, that really enhances my breathing. Best of all I usually had it all to myself to enjoy. Or so I thought. I heard footsteps coming up behind me, that sounded loud and making the old boards cripple under my feet. "Hey!", a voice yelled I shot around seeing a man holding a knife in his hand and just from standing a far distance, I could smell alcohol and cigarette smoke. "Get off my spot!", he said "Excuse me, this is a public place, so I can stand here if I want to or not", I said, crossing my arms "Shut up! You little whore!", he said, walking closer I gripped behind my pants pocket and grabbed a little object hiding it in my fist. I backed up against the edge of the boardwalk, not knowing what he could be planning. "Strip off your clothes!", he said "I don't think so", I said, being brave "You bastard!" "Strip or I cut off your fingers!", he said, as he pressed the knife up under my chin "No!", I said, getting in his face "Do it...or I will!", he said, in a warning tone "I said no!", I said, as I revealed my weapon I sprayed a tiny bottle of mace that was very effective in his eyes as it created a cloud of smoke. He yelled in pain as I tried to push him away to run. But the spray only helped me so much before he pushed me back hard. "You little cunt!", he said, as he shoved me again This time he pushed way too hard and I slipped on the wet boards and went stumbling backwards falling into the ocean. I screamed as I started falling faster and faster till I hit the icy cold water. It was a sudden shock for me as I never felt so cold in my life. I swam back up to the surface catching my breath and I tried to swim to a dock post to hang on to since I was near the roughest part of the waves. I was close till a huge wave crashed on top of me pushing me under and making me do multiple somersaults. I tried to swim up to the surface again, but I wasn't moving anywhere. I looked down to see my leg was tangled up in some kelp and I reached down trying to get myself free, but it wasn't getting any looser. It felt like I was attached to a chain on a ball. I could feel my lungs tightening by the seconds desperate for air and I started to panic struggling faster to get free. Suddenly a huge wave came rushing towards me as I tried to swim away, but it smashed me against a wooden post on the dock and I hit my head hard. My vision started to go blurry and my whole body began to relax as I sunk down into the ocean. I never felt so calm, it was peaceful like I had just fallen asleep. My head looked up and from what I could see was rushing waves continuing to hit the dock. But I then saw something jump in making a huge splash and for some reason it started to swim towards me. I tried to keep my eyes open but everything went dark. "Come on", a voice said, sounding muffled "Come on, come on!" I felt a strange thump on my chest that was repeatedly hitting me. I suddenly shot up coughing hard as salty sea water came drooling out of my mouth. I coughed hard a few more times before I finally caught my breath and laid back down. My eyes slowly opened and I could see I was on the beach and sand was sticking to my wet clothes. I slowly looked up and I was stunned to see the exact same shadow I saw last night, with the exact same bright blue eyes looking down at me. "No need to thank me!", he said, clearly not noticing my shocked expression "I take cash and checks as repayments" My eyes then rolled into the back of my head and my head fell unconscious from everything happening so fast. I didn't remember anything after that. When I felt myself coming around I didn't feel the cold sea water surrounding me, instead I felt warm and cozy. I fluttered my eyes open to see I was back in my own apartment and I was laying in my bed, hooked up to my oxygen tank. "Wow that was some dream", I said, to myself "It felt so real" "That's because it was real", a voice said I quickly sat up and looked around in my dark room and I turned on my lamp on my nightstand, backing up against the headboard. "Who...who is there?", I asked, sounding nervous "It's okay, I'm the one who helped you out, I just stayed to make sure that you were okay", he said "Why are you hiding from me? I can't see you", I said, relaxing a little "You probably don't want to", he said "You would be afraid" "Why would I be scared of my own rescuer?", I asked "You saved my life, there is no reason why I should be afraid" I could hear slight movement and I can see the same huge shadow. "Please don't go, I really want to see you", I said, sitting up in bed "You will freak out", he said, sounding a bit sad "I won't freak out, I promise you", I said, softly He stood there silent for a few moments as I waited patiently for him to say something. He then took a step forward and I could see a huge sneaker wrapped in white bandages and going up his leg and I could see material of orange and black gym shorts and part of a grey hoodie around his waist. I got a look of curiosity and when the light had barely hit his face, the same bright blue eyes appeared. "It's you", I said, softly He then fully stepped out and I was right, he wasn't human. He was a giant turtle, like a head and almost shoulder taller than me. An orange mask was wrapped around his head and had a golden chain hanging from his neck along with shades with golden orange tint and a long skateboard was behind his back. He looked at me frightened. "You are that guy", I said, standing up "You are the one from last night" "Yeah, and you were the one who helped me out", he said, smiling a little "Told you I owed you one" "Mikey?", I said, remembering the name from the note "That's me!", he said, smiling more Without warning I suddenly hugged him tight around his neck and I then could feel the happiness spike up in him as he hugged me back tightly too. "Thank you so much! I would of been a goner if it wasn't for you", I said, smiling "Aw no worries little dudette!", he said, swinging me side to side as I giggled "Just doing what I normally do" "Man I thought I was dreaming for a second there", I said, letting go "Thought I was going on crazy" "Oh this is real, believe me", he said This guy had such a laid back and casual attitude towards me, and I hardly even knew anything about this guy. I knew he wouldn't have harmed me in any way, not with an attitude he has. Otherwise I would have been dead before I had blacked out when nearly drowning out in the ocean. Besides I did help him out so there was no reason why he would hurt me. "But don't worry, I am not afraid of you", I said, smiling "You are not?", he asked, surprised "Not at all", I said, shaking my head "Well that's a surprise you are the first human I have met who doesn't get all freaked out or faint at the sight of me", he said "A lot of people these days can be very judgmental about a lot of things", I said, crossing my arms and nodding in agreement "They just don't give it a chance" "Right instead of like running away, they could just stop and just try to understand it on what it really is", he said "I might just end up being the coolest thing ever" "But why did you run away when I tried to approach you?", I asked "I didn't mean to scare you like that, I'm sorry, it was just the only thing I could think of to help you" "No I wasn't scared of you, I just worried that you might be scared of me", he said "The reason why I ran, I panicked because I didn't want you to see me how I looked" I looked at him concerned. "What why?", I asked, gently "I didn't want you to freak out by my appearance, I thought you would called me a monster", he said, lowering his head "Pretty much everyone does" "Now why would I call you a monster?", I asked "I don't know because I am a giant talking turtle", he said I gave him a smile. "You ninny", I said, giving his shoulder a playful shove "If I was scared of you, I wouldn't have bothered to help you out back there, I kind of got the idea that you weren't human anyways" "Really?", he asked, surprised "I'm pretty observant of my surroundings", I said, giggling and crossing my arms "And besides I don't think any human could of been that big in size or fast to get on a rooftop unless they had some kind of special climbing equipment" "Well not entirely true, Spiderman could of done it", he said, smiling "Oh yeah! That's true!", I said "Love the part when he tries out his spiderwebs for the first time saying all those goofy pick up lines", he said "Oh my god! Me too!", I said "And right when he smashed into that billboard, too classic" "Like a bug on a windshield", he said "Hey that's a pretty good comparison, I never thought of that", I said Just then the sounds of scratching and squeaky meows could be heard from outside of my bedroom door. A big grin exploded on Mikey's face. "Awwww you have a kitty?", he said "I do", I said "Wanna meet her?" "Yes! Yes! Yes!", he said, excitedly Wow this guy really must love animals, well considering that he is one. I rolled out of bed and I opened the door and came running in quickly was my cat, meowing. "Hey baby girl, you miss mama?", I said, picking her up "Come here" She hugged me around my neck as I petted her along her back. "This is Kisa", I said, setting her down beside him with Mikey sitting on my bed "Awwwww she is so cute!", he said, petting her along her back as she purred loudly "So fuzzy and adorable!" I smiled. "Yeah she is my baby", I said "She is very affectionate, even when I found her in an alley on my block under a dumpster, poor little girl must of been on her own for quite awhile, thought she wouldn't make it" "You found her under a dumpster?", Mikey asked, shocked "Yeah I was walking home from work and heard a little squeak and I went to see what it was, and sure enough this little dirty fuzzy kitten came walking up to me", I said "Picked her up and took her right into my home and she has been with me since" "Awwwwww do you know how she got out there?", he asked, petting her head "Maybe getting separated from her mother, or possibly thrown out by an irresponsible owner", I said, shrugging "I am not so sure, but all I can say is that there was no way and how I was going to leave her there" Kisa had climbed up on top of Mikey's arm and walked along his shoulder till she laid down behind his neck curling up and purred rubbing up against his face. He chuckled smiling as he scratched her head. "Kisa really likes you Mikey", I said "Never seen her that affectionate before" "Well I can be quite the alley cat myself", he said "Maybe that's why she likes me" I giggled. "Maybe", I said "Um did you maybe wanna stick around for a bit? I mean you don't have to if you don't want to, just really enjoying the company, I don't often get visitors" "Let's go for it!", he said, suddenly I flinched back startled a bit by his answer. "You said the magic words!", he said "You really want to stay?", I asked, a bit confused and yet surprised "Why wouldn't I?", he said "Oh...well then okay", I said, smiling "Great! I could show you my other pets that I have too" "Wait Kisa is not the only one you have?", he asked "Oh no no no", I said, shaking my head "Come on I'll show you" I got up with Mikey quickly following behind me and Kisa running out in front of the both of us. There to greet us was my other pets in there tanks or cages Mikey looked like a little kid in a candy shop as he looked around seeing my pets that were going about their own things. "Wow! You are like in the office of Dr. Dolittle!", he said I giggled. "Yeah you could say something like that", I said "A lot of people do tease me for that, but hey I love animals, can't help it" "This is awesome! Show me everyone!", he said, happily "Gladly", I said, walking up to one of my tanks "First we have my fish, I have my cinnamon clown Sugar, my angel fish Shimmer, my blue tang Dory, my starfish Peach, and my snail named Slime", I said In the tank was beautiful colored corals and purple and blue pebbled rocks at the bottom, with a little light shining down into the clean water. Something like you would really see in the ocean. "So cool! I wish I had fish growing up that would of been awesome!", he said, getting on his knees and watching them move around "Glad you like them, come on I'll show you more of my critters", I said, patting his shoulder He got up and followed me to a good size metal cage and from the little hammock hanging I could see little whiskers pop up. "And this is Iggy and Lola", I said "What are they?", he asked, peering inside the cage trying to see "Here", I said, opening up the cage door and held out my hand A white rat with black patches and a plain white rat appeared and they started crawling up on my hand. "They are my rats", I said, pulling my hand out "Wow! I didn't know that you can own rats as pets, I thought you would really just find them in the sewers", he said, looking at them "Surprisingly they can be good pets, they have become more popular now", I said, as they started climbing up and down my arms "Not like the ones I would see lurking around in the tunnels for scraps", he said, as he looked at Iggy in the face "You see rats all the time?", I asked "Yeah I kind of live in the sewer", he said, sounding a bit uneasy "Not really a surprise", I said, shrugging, not really bothered by his answer "You don't think its bad?", he asked "I don't think so", I said, shaking my head "I mean you don't often see giant turtles living in penthouses" "Oh that would be the day", Mikey said, looking up at the ceiling dreamily "Tell me about it", I said, nodding in agreement Iggy and Lola came walking up my arms as Lola stood up on her hind legs and sniffed the air reaching out her little paws. "I think she wants to see you Mikey", I said He held out his finger as she rested her paws on the green digit. He looked at her with a smile and she then scattered up on his arm as Mikey looked at her with surprise as she then rested on his shoulder and began sniffing him. "This feels so weird, usually rats would scatter at the sight but to have one actually come up to you", he said, as he watched her move all over him sniffing around "It feels funny" "I know at first glance you might think that why would you own a rodent that eats everything in sight and is nothing but a pest in society", I said "But really I found them fascinating, I mean they are so adapted to living in such harsh conditions and can still keep living a normal life" Lola scattered on top of Mikey's head as she rested her paws on top of his face and her whiskers twitched. Mikey's face was scrunching up as he started laughing as she continued on. "Hey cut that out!", he said "That's her way of telling you she loves you", I said, smiling as I petted Iggy on his head "Hey! Come on! That tickles!", he said, with his face scrunching up more "Okay Lola, come here", I said, holding out my hand and she walked along my arm to rejoin Iggy Mikey shook his head with a bit of fur flying off his face as I then took a few fruit treats from a bag beside their cage in my hand. "Would you like to feed them?", I asked His blue eyes went wide. "Can I?!", he asked "Yeah, here watch this", I said I took one of the fruit treats and I made a little clicking sound to get Iggy's attention. "Iggy, stand", I said, holding the treat out in front of him Iggy slowly got to his feet as I began to move the treat farther away and he began to walk slowly on his hind legs following the treat. I made him walk along my arm a short distance before I held the treat to him and he took into his paws and began to eat it. "Good boy Iggy", I said, giving his back a stroke "Wow I wanna try!", Mikey said "Here", I said, handing him a treat "Just make that noise and tell Lola to stand and make her walk" Mikey tried mimicking the same clicking noise I made and he held the treat out in front of Lola. "Lola, stand", he said Lola heard him and got up on her hind legs and began to walk along my other arm towards the treat. He made her walk a distance till she started walking faster and faster till she got to my hand, before he handed her the treat. "Good girl Lola", he said, stroking her head with his finger "Wow never could get her to walk that far, that was really awesome Mikey!", I said "I am the King Rat, rodents kneel before me!", he said, in a dramatic evil tone teasingly doing striking out his arms I couldn't help but giggle at his child like behavior. "Nice try Mikey, but they are not that obedient", I said, as I set them back in their cage locking the door "So much for getting service", he said, teasingly I giggled. "Oh well", I said "And we have my last one, this is Skittles" I moved the sheet off the cage and resting on a perch was my macaw waking up. She squawked as she flew up and landed on my wrist and she stretched out her wings. "Wow never seen a macaw like that before! Not like in real life", he said, as Skittles looked at him "She is a scarlet macaw", I said "Had her since I was thirteen" "Why the name Skittles?", he asked "Okay so I was struggling to figure out a name for her because I adopted her from the humane society and I wanted her name to be a good one", I said "Try to use a different name than what people normally name a bird like Polly, Birdy or Tweety something like that. So I was eating skittles trying to figure out a name for her and then it hit me when I was saw the same colors of the candy matched her feathers and I am thinking, hey I should name her Skittles since she has all the colors and is very sweet like them" "Huh how creative!", he said, smiling I giggled. "Or weird", I said "How old is she?", he asked "She is 18 years old, so same age as me", I said "And she loves talking and doing impersonations" "She can talk?", he asked, surprised "Yeah really well, here I'll show you", I said "Skittle can you say hi?" She then held up her wing in front of her beak while Mikey laughed. "Oh it's okay baby don't be shy, he is nice", I said "Can you say hi Skittles?" "Hi Skittles", she said, laughing "Okay she is a little nervous, so can you say hi Skittles?", I said "Hi Skittles", she said, again still laughing He looked at her amazed as Skittles stopped laughing. "Okay being very literal, it's a comedy I get it", I said "Okay let's rephrase the question, how about you wave with your foot and just say hi?" She then rose up her left foot and waved it. "Hi, hi, hi, hi", she said, repeatedly "Good girl!", I said, petting her head "Wow that is so cool!", Mikey said "Here watch this", I said "Can you give a big kiss Skittles?" Skittles made a clicking noise making it sound like kissing sound effect. "And this one she does really realistic", I said "Can you cough?" Skittles did a coughing sound while shaking her head back and forth. "Good girl!", I said, giving the tip of her beak a kiss as she flapped her wings "Can you she do a Dark Vader impersonation?", Mikey asked "Not quite", I said, smiling "We do practice that one though, she is getting better each time, I'm hoping we can get it right very soon" Skittles then rested on top of Mikey's arm as he looked at her with a smile and Skittles looking back at him with curiosity. "You can sit down with her if you want, I'll get us some drinks" I went into the kitchen and I took out two glasses and got some ice from the freezer, sliding them inside. I then opened another cabinet and smiled taking two cans of my favorite soda. The fizzy bubbles made it look really refreshing and tasty, and best of all its vegan. I carried the two glasses back into the living room and I giggled seeing Skittles was swinging off from Mikey's gold chain as he swung her standing up. "Oh should of warned you, she loves to swing on anything that hangs", I said, giggling "Yeah should of warned me, she has got an iron grip", he said, still swinging her He then stopped and took her off his chain and set her on top of his shoulder. "It's really all I have that might be tasty for you, but I don't know if you maybe might like Orange Crush", I said, looking down at the glasses "You like Orange Crush too?!", Mikey asked, looking surprised "I knew it! I knew couldn't be the only obsessed with it!" "Me too! It's like the best ever!", I said, handing him a glass He took a big a gulp of it, nearly drinking the whole entire glass with one gulp, before letting out a sigh of refreshment. "Nothing beats the taste of a delicious beverage!", he said I giggled. "You got that right! I would be drinking this like there is no tomorrow", I said, as we sat down on the couch "I mean who doesn't like this?! It's full of flavor, just the right amount of bubbles, and creates the best burps", he said He then suddenly burped out loud as if it were by coincidence as he blushed in embarrassment. "Well excuse you", I said, shoving his arm "Sorry", he said, sheepishly "My bad" "It's cool", I said, smiling "But yeah I agree, best soda ever" "I mean who doesn't like this?", he asked "People who have no good taste", I said, cocking an eyebrow "Exactly!", he said, nodding his head firmly before taking another gulp "Um question?", I said "Yeah?", he asked "How did you even know where I lived?", I asked He looked at me sheepishly. "Oh that, I kind of followed you home that night you helped me out", he said "Just to make sure you weren't going to be followed or attacked. I also kind of saw you in your window" "I figured", I said, smirking "But I wasn't spying on you or anything!", he said, quickly shaking his head "It's cool", I said, shoving his arm "I would of done the same thing too if I was in your shoes" "How could you? Your feet couldn't possibly fit in these", he said, teasingly lifting up his foot We both started laughing even with Skittles joined in the laughter. "Haha that was a good one", I said, giggling "You are funny" "I have been known to please a crowd with my humor", he said, with a charming proud smile I giggled. "Well you proved me right", I said, taking a sip of my drink "So how long have you been living here?", he asked "A few months?" "Too young that's pretty much all I can say", I said, shaking my head "I have been living on my own since I was fifteen" He looked at me shocked. "Why did you leave so young? You run away or something?", he asked I shook my head as I took another sip of my soda, before setting it down on the table. "No", I said "I have a bad relationship with my mom, just everyday there would always be a fight about something, just had to get out of there you know" "Were you scared?", he asked "A little", I said, nodding truthfully "At first I didn't know what I was getting myself into, I didn't know where to start. I mean I was just a fifteen year old girl who has leukemia with no money or anything trying to find a new place to start. Luckily I had a struck of luck when a lady gave me a job assisting teaching kids art at the local school here, she even offered me a place to stay until I got my savings up. When I graduated from high school, I worked as a full time waitress while doing online classes to get my tattooing license" "You are a tattoo artist?", he asked, with his eyes going wide "Yeah been one for a little while now", I said, smiling a little "So you like own your own shop? That would be so awesome!", he said "Well not yet", I said "I'm working my way up to owner position. My boss Bryan is teaching me all the things I need to know how to do and everything before he allows me to take the reigns" "You will have to show me everything! Like where you work, your designs, your space! Everything!", he said, sounding ecstatic and shaking my shoulders "Okay woah woah woah!", I said, giggling from seeing his excitement holding my hands up "Of course, but we will have to wait till night to sneak in after hours and I can show you everything from there" "Can't wait!", he said I smiled and then my glow and the dark clock began glowing all different colors showing the time. "Awwww man it's midnight! I'm going to be so late to get home! The guys are going to kill me!", he said, suddenly getting up "Are you going to get in trouble?", I asked, getting up from my seat "Yeah! I'll be grounded for like a week!", he said, taking his skateboard and putting it behind his shell "Ugh hated being grounded as a teen, such a pain in the butt", I said "Right!", he said "Here I'll lead you out here", I said I opened up my huge window up to the top and Mikey crawled out by wedging his giant figure in sideways to get out on to my fire escape. "Oh you might want to have these back", I said, revealing to him the ninja stars out of my pants pocket "Woah! How did you get these?", he asked, taking them from my hand "Let's just say they nearly speared me in the head", I said, cocking an eyebrow "Oh my god! I am so sorry! I was trying to get the ninjas and I thought-", he said, sounding all panicky "I'm just kidding with you!", I said, shoving him playfully "I am fine, don't worry about it" "I didn't hurt you?", he asked "No, just nearly had my heart leap out of my chest and see my life flash before my eyes, I'm alright", I said, giggling "Oh good", he said, taking a huge breath "But yeah sorry I didn't know they nearly hit you" "It's okay", I said, smiling "Hey but we won the match, that's the main thing!", he said "Nah main thing is that I knock those guys on their asses with my air tank", I said "Girl power was on a roll that night!", he said, bumping up a fist I laughed smiling and we gave each other a high five, then a knuckle touch, doing an dramatic explosion sound effect. "Yeah boy!", I said, giggling "You know what, why don't you keep these", he said, handing them back to me "But they are yours Mikey", I said, as I took them "I couldn't take them" "Nah don't worry I get like a whole supply of them at home", he said, smiling and shaking his head "Keep them" "Wow thanks! I got my own ninja stars", I said, looking at them "Catch you later dudette, I'll see you around! Got to go!", he said, climbing out the window "Well it was really nice to meet you again and see you for the first time, Mikey", I said, sitting on my window sill "Bye" He was about to jump off my fire escape until he stops and looks back at me. "By the way I never caught your name", he said, pointing a finger at me "Oh right, that would be rather useful to know", I said, giggling "It's Skylar, Skylar Richards"

[boozedancing]

May 26, 2018 7:12 AM

The plan is to be on the road by 7:59 AM. Let’s see how that goes.

May 26, 2018 8:16 AM

Car’s all packed up, but we’re 17 minutes behind schedule. Oh well.

May 26, 2018 10:02 AM

Quick stop for a double espresso and an iced coffee at the Paramus rest stop on the Garden State Parkway.

May 26, 2018 12:14 PM

Our first beer stop was at Hudson Ale Works in Highlands, New York where I had a flight of the following:

How Sweet Wit Is: Classic Belgian Wit. Lightly spiced with light, fizzy carbonation. Crisp. Clean. As it should be!

Gose, The Imposa: just the right amount of pucker. Lemony and refreshing.

Check the Technique Blueberry Sour: Like a fresh picked, just underripe blueberry. Super refreshing and not too puckering. Mrs. G-LO really liked this one too.

Green Tea IPA: Not super hoppy at all. Smooth and creamy with a light IPA bite and mellow green tea notes in the aftertaste.

Hudson Ale Works was well worth the stop. Cozy tasting room. Prompt, courteous service. Fresh and well crafted beers. The Gose and Blueberry Sour were definite winners. The pulled pork tacos that I ordered for lunch were just ok. Could have been hotter. But ya gotta eat when sampling beer, so they did the job.

May 26, 2018 1:28 PM

I like that you can get drinking paraphernalia in the gift shop at the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park.

May 26, 2018 1:33 PM

One can amass unimaginable wealth when…

(A) There are little to no regulations and…

(B) You don’t properly pay your workers and deny them any and all benefits.

Just sayin.

May 26, 2018 3:21 PM

Really well done tour at the Vanderbilt Mansion! Our tour guide, who reminded me of Michael Stuhlbarg, was particularly memorable. And Freddie Vanderbilt didn’t sound douchey at all. For a multi-millionaire!

May 26, 2018 4:14 PM

Had the following beers at Sloop Brewing in Elizaville, New York:

Juice Bomb IPA: Smooth and creamy with citrus and some tropical fruit. Slightly dry finish with minimal lingering bitterness.

Up from Downstate Tart IPA: Starts with the citrusy hops. Ends with a lightly lemony tartness. Hides that 6.5% really well. A fine hybrid!

Love the rustic setting and the whole off the beaten path vibe at Sloop! The downside, staying too long and drinking too much could make for a long drive home on tight two lane country roads. Do they have Uber up there?

May 26, 2018 8:26 PM

Dinner at The Publyk House in Bennington, VT.

In the mood for a salad bar? This place had one! And it was prettttty prettttty good. Dig that they had super chunky and creamy Blue Cheese dressing. Dinner was a smoking hot baked New England cod with a cracker crust and a baked potato on the side. Nothing super fancy. But all quite good. Had a Watermelon Moscow Mule to wash it all down. Decent drink, i.e. not too sweet, but it could have been a bit spicier. Overall, a very nice place to have a solid and well prepared meal. Bonus points for the Mountain View and our chipper and very pleasant server named Rebecca.

May 26, 2018 8:35 PM

Interesting art work in our room at The Harwood Hill (the motel down the street from The Publyk House). The painting over our bed is called Isle of Skye. Isn’t that where Talisker is made??? Nice choice of artwork for a Single Malt lover such as myself!

May 26, 2018 8:57 PM

Wedding Crashers is on! A fine way to wind down after a long day of driving.

May 27, 2018 7:15 AM

Not a bad room for $90/night (though the bed was seriously lacking. Oh my aching back!), but I swear there isn’t a right angle in the joint. The whole room is on a downward slope and there’s this weird lip in the bathroom where I almost stubbed a toe on several occasions. They have a rain shower though, so I got that going for me! And they have some funky sculptures on the front lawn too.

May 27, 2018 10:52 AM

Breakfast at Sonny’s Blue Benn Diner. That’s Benn with two n’s. Not a typo. Ordered the Popeye Benedict. Spinach instead of Canadian Bacon. No relation to Popeye Doyle. No heroin dealing Frenchmen in this story. Though our chef looks like a graduate of the VT DOCCIA.

So how was that Popeye Bennie? A bit of a bland mess. Spinach could have used some sautéing in garlic and olive oil and maybe some crushed red pepper flakes. English muffin was soggy and under toasted. Hollandaise was runny. Eggs seemed fine, but I couldn’t tell where the poached egg yolks begin and the sauce ends. The highlight was the catch all home fries. Got extra mushrooms from that omelette? Throw em in there! Bacon bits? Go for it.

Overall, not a very memorable breakfast. But Mrs. G-LO chose better and was pleased. Happy wife, happy life! Am I right?

May 27, 2018 11:48 AM

Popped in to Dwyer’s State Line Beer and Wine on the Vermont / Massachusetts border. One of the few times that I’ve actually been able to find truly local beers in a New England liquor store. Ran into a fellow beer lover from Boston that was super helpful since I had no clue what to buy.

May 27, 2018 1:37 PM

No. It’s not Whisky. It’s Maple Syrup.

May 27, 2018 3:12 PM

Only a Vermonter can call a Vermonter a Common Cracker. Pronounced Crack-ahhhh.

May 27, 2018 4:23 PM

Oh the things you stumble upon in The Vermont Country Store. I now understand what they mean when people say, “They’ve got everything from soup to nuts”.

If I had hair and used Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific, I have no doubt that my hair would indeed smell terrific.

Does anyone remember Lifebuoy?

Holy Maple Syrup display, Batman!

Cheese!

Fozzy!

Lamb Chop!

SLINK!

May 27, 2018 5:21 PM

We had dinner at J.J. Hapgood’s General Store in Peru, VT. Part general store. Part eatery. Part pizzeria. This place has something for everyone!

Started things off with a Maine Beer Company Lunch IPA which is always a fine choice. The Mrs. went with a Lavender Lemonade Cocktail which is good if you like your drink to taste like Yardley’s English Lavender. She liked it. I didn’t.

First round of food was wood fired asparagus with a fried egg on top and pan seared diver scallops. Both were perfectly cooked and seasoned. We polished them off lickety split. Cause they were so so good!

Round two was a pizza topped with cherry stone clams, mozzarella, parsley, and red pepper flakes. The Mrs. thought it was too spicy. I thought it was just right. The crust was light and airy, but tasted a bit too much like a cracker. Some yeasty notes would have been nice. Other than that, it was quite good. And that squeeze of lemon is a nice touch!

The Mrs. ordered a burger and fries. I had a bite. While it was a bit beyond medium well, it was a tender, loosely packed, and flavorful bit of beef goodness served on a brioche bun.

J.J. Hapgood’s was well worth the visit. It’s a quirky little place staffed by folks that obviously give a damn about what they’re doing. Give it a try if you’re ever driving through Peru, VT!

May 27, 2018 7:02 PM

I scream-ah.. You scream-ah… We all scream-ah… For Ice Cream-ah…

May 28, 2018 8:19 AM

Almost exactly 48 hours later and we’re headed back home.

May 28, 2018 8:50 AM

Breakfast at Papa Pete’s in Bennington, VT before we hit the highway. Big ass pancake for the Mrs. with a side of bacon. Belgian waffle with strawberries for me. Pretty good overall. Weak ass coffee. Big personalities from the staff. Funny and friendly. This is a post hangover joint for sure. The guy at the table behind us was having a mimosa. Lots of talk about day drinking. A quirky, greasy spoon. I like it!

May 28, 2018 12:31 PM

Quick stop at Hudson Valley Brewery in Beacon, NY during the drive back to South Jersey. Tried four Sour Ales and a Pilsner. All were delicious and riddled with flavor! Lots of fruit. Lots of pucker. Hoping their stuff finds their way to South Jersey and Philly real real soon.

48 hours in the @TheHudsonValley and Southwest #Vermont. #CraftBeer #Photos #Diary #RoadTrip May 26, 2018 7:12 AM The plan is to be on the road by 7:59 AM. Let’s see how that goes.

[backyardnomads-blog]

“In my food world, there is no fear or guilt, only joy and balance.”

– Ellie Krieger 

  EATING HEALTHY & NUTRITIOUS MEALS is no easy feat for most of us even on a good day, so trying to find them when you are setting out on a week long road trip with no kitchen, fridge, or counterspace can feel nearly impossible! …Or at least, that is how I felt during those early road trip adventures.

Even, a simple three day trip can seem easy enough, but when you are have a set budget, just squeezing every penny, you really got to get creative! So PREPARATION, ORGANIZATION, RESEARCH, & CREATIVITY are central ingredients to success & have quickly become dear friends of mine over the years!

Obviously, being equipped with the PROPER GEAR can make the process a whole lot easier, such as refridgerators or travel coolers, but it isnt always essential to eat tasty, nutritional meals.

  Read Below to find my CURRENT TOP FAVORITE ideas when embarking on a long road trip.

Spark your CREATIVE mind and make your PLANNING a whole lot EASIER this summer!

#1  Refried bean burritos. Wraps, salsa pack, jar of salsa.

Simple. Quick. Delicious. We love this QUICK MEAL when we are driving, plus the ingredients can be easily switched out for a new TASTY EXPERIENCE everyday!

The possibilities are endless, truly limited only by your imagination!

Buy:

6-8 packs of tortilla wraps (cheese, spinach, tomato, or original),

jar of Old Salsa,

taco/burrito seasoning packets,

refried beans (substitue with your choice),

& whatever veggies you like.

Pre-cut veggies are ideal when making these in the car & dry veggies are our top picks: bell peppers, lettuce, & cilantro.

*If you have a cooler then your options widen even more…but if not then stick to simple and mess free options (aka, steer clear of soar cream until you are safely parked!)

  #2 Rotisserie Chicken and Potato Salad

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE TRAVELLING, local grocery stores can be a termendous money saver! THREE top stops include: Safeway, Walmart, Superstore, from which we often find late night suppers after a long day on the road!

Many grocery stores that cook whole, fresh CHICKEN or hams located in deli or “ready to eat” sections.

Fill out the meal: prepped SALADS, freshly baked BREAD, CHEESE, & club soda

Selections vary & its “first come, first serve” so planning ahead can ensure that when you arrive there are chickens left!

#3 Sandwiches & Wraps

A GREAT OPTION if you are planning to prepare the sandwhiches at home and consume them during the first leg of your journey! (Depending on what you put inside, it can get messy if you try making them out on the road, although not impossible, it just requires more creativity and possibly stopping at a sideroad park or rest-stop).

Instead of the traditional bread, try using tortilla wraps or big buns instead! They do a better job of keeping all the sauce & ingredients tightly together and prevents spilling!

Fresh Buns & Lunechon Meat with Cheese: This may not win any instagram contests anytime soon, but it sure does hit the spot when you are hungry!

What’s even better…keep your eye open for those local, small town bakeries which often sell delicious, freshly baked buns for extra yumminess!

  If you are a sandwich lover…then you will appreciate Arielle Weg’s

“14 healthy snacks and meals that travel well”

@ cookinglight for more 10 sandwich ideas!

  #4 Muffins, Muffins, Muffins

We ABSOLUTELY LOVE this option, especially when they are freshly homebaked the night before (or perhaps more realistically…store bought haha).

From our experience, a 6 pack muffins tend to last 1-2 days before they begin to loose their freshness…but if your family is anything like ours then they will probably be long gone before then!

Convientent, mess free, & filling…muffins can easily be enjoyed all through the day. (Bring along a sturdy storage container to prevent any squashing).

Love Banana or zuchinni bread?!

Stop by Lisa’s 100 days of real food  for her delicious recipes…

whole-wheat zucchini bread   & whole-wheat banana bread.

These can be healthy breakfast or tasty snack to bring along!

  #5 Fruit

This probably goes without saying, but FRUIT CAN BE THE PERFECT OPTION if you are setting out on the road. The best part is that they are highly nutritional and affordable. Even if you are not a huge fan of fruit, when you are out there on the road they can help keep away those afternoon sugar lows and boost energy levels! 

Top picks for fruit that don’t require any or much refridgeration:

 Bananas.

(Try pairing with peanut butter for an even sweeter treat). Buying in bulk is cheap and perfect if you have limited cooler space. These often last for days so long as they are kept in a cool, dark space in our car.

  Apples. 

Surprise, surprise…of course you just gotta try it with peanut butter! **you can now buy PB from a tube now! Save the hassile of knives!!

  Watermelon.

Bursting with nutritional benefits, it will leave you feeling refreshed during those steaming hot days. Pack one to enjoy either throughout the day or once you arrive at your destination. Be warned though, it is very messy & juicy, so best to pre-cut (cubed without the peels) & store before leaving!

Christmas Oranges.  

Perfect only if they can be easily peeled without a knife, otherwise they become an absolute nightmare!

    Berries: Strawberries, Blueberries, Cherries.

...depending on what time of year you are traveling, it is possible to find local fruit vendors selling alongside the road!

Whenever we travel to British Columbia, there are sellers at almost every street corner!

#6 Prepared Veggies

PREPPING beforehand can be a lifesaver when those cravings hit and you are hundreds of miles away from the nearest convenience store! Keep them in portion sized ziplock baggies or containers to make it a bit more easier & keep eating time organized.

Nowdays, grocery stores sell pre-cut, pre-washed veggies in bags ready to eat, which can be a lifesaver for campers or road nomads!

Our top favorites, include:

Ants On A Log.

Take pre-cut celery stocks, spread them with peanut butter & top off with rasins!

Pre-cut & pack the celery to combine later to avoid peanut butter getting everywhere!    

      Pre-Cut Carrots                             Snap Peas                                     Bell Peppers 

     Cherry Tomatoes

  OH! Don’t Forget DIPS:

Ranch, Hummus, Tzatziki or……!! 

#7 Dark Chocolate

WHILE NOT A MEAL, I couldn’t deny that this is a #1 on our grocery list! It keeps away those gas station cravings & impulse buys.

We normally buy one large bar of chocolate at Superstore which we then portion out to last our entire trip…give or take 😉

But that is not all…. also check out pudding cups & fruit cups, which come in bulk!!    Just don’t forget spoons 🙂

Check out Women’sHealth’s 9 Health Benefits of

Chocolate that will have you jumping for joy!

  #8 Soda or Infused Water (Stay Hydrated!)

It is easy to go for soda while traveling & while this may be the best option for some, we have found that in comparison to when we used to buy it, we stay better hydrated & refreshed when drinking club soda or sparkling water instead!  **Don’t forget to pop in a few lemon or lime slices for extra zest! These come in cans or bottles, along with all sorts of flavours for every mood!

Regardless of your choice of beverage, it is a smart idea to bring some water supply in case of emergencies, car trouble, or traffic jams. Although we like to rely on our reusable travel sized water bottles, we also fill up our 7 gallon (26.5 Litres) camping water jug just as back up. Plus this can easily be used for cleaning hands & washing dishes!

#9 Cured Meats – Charcuterie (with pennies)

This has got to be by far our most favorite foods & meal option! I’m not sure if it is the romanctic allure that makes this feel both classy for date nights or just practial when driving, but either way it is tasty & filling!!! At most grocery stores you can buy cured sausage, cold cut meats, & salami. 

(Downside: for the most part, meats need to be kept in a cooler or refridgerated. SOooo, we just “buy as we go”.… besides, we rarely have leftovers its so delicious!)

Traditionally, charcuteries can become very expensive, however, there are ways to still enjoy it without busting your budget! In fact, Holly from “spend with pennies” beautifully describes everything you need to know about achieving a budget friendly charcuterie: 

“HOW TO MAKE A CHARCUTERIE BOARD”

Suggested Cured Meat for travel Charcuterie:

proscuitto salami

genovia salami

garlic or chorizo sausage

sliced chicken

sliced smoked turkey      Honey/ black forest hams

  You can also add: pre-pack pickles, olives, grapes, pate, spinach dip, dried apricots, fresh fruits, &, of course, aged cheese to create a full meal!

 **Who says you can’t splurge & fine dine while traveling!  

  To learn more about the traditional style, 

take a quick peek at “Making a Charcuterie

Plate” @ Dartagnan! 

  #10 Hard, Aged Cheese

IF YOU ARE A LOVER OF CHEESE THEN THIS ONE’S FOR YOU! Sadly, despite my love, I am no coniseour of cheese, so I have relied on those more experienced to learn which types of cheeses are safe to eat without refridgeration!

Thankfully, assistant chef on The Martha Stewart Show, Nora Singley provides us with excellent insight in her article,  “Have Cheese, Will Fly: What Cheeses Travel Well The Cheesemonger”, while also outlaying the essentials to remember when choosing which cheese to buy.

Singely advices that hard, aged, and/or goat cheeses with an exterior rind are best, while avoiding semi-soft like Fontina or Brie or any fresh cheeses like Ricotta.

                                                – READ Singley’s full article here.

Likewise, our next cheese expert & backpacker, Laurel Miller suggests avoiding “mozzarella…camembert…blue cheeses or washed rinds (this refers to stinky cheeses, regardless of texture, like Delice du Jura, Taleggio, or Epoisses“

                   – EXPLORE Miller’s FULL Article @ Backpacking with Cheese.

Below are MORE Suggestions:

“Super-aged cheeses, most of which get more than two years of age: Goudas, Parmigiano Reggiano, Piave, Grana Padano, and Mimolette“

 – Nora Singley, kitchn

“Aged cheeses like a 2-year Gouda or 5-year Cheddar will have nutty, caramel and butterscotch characteristics, as well as some crystallization (those pleasingly crunchy bits, which are actually proteins). Try these with a post-dinner whiskey or bourbon (you know you have some) around the campfire”.

 – Laurel Miller, Backpacking with Cheese.

  Parmigiano-Reggiano 

Appenzeller Gruyère

English Montgomery’s Cheddar

– Jennifer Meier, “Which Types of Cheese travel well?”

#11 Salads

When grocery stores now selling pre-package SALADS with little salad dressing packages, enjoying a tasty salad has NEVER BEEN EASIER! When it comes to meal options, this is a must have for us, whether it be a side or main course meal.

Due to its versitility, if you plan & prep correctly you can go many days without having the same variety twice. Not only that, but it will provide you with the vitamins, nutritional energy necessary to cope with travel stresses!

 *Try adding pre-cooked chicken strips, found in most major grocery stores’ meat or deli sections (walmart, superstore).

#12: Canned Goods

WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPING & ROAD TRAVEL canned foods can be an astoundingly affordable choice! Traveling is not cheap and every little cost adds up, so having some meals on hand can not only save you money but also provide an emergency supply!

Our top favorites, include:

Ravioli. These often come in 8-12 family packs, which is sufficient for snacking during long road trips. *Just remember to pack forks & napkins/wipes.

Fish:  Tuna. Salmon. Sardines. If this is your thing then you are in luck! Nowadays, there is such an incredible selection of ready-to-eat tuna packets paried with crackers & all sorts of varieties to choose from.

Soups:  Unless you want to eat this cold…this one is best left as a quick meal once you arrive at your destination, assuming you are not staying at a hotel. (I like to heat this up on our camping propane burner stove as soon as we arrive, so that once our campsite is set up dinner is ready to go!)

Veggies: Green Peas or Cream Corn.

Pesto & Bruchetta.  Add flavor to pretty much anything with these two, whether its for a full meal or afternoon snack. Combine it with fresh bread loaf, garlic bread, or crackers.

**Be sure to choose cans which have peel/pull off lids so that you don’t need the hassle of a can opener. We have had many a story where sauce or tuna juice went flying all over the car dash leaving us smelling like a fish market for the remainder of the trip!!

#13 Popcorn

Fun. Buttery. Tasty.

THIS CLASSIC.. never gets old & is designed for larger qualities, which is a perfect snack food for trips that will feed the whole family! Just pop a bunch & pack the popcorn away in sealed containers or brown paper bags for a delicious, quick snack.

It will remind you of the comforts of home when you are miles away.

  #14 Nuts

I am not a huge fan, but my fiance swears by them & is often caught sneaking bags into our grocery cart, especially when shopping for trips!

 Almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, trail mix, pistachios

#15 Chips with Salsa/ Dip

You didn’t think we would make it through without mentioning CHIPS & DIP?! Yes, we can all agree that this one isn’t going to win any awards for being the healthiest meal choice, but let’s face it the salty taste has us coming back for more!

The great thing about it is that its cheap and there are a zillion flavours to choose from. Kettle chips is a great option when it comes to enjoying a more healthier verison of the classic potato chip!

Hummus, cheesy dips, & salsa are yummy paired with chips & don’t create too many messes. If you store them in tight, re-sealable containers there shouldn’t be an issue. However, refridgeration after opening is key.

  **Remember: keep napkins, wipes, or paper towel closeby for any spills.  

DON’T FORGET about the beloved pretzel or crisp rice puffs!

#16 Pre-cooked Sausages

Over the years, I’ve read about so many families who have great success with sausages while travelling, so it we thought it deserved to make it to the top 20! You can find them at your local grocery store, either in bags of mini sized sausages or one big jumbo ring which offeres different styles.

Along with the sausages, we never hit the road without picking up several bags of pepperoni sticks! Variations include: Hot, honey garlic, original.

If you are a meat lover, this is a “must have”!

#17 Pre-cut & Packaged Garlic Bread (Packs of 6)

#18 Crackers, crackers, crackers…make great snacks!

Crackers are not just for kids, although they can be fantastic snacks for them too! Being versatile, they can be eaten with pretty much anything & still be delicious.

  *Try adding jams, peanut butter, cheese, meat!

(Don’t forget the knife & napkins) 

    #19 Buns & Bread

So far, we have briefly mentioned bringing along bulk of buns, tortilla wraps, crackers & bread loaves….but we put it on our top picks because they can be used with pretty much every meal or snack & really doesn’t need refridgeration!

  Plus, its appeal is just how affordable buying an entire loaf is in comparision to going buying one fast food combo meal.

      CAUTION: Don’t forget to protect it from being squashed…that is why the thicker crusted loaves can be a better option than the softer ones.

One of my favorite parts of travelling is stopping by local shops, bakeries, or farmer’s markets to try out new foods or baked goods.

Take advantages of these spots to source out fresh breads, buns, cookies, & pies!

    #20 Sushi

Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Photo by Public Domain Pictures on Pexels.com

 Sushi! You may be thinking this a strange option for a travel food list, but so long as you are close to major shops like Walmart, Superstore, or Safeway along your route! It is cheap to pick up a bulk family pack for less than $20 that easily feeds us. Because it comes in a deep dish container, there is really no fear of spills which is perfect for eating on the road.

So there you have it, our TOP 20 PICKS for road trip food essentials! We hope that you enjoyed & found at least one new item to add to your list. 

We would also like to hear from you about your favorite picks, so please do share with us!

      Hitting the Road this summer with your family?! It can be a lot of fun, but long drives can leave you feeling hungry & low on energy. Here are 20 great food ideas to help! "In my food world, there is no fear or guilt, only joy and balance." - Ellie Krieger 

[bluesakurablossom]

Life's Gift of Love: Mikey's Love Story

Chapter 2 Sky's Pov... Well another day, another dollar. Waking up in my comfy bed with my cat curled up beside me and the rays of the sun shining through my silky yellow curtains, starting my morning before I headed off to work for my late morning shift. I pushed off my puffy comforter and rolled up in bed rubbing my eyes open. Kisa was rubbing against my side purring like a motor boat as I gave the back of her head a scratch. "Love you Kisa, such a good kitty", I said She then looked up and stood up on her hind legs giving my cheek a nuzzle and I giggled nuzzling her back giving her head a kiss, only to have some of her fur cling to my face. I blew a few raspberries as some of the hair got into my mouth. "Remind me to take you to the groomers this week, you are shedding like crazy", I said, getting up I walked out of my room and headed off into the kitchen and prepared some hazelnut coffee. I then heard squawking coming from behind me and I turned around to see my scarlet macaw hanging from her cage door in the corner of my apartment, cocking her head side to side. "Oh how can I forget my baby bird?", I said, opening the cage door I held up my arm as she climbed on top of it and I gave her beak a kiss as she flapped her wings repeatedly. "Morning Skittles, you hungry this morning? Want a snack?", I asked "Yummy yummy", she said I giggled and I rested her on top of my shoulder. "Okay let's get you some fruit", I said I opened the fridge and there was many shelves stacked with fruit, vegetables, almond milk, sealed up garden salads and my two giant tubs of peanut butter and jelly. Now you are probably wondering why I didn't have meats, cheese, yogurt or anything else of that kind in my fridge? Well it's because I am a vegan. I have been one really for most of my life, I just never ate meat or dairy when I was growing up. After hearing and seeing some disturbing and shocking truths about what really goes on in those industries when I was nine by watching a protest parade on the streets, I decided to become one. Growing up when I saw those images and undercover tapes of what happens to animals, I was shocked and disgusted. I don't see why anyone could hurt such an innocent creature to pleasure our needy greedy lives. I wanted to prevent myself for being one of the millions of causes to exploit animals and I believe that many silent and sentient creatures have a right to life and freedom, just like the rest of us. And besides to me it is a healthier lifestyle to live and I really have grown into it. I took out a bin of cut up peaches and I took out a jar of walnuts from the cupboard and I poured each of them into a small bowl as Skittles then flew down and used her foot to eat a peach. "Good girl, eat up", I said, stroking her back feathers After giving the rest of my animals their food, I left my pets to eat their breakfast as I went back into my bedroom to get ready for work. I took a hot shower and then got dressed into a dark navy blue plaid shirt with silver stripes, rolling up the sleeves to my elbows, slipped on some dark black skinny jeans, and my grey and white high tops. I tied on a simple long navy blue bandanna around my head. I pushed the tails behind my shoulder as I grabbed my phone, my wallet, and my house keys. Thank goodness it wasn't smoggy out today and it was nice and hot, so I didn't need my oxygen tank today. I made sure all my pets needs were taken care of before I walked out the door locking up. I walked down the stairs till I got down to the sidewalk and made my way to work. I arrived at work at a good fifteen minutes early as I walked in thorough the glass door making the little bell ring above the frame. There to greet me was one of my co workers straightening out the desk, with long black hair in a low ponytail and dragon tattoos on his arms in a tough guy outfit. "Hey Sky, what's chilling?", he asked "Hey Clint, oh pretty much the same thing, different day", I said, shrugging "Fair enough, feeling any better?", he asked "Actually quite good today", I said, clocking into my shift on the computer "Best I have been feeling for months" "Well that's good", he said "Meghan got back in last tonight" "Oh really? Awesome! I can't wait to see the designs she was going to bring back from LA", I said "She got so lucky to go on the set of LA Ink, I can't wait to know what knowledge that they gave her", he said "Maybe it could boost up business" "I sure hope so, we have been kind of slow these past two weeks", I said, unlocking my door to my station "By the way what time do I have that appointment with Christy? It was for restoration on her back" "She called this morning she had to rescheduled because of a meeting, you got her at four today", he said, as I walked inside turning on the light "Cool beans", I said, setting up my tray with my inks and tools Well at least we did get some business today after Meghan had shown us what she learned while in California. I had at least four appointments of doing tattooing and restoration and made some pretty good tips. I was cleaning up my station by making sure all my inks were in colored order and sanitizing my tools. I decided to stay and help clean up the shop since one of our cleaning staff members didn't bother to show up at his shift. I dusted the counters and artwork, wiped the glass and mopped the concrete floors. As I finished mopping up the area, my boss Bryan came in from his office. He had short brown hair and flame tattoos on his muscular arms. "Oh Sky you didn't have to do that, I am going to give that guy a good talking to, this is the second time this month he has done that", he said "Nah don't worry Bryan I don't mind", I said, mopping around the front desk "It's gotta get done one way or the other" "How's the therapy?", he asked, sitting down and starting some paperwork "To be quite honest, I am pretty much sick of it", I said "I mean I haven't made any progress for years, and it's more annoying that nothing has changed since I got this" "I'm sorry to hear that, be a shame if this doesn't go away", he said "Don't want to lose my next manager" "Thanks for your concern", I said, smiling a little "But I'm hoping a miracle will happen soon, I'm sick of dealing with this shit" "I wouldn't say I blame you, I would be fed up and throwing in the towel right about now", he said "Anything going on for you tonight?" "Pretty much the same thing, going to go home and take care of my so called zoo", I said, giggling "Oh yeah Mrs. Dr. Dolittle", he said, snickering "Haha you guys are so funny calling me that", I said, rolling my eyes "Well you kind of own every animal there is", he said "Oh contrary, not every kind...yet", I said, laughing He laughed along with me as I dumped the mop water outside on the street and store the bucket and mop in the storage closet. "Though something did strange did happen last night", I said "Like what?", he asked "Okay I helped this guy out from getting beaten up I guess by thugs or something and when I tried to see if he was okay, he took off running", I said He looked at me quite surprised. "Really? He just like vanished?", he asked "Yeah! I mean he jumped the wall and climbed up on a rooftop and disappeared", I said "He was so fast, like lightning speed!" "That's really strange", he said, nodding in agreement "I know right, but he did leave me a message saying that he owed me one", I said "Someone called Mikey" "You know anyone named that?", he asked "Not that I know of", I said, shaking my head "But oh well, probably not going to see this guy again anyways" "Yeah probably not", he said I shut off the lights in my station and locked it up and I clocked out of my shift. "By the way I got those invoices and bids sent out today", I said, tightening up my bandanna "Oh thanks Sky! You work way too hard, it's like you are trying to run me out of here as quick as possible", he said "Not my intention", I said, giggling walking to the door "Good night" "Good night, see you at noon", he said "See ya", I said, as I walked out of the shop I walked down the street and decided not to go home straight away. I wanted a little breather from work before I tended to my home life. Going past my apartment complex I headed towards the docks at the end of the block. I walked along the rickety boardwalk and leaned against the edge watching the sea quietly ripple under the light of the moon and seeing a few sailboats out in the distance. "Ahhh fresh air", I said I always loved the boardwalk. It was just where I loved to be to get some peace and quiet and enjoy the crisp ocean air, that really enhances my breathing. Best of all I usually had it all to myself to enjoy. Or so I thought. I heard footsteps coming up behind me, that sounded loud and making the old boards cripple under my feet. "Hey!", a voice yelled I shot around seeing a man holding a knife in his hand and just from standing a far distance, I could smell alcohol and cigarette smoke. "Get off my spot!", he said "Excuse me, this is a public place, so I can stand here if I want to or not", I said, crossing my arms "Shut up! You little whore!", he said, walking closer I gripped behind my pants pocket and grabbed a little object hiding it in my fist. I backed up against the edge of the boardwalk, not knowing what he could be planning. "Strip off your clothes!", he said "I don't think so", I said, being brave "You bastard!" "Strip or I cut off your fingers!", he said, as he pressed the knife up under my chin "No!", I said, getting in his face "Do it...or I will!", he said, in a warning tone "I said no!", I said, as I revealed my weapon I sprayed a tiny bottle of mace that was very effective in his eyes as it created a cloud of smoke. He yelled in pain as I tried to push him away to run. But the spray only helped me so much before he pushed me back hard. "You little cunt!", he said, as he shoved me again This time he pushed way too hard and I slipped on the wet boards and went stumbling backwards falling into the ocean. I screamed as I started falling faster and faster till I hit the icy cold water. It was a sudden shock for me as I never felt so cold in my life. I swam back up to the surface catching my breath and I tried to swim to a dock post to hang on to since I was near the roughest part of the waves. I was close till a huge wave crashed on top of me pushing me under and making me do multiple somersaults. I tried to swim up to the surface again, but I wasn't moving anywhere. I looked down to see my leg was tangled up in some kelp and I reached down trying to get myself free, but it wasn't getting any looser. It felt like I was attached to a chain on a ball. I could feel my lungs tightening by the seconds desperate for air and I started to panic struggling faster to get free. Suddenly a huge wave came rushing towards me as I tried to swim away, but it smashed me against a wooden post on the dock and I hit my head hard. My vision started to go blurry and my whole body began to relax as I sunk down into the ocean. I never felt so calm, it was peaceful like I had just fallen asleep. My head looked up and from what I could see was rushing waves continuing to hit the dock. But I then saw something jump in making a huge splash and for some reason it started to swim towards me. I tried to keep my eyes open but everything went dark. "Come on", a voice said, sounding muffled "Come on, come on!" I felt a strange thump on my chest that was repeatedly hitting me. I suddenly shot up coughing hard as salty sea water came drooling out of my mouth. I coughed hard a few more times before I finally caught my breath and laid back down. My eyes slowly opened and I could see I was on the beach and sand was sticking to my wet clothes. I slowly looked up and I was stunned to see the exact same shadow I saw last night, with the exact same bright blue eyes looking down at me. "No need to thank me!", he said, clearly not noticing my shocked expression "I take cash and checks as repayments" My eyes then rolled into the back of my head and my head fell unconscious from everything happening so fast. I didn't remember anything after that. When I felt myself coming around I didn't feel the cold sea water surrounding me, instead I felt warm and cozy. I fluttered my eyes open to see I was back in my own apartment and I was laying in my bed, hooked up to my oxygen tank. "Wow that was some dream", I said, to myself "It felt so real" "That's because it was real", a voice said I quickly sat up and looked around in my dark room and I turned on my lamp on my nightstand, backing up against the headboard. "Who...who is there?", I asked, sounding nervous "It's okay, I'm the one who helped you out, I just stayed to make sure that you were okay", he said "Why are you hiding from me? I can't see you", I said, relaxing a little "You probably don't want to", he said "You would be afraid" "Why would I be scared of my own rescuer?", I asked "You saved my life, there is no reason why I should be afraid" I could hear slight movement and I can see the same huge shadow. "Please don't go, I really want to see you", I said, sitting up in bed "You will freak out", he said, sounding a bit sad "I won't freak out, I promise you", I said, softly He stood there silent for a few moments as I waited patiently for him to say something. He then took a step forward and I could see a huge sneaker wrapped in white bandages and going up his leg and I could see material of orange and black gym shorts and part of a grey hoodie around his waist. I got a look of curiosity and when the light had barely hit his face, the same bright blue eyes appeared. "It's you", I said, softly He then fully stepped out and I was right, he wasn't human. He was a giant turtle, like a head and almost shoulder taller than me. An orange mask was wrapped around his head and had a golden chain hanging from his neck along with shades with golden orange tint and a long skateboard was behind his back. He looked at me frightened. "You are that guy", I said, standing up "You are the one from last night" "Yeah, and you were the one who helped me out", he said, smiling a little "Told you I owed you one" "Mikey?", I said, remembering the name from the note "That's me!", he said, smiling more Without warning I suddenly hugged him tight around his neck and I then could feel the happiness spike up in him as he hugged me back tightly too. "Thank you so much! I would of been a goner if it wasn't for you", I said, smiling "Aw no worries little dudette!", he said, swinging me side to side as I giggled "Just doing what I normally do" "Man I thought I was dreaming for a second there", I said, letting go "Thought I was going on crazy" "Oh this is real, believe me", he said This guy had such a laid back and casual attitude towards me, and I hardly even knew anything about this guy. I knew he wouldn't have harmed me in any way, not with an attitude he has. Otherwise I would have been dead before I had blacked out when nearly drowning out in the ocean. Besides I did help him out so there was no reason why he would hurt me. "But don't worry, I am not afraid of you", I said, smiling "You are not?", he asked, surprised "Not at all", I said, shaking my head "Well that's a surprise you are the first human I have met who doesn't get all freaked out or faint at the sight of me", he said "A lot of people these days can be very judgmental about a lot of things", I said, crossing my arms and nodding in agreement "They just don't give it a chance" "Right instead of like running away, they could just stop and just try to understand it on what it really is", he said "I might just end up being the coolest thing ever" "But why did you run away when I tried to approach you?", I asked "I didn't mean to scare you like that, I'm sorry, it was just the only thing I could think of to help you" "No I wasn't scared of you, I just worried that you might be scared of me", he said "The reason why I ran, I panicked because I didn't want you to see me how I looked" I looked at him concerned. "What why?", I asked, gently "I didn't want you to freak out by my appearance, I thought you would called me a monster", he said, lowering his head "Pretty much everyone does" "Now why would I call you a monster?", I asked "I don't know because I am a giant talking turtle", he said I gave him a smile. "You ninny", I said, giving his shoulder a playful shove "If I was scared of you, I wouldn't have bothered to help you out back there, I kind of got the idea that you weren't human anyways" "Really?", he asked, surprised "I'm pretty observant of my surroundings", I said, giggling and crossing my arms "And besides I don't think any human could of been that big in size or fast to get on a rooftop unless they had some kind of special climbing equipment" "Well not entirely true, Spiderman could of done it", he said, smiling "Oh yeah! That's true!", I said "Love the part when he tries out his spiderwebs for the first time saying all those goofy pick up lines", he said "Oh my god! Me too!", I said "And right when he smashed into that billboard, too classic" "Like a bug on a windshield", he said "Hey that's a pretty good comparison, I never thought of that", I said Just then the sounds of scratching and squeaky meows could be heard from outside of my bedroom door. A big grin exploded on Mikey's face. "Awwww you have a kitty?", he said "I do", I said "Wanna meet her?" "Yes! Yes! Yes!", he said, excitedly Wow this guy really must love animals, well considering that he is one. I rolled out of bed and I opened the door and came running in quickly was my cat, meowing. "Hey baby girl, you miss mama?", I said, picking her up "Come here" She hugged me around my neck as I petted her along her back. "This is Kisa", I said, setting her down beside him with Mikey sitting on my bed "Awwwww she is so cute!", he said, petting her along her back as she purred loudly "So fuzzy and adorable!" I smiled. "Yeah she is my baby", I said "She is very affectionate, even when I found her in an alley on my block under a dumpster, poor little girl must of been on her own for quite awhile, thought she wouldn't make it" "You found her under a dumpster?", Mikey asked, shocked "Yeah I was walking home from work and heard a little squeak and I went to see what it was, and sure enough this little dirty fuzzy kitten came walking up to me", I said "Picked her up and took her right into my home and she has been with me since" "Awwwwww do you know how she got out there?", he asked, petting her head "Maybe getting separated from her mother, or possibly thrown out by an irresponsible owner", I said, shrugging "I am not so sure, but all I can say is that there was no way and how I was going to leave her there" Kisa had climbed up on top of Mikey's arm and walked along his shoulder till she laid down behind his neck curling up and purred rubbing up against his face. He chuckled smiling as he scratched her head. "Kisa really likes you Mikey", I said "Never seen her that affectionate before" "Well I can be quite the alley cat myself", he said "Maybe that's why she likes me" I giggled. "Maybe", I said "Um did you maybe wanna stick around for a bit? I mean you don't have to if you don't want to, just really enjoying the company, I don't often get visitors" "Let's go for it!", he said, suddenly I flinched back startled a bit by his answer. "You said the magic words!", he said "You really want to stay?", I asked, a bit confused and yet surprised "Why wouldn't I?", he said "Oh...well then okay", I said, smiling "Great! I could show you my other pets that I have too" "Wait Kisa is not the only one you have?", he asked "Oh no no no", I said, shaking my head "Come on I'll show you" I got up with Mikey quickly following behind me and Kisa running out in front of the both of us. There to greet us was my other pets in there tanks or cages Mikey looked like a little kid in a candy shop as he looked around seeing my pets that were going about their own things. "Wow! You are like in the office of Dr. Dolittle!", he said I giggled. "Yeah you could say something like that", I said "A lot of people do tease me for that, but hey I love animals, can't help it" "This is awesome! Show me everyone!", he said, happily "Gladly", I said, walking up to one of my tanks "First we have my fish, I have my cinnamon clown Sugar, my angel fish Shimmer, my blue tang Dory, my starfish Peach, and my snail named Slime", I said In the tank was beautiful colored corals and purple and blue pebbled rocks at the bottom, with a little light shining down into the clean water. Something like you would really see in the ocean. "So cool! I wish I had fish growing up that would of been awesome!", he said, getting on his knees and watching them move around "Glad you like them, come on I'll show you more of my critters", I said, patting his shoulder He got up and followed me to a good size metal cage and from the little hammock hanging I could see little whiskers pop up. "And this is Iggy and Lola", I said "What are they?", he asked, peering inside the cage trying to see "Here", I said, opening up the cage door and held out my hand A white rat with black patches and a plain white rat appeared and they started crawling up on my hand. "They are my rats", I said, pulling my hand out "Wow! I didn't know that you can own rats as pets, I thought you would really just find them in the sewers", he said, looking at them "Surprisingly they can be good pets, they have become more popular now", I said, as they started climbing up and down my arms "Not like the ones I would see lurking around in the tunnels for scraps", he said, as he looked at Iggy in the face "You see rats all the time?", I asked "Yeah I kind of live in the sewer", he said, sounding a bit uneasy "Not really a surprise", I said, shrugging, not really bothered by his answer "You don't think its bad?", he asked "I don't think so", I said, shaking my head "I mean you don't often see giant turtles living in penthouses" "Oh that would be the day", Mikey said, looking up at the ceiling dreamily "Tell me about it", I said, nodding in agreement Iggy and Lola came walking up my arms as Lola stood up on her hind legs and sniffed the air reaching out her little paws. "I think she wants to see you Mikey", I said He held out his finger as she rested her paws on the green digit. He looked at her with a smile and she then scattered up on his arm as Mikey looked at her with surprise as she then rested on his shoulder and began sniffing him. "This feels so weird, usually rats would scatter at the sight but to have one actually come up to you", he said, as he watched her move all over him sniffing around "It feels funny" "I know at first glance you might think that why would you own a rodent that eats everything in sight and is nothing but a pest in society", I said "But really I found them fascinating, I mean they are so adapted to living in such harsh conditions and can still keep living a normal life" Lola scattered on top of Mikey's head as she rested her paws on top of his face and her whiskers twitched. Mikey's face was scrunching up as he started laughing as she continued on. "Hey cut that out!", he said "That's her way of telling you she loves you", I said, smiling as I petted Iggy on his head "Hey! Come on! That tickles!", he said, with his face scrunching up more "Okay Lola, come here", I said, holding out my hand and she walked along my arm to rejoin Iggy Mikey shook his head with a bit of fur flying off his face as I then took a few fruit treats from a bag beside their cage in my hand. "Would you like to feed them?", I asked His blue eyes went wide. "Can I?!", he asked "Yeah, here watch this", I said I took one of the fruit treats and I made a little clicking sound to get Iggy's attention. "Iggy, stand", I said, holding the treat out in front of him Iggy slowly got to his feet as I began to move the treat farther away and he began to walk slowly on his hind legs following the treat. I made him walk along my arm a short distance before I held the treat to him and he took into his paws and began to eat it. "Good boy Iggy", I said, giving his back a stroke "Wow I wanna try!", Mikey said "Here", I said, handing him a treat "Just make that noise and tell Lola to stand and make her walk" Mikey tried mimicking the same clicking noise I made and he held the treat out in front of Lola. "Lola, stand", he said Lola heard him and got up on her hind legs and began to walk along my other arm towards the treat. He made her walk a distance till she started walking faster and faster till she got to my hand, before he handed her the treat. "Good girl Lola", he said, stroking her head with his finger "Wow never could get her to walk that far, that was really awesome Mikey!", I said "I am the King Rat, rodents kneel before me!", he said, in a dramatic evil tone teasingly doing striking out his arms I couldn't help but giggle at his child like behavior. "Nice try Mikey, but they are not that obedient", I said, as I set them back in their cage locking the door "So much for getting service", he said, teasingly I giggled. "Oh well", I said "And we have my last one, this is Skittles" I moved the sheet off the cage and resting on a perch was my macaw waking up. She squawked as she flew up and landed on my wrist and she stretched out her wings. "Wow never seen a macaw like that before! Not like in real life", he said, as Skittles looked at him "She is a scarlet macaw", I said "Had her since I was thirteen" "Why the name Skittles?", he asked "Okay so I was struggling to figure out a name for her because I adopted her from the humane society and I wanted her name to be a good one", I said "Try to use a different name than what people normally name a bird like Polly, Birdy or Tweety something like that. So I was eating skittles trying to figure out a name for her and then it hit me when I was saw the same colors of the candy matched her feathers and I am thinking, hey I should name her Skittles since she has all the colors and is very sweet like them" "Huh how creative!", he said, smiling I giggled. "Or weird", I said "How old is she?", he asked "She is 18 years old, so same age as me", I said "And she loves talking and doing impersonations" "She can talk?", he asked, surprised "Yeah really well, here I'll show you", I said "Skittle can you say hi?" She then held up her wing in front of her beak while Mikey laughed. "Oh it's okay baby don't be shy, he is nice", I said "Can you say hi Skittles?" "Hi Skittles", she said, laughing "Okay she is a little nervous, so can you say hi Skittles?", I said "Hi Skittles", she said, again still laughing He looked at her amazed as Skittles stopped laughing. "Okay being very literal, it's a comedy I get it", I said "Okay let's rephrase the question, how about you wave with your foot and just say hi?" She then rose up her left foot and waved it. "Hi, hi, hi, hi", she said, repeatedly "Good girl!", I said, petting her head "Wow that is so cool!", Mikey said "Here watch this", I said "Can you give a big kiss Skittles?" Skittles made a clicking noise making it sound like kissing sound effect. "And this one she does really realistic", I said "Can you cough?" Skittles did a coughing sound while shaking her head back and forth. "Good girl!", I said, giving the tip of her beak a kiss as she flapped her wings "Can you she do a Dark Vader impersonation?", Mikey asked "Not quite", I said, smiling "We do practice that one though, she is getting better each time, I'm hoping we can get it right very soon" Skittles then rested on top of Mikey's arm as he looked at her with a smile and Skittles looking back at him with curiosity. "You can sit down with her if you want, I'll get us some drinks" I went into the kitchen and I took out two glasses and got some ice from the freezer, sliding them inside. I then opened another cabinet and smiled taking two cans of my favorite soda. The fizzy bubbles made it look really refreshing and tasty, and best of all its vegan. I carried the two glasses back into the living room and I giggled seeing Skittles was swinging off from Mikey's gold chain as he swung her standing up. "Oh should of warned you, she loves to swing on anything that hangs", I said, giggling "Yeah should of warned me, she has got an iron grip", he said, still swinging her He then stopped and took her off his chain and set her on top of his shoulder. "It's really all I have that might be tasty for you, but I don't know if you maybe might like Orange Crush", I said, looking down at the glasses "You like Orange Crush too?!", Mikey asked, looking surprised "I knew it! I knew couldn't be the only obsessed with it!" "Me too! It's like the best ever!", I said, handing him a glass He took a big a gulp of it, nearly drinking the whole entire glass with one gulp, before letting out a sigh of refreshment. "Nothing beats the taste of a delicious beverage!", he said I giggled. "You got that right! I would be drinking this like there is no tomorrow", I said, as we sat down on the couch "I mean who doesn't like this?! It's full of flavor, just the right amount of bubbles, and creates the best burps", he said He then suddenly burped out loud as if it were by coincidence as he blushed in embarrassment. "Well excuse you", I said, shoving his arm "Sorry", he said, sheepishly "My bad" "It's cool", I said, smiling "But yeah I agree, best soda ever" "I mean who doesn't like this?", he asked "People who have no good taste", I said, cocking an eyebrow "Exactly!", he said, nodding his head firmly before taking another gulp "Um question?", I said "Yeah?", he asked "How did you even know where I lived?", I asked He looked at me sheepishly. "Oh that, I kind of followed you home that night you helped me out", he said "Just to make sure you weren't going to be followed or attacked. I also kind of saw you in your window" "I figured", I said, smirking "But I wasn't spying on you or anything!", he said, quickly shaking his head "It's cool", I said, shoving his arm "I would of done the same thing too if I was in your shoes" "How could you? Your feet couldn't possibly fit in these", he said, teasingly lifting up his foot We both started laughing even with Skittles joined in the laughter. "Haha that was a good one", I said, giggling "You are funny" "I have been known to please a crowd with my humor", he said, with a charming proud smile I giggled. "Well you proved me right", I said, taking a sip of my drink "So how long have you been living here?", he asked "A few months?" "Too young that's pretty much all I can say", I said, shaking my head "I have been living on my own since I was fifteen" He looked at me shocked. "Why did you leave so young? You run away or something?", he asked I shook my head as I took another sip of my soda, before setting it down on the table. "No", I said "I have a bad relationship with my mom, just everyday there would always be a fight about something, just had to get out of there you know" "Were you scared?", he asked "A little", I said, nodding truthfully "At first I didn't know what I was getting myself into, I didn't know where to start. I mean I was just a fifteen year old girl who has leukemia with no money or anything trying to find a new place to start. Luckily I had a struck of luck when a lady gave me a job assisting teaching kids art at the local school here, she even offered me a place to stay until I got my savings up. When I graduated from high school, I worked as a full time waitress while doing online classes to get my tattooing license" "You are a tattoo artist?", he asked, with his eyes going wide "Yeah been one for a little while now", I said, smiling a little "So you like own your own shop? That would be so awesome!", he said "Well not yet", I said "I'm working my way up to owner position. My boss Bryan is teaching me all the things I need to know how to do and everything before he allows me to take the reigns" "You will have to show me everything! Like where you work, your designs, your space! Everything!", he said, sounding ecstatic and shaking my shoulders "Okay woah woah woah!", I said, giggling from seeing his excitement holding my hands up "Of course, but we will have to wait till night to sneak in after hours and I can show you everything from there" "Can't wait!", he said I smiled and then my glow and the dark clock began glowing all different colors showing the time. "Awwww man it's midnight! I'm going to be so late to get home! The guys are going to kill me!", he said, suddenly getting up "Are you going to get in trouble?", I asked, getting up from my seat "Yeah! I'll be grounded for like a week!", he said, taking his skateboard and putting it behind his shell "Ugh hated being grounded as a teen, such a pain in the butt", I said "Right!", he said "Here I'll lead you out here", I said I opened up my huge window up to the top and Mikey crawled out by wedging his giant figure in sideways to get out on to my fire escape. "Oh you might want to have these back", I said, revealing to him the ninja stars out of my pants pocket "Woah! How did you get these?", he asked, taking them from my hand "Let's just say they nearly speared me in the head", I said, cocking an eyebrow "Oh my god! I am so sorry! I was trying to get the ninjas and I thought-", he said, sounding all panicky "I'm just kidding with you!", I said, shoving him playfully "I am fine, don't worry about it" "I didn't hurt you?", he asked "No, just nearly had my heart leap out of my chest and see my life flash before my eyes, I'm alright", I said, giggling "Oh good", he said, taking a huge breath "But yeah sorry I didn't know they nearly hit you" "It's okay", I said, smiling "Hey but we won the match, that's the main thing!", he said "Nah main thing is that I knock those guys on their asses with my air tank", I said "Girl power was on a roll that night!", he said, bumping up a fist I laughed smiling and we gave each other a high five, then a knuckle touch, doing an dramatic explosion sound effect. "Yeah boy!", I said, giggling "You know what, why don't you keep these", he said, handing them back to me "But they are yours Mikey", I said, as I took them "I couldn't take them" "Nah don't worry I get like a whole supply of them at home", he said, smiling and shaking his head "Keep them" "Wow thanks! I got my own ninja stars", I said, looking at them "Catch you later dudette, I'll see you around! Got to go!", he said, climbing out the window "Well it was really nice to meet you again and see you for the first time, Mikey", I said, sitting on my window sill "Bye" He was about to jump off my fire escape until he stops and looks back at me. "By the way I never caught your name", he said, pointing a finger at me "Oh right, that would be rather useful to know", I said, giggling "It's Skylar, Skylar Richards"